mountian morning 

the court, what a mess

Some times I am truly amazed at what those responsible for interpreting our laws come up with. To allow a government to take a persons property and give it to a developer so the developer can make money so the government can collect taxes goes against the very beliefs that this country was founded on. Individual rights and freedoms are the cornerstone of our countries belief. To take away the right of ownership without a true public need is wrong.

The recent decision by the Supreme Court to allow municipalities the right of expanded eminent domain, while passed by a majority of justices was by no means a mandate. The Justices JUSTICE O’CONNOR, THE CHIEF JUSTICE, JUSTICE SCALIA, and JUSTICE THOMAS join, dissenting. Justices O’Connor and Thomas wrote excellent dissenting arguments. I am including a quote from Justice Thomas’s argument I think it sums the decision up nicely.

THOMAS, J., dissenting

“Something has gone seriously awry with this Court’s interpretation of the Constitution. Though citizens are safe from the government in their homes, the homes themselves are not.”

Visit the supreme courts web page and look up recent decisions, Kelo vs. City of New London. It is a long read but worth at least a look at.

http://www.supremecourtus.gov/

Zeke and the cows

I just got back from a week in the mountains. This trip I took my #3 son and my dog Zeke. Zeke found the cows fascinating. He would sit for the longest time and just look at them. More later.

Off we go again

Tomorrow my youngest son and I start on our first trip to the mountains this summer. We will be spending a week in Floyd county Virginia. There will be no computers, no TV, no phones, no washer or dryer, no house to clean, no bills to pay no job to go to. My son says he will bring no gaming apparatus. I am going to Barns & Noble in Christiansburg and pick up the two Star Trek books I ordered so after long days of tramping around the property building a winding walkway from the barn area to the home site I can sit back and enjoy a mindless reading exercise. Star Trek is my Harlequin romance.

If all goes well the weather will be the best it could be, 70 degree days and 50 degree nights. If we can fit him in the Jeep we will be bringing Zeke one of our dogs. A week in the mountains with good weather a Jeep and a dog. Oh heaven could not be better!

One of the nice things about green beans is that they start to produce quickly. These were planted the first of May. The delicate purple flowers are beautiful to look at and the beans they produce taste so good.

 

driving Miss Cindy

For the past 8 years I have been traveling 60 miles from my home in Colington to my job in Elizabeth City NC. To some this drive may seem a bit much but to me it offers an hour and fifteen minutes of peace and reflection, time I appreciate even more now that I drive it only once a week.

The past few years has seen a lot of growth here in Dare County NC. It has become crowded. The roads are busy with people trying to get to and fro with undaunting determination. There is no such thing as a relaxing ride that is unless you have to go to Elizabeth City.

My weekly ride to Elizabeth City takes me through Currituck county farm land. At this time of year the farmers plant their fields with corn. By the time July comes around they will be harvesting sweet corn. In September the corn will be drying up and by October it will be harvested for grain. I have been watching this cycle for the past 8 years. I find this familiar sequence of events calming and I hope it never changes.

and so it begins

The tsunami I alluded to at Easter has struck the Outer Banks. The wave of people and the things associated with them have flooded our roads. The beach is packed with folks wanting to escape to a place of sun, fun and beaches. They pack their families in an assortment of vehicles and come on down to spend a whirl wind week together. Every week for the next 3 months this wave of people will come. Every Saturday and Sunday will have bumper to bumper traffic. The stores will be over flowing. This is Christmas for the merchants on the Outer Banks. This will make them or break them.

To the every day people this is a season of mixed blessings. Just like the visitor, those who live here year round and the students who come for the summer want to enjoy the beaches and water ways but they must work. Many must work 2 jobs because just like the squirrel gathers nuts for the winter they must put as much as they can away for the winter.

My older boys love summer on the beach. For them its surfing, sailing and hanging out at the beach with the gang. It’s the girls that visit and the local ones that blossom with new tans and bathing suits. It’s boating all day on the sound that ends with marsh island bond fires at night. Ah to be young in Babylon.

When I first moved to the beach 25 years ago I too enjoyed the summer but now I much prefer winter and it was not until yesterday that I realized why. I was at a party, not the first of the season mind you, when I resized this is what the summer here is about. There will be parties at friend’s houses and beach bonfires. There will be grass to cut, a garden to tend. There will be vacations to go on. Family will be visiting. Summer is a whirl wind. I truly enjoy my family and friends, my yard has always been a pleasure for me, vacations are great, but to compress all of that and the “normal” every day living stuff into 3 months just seems like too much. No matter summer will proceed as it always does, fall will come and things will quiet down then blissful winter will return.

Enjoy the summer. Peace

addendum; This is memorial day weekend the beginning of summer for many but more important its a time to celebrate those who gave all they had. Raise a glass and salute the people who gave it all for us and our country!

This is bud. He is 12 years old and lives with my X. It 's always nice to see him. 

just another

*Another week has gone by like grease lightning. Its Sunday again and what a nice morning. The clouds are scheduled to come this afternoon about the same time as my company but oh well lets enjoy the morning!

*I have been soooo busy. I just don’t know where the time went. My son is trying to buy a place of his own so I have been doing his leg work so he does not miss any work. Things are not looking good for him. The prices on the beach are so sky high that he will most likely have to look else where. It’s sad when the young cant afford to live where they were raised.

*The yard is looking ok. I love working outside. There is nothing like the feeling of pure physical exhaustion.

*Not much has caught my attention in the news this week. I don’t care for news that centers on the death of little ones. Congress and the senate are still acting in the interest of the republican and democratic parties and not the interest of the country as a whole. God I hope the next president can bring this countries political engine together!

Little is being said these days of the 1800 that have died in the Middle East since the “wars” have began. That count keeps going up and its no longer front page. I went to the site with the coffins on it. My heart just sank. More has to be done to get that area stable and get out of there. We never should have gone there and now we can’t leave.

Inclusion

Excitement is building at my house. The future event is included in many Conversations. When the boys friends are over you can see the excitement in their eyes. The faces of the 15-22 year old “men” light up at the mere mention of the event. “Miss Cindy are you going?” “It’s going to be great!” I tell them yes but I will go early to avoid the rush. Their reply is how lucky I am they can’t go any earlier they have to work! And so goes the anticipation of Star Wars.

These young men, children to me, grew up on it. A space cowboy saga that has expanded over nearly 30 years and at least 2 generations. Moms and dads of my generation have a topic in common with their children. I’m going to enjoy this common thread. I’m going to enjoy the excitement these young men exude over the topic and their willingness to include me in their conversations. I’m going to see the movie and then compare notes with them. I going to relish this fleeting time of inclusion that will be over once the wave are stoking and the girls of summer are back.

Just a few words

I lied to my youngest son today. I told him I was sorry that he had school. It seems that in an announcement stating that because of the CHANCE of sound side flooding and high winds school COULD be cancelled. Well the coastal low is here and he is at school. I’m sitting in front of this computer typing a blog entry drinking coffee and listening to Radio Paradise. I’m glad he is in school I have few of these mornings to myself left this year, the kids get out of school June 2^nd, and I don’t want to miss any of my alone time!!

Nothing new to report this time, even politics has settled down for now. The Daily Show had very little political satire last night. I’m sure that will change with the pres going to Europe. Bush can’t help but mess something up. I am looking forward to the results of the evolution debate happening in Kansas. That will be good for some laughs. I don’t support beach renourishment and that along with the tax decrease which is really an increase due to the property reevaluation that was done are the local hot topics. Things seem to be the same every where. I think I’ll go paint a room!

Not to leave on a sarcastic down note here are some words from one of my favorite musicians/poet’s.

If we have faith in human kind,
And respect for what is earthly,
And an unfaltering belief in peace and love and understanding
This could be heaven here on earth.

Tracy Chapman, Heaven here on earth, Heaven CD

Well it has been a long time since I blogged. I have just been so busy doing little things that I have not had the time. Today is rainy and I can only stroll through the garden not work in it so I have the time to drink coffee and blog.


*This week I put in the tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers and green peppers. I can't wait for fresh green beans with tomatoes and basal! The strawberries are flowering (yum). The flowers in the garden are allowing for some nice simple flower arrangements to bless the dining table and I will have roses soon. Oh how I love spring

*I was just asked by my middle son if he could move back in. Seems he is having a problem with his roommate's cat. And this was starting out to be such a good day.

*Rain or shine I will be helping my neighbor replace his irrigation pump. I've done this a few times for myself so we will have it done in no time. Of course replacing the pump means rain every day for the next week.

*Last night while listening to A Prairie Home Companion's "News from lake Wobegone" it came to my attention that I have been depriving my 15 year old son the privilege of mowing the lawn. I decided that starting today I would deprive him no longer, I would give him the privilege of mowing the front lawn. It's raining. (Best laid plans of mice and men).

Well the trees are that great light green color of spring the air smell good and the weather is pleasant even with the rain. I can't sit for long this time of year so until next time.

May

I've never mentioned May in my blog, but she was my son's cat. I went into my bedroom this morning around 10:30 and I found her dead. She was just laying there and I could tell right away she had gone but I got my stethoscope anyway and listened for any sign of life. She was still warm to touch and limp when I picked her up so I knew it had not been long.

She was a pain in the ass in the morning if her food bowl was not full. If you went to pet her she thought it was play time and she was rough. She never drew blood but you could tell she wanted to. She was a cat. She came when she wanted to the rest of the time you were wasting your breath calling. She will be missed

May was only 5 years old, she died young. It was hard telling my son he loves his cats and he took it hard.

Life is uncertain. No one knows how long we will be here or how long the things we love will be here. All we can do is be a kind to each other and treat the animals dependent on us well and hope life is good.

Spring is in full force now. Pollen has given my gray car and all the outdoor furniture a yellow green sheen. My plants are begging in tiny voices that only I can hear to be let out. The house exterior has been professionally cleaned of the green slime that seems to grow over the winter. And I have a list of projects that just keeps getting longer.

I love this time of year. This is the time to turn the garden again and plant those tomatos and green peppers. Its time to get first planting the green beans in the ground. This is when the roses begin to take off and the fragrance of flowers begins to fill the air, just little whiffs here and there nothing strong. Just a hint of what is to come.

This time of year the inside of my house is an embarrassment. I don't like house work in the first place so if I have to choose between dusting and raking, raking is going to win out! Give me the hammer, mower and lawn tools. Let me enjoy these fleeting moment of spring before the heat of summer comes and makes being outside a chore.

A view from the Buffalo 1993

I have been trying to keep my writing in the here and now but after visiting Fragments from Floyd http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/ and Blue Ridge Muse http://www.dougthompson.com/ I could not help but regress. This is a photo taken in 1993 on top of Buffalo Mt. and those are my boys.

What a way to end the day. Three friends by the fire chit chatting.
 

Winter & Spring

We on the Outer Banks have been experiencing a north easter for the past week. Many people know about the wind and it has been kicking but they don’t know about the noise. The sound of the waves crashing on the shore sounds like freeway traffic at rush hour. This sound travels far. I live on an island 4 miles from the beach and I can hear it. On top of that add the noise of wind at 25-40 miles per hour. This constant noise lasts for days at a time and many of us just tune it out.

To day as I do every morning that I’m home I got up, got sorta dressed, fixed the dog food for the boy and girl, put my coffee water on and took the boy and girl down for their morning constitution. Opening the door to the back yard I was greeted to the sound of birds the sun was shining, the wind was light, and although I could still hear the ocean you could tell it had laid down some.

To see a cloudless sky to hear birds to be able to walk outside with out holding on to my hat was nice. I doubt that this is the last we see of winter. This time of year on the outer banks is a time of flux. We see very little of spring. Winter and spring fight until summer comes along and takes over. Today winter is waning and spring has returned tomorrow we will see what happens.

Lessons

Yesterday returning to my car after shopping I noticed a hand written note on my windshield. The note told me that I had a low tire. Well the tire was almost flat so I quickly went to the nearest air hose and filled the tire up. I decided that I would keep an eye on it and went on about my business. In my mind I thanked the anonymous writer telling my self that I would pass the kindness on.

To be quite truthful I forgot all about the tire until this morning when as I was rushing to get my son to school and I saw that it was flat. Well I hauled out the air compressor cursing under my breath just knowing this was going to be one of those things it took all day to get fixed, pumped up the tire. As nice as I could I explained to my son that this was a little thing and even though it was an inconvenience no one did anything bad so there was no reason to get mad, it was just one of those things you take care of and move on. Believe me that’s not what I was thinking!

Well I dropped my son off at school and rushed to the Fast Lube were I get my oil and tires taken care of. Now we only have one place on the beach that does the Jiffy Lube kind of stuff, you know the simple general car maintenance. When they first opened, Chris the owner wanted to have the customer in and out in 30 minutes well it doesn’t work that way, they are so busy that I had prepared myself for a few hours stay. Imagine my suprise when I get there and there is only one car ahead of me. One of Chris’s guys came out took the keys I told him to fix the tire and while I was here change the oil.

I went to the waiting room and prepared to read the magazines but instead I got into a conversation with the owner of the first vehicle. It seems he just got back from California were he had undergone radiation treatment for prostate cancer. What made this so interesting is that the type of treatment he received is not available here on the east coast. He went to Loma Linda hospital in Loma Linda CA for a relatively new treatment using proton radiation to treat his prostate. The treatment is “new” but it has been around for more than 15 years and insurance covered it. The gentleman went on to tell me that the side effects of this treatment are few. He did not lose his hair, experience nausea or vomiting, his lab work is fine no decrease in blood cell’s. He told me that the proton radiation focuses on the cancerous area and does not harm the surrounding tissue. It does not pass beyond the tissue being treated so it does not affect other organs. It is a relativity non invasive procedure. He told me they are starting to use it for breast cancer. I was very thankful to him a stranger that had just gone through what must have been a frightening time in his life for sharing this with me.

I have always believed if you look for good in any situation you will find it and that there are lessons to learn and relearn every day. A flat tire reminded me of some very important lessons. Yesterday it was that there are a lot of good people out there and little acts of good do matter even if no one knows who you are. Today it was that if you are willing to listen you can learn something that might be important to pass on to others.

Friday a good day

I have so much to do the last thing I need to be doing is spending time writing to myself but I have the urge to blog so here goes.

Spring has sprung here on the Outer Banks. I had to turn the AC on so I could sleep the other day. Too much noise going on outside with all the construction not to mention the lawn mowers and yes the birds and dogs. That’s what happens when you work nights the things you most enjoy become a nuscence when you need sleep!

The Popes funeral has taken the headlines this week. Next week it will be the conclave and then the news will be back to war, death, destruction and Michael Jackson. All the politicians who joined in solidarity at the funeral will again be at each others throats. People will once more look at natures fury and mans stupidly and again declare that Armageddon on the horizon. Very little ever changes in the big picture.

My small picture is good. My youngest turned 15 yesterday and it was a good day. My older sons are doing well. My grass is green, the tulips are going to bloom for the first time EVER, and the fresh fruit stand opened April 1^st. My job, family and friends keep me in constant motion making it seem as though I’m in a losing battle with time but I would not have it any other way. For me at this moment life is good.

Well that is it for today’s blog. I need to get the basement cleaned and the laundry finished. Of course I would be done if I had not gone to the neighbors and had coffee but Turkish coffee with friends is not to be passed up.

This morning at the beach

My prayer is that Pope John Paul may find peace. I dont agree with all he says but he is a good man and leader

adendum: Pope John Paul II, aka Karol Cardinal Wojtyla of Poland, born may 18, 1920 died April 2, 2005 at 9:37pm Roman time.