A Monday meander: It was a dark and stormy day

Looking out the kitchen window this morning.

But the beauty is in the walking — we are betrayed by destinations.

~ Gwyn Thomas

Many people seem to think it foolish, even superstitious, to believe that the world could still change for the better.  And it is true that in winter it is sometimes so bitingly cold that one is tempted to say, “What do I care if there is a summer; its warmth is no help to me now.”  Yes, evil often seems to surpass good.  But then, in spite of us, and without our permission, there comes at last an end to the bitter frosts.  One morning the wind turns, and there is a thaw.  And so I must still have hope.

~ Vincent van Gogh

Catching the rain.

Hello and welcome back to the Wabi-Sabi Ranch!  How are you?  How was your weekend?  Did you travel anywhere or see any new sights?  Did you go on any good walks or hikes?  Read any good books or see any good films?

Not a good morning to sit outside.

We woke up to a dark and stormy day here on the Eastern Shore.  There were a few rumbles of thunder, a few flashes of lightning, but mostly it’s been all about the rain and some occasional gusty winds.  The rain gauge measurement was at 1.5 inches before noon.  It has been a feast or famine (deluge or drought) kind of year.  Except for the weird cucumbers I mentioned last week, the extremes don’t seem to be harming the plant life or the gardens.  I have been wondering about buying some sort of watering trough for the critters so they have a place to get fresh water during the long dry spells, but I have to weigh that against providing a place for the mosquitoes to breed.  It’s possible that the animals in this area, like the wild ponies on Assateague Island, are somewhat used to high salt diets so the brackish water of the pond and creek don’t bother them in the least.  Also, I learned that freshwater is less dense than saltwater and often floats on top.  So, maybe I don’t need to worry so much about the critters when we’re going through dry spells.

Mother Nature watering the trees and pond.

It was a nice weekend.  M and I went out on the boat on Saturday morning.  We put in at Milburn Landing in Pocomoke River State Park and cruised the Pocomoke River from there to Snow Hill.  I think it was about 18 miles round trip but don’t quote me on that because I’m not positive.  We were out for a couple of hours, stopping at one point to float and eat our lunch.  I like being on the river.  It’s quieter and smoother than being out near the bay or the sound.  I love the scenery too, especially the bald cypress trees that line the shore.

Near the boat landing at Pocomoke River State Park.

Since it is not the best day to go for a walk around the ranch today, let’s meander through the weekend instead.

You could almost bathe in the green.

The images from the state park and the river were taken with Lulu, my little everything-proof point-and-shoot camera.  I still don’t have the courage to take the big camera out on the boat.  I’m not sure why.  It seems safe enough.  And honestly, what’s the worst that could happen?  If the camera ends up in the water somehow, I’ll just have to save up for a new one by cutting back on other things (such as getting my hair colored which, by the way, is how I bought the big camera in the first place).

The boat at the dock where we put in.

I can’t remember if I showed you the boat or not.  As you can see, it’s rather cute.  It’s not too big, and probably not the kind of boat you’d take way out into the Chesapeake Bay, but good enough for puttering around the water trails and rivers.  It’s a bowrider, considered the quintessential family boat.  It is said to seat seven, but I think five is a better number if you want to be comfortable.  Maybe six.  Weight is a factor, and that includes the weight of the things we have to have on board (safety kit, life jackets, water, etc.) and the things we might want to have on board (picnic items, towels and umbrella if we’re going to a beach, etc.).

Taking our time (slow speed).

As you can see, it was cloudy on Saturday morning.  We did run into some spotty showers when we finished and we were putting the boat back on the trailer to haul it home.  We didn’t go right home because we had to pass the Chesapeake Bay Farms Dairy on our way back and well, who can resist stopping for ice cream?  I am pretty sure they have the best ice cream in the world, but I could be wrong since I haven’t tasted ice cream from all around the world.  Still, it’s good stuff.  Rich, creamy, wonderful.  The biggest problem I have with their ice cream is deciding which flavor I’d like to have.

Faster.

I want to go back on the river during the autumn months when the bald cypress trees are turning gold to photograph them with the big camera.  Lulu is a great camera when it comes to the water, but not so great when it comes to the actual images.  I have no control over anything other than which auto setting I use, and it tends to overexpose everything.

Calm water.

Way back in April, I participated in Susannah Conway’s April Love 2018 photo challenge.  (The first post in that series is here.)  I hesitate to call it a challenge since there were no rules and you could participate in any way you wished.  Ms. Conway just announced The August Break 2018, and I am going to give that a go when I can.  We have a few things going on in August, but that’s okay.  I’ll just take a break from The August Break if I don’t have time to keep up with the prompts.  If you have a camera (your cell phone camera will do) and want to join along, please let me know so I can see what you’re up to as the month rolls along.

Bald cypress trees and spatterdock.

I reckon that’s about it from me on this really wet Monday.  We’re almost up to 2 inches of rain now.  I don’t think it is likely at all that we’ll be able to see the sunset, but if things should change I’ll meet you at the Point.  Sunset is scheduled for 8:16 PM.  Better wear your wellies if you want to keep your feet dry.

Thank you for stopping by and going on another meander with me.  Be good, be kind, be loving.  Just Be.  🙂

The bridge in Snow Hill. This is where we turned around. It’s a drawbridge, built in 1932, and you could request that they open it so you could continue on from here. You have to call in advance since there is no tender there except when needed.

A few of the 10,000 reasons to be happy:  796)  Relaxing on a rainy day.  797)  The pimento cheese spread from the Chesapeake Bay Farms Dairy.  It’s not good for you, but it tastes great in tomato sandwiches.  (Pimento cheese spread is a southern thing, and we’re just far enough south to be able to find it just about everywhere.)  798)  Fresh tomatoes from the garden for the sandwiches I mentioned.  799)  Watching the bluebirds and hummingbirds play in the rain.  800)  The beautiful blooms on the hydrangea.

I wasn’t expecting to see a goat. I think this might be Goat Island.