Friday, June 12, 2009

Off the Map

I'm an absolute mix and muddle of nerves and excitement right now. I'm wondering what it'll be like, and if I'll do ok and what the caves will be like, and how much I'll miss home and family and friends. Saturday will be the beginning of my first cave trip outside the US and its going to be quite an adventure!! For the next three weeks I will be calling a hammock strung up somewhere in a little house in the village of Yaxuna my home. Yaxuna sits smack dab in the middle of the Yucatan, just down from Chichen Itza.


I'm off to go pull out the last of my gear for the trip...expect a full report when I come home!

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I have 3 Scars

I've had this post in my saved box for probably a year now to work on - adjust and modify - and I thought perhaps I should finally post it...

I have 3 scars.

The first of which right in the middle of my forehead; A good testament to the solidity of bookshelves and the slipperiness of Golden Books from my childhood. 11 stitches later, it is one of my earliest memories. My Dad taking corners in the Mustang like mad and my Mom holding a towel to my forehead as something warm and coppery smelling dripped down into my eyes - obscuring the ominous hospital ahead.

The second is on the inside of my right heal. Small and perfectly round - a memory of my first attempt at surfing. Either rock or surfboard fin or some flotsam of the sea dealt it as I was shoved onto land in the froth and tumble of the waves. More of an aggravation than any pain, I couldn't get it to stop bleeding. I decided not to attract more sharks than I already had. Rejected by the sea for moment, I sat on my surfboard as the amber sunset arrived and watched the others for a while, bleeding into the sand.

My third scar is from two years ago and sits just above and off to the right of the knee on my right leg. You can still see the scratches on the surface but I can feel the scar beneath - a large divot with a lump of scar tissue in the muscle where a rock -and the Morgue of Fern Cave decided to make a permanent impression on me. I'd just squatted down to step off of it when the decided to tumble down. Next thing I knew there was a rock in my lap and I couldn't push it off. Jimmy had to roll the rock off me. The smell of broken limestone still makes me cringe a bit. I was super lucky not to have broken anything and you really kinda have to wonder how long that rock was perched there for me to come find it? I had a great hobble and some spectacular colors (check out the pic below) going on for about a month - but the thought of stopping caving never crossed my mind for a second.



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Sunday, June 07, 2009

First Harvest


Straight from the garden to the table - Our first harvest from the garden

Some beautiful little peas and some really nice leaf lettuce.

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Friday, June 05, 2009

Tennessee Renaissance Festival

Michelle, Tommy, Paul all had a great time when we went to the Tennessee Renaissance Festival on May 17th. I brought my new camera and had quite a bit of fun with the long lens - especially with the falconry & jousting.

The lady falconer that I've seen for several years and some of the birds.


They had to spear a small cork heart in one of the competitions - which is what you see here

And then there's my favorite bit - full tilt jousting. I know its a show but its really quite impressive and its full contact. There's nothing quite like horses and men in full armor rushing past you at a gallop.



Paul in his dashing and debonair hat -


Michelle all smiles -


Tommy -

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