tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17982447877490733832024-03-19T01:27:10.424-07:00musings in mayhemwriter, mom, tutor, superwoman.cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.comBlogger563125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-17977996142144609182011-10-17T16:26:00.000-07:002011-10-17T16:26:37.828-07:00moving!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Due to technical difficulties, I have decided to move to Wordpress.<br />
<br />
Please come see the mayhem continue there, and be patient with the appearance and set up while I figure out the new place.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://musingsinmayhem.wordpress.com/">http://musingsinmayhem.wordpress.com</a><br />
<br />
Thanks for your continued readership, and I still love to see your comments!<br />
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</div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-1267105677162809272011-10-14T08:43:00.000-07:002011-10-14T08:43:39.942-07:00some days<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">....are just like that.<br />
<br />
I am thinking of people who need to be thought of.<br />
<br />
I am appreciating the beauty in tiny moments, but I can't upload the pictures from this morning's drive to preschool. In fact, I lost my header photo and can't seem to retrieve it.<br />
<br />
I wanted to do more edits, had an awesome session of it yesterday and finally completed for the thousandth time the emotionally relevant chapter that is twice as long as the rest of the chapters, but I finally accepted that it was okay, because a middle reader can handle one 10 page chapter in a book of 35 chapters that are 3-5 pages each. But see people statement re: doing more edits today, but maybe I still can. And there is laundry, of course.<br />
<br />
I wanted to go to a retreat this weekend, but it isn't in the cards. I am sending Mr. Cynic, and he is cool with that.<br />
<br />
It's a gorgeous day, the library book I was waiting for was finally in yesterday, and I checked it out. I feel like going outside to watch the blue jays and cardinals flit between the changing trees, listen to the wind rustle them, too, and maybe, just maybe read for half an hour uninterrupted, outside, where there is beauty to be found everywhere, if you just look.<br />
<br />
That last option is sounding the most appealing at the moment....<br />
<br />
And then I will go pick up Toots, and the mayhem will resume. Captain Comic is having a rough first quarter of the school year again, and Mr. Cynic still needs to pack for the weekend and I am not sure when his ride is coming for him.<br />
<br />
But yes, tra la la - opting for some time in the warm autumn breeze and light and colors.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-24418080883282864882011-10-06T15:17:00.000-07:002011-10-06T15:17:43.565-07:00sssssshhhhh...be vewy vewy quiet<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I'm hunting words.<br />
<br />
I've been pretty quiet over here in the past few weeks under the guise of focusing on the final few laps of this draft of my manuscript. Really, a lot of mayhem has been going on in my home and outside of it that has prevented as much concentration as I would like, but it is nearing the finish line.<br />
<br />
Promise. So if I stay quiet here and around the blogosphere in general, that's my excuse.<br />
<br />
I'm sticking to it.<br />
<br />
Thanks for your patience, adorable pics and quotables from my family, etc to resume in the near future.<br />
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</div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-52237736431482134772011-09-30T08:51:00.000-07:002011-09-30T08:51:17.823-07:00spiders and bugs and shrooms, oh my<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I'm not certain I'll ever get used to south coastal Virginia seasons. We have long stretches of no rain, but threatening rain, but nope, still no rain, and just when we give up and water the garden after all, rain. For days and days and then muggy muggy muggy still in the 80s, and it's fall.<div><br />
</div><div>I'm from New England: I just want a dreary rainy day, a bright day, a chill breeze, a sweater and trees full of yellow, orange, red and purple right about.....now.</div><div><br />
</div><div>So, in the past week or so, there has been a lot of drizzle then sun then drizzle drizzle when there was supposed to be major storm. The local news is giddy about all the mushrooms and no, people, please do not eat those mushrooms in your yard, even if they do look like gourmet chanterelles or oyster shrooms. </div><div><br />
</div><div>It's also a big spider season. Grandma says there are tons of tiny black spiders in her room. I am finding big orb weavers and other strange large spiders and - things on the deck, on the front of the house and in my gardens. A silverfish strode cockily across my desk this morning, too.</div><div><br />
</div><div>One day, a couple of weeks ago, we had a big yellow and black garden spider building a web on our deck. Toots misses her. I do, too. Then, a couple of days ago, I stumbled across a giant orb weaver a pace away from the other's web, building a gorgeous enormous structure. After I yelled, "Holy Crap!" to my friend over the phone, I checked it out pretty well, then later, it disappeared before I could get a picture. </div><div><br />
</div><div>We still have at least remnants of both webs on our deck. I love spiders and their handiwork, so I haven't removed them. They are big. Toots joined me on the deck briefly as she ran around the yard with her preschool class frog, Freddie, who is visiting this week. She looked up at the webs, and said very sadly, </div><div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">"Oohhh, where did our spiders go?"</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Iehyphenhyphen8Fc34PfEnDo65j2AXjAVgGbHJbvhcJXN4nAoKP_R7Ivf9l1ViGjdW1xxhe27_7Y0IdEm9EwoeoTiPpQqOymW2YsNvtBxW7RpUMJb6DljhwCFlcQ9s8iDsvOK-TQ2togh_HgSUAAl/s1600/2011.9.12-29preschool%252C+freddie+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Iehyphenhyphen8Fc34PfEnDo65j2AXjAVgGbHJbvhcJXN4nAoKP_R7Ivf9l1ViGjdW1xxhe27_7Y0IdEm9EwoeoTiPpQqOymW2YsNvtBxW7RpUMJb6DljhwCFlcQ9s8iDsvOK-TQ2togh_HgSUAAl/s320/2011.9.12-29preschool%252C+freddie+021.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>She was quite forlorn. </div><div><br />
</div><div>So was I.</div><div><br />
</div><div>But I wasn't when I saw a giant <a href="http://www.hrgiger.com/frame.htm">Giger art</a> looking bug on my garage the other day. After some unsuccessful googling, a friend sent me a link to <a href="http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/IN/IN24300.pdf">Wheel Bugs</a>. Bingo. </div><div><br />
</div><div>And today, I went out to do some gardening maintenance to discover where that giant orb weaver took up residence: right between my bean poles that I wanted to remove. She was very active and pretty ticked off that I watching her work. She ran at me, and Mom didn't raise a fool, I ran, too - away. </div><div><br />
</div><div>So we've entered the season of creepy crawlies and mysterious mushrooms, and I may just grow to like it down here pretty soon because of this...but the leaves will never be like in Massachusetts. </div></div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-11280922162859797412011-09-29T05:12:00.000-07:002011-09-29T05:12:20.368-07:00ode to the red sox<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Oh, my Sox, I’m loathe to say, </div><div class="MsoNormal">Have broken my heart another day.</div><div class="MsoNormal">2011 season’s sudden and bitter fall,</div><div class="MsoNormal">In all estimation, is the worst of baseball.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Spring, per usual, was lacking grace,</div><div class="MsoNormal">But fortitude steeled upon every fan’s face.</div><div class="MsoNormal">Papi’s homers sang past the Green Monster</div><div class="MsoNormal">And Gonzalez surprised with his hutzpah.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Pedroia and Ellsbury, ah my boys, are</div><div class="MsoNormal">The hardest working players in pro ball.</div><div class="MsoNormal">The beauty plays it as an art.</div><div class="MsoNormal">The littlest player pumps the biggest heart.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I love the rest of the guys, too,</div><div class="MsoNormal">But here’s the thing, you know it’s true:</div><div class="MsoNormal">As much as our team plays as a<i> </i>team like no other</div><div class="MsoNormal">These two play as determined brothers.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">For most of the season we were number one</div><div class="MsoNormal">Then September stole all the fun,</div><div class="MsoNormal">With so many of our players on the DL</div><div class="MsoNormal">What could we do? What the hell?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Three weeks of watching torture,</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Yankees circled like vultures</div><div class="MsoNormal">And right at season’s end, </div><div class="MsoNormal">We began to rise, a bit slowly, but rise again.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Terry Francona chewed his gum, </div><div class="MsoNormal">He chewed and chewed until we won.</div><div class="MsoNormal">Extra innings lay in Papalbon’s hand.</div><div class="MsoNormal">Then we tied and lost again.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And then that <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Tampa</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Bay</st1:placetype></st1:place>,</div><div class="MsoNormal">Who are these guys anyway? </div><div class="MsoNormal">I couldn’t watch, my husband yelled</div><div class="MsoNormal">How on earth? Again, I ask: What. The. Hell?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We rollercoastered our way through the final few.</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Yankees were rough, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Tampa</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Bay</st1:placetype></st1:place>, too</div><div class="MsoNormal">We took both series’ last games, and didn’t whine.</div><div class="MsoNormal">Then we lost to the Orioles <i>in the</i> <i>bottom of the ninth</i>.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">A short season this year, tis true,</div><div class="MsoNormal">Maybe I’ll cower with the flu.</div><div class="MsoNormal">While other teams’ fans raise up cheers</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’ll stay away from October play, cause:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">THERE’S ALWAYS NEXT YEAR.</div></div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-79566331075800046632011-09-18T11:47:00.000-07:002011-09-18T11:47:23.814-07:00pardon me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">......while I realign, please.<br />
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Kxp2xsqWnvJFHDBTKhfWLY8G5vNWWrcd-Z84rsrZAklJgUvhf32tjW2Ty-oYa1k_Kea5MVAWriCELpwXq-K2kimpJx7_CcjyTmLwOy25unTseBAUhUqG6RFxEh6UplUAFMVD9roFh6eA/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Kxp2xsqWnvJFHDBTKhfWLY8G5vNWWrcd-Z84rsrZAklJgUvhf32tjW2Ty-oYa1k_Kea5MVAWriCELpwXq-K2kimpJx7_CcjyTmLwOy25unTseBAUhUqG6RFxEh6UplUAFMVD9roFh6eA/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+152.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Thank you. </div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-47586748934720707352011-09-12T08:31:00.000-07:002011-09-12T08:31:48.359-07:00oops, i did it again<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Remember<a href="http://musingsinmayhem.blogspot.com/search?q=ankle&updated-max=2011-06-21T09%3A54%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=20"> das boot</a>?<br />
<br />
And the lesson I wanted to pass on to you? <br />
<br />
Yea, I haven't quite learned it yet.<br />
<br />
Yesterday, I sang the Brahms piece in both Sunday services for a remembrance of 9-11 on its tenth anniversary. Our little choir had worked very hard on it, and for some reason, the music just looked foreign during first service, even though we had just had a really good last rehearsal of it prior to that service. I wasn't the only one who had that experience. Our RE director (an alto) remarked between services that she had the same experience. In that conversation, she mentioned that it seemed the person who was supposed to lead the youth group during second service was not there yet. I replied, I'd be happy to go over there after we sang in the early part of the second service. The middle school leader was happy to get them started in the discussion, but had her own class to cover.<br />
<br />
Second service's rendition of the Brahms went much much better. It was beautiful.<br />
<br />
Then I trotted over to the other building, stopping at my van to switch from the cute new heels (first pair I've worn in ages because the ankle finally felt like I could for a few hours) into my everyday flipflops.<br />
<br />
Funny enough, I did great in the heels. I owned those sassy little pointy burgundy fake alligators.<br />
<br />
Well, I got all the way to the other building, across a lovely grassy field peppered with spiky horse chestnuts to discover that the scheduled youth leader was there after all. I made a cheerful speedy exit to head back and join Honey for one of his rare appearances, having brought the kids for second service while I was on choir duty since earlier in the morning.<br />
<br />
Just as I stepped onto the grass from that little parking lot, my ankle collapsed under me. I dropped and rolled, purse flying, travel mug of tea arching in a totally different direction. I remember a thought process along the line of <i>I better just go with this, because if I try to fight it, I'll re-injure the inside tendon</i>.<br />
<br />
I found myself lying in the grass, assessing damages and and realizing first, I was covered in yard scrap, there goes the outfit (I'm not much of a fashionista, but dang it, I'd put in some effort that morning), and then the pain kicked in. I had saved the tendon, but the entire rest of my foot was taking my breath away, briefly. Then I looked around for someone to laugh this off with, and discovered, not a single person had seen my stupendous pratfall. It was youtube worthy - an <i>AFV</i> winner.Then I wondered if I can or should get up and walk. Yes, I actually thought, I've fallen and I can't get up! I did get up, but maybe I shouldn't have.<br />
<br />
The choir director and a smattering of choir members were chatting in the lobby as I hobbled back in the door. I confirmed, no one saw a thing. I went in to service, and joined Honey in the back row. Next thing I knew, choir director was leaning into the sanctuary to hand me an ice pack. He's also a kids' soccer coach, he knows about first aid.<br />
<br />
Well, after service, we hung around for a bit, I chatted with another mom at the playground, who is also my belly dance teacher, and then we got into the two separate vehicles to head home. I did think briefly about having Mr. Cynic drive the van home, but he's not comfortable on the main roads yet. So I drove wincing all the way home, stopping and hopping for gas. Only Captain Comic joined me for the ride in Bertha.<br />
<br />
I put my foot up when we got home and took some naproxen with the sandwich that Mr. Cynic made for me. A couple of hours later, bruising and inability to walk finally made me admit the need to go to Urgent Care, while Honey called me a wuss and Captain Comic slapped him upside the head for the name-calling. Note to self: quit joking like that with the literal kid.<br />
<br />
After a few hours there with Honey, and two rounds of xrays, I walked out with a latex free wrap, latex free crutches, and having given my info and Mr. Cynic's to the xray tech because her son is a 16 year old drummer looking for a band, and mine is a bassist and songwriter whose band never gets together to rehearse. But they go to rival high schools, so we'll see what comes of that. I also walked out with orders to get back in das boot and see my podiatrist (the one who gave me the steroid shot back in June). Oh, and diagnosis of spraining all the ligaments across my metatarsals and a possible break in the second metatarsal.<br />
<br />
I twisted that ankle like a pro. I do it often enough. I broke the 5th metatarsal doing so in three inch Mia clogs back in 1980 in my high school's linoleum hall.<br />
<br />
I think I just have to admit, that with all of the mayhem that is built into my life with three spread out kids, one with Asperger's, and my attempts to write, take care of myself, help others out, like being in rotation as a youth leader, being in choir, etc, that adding something on the fly, literally takes me down for the count, and beyond.<br />
<br />
My appointment with the podiatrist is in a couple of hours. Thanks goodness he could squeeze me in. I hope he doesn't have the same results from spontaneity as I do.<br />
<br />
<br />
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</div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-73045000984386661722011-09-08T09:10:00.000-07:002011-09-08T09:10:38.195-07:00safari part deux, belated<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now that I have half a chance to sit down and accomplish something while the boys are at school, I am heading back to vacation land of the first week of August. I am returning to the day I covered in <a href="http://musingsinmayhem.blogspot.com/2011/08/safari-morning.html">this post</a>, when we safari'ed in the morning, journeyed into the deepest caverns east of the Mississippi at midday then returned to the safari place in the afternoon. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was a very hot day. Before we entered the Natural Bridge Caverns, we sat and ate lunch outside. Toots said, "I will sit here, and you will sit there, and we can have a picnic!" to Mr. Cynic, who nicely obliged her.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0Ly2swM9cNOboIA10t-chMlYaYcOZ3Z2L2jVKGh2RY66CNq25he1nfpRi6K1NjF97I55pwamCoGcE_tny207v-Upu-XVmywiGUQA2E5XGgnpnq5aAz4b2IQjIJiYlprGYLt4AZnbCg0y/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0Ly2swM9cNOboIA10t-chMlYaYcOZ3Z2L2jVKGh2RY66CNq25he1nfpRi6K1NjF97I55pwamCoGcE_tny207v-Upu-XVmywiGUQA2E5XGgnpnq5aAz4b2IQjIJiYlprGYLt4AZnbCg0y/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+319.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I will eventually post some cavern pics, as soon as I have a good chance to go through them and single out a couple of not so dark highlights from Luray and this place. After a chill visit deep underground, we headed back to the Safari Village to walk around and feed some more animals. Thank goodness for all day leave and return tickets!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUKKQbtpFoqXCw_QRVD9pWSzpsCBmygfFs4mf4fY8spnoW5wpMXOkKCwCjvk_K2Vesk-Gsbmdu-TespeTfPfEFmcoK7cOoUEZxJE2cfmmEdXZF-CPhuPsmneQ9vWl83vwpbaUTKOF6picz/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUKKQbtpFoqXCw_QRVD9pWSzpsCBmygfFs4mf4fY8spnoW5wpMXOkKCwCjvk_K2Vesk-Gsbmdu-TespeTfPfEFmcoK7cOoUEZxJE2cfmmEdXZF-CPhuPsmneQ9vWl83vwpbaUTKOF6picz/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+320.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">African Pygmy Goats and my somewhat pygmy teen</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-bcuNUfzPxlJnHi9qSuQELBo01pVL4mkSkx5uMiRLchivKlvvLTFVJQenw7caeSBdbgBNYm8q6PgVxGDt-Vy-dvZeFKhP6GcULa7j-fICd1jRvUKhOkQsU_tzrRfeDswJ75vFS3-348x/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-bcuNUfzPxlJnHi9qSuQELBo01pVL4mkSkx5uMiRLchivKlvvLTFVJQenw7caeSBdbgBNYm8q6PgVxGDt-Vy-dvZeFKhP6GcULa7j-fICd1jRvUKhOkQsU_tzrRfeDswJ75vFS3-348x/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+323.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I can't recall the name of this primate, but he was way too hot. Can you see his tongue hanging out?</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBldWKj5GIiVbuaADs_ki2hgybCn6xqGbDlZxmIP_RTUKXqS86moMAeNmyyYCDgP-6-Inm8vKUsa32dqMeF812uCEU-F1Ktr8F8K23UA_-GagMgJqpLuGCzIo5roPSHNO1J9IZsJtTQIvW/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBldWKj5GIiVbuaADs_ki2hgybCn6xqGbDlZxmIP_RTUKXqS86moMAeNmyyYCDgP-6-Inm8vKUsa32dqMeF812uCEU-F1Ktr8F8K23UA_-GagMgJqpLuGCzIo5roPSHNO1J9IZsJtTQIvW/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+326.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">African Pygmy Goat. They tickled.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-stFwNg-qbggMI5W7c5UYUarQqulOLtU5zODSV8kBActQYtVnlSUsUOG86KyR0AO7mES0jeV7GdeN_sDqjJgeIrKdFt76EtsxZHCWyyy-OyJmDbzLXSFyabKHdzF5QszZ5j0AjpNmPWAu/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-stFwNg-qbggMI5W7c5UYUarQqulOLtU5zODSV8kBActQYtVnlSUsUOG86KyR0AO7mES0jeV7GdeN_sDqjJgeIrKdFt76EtsxZHCWyyy-OyJmDbzLXSFyabKHdzF5QszZ5j0AjpNmPWAu/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+327.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hot peacock. I love peacocks. This guy found a rare piece of shade.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTlQOlchXa8_suOaeqLMaLRWhA5FARm-9FciKRBX6Bsk8_8l0kvhAca46M4TlVDXK6Ct2Xtlz7jshyphenhyphenHe64tgpc6Qnkn76JTREl8cm36YV-I3O4FWq1I9qHbRN3zZGHzaIOxUvgRWxJ-5zX/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTlQOlchXa8_suOaeqLMaLRWhA5FARm-9FciKRBX6Bsk8_8l0kvhAca46M4TlVDXK6Ct2Xtlz7jshyphenhyphenHe64tgpc6Qnkn76JTREl8cm36YV-I3O4FWq1I9qHbRN3zZGHzaIOxUvgRWxJ-5zX/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+328.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here is where he found the shade - in Kangaroo land. This Red Kangaroo looked like a playah. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsl2GiT3qNbsG7BpG0pJXp6KjLJT9RNFdMFnIwt2VCyutty6-RwUYYtlUA6JKRbOufzjCDxG8etcvtOi_s8poccUNjtFm98ZFyGHaordTFkG7RzALmPY8DTxtJO3l_3phI9XubqtSoT_XC/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsl2GiT3qNbsG7BpG0pJXp6KjLJT9RNFdMFnIwt2VCyutty6-RwUYYtlUA6JKRbOufzjCDxG8etcvtOi_s8poccUNjtFm98ZFyGHaordTFkG7RzALmPY8DTxtJO3l_3phI9XubqtSoT_XC/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+329.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">What?</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYcjnU-uqggVcghtuNzP_qzhXtguVSLjbgvrDODVjfHL5SizyahkZMQ9koG79eWwSaATM83WglEtejbMg7p1mGN3niRRofg81-kBUUEAitzZJBP1kIeAlC3XDP8HgJZOYW2zkQfk-iLlEr/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYcjnU-uqggVcghtuNzP_qzhXtguVSLjbgvrDODVjfHL5SizyahkZMQ9koG79eWwSaATM83WglEtejbMg7p1mGN3niRRofg81-kBUUEAitzZJBP1kIeAlC3XDP8HgJZOYW2zkQfk-iLlEr/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+330.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Take your picture and get outta here.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGUyiUY-lpJtcki7Mhmc6MPGeqd3u1B197_5CqCiEEDLa4nX9cMdgQP4FoopmgnBWb8uXg0ICtHV63aKb6vzcFsfRC4GYAck2rTWCXCFrlUPCvPHO5zyyQeAdJdYy9sT1pRD2LeS_JQmyN/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGUyiUY-lpJtcki7Mhmc6MPGeqd3u1B197_5CqCiEEDLa4nX9cMdgQP4FoopmgnBWb8uXg0ICtHV63aKb6vzcFsfRC4GYAck2rTWCXCFrlUPCvPHO5zyyQeAdJdYy9sT1pRD2LeS_JQmyN/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+335.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lorikeets! They are loud and sound cranky. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A friend of mine in Sydney talks about the racket they make often in his yard.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLQVJqm4dtmMFcdf-we4OK1c7AdHB4znwefmsyQjoAdm4-nZKlIvYkh2ZXIcI0KZ61Rg19pZSmyVZo690T5L4q62mdnM9sloMuXxTLR_ahx3UVU0PmDcp8UZ8T9dzcrBX0bwUGPDoSoRvU/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLQVJqm4dtmMFcdf-we4OK1c7AdHB4znwefmsyQjoAdm4-nZKlIvYkh2ZXIcI0KZ61Rg19pZSmyVZo690T5L4q62mdnM9sloMuXxTLR_ahx3UVU0PmDcp8UZ8T9dzcrBX0bwUGPDoSoRvU/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+336.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Squawkity squawk squawk!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGsSof5nPE4qb6HmzF8o_n2618ZumgYwqe9BzAjJya7o-hpzpEqtTNLMteGhpOL-54uDSGYI3VXLHI_1W7pAXmHxH3VO2mssBkDrWBd96hlY_op0ahOMRP6nK_QgCcOT9IBQ3o8YaFNaW/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGsSof5nPE4qb6HmzF8o_n2618ZumgYwqe9BzAjJya7o-hpzpEqtTNLMteGhpOL-54uDSGYI3VXLHI_1W7pAXmHxH3VO2mssBkDrWBd96hlY_op0ahOMRP6nK_QgCcOT9IBQ3o8YaFNaW/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+338.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">What are you looking at? Squawk! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Rainbow birds</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuX2kFwJ3nCh2Ju42HzN14tU6Eaz6MF6yD6F5UsEJmU6u_uY-9nSsFyy4iaxKpiMpODzVNPj94xrzNKJHTM8wUXF_bElato_zG6d3LHzDREQSZwvMXu_vdmmPWQtd5NmriUTfRNq3B_XiY/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuX2kFwJ3nCh2Ju42HzN14tU6Eaz6MF6yD6F5UsEJmU6u_uY-9nSsFyy4iaxKpiMpODzVNPj94xrzNKJHTM8wUXF_bElato_zG6d3LHzDREQSZwvMXu_vdmmPWQtd5NmriUTfRNq3B_XiY/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+341.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Captain Comic was fascinated by the warthogs.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXP_H2uK94f08YXBMJXdmeNs3qDuT98qHIi2qRN7IOH4wR1N35bYpJFe7CDA3bYk2LNl-yNEe_VOgVjGq-ZOWDUw2WFjn0zeKFcpXt5QO3kpRZfgv2FU4HwApDgPjQJlEcHpHKpKszoOGw/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXP_H2uK94f08YXBMJXdmeNs3qDuT98qHIi2qRN7IOH4wR1N35bYpJFe7CDA3bYk2LNl-yNEe_VOgVjGq-ZOWDUw2WFjn0zeKFcpXt5QO3kpRZfgv2FU4HwApDgPjQJlEcHpHKpKszoOGw/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+344.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hot Tigers.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsTfMbp3aeIoPF4TP6q3D8EMWso3A8i4VbLMaMGLV18o3hSwMXqcYJOyKLbdSDP8tvCzapGm2_9ro_WoqIKpvBGS4BdeGuTF-cbeBqUsmJhkoViL-yvgHnmUT5-cFiKzGaX_tLoEAzgly_/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsTfMbp3aeIoPF4TP6q3D8EMWso3A8i4VbLMaMGLV18o3hSwMXqcYJOyKLbdSDP8tvCzapGm2_9ro_WoqIKpvBGS4BdeGuTF-cbeBqUsmJhkoViL-yvgHnmUT5-cFiKzGaX_tLoEAzgly_/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+345.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hot Honey and Toots</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pCO8pHUc5tBk9u1ETBMvMUVMSiB_v2nzDS8pUQdZoB4vQVXG4Jjjv-xYn1UCsS1-I5IYdML9JsfDN3J0tiD3UOHiGBUrljvxaw0ZUfe-YepUvma3QGoJrzhzhgNuFPyPWPpXJdqczkdz/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pCO8pHUc5tBk9u1ETBMvMUVMSiB_v2nzDS8pUQdZoB4vQVXG4Jjjv-xYn1UCsS1-I5IYdML9JsfDN3J0tiD3UOHiGBUrljvxaw0ZUfe-YepUvma3QGoJrzhzhgNuFPyPWPpXJdqczkdz/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+346.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These box type turtles - sorry can't recall species - got very horny later and all three kids were like "ew!" and Captain Comic couldn't stop giggling while he was repulsed.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgue2Jak6rTULMV6bR2-4jR6vXvcXHNTLNR0Vjx4OJe5RSF-pfnH4kv1fIfBH8YBaegE9qwPPkJz0szy9-Dq2TceQ2xRsm9vzX0LxjgUpDjZWUCTVjGR1wr4GxD9kztKoTKupbX1VXkgYTG/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgue2Jak6rTULMV6bR2-4jR6vXvcXHNTLNR0Vjx4OJe5RSF-pfnH4kv1fIfBH8YBaegE9qwPPkJz0szy9-Dq2TceQ2xRsm9vzX0LxjgUpDjZWUCTVjGR1wr4GxD9kztKoTKupbX1VXkgYTG/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+351.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Different kind of llamas. Thank you, Mr. Cynic for humoring your sister.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And okay, your mother, too.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEnLZ0wjV6ot2ufYNPErmHcLgPfPUewmip1SZl0zqfWpGL4_oSlZKDey6AmKkKKVYAHIy0lFZhw-8jy98UHntSHGkMM3tOmzx21ODDVbguMgcy0ThoBHNfX0NmEmVZRioox1ilTcsoaMXN/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEnLZ0wjV6ot2ufYNPErmHcLgPfPUewmip1SZl0zqfWpGL4_oSlZKDey6AmKkKKVYAHIy0lFZhw-8jy98UHntSHGkMM3tOmzx21ODDVbguMgcy0ThoBHNfX0NmEmVZRioox1ilTcsoaMXN/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+355.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I wish I could have gotten this shot in full context.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Captain Comic walked up and the lemur jumped right at him to say hello.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib5gb_hQD03zJCReuBrNJHTzVCQ1_2R4RBenMueRxwBaEDyP7vQ8Xq0vWlMFjTfEGdW4g626qWR3DS9MBueY5tnaIKLcESfJfg-2uRBEFk0HtnyRvnP5XGeiYd_hg8VVN7teFk-qOZPqtO/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib5gb_hQD03zJCReuBrNJHTzVCQ1_2R4RBenMueRxwBaEDyP7vQ8Xq0vWlMFjTfEGdW4g626qWR3DS9MBueY5tnaIKLcESfJfg-2uRBEFk0HtnyRvnP5XGeiYd_hg8VVN7teFk-qOZPqtO/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+363.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Spider monkeys!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSUzI8l2m1I7kW8FGRtdzl4l_oncYKWAnyTiLwo4nGFPzpJiL5ftm-BhUQdSLJE5DZjzS_D602H39p7lJQX2f_VtCFb_ixsk4RUwOYf4EFgI0hZB5a1idgQpdQSy-XVFtfFw6Y0GOM4KX/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSUzI8l2m1I7kW8FGRtdzl4l_oncYKWAnyTiLwo4nGFPzpJiL5ftm-BhUQdSLJE5DZjzS_D602H39p7lJQX2f_VtCFb_ixsk4RUwOYf4EFgI0hZB5a1idgQpdQSy-XVFtfFw6Y0GOM4KX/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+376.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This giraffe was very disingenuous. But he still ate from our hands after he huffed indignation.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4EA6tZUiYOSMYxGMiqB9lnb-rYtqouRt5X-WyqL220MCsYEfgOYUy_Jl4ortDeIU8-Twdv3x3TVQ0qqJrHIDqxZrMDIny9kSWZuCJbLfLLd400VSXo0dI5Kc9E8ofCHK6__tQoqB7ujA/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+390.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4EA6tZUiYOSMYxGMiqB9lnb-rYtqouRt5X-WyqL220MCsYEfgOYUy_Jl4ortDeIU8-Twdv3x3TVQ0qqJrHIDqxZrMDIny9kSWZuCJbLfLLd400VSXo0dI5Kc9E8ofCHK6__tQoqB7ujA/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+390.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">De Brazza's monkeys again, like at the other zoo earlier. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They clearly did not want to be there or to have us look at them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They do this cool thing where they turn from you and sit super still for hours at a time when they feel threatened. Hide in plain sight. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj9Xyhmd0osdQBGvO4rMmVsrwWPEGc2l_AX4FtcV1VOyeD3iOoFERY0kfi8UquTjAmLltCKCcM8ckYCkPLYzZd1ImiaHjVuviCOEaBaIAwIkVq9m0pIBrcx3lRVp45-meOA00j6ApoaZKy/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj9Xyhmd0osdQBGvO4rMmVsrwWPEGc2l_AX4FtcV1VOyeD3iOoFERY0kfi8UquTjAmLltCKCcM8ckYCkPLYzZd1ImiaHjVuviCOEaBaIAwIkVq9m0pIBrcx3lRVp45-meOA00j6ApoaZKy/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+392.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You smell good to eat.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaTxKs2zO0x8eXQBRncqNfLdwG3yiU5J087ceVygCDjSKKHKS4HSB4rKmaLNcOyTG-Qgd75hQ_qXzdd55Yec_GfA8FXjBnMlDQ-onsEQJkhMs_9ySZYzAaCIkAOeoy2S5YPu1Cwc2Q7hL/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaTxKs2zO0x8eXQBRncqNfLdwG3yiU5J087ceVygCDjSKKHKS4HSB4rKmaLNcOyTG-Qgd75hQ_qXzdd55Yec_GfA8FXjBnMlDQ-onsEQJkhMs_9ySZYzAaCIkAOeoy2S5YPu1Cwc2Q7hL/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+399.JPG" width="208" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tamarin monkeys are among my favorite. Creepy little humans.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After the overheated walk around, we got back in Bertha with Captain Comic in my old passenger seat from the morning. Why should I have all the fun just because the back windows don't roll down? Honey was ecstatic to sit in the air conditioning and drive around again.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgulSd3mCqB0JyMwAflKbAd8_gNkIaxQj2629qIW2XjcZ7uA0F8rJMWn4LtM3TQMTjscBuiB_ObH1Ib5SR5QD_ZFNwna5ZhBZh7a3kku-7UWX2l2BXburlw-tkdxfHqJ3m8byQROw8_SVcW/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgulSd3mCqB0JyMwAflKbAd8_gNkIaxQj2629qIW2XjcZ7uA0F8rJMWn4LtM3TQMTjscBuiB_ObH1Ib5SR5QD_ZFNwna5ZhBZh7a3kku-7UWX2l2BXburlw-tkdxfHqJ3m8byQROw8_SVcW/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+410.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Captain Comic was a little fearful, but thrilled to feed the animals.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanBlzZmjZ8h73Us9LShY3cNaFkG31b54DkboXtGvkRIgzdmnPYNTqfOfg1DkeXP_PyAe5s9oYVMo59hHUdZxV0NPBYixwieMRYlqVa8JgFq-okYFHP3jZeCtBzRj5WXNAgsxXm5BAJLfs/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+411.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanBlzZmjZ8h73Us9LShY3cNaFkG31b54DkboXtGvkRIgzdmnPYNTqfOfg1DkeXP_PyAe5s9oYVMo59hHUdZxV0NPBYixwieMRYlqVa8JgFq-okYFHP3jZeCtBzRj5WXNAgsxXm5BAJLfs/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+411.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Especially the large "raptors"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Just look at his face in the side mirror.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I love that kid.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He loves Emu.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkwW9DGhIXyL5s5zKK4YX8ypH-13VtZjXtl5z07d3MVlKbK83Bb09PPVCmRbsnfGCwz2IOEEaoVOTRvrF3epipb5Ifd9YBt5Kc2q2FdcnuhU-q0kZbb5hIOqQ9tV464QDuJ8jwFN4Y_0XL/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkwW9DGhIXyL5s5zKK4YX8ypH-13VtZjXtl5z07d3MVlKbK83Bb09PPVCmRbsnfGCwz2IOEEaoVOTRvrF3epipb5Ifd9YBt5Kc2q2FdcnuhU-q0kZbb5hIOqQ9tV464QDuJ8jwFN4Y_0XL/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+412.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And Ostrich and Rhea, too. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In fact, he didn't want to feed anymore mammals after they pecked in his bucket, rather like dinosaurs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qQ8s8E_tSmnYRToAUilDLViK0wHzVkAziu9ddtZaQduX31L4cMKuYqu8khztrkF41XjNDsd1AuTEK5qIBpLi4G5F3h3Lc27mOVKec-Y9wWXZmMcnu43wfGs_JlLCGCrpVSWW9EEEsAP_/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qQ8s8E_tSmnYRToAUilDLViK0wHzVkAziu9ddtZaQduX31L4cMKuYqu8khztrkF41XjNDsd1AuTEK5qIBpLi4G5F3h3Lc27mOVKec-Y9wWXZmMcnu43wfGs_JlLCGCrpVSWW9EEEsAP_/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+420.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Gorgeous Rocky Mountain Elk I fed in the morning.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNqTgyfRrri-ad365dsbUbwC79beycZOmZFS6ebDqblDWYqk6Ww-PX7qD_EOyw5H1NtCtj74nUvvuj3QPQBBkPmXbS4B2kYogRASp_n-3Y-Yedkk-yduRW64LIRmZpWqwlbkgeDeM0uua/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNqTgyfRrri-ad365dsbUbwC79beycZOmZFS6ebDqblDWYqk6Ww-PX7qD_EOyw5H1NtCtj74nUvvuj3QPQBBkPmXbS4B2kYogRASp_n-3Y-Yedkk-yduRW64LIRmZpWqwlbkgeDeM0uua/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+424.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bison closer and in the shade after their morning plains walk.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7WJDsM6kNZSSfo4ehl0HZoCAEK6kTGzQwEA1UFqaTjVhfjNj66VdH4M1snvNzLXtFgn6MJcm9pX48MmmFpw9zKv_b44s2hA8NJBQABBpbJUu9fprF7vPvIvArlhz2559yr9pNF6zzOPzD/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7WJDsM6kNZSSfo4ehl0HZoCAEK6kTGzQwEA1UFqaTjVhfjNj66VdH4M1snvNzLXtFgn6MJcm9pX48MmmFpw9zKv_b44s2hA8NJBQABBpbJUu9fprF7vPvIvArlhz2559yr9pNF6zzOPzD/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+427.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I kind of forced him to feed the Elk. He was very intimidated, but I got him to pet the big guy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2LupTH5695OOQR_VyoqiaYGXqgK5QWizDlhbgupD-B7YlKJZryKZ-taOnxRKNoFnVHsz4iJfXGYJXCbAv2TKKFKoxd_L03wn01T3cOR-_AJz7dJvNwHdAkDQL9r4_X4qiSk1qH0RjTAl/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2LupTH5695OOQR_VyoqiaYGXqgK5QWizDlhbgupD-B7YlKJZryKZ-taOnxRKNoFnVHsz4iJfXGYJXCbAv2TKKFKoxd_L03wn01T3cOR-_AJz7dJvNwHdAkDQL9r4_X4qiSk1qH0RjTAl/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+428.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hello again.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9eT2aAWM2tEi_sNEJ4vkdW5S64tXjDT2pmr9QHSCp6xw2j9bUYPMhcygmxLw-wM14OyA5zmURUZOczSerzOnYe0RavUwDClLqUYAb1rtnntht93KMJbF8z2A2RC7NBaMK5n4H7fxvji82/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9eT2aAWM2tEi_sNEJ4vkdW5S64tXjDT2pmr9QHSCp6xw2j9bUYPMhcygmxLw-wM14OyA5zmURUZOczSerzOnYe0RavUwDClLqUYAb1rtnntht93KMJbF8z2A2RC7NBaMK5n4H7fxvji82/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+436.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Captain Comic ran off with my reference pamphlet since my last safari post. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This was one of the Oryx. Jogged my memory hard for that one. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0HDxEz59xX0hUsmN0mcu2pnpzSwkhEWqLpCGU9yMx9cR-rUVVwmMlj8SwS-J_pxuAdVjkDd9WUZbHaj9jdOKCruugleCakTSjURoeSW07H-x9ZPX8pjhZ0jzy96vjpfbCA9NqnZpEy3je/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0HDxEz59xX0hUsmN0mcu2pnpzSwkhEWqLpCGU9yMx9cR-rUVVwmMlj8SwS-J_pxuAdVjkDd9WUZbHaj9jdOKCruugleCakTSjURoeSW07H-x9ZPX8pjhZ0jzy96vjpfbCA9NqnZpEy3je/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+438.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Arabian Oryx</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ZmfapDifZml7AIqOxLwiT4iHDivNR-lvzYXFoLXWzpFawkGyQ6VK_YFXOKMSKilpOVobs0mIycq1HjGCXSzk5pil6NPuAC8ckD8D7PP-qHmBl_AhfJ1wxkcnzfTEAr3nq7DqEYQGBwAL/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ZmfapDifZml7AIqOxLwiT4iHDivNR-lvzYXFoLXWzpFawkGyQ6VK_YFXOKMSKilpOVobs0mIycq1HjGCXSzk5pil6NPuAC8ckD8D7PP-qHmBl_AhfJ1wxkcnzfTEAr3nq7DqEYQGBwAL/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+439.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wildebeast, I think.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIAgJzE44n-LdaczhDxMcvnCuKZKHMIPq3AaEAo0t4tW8K6AlTiO0xTvjj6tOXdbaULIpB7lb6rmgvXLNWXGxC2M1oVnzp9hHDutoAsbLdrbEvNHQZtG6rsUAY3JJ63lirLru_3axabrRw/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIAgJzE44n-LdaczhDxMcvnCuKZKHMIPq3AaEAo0t4tW8K6AlTiO0xTvjj6tOXdbaULIpB7lb6rmgvXLNWXGxC2M1oVnzp9hHDutoAsbLdrbEvNHQZtG6rsUAY3JJ63lirLru_3axabrRw/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+443.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hotchatta-cha-cha Llama. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And thus concludes our safari adventures in the mountains of western Virginia. Caverns coming soon.</div><br />
</div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-12177070576399323022011-09-07T10:45:00.000-07:002011-09-07T10:45:34.805-07:00i won!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Liz Hum is the author of <i>Vampires Don't Drink Wine</i>, a new collection of short stories that put Vampires back where they belong, in your nightmares doing twisted murderous things - <i>Not</i> sparkling or dating humans while drinking synthetic blood.<br />
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She is an excellent and opinionated blogger <a href="http://myothercar.blogspot.com/">here</a> and <a href="http://emhumbooks.blogspot.com/">here</a>. She is married to a Viking and the mother of three Viking children in the suburbs of Chicago. Her No BS meter runs in the red zone all. the. time.<br />
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<a href="http://emhumbooks.blogspot.com/p/buy-my-books.html"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD5dWITm8QEmb084QBWRZgEtZx75HPro7PwwGX7gUmt5YYozI_EuJBecThjEOICvDmeYhzmM6bK8hBEvk87pk1r4HZaKiwCkHyGWgGsYfeil8IT9uhwJ-KREEN5A_R61c64OB9XTqK3ZAE/s320/vampcover1.jpg" /></a><br />
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I was lucky and won a hard copy in her blog raffle. Please click on the book cover to purchase her book. I bet she'll buy her neighborhood bike helmets if she sells enough of them. At 99 cents a piece in e-reader format, that's a lot of books to sell to keep rabble-rousers safe and blood off the streets.<br />
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Maybe. She had to get the idea for the vampires from somewhere....<br />
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</div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-15697684703612079142011-09-07T05:10:00.000-07:002011-09-07T05:10:19.499-07:001st day of school<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Yesterday was the first day of Mr. Cynic's Junior year and Captain Comic in seventh grade.<br />
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Mr. Cynic has been riding the bus to high school for the past couple of years, though we live .4 mile from the school. That's closer than I lived to my high school, to which I walked - up hill both ways in the snow. Seriously, I did. It was hilly where I lived growing up in Connecticut. Not here though, and only the occasional appearance of snow.<br />
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But back to yesterday, Mr. Cynic and the first day of school. He had the same bus driver for his first two years of high school. She could probably drive her route with her eyes closed. She retired and there was a new bus driver, who drove rather like a lab mouse introduced to a new maze. She had no idea where she was going in the morning. And again in the afternoon. At every intersection she turned the wrong way, according to Mr. Cynic. When his bus was significantly late on the way home, I received a text message: <i>going to be late. bus driver doesn't know what she's doing.</i><br />
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When he finally arrived home, he declared he was never taking the bus again. I smiled. The boy who eschews exercise will be getting some. Every day.<br />
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Captain Comic's bus involved less drama but more nerves on my part. He has been riding the SPED bus since we moved here five years ago. He stands at the end of the driveway in full sight of his peers at the corner bus stop to get on a different bus. Last Halloween, I found out that they all knew him, but he didn't really know them. As we walked around the neighborhood, the common cry was "I see him at the bus stop." Last spring, his IEP team and I decided it was time he ride with his neurotypical peers. And when I had an IEP team meeting last week, they all told me, "Mom, you cannot walk him to the bus stop. You cannot ask his friends if it's okay for him to sit with them. He needs to do this himself. He's thirteen."<br />
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And while my instincts know this is true for any other kid, I still want to protect him, manage his interactions. So I stood at the window with the camera and watched him. He did alright.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhEvoF4uOYTJ4-AnLovFqTEGKagf7Vl-Vixe7Wpxp-Bv2tS01TIhLqNLcU7jrQjlxlZU68KBzgiOEApLZfQU13iRxHseylO981UsqgzsR2K3FJN_R4R2PjhKAPFSQyYZhrnpN0vyoshETH/s1600/2011.9.6.1stdayschool+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhEvoF4uOYTJ4-AnLovFqTEGKagf7Vl-Vixe7Wpxp-Bv2tS01TIhLqNLcU7jrQjlxlZU68KBzgiOEApLZfQU13iRxHseylO981UsqgzsR2K3FJN_R4R2PjhKAPFSQyYZhrnpN0vyoshETH/s320/2011.9.6.1stdayschool+014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Which one is Captain Comic? Look at the socks.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
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</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I checked in via email with his case manager and he had a great first day, even with a homeroom teacher change. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mr. Cynic is excited to have friends in most of his classes, and is excited to be taking Music Theory with most of his band mates. Keep in mind, they have not rehearsed all together once as of yet, so band mates is still a relatively loose term.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the meantime, Grandma took Toots with her to her morning pool exercises, and after three weeks without even cracking the manuscript with all the mayhem here, I had an excellent edit session at the local library. I dove into the creative river, doused myself and completely rewrote two chapters really well! The session exceeded my expectations, especially since I felt so lost as I opened the document.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Honey, post-surgery, went back to work yesterday, even though I felt it was too early, but I can't keep him from work. It's his thing. It's hard to see that he loves it sometimes, but deep down, I think this is his creative drive, even when used for others' purposes and under crushing deadlines. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So we have returned to the usual mayhem, and having a routine for it that's a little stiffer than summertime benefits us all, especially after this area has been hit by Mother Nature with smoke from the great Dismal Swamp fires for weeks now, and an earthquake and hurricane last week. The ten to fifteen inches of rain that came with Irene did not douse the swamp fires. Yesterday afternoon, we had a good bit of buckets full rain while Captain Comic was walking Lucy, and with them came Tornado Warnings. And still there is smoke in the air. But we go on, relatively unscathed, unlike many of my friends and family all over the East Coast and inland. Some are still waiting for power after the Hurricane while others in Texas droughts and fire fields, are now without well water. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I feel very blessed that we are back to our normal. Almost - Toots starts preschool next week.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-88587114204920384732011-09-01T08:26:00.000-07:002011-09-01T08:26:51.727-07:00things and school<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06RW1sNAmg8hXt5d3QwbT2btdHymlWbnh1ZLgp0GxyljISiKHLpeGOC395DThRa82A0CrA19eJxx-sZW3wgTWFf50w_OEWJL-rkQjDAKBpk8l1ZL9YtQBft9RTZYTM0U8OP8mP6JoCBrs/s1600/2011.8.26.shea13thbday+049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06RW1sNAmg8hXt5d3QwbT2btdHymlWbnh1ZLgp0GxyljISiKHLpeGOC395DThRa82A0CrA19eJxx-sZW3wgTWFf50w_OEWJL-rkQjDAKBpk8l1ZL9YtQBft9RTZYTM0U8OP8mP6JoCBrs/s320/2011.8.26.shea13thbday+049.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Captain Comic's birthday evening before Hurricane Irene. </i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Pogo sticks are fun.</i></span></div><br />
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My head is spinning.<br />
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I haven't been sneaker or school supply shopping yet.<br />
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Honey had surgery, and is recuperating at home. Now to wait for official biopsy results. But the surgeon said it looked good.<br />
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I had an IEP meeting with Captain Comic and his team this morning for the start of 7th grade. He made it about a third through before claiming, "I am about to have a freak out." How's that for self-advocacy?<br />
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We let him have a break in his case manager's classroom while we went over the Accommodations.<br />
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We have our old case manager, which we were told at the end of last year wouldn't happen, so we are extra grateful that he has a familiar anchor.<br />
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I can't get over that Mr. Cynic will be a Junior this year. How......? He informed me yesterday that he is now the VP of the Anime Club. I know he's still interested in the Writing Club, and he's applying for jobs and is still trying to put together his band, writing songs, a book, and going to his bass lessons, starting to go to local music open mics...No wonder every time I see him, he's merged as one into the sofa.<br />
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Toots is going into a 3 day/3 year old preschool class this year. She's an old pro now and asking for swim and ballet lessons.<br />
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Captain Comic is asking to get back into a Martial Arts class. It's been about and year and half since he was a blue belt w/2 black stripes in Tae Kwan Do. Now he wants Karate.<br />
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Looks like the usual mayhem is getting started and more mayhemic than it has been before.<br />
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And now there's my bellydancing class on Mondays and Chorus on Thursdays....<br />
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That's okay, I like the mayhem. I just wish writing didn't drop out of sight so easily. It's been two weeks since I opened my manuscript to try to finish this draft, and my writing group wants to meet on the first day of school. I'll have to see how that works for my ability to concentrate.<br />
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Happy September everyone!<br />
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</div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-74509525569462040652011-08-29T05:18:00.000-07:002011-08-29T07:23:31.492-07:00aftermath<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
Hurricane Irene came and went, and left a lot of damage in her wake. My family hunkered down, battened down the hatches, took naps, did puzzles, read by candlelight for just a little while. Overall, though the house sounded threateningly battered and buffeted, in the end we really had no damage. Just had to clean up a lot of little branches in the yard. some not so little, but still we could carry them.<br />
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I wish I could say the same for everyone. A mother lost her child in Newport News, near us. Old college friends' family in upstate New York had to evacuate their house by rescue boat. Within twenty-four hours prior, they had an epic battle to remove a squirrel from their house. It has not been a good weekend for them. They are okay, but their driveway and basement are awash.<br />
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Many others had it much worse. A fabric artist's studio in Shelburne Falls, MA, picked up from its foundation and took a ride down a raging river that had formerly been the street. There is impressive video of that pink brick building before and after its journey floating around the internet. My apologies for the wordplay.<br />
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Back in our vicinity, Southside, at Sandbridge Beach area of Virginia Beach, again, there is impressive video and photography of houses ripped apart there around the internet.. It's my family's favorite beach to day trip to. The little low lying town next to me was under mandatory evacuation, but a friends of mine stayed while the husband volunteered for Community Emergency Services.<br />
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In the meantime, here, I am amazed that Mother Nature can go from this:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhwppfxwpUOAJ-xLDHFxQMzGLbSr2EwWjasWmMtTK_zYwvW6HuwmwxRkBDqY8bo1pBkP1O2qGoNs3iW2RAAJ993DbPrSEAmSNNDYYsOm4Id7yytctT8-P-r709WpS6kxYiEq5PnyIImKe/s1600/2011.8.26.shea13thbday+073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhwppfxwpUOAJ-xLDHFxQMzGLbSr2EwWjasWmMtTK_zYwvW6HuwmwxRkBDqY8bo1pBkP1O2qGoNs3iW2RAAJ993DbPrSEAmSNNDYYsOm4Id7yytctT8-P-r709WpS6kxYiEq5PnyIImKe/s320/2011.8.26.shea13thbday+073.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The night before Hurricane Irene</div><br />
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To this on the day of:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemSdy5ZMQiGyaWeqz41PsKFFfElnvE0t5Nty163NKDqQWtuJen6OqkGYM8WBIS2tXTpp1_4dhRPHgetKyXVelyR17gfFjS23AqOd9y7KVFZLMYvi42PaZwQMOh2wKFMfB8o-goSa0aQBq/s1600/MOV_0637.mp4" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fv16.nonxt4.googlevideo.com%2Fvideoplayback%3Fid%3D69881976bbd5a9a7%26itag%3D18%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1314640888%26sparams%3Did%2Citag%2Cip%2Cipbits%2Cexpire%26signature%3DA9F344DA6F99C74FD5859A6AAE7FFAE419BB0ED3.69189F5798CC77F773A3BB009930B4E3CAD62270%26key%3Dlh1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fv16.nonxt4.googlevideo.com%2Fvideoplayback%3Fid%3D69881976bbd5a9a7%26itag%3D18%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1314640888%26sparams%3Did%2Citag%2Cip%2Cipbits%2Cexpire%26signature%3DA9F344DA6F99C74FD5859A6AAE7FFAE419BB0ED3.69189F5798CC77F773A3BB009930B4E3CAD62270%26key%3Dlh1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Taken early on. Later those birches were bending in half like a Cirque du Soleil acrobat. I did not want to be that close to the windows when she was at full strength.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To this the following day:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxxUzMUUA2gIfzaGXADOcQFxcWw5r_NKZRkGb181zCWYAL8Hrqd55aqtMyBcXtNXEOIhx3mXlc0XXA2hTg8HKwSgAHqKOQZPLVgb25koLNjGaG7yaciCbEiUn17IFET6ndZs4L16a25SK/s1600/2011.8.28hurricane+irene+aftermath+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxxUzMUUA2gIfzaGXADOcQFxcWw5r_NKZRkGb181zCWYAL8Hrqd55aqtMyBcXtNXEOIhx3mXlc0XXA2hTg8HKwSgAHqKOQZPLVgb25koLNjGaG7yaciCbEiUn17IFET6ndZs4L16a25SK/s320/2011.8.28hurricane+irene+aftermath+019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Solid blue, grace of an egret.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My hopes and wishes are that you and yours are all well, and survived to pick up the pieces as we did. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-48521757338843756432011-08-26T06:43:00.000-07:002011-08-26T06:43:56.419-07:00he's a teen<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">It's hard to believe sometimes that 12:31am thirteen years ago and today are part of the same lifetime.<br />
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But it is, and constitutes the whole life so far of one of the most interesting, funniest and challenging people I have ever known.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGfgULzufSF-cKdICHHhTCTW1dzeYZVgshlIlhGTOutKx3TAK3_CZlC_0-di8mbMdkZ60j3HJYQmXUYlqehAjTzCQVD-McvchhATKYqPjqNjtXyr_-PlQfyG6F0ttjnHtWR3o3dh8jTSrq/s1600/2011.8.26shea+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGfgULzufSF-cKdICHHhTCTW1dzeYZVgshlIlhGTOutKx3TAK3_CZlC_0-di8mbMdkZ60j3HJYQmXUYlqehAjTzCQVD-McvchhATKYqPjqNjtXyr_-PlQfyG6F0ttjnHtWR3o3dh8jTSrq/s320/2011.8.26shea+004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">At 1, 2.5, and with his brother at 1.5 years old.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjoUfgv9GQLIxOC8lOi0eMrrFghorJB-p1nav2IUQLe6lEZ4eX_dTcM1sLdqwteve5UJ43QY7bj0RLB5RYILbnlVdWfyi3E-lLcoUCo6XIp0dy7kst_kcJfSWkM_Esl-YB-to58J7ClaYP/s1600/2011.8.26shea+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjoUfgv9GQLIxOC8lOi0eMrrFghorJB-p1nav2IUQLe6lEZ4eX_dTcM1sLdqwteve5UJ43QY7bj0RLB5RYILbnlVdWfyi3E-lLcoUCo6XIp0dy7kst_kcJfSWkM_Esl-YB-to58J7ClaYP/s320/2011.8.26shea+005.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mom: Smile.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Capt. Comic: I don't want to smile. At least I've got a thumbsup.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6QEdsBC-FOKgsyl7q6wxSIH4puuHyYW4BMBTZ3eMjmJESwBZ6B2Zk4dWWGwGdwzpB3IBBl170g4IRHSRpVqa0Bz0y_UOQHvOtfLQ6oOmiVo4xDjiGWjSdu9nj53TebvRy-DoIjFemSN1V/s1600/2011.8.26shea+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6QEdsBC-FOKgsyl7q6wxSIH4puuHyYW4BMBTZ3eMjmJESwBZ6B2Zk4dWWGwGdwzpB3IBBl170g4IRHSRpVqa0Bz0y_UOQHvOtfLQ6oOmiVo4xDjiGWjSdu9nj53TebvRy-DoIjFemSN1V/s320/2011.8.26shea+006.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mom: Don't you dare laugh.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Capt. Comic: Pbbpbpb!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsdpXLQi06g1J-aKOV8tHmB0cWB6g5igmZLzPvX1h8ZSPgUxLwIBhRDa-7bxn3ItChhtKAG2TUW61-d8kf3P7_CVDYtgjQTLOZP3iTQdvupTMk946IcAOCDCZ2fIIAJLD6jAeXUEhXfvmK/s1600/2011.8.26shea+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsdpXLQi06g1J-aKOV8tHmB0cWB6g5igmZLzPvX1h8ZSPgUxLwIBhRDa-7bxn3ItChhtKAG2TUW61-d8kf3P7_CVDYtgjQTLOZP3iTQdvupTMk946IcAOCDCZ2fIIAJLD6jAeXUEhXfvmK/s320/2011.8.26shea+007.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Capt. Comic: C'mon, Mom, I don't want to smile. I can do what I want now that I'm a teen.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mom: Pikachu!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7IO9LuOd5aHBetImB8oM7u5KGCwcTOeNudHSIvjqtDxrWbxbj9wtqliD2k4dKDmNxLz8uwYZGu1Zp8DZqxYJ8svFLKRlnNX9l_nc9srJhO2eN7k4JbPSm8mE1jYM3PTD8ZeX0K_BrsYpd/s1600/2011.8.26shea+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7IO9LuOd5aHBetImB8oM7u5KGCwcTOeNudHSIvjqtDxrWbxbj9wtqliD2k4dKDmNxLz8uwYZGu1Zp8DZqxYJ8svFLKRlnNX9l_nc9srJhO2eN7k4JbPSm8mE1jYM3PTD8ZeX0K_BrsYpd/s320/2011.8.26shea+008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Seriously, Mom. Just take the picture.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mom: Then give me an old movie star smile, like Clark Gable.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKF5Vw2gMf2IWCYQXEUlAnIO8WZRxdCG81LAwmTRH-dWonCDzDVB7aJc-djdDwaBlz8q_VQUS1kQAQaPvQ1u1-JpoWPsM7HiBX7msFN6DgAJFYiMY3D4cXQVIbArBDqzbqfYolv_LCNnm/s1600/2011.8.26shea+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKF5Vw2gMf2IWCYQXEUlAnIO8WZRxdCG81LAwmTRH-dWonCDzDVB7aJc-djdDwaBlz8q_VQUS1kQAQaPvQ1u1-JpoWPsM7HiBX7msFN6DgAJFYiMY3D4cXQVIbArBDqzbqfYolv_LCNnm/s320/2011.8.26shea+009.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I love this kid.</div><br />
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I usually post a birthday blog in which I list a number of things about the kid whose birthday it is equal to their age. This time, it took three days to get Captain Comic to come up with a list himself, and in the end he drew it in about 10 minutes. Click to zoom, they're fun drawings.<br />
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Just in case you can't tell what he is representing:<br />
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1. Making movies.<br />
2. Godzilla.<br />
3. Drawing.<br />
4. Making people laugh.<br />
5. If you don't know, you're lucky. (oops, mom's commentary) Pokemon.<br />
6. Other people singing hurts my ears, "it's like my Kryptonite."<br />
7. Videogames.<br />
8. <i>Star Wars</i><br />
9. Need I say more? (mom again)<br />
10. Pugs are my latest obsession.<br />
11. The Hill (really a berm at the back of our neighborhood baseball field)<br />
12. <i>Jaws</i><br />
13. I like fights in movies, like Jackie Chan.<br />
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Captain Comic is becoming a teen.<br />
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I wonder if that's why Mother Nature is bringing this epic Hurricane Irene? <br />
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He's a great kid. He's big, he's loud, he's talented, he's an original and the next handful of years of my life will be epic indeed. I love him.<br />
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Happy Birthday, Kiddo.<br />
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</div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-76599701148532041072011-08-24T20:08:00.000-07:002011-08-25T04:38:11.484-07:00that kid's got talent<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Please click to blow up. It's worth it, really. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3T3pejpEK2FhZezyOK036zan5w92fBSHq0ngcXcf_LR2K383e6VJTWHFvfdPR3L8VEVYHCpJOOviIZCDdlhFZJ9zvU0hKriqEupS6CmEPSV9uAIRj58Gk4Tt5tYyRhAC53OZTLQAVG-V5/s1600/2011.shea.sausage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3T3pejpEK2FhZezyOK036zan5w92fBSHq0ngcXcf_LR2K383e6VJTWHFvfdPR3L8VEVYHCpJOOviIZCDdlhFZJ9zvU0hKriqEupS6CmEPSV9uAIRj58Gk4Tt5tYyRhAC53OZTLQAVG-V5/s320/2011.shea.sausage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It also grows funnier, the expressions more distinct the more I look at it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In the words of King Crimson, <i>The more I look at it...The more I like it. I do think it's good.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br />
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</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>*As I proudly showed the kid that he was getting laughs all over various places, he admitted he riffed it from a 'Cyanide & Happiness' strip.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br />
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</div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-74045237097017700322011-08-24T07:30:00.000-07:002011-08-24T09:55:10.320-07:00safari morning<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I am trying to cull from the many things we did on our first true family vacation all together, all others involved shooting all over to visit people. I have made a few posts about this one already.<br />
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The day of our <a href="http://www.virginiasafaripark.com/">safari park </a>adventures, we also visited the <i>deepest caverns east of the Mississippi.</i> As you can imagine, pictures were a bit tough, but I will post about both the Natural Bridge Caverns and Luray Caverns in another post. We had a very big day between the cool caves and more animals and ways to see them than you can imagine.<br />
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The Virginia Safari entrance was right with the <a href="http://koa.com/campgrounds/natural-bridge/">KOA</a> where we stayed and was only a couple of miles down the road from <a href="http://musingsinmayhem.blogspot.com/2011/08/feeding-beasties.html">the zoo </a>we visited the day before. I am a bit link happy today. Of course, for proximity alone, we had to go. We safaried in the morning, caved at midday then safaried in the afternoon.<br />
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This post is morning only. I really did choose judiciously from the over 500 photos I took that day. Promise. It was HAARD! Okay?<br />
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I am not overwhelming you with these like the llamas overwhelmed our vehicle when we tried to drive in....<br />
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There were many wondrous horned creatures from around the world.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRRWAHBysc26wFkoNCuvSfA9pVWPaM4S5ozD43eurK65GEKqTsW-XqtwY9Av434guNKuYqOjh8GI1NQpaaRzi1hge4C1qusSaFTF6qqDJ5oIGOh7Vsyr6Q10VOg_UZwaJCezR8hQwwVMbL/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRRWAHBysc26wFkoNCuvSfA9pVWPaM4S5ozD43eurK65GEKqTsW-XqtwY9Av434guNKuYqOjh8GI1NQpaaRzi1hge4C1qusSaFTF6qqDJ5oIGOh7Vsyr6Q10VOg_UZwaJCezR8hQwwVMbL/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+249.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eland, from China</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvw-7KAgRfz6x4WwCRwb5bIlMW7vet95S_NM6uV2n679TMYtzEQleC2hCcSLx9gsPjbRWhzsXV3k2zu4ilJ-1WBRwRb0dmGuWRXlZRbyKbYF9TnGqze3EK6rUdGBcQSyMSeDtmfgciVmw/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvw-7KAgRfz6x4WwCRwb5bIlMW7vet95S_NM6uV2n679TMYtzEQleC2hCcSLx9gsPjbRWhzsXV3k2zu4ilJ-1WBRwRb0dmGuWRXlZRbyKbYF9TnGqze3EK6rUdGBcQSyMSeDtmfgciVmw/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+254.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Zebras were on the no feed list, but this guy bullied away a fallow deer and stuck his head into the vehicle, past my lap and stole the bucket of feed from between my feet! Later, a guide chuckled when I told her, and said the only reason zebras are on the list is because they'll bite, not because they are grass fed only like the Bison and Watusi. Well, I'm happy I didn't feed him something bad. *<i>slight eyeroll</i>*</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOn5tikxJyYkT19ydTDiw9vVgVYolArfUH8yzglg_Ock9HihsBrBgBymIwaMlcuqiddbu8zhe4Kkvdd22nwNg19Rep1lD4-p8FduMYqI9aaZBHhUFxW9N6fXvTravVbGBcqGy-uw4MEucJ/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOn5tikxJyYkT19ydTDiw9vVgVYolArfUH8yzglg_Ock9HihsBrBgBymIwaMlcuqiddbu8zhe4Kkvdd22nwNg19Rep1lD4-p8FduMYqI9aaZBHhUFxW9N6fXvTravVbGBcqGy-uw4MEucJ/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+259.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Rules forbid people from more than opening windows to feed. This was very clearly stated when we entered, and in the packet they gave us. These dummies had kids hanging out of the open doors. They were the same loud mouthed gaggle of tourists that made the Luray Caverns less pleasurable for the rest of us when we were there a couple of days earlier. They were a bit zealous and I will give them linguistically challenged, maybe they couldn't read or hear the rules in English.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpsdZFGPBqpA-gBxaa2400DvFsbJVO58g5KK-wna-6vzgaWffXO4Hw2cfBicRr1ZiuPSPuosfURg5GDbSCug0k6pjt8ApiAhQt4SC4vTYKwxbiIKOsELR4Smu3-bkOGK0LwBhNlqOj43Oe/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpsdZFGPBqpA-gBxaa2400DvFsbJVO58g5KK-wna-6vzgaWffXO4Hw2cfBicRr1ZiuPSPuosfURg5GDbSCug0k6pjt8ApiAhQt4SC4vTYKwxbiIKOsELR4Smu3-bkOGK0LwBhNlqOj43Oe/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+274.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Rocky Mountain Elk really bonded with Honey and me. Or our feed buckets.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxXIraiuP1doGbA3JFKhj6SIs9V4iMqKIlyg7Rjbma6j1NgaisnCBRh33vQ5tvp1MvsSp7FtHJUBP95KlmKUK7zgdyDK_Sojk7HMSwf097oRoIOgdx2BVDPZFA7X4RcuKSVYwk6jN0nlT/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxXIraiuP1doGbA3JFKhj6SIs9V4iMqKIlyg7Rjbma6j1NgaisnCBRh33vQ5tvp1MvsSp7FtHJUBP95KlmKUK7zgdyDK_Sojk7HMSwf097oRoIOgdx2BVDPZFA7X4RcuKSVYwk6jN0nlT/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+275.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Honey quit shaving before we left for our camping adventure. When we got home, he swore off shaving until his coworkers and boss asked if he was going for the homeless look. Then his mother and I threw our two cents worth in and he even shaved off his precious goatee.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hello Emu. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBggHXvL1vIaC27iRSWAJcmyEbAiYB3SjwA9zKiU8-siYeA60-NlYBAfX4mdlTGKcq_EwqnKL8oQejPd1g6w_JaqXW2kCNP4UiOAh9RuwHyXaGbIh831RZ53GGqLEhmvyw8LyZGJLCiSpn/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBggHXvL1vIaC27iRSWAJcmyEbAiYB3SjwA9zKiU8-siYeA60-NlYBAfX4mdlTGKcq_EwqnKL8oQejPd1g6w_JaqXW2kCNP4UiOAh9RuwHyXaGbIh831RZ53GGqLEhmvyw8LyZGJLCiSpn/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+279.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I admit I was a bit creeped out when the Ostriches, Rheas and these guys pecked in the bucket in my hands. Later when Captain Comic sat in front in the afternoon...well, I'll tell you in a later post.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJYyrhFkNsu_gmNwpknaXKJ1VJsGUiVmpw1HYrICwFOKibmBy4GTMj5YD881vGyEGgOai5-eheAy535D4p6H8mLH8641cTdskEjh0IBgJQnUKHaHodd6Yxi3JEvpXxCI6IWB_RkPqRVqjr/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJYyrhFkNsu_gmNwpknaXKJ1VJsGUiVmpw1HYrICwFOKibmBy4GTMj5YD881vGyEGgOai5-eheAy535D4p6H8mLH8641cTdskEjh0IBgJQnUKHaHodd6Yxi3JEvpXxCI6IWB_RkPqRVqjr/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+281.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Stunning. Impressive. Getaloada those antlers!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZ_TAcVzuYrSh_bLTEzHeHT2PiRgFV83bdghJSomn3bZxMFZKh23Jv3b3Qm7QyIorCEUUYt27KiMpPSC40yS7jU24fts6j35q_Kxg1ZOr9ErG7NeL5NJPPbEgV7uFBwYWslUAApGI92AX/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZ_TAcVzuYrSh_bLTEzHeHT2PiRgFV83bdghJSomn3bZxMFZKh23Jv3b3Qm7QyIorCEUUYt27KiMpPSC40yS7jU24fts6j35q_Kxg1ZOr9ErG7NeL5NJPPbEgV7uFBwYWslUAApGI92AX/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+283.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And then I fed him.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6OIZ0BINtZETG5pMkW5q9J3EJbXFKfv3BRTx1j8rX62uwiWka-YyEXhUkdg9heu-lbxRjTeE-6T8euqPCLHXfkbB5z_nxMHxwUDYTHRjXPV0J9f4BEkwTMQWCcpEkz08Ur9LBleqG8CiX/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6OIZ0BINtZETG5pMkW5q9J3EJbXFKfv3BRTx1j8rX62uwiWka-YyEXhUkdg9heu-lbxRjTeE-6T8euqPCLHXfkbB5z_nxMHxwUDYTHRjXPV0J9f4BEkwTMQWCcpEkz08Ur9LBleqG8CiX/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+285.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I will love him and feed him and call him George!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(please tell me you remember Warner Bros cartoons)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOVCfNoNbLK5H1viP3c2F4H9G4s-a2Az7ZYaUBl9-_MqAGONShzoaBAhfr6TEfSYZkd54un7-8YnZmQl5-LuTAvYBvR9RaQDRIojAwge2OQo0wvshPJZw9qmCyOvHYomEmvJ-XezC_DSv/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOVCfNoNbLK5H1viP3c2F4H9G4s-a2Az7ZYaUBl9-_MqAGONShzoaBAhfr6TEfSYZkd54un7-8YnZmQl5-LuTAvYBvR9RaQDRIojAwge2OQo0wvshPJZw9qmCyOvHYomEmvJ-XezC_DSv/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+290.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bactrian Camel, not from the Middle East, like Dromedary (one hump) cousin, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">from Mongolia and China.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWeckBEw51BuCjnJxAAkhkd0Tohe7Ixg5mbBGomIokEet7UcnWTq7c0kyKj6wI-4QwdRIdnglI3OFc3c3d22fX73sWZ8eo_OOCY5z-UyzU3aWGvO7pSCuth0f3hdWGQbazvbpJGiKj_DfE/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWeckBEw51BuCjnJxAAkhkd0Tohe7Ixg5mbBGomIokEet7UcnWTq7c0kyKj6wI-4QwdRIdnglI3OFc3c3d22fX73sWZ8eo_OOCY5z-UyzU3aWGvO7pSCuth0f3hdWGQbazvbpJGiKj_DfE/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+291.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bison roaming free! (inside a really big park)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGN6UsCsZztC16A0uecybXRfU95WiJy31ZfEfYG8MCBlQWDlBLRn3QBAgI9PkDwoAEf7aASdqIC8CbAAURGn6lRB5akM0mkCk7FL7NlZcLigDJHS2yf8Y8Jxznb6aSksWg6SS_YE8kqnk-/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGN6UsCsZztC16A0uecybXRfU95WiJy31ZfEfYG8MCBlQWDlBLRn3QBAgI9PkDwoAEf7aASdqIC8CbAAURGn6lRB5akM0mkCk7FL7NlZcLigDJHS2yf8Y8Jxznb6aSksWg6SS_YE8kqnk-/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+293.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Smooch! </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Actually, this was taken just prior to his ripping the feed bucket from my hands.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Later the guide said, "Nobody wins again Omar!" </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEgd52ss0n0sN8S6JFdd7qtyvmjNdPZHoXbRm56WRiZEVbQXdBiw_Lbg-zBlVX7Jro08fFJDCsCGbBKFg_yJhGALiq4PKm9a9ufAGOpdg3a-yhFFQq-RV529J03sYDD-oxj9P8xFQKkQgK/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEgd52ss0n0sN8S6JFdd7qtyvmjNdPZHoXbRm56WRiZEVbQXdBiw_Lbg-zBlVX7Jro08fFJDCsCGbBKFg_yJhGALiq4PKm9a9ufAGOpdg3a-yhFFQq-RV529J03sYDD-oxj9P8xFQKkQgK/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+294.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Really big bird. Ostrich. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0X0f7OBEiVinpuKlHRuoXS77Cr_Uea5pC-WKfx4XQ0D8Bh-vSOAXJnVOAmUJNGYiw-URBlP_9OB6nsMsTan9tmvyl2d_Z9Kxk0IWgutFeBj1o6Th_A86gGf3kjvHzYtSx5ToWRO1f1Ky-/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0X0f7OBEiVinpuKlHRuoXS77Cr_Uea5pC-WKfx4XQ0D8Bh-vSOAXJnVOAmUJNGYiw-URBlP_9OB6nsMsTan9tmvyl2d_Z9Kxk0IWgutFeBj1o6Th_A86gGf3kjvHzYtSx5ToWRO1f1Ky-/s400/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+298.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Scimitar Horned Oryx, North Africa (closer shot next post)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Correction: these are Arabian Oryx! or Oryxes, both are plural forms are correct</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Oh wait, third try: Some of both - the whiter ones with straight horns are the Arabian kind</i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPGPeaklwv4pr-KUGB_G_kFzERR-sh8SV2pFIpQpK3G6Is3GYMR-dXoYy-O7zNRyiiqF4P5IvT7LTOpJ0HcM35k1c_Yd6KGNrXQigoJWY6wkhMdEBfUkWDTLHzRrNlzKPvCqa2XC9mt4Dj/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPGPeaklwv4pr-KUGB_G_kFzERR-sh8SV2pFIpQpK3G6Is3GYMR-dXoYy-O7zNRyiiqF4P5IvT7LTOpJ0HcM35k1c_Yd6KGNrXQigoJWY6wkhMdEBfUkWDTLHzRrNlzKPvCqa2XC9mt4Dj/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+301.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Do the Watusi! (I had to, okay?!) Those are some mighty big horns. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAEL03vn-whhh0g3KSgFAPK-pHF103BOe0R3xear76cG1zznoKhA2WVcgf4C_mhvZ2_CHJBF1GusG5bX1COTdEw_fEEZOcf4C4n7V9jQNTRjn1Vfy_f4IogsGBTGJmPnQMmJ9XFCG2YFw/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAEL03vn-whhh0g3KSgFAPK-pHF103BOe0R3xear76cG1zznoKhA2WVcgf4C_mhvZ2_CHJBF1GusG5bX1COTdEw_fEEZOcf4C4n7V9jQNTRjn1Vfy_f4IogsGBTGJmPnQMmJ9XFCG2YFw/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+303.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Near the exit and (entrance) were Vietnamese potbellied pig mama and her babies, and a wholotta Llamas.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I found the Llamas particularly pushy and opportunistic, positioning themselves at the gates, and crowding every vehicle as they entered.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuWJNjdW9YeIY8P2OmRRxikjcwxremSq0uf09t0RqFS2uGSugCpQpGgIj_8bW8XTHrgMoeOASDNBTH0Efi5GzarNdA88X7FCz2QVcz_Og4lQjyvhdaA7T6o8OqrdN2a-7BcSzh1-3t-qm7/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuWJNjdW9YeIY8P2OmRRxikjcwxremSq0uf09t0RqFS2uGSugCpQpGgIj_8bW8XTHrgMoeOASDNBTH0Efi5GzarNdA88X7FCz2QVcz_Og4lQjyvhdaA7T6o8OqrdN2a-7BcSzh1-3t-qm7/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+306.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">By the exit, they stuck to the shade, my guess is after stuffing their faces.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Uj3B11jyblp6oRztMxakKy49dd4ZN7u6tw-aL-0Ygk5dmT-v2LoyBxF7fXCHDTl6e8AzcG9vY9nbrhqW4oNt_D9IL-O8dV1ahJB-Rv0pXAO9AXpt79l2J37Pe9p157dO7V5nbH28G7HK/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Uj3B11jyblp6oRztMxakKy49dd4ZN7u6tw-aL-0Ygk5dmT-v2LoyBxF7fXCHDTl6e8AzcG9vY9nbrhqW4oNt_D9IL-O8dV1ahJB-Rv0pXAO9AXpt79l2J37Pe9p157dO7V5nbH28G7HK/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+309.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Wha...?</i></div><br />
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I could have played around with the shots in the computer and enhanced color and contrast, but choosing was challenging enough...all of my vacation posts' photos are straight out of the camera and cell camera.<br />
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</div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-2187326650811826602011-08-23T20:34:00.000-07:002011-08-23T20:34:19.226-07:00first this<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I am still playing catch up on the vacation blogs....really I am, and we had an earthquake today - <i>in Virginia</i>. But first, this:<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Please watch and understand that this man is talking about my family. Asperger's Syndrome</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 14px;"> is a form of Autism that makes me feel like one of the lucky ones in the club Parents of Autism. It took a lot of work to get Captain Comic where he is now. I did it, do it, because I love him and will always have his back, even when it can be really hard. And everyday there is </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 14px;">a little of that.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thank you, </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cathy</span></span><br />
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</span></div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-45871663212034130642011-08-22T07:30:00.000-07:002011-08-22T08:38:22.223-07:00panther falls<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Poor Big Bertha barely made it down the winding switchback steep downgrade dirt road to the falls, but she did. Her brakes got rather worn out, and I clung mightily to the passenger door, staring down into beautifully wooded pits of death for my entire family. Apparently, the concept of guardrails has not reached the lesser roads of the Blue Ridge Mountains.<br />
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Excerpts from our day at Panther Falls:<br />
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I know, I know, a lot of photos and I promised I wouldn't, but Panther Falls was my favorite adventure of the trip.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Just pretty country on a beautiful day.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLe2CsfOvRg3W0r-_s9_tSFquCjciO30WAdhv-sM6eokEJ1lQZHlekid0bRmyRY5e0qUv2-JsBN09eBG0QKTWePasyVRYp1oBNEl_iwRWtAfdlSNj7Ko7sfISXh-xchjVz6i6H5e58GuC6/s1600/2011.8.11.panther+falls+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLe2CsfOvRg3W0r-_s9_tSFquCjciO30WAdhv-sM6eokEJ1lQZHlekid0bRmyRY5e0qUv2-JsBN09eBG0QKTWePasyVRYp1oBNEl_iwRWtAfdlSNj7Ko7sfISXh-xchjVz6i6H5e58GuC6/s320/2011.8.11.panther+falls+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> The path to the falls was as treacherous as the road.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This part was about as wide as Toots's tootsies and very slippery dirt.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_yDOfILa0Yes3gfZPf_K0DNRRtv_XX4uT1v2sFbTJpsLxCxJpoJPDestxozgLFFbW8KYedIld2t8leSoqCllhEhGg7CDrVu2ET-18QO8Rsu61GGNkraTandJPWdFm8ia_f-Ur3YR4ZQX/s1600/2011.8.11.panther+falls+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_yDOfILa0Yes3gfZPf_K0DNRRtv_XX4uT1v2sFbTJpsLxCxJpoJPDestxozgLFFbW8KYedIld2t8leSoqCllhEhGg7CDrVu2ET-18QO8Rsu61GGNkraTandJPWdFm8ia_f-Ur3YR4ZQX/s320/2011.8.11.panther+falls+007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Beware of hazards and falling trees.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0O2-vpdJSMNigGFhQSKbii8ySzQMdsBfcqDkn1WzhPIxRwvmG8s57A0kOJJrBnNnowxiA-0TXIeQg_Iil5HJ5-QLTpH9CNtK3_jjaS2k9uYxWHvklOxkjm5dI5BTsEaLa8IoF318UZ8j/s1600/2011.8.11.panther+falls+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0O2-vpdJSMNigGFhQSKbii8ySzQMdsBfcqDkn1WzhPIxRwvmG8s57A0kOJJrBnNnowxiA-0TXIeQg_Iil5HJ5-QLTpH9CNtK3_jjaS2k9uYxWHvklOxkjm5dI5BTsEaLa8IoF318UZ8j/s320/2011.8.11.panther+falls+010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Then we reached the top of the falls.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIT1e1vmsPDYAt7JYxVf6McvMtEyMzoLTK1KKg-THDm3NkTX9EC8tQsOK0pPsgcdD0dhv1BZb_zHybSBNtGk7x2oIxdCSp5kxwoHd8-IamEg-uHX0tg6q707nJ4zzjKyX1RqOAzA10lVy/s1600/2011.8.11.panther+falls+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIT1e1vmsPDYAt7JYxVf6McvMtEyMzoLTK1KKg-THDm3NkTX9EC8tQsOK0pPsgcdD0dhv1BZb_zHybSBNtGk7x2oIxdCSp5kxwoHd8-IamEg-uHX0tg6q707nJ4zzjKyX1RqOAzA10lVy/s320/2011.8.11.panther+falls+012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Captain Comic was in his element. I can't keep Godzilla boy from water.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjRLWZsUgPPb78508xgpAj40IRP32qaajfq-Up6bQZj_5sK1nWvNyCqdiCsDp6zxkwq9wK30c4sDQPnplQOp2yK71JtvCfrYQb4P4bPG51piwCRw8KVICWgd4bmze1oJzRjNmqC8m_4aNu/s1600/2011.8.11.panther+falls+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjRLWZsUgPPb78508xgpAj40IRP32qaajfq-Up6bQZj_5sK1nWvNyCqdiCsDp6zxkwq9wK30c4sDQPnplQOp2yK71JtvCfrYQb4P4bPG51piwCRw8KVICWgd4bmze1oJzRjNmqC8m_4aNu/s320/2011.8.11.panther+falls+013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Jumpers, though they are forbidden. See my Captain below?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBDef5dao190YkEaklXb8jP06GjcqnLwTXuzFRyVbONEJxclkNilKI83URm1xIPYWYrJcD4GuLo5jrCD3wqhs3Y-GwN7Tqgp5WBbzLDJTYm45lMASXeSUKeCBm91EjcjmeNLBdRUMYuwT/s1600/2011.8.11.panther+falls+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBDef5dao190YkEaklXb8jP06GjcqnLwTXuzFRyVbONEJxclkNilKI83URm1xIPYWYrJcD4GuLo5jrCD3wqhs3Y-GwN7Tqgp5WBbzLDJTYm45lMASXeSUKeCBm91EjcjmeNLBdRUMYuwT/s320/2011.8.11.panther+falls+017.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Below these falls, what looks like two tidal pools is connected, a water-bored tunnel below the surface. Some kids were all over it, Captain Comic said , "No way! I'm not taking any chances!" The rope is a guide line to swim through the tunnel.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9IWnaWuqlwD4JwBrWBvoEtdOU7Awk-JbXoghUGx1NqieDmwa3mDzen_tmf2L9tT_LLcaFimpB_9P4Umlp4PoBrhRzNT_yRfoMieKEciR9-Rcuy-zgFli6nyJ6qiCMQjIDuQ9Q4w1Hl8J8/s1600/2011.8.11.panther+falls+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9IWnaWuqlwD4JwBrWBvoEtdOU7Awk-JbXoghUGx1NqieDmwa3mDzen_tmf2L9tT_LLcaFimpB_9P4Umlp4PoBrhRzNT_yRfoMieKEciR9-Rcuy-zgFli6nyJ6qiCMQjIDuQ9Q4w1Hl8J8/s320/2011.8.11.panther+falls+018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Meanwhile...Mr. Cynic just wanted to go home that day. We had swimsuits back up the mountain in Bertha, and he did not want to change. Thankfully this one has mastered suffering in silence.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeyikN9wLjWawY5EpNQPUodGnqtpzpUx1mvN6pK-I2U2a4CUNb-CMZa-KNhr0RqzI-VNx6dqEbpIJJo7VRkqiP8h6InO0BO1_-IIRGA0s8pJln6PcVVeJA6L1dmJUgX2S4GimvCA1Fet0M/s1600/2011.8.11.panther+falls+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeyikN9wLjWawY5EpNQPUodGnqtpzpUx1mvN6pK-I2U2a4CUNb-CMZa-KNhr0RqzI-VNx6dqEbpIJJo7VRkqiP8h6InO0BO1_-IIRGA0s8pJln6PcVVeJA6L1dmJUgX2S4GimvCA1Fet0M/s320/2011.8.11.panther+falls+019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Slippery when wet</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQX_sViq4axt1sqLQo7Jg_na5yyV2-hi2VX-hbIpGaGJrr10eVgI4uXEnGo8XjYRuK1I8WE95NuVrr8Dp76hqSxhWjhKgdifCd9KBuC24BLzltopykKmC6Zak1m_g6GBZwIfXbZkOwnLJ/s1600/2011.8.11.panther+falls+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQX_sViq4axt1sqLQo7Jg_na5yyV2-hi2VX-hbIpGaGJrr10eVgI4uXEnGo8XjYRuK1I8WE95NuVrr8Dp76hqSxhWjhKgdifCd9KBuC24BLzltopykKmC6Zak1m_g6GBZwIfXbZkOwnLJ/s320/2011.8.11.panther+falls+021.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Oh no, he's not taking any chances...Even if he was all over these rocks and water far from his parents.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ac9no1w_m48wXpvQlnGIaoAaphE5Zbrhtz3mxG-LB-sZIS2yZ3MW4YAtAZGgQXag5W8uz2AgBFBDoGBLtO1QruOw9JCzqOdLB9s93y2Q7Gz3LTUd1GbYFXSKFIF58CSkDJSILN8Di5kn/s1600/2011.8.11.panther+falls+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ac9no1w_m48wXpvQlnGIaoAaphE5Zbrhtz3mxG-LB-sZIS2yZ3MW4YAtAZGgQXag5W8uz2AgBFBDoGBLtO1QruOw9JCzqOdLB9s93y2Q7Gz3LTUd1GbYFXSKFIF58CSkDJSILN8Di5kn/s320/2011.8.11.panther+falls+023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Treacherous but beautiful. I admitted defeat.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm just too unstable on my bad ankle for any sudden slippery corrections.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dhl4EgIADr1Wa0sSie0F8ntgYQokvyaPC76QK4yV3kvZFO8jBp6NV9S5tIeifPKQMKsnlDFSLDfGx28lFcZWFl3EcOTWcS5Ma2Oy4rmFxDV3vjKnzj-DVii_Drm6diFgMuipVcZl2qcQ/s1600/2011.8.11.panther+falls+030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dhl4EgIADr1Wa0sSie0F8ntgYQokvyaPC76QK4yV3kvZFO8jBp6NV9S5tIeifPKQMKsnlDFSLDfGx28lFcZWFl3EcOTWcS5Ma2Oy4rmFxDV3vjKnzj-DVii_Drm6diFgMuipVcZl2qcQ/s320/2011.8.11.panther+falls+030.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1qESy0bc-GScWYVvGXBa-Bi7CvUD9_Z-CnJZ4k7mOJuEi-LRNVEv5jK0-Yp3xe8-hR4UJm99F9Xndr18MMW2qTmWOlmqPcBvBB_50Jl-sJ2ryzZEyfzJFHHUc1KXgW6M4KfJo98YbBI0w/s1600/2011.8.11.panther+falls+031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1qESy0bc-GScWYVvGXBa-Bi7CvUD9_Z-CnJZ4k7mOJuEi-LRNVEv5jK0-Yp3xe8-hR4UJm99F9Xndr18MMW2qTmWOlmqPcBvBB_50Jl-sJ2ryzZEyfzJFHHUc1KXgW6M4KfJo98YbBI0w/s320/2011.8.11.panther+falls+031.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">But Captain Comic was all over the glacial anomalies.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_5KhHC6BkA4_TIlH8f6sWkXitMUZucYVxF8JtvqUcn5vFWUaoV1Q0fNSnpkkRyqRKOEyDCo14IuIv8exBi_4yzsmvo0hO3G2g_cQNlbXa03TEOfp9reebFUzxykUKZiwwZT718XRUI7b5/s1600/2011.8.11.panther+falls+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_5KhHC6BkA4_TIlH8f6sWkXitMUZucYVxF8JtvqUcn5vFWUaoV1Q0fNSnpkkRyqRKOEyDCo14IuIv8exBi_4yzsmvo0hO3G2g_cQNlbXa03TEOfp9reebFUzxykUKZiwwZT718XRUI7b5/s320/2011.8.11.panther+falls+032.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfsjhCzhnsY7_hDYQxxj8lxw8xBuHa4qQfHQLAAV2V2daU8AC4tquSg14LnrPKxnTPq64M6DHmOy_QNIiXIlUHE42QO9QAcctCq2B3IOat82xw9oVxioZIX7nqu-P0fWbFJbWEW_IVPmlU/s1600/2011.8.11.panther+falls+035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfsjhCzhnsY7_hDYQxxj8lxw8xBuHa4qQfHQLAAV2V2daU8AC4tquSg14LnrPKxnTPq64M6DHmOy_QNIiXIlUHE42QO9QAcctCq2B3IOat82xw9oVxioZIX7nqu-P0fWbFJbWEW_IVPmlU/s320/2011.8.11.panther+falls+035.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I was happy to stick my toes in, and watch fishies swim between them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid5uWv4WdF2ymKzF6OcKbXnjVieXeQ4c2skqz3XAM6dCsR5iJpyh-D8d7Fw9ZWst06pP4X20QKDOqMy50zgOWS9PBo3oZYwUFV28re_V9fPUVMYFm28wMls4cxVdFNSL5_UysLErS6bgOR/s1600/2011.8.11.panther+falls+046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid5uWv4WdF2ymKzF6OcKbXnjVieXeQ4c2skqz3XAM6dCsR5iJpyh-D8d7Fw9ZWst06pP4X20QKDOqMy50zgOWS9PBo3oZYwUFV28re_V9fPUVMYFm28wMls4cxVdFNSL5_UysLErS6bgOR/s320/2011.8.11.panther+falls+046.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Honey and Toots also did not have their suits, but they went in, too. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Toots hung onto her daddy for dear life, and went in in her undies.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1k-7UnmlprJZH5OhBaYfuyETCaec-uj6T6zrX-xlvW0aOy16ZYazuTEZGOaVombymbYu9m23lyXo-6wFp2GJFVqvm-WbfTy4jlrNsXn4w49stwdy2tts88U5wrc24vLkzL7GycO6xvdzC/s1600/2011.8.11.panther+falls+036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1k-7UnmlprJZH5OhBaYfuyETCaec-uj6T6zrX-xlvW0aOy16ZYazuTEZGOaVombymbYu9m23lyXo-6wFp2GJFVqvm-WbfTy4jlrNsXn4w49stwdy2tts88U5wrc24vLkzL7GycO6xvdzC/s320/2011.8.11.panther+falls+036.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">She loved it. I loved these legs and shadows.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgb7at8gIwCsQm-BNuHHKryIVWvZr0gdL_VZ27vosTdcsE_uflRNcDpKmH1eSqspIvaLSUWobIFnjouJfjwD3wMbDZ9Jz9V_zZXJHovtkDuqovynzZAD2cL3EyNF277fGlE3nldajYVyJ/s1600/2011.8.11.panther+falls+038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgb7at8gIwCsQm-BNuHHKryIVWvZr0gdL_VZ27vosTdcsE_uflRNcDpKmH1eSqspIvaLSUWobIFnjouJfjwD3wMbDZ9Jz9V_zZXJHovtkDuqovynzZAD2cL3EyNF277fGlE3nldajYVyJ/s320/2011.8.11.panther+falls+038.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Captain Comic may not have gone through the tunnel, but he assisted others with the rope lead.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUFFA7pgISPMFpk_ywgIKLwWIzeIU9CgPwiHIJ-V4lM4CyyITV9jA7Fo-l9OqKd68KHfQ104vuaHN3h_lFKNTENAGanXcx_7V0gQMFEKrAtQSfVFFtetNkNYAR3wKQYc19tGlPzMDtfUvO/s1600/2011.8.11.panther+falls+043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUFFA7pgISPMFpk_ywgIKLwWIzeIU9CgPwiHIJ-V4lM4CyyITV9jA7Fo-l9OqKd68KHfQ104vuaHN3h_lFKNTENAGanXcx_7V0gQMFEKrAtQSfVFFtetNkNYAR3wKQYc19tGlPzMDtfUvO/s320/2011.8.11.panther+falls+043.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Meanwhile....Nope, still not going in. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMA3oltjpdhXETLsjA4LrRe5yHdPKvBm17mYKYhF1lTC00amBmLk6K6woy8YAwFMu5ltx_68_FKE_pyWHJ5p4dEXMp4PKs7x82_YI-1Gh4lAnDY5demUJukMidz2T3eEkDPpK0AVF07R_/s1600/2011.8.11.panther+falls+048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMA3oltjpdhXETLsjA4LrRe5yHdPKvBm17mYKYhF1lTC00amBmLk6K6woy8YAwFMu5ltx_68_FKE_pyWHJ5p4dEXMp4PKs7x82_YI-1Gh4lAnDY5demUJukMidz2T3eEkDPpK0AVF07R_/s320/2011.8.11.panther+falls+048.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Bathing Beauty after her swim.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbc8cW0n7fkvdwC1eGVYOg9Bco4hyPWijJ5kNPX1at3L6i1FbLfU5AyBFOo_xAE6ajlewRTxNpZkJ3xGTMFiPQncwV7mLUv6rIcGB3SpuAKWG4xMbaN07jkrRv7Tt0ppSkRHP6FmZSmjQ/s1600/2011.8.11.panther+falls+051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbc8cW0n7fkvdwC1eGVYOg9Bco4hyPWijJ5kNPX1at3L6i1FbLfU5AyBFOo_xAE6ajlewRTxNpZkJ3xGTMFiPQncwV7mLUv6rIcGB3SpuAKWG4xMbaN07jkrRv7Tt0ppSkRHP6FmZSmjQ/s320/2011.8.11.panther+falls+051.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Another jumper. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvyCUwUc1WLdompmU6AyaMVa-cnzWaEBd473XHdyQNj2dYHq9InzxxXcrzTe5CitdgPc_FQhf1krwP2y4R1XZlvKBWTwh29dxS1EF0v3xFUCyQ-CInrSWk2Yr2M4TMAvdBgZ90OvykBZoG/s1600/2011.8.11.panther+falls+052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvyCUwUc1WLdompmU6AyaMVa-cnzWaEBd473XHdyQNj2dYHq9InzxxXcrzTe5CitdgPc_FQhf1krwP2y4R1XZlvKBWTwh29dxS1EF0v3xFUCyQ-CInrSWk2Yr2M4TMAvdBgZ90OvykBZoG/s320/2011.8.11.panther+falls+052.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">This young man talking my Honey's ear off has been coming to the falls since his <i>daddy threw him in when he was two!</i> He helped guide other jumpers to the deepest parts, where they wouldn't slam into rocks and die. "The sign up at the road is false advertising, saying last death was in 1998. Four people died here last year. But don't worry, it mostly happens when the water is higher and has a stronger undertow than it does today." I was grateful for the info, but I was scared for his life as he did back flips from high up.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYfb-ABcf6fbzlFzETMoL0X6BbsAP2ScX93Q_yXE1ys-2LwFa4nAlFjhJfYsJ5l8vKwImBn0t8fcFjdjMf8bHZ6LNd8NOnQeomGbm63AFMMf4R0q3Nk2C-TWoBBYui085-9kiXxPHmttc0/s1600/IMG_0596.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYfb-ABcf6fbzlFzETMoL0X6BbsAP2ScX93Q_yXE1ys-2LwFa4nAlFjhJfYsJ5l8vKwImBn0t8fcFjdjMf8bHZ6LNd8NOnQeomGbm63AFMMf4R0q3Nk2C-TWoBBYui085-9kiXxPHmttc0/s320/IMG_0596.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnptkLRvUNZgzei574NJV-quPMhbw-_1bmDgbsz-5k0QYZhv5jz6vNOug1oAyeanxbR15W6Bq1OS0zK0Cuh4hpjOWH_lp9i8JNoq-cPd34vBIaTxg-fpICCFiF7wJOALmhIwghVBASAL_/s1600/IMG_0599.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnptkLRvUNZgzei574NJV-quPMhbw-_1bmDgbsz-5k0QYZhv5jz6vNOug1oAyeanxbR15W6Bq1OS0zK0Cuh4hpjOWH_lp9i8JNoq-cPd34vBIaTxg-fpICCFiF7wJOALmhIwghVBASAL_/s320/IMG_0599.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9mzMeUk4MhyphenhyphenqVb3tyNhSO0OrtUO7ALKIRWyXIugkTAHsR5bIvu4Xweb-c8PXxb6RXCEmpAEkw2en-csxeZ7ZePodF3jM13eQV32s8QVkbcSQsfWFi93MjNnW26u-9eeHwaww98LbbzaP/s1600/IMG_0600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9mzMeUk4MhyphenhyphenqVb3tyNhSO0OrtUO7ALKIRWyXIugkTAHsR5bIvu4Xweb-c8PXxb6RXCEmpAEkw2en-csxeZ7ZePodF3jM13eQV32s8QVkbcSQsfWFi93MjNnW26u-9eeHwaww98LbbzaP/s320/IMG_0600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgScDJCv3ORiwvf0upKvswnLig6qBE6qdnthsLrVj4RRNJy9BRIuXwU_uTVzXDiDRiGPcNJyanaa8yj77HVOYCcvH2538TNC-L1MMEP-mumSAQMFzAlp0ebGBOSm_CBYkRXnt3NojO9ECrR/s1600/IMG_0603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgScDJCv3ORiwvf0upKvswnLig6qBE6qdnthsLrVj4RRNJy9BRIuXwU_uTVzXDiDRiGPcNJyanaa8yj77HVOYCcvH2538TNC-L1MMEP-mumSAQMFzAlp0ebGBOSm_CBYkRXnt3NojO9ECrR/s320/IMG_0603.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">We stopped here to get some drinks and the people were very helpful,</div><div style="text-align: center;">even if they do make "HOMEMAOE BBQ EVERYOAY"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctz3dswSRc7UBtiFPvcXIfnPlB8WrGNAbhihPn0Gs5I0R84omH1ecgiPfHak2xqbNVtzLs3bWu87-0jwgi6Gs5hZXnRr2lFKgG9v_athm-Vyb9Zh1mUCv8AhBvf32vJFP0w1wnvskPO6G/s1600/IMG_0608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctz3dswSRc7UBtiFPvcXIfnPlB8WrGNAbhihPn0Gs5I0R84omH1ecgiPfHak2xqbNVtzLs3bWu87-0jwgi6Gs5hZXnRr2lFKgG9v_athm-Vyb9Zh1mUCv8AhBvf32vJFP0w1wnvskPO6G/s320/IMG_0608.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-66847574630861107242011-08-19T08:25:00.000-07:002011-08-19T08:25:37.677-07:00natural bridge, va<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sorry for delays. I am pooped and I have been having a busy week since our return, blogging fell down the priority list. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Fun things to do at the modest KOA:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Pool, always a favorite for Captain Comic</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-B8wazupUe3Oh-yn-LlFt37OZbJZNQElwJu0_QOSX9LcvsYMO0m8c5hi3yjFcmeGjiNxZ5aSeNuVQ8rsjk_vmpoDH09wMaKvxs485lWgina4Ov85gUc0O1jUfRDXTQKG3LkoWXFWc-ovH/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-B8wazupUe3Oh-yn-LlFt37OZbJZNQElwJu0_QOSX9LcvsYMO0m8c5hi3yjFcmeGjiNxZ5aSeNuVQ8rsjk_vmpoDH09wMaKvxs485lWgina4Ov85gUc0O1jUfRDXTQKG3LkoWXFWc-ovH/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+101.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> And Honey and Toots.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9OErdWlK9HZBweB-CdZqF1oaMi2-XKdU2c-t6lfQoIpfAc_nVqYJi2zyuq8hcenjFR_enpLlzGezNn6W1Nk7tOKDZ1DRY0XQi_ArYLNNcESNvzxyyFLTAbP8AweKT_WtDu3wHnD0I5rG/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9OErdWlK9HZBweB-CdZqF1oaMi2-XKdU2c-t6lfQoIpfAc_nVqYJi2zyuq8hcenjFR_enpLlzGezNn6W1Nk7tOKDZ1DRY0XQi_ArYLNNcESNvzxyyFLTAbP8AweKT_WtDu3wHnD0I5rG/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+104.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
An old school playground<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgumbTR-6NDdbp8GmiWievGiJbyaNZAICbRislM3NeF0ZfFgP0-NZvzXC1Q0RtRjftM-ZW2m_cdDaDgJWj9R7Ay2Alg8wnfwIvCjK4ghUhBf2310VT15wdne5Z_WmzOxFfJWe7xZiKl7vvA/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgumbTR-6NDdbp8GmiWievGiJbyaNZAICbRislM3NeF0ZfFgP0-NZvzXC1Q0RtRjftM-ZW2m_cdDaDgJWj9R7Ay2Alg8wnfwIvCjK4ghUhBf2310VT15wdne5Z_WmzOxFfJWe7xZiKl7vvA/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+105.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipw63AcOtBi1eUhyphenhyphenbu35eO1_-HTu5az7qfOL9_ubsyoLebwZOetZ4uU5XHUn1W0P9QyHtJamz3E6BOTl7jSGillS_iWeW-4YOxPHEU44E-n7N6Afe4iasWZ4rNiD8oQ604Sh30-g6b5XTR/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipw63AcOtBi1eUhyphenhyphenbu35eO1_-HTu5az7qfOL9_ubsyoLebwZOetZ4uU5XHUn1W0P9QyHtJamz3E6BOTl7jSGillS_iWeW-4YOxPHEU44E-n7N6Afe4iasWZ4rNiD8oQ604Sh30-g6b5XTR/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+108.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> This was a giant slide with the old metal steps made of the letters: AMERICAN, like the slide in my old neighborhood as a little kid. It took her about the whole week for Toots to actually descend the giant slide without my climbing up the ladder and walk her back down in my arms.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVzHFFDMyg6cXIy3tlCs68cycQAx8gSixxClDLVo-eoClPciBzuf4xCCq3x29qG_JXI4II4ms3btnoZ7qNCFxDKW5VuR_R9LyW6fnvVvyP69brh4eQd4JTEFtG-DL1hVY432MkmyhcdMC/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVzHFFDMyg6cXIy3tlCs68cycQAx8gSixxClDLVo-eoClPciBzuf4xCCq3x29qG_JXI4II4ms3btnoZ7qNCFxDKW5VuR_R9LyW6fnvVvyP69brh4eQd4JTEFtG-DL1hVY432MkmyhcdMC/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+113.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div> Toots and Captain Comic playing together and having fun.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR-8g2HQaFwdb7-oI8cs6ymshDqy_eOXqMUa-YMIg4lHrPGrh8VZQ51XcLpZbOhc_27osRg-e-fVVjgNKB-cBbEfHJVvWdl1GfMsLkEb6Xz62MyAZNOBAHGHXuhjbF5bNtDbm3gqTz8X6A/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR-8g2HQaFwdb7-oI8cs6ymshDqy_eOXqMUa-YMIg4lHrPGrh8VZQ51XcLpZbOhc_27osRg-e-fVVjgNKB-cBbEfHJVvWdl1GfMsLkEb6Xz62MyAZNOBAHGHXuhjbF5bNtDbm3gqTz8X6A/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+117.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Meanwhile, back at camp, Mr. Cynic being so very very Mr. Cynic, plugged in and all. That's my old van, Big Bertha behind him.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2VfzCgYW5B-Xg_hJyiSH-xF_0CdHP2HOhT2eT5GvG0SMfe4rzqs0kvrWOhVj4P5TSROeQIWY0cNg9GNQOUJWk4QlVZf9VrQpMQompwo5UGqFqsjXh2cB3tiGOY07nsAjajm-fDKUsYE6E/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2VfzCgYW5B-Xg_hJyiSH-xF_0CdHP2HOhT2eT5GvG0SMfe4rzqs0kvrWOhVj4P5TSROeQIWY0cNg9GNQOUJWk4QlVZf9VrQpMQompwo5UGqFqsjXh2cB3tiGOY07nsAjajm-fDKUsYE6E/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+127.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
And the Natural Bridge itself, carved out of the mountains by glaciers.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIEJzUq54345tfK1qQLs6EgfCqPLoyltDVtAlZqPsaEPj9tvGKW5Otnd55wzReXNcdnwQSGXa8mA9s6JpWt-JlSMPWwPBe40kvcYeQqHtPqbLElz3DLMOvh2cd1IMfgSWhwXGjjdkuYCN/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIEJzUq54345tfK1qQLs6EgfCqPLoyltDVtAlZqPsaEPj9tvGKW5Otnd55wzReXNcdnwQSGXa8mA9s6JpWt-JlSMPWwPBe40kvcYeQqHtPqbLElz3DLMOvh2cd1IMfgSWhwXGjjdkuYCN/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+134.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDH70_Oi0Spf7cdJu-jVIKWpm4KqlMPaXsR29u98WNlWyB-57bLzgrVkxkxWIk6c8wqk3uCJM1K1N-nfIub1TNvhM-1DUVW2b-5nRpPs-0BBQ7U7Xa6bnZlEYZQvqVT4ZW7rFGA8PdtVcK/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDH70_Oi0Spf7cdJu-jVIKWpm4KqlMPaXsR29u98WNlWyB-57bLzgrVkxkxWIk6c8wqk3uCJM1K1N-nfIub1TNvhM-1DUVW2b-5nRpPs-0BBQ7U7Xa6bnZlEYZQvqVT4ZW7rFGA8PdtVcK/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+138.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
That's not dirt on the photo, it's a hawk that swooped under the bridge.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTEIcjnl42s7Ojs7AjtJDx6T5O6evqPiHS9E9c7BdqOMFH-xtQ5FleOMvFNlUD_yPlZ84D8I-B4UE6UxSIHhcnxlfRbMi9z39ecgTzV3NqqqMFvFsMdQx5mnFMovuIzhxN2FA_LizUyb5M/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTEIcjnl42s7Ojs7AjtJDx6T5O6evqPiHS9E9c7BdqOMFH-xtQ5FleOMvFNlUD_yPlZ84D8I-B4UE6UxSIHhcnxlfRbMi9z39ecgTzV3NqqqMFvFsMdQx5mnFMovuIzhxN2FA_LizUyb5M/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+141.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtA2c6cWSxxtPYDlodI4Ot8Wizt6AePKrBF_aUG0TkfDOBtYjrI-ySYNRmM_TLd0ehd4eVFrZ7DiEhak2emzX-6OIiLE-RLUWJreoWoJ3ROVlKI9G1Yndtyoac016hkmWRlZCEcgmDJyS/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtA2c6cWSxxtPYDlodI4Ot8Wizt6AePKrBF_aUG0TkfDOBtYjrI-ySYNRmM_TLd0ehd4eVFrZ7DiEhak2emzX-6OIiLE-RLUWJreoWoJ3ROVlKI9G1Yndtyoac016hkmWRlZCEcgmDJyS/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+150.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDOSkQjM06INRs7xkeqYWXGgMl4As2X9CnzjH8kwSvrKamT0tKb6nZ7Dopy9kaaq8QROsW6z9ibxs5Kxp2fRMZ-pvMIKO00xOMEogmVSCanFQ9SBfx6kfcbjTTAHjqEQgGtgXgYP2cYEn_/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDOSkQjM06INRs7xkeqYWXGgMl4As2X9CnzjH8kwSvrKamT0tKb6nZ7Dopy9kaaq8QROsW6z9ibxs5Kxp2fRMZ-pvMIKO00xOMEogmVSCanFQ9SBfx6kfcbjTTAHjqEQgGtgXgYP2cYEn_/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+152.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I love him even if Mr. Cynic does not want his picture taken.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8LM4zmFyqD0YWkxcNgCJp2ae3cMUTMfKSKzVDXawLCqcVTMuq2H6FaS5ukQkaCx0mTMCZuTypFhF8CiRYEnWqYjbttVt4Cte4n4fSKR3aS1pP-FO_jKTqp_Jb3ADSLdysQP5u1gh2rvKx/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8LM4zmFyqD0YWkxcNgCJp2ae3cMUTMfKSKzVDXawLCqcVTMuq2H6FaS5ukQkaCx0mTMCZuTypFhF8CiRYEnWqYjbttVt4Cte4n4fSKR3aS1pP-FO_jKTqp_Jb3ADSLdysQP5u1gh2rvKx/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+154.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> Captain Comic takes a cue from Mr. Cynic.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXjgklU4nw9_R8XlyWDhBZ_dGYpGaMra6-WHqKzPh-bInN5wMXj9tIlnPBbs0-uSuTmTbq91Pz7l3AOIwF1aWwPExTsXiQ6uSDIA5iLzVFdbi2zERz-ZYhN-4dDFzSpv0szeDcfbbXN3_/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXjgklU4nw9_R8XlyWDhBZ_dGYpGaMra6-WHqKzPh-bInN5wMXj9tIlnPBbs0-uSuTmTbq91Pz7l3AOIwF1aWwPExTsXiQ6uSDIA5iLzVFdbi2zERz-ZYhN-4dDFzSpv0szeDcfbbXN3_/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+157.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> At the end of the trail, we found a nice cascades area that was quite calm and relaxing. We actually didn't make it to the end where The Lost Springs are. We decided our end was here.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDFKUspEc_cpFjnfqu1uKdN9ngwjviWH0j-2BLeNbumQAmHy93ela4Vqf6F8adO8STEhoj_MMC_tzzvpOKEaDi-1blb5JmMX9v70Nl5AZkyso76HgReLalNG2iEQ7n9HJmQHhHpwtw9Eg4/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDFKUspEc_cpFjnfqu1uKdN9ngwjviWH0j-2BLeNbumQAmHy93ela4Vqf6F8adO8STEhoj_MMC_tzzvpOKEaDi-1blb5JmMX9v70Nl5AZkyso76HgReLalNG2iEQ7n9HJmQHhHpwtw9Eg4/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+186.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>We were surrounded by butterflies, lots of kinds, but mostly various Swallowtails. This was a Red-spotted Purple Admiral, even though it was black with blue like a Black Swallowtail. I looked it up at the gift shop in a book of butterflies after our hike.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5n6bnKNNk7Pgas4AJMP4bp0WwoVnc9XKSX_ztOW55x157w2Y0s3DgjeUsC4Yvk1Xbscm5wlH_gwkuikFwVv0MxNyHoPTVkzY4ieXZF0FgNHJ-Eplwr8YioUqGsizpepXq4bfV9dY4aiN/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5n6bnKNNk7Pgas4AJMP4bp0WwoVnc9XKSX_ztOW55x157w2Y0s3DgjeUsC4Yvk1Xbscm5wlH_gwkuikFwVv0MxNyHoPTVkzY4ieXZF0FgNHJ-Eplwr8YioUqGsizpepXq4bfV9dY4aiN/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+206.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Toots was so happy to have her big brothers back, and she wanted to keep up with them. But she fell on her way to this little cave tunnel in the mountain side that Mr. Cynic found.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gceYD-BlusReZ0IwHHryHK3VLozTXlHENhCy9WjQEagtNdM4NizMD6rFF3AJm3-oq_W9guyTj7CcnOzIc4LjoYcpNUlgNddnNFgSh9P5k2UCEqvGwui_uN3PPan2OuDMTVG8fW4dxLxu/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gceYD-BlusReZ0IwHHryHK3VLozTXlHENhCy9WjQEagtNdM4NizMD6rFF3AJm3-oq_W9guyTj7CcnOzIc4LjoYcpNUlgNddnNFgSh9P5k2UCEqvGwui_uN3PPan2OuDMTVG8fW4dxLxu/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+226.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Finally, the Natural Bridge on the way back...</div><br />
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</div>More adventures next week, I'll keep the shots to a minimum. Panther Falls and Crabtree Falls were big ones that almost did in poor Bertha.<br />
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We are rearranging the boys' room again this weekend, taking the giant shelf beds out and moving in some bunks. A lot of furniture disassembly and assembly to ensue, right after I take a landscaping class at our local garden center.<br />
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</div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-82853121436057660652011-08-17T08:57:00.000-07:002011-08-17T08:57:21.787-07:00feeding beasties<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Our Grand Family Adventure started with picking up the boys at the halfway point between their father's home in Rhode Island and ours in Virginia - Wilmington, Delaware. Hugs were given, things were stuffed in the already packed to the gills van. Then we made a last minute decision to side trip to the DC area to visit Honey's cousin who just moved back into the house he grew up in after living on the west coast and other parts of our country for most of his life. He bought the house from his mother and plans to tear it down and rebuild a new one. He told some stories of he and his brother growing up there, and I think Honey had fun visiting where he used to visit as a kid. It was nice to have one more night in a bed before my family slept in tents on the ground for the rest of last week. He and his long time girl friend were lovely hosts and it was good to see them.<br />
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The boys have grown. Captain Comic may have surpassed me or is about to, but we are not telling him. Please don't tell him. I will ne'er hear the end of it.<br />
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We took a spontaneous approach to this vacation, and the following day as we head toward the <a href="http://www.naturalbridgeva.com/">Natural Bridge</a> area of Virginia, our campsite destination, we made another detour to <a href="http://www.luraycaverns.com/">Luray Caverns</a>. I'll post about about those sites later.<br />
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After the caverns, we traveled the rest of the way and made it by evening to the campsite at the KOA. I have mentioned before that I like the KOAs. This one was more modest than the Super KOA where we stayed with just Toots and Lucy about six weeks ago, in Harper's Ferry, WV. Anyway, we set up camp, and basically collapsed after campfire.<br />
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The first morning we decided to go to the Natural Bridge Zoo. They had a lot of exotics there: baby tigers, lemurs, DeBrazza monkeys, etc, but mostly we enjoyed feeding the animals we could feed. All the kids really got a kick out of it. So did Honey and I.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggE-LduCsMYzJGhCUkbtSOIGGNUyWuPcprJ9DFIT-uywt5skonssrUGnUypU8T95XNrtsiY50KCijRMy_1w4TaYQYotc3-O5UqSEDz16l2Din1x9ZVsCDUYpts9PkdqxyHoJjmwY4-hrrU/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggE-LduCsMYzJGhCUkbtSOIGGNUyWuPcprJ9DFIT-uywt5skonssrUGnUypU8T95XNrtsiY50KCijRMy_1w4TaYQYotc3-O5UqSEDz16l2Din1x9ZVsCDUYpts9PkdqxyHoJjmwY4-hrrU/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+024.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is Abigail. She is a five week old dromedary camel. She loved us. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Toots later got to hold her baby bottle for her to feed. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">She loved when I scratched her neck and behind her ears, like a cat.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-ErqlJFypWFT4alr-5_siDbATy2X50WHxSfB3hLpE9zy2hETN7PBrP0EkJvOZskoB_groVcMacE2pY5ssGh_tm-gIDf-dfVxIzGxtkWm5NAMK4LG8SSlN177vVTtoItDHptOytdsiBlE/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-ErqlJFypWFT4alr-5_siDbATy2X50WHxSfB3hLpE9zy2hETN7PBrP0EkJvOZskoB_groVcMacE2pY5ssGh_tm-gIDf-dfVxIzGxtkWm5NAMK4LG8SSlN177vVTtoItDHptOytdsiBlE/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+047.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mr. Cynic feeding pygmy goats.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjrw9GXmu3ILjJxR0xoEBqrn4JnvNvzMcvxlaqjmrZhnQM3L0opt8PVYF699fq77heFdulkjZ4en3lBiB-giLR5oKeEmTYOcjP7ZE4UxImrF8rbYewYMNhPBEvvCfdtugcUIcuKq9UVInA/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjrw9GXmu3ILjJxR0xoEBqrn4JnvNvzMcvxlaqjmrZhnQM3L0opt8PVYF699fq77heFdulkjZ4en3lBiB-giLR5oKeEmTYOcjP7ZE4UxImrF8rbYewYMNhPBEvvCfdtugcUIcuKq9UVInA/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+052.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This little guy was pushy.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-XWKWMguoFtvYbFveJD_sfYEyp_-s3MhQsc0AqPm9eVPybh9QghfF4BQnRAl1QilimlSX53HdR6jWBn_uooxjhkP1UdYRlxCvOUSuFBtwtPYVj6Ytnc3JqG5NlHVRbZeDsrfz0vOXsgb/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-XWKWMguoFtvYbFveJD_sfYEyp_-s3MhQsc0AqPm9eVPybh9QghfF4BQnRAl1QilimlSX53HdR6jWBn_uooxjhkP1UdYRlxCvOUSuFBtwtPYVj6Ytnc3JqG5NlHVRbZeDsrfz0vOXsgb/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+061.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Captain Comic and Mr. Cynic feeding fallow deer, they are indigenous to Eurasia. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A lot have been introduced to Texas for hunting, apparently. Sad.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3nAAVf_byJMlq9fWLzwj2hc6Ukrn_NfX6BPZZwTKJKbFvtIS1jM6O7Xi_As-_exGqnDvFppEam4QtpKktdL9Mza9iTX-WTuk637yg4WoKp2-Qe4WT_kjTJ2Rv6ShkOQzgo2KRt_5WsGnT/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3nAAVf_byJMlq9fWLzwj2hc6Ukrn_NfX6BPZZwTKJKbFvtIS1jM6O7Xi_As-_exGqnDvFppEam4QtpKktdL9Mza9iTX-WTuk637yg4WoKp2-Qe4WT_kjTJ2Rv6ShkOQzgo2KRt_5WsGnT/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+077.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Feeding giraffes is fun. Their tongues are very long and... adept.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJedCBd5Bh2cM-UzkNs9EqFe9HMljRSahd8T3LNnUYDMaUFG-Ub84o4ZMVcgb_mvD7PDcoNModufeQKxwaZSuemxcEP7zC9ewhqHifX_odmMyzPaORL_INgDvpiek-AYYx6wmyH8f72Dl/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJedCBd5Bh2cM-UzkNs9EqFe9HMljRSahd8T3LNnUYDMaUFG-Ub84o4ZMVcgb_mvD7PDcoNModufeQKxwaZSuemxcEP7zC9ewhqHifX_odmMyzPaORL_INgDvpiek-AYYx6wmyH8f72Dl/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+079.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mr. Cynic took this one of a giraffe and me.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE9BkH2NOMGfIMC7YXEb-3lpzwyiGRKxrJYn4tiBYBYG-g_wh6fG1NSEEl1pYcSjepsQGd7G846gBxXDJSghcmjZ2OT7ulSb-nEJvG8K0l43fI0Yx-y_7oVdlm5ql_53z9UvyrZQxBWUh-/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE9BkH2NOMGfIMC7YXEb-3lpzwyiGRKxrJYn4tiBYBYG-g_wh6fG1NSEEl1pYcSjepsQGd7G846gBxXDJSghcmjZ2OT7ulSb-nEJvG8K0l43fI0Yx-y_7oVdlm5ql_53z9UvyrZQxBWUh-/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+090.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We rode an elephant! Her name was Beautiful, and she was. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Honey opted to take pictures of the rest of us riding.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj74Migom6vCNEHb-fWtWrLuxkOZ1jFlHJ0SGFXFmzI1jAPnmm7MNX6l3WLNmk74eMtr_QdsnaS6SCFqWmkvi_UuN1lNXf_FC8lwtvpE0mmdsNZtux9GZICdkzNMpH6Orl5tKIMKlZHoi0y/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj74Migom6vCNEHb-fWtWrLuxkOZ1jFlHJ0SGFXFmzI1jAPnmm7MNX6l3WLNmk74eMtr_QdsnaS6SCFqWmkvi_UuN1lNXf_FC8lwtvpE0mmdsNZtux9GZICdkzNMpH6Orl5tKIMKlZHoi0y/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+092.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xV3gVN9B2IuLXRbPxM_LuI4bjM8C-AD0kxvWAR_PyGs9VzLwNwZvH7YJxUqcEFyvK6zzzFeX4rwJGme2FygnMddSQ5bYjxs_-cvYqmIJFqBeFAfGMbsZwG71K20kGyaDSatvozjLTbXm/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xV3gVN9B2IuLXRbPxM_LuI4bjM8C-AD0kxvWAR_PyGs9VzLwNwZvH7YJxUqcEFyvK6zzzFeX4rwJGme2FygnMddSQ5bYjxs_-cvYqmIJFqBeFAfGMbsZwG71K20kGyaDSatvozjLTbXm/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+093.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5eOOaeGcL_-Wc9RIBRIqmmh86YOnk2hvufSXQQtSw85RDB9KZfg6dT8iXscNZubFeTtgZI4iYmOvAzFT8olqApngZGZlub1AXT11TctH2_5GXThnHywDYADDBsEjddrwb2GAheDLvwyK_/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5eOOaeGcL_-Wc9RIBRIqmmh86YOnk2hvufSXQQtSw85RDB9KZfg6dT8iXscNZubFeTtgZI4iYmOvAzFT8olqApngZGZlub1AXT11TctH2_5GXThnHywDYADDBsEjddrwb2GAheDLvwyK_/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+094.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I think Toots wanted to ride the fallow deer after her ride on Beautiful.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This was probably the hottest day of the trip, and we largely spent it walking around in the sun and looking at a lot of different monkeys. I'll spare you more the pics, but for the baby tigers.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And this guy - we think this cage was full of a type of black spider monkeys. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They were fun, like a greeting committee.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq6zk-RvGSbL94_55X5sdKgTEbDl6GSViesj4LcrPxG57Fus2UKADm2TASWe_fKdI6rcItnFlsmbdHkYXhU2uDwbRj4_y2rHGrIUicfD6XD-AsmHUMDasJnSbpLV5cbe_JeELH2nOtG66m/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq6zk-RvGSbL94_55X5sdKgTEbDl6GSViesj4LcrPxG57Fus2UKADm2TASWe_fKdI6rcItnFlsmbdHkYXhU2uDwbRj4_y2rHGrIUicfD6XD-AsmHUMDasJnSbpLV5cbe_JeELH2nOtG66m/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+017.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Okay, one more of a DeBrazza monkey. These guys seemed very forlorn.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVpvGiBLq22hxyqJOvNuOpBQTRwdjn7RCOuR41cxSk4BMi98za-pfeCaRJ46JFDxfC4QKo6CLThvi8Aaon0m61g8VaxRrC6TWSsYqprTWFhRBkdiI-9D2uIn9mZ27SaRjN2aLlb1iO4hrq/s1600/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVpvGiBLq22hxyqJOvNuOpBQTRwdjn7RCOuR41cxSk4BMi98za-pfeCaRJ46JFDxfC4QKo6CLThvi8Aaon0m61g8VaxRrC6TWSsYqprTWFhRBkdiI-9D2uIn9mZ27SaRjN2aLlb1iO4hrq/s320/2011.8.11luray.naturalbridge.camp+054.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But that's it, today, I swear.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-59703399115697968242011-08-15T05:53:00.000-07:002011-08-15T05:53:40.249-07:00oh the adventures we had<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I don't even know where to start.<br />
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I have a lot of photos. A Lot.<br />
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I have a foggy head, an achy back and a lot of laundry to do. A Lot.<br />
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I have my boys back, and my memories of jampacked days of hiking, swimming holes, zoos, safaris, caves and old diners and a drive-in movie under a nearly full golden moon. I hear crickets, peepers and cicadas all the time. I see mountain vistas, stone stair cases and rocky trails up and down to waterfalls. I see a natural bridge carved by glaciers through a mountain, and lots of cascades.<br />
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I see Toots twirling ballet in the middle of camp, at the edge of a waterfall and wiggling her hips to oldies pumped from 61 year old speakers and finding perfect marshmallow sticks. I see Captain Comic building first fires, begging to just go home <i>please</i>, between swimming and hiking and caving that wasn't quite spelunking. I see Mr. Cynic pretending to not be interested in anything, while secretly enjoying the facts of long ago Monacan people, weird geological things and bizarre animals. I see Honey setting up camp, grilling, breaking down camp loving the kids, laughing and finally saying, "I love an adventure!" in other words, <i>relaxing</i>.<br />
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I still smell of campfires.<br />
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I promise I will not inundate you with a family travel slide show over the course of the week, but I will share highlights of the past week over the coming week or so.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkiNXgGU51nXTQmNAzkimakNXMeK66TuQ5CgPRIocUB-BCC0pazZ04-sOWOKplkzk1lA_2mpfzTbNfh6RnNZQzzUr5o2pIHFw3wSzinjjapPqoaGj0sFrBviOv9MHiRZpaW11qVoED-R0/s1600/2011.8.12crabtree+falls+and+blue+ridge+parkway+050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkiNXgGU51nXTQmNAzkimakNXMeK66TuQ5CgPRIocUB-BCC0pazZ04-sOWOKplkzk1lA_2mpfzTbNfh6RnNZQzzUr5o2pIHFw3wSzinjjapPqoaGj0sFrBviOv9MHiRZpaW11qVoED-R0/s320/2011.8.12crabtree+falls+and+blue+ridge+parkway+050.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Honey, breakin' the law and putting his feet in Crabtree Falls just to cool off after climbing up and down the mountain.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>And somehow finish my book in a two day Writing Camp that my writing group is holding tomorrow and Thursday.<br />
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</div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-1937908357410184912011-08-05T10:09:00.000-07:002011-08-05T10:09:09.896-07:00time out<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I have a lot to do.<br />
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I have a lot on my mind.<br />
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So this morning, Toots and I took a breather, and just played in the sunshine. I think it helped me to not obsess quite so much, sort things out a bit.<br />
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It's also our last day of Toots only. Tomorrow, we retrieve Mr. Cynic and Captain Comic. Mayhem will return to its usual full capacity.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5OVhizZUcFrmfnadnO2MpcLammaYVWDEeAQaz8ZYdcqbkFHTxTyMc8F1FFgN0kWjU7mSQkTv9IeGiV2Jdb0B0WjoXqpbG_Zkki-LMf-Mglt1Y1Elo6aqQS9Epgih1hdzPrNU1LN1XZg1p/s1600/20011.8.5girl+time+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5OVhizZUcFrmfnadnO2MpcLammaYVWDEeAQaz8ZYdcqbkFHTxTyMc8F1FFgN0kWjU7mSQkTv9IeGiV2Jdb0B0WjoXqpbG_Zkki-LMf-Mglt1Y1Elo6aqQS9Epgih1hdzPrNU1LN1XZg1p/s320/20011.8.5girl+time+020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"Don't take my picture, Mommy!"</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcrT12zvQsMzwqHPh9tdJ92YDYbC1r-evT6JpHCpForr5qKJnlkGMRVo8g7GvIwWxomb4eIZm5Wy8c9XqaDuu3yNO_TMr-f9dk0ZRFK-TFTaJKZHGO5HXDWAGnNVFeHd_82QAOW-nU2ANX/s1600/20011.8.5girl+time+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcrT12zvQsMzwqHPh9tdJ92YDYbC1r-evT6JpHCpForr5qKJnlkGMRVo8g7GvIwWxomb4eIZm5Wy8c9XqaDuu3yNO_TMr-f9dk0ZRFK-TFTaJKZHGO5HXDWAGnNVFeHd_82QAOW-nU2ANX/s320/20011.8.5girl+time+023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"I said, stop taking my picture."</div><br />
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</div>So for now, some quiet girl time.<br />
<br />
</div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-46424951871748327662011-08-04T05:17:00.000-07:002011-08-04T05:17:23.937-07:00tell it like it is<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">My life, in a nutshell, or rather two fortune cookies:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7XB_vUnPoLFb4JHqwgNin5Xx0uH7W9vYqILdEG9E8vjbPXk9ah9X398LCgF4oySu42-CWA9J4Bc7mk4nKpNKaPeymvsFA4r9q4ywB0k8LLen8sSWLXTuHKwTUDSHGyornYAb6Xm5-tC80/s1600/2011.8.4+end+july%252C+pool+day+aiden+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7XB_vUnPoLFb4JHqwgNin5Xx0uH7W9vYqILdEG9E8vjbPXk9ah9X398LCgF4oySu42-CWA9J4Bc7mk4nKpNKaPeymvsFA4r9q4ywB0k8LLen8sSWLXTuHKwTUDSHGyornYAb6Xm5-tC80/s320/2011.8.4+end+july%252C+pool+day+aiden+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwg_JFXmlVaB7NO3PMFrc8Bi1qWK0h_uYtJa6K2vzGNox44CdydzQNIqWFMD7C1aN_IKWAUW5fzm15ULX1c68MedLahcXrkf4KELEDqSQPbAYSw9pnlGrFCbYpZHR8ulvLzYiluXtq6iy/s1600/2011.8.4+end+july%252C+pool+day+aiden+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwg_JFXmlVaB7NO3PMFrc8Bi1qWK0h_uYtJa6K2vzGNox44CdydzQNIqWFMD7C1aN_IKWAUW5fzm15ULX1c68MedLahcXrkf4KELEDqSQPbAYSw9pnlGrFCbYpZHR8ulvLzYiluXtq6iy/s320/2011.8.4+end+july%252C+pool+day+aiden+003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div></div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-58199185972557651092011-08-01T07:53:00.000-07:002011-08-01T07:53:23.717-07:00reassessed<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I can't rush writing, especially editing.<br />
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I managed to accomplish the exact same amount as I averaged prior to last week's <a href="http://musingsinmayhem.blogspot.com/2011/07/i-wont-come-out-til-she-done.html">nose to the grindstone</a> post. It was an ineffective way for me to work. I painfully edited one chapter, and less painfully edited a much longer chapter in two long sessions last week.<br />
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Today, I decided at the last minute to work at home and read through what I currently have, remove glaring repeats and other flaws, just a little tightening here and there. Mostly I needed to read through the manuscript for the sake of catching myself up and making sure I continue appropriately tomorrow. My mind is muddled with former rewritten details, so that I don't know exactly what I have in this draft or if I removed something, oh say, three drafts ago, and am still referring to it in this one. That would be bad.<br />
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So far, in a couple of hours this morning, I've read through the first quarter. I like it better than the last draft, and am having some good edit sparks along the way. Enter ye olde highlight and back space function.<br />
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Now I know why I wrote poetry and short stories for the past twenty-five years. This longer stuff is a pain in tuckus. But I like it. Figures.<br />
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</div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-86414966736398980262011-07-31T15:54:00.000-07:002011-10-06T15:19:12.652-07:00a few highlights, low key<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Pretty low key weekend, but we found a watermelon growing in the cukes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBxmiNQsnEqFlwWe_dsCUhPQ5VgmU7EJp971w0BDDam9YFOl4oIcUQCpLIO09spFGGDz9N0W2_n39GuZyEhpqSr2R1QzzD6Uu2riSmpdqrYUrmpG-5xEnUjVfAtth6iQX_7IFec_BWaag3/s1600/IMG_0469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBxmiNQsnEqFlwWe_dsCUhPQ5VgmU7EJp971w0BDDam9YFOl4oIcUQCpLIO09spFGGDz9N0W2_n39GuZyEhpqSr2R1QzzD6Uu2riSmpdqrYUrmpG-5xEnUjVfAtth6iQX_7IFec_BWaag3/s320/IMG_0469.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div> Toots had a haircut on Friday, but with the humidity, you would never know. Many women in the salon pleaded for a head of hair with her natural caramel highlights and those curls. Of course, they don't have to comb them out three times a day. I do, or dreadlocks.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRFE_O9O36ddKBmLtbRXUjL_SyFg8aSkiCCIi845zQJTUXEGnikwi6fhd95XX3oWRPHb5C-4XLsnAEfiNHUmWeEs2PRmqs2ZrkDEQaY9AALy_k4irgCFa_4IHCVqeCZcoIhyphenhypheniKgTwzkBtD/s1600/IMG_0470.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRFE_O9O36ddKBmLtbRXUjL_SyFg8aSkiCCIi845zQJTUXEGnikwi6fhd95XX3oWRPHb5C-4XLsnAEfiNHUmWeEs2PRmqs2ZrkDEQaY9AALy_k4irgCFa_4IHCVqeCZcoIhyphenhypheniKgTwzkBtD/s320/IMG_0470.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div> It was too hot to even blow bubbles, but we did.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzXtLDhpxYKnAlyzgIfsk0iMeFlCLXBTwUa-XH_XQbbxv6qO5fPGJJPSPNjjVR2rJ6bHQhAc7W2wmEx3bcwX45-PCVWuKUDR3atHIgdoyJKXqDEeIMAT3kWmgu7jfItKa5Z9yGO-CWRSsG/s1600/IMG_0474.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzXtLDhpxYKnAlyzgIfsk0iMeFlCLXBTwUa-XH_XQbbxv6qO5fPGJJPSPNjjVR2rJ6bHQhAc7W2wmEx3bcwX45-PCVWuKUDR3atHIgdoyJKXqDEeIMAT3kWmgu7jfItKa5Z9yGO-CWRSsG/s320/IMG_0474.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div> ""But I done wanna yook at you, Mommy. I'm busy here."<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcx2atFr3-rU9gcYvdyKbN6-TmfuYSs0DDHSlMNI3VKO_Z90XJ67DTysusqG78u_Vp-Z7snQljrtrBU9d0MHXlaLGvBTplSBiA4O0WmDXFwhLG_m94KH9XlyNs7DqMm6e1Z_L0jV43LHwV/s1600/IMG_0475.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcx2atFr3-rU9gcYvdyKbN6-TmfuYSs0DDHSlMNI3VKO_Z90XJ67DTysusqG78u_Vp-Z7snQljrtrBU9d0MHXlaLGvBTplSBiA4O0WmDXFwhLG_m94KH9XlyNs7DqMm6e1Z_L0jV43LHwV/s320/IMG_0475.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>I walked Lucy, also known as The Goo, Goose, Goosie, Lucy Goose. We sat by the lake for a bit. It was cooler than it has been, a few clouds rolled in and spit on us today. I wouldn't exactly call it rain, but it made things about fifteen degrees cooler. Again, poor cellphone camera capture, but that lump on that branch on the tree across the inlet? That's a great blue heron. He was magnificent in person. I know, bad tease. I'll try to remember a better camera next time.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuoJD3_Zvc8klUGqClM2wGDbDTVEbm7HYHYN6FtcR7cbl57OwShrrARMvdTXXfTvpaio147mieGo4ZpKxM4ZxSM8WwY8O9QGIdXY4uf8A0pNDjqzzPgzqbDMGQBWIKCmv-KQ-_N6KLo8D-/s1600/IMG_0482+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuoJD3_Zvc8klUGqClM2wGDbDTVEbm7HYHYN6FtcR7cbl57OwShrrARMvdTXXfTvpaio147mieGo4ZpKxM4ZxSM8WwY8O9QGIdXY4uf8A0pNDjqzzPgzqbDMGQBWIKCmv-KQ-_N6KLo8D-/s320/IMG_0482+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mostly, this weekend was spent wandering in a big box store, watching a three year old who has been full of beans lately, and reading <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dead-World-Sookie-Stackhouse-ebook/dp/B000O76OOU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1312152404&sr=8-2">Sookie</a></i>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have come to the conclusion, that I like the books better than the show. The show mucks with perfectly good material way too much. They need to leave a good thing well enough alone. Although, I do love the show, too, but now that I'm well-ensconced in the books, I love it just a little less.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm really ready for the boys to come home.</div><br />
</div>cath chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07121005007284461511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798244787749073383.post-88658008807376595222011-07-27T06:36:00.000-07:002011-07-27T06:37:23.229-07:00i won't come out til she's done<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Social networks have a way of making you keep to your word, and mine this morning was:<br />
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</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">assessed i have more chapters to edit than days to edit them to meet my personal deadline. must disappear into the depths of my public library. if i don't come out, come find me, battered and greasy and gnawing on that giant biography, portrait of diana.</span></i></span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><i><br />
</i></span></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">So wish me luck! I'm loading up on protein and carbs right now to make a long session of it today. Signs all over the library read No Food or Drink Allowed. I hope surreptitious chocolate, hard candies and my bottle of water don't count. Ssssssshh...</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
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