Stones

Stone cairns that mark the trail up Arabia Mountain

I have piled stones
on top of one another
for years now
stones of habit
stones of comfort
stones of refuge
stones to settle my heart
stones to mark the days of my journey...

It's not uncommon to find stone cairns used as trail markers. These piles of stone help us find our way. They lead us somewhere and provide a tangible space to pause and recall. They offer a moment to get our bearings and seek direction. They hint for us to stop and listen for the whispering wind.

We may stand at a cairn and remember. We might dream or hope. Maybe we turn within to figure out the meaning behind this pile of stones. What does this place mean? What are its secrets? What are we meant to find here?

Tres leches

Today's science experiment

Something about baking, as opposed to cooking, makes it much less intimidating to me. And making cupcakes, well... they're just plain fun!

While out and about yesterday (truthfully, I was lost at the time) I stumbled across a little bake shop that had tres leches (Spanish for three milk) cupcakes as their special of the day. I'd always wanted to try this Latin American specialty, so I forked over the $5.00 for two of them.

They were yummy enough (addictive, honestly) that I decided to try making them myself today. I followed the recipe I found here and... oh my goodness, these are so delicious! According to my taste tester, they're even better than the ones I bought yesterday!

Tres leches is traditionally a cake, but it's so super rich that I almost think it's better suited to cupcake form... you know, just a couple bites. These aren't your traditional cupcakes, either, because if they're made right and drenched in milk, you'll want a spoon for all the sweet goodness at the bottom.

: )

Elf orpine

I know you're thinking, "Oh my God! What IS that? It's red!"

If so, you may be a plant geek like me.

; )

I had the very same reaction when I saw photos of it in my copy of Favorite Wildflower Walks in Georgia after it was gifted to me on my very first weekend here. I couldn't wait to see this unique little plant in person.

Elf Orpine or Small's Stonecrop (Diamorpha smallii) is a succulent that grows on granite outcrops in the Southeastern US.

We first went looking for it back in late September... it's a winter annual, so it was still dormant on that first try. The cool and moist weather of the Georgia "winter" allow it to germinate when conditions are most favorable for the seeds to survive.

The plants are getting ready, now, to shoot up and flower in the early Spring.

(I'm not too sure, yet, when Spring hits here, but I'm guessing they'll flower in mid-March.)

I can only imagine how hot the rock on Arabia Mountain must get in summertime. It makes sense for these plants to sprout, grow, flower and set seed before the summer furnace comes on, I'd guess.

Elf Orpine grows here in shallow depressions in the granite, in very little soil. It's part of a small community of specially adapted plants that grow in the hollows, in something like dish gardens on the rock surface. Fascinating and pretty spectacular to see when blooming, I bet.

Stay tuned.

Art seen

Photographed today along the BeltLine in Piedmont Park.  

Untold stories

There are a lot of stories I never got around to telling last year... these are just a couple to share...

Waiting for birds to appear on the CBC in January...

A very cold visit to the NJ Meadowlands in February...

Shadows of the March sun at the carousel in AP...

Walking the High Line with a childhood friend in April...

Lunch in Asheville on the way home from W. Va. in May...

Playing with reflections and a new lens on the boardwalk in June...

A couple hours on the beach in July with one of my favorite little people...

Playing tour guide for a flock-mate in August...

A September visit to California...

An October visit to Savannah...

My first (and last!) raw oyster in Apalachicola in November...

Exploring back country roads in December looking for birds...

I hope to be a better blogger in 2012...

One last kiss

Freckles 2001 - 11/18/2011

I had Freckles put to sleep this afternoon. I'd watched her fade and struggle for the last year or so... ten and a half years take their toll on a bunny even though she was always very healthy. She'd been unable to move around very much and in the last two weeks had begun to lose her balance and not be able to get herself upright once she tumbled over. She had a couple seizures, too, which was just too much for me to bear. A local vet suspected E. cuniculi based on her symptoms, so we treated her for that for a while, but there wasn't any improvement.

Anyway...

It's so hard to make that decision, but it was easy for her. She had an incredibly long life for a bunny and she knew nothing but love. She was the kissiest bunny I've ever known and was kissing me still this morning as we shared a couple last moments of love and comfort. This is my favorite photo of her from many moons ago.

 As pet owners, we are so fortunate, I think, to have the option of that final kindness for our pets.

1/365

New coffee pot, new camera, new life... why not a new photo project, too?!?

I'm trying out the 365 Days Project to take a photo a day for the next year. Sounds pretty easy for someone as camera addicted as me, right? I figure it'll be a sweet way to chronicle this first year in a new place. I also have a new camera - the new iPhone 4S - and it combined with Hipstamatic is the perfect toy!

I'm not sure how often I'll share pics from the project here, but considering the difficulty I'm having with writing regular posts to this blog, if nothing else, a photo a day will at least give me something to blog about. The truth is, I have plenty to blog about, but the difficulty lies in how much to share and what to keep close to my heart. I imagine I'll work that out with time and practice. For now it still feels like too much, as if too many people are reading over my shoulder...

Anyway, about the new coffee pot...

; )

The cheapo Mr. Coffee died yesterday when I was just desperate for a cup...

Coffee this way reminds me of my dad and of camping. I love the smell of it cooking on the stove. It's especially yummy this way, I think, but it takes forever to be ready. So today I snapped a pic while I waited.

Anyone else out there prefer perked coffee over drip-brewed? Any hints for getting the basket contraption out of the pot without burning my fingers or should I go to the garage for that camping tool?

: )