Sunday, September 02, 2007

Heavenly

Lynne Robinson, Hewitt, New Jersey

The water so still
the reflection so pure
it seemed as if we were floating on the sky


Lynne Robinson, Hewitt, New Jersey

Saturday, September 01, 2007

On Green Turtle Pond

Well, congratulations to Krista (coffespaz) for correctly guessing a canoe! Letty was close though in first mentioning a boat. And my sister, well, I don’t know why she said she hoped it wasn’t a boat!

Yes, this beautiful hand-crafted canoe was gifted to Rick by a good friend. We are both in awe of this gift and it is truly one of the most wonderful gifts he or I (hey, I get to share the joy!) have ever been given. It’s very special. We are beyond words of thanks. What a wonderful gift. We’ve had a canoe before, in Colorado, and presently it lives at our mountain cabin there. But it’s like riding in a cold, tin can (it’s aluminum) and can’t compare with the craftsmanship represented here.

This morning we loaded it up onto the Suburban and headed down to our local Green Turtle Pond. You’ve seen it before here in my blog. Where I walk the dogs, where Bart liked to wade, where the swans were this past winter.

Lynne Robinson, Hewitt, New Jersey

Ahoy, mates! Strap on your PFDs and prepare for the maiden voyage! (PFDs = personal flotation devices; better known as life vests)

Lynne Robinson, Hewitt, New Jersey

From the moment that we launched her (well, boats are always referred to as “she” aren’t they?) it was sublime bliss. She glided through the water effortlessly and every so silently. The only sound was our paddles hitting the water and the water dripping off them.

Lynne Robinson, Hewitt, New Jersey

Lynne Robinson, Hewitt, New Jersey

We paddled into one of the coves to get used to maneuvering again. It’s kind of like riding a bicycle; once you know how it comes back quickly.

Lynne Robinson, Hewitt, New Jersey

Lynne Robinson, Hewitt, New Jersey

After getting our canoe skills back, we then headed for the open water. I hope we weren’t over zealous, but we paddled the perimeter of the entire pond, which is really like a small-ish lake to me. Probably about a mile. Here I am doing my bit, but thank heavens I don’t have to steer.

Lynne Robinson, Hewitt, New Jersey

But the real work comes from behind:

Lynne Robinson, Hewitt, New Jersey

Someone has to start things and this tree may have gotten a bit ahead of the others in prepartion for winter.

Lynne Robinson, Hewitt, New Jersey

Wait, Rick says, what’s that in the water ahead? Looks like a turtle ... whoa ... it IS a turtle. Image a turtle in Green Turtle Pond! How very apropos and how very timely. Thank you, Mr. Turtle! Looks like a Snapper to me ... what a tail!

Lynne Robinson, Hewitt, New Jersey

Lynne Robinson, Hewitt, New Jersey

Lynne Robinson, Hewitt, New Jersey

As we headed for the boat ramp we couldn’t help but think once again how lucky and grateful we were to be given this gift.

Lynne Robinson, Hewitt, New Jersey

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Famous for a day

Yesterday I was cited for one of the “best of the Jersey blogs.” How exciting is that? I didn’t even know this site existed until a comment from a reader led me there. Thanks to Hilary for letting me know. Her blog was also one of the “best.”

Take a look! Click here to see my blog in print!

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

To kiss a Golden Toad

Lynne Robinson, Hewitt, New Jersey

Look who came back to visit!! Last night we had another visit from our Golden Toad. Just about the same time of night, in the same spot on our deck yet again. There he was looking very regal.

Lynne Robinson, Hewitt, New Jersey

He didn’t seem to mind the flash going off in his eyes, poor thing. I stroked his head ever so lightly with one fingertip and he closed his eyes half-way in what I took for sheer contentment. Much like a cat being stroked in a favorite place. He was enjoying it, no doubt about it. He didn’t flinch or budge when I touched him. His skin was dry and bumpy to the touch.

Lynne Robinson, Hewitt, New Jersey

Rick tried his stroke technique out too. Here you can see him to scale with Rick’s hand. He’s not very big. We’re not certain if it’s the same toad or just another one like it.

Lynne Robinson, Hewitt, New Jersey

Because Reya and Pod said that the last time he visited I should have kissed him—this time I did. I planted a kiss right on the back of his head. His skin was cool, almost cold to my lips. What do toads turn into when you kiss them if frogs turn into princes?

This time we opted to let him alone and not put him back in the yard. After all, he seems to know how to get up the stairs, so why not back down?  I went back out a few minutes later after downloading my photos and he was at the top of the stairs contemplating the way down. I went back inside for another few minutes and when I checked on him he was on the second step from the bottom—almost home. Obviously a very smart toad.

As I turned out the light I whispered to him “please come again you lovely Golden Toad!”  And maybe he will.

Lynne Robinson, Hewitt, New Jersey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday, August 27, 2007

Happy Birthday, Mom

Lynne Robinson, Hewitt, New Jersey

We’re thinking about you on what would have been your 81st birthday.
Forever in our hearts; always in our thoughts.
(photo taken 1999)

About

Welcome, I'm Lynne. You know me better as a 'new' Jersey Girl. But now I've moved once again, this time to North Carolina. Here I write about my thoughts, good food, and of course, dogs.

© 2006-2023 Lynne Robinson All photography and text on this blog is copyright. For use or reproduction please ask me first.

If you’re new to this site and wish to read the blog entries in chronological order, click here.

Membership

Login  |  Register
December 2024
S M T W T F S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31        

Search

Recent Comments

  • C, no I did not know you played the organ, let along playing one in…

    Posted to: ‘I Could Have Been A ...’ by Lynne on 11/17/2023

  • Big sis, but so not fair that I got stuck with the organ! :( Please,…

    Posted to: ‘I Could Have Been A ...’ by Lynne on 11/17/2023

  • Interesting! I never wanted to take ballet lessons even though we had a book about…

    Posted to: ‘I Could Have Been A ...’ by Carolyn Clarke on 11/17/2023

  • Yup! Sadly, no ballet for us. My theory is that Mom probably thought since I…

    Posted to: ‘I Could Have Been A ...’ by Bigsis on 11/17/2023

  • I can absolutely see you wallowing in that chair, the color is so warm and…

    Posted to: ‘The Waller [sic] Around Chair’ by Sandy on 10/03/2023

Comment Leaders

  • Lynne - (1554)
  • Carolyn Clarke - (377)
  • Steve - (351)
  • Susan Weyler - (318)
  • Joyce Roberts - (261)
  • Reya Mellicker - (247)
  • Debra - (230)
  • lettuce - (206)
  • Susan in WA - (205)
  • Jan - (185)

Archives

Statistics

  • Page Views: 9444383
  • Page rendered in 0.1531 seconds
  • Total Entries: 2602
  • Total Comments: 6608
  • Most Recent Entry: 11/17/2023 11:01 am
  • Most Recent Comment on: 11/17/2023 04:04 pm
  • Most Recent Visitor on: 12/23/2024 11:47 am
  • Most visitors ever: 373 on 03/13/2020 06:45 am