Sailors aren't

Superstitious

We just don't believe in tempting fate.

This is my purse…

It's real small.  About 3 inches square when it's drawstring is not pulled tight - which it always is.  Inside live my two Zuni fetishes:

They live snuggled deep within my pouch, safely in my left back pocket.  They have done so for many years and many trips upon the sea.

This one has lived with me so long, that it has gathered a grainy mottled look.  And somewhere along the way something hit it (me too) and snapped it in two.  It is a Bear, which symbolizes strength, and the inner power to perceive one's present circumstances - which is a very good thing when you're 700 miles from the nearest anything and all hell is breaking loose.

This one, although it's hard to see, is a Beaver, which symbolizes a progressive builder, one who promotes family unity - a necessary skill when one is the eldest of the entire immigrant, strong-willed, I know better than you, you don't know nothing, I'm telling!!! family that sailed into New York City.

This is the flag of Hydra

Pronounced eeeeee dra.

It commemorates the Battle for Greek independence from the Turkish Ottoman Empire, which was lead by the sailors of Hydra, and lead to Greece's independence.  It symbolizes (to me) a "can do" and "never say die" attitude.  It always flies on any ship I'm sailing.

This is the flag of Mylasia.  I've always liked the flag.  To me it has just the right blend of colors, items, symbols - you name it.  

The true story goes like this:  The guy bought a boat in Annapolis, and needed to get it to St. Thomas.  I said I'd do it.  Before we could get out, the weather turned bad and the weatherman predicted doom and gloom.  Told the owner, "sorry, can't go now." The owner liked to have died.  He needed that boat down there or else…. He begged, he pleaded, he started throwing money.  So, I named a figure that no one in their right mind would pay.  Silly me.  He wrote a check on the spot and promised a bonus if we could break the standard trip time.

So, we hoisted the flag and sailed.  And the weather got bad, and badder and more bad, until the weatherman had to confess that the storm had unexpectedly turned into a hurricane.

Five days later, we limped into Bermuda, sans our water - one of the hoses snap due to the twisting of the hull), sans our jib - the roller furling couldn't handle the wind and the sail flogged itself to death, and sans one flag of Mylasia.

Sailors aren't superstitious.  Sailors are just smart enough to realize that some things need to come aboard to both show what can happen, and what can happen if you don't have the right stuff on board.

Another 8-inches.

Normal for a state that gets between 65 and 95-inches a winter.

Clearly, this is a No-Scootering Day.

It's also a cold day.  So, in honor of the weather, I threw on a shirt to remind me of other days when the cold should have kept one home, but didn't.

Come to think of it, that was even at night.  Not too swift am I at times.

Some good did come from the snow: picturesque winter scenes….

Still, with no riding in sight, what's a good Italian to do?

Well, for starters….

Turn on the music (with 4,708 pieces on my iPod, who needs radio).

Then…...

Fire-up the griddle, beat the eggs, add the milk, toss in the vanilla, warm honey and cinnamon…..

Set the table, and call out in a loud voice….

Cara Mia, venite a mangiare la prima colazione.

And she did, and we did.

It's 6:29:19 AM Eastern Standard Time.

It's been snowing for ten minutes or so, and already the streets and cars host a mantle of grainy white.

By 9:03:11 Eastern Standard Time, we are back to a Maine Winter.

Against the driveway wall, hidden yet again, waiting still to once more be stirred into action, sit a color seeking the Sun.

As do fragrant blossoms 'bove silky plumes,

And on the front slope, fitfully slumbering, awaiting too the call, stout 'greens sheltering sweet tinkling bells...

Sugarplums no longer dance, nor prance down the halls of my head.  Instead, visions of cool water lap upon the synapses of my mind.

The sunshine gleams so bright and warm,

The sky is blue and clear.

I run outdoors without a coat,

And spring is almost here.

Then before I know it,

Small clouds have blown together,

Till the sun just can't get through them

And again, it's mitten weather.

Unknown writer… wish it were me.

Winter in Maine…..

The sun was shining on the sea, shining with all his might: He did his very best

to make

the billows smooth and bright--

And this was odd, because it was the middle of the night.

The sea was wet as wet could be,

The sands were dry as dry.

The time has come, the walrus said, to speak of many things:

Of shoes--

And ships--

And sealing wax, and cabbages and kings -- and why the sea is boiling hot --

And whether pigs have wings.

But answer came there none --

--And this was scarcely odd, because they'd eaten every one.

It's been interesting weather -- now colder than a witch's kiss, now a warm as a sweet lassie's smile,

But….. 

There are times when one just wants to have fun with things and not relate the latest scooter adventure.

What can I say?

Now, I know no one is really happy with just a little tease of a video.  So, here are the accompanying photos to my ride in the snow.

So, let's go with the fact that it was cold that day, so maybe it was "brain freeze" that prompted me to do it.  Three degrees is really cold…. That's negative 16 degrees celsius.

So…. it was

Long Johns, under

Leather pants, under

Snowmobile "Farmer John" bib overalls.

Tee Shirt, under

Long sleeved shirt, under

Wool sweater, under

Goose down vest, under

Winter Motorcycle coat.

Wool scarf, under

Balaclava

Wool Rag mitts inside leather mitts;

Wool rag socks inside leather boots ….

And we were good to go….

The worst part of the trip was getting to the main road…. that's what the video from yesterday shows… After that, except for some sandy spots (laid down by the salt and sand spreaders) it was pretty clear sailing - all the way to..

The Portland Headlight..

All, in all, looking a bit different than when Beemer Girl and Oilburner were here….

After a brief stop I decided to move on to another close by lighthouse - actually, two lighthouses - called, interestingly enough, Two Lights.  (There are at least 70 lighthouses in Maine.  You can make a whole vacation trip doing nothing but riding the coast from lighthouse to lighthouse).

Getting to Two Lights was a bit tricky… there was quite a bit of snow… I didn't fall is the good news, I didn't have time to take pictures is the bad news.

Parking at Two Lights is right down by the sea.  It's a fun place, regardless of the season…

A good look around, then off to….

 

Where I doffed everything except what proper behavior requires and settled in with a great sandwich and many cups of coffee…

It's a tough life….

But someone's got to do it….

This one's for 

Bob Skoot

There's More To Come!!

rrrggghh

ARRGGGHHH!

Cabernet and Champagne

and wild, wild…..

well you get the drift…..

It's 2:09:11

PM

Eastern Standard Time

Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh ….

My

Head Feels Like a Caravan….

And then, there's…..

The Sun… The Sun….

Everywhere I look….

Brilliant, Bright, Oh My...

Oh My….

I need to….

See you tomorrow…

Meanwhile….

HAPPY  NEW  YEAR !!!