Where in the World?

Erica and I went to one of our favorite Newport restaurants last night (early Valentine’s since she will be out of town). Tucker’s Bistro on Broadway is an intimate, classy restaurant where you immediately feel at home.

The first thing you notice is the wonderful service. Usually Tucker is there himself ready to wait on you. His goal is to make your dining experience relaxed and immediately enjoyable. The wine selection is excellent though we didn’t partake this time.

I really love the variety of choices for appetizers and entrees at Tucker’s. Each one stands on its own and you will remember the flavors for days after. I tried the Thai Shrimp Nachos which were so rich in spices and other flavors that I finished them way too quickly. My entree was the Shrimp and Pecan Crusted Atlantic Salmon. Wow! It was served exactly to my liking (I don’t like rare fish). The salmon was placed on top of a perfectly cooked sweet potato croquette and some sautéed spaghetti squash.

Erica started with the pear salad. Hey, I just remembered I never got to taste this dish. Hmmmm. Very suspicious. For an entree, Erica devoured (lady like of course) the Braised Pork Shank. I did get to try one bite of it. The meat was so tender it just fell apart. It wasn’t at all dry and had a rich flavor without being overpowering.

Dessert was homemade ginger ice cream with real pieces of ginger. I really liked this dish because it was not too sweet. Creamy, gingery. Just right!

The best part of the night was sharing all this excellent food with someone you are close to.

Michael

Snow Eating Ducks

Several inches of snow fell yesterday and last night. I was in the mood for taking photographs. In fact, today was the first set of photos for the 2009 year. The landscape was beautiful with the recent snowfall.

I decided to drive out to Roger Williams Park and Zoo near Providence, RI. Wow, it was quite lovely. All the lakes were frozen and a lot of snow had fallen over the frozen surfaces.

I rode around checking everything out and taking numerous photos. You can see some of them here. The most interesting moment came after I had taken some photos in the Japanese Garden.

I walked down the road a bit and saw dozens of ducks, many seagulls and one goose. But, strangely, the ducks were munching on the snow. By munching, I mean frantically eating the snow as fast as they could get it down. I had never seen anything like this before, though, I’m sure this is normal behavior for them. I guess that is how they drink when the lakes and streams are covered with ice.

Regardless, it was fascinating to watch. They allowed me to get quite close as long as I moved very slowly. Any sudden movements sent them flying. The photo link above shows a larger wide angle view of the ducks you see to the left.

I’m so glad I decided to venture outside today. I would have missed this wonderful natural phenomenon.

Have a great day!

Michael

Snow Buddha

When snow falls, nature listens. – Antoinette van Kleeff

The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of a world and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found? – J.B. Priestley

We had a good sized winter storm yesterday and it continued with snow showers and flurries for most of today. When we awoke this morning, the world had been transformed by the white powdery substance.

It was stunning to go outside and see how much snow had piled up. I especially like to find where the snow has concentrated. Sometimes it can be in the most unusual places and in many different ways. I love the snow that builds up in the crooks of trees where stems meet trunk. Something about that is quite beautiful to me.

We worked hard this morning to dig out 4 cars, part of a sidewalk and driveway. Strange as it may seem, I actually like it. It’s hard work but it’s an excuse to be out in the snow.

The most amazing site for me was the Buddha head in Erica’s backyard. I started watching it last night when the snow was falling very fast. This morning it was quite stunning.

I love the snow.

Check out 12 more photos from this morning.

Michael

The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams. – Oprah Winfrey

The big question is whether you are going to be able to say a hearty yes to your adventure. – Joseph Campbell

Quartz Veins in Ft. Wetherill State Park

I had decided today would be a day of hiking, geocaching and adventure. I left mid morning and headed to Conanicut Island where Jamestown, RI is located. There were many areas in the south central part of the island I hadn’t explored.

Fort Wetherill State Park was my first destination. I explored the many trails in this park. I found some strange geological formations in the form of very long quartz veins running through the rock on the coast. I discovered that this entire area was once part of Africa over 500 million years ago. The fort has history all the way back to the American Revolution. The views across Narragansett Bay were stunning.

After a short break for a snack and water, I drove north a few miles and discovered an historical cemetery. I then proceeded south again to Fort Getty State Park. I discovered huge coastal estuaries harboring many species of birds and animals. I walked the rocky coasts exploring the nooks and crannies.

Finally, I drove around almost aimlessly and found new beaches, new bird sanctuaries, harbors and more interesting history.

The point is that adventure is a close as you want it to be. I experienced all of this in a day and it was only 20 miles from my house. You don’t have to fly or drive long distances. All you have to do is get out of the house and ask yourself, “What’s around the next turn?”

Change your routine. Go have some fun.

Michael

Fisherman at Beavertail State Park

Dense fog, windy, very high waves and lots of salt water fisherman. This was my first impression of Beavertail State Park located at the southernmost end of Conanicut Island in Rhode Island. It was early morning and cool. The air was literally dripping moisture from the thick fog.

I had never been here before. After parking my car near the lighthouse, I walked over to the eastern shore which looks out into Narragansett Bay and saw some of the most rugged coastline I had seen south of Maine. It was hard to see in the fog, but the rocks sparkled with moisture; blacks, grays and shades of browns.

It seemed to be a popular day for fishing. I saw several dozen fisherman casting into the 6 – 8 foot waves pounding the rock shore.

Lone Fisherman

My goals were many today; to explore this park, do some hiking in the fog, look for geocaches and do some photography. I was rewarded by miles of trails through pristine areas.

The area also has a lot of history; colonial shipping, World War II bunkers that were used to defend against seaside attacks and Indian settlements. In fact, Conanicut Island is named for Chief Canonicus who once resided here.

The park and some areas just north of it in Fort Wetherill has some interesting  geology. Most of the rocks here are igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic. You can find large quartz veins when walking along the rocky shore. Fort Wetherill probably has the largest and longest in the area. I was surprised to learn that New England and parts of New York are more closely related to Africa when examining the fossil and geological record. Apparently, many millions of years ago, Africa broke off from North America and left a little piece behind.

If you visiting Rhode Island, take the time to travel south and visit this park, Jamestown and Newport across the bay. You won’t be disappointed.

Additional Links:

Beavertail State Park on Rhode Island State Parks

Visit Rhode Island.com for Beavertail State Park

Beavertail Lighthouse

Fort Wetherill

View Larger Map of Beavertail State Park

Lead Guitar Player

Since I’ve been off from work since the August 15th, I needed a relaxing evening to unwind.

So, I drove down to Newport, RI this afternoon to meet Erica for the “Thursday on Thames” evening. This is a fun packed evening with a variety of free music, food and discounts in many retail stores. The Lower Thames Business Association puts on this event for several Thursdays in a row during the summer.

I particularly liked the band called The Buddy Roach Trio. The guitar player was very good and I liked their generally fast paced jazz music. There were three other bands down the street all playing different types of music. It was a lot of fun to check out each venue. Plus we got to taste some good food as we moved along the street.

The Rest of the Band

The streets were filled with a decent number of people. I always enjoying going to these kinds of events. They help take the mind off the normal day to day activities and help to get to a happier place.

I especially like the local events of cities and towns. There usually is a much more intimate feel to them and the people seem to be a bit closer.

A real bonus was that the weather was almost perfect. Partly cloudy, cool air, low humidity and a lovely sunset. You can’t go wrong there.

Michael

I attended the Newport Flower Show today. It is held at the Rosecliff Mansion on Bellevue Ave. This is my second year to go to the show and I’m a big fan now.

The botanical specimens combined with the creative art of plant/flower arranging bring surprises and creates huge excitement in the crowds that attend.

I love rich, saturated colors which is what I’m drawn to photograph when I go to this show. To the left is a shot of Rosecliff Mansion. Most of the flower specimens are around and inside the building. Taking your time to leisurely tour the grounds makes for an enjoyable day.

On the other side of the mansion from the photo above is the Atlantic Ocean. The day was hot and humid with very little wind to relieve us from the stifling heat. On the grounds between the mansion and the ocean were numerous vendors selling all kinds of crafts, clothes, plants, food and etc. I love to see the variety of creative expression that abounds in these types of venues.

The yellow flowers to the right were spectacular. They were like have the color of the sun in a flower. I’m always amazed at the level of color intensity that some flowers possess. It makes me appreciate the diversity and beauty of nature that much more.

I took a number of photographs while touring the many displays. Here is a link to 14 of my favorites including larger versions of the two on this post.

Newport has a plethora of events, attractions and fun things to do all year around, but around this time of year there are so many events to attend, that it is hard to fit them all in.

If you love flowers and plants, I suggest planning your visit to Newport, RI during the weekend that this show is happening. You’ll want to come back again and again.

Michael

Erica and started off the day with a 10 mile bicycle ride around Ocean Drive in Newport, RI. It was a perfect morning for a ride; sunny, deep blue skies, early enough so there wasn’t much traffic and a cool, salty breeze off the ocean. As we approached Brenton Point Park, we could see that many people were already launching kites to take advantage of the strong winds. We particularly enjoyed two enormous (automobile size) rainbow colored kites.

After returning home, we made a beeline to Sweet Berry Farms to pick strawberries. We picked two large containers of the ripest ones we could find. Erica took some of the largest and best to make a wonderful fresh strawberry pie. Strawberries are my favorite fruit. Being able to pick them fresh off the plant and then consume them was a huge treat for me.

Lunch consisted of three slices of a freshly made, thin crust pepperoni pizza. For dessert we savored two homemade ice creams; coffee and ginger. Both flavors were exquisite. The coffee ice cream had a rich full bodied coffee taste while the ginger ice cream had large chunks of candied ginger.

The only drawback was that the sugar made both of us sleepy so we took an afternoon nap to recuperate.

The point of this story is to get out and do anything fun. Don’t sit around. Go explore. Do something different. Discover new things.

Have a great day!

Michael

Erica stayed local this weekend. We decided to take a long walk on the famous Cliff Walk in Newport, RI. The total length is about 3 1/2 miles one way. We didn’t walk the entire length, but we did go about 2/3 of the way.

Yesterday was mostly rain, fog and wind. Today, the fog lifted by noon and the rest of the day was windy and partly cloudy; a simply stunning day.

It was a leisurely walk as I was doing some geocaching along the way. Erica turned out to have a knack with the geocaching game. She found a difficult one that I couldn’t find.

I enjoy looking at the mansions along the way. These places are huge and represent a different time and place. I really like the stonework on a lot of them.

Today was a great day for surfers. We watched them for quite some time. The waves were around 6 feet high and were rolling into the coast in groups of three.

I love watching the ocean waves. I find it mesmerizing and relaxing at the same time. So, it was a thoroughly enjoyable walk combined with the ocean, waves, blue sky, huge cumulus clouds, stone mansions and some great company.

I feel really rested from this weekend. It was fun to just do very little and like I mentioned yesterday, make time to play. We tend to get too tied up in the world around us and forget to take time for ourselves.

Michael

I play a game called Geocaching. I’ve been playing since February 2004. Last year I didn’t really play the game that much. Supercomputers in the Rockies are working on figuring out the reasons why.

It combines several things that I love to do; explore, travel, technology, figuring out puzzles, hike, walk, photography and just getting out in nature. I’ve been working on getting back into shape so I’ve been doing a lot of walking and hiking over the past two weeks.

Geocaching is helping me to fuel that goal. I’ve redirected by mind so that it focuses on finding the geocaches and it doesn’t notice that I walk many miles in the search. This plan works for me.

For over a year I’ve been really close to finding a career total of 900 geocaches. I made a goal just a few weeks ago to reach 900 by the end of May. Today I finally made it.

Some might say it’s a small goal, a silly goal. I disagree. No goal is really silly. If it is something you want, then it’s important. Plus I’ve lost 3 pounds since I started the intense walking/hiking again. Not bad for a silly goal.

Michael