Thursday, March 29, 2018

Flowers, books, sails, and observations


 I am not going to do the April A-Z, as I pondered in my last post. I can't seem to find time to do a post a week.  But I did want to check in and let everyone know that I'm still alive and kicking.  Actually, I've been pretty well and have been enjoying our cooler weather (this means highs in the low 60s instead of the 80s) which has allowed us to enjoy azaleas for nearly a month. Last year, it was hot and the flowers seemed to last only a week.  I have been enjoying them even though our bushes have been beat up pretty badly in the last two fall hurricanes.  I have photos of the various types of azaleas in our yard.

Last week, the Rotary Clubs of Savannah had a reading program. On Wednesday, every first through third grade class in the county had someone assigned to read to the class (nearly 600 classes). I signed up and was right on time for my assignment, reading to a second grade class at Heard Elementary. Part of the deal is that each reader was to give the book (or books) they'd read to the class for their library, which helped get a lot more books into school.  BUT, when I arrived, I learned that the second grade classes were out on a field trip. They must of known I was coming, but I did get a chance to read to a first grade class. I gave them a book on Pirates and another on a girl traveling in Scotland.

 Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal reported that China has come out with the answer to tone-deaf folks desiring to do Karaoke.  There now have private booths where you can sing to yourself.  My first thought was, "What? Don't they have enough showers in China?"  Now I am wondering on what this does to alcohol sales...



This has been a month of reading.  The major work completed was for my book club, Jon Meacham, American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House.  I should write more about it in a later post.  I enjoyed listening to the audible issue, read by the author, of Rick Bragg's, My Southern Journey: True Stories from the Heart of the South.  A short book of funny stories was Jim Gillespie, The Cabin: Tall Tales and Murky Truths from Hunting and Fishing the Cape Fear River in North Carolina. Dorothy Stone Harmon, Archibald Rutledge: The Man and his Books was a bit disappointing as I was hoping for more of a biography of a writer that I have been reading more of who died in 1973. I knew most of what she covered about him.  For a man who wrote nearly 60 books of poetry and non-fiction, I think he should be worthy of a biography. Finally, I read  Robert L. Reymond, The Lamb of God: The Bible’s Unfolding Revelation of Sacrifice, which also left me thinking that this is a subject that needs more exploration. 

Last Saturday, we raced in the St. Patrick Day's regatta. It was fun, but it felt we were always behind (except for another boat of our class). Most of our racing is done against similar boats, in these races we actually did a lot better than others when the handicap timing of various hulls were factored in. The photo to the left was taken by a friend in another boat that was racing in the non-spinnaker class. We had a steady wind and after the first race, we took down the genoa (an oversize jib sail) and went with a regular jib.  This allowed us to hold a truer coarse.  On this race, we tacked away from most of the fleet (I think one boat followed us).  This allowed us to avoid tidal currents turned out to be the right tactic as we did our best in this race, coming in 3rd.     

20 comments:

  1. Glad to know 'you're still alive and kicking' ... aren't your azaleas wonderful, such lovely colours.

    Glad you got a chance to read to a first grade class ...

    Glad to see the boats racing ...

    With Easter so near I wish you a Happy one.
    Take care

    All the best Jan

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  2. Your azaleas are beautiful! Ours are just beginning and the dogwood are blooming, too. The wisteria popped out in full force, seemingly overnight.

    I enjoyed that Rick Bragg collection. I'll look up that Robert Reymond book - it sounds interesting.

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  3. Hi Sage - so glad to see you around and understand the non A-Z. So enjoy the sailing, the reading ... always good to know about new and different books etc ... and those flowers - ours are sort of coming to life - cheers Hilary

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  4. I was thinking as I read this, what a well rounded life!

    We don’t have as many azaleas where I now live (middle Tennessee) as when I lived in Arkansas and I miss them.

    I’m a big fan of Meacham (he lives here in Nashville) and Bragg, both of whom I’ve heard speak in the last couple of years.

    The sailing picture is beautiful.

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  5. I’m not doing the A-Z challenge, either. My mom and my dog are both getting surgery next month, so I’m going to be busy enough. Your flowers are so pretty! Mine are still covered by snow.

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  6. We spent a spring break in SC one year and I still remember the azaleas! So big and beautiful!

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  7. Nice to see the flowers all blooming. Still seems like summer out here. Good luck on the A-Z Challenge. I keep thinking that I'll do it some year, but probably not...

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  8. I loved that Rick Bragg book, too. If you like a listen, listen to Lincoln in the Bardo. Fascinating to listen to - it's amazing, really, with an allstar cast of readers.

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  9. This post made me long for the South. Such beautiful flowers there in Georgia. Our spring is highs in the 20s and snow still on the ground.

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  10. Your azaleas are beautiful! I like the idea of reading to the kids at school and then donating the books. This is a great way to build up their library. The regatta sounds like fun. Congratulations on third place. Hope you have a nice Easter.

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  11. I've read at least one Bragg book and enjoyed it.

    I'm a tone def singer and wouldn't want to be in a booth by myself either because it doesn't solve the problem which is I hate the way my singing voice sounds. A better solution would be to give me earmuffs that transformed the sound of my voice so at least I was spared the agony of listening to myself! The private booth in that case would spare everyone else!

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  12. I love the idea of reading from a book to children, and then donating that book to the library. What a great way to help schools and be involved with the kid! Beautiful flowers and, of course the sailing pic was gorgeous.

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  13. Lovely post! Sometimes I see sailboats on the lake out of the window of my office, and I always long to be in one...

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  14. Your flower is so beautiful and the sailing photo is cool!

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  15. Great pictures! I love the azaleas. Ours look pretty here, too.
    Funny about the karaoke booths. I guess people need an outlet other than showers.

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  16. I don't see as many azaleas here in Maine where I live now compared to Cape Cod where I lived before. They must like milder weather. Sadly, nothing is blooming here yet.

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  17. Only I was thinking how are you doing cause I dont see you in a time,
    Hope you are well

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