I took a bus to Atlanta and a flight to Indonesia where I laid over for a day in Seoul South Korea.
And had to stop by the Hello Kitty Cafe.
Island Adventures 2
Reply
Tag Archives: north carolina
Workout of the Day (Friday)
I spent the weekend in Wilmington, Carolina Beach, and Kure Beach. Friday night I watched the sun glimmer and dance on the ocean as I stood in the waves looking west. Fridays’ workout is four hours of splashing, jumping into the waves like Superman punching through a wall of water, and open water swimming. Don’t forget to run on the beach barefoot.
Make It Fun!
God Bless.
Spring Has Sprung! or Sprang; A Week in Review
This past week has been a rich and full week. We celebrated Easter with our neighbors with a grand cookout, celebrated with our parishioners at church, and with our family. Each night this week has been something after work and a workout before each workday.
Friday night, all across North Carolina, star gazing parties formed, peering into the night sky beyond the stars. My wife, kids and I joined in looking at Jupiter and its four moons, the rings of Saturn, Orion, and many other bits of the universe as part of the state wide North Carolina Science Festival. Star parties were held across the state.
Above is a picture of Saturn with its rings.
From April 5th -21st, there are events all over the state. For example, Alton Brown of the Food Network is due to pop-in in Durham and Charlotte and discuss science in cooking.
Check out the calendar events on the link http://www.ncsciencefestival.org/
My tulips are blooming, purple, pink and many green sprouts about to burst open. Spring is here! Spring has sprung, or sprang. If you are a connoisseur of words, you may enjoy this link I found on words… http://www.nytimes.com/1995/07/16/magazine/on-language-how-shrunk-snuck-in.html?src=pm
If you have not yet checked out the latest episode of Doctor Who: Rings of Akhenaten, then I highly recommend you do!
Yesterday, I attended my friend’s wedding and today I enjoyed a nice run barefoot. What a great week to be out! Enjoy each moment, for this life is much too short!
Make It Fun!
God Bless.
http://www.exploreasheville.com/things-to-do/outdoor-adventures/stargazing/
http://naturalsciences.org/programs-events/family-stargazing
http://www.nytimes.com/1995/07/16/magazine/on-language-how-shrunk-snuck-in.html?src=pm
Springtime in North Carolina, Possibilities
There is so much to do in North Carolina with mountains in the west, large cities and the Triangle in the middle, sandhills, swamps, farmland, and all the beaches. As spring finally presents itself, right and proper, I popped down to Fayetteville near Fort Bragg, North Carolina. I spent the morning on a day hike with the family and some friends. We set out at the Cape Fear River Trail. Many runners, dog owners, and cyclists were enjoying the cool, moist morning. Approximately five rain drops found their way to my skin then the clouds danced on. Soccer players (footballers) were enjoying the morning batting the ball around and chasing it, cheering each other. Small violet flowers were in bloom.
The path wound this way and that. The kids played tag, running here and there. Dogs met and sniffed.
Water trickled down the hills, finding its way toward the river and eventually the ocean.
Train tracks flitted through the underbrush and eventually displayed in great grandeur a trestle bridge.
Foot paths and bridges connected the hills.
I enjoyed the morning. Kids were pretending sticks were bow and arrows and they were as tall as trees riding on my shoulders. My wife enjoyed a run with friends. We returned home. I put on Doctor Who; Vincent and the Doctor. The episode where the Doctor and Amy meet Vincent Van Gogh and show him how much his life of torment has made in the lives of others. What if you could really make a difference in someone’s life? What if you could show them through your eyes and your heart just how much of a difference they make in the world? What if you could see just how important your own existence truly is? Take a moment and think on this.
Make It Fun!
God Bless.
All the photos were borrowed from my friend at http://yerttle.wordpress.com. I must give her the credit. Thanks for a great day out!!
A Celtic Day in Raleigh
Oh, how I love Raleigh, North Carolina. In the fall, the oak leaves fill the sky with beautiful colors and paint the ground with a dappled palette. We always seem to find something new every time we step out. Two weeks ago, we popped into Tir Na Nog and listened to the live Irish music of Barrowburn. The kids seem to love to watch the musicians performing with many different instruments. We had learned that there would be a Kilted Pub Run to attempt to beat the Guinness Book of World Records. Well, we returned to Tir Na Nog today. What a great time we had. I took an exam to return to school and the family made their way through the many kilted runners. Each of my family were adorned in a Kilt complete with Kilt Pin my wife personally made. Many friendly faces and smiles seemed to bring life to the local area. Though the leaves are gone for now, the color from the various Celtic Kilts invigorated life for several miles. As a game of hurling was taught, excitement and laughter filled the air, complete with authentic Irish accents.
We slipped into a booth at Tir Na Nog and ordered some Bangers and Mash as well as Fish and Chips. My previous visit called for the Salmon. The place was packed and Cutthroat Shamrock took the stage. A mixture of Appalachian Folk and Celtic Punk all rolled into a great evening. Or, in the words of the band…” If bluegrass and punk rock walked into an Irish pub and got kidnapped by pirates”.
Raleigh is filled with fun and something new to explore every day! Saint Patrick’s Day is coming soon, be sure to wear your green. And no matter where you are, on St. Patrick’s Day, everyone is a wee bit Irish.
Make It Fun!
God Bless.
http://www.cutthroatshamrock.com/
Ski North Carolina
Last weekend our family went to Ski Beech Mountain for a bit of a get-a-way. I traveled the highways and byways as quickly as I could without drawing much attention to my vehicle and remaining safe as I had my family in tow and concern for my fellow drivers. I was excited! It has been many years since I last skied. Last time I skied was over a decade ago in the Alps. What an amazing time that was. I wanted my family to learn and enjoy skiing just the same.
We arrived at Ski Beech Mountain in western North Carolina. We checked in at the Pinnacle Inn where we rented a condo for the weekend. The temperature was rapidly dropping as the blizzard that hit the northeast United States worked its way inland. Winds were approaching 60 miles per hour and the temp was 20 degrees F. In the eastern half of the US, we were at the highest incorporated township. My kids wanted to play in the snow however when they stepped out in the wind, they quickly changed their minds. I discussed with them that there are some in our world who live outside in all conditions of weather and to be thankful for all God has given us. I drew two chords of wood from the front desk, some matches and a fire starter for the fire place. Now the family was really excited.
We dropped off our luggage and drove back down to a great pizzeria and coffee/pastry store called The Famous Brick Oven. The place was packed. We looked out the front windows while waiting for a seat, heating our backs to the fireplace. I watched the weather channel discuss the ensuing onslaught of snow in various parts of the US. It was great. I really enjoy snow. We snagged a table and were immediately enjoying the atmosphere. Folks who had been on the slopes all day were making their way in to warm up, some to tie one on, and others to enjoy the great food. There was excitement in the air and it was contagious. Smiles abound. We ate some of the best pizza ever!
Later, we settled into our lodging, I attempted to start the fire as the family all curled up in the living room, listening to readings of Harry Potter. Directly in view from the dining and living rooms was the mountain and skiers. The lifts were in effect as the sky settled and the wind brought much snow with it. Little “ants” were zipping down the mountain side and I could see the look of awe and wonder on the faces of my kids. I struggled to start the fire, nearly questioning my own manhood and thinking someone would revoke my Man Card. It took nearly the entire book of matches from the 60 mph winds. Never-the-less. I managed to have a small flame catch for about thirty minutes and just as quick as the kids were asleep, so was my fire.
Saturday, we awoke, had breakfast and set off to the slopes. Mind you, it’s been over a decade since I last skied. My family had never. I figured I could teach them just the same. There was much jumping for excitement and wanting to hurry to start skiing. We got everyone fitted. The staff at Ski Beech were amazingly patient, explained things really well, and appeared to love their jobs! We headed out to the snow, put each person in their bindings and felt the full effect of gravity. I gently warned each family member that, yes, they would fall down. There were many tears of frustration until I spent time with each one, letting them learn in their own way, explaining things so each one could understand and put into practice. Sure, I wanted to get to the top of the mountain and blast down the black diamonds with my wife and children all zipping along with me. However, as with all things in life, we learn at different rates and with different methods. Besides, this weekend was not about me. I was building memories and trying to expose each member to a new sport. If they never did it again, so be it. I just wanted them to try skiing and make up their own minds.
As I coached one at a time while the others warmed up inside and ate lunch, smiles developed. Confidence built. And frustration turned into bravery. By the end of the afternoon, we had progressed from the bunny slopes and J-bars to the blue slopes. We spent more time on our backsides and helping each other up than actual skiing, but I could see the look of happiness on the faces of my family.
When we ran out of dry gloves and clothing, we caught the shuttle back to the inn. Headed back to the Famous Brick Oven again for dinner then to the room to reaffirm my manhood. I used far fewer matches Saturday night, and the fire burned larger and longer. Hot chocolate was sipped from mugs and tired eyes watched the slopes peering at the multicolored ants working their way down the slope under lamps on the the mountain. We camped out on the floor, couch and chairs in the living room. The weight of being out in the cold and then in the warmth inside, brought a heavy feeling upon all of us. Our eyes closed and rest ensued.
I again woke before the sun and watched the splendor of the sun slowly embracing the mountains. The sky broke into a pink, an orange, then later a blue. Big puffy white clouds clung to the blue. I borrowed some sleds from the front desk and took the kids sledding. They continued laughing, smiling and playing.
We headed home. I had a tremendous weekend. I knew that shortly, we would be back to our routines of school, work, chores and so forth. But for a weekend, we had a great time, full of ebullience. I am grateful for this opportunity, for the memories, and the time spent with my family. I am grateful for the gifts given to us and blessings bestowed upon us.
Make it fun!
God Bless.
http://www.beechmountainresort.com/sports/ski.html
makeitfun4thumbs's Blog 