Pretender

We're on our way back from Elizabeth City, NC. We just finished flying with the US Coast Guard, down the NC coast, some 236 miles, one way, along the coast, at 80 knots (~70 mph). We're taking pictures in case a hurricane comes through that area this season. With these photos we will know what the coast was like before the storm, at least through photos. After getting off to an uncertain start, due to fog Tuesday morning, we had great weather. Sunny, a few clouds, and about 73 degrees, which when sitting next to the open door of a helicopter moving at 80 knots can be a little cold. It does get windy in the cabin with the door open.

Phil ran the video camera (he got the most wind), and I took pictures with the still camera. I sit on the floor of the helicopter, with a gunners belt, which is exactly what it sounds like. It's the belt a gunner wears when flying with the door open, so they don't fall out. Anyone not in a seat with a seat belt wears a gunners belt when the door is open. This same airframe is flown by the Navy, the Army, and Marines, as well the Coast Guard. Our video equipment is strapped to the floor behind me and the camera is next to me.

It took about 3.5 hours to fly from the Virginia border to the South Carolina border. By the time we got to Myrtle Beach, SC, where we landed and refueled (our aircraft and ourselves), I was stiff and sore. But we'd finished everything we'd come for. And hopefully we could fly the next day and get even more data.

We had lunch at a Ryan's Steakhouse. Ryan's has a buffet lunch, it's quick, reasonable food, all you can eat. Perfect for the 3 young guys of the flight crew, and OK for the rest of us. Now, you must understand that the US Geological Survey requires us to wear a Nomex flight suit and leather flight boots when we fly, as well as a helmet, life jacket, etc. When we get off the aircraft, we usually stay in those flight suits when we go out to lunch as we did that day. As it so happens our flight suits are the same khaki-green color as the Coast Guard's.

At one point I got up to get some dessert. As I passed a neighboring table, I locked eyes with a young boy, maybe 7 years old. As I normally would, I smiled an waved. It was then that I noticed the look of wide eyed wonder on the boy's face, which quickly turned to a board smile as I passed. I think I made that boy's day. A little while later, as I was talking to the pilot, I felt something at my shoulder. An older woman had stopped and was trying to get a better look at the patch on my suit. "U.S. Geological Survey" she read. "Yes, Ma'am", and I gestured across the table, "and the US Coast Guard." We explained a little about what we were doing and why we were there. They left thanking us for our service. When we got back to the car I asked Adam, our pilot, if that happen often. "Oh yeah", he said, "I've even had people buy me lunch".

Unfortunately, when we got back to the hanger that evening, we found out we couldn't fly the next day. We'd accomplished what we'd really come for, surveying the whole NC coast, and they decided they needed the helicopter on Wednesday for another important mission, showing off for some VIP. Oh well. We'll fly with the "Coasties" again. Every time we've worked with them, they've been very helpful and a great bunch of folks to work with. And a hell of a lot of fun, too.

"It's a different world up there" Edward told me later. Still, I felt like a pretender... I'm not in the military and I feel a little sheepish about being mistaken for them. They're doing an important job, be it that they are in the Coast Guard, or the Army or any of our other 7 uniformed branches of service. "So are you...", said Adam. I guess so, even if I'm only a passenger with a camera...

Afterimage

I found him to be notoriously difficult to photograph... and in the end equally dificult to sketch. If the light wasn't just right, he simply came out as a black shadow, none of the details of his coat would show. He was a long haired cat, whose shoulder fur was short. His tail waved above his back like a plume of ... smoke. His neck sported long lighter fur that hung about his shoulders like an Elizabethan collar. In the sun, his fur took on a brown hue, where is was normally black and gray. The slightest breeze would ruffle the tips of the guard hairs. He'd always turn his nose to the wind. He was declawed before we got him, and he stood splay-footed, something I always wondered if it was because of the loss of his toes.

In the last days of his life I told myself several times I wasn't going to take any more picutres of him. That I had enough and many good ones from his younger days, before his fur dulled and separated and his whiskers turned white. I didn't stick to that. Twice more I was able to capture him, once in the days before he lost his sight peering out the front window, and once after his sight was gone, on the porch listening for the sounds that were now more distant then near.

As with some of the cats, the inspiration to sketch didn't strike until the last day. And even then it almost didn't take. For me, to sit an sketch something is to really look at it. There was nothing more I wanted to do that day then watch him, and wish that we had more time. To wish also that he could rest, because he couldn't sit still that day. So for him, like the others, I got out my pad and pencil, and watched my friend pace, hoping to fix his image once and for all in my mind, and perhaps on paper for others to see.

He settled only once during the morning, and I got a quick outline, but he was sitting under the end table, and like all the photos I'd tried, the light wasn't right and he was hard to see. A little later, silhouette followed, and another sketch as he rested on the porch. In the past, the patterns of color in the cat's fur always made my job somewhat easier. Light and dark played with the texture and length of their fur. Not with Smoke. He was all black, and long haired to boot. You couldn't capture his face with a dark smudge here and an absence of line there. The detail of his shape was lost and found in the pattern of his fur, you couldn't just draw an outline, or so I thought. Midafternoon, he settled at the foot of one of the office chairs. He sat there resting between pacing, and from the paper emerged an outline that required no fill. For once I had captured the long haired black cat in a few simple strokes. My mind's eye filled in the rest. I didn't try to draw all of him, I didn't need to, and in that final sketch, that final picture, I saw the young cat that had come to us so long ago. Here, very simply, was Smoke, reaching out and resting, at peace and at home.

We buried Smoke with the others in the back yard, under the bird bath. Five friends rest there now. Seven statues of cats grace the surrounding garden. One for each buried there, and two for those who are missing from the garden, but not forgotten.

My computer's screen saver lets me choose pictures to scroll across the screen, panning back and forth across the images. For now, and a little while longer, those are all pictures of Smoke. All images that captured a friend in motion, memories to remind me of one who is gone. Those images are freeze frames of a life that was always on the go. Now, the pictures have stopped moving and the life is gone. But the soul remains and the love will go on forever.

I miss you, Sir Cat...

Relay for Life

Last night I went to the Seminole Relay for Life, sponsored by the American Cancer Society. It was held at Osceola High School, and was one of 12 Relays in the area last night, 4 of which were in Pinellas County. It started at 6:00 pm and went all night, concluding around 9:00 am in the morning. Team members walked the track at the high school all night. Each team was supposed to have at least one team member on the track at all times. The moon was 3 days from being full, and the night was clear and cool. There were people everywhere, they'd been walking since the start of the event. At the center of the field, a man in a jesters cap hosted a hoola-hoop contest to see who could keep the ring going the longest. Tables along the inside of the track sold everything from cyalume necklaces and flashing pins to muffins and massages, all proceeds to go to ACS. The atmosphere was like a carnival.

At 9:00 pm the Luminaria Ceremony took place. All around the track people had placed white paper bags with tea lights in them. The field's lights were turned out and the luminarias lit. Each luminaria was dedicated to a survivor, or to the memory of one who did not survive. Participants were invited to light their own candles first, starting with survivors and those currently battling the disease. Then family members, then friends we're invited to light their candles. It quickly devolved into respectful chaos, with people lighting their own candles, then helping friends and strangers until all candles were lit.

It was then that I noticed that on the track behind me, everyone was walking, slowly, introspectively, respectfully around the track. People quietly talked about those they had known, some who had survived, other that had not, others only newly diagnosed. As we walked, we passed a large group standing along the track gathered in silent memory. "That's for Emily." Emily? She was the captain of the Chemo Crew. Emily had battled cancer three times since 2001. She'd been a participant in the Relay for the last 7 years. Chemo Crew was the largest group in the Relay. She attended Osceola High School. Emily died two weeks before this Relay. Her team raised over $17,000 before the event. It was a moving tribute.

The candle lighting was very moving. Eventually the lights came back on, and the events started again. At each team's camp site the selling nicknacks, snack or drinks returned, having been suspended for the Luminara Ceremony. The buzz of activity returned. The DJ organized a tug of war at the center of the field. Walkers passed by on their appointed laps. I'm glad I went, and while I got there late and didn't stay long, I will go to another one some day. I met up with friends who had formed a team, I cheered them on, and walked with them while I was there. We are our own support group. We all met on line, we often meet for lunch. Our group, sadly, will keep growing. New members are always welcomed with the wish that they, like us, didn't need one another so much, and all the while wishing that one day, our group will cease to expand and be needed no more. Until then, for ourselves, and those who no longer can, we will walk...

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause...

...and he works at Tyrone Square Mall.

We went to the mall last Saturday, looking for a firepit for the back porch. Sears said they carried them, but didn't say they were on-line only, so we decided to brave the crowds and go take a look. Since we weren't part of the Christmas rush... i.e. we weren't desperate to get gifts, or anything for that matter, we took the attitude of 'it's no big deal' and expected the parking to be crowded. Now Tyrone Square is situated on a triangular plot of land, with the Sear being located in one point. Years ago I had worked there part time and at Christmas, parking near that end of the mall was always tricky at best, and usually nonexistent. But we weren't in a rush, so "it was no big deal'.

As we started our hunt for a parking place we found ourselves waiting to turn out of an isle and onto the travel lane that runs beside the buildings. Someone else had "thoughtfully" decided to stop and pick someone up at the curb, not pulling over to the side, but stopping cockeyed, as if they had frantically pulled into that spot before anyone else could, effectively blocking that lane. As there was oncoming traffic, no one could move around them. The result was a line of cars about 10 long, plus traffic from the other direction, which would all have had to clear before we could move... So we settled back to wait.

The time was about 1:00 pm, and we noticed that coming out of the Mall was Santa Claus, his red coat thrown over one arm, and his genuine snow white bread blowing in the breeze. He walked merrily along, as only Santa can, waving to everyone who looked his way. Me, I'm an equal opportunity waver. I'll wave at anyone brave enough to stand on a street corner and make a spectacle of themselves, be they republican, democrat, a pizza boy or a mobile phone (yes, I pass one of those regularly, and anyone who stands on a street corner in a blow up phone cellphone suit in 95 degree weather deserves to be waved at... but I digress)

I waited for Santa to look my way and gave him a big wave, which he cheerfully returned. Then he walked a little closer to my car and said, "You need a parking place?" Oh yeah. He pointed to his red pickup truck, and said "One's opening right here." It was the only one in sight. I gratefully backed up and waited as Santa got in his truck started her up, and backed out of his place, blocking other traffic so I could get the spot.

It's a great season for being kind to others. And this was my gift for the day... I waved thanks again, and pulled in. It probably would have taken another 10 minutes to find a place, or we would have walked from the other end of the mall. It would have been no big deal if we'd had to walk... but that little act of generosity made my day... and several more after that...

So, yes, I believe in Santa Claus, and he works at Tyrone Square Mall and he drives a red pickup.

Merry Christmas Everyone...

Karen

Morning Sights....

This morning when I left the house the sky was brightening, and there were some high cirrus clouds on the eastern horizon. The thin crescent moon hung low in the eastern sky. From the driveway, Venus was hidden in the branches of the oak trees.

After I stopped at the light at 113th and Park Blvd., I looked to try to find Venus. I couldn't find it at first, but I was sure it was hiding behind the one of the elongated, gray-white cloud hanging about where the planet should be. On the horizon, the sun, while not yet above the horizon, was coloring the clouds in the east pink. Then, as I watched, the gray-white cloud slowly, but noticeably, turned pink itself, in about 15 secs, the color starting at one ends and creeping toward the other. As a finally, Venus popped out from behind the cloud... Then the stoplight turned green and it was time to go...

When I got to Tyrone, The pair of hawks that live near the Pinellas Trail sat perched on a single high tension tower. One sat on the top, the other a few feet down on a post sticking out from the pole. I see them near every morning, and evening driving to and from work. I think they are red-tailed hawks, but I'm not sure yet...

Half way across 1st Ave North the sun peaked up above the horizon. The brilliant orange balls sending bright spears of light through the trees and between the buildings... It's nearly as far south as it will get this year... The solstice is only 2 weeks away.

I've always loved dawn... Its a peaceful time of the day. The light, both in color and direction, is different from any other time. Most mornings I pause to greet the day... and marvel at the sights found there...

Reston

USGS holds and Open House in the National Head Quarters every 3 years. This year they actually asked me to come with my wave tank.

As I walked out of my hotel room on Saturday morning with my USGS shirt on, the Master Falconer from Talons, A Bird of Prey Experience, walked out of her room. "Hey," said Lorrie Schumacher "that's where I'm going." I knew I had to go check out her birds. What I didn't expect is that she would offer to let me hold one.

As some of you know, I've seen the raptors as a sign of hope in the last few months. A sign that someone was watching over me. I count special the days that I see a hawk or bald eagle. I've always loved owls.

This is Mama. She's a Eurasian Eagle Owl. She weighed 5 lbs and has a 5 foot wing span. She was amazing. I got to hold her and pet her. She even cooperated for the picutre. It made the whole trip to Reston worth it, even though I didn't get to hold her for long. The Master Falconer took this one for me before the offical start of the Open House. She'd already started her show, as people who arrived early came straight to her birds. We had a rare pause in the people coming by. I'm glad we took this when we did. I wouldn't have had a chance later in the day, because the Open House was swamped, er... well attended, by 10,000+ people. Neither of us had any breaks during the day. I saw her again the next morning and thanked her again. If I ever get up to Hamilton, NY, I'll stop by. They offer "Hawk Walks" where you get to fly the birds... Where do I sign up? To see some more of the picutres I took, check my Flickr page.

To see some really great picutres of Lorrie's birds taken by Bob Quinn at the NCTC Open House on Oct 20, 2007 click here.

Waiting to Greet the Sunrise

On my way to and from work, I cross a bridge over Boca Ceiga Bay, part of the intercoastal waterway. Also crossing the water at that place are high tension power lines and their 150 ft towers. I've noticed over the past few months that the local birds of prey will sit on the top of the towers and survey the water below, looking for a meal or perhaps just surveying their domain. I've gotten into the habit of looking for them as I approach the bridge.

Over that last few months I've noticed that a bald eagle has occasionally settled atop one of the towers while on my way home, gazing across the waters. These birds are distinctive, even in silhouette against the evening sky. Their large bodies and upright posture distinguish them easily from their smaller and more common cousins, the osprey. Last week I've saw an eagle twice on the way home. There is something breath taking about seeing a wild eagle. I've seen bald eagles up close, in captivity. While they are just as beautiful and majestic, they are captive, and I feel sorry for their loss of flight. It's just not the same. So I've kept an eye out for the eagles, and count special the days I see one.

This morning as the sky was brightening from from dawn toward sunrise, I approached the bridge and looked up. There, on top of the western most tower was not one, but two large regal forms, side by side, silhouetted against the pale pink and yellow of wispy clouds in brightening sky. One on the tower itself, on on the wire next to the tower. Both birds were facing east as if waiting to greet the sun, still 20 minutes from rising. As I passed I peaked back out my window, to see them lit faintly by the morning light, watching the world below go by, surveying their kingdom. They were unmistakable, with their dark bodies and white heads. Untouchable at the top of the towers.

I've always loved the birds prey, and they've been a symbol of hope for me in the last few months. Every time I see one, It's like a sign that someone is watch over me. I felt honored to have seen them this morning, and know that most people driving by that morning never noticed them, never bothered to look up and see the site. Or that some who did look up may not have recognized what they saw. They don't know what they missed. Sometimes you just need to pause and look up... It's not every day you get to see a pair bald eagles waiting to greet the sunrise.