Well, my friends, here comes the reveal on why you haven't been seeing posts these past 2+ weeks - our family just returned from a delightful, nearly 2-week long exploration of the Northwest, including Alaska, Washington, and Oregon. I'm excited to be able to report that I now have 48 states checked off the "see all 50 states" from my Bucket List - just need North Dakota (which is probably doable, as I think we'll eventually link that with a trip to South Dakota and Wyoming), and Delaware (which is a drivable distance from home - maybe pair it with a visit to the Smithsonian, or the VA/NC coastline). Anyone out there with a knowledge of interesting areas of Delaware? I've never researched the area, and know nothing about the state except that Dover is there.
I'm hoping that I'm welcoming another subscriber soon - Hi, Julie! We met while on a weeklong cruise exploring Alaska's upper inside passage from Juneau to Sitka, and Glacier Bay; most specifically, we both seemed obsessed with photographing the multitude of fungi while hiking. Can't say enough about Lindblad - this was our second National Geographic exploration cruise with them, as we'd sailed with them in the Galapagos in 2011.
Here's the thing - we've been most fortunate to be able to travel with our family quite a # of places over the years, and I'm thinking I should create another blog for the express purpose of sharing photos and stories about those travels. Waddayathink? The poll above reflects 4 choices I'm pondering over. Sorry, I don't know why the actual title of the poll doesn't show up. Please take the time to vote or offer your suggestions via a comment.
I first began considering calling the new travel blog "Bartlett Takes the World". Explanation - while in Glacier Bay, I purchased a small, soft, cuddly stuffed moose that I've named Bartlett Cove (BC for short), as that is where he's from. I plan to take him with me on my future travels and allow him to photo bomb from time to time. He's already been photographed in 5 states - AK, WA, OR, IL, and OH.
Bartlett has somehow, though, become a bone of contention for my 16-year-old daughter. She went so far as to make the comment while in Oregon that I was embarrassing myself, acting like a child (do you think, like I do, that she's projecting her own insecurities/issues with a stuffed animal accompanying us, and that it's in fact embarrassing HER?). I replied that I myself was obviously NOT embarrassed, as I was carrying him in full view of anyone who passed us by, with the exception of the times that he peeked out of my hip pocket when we were choosing which meal options we wanted at one of Portland's food truck areas.
At one point, I told her that my story, should anyone ask, would be that I am a teacher, and Bartlett is being photographed so that my students could see where he'd been over the summer. But sadly, that still didn't appease her, and by the end of our travels, I was getting the right-royal stink-eye from her when I'd pulled him out for a quick pic.
Quite frankly, somehow, I don't expect many people to take even a rudimentary, slight notice of me with Bartlett. Uh, we were rubbing elbows with and dining alongside the creative culture of Portland - food trucks, multiple piercings, tattoos galore, hair dyed in colors absolutely NEVER seen in nature, etc. Who's gonna take even a secondary glance at a 56-year-old woman with a barely larger-than-palm-sized stuffed moose? Seriously?!
Upon our return to Ohio, I mentioned this issue of my daughter's to a friend of mine, and stated that it's just HER issue, and that I will not allow her to take away my delightful joie de vive! I've already warned her that Bartlett WILL be going with me to Hawaii later this year.
This friend's response was: But I MUST rave about how happy I am to hear you are embracing your silly side. I was raised by a woman who celebrated silliness, and it has brought infinite joy to my life and to MOST of the others around me. Yes, some shy away from it, but I feel sorry for them. You’ve always had a great sense of humor and that’s a precious trait. I agree with you, if Olivia poo poos it now, so be it. Be strong. Be silly. That’s my motto. That can be one and the same. I am so proud of you to not let her squelch this desire. And I promise that someday she will grow up and remember your silly antics with Bartlett (adorable name!) with equal joy as you felt in those moments. They will be some of the most priceless memories she’ll have of you. If any of your silliness rubs off on her, then you’ve done her a great service!!
Never once did any of us roll our eyes when she insisted we take photos of her in front of glaciers, the ocean, etc. doing handstands or various gymnastics leaps/poses. To each his own (though admittedly I'm a bit perplexed about a small report on the national news this week discussing people taking naked photos of themselves in front of landmarks, including Machu Picchu or the Eiffel Tower). Not quite sure I'd wanna travel thousands of miles and end up being distracted by some dude's privates swinging in the Peruvian or French breeze, nor would I be in favor of my kids seeing these pics being posed for and snapped.
BTW, I know I promised a post yesterday, and this WAS begun then, but we had quite a series of rather severe thunderstorms - lightning accompanying heavy, blowing, torrential flowing sheets of rain, etc. so I felt safer unplugging the computer, and thus I'm finishing it off today.
I am going to wrap this post up for today, but I promise I'll be back by the end of this month with food items again, though I reserve the right to infuse my posts with snippets of AK, WA, and OR stories and pics until the time I develop Bartlett's blog. Along that line - please vote and help me decide what name it should carry.
Ciao for now,
Or, as the Alaskan Tlingit people say, "Tsu yei Eekwasateen", or "Until we meet again"
At one point, I told her that my story, should anyone ask, would be that I am a teacher, and Bartlett is being photographed so that my students could see where he'd been over the summer. But sadly, that still didn't appease her, and by the end of our travels, I was getting the right-royal stink-eye from her when I'd pulled him out for a quick pic.
Quite frankly, somehow, I don't expect many people to take even a rudimentary, slight notice of me with Bartlett. Uh, we were rubbing elbows with and dining alongside the creative culture of Portland - food trucks, multiple piercings, tattoos galore, hair dyed in colors absolutely NEVER seen in nature, etc. Who's gonna take even a secondary glance at a 56-year-old woman with a barely larger-than-palm-sized stuffed moose? Seriously?!
Upon our return to Ohio, I mentioned this issue of my daughter's to a friend of mine, and stated that it's just HER issue, and that I will not allow her to take away my delightful joie de vive! I've already warned her that Bartlett WILL be going with me to Hawaii later this year.
This friend's response was: But I MUST rave about how happy I am to hear you are embracing your silly side. I was raised by a woman who celebrated silliness, and it has brought infinite joy to my life and to MOST of the others around me. Yes, some shy away from it, but I feel sorry for them. You’ve always had a great sense of humor and that’s a precious trait. I agree with you, if Olivia poo poos it now, so be it. Be strong. Be silly. That’s my motto. That can be one and the same. I am so proud of you to not let her squelch this desire. And I promise that someday she will grow up and remember your silly antics with Bartlett (adorable name!) with equal joy as you felt in those moments. They will be some of the most priceless memories she’ll have of you. If any of your silliness rubs off on her, then you’ve done her a great service!!
Never once did any of us roll our eyes when she insisted we take photos of her in front of glaciers, the ocean, etc. doing handstands or various gymnastics leaps/poses. To each his own (though admittedly I'm a bit perplexed about a small report on the national news this week discussing people taking naked photos of themselves in front of landmarks, including Machu Picchu or the Eiffel Tower). Not quite sure I'd wanna travel thousands of miles and end up being distracted by some dude's privates swinging in the Peruvian or French breeze, nor would I be in favor of my kids seeing these pics being posed for and snapped.
BTW, I know I promised a post yesterday, and this WAS begun then, but we had quite a series of rather severe thunderstorms - lightning accompanying heavy, blowing, torrential flowing sheets of rain, etc. so I felt safer unplugging the computer, and thus I'm finishing it off today.
I am going to wrap this post up for today, but I promise I'll be back by the end of this month with food items again, though I reserve the right to infuse my posts with snippets of AK, WA, and OR stories and pics until the time I develop Bartlett's blog. Along that line - please vote and help me decide what name it should carry.
Ciao for now,
Or, as the Alaskan Tlingit people say, "Tsu yei Eekwasateen", or "Until we meet again"
I'm here! I'm here! I enjoyed finding mushrooms/fungi with you in Alaska. When we go through our many, many (did I say "many") photos I'm sure there will be some to share.
ReplyDeleteThanks for signing in, Julie! I couldn't get a copy of "Familiar Plants of Coastal Alaska", but there's a copy of "Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast" coming from another Ohio library, so I hope to i.d. at least a few more of the multitude of plants we were fortunate to view in Alaska. BTW, did you notice the "Subscribe to Posts" or comments button near the upper right?
ReplyDeleteI loved this! And Bartlett is so tiny. Judging by Olivia's reaction, I'd have thought he was one of those gargantuan stuffed animals that people win as first prize at the fair. Remind me to show you MY stuffed moose. Got him from our first Northwoods trip to upper Wisconsin and Minnesota. He could eat Bartlett for dinner. And on the topic of food, I really liked "Bartlett Tastes the World," but if the new blog does not have food at least partially front and center, it is misleading. So I went for "Bartlett Takes the World." I'm glad you're finally going to showcase some of your spectacular travel photos! You go, girl.
ReplyDeleteAnd btw, thanks for the inclusion. I feel honored that I was so quotable.
Hey Carrie! Bartlett is by far the smallest moose I have - and I have several:
ReplyDelete1 - A much larger one, with a green jersey and long ski cap for Christmas;
2 - A medium-sized one from the Ben & Jerry's factory, which smelled deliciously of waffle batter initially, who's named BJ Waterbury; BTW, Sophia took HER moose just like this one to AK with her this time;
3 - A slightly smaller one that sports a red and green sweater with AK on it, from my first trip to Denali, Kenai Fjords, Prince William Sound, Wasilla, and Anchorage in 1997;
4 - A lighter, tan-colored one who lays down with legs stretched in front of him, sporting green cap and scarf;
5 - And finally, a small Schleich model.
So, six in total - no, wait - I have quite a # that are Christmas ornaments, so I'm guessing around a dozen. I always purchase at least one item to hang on the tree from each vacation, so that alone is making me wish we had one of those 10 footers.
I do have a bit of a curious liking for meese (sorry, but I love to call more than one moose "meese"). I think it's just their gawky overall appearance, but that they have enough of a resemblance to the equine family that I like them, too.
Still wavering on Bartlett's blog's name, but will decide by Monday. Since it's predominantly about traveling, I probably shouldn't go with "Tastes the World", but then again, there are more ways to "taste" than actually ingesting food, correct? He WILL be enjoying various local meals with us daily while touring, and I always take pics of our meals - far easier later to recall what we ate and journal about it in preparation for scrapbooking, etc.