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Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Housetour: Blue Ridge Farm
20 comments:
- The Devoted Classicist said...
What a great estate! Thanks for showing all the wonderful details, including those terrific screen doors!
- July 10, 2012 at 1:35 PM
- Henhurst Interiors said...
A truly exquisite house and garden. And your photos and commentary are wonderful - I really feel as if I have been on the tour. One request - would you post larger pictures? I just want to see every little detail and your photos are too good not to!
All best,
- July 10, 2012 at 2:13 PM
- ArchitectDesign™ said...
Devoted, yes, i was particularly intrigued by those doors! the estate had come upon 'hard times' before these current owners and they were just rotting away in some barn, Amazing!
- July 10, 2012 at 2:15 PM
- ArchitectDesign™ said...
Henhurst, thank you! I will try to figure it out with future postings. This blogger platform has a lot of issues.
- July 10, 2012 at 2:15 PM
- Loi Thai, Tone on Tone said...
Amazing house and garden tour, Stefan! What a setting! I'm assuming Blue Ridge Farm is not available for public tours? I love the garden room and it's exposed brick walls.
- July 10, 2012 at 2:39 PM
- ArchitectDesign™ said...
Loi, unfortunately no, it's a private house. I'll let you know when the next ICAA tours are coming up -they're really great opportunities to see things like this that one normally doesn't see.
- July 10, 2012 at 2:41 PM
- pve design said...
Just heavenly~ talk about pearly gates....or what!
- July 10, 2012 at 7:02 PM
- Things That Inspire said...
You had me at the second picture. I am a huge fan of Neo-Georgian! This is an incredible house. I love it when the back of the house is as beautiful (or more beautiful) than the front.
What a treat to get a tour - great idea for an ICAA event. I am on the membership committee of the ICAA SE; we are trying to expand membership beyond architects to enthusiasts and designers as well.
- Holly
- July 10, 2012 at 8:26 PM
- Anonymous said...
Beautiful! love the screen doors, all the details and I'll move into that fishing cottage.
- July 11, 2012 at 10:52 AM
- Renée Finberg said...
every detail is perfection.
i did love the wooden screen doors-
- July 11, 2012 at 6:01 PM
- France@labor posters said...
It is my dream to travel and take a peek at houses like this. Glad I found your blog. My dream half-way comes true.
- July 11, 2012 at 10:19 PM
- ArchitectDesign™ said...
Sandra, be prepared for small space living -the fishing cottage is one room about 15x20!
- July 12, 2012 at 11:06 AM
- ArchitectDesign™ said...
Patricia - pearly gates were the only things missing!
- July 12, 2012 at 11:06 AM
- ArchitectDesign™ said...
Holly, it's a great organization! They're trying to more actively involve architects by getting them to do tours of their projects (like this one). It's a small organization here but hopefully can expand more broadly!
- July 12, 2012 at 11:07 AM
- Mark D. Ruffner said...
Thanks for bringing us along on the tour, Stefan! I particularly like the detail of the compass rose on the Map Room ceiling — nice touch!
- July 13, 2012 at 12:59 PM
- Ann said...
Stefan, another gorgeous tour! Excuse me while I pick my jaw up off the floor to try and make an intelligible comment. Love, love, love! How are you? :)
- July 15, 2012 at 8:09 PM
- Nancy said...
This is a gorgeous estate! Thanks so much for sharing this beautiful property and such lovely images!
- July 16, 2012 at 7:47 AM
- Thombeau said...
I want a map room! And I love that little fishing cottage.
- July 16, 2012 at 4:55 PM
- designchic said...
Georgian style architecture is one of my absolute favorites and this gorgeous home certainly reinforces that - the back is as lovely as the front, and the guest cottage...charm personified!
- July 17, 2012 at 10:43 AM
- Kellsboro Jack said...
Thanks for the tour as it was a treat to virtually tour the estate. I recall when the property was last listed for sale in several glossy magazines prior to it's 2002 sale.
The condition its in now reflects a lot of careful thought with keeping it fresh yet sympathetic to Bottomley's work. Sadly too many owners in this era like to gut grand old homes and remove the soul in exchange for empty, clean lines.
Per the estate's filing with the National Historic Register the pool (and pool house) was added following the acquisition of the estate in 1981.
- July 24, 2012 at 10:56 AM


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May 9, 2010
Quality Begats Tripe
Mike Lippert over at You Talking to Me? is hosting a little event. He gathered a bunch of bloggers, and together, we are counting down a list of the 27 Greatest Movies That Made Going to the Movies Suck! Each writer gets a top tier movie that is widely regarded as good, in some cases, excellent, and then writes about it and its bad influence on modern day cinema. The event started on May 2 and will go until the last entry, the write up on biggest culprit of them all, is posted on May 29. So far, articles discussing the legacies of It Happened One Night, Gladiator, Spider-Man, Trainspotting, Terminator 2, Toy Story, Deliverence, and a damn good write up on Scream have been put up. My film is ranked pretty high on the list, so you won't get to see my contribution until late in the game. Check it out. There's been some great stuff already, and more to come! Comment. Agree. Disagree. Be good little worker bees! See ya next time!
Posted by Sebastian Gutierrez at 11:14 PM
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Most people saw Billy Crystal's tribute to Robin Williams as a touching goodbye to a good friend and a very funny and talented man. The operative word is "most." Some thought it was a racist affront to Muslims.
At issue is a clip taken from Robin Williams' 2001 appearance on "Inside the Actors Studio" considered by many as the best episode in that shows 25-year-long history.
The clip generating complaints is short snippet from that show during which Williams borrows a pink scarf from an audience member in the front row and wraps its round his head to simulate a Hijab, and says "I would like to welcome you to Iran… Help me!" He then moves the scarf down to his shoulders and begins to act like a Jewish cantor.
The Iranian part of the clip drew criticism on Twitter:
The person putting together the Robin Williams segment for the Emmys decided to use his racist material.
— Hannah Story (@hannahmstory) August 26, 2014
they could've shown so many funny robin williams moments during that tribute did they have to use something so racist
— (@nialIhs) August 26, 2014
I'm still so shocked that the #Emmys would include such a racist bit in Robin Williams tribute. Out of all his great work, really?
— Ava (@haltiamava) August 26, 2014
Like, now I just think Robin Williams was kind of racist? Thanks Emmys.
— J. Escobedo Shepherd (@jawnita) August 26, 2014
After that, people who'd never heard of Robin Williams would think he's Billy Crystal's racist friend who was on a lot of talk shows?
— Eric Harvey (@marathonpacks) August 26, 2014
I love Robin Williams but he really had some not ok racist jokes and they even put it in the tribute tonight
— Nikki (@sweatydudette) August 26, 2014
Really people? Racist? It's time for some people to get a life. A short clip where Robin Williams makes fun of living in oppressive Iran? It is called FUNNY. The clip below is the full improvised scarf routine he makes fun of Indians, Jews, Gays, Japanese, Hispanics, and Amish as well as Iranians. Those who complain about the clip being racist are full of camel dung. It would have been racist if Williams had left out the Iranians.


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It has been pouring with heavy rain constantly for the last 24 hours, so there are floods everywhere, including inside my house. In too bad if a mood to post a photo of that...
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Creating a shirt at work using various techniques, screen printing, embroidery, heat transfer and rhinestones. It would cost a fair amount to produce this for a client, but not for me!
Monday, April 28, 2014
Yet more crappy houses being built near work, gobbling up the few remaining green fields. Even after 15 years of living in the States, I still wonder at how these structures stand, when they're only made of sticks of wood and paper pulp. But after having helped to build one I realize why they blow away with a tornado. And these eyesores will likely sell for about $500K.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Exploring an abandoned helmet factory with Emily and Melony. Pretty cool place, more photos will be on Lucent Moments later in the week.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
A beautiful double rainbow on the drive home. It filled the sky and I could only capture part of it on my phone but it was lovely to stop and watch the colors intensify from one end to the other. A lovely end to the work day.
Monday, April 21, 2014
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Richard itching to tuck into his lunch, a steak salad with tobacco onions. We ate far too much and struggled at first to resume our bike ride of 42 miles.
Saturday, April 19, 2014
A very delicious black bean and ham soup that I had for lunch at the Rail Stop in The Plains while out Urbexing with friends.
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Got a lovely card and chocs from my bestest friend, Boo, and bless her heart she even put in a palm cross. She knows me inside out, and I miss her.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Pouring with rain in Middleburg. It was 70 degrees yesterday but when I got to Marshall this evening we had hailstones with a low of 30 degrees to look forwRd to tonight. Erratic weather!
Monday, April 14, 2014
One of Marshall's new businesses, a pottery shop. You can buy wares and take classes although they are expensive. I love the sign in the window, 'Closed, but still awesome!'
Sunday, April 13, 2014
A quick snap taken at an abandonment today where we were concerned about noises from above. Did we stay or leave? Full story in LucentMoments later in the week!
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Friday, April 11, 2014
Thursday, April 10, 2014
The second time this wall has been ripped out and so my bow and arrows plus some urbexing stuff had to come down. My belongings are all over the place and there's huge holes in all the walls. Over a week now but thankfully the sheet rock goes up Friday and then I guess it will be a few days cleaning up.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
With all the pipes being replaced in the house, everyone's having to chip in with household chores. Kota got assigned to cleaning the dishes.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Sunday, April 6, 2014
A cute lamp at Beans in the Belfry, a wonderful cafe in Brunswick where we started and finished our bike ride.
Monday, April 7, 2014
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Friday, April 4, 2014
A pretty Easter tree in AC Moores where I was getting a frame for another photo of mine chosen for an abstract show.
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Heavy northern Virginia traffic behind me this morning, and just as bad in front. I love leaving this behind on Fridays.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
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NINE CHICAGO police officers are expected to be indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday on charges that they allegedly took bribes in return for letting suspects in some hit-and-run accidents go free, according to sources close to the investigation.
U.S. Atty. Dan Webb has scheduled a press conference for Tuesday afternoon to discuss the indictments of police officers, according to a news release from Webb`s office. Police Supt. Fred Rice also will attend.


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Sunday, February 24, 2013
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Studio drawing
Sometimes when there are 10 min poses at the studio drawing sessions, I finish the drawing early and end up drawing other artists in the room. (I'm sure I'm not the only person that's ever done that in a drawing studio :P). This is a quick sketch of my friend.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
I had a great time playing around with a diverse line up of pirates. I love swashbuckling adventure, so this was really fun!
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Guide Answerers - are the ChaCha's resident know-it-all, the renaissance man/woman, or the resourceful friend everyone calls. You are able to comprehend, research, and answer any question thrown at you, regardless of subject matter.
Requirements to be a Guide Answerer:
- Exceptional Internet searching skills
- strong general knowledge
- good grammar and spelling
- fast typer
- strong reasoning ability
- sound judgment
ChaCha Affiliate - these are specialized guides who are serving questions for one or more "affiliate" relationships that ChaCha is developing with governments, businesses, and organizations.
Requirements to be a ChaCha Affiliate:
- Exceptional search skills (often limited to a specific set of online content)
- ability to adapt to different practices
- good grammar and spelling
- fast typing
- strong reasoning ability
- sound judgment
Technical Requirements:
- PC or laptop with 1GB of RAM
- Chrome browser
- perating Systems: Windows, Mac, or Linux.
- high-speed internet connection
Here's how to register:
- Click on the 'Register' button
- On the Guide Registration page you'll provide information about yourself, submit a W-9 form, and pass a compatibility assessment for the specific Guide Role you choose.
- Once you passed you will receive a congratulatory email and be directed to orientation and training
- You will take a "Role Readiness Test" that confirms you're ready to handle live customer questions.
- Completing the Readiness Test will activate you as a paid ChaCha Guide.


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In the midst of planning for a new season of planting, we are also remodeling our kitchen. Crazy, I know. But it will be so nice to live in once it is done. It will hopefully make all my work for the Farmers Markets go a bit easier with more workspace and a better layout. Plus, I won't have to stare at the hideous yellow walls any longer.
It's turning into the most beautiful Spring, our third here. New flowers we've not had before are even showing their happy faces. There are so many different shades of green to admire and the birds are back singing away as they build their new homes and feather their nests. Today, we've had so much rain and hail that I am glad I hadn't planted earlier in the week like I had hoped. It would have all washed away!
Because of the kitchen redo, I'll not be online much for awhile. We've moved my Hoosier, which contains my computer and it's landed in a corner where there are no outlets. Adding outlets is part of the plan for the remodel. That will be very nice. We use a lot more outlets than folks did in 1920 when our house was built.
I'll plan to check email probably once a day, so you can still use it. Family and friends, feel free to call if you need a faster response. Have a wonderful Spring!


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|The Perfect Game by J. Sterling
October 11, 2012
386 pages
Source: Personal ebook purchase
Genre: New Adult
(contains strong language, sexual situations and references)
Goodreads Summary:
He's a game she never intended to play.
And she's the game changer he never knew he needed.
The Perfect Game tells the story of college juniors, Cassie Andrews & Jack Carter. When Cassie meets rising baseball hopeful Jack, she is determined to steer clear of him and his typical cocky attitude. But Jack has other things on his mind... like getting Cassie to give him the time of day.
They're both damaged, filled with mistrust and guarded before they find one another (and themselves) in this emotional journey about love and forgiveness. Strap yourselves for a ride that will not only break your heart, but put it back together.
Sometimes life gets ugly before it gets beautiful...
My Review:
This book is full of it all: angst, humor, banter, sweetness, drama, baggage, love, shock...you name it. Jack and Cassie are a great couple. I enjoyed watching their relationship develop, though it was a bit fast for me. I recognize that they saw something in the other that they were drawn to. I just would have liked those moments to be drawn out a bit more for me as a reader. I love reading the falling-in-love parts, and these seemed quick, so I would have liked more. But I did enjoy the way Jack and Cassie's characters were developed and how natural a relationship they seemed to have.
I also enjoyed the secondary characters, especially Dean and Melissa. Sure, they weren't developed as deeply, but I loved the roles they played throughout the book. I would especially like to see a book focused around Dean, because he seems like such a genuine guy.
Additionally, I loved the integration of Jack's love of baseball. I admit it. I am not a baseball fan. I can barely watch my kids play, let alone major league games. But reading about Jack's passion, and the scenes with Jack on the mound, were actually quite exciting. I loved how he loved baseball. So coming from someone who sees watching baseball as a form of torture, this is saying a lot!
As for plot progression, I was wondering where the book's direction was going since Jack and Cassie seemed so great together, and they seemed to fall in love quickly. Was this just going to be a sweet romance book? And trust me, I would have been fine with that. Well, I got my answer, and I wasn't happy about it. I saw it coming, wanted to reach inside the book to slap some people around, but just couldn't get to them before the chaos broke out. I do give Ms. Sterling props for going for it. I was reading along, in no real rush, just seeing where things went, and then BAM! I didn't want to put my book away after that. I HAD to know what was going to happen. It went from casual reading to edge-of-my-seat reading.
The last part of the book until the end brought many mixed emotions into play for me. I probably still have mixed feelings now. I won't give away any spoilers, but I respect how Ms. Sterling handled the different situations. I liked her pacing, and that the drama was crazy but the solutions still had to be worked for. I appreciate that she kept me wondering how things would all play out. And all I can say after that is that I enjoyed the epilogue, and then I see that she's writing a second book about Jack and Cassie, and I'm like, WHAT? I was pretty okay with how things turned out and have mixed feelings on the second book. I don't want a repeat of this book's issues. Other issues might be okay, because every relationship has its issues. Just no repeats, pretty please. But I do like Jack and Cassie, so I'm sure I'll read it.
I'm glad I gave Jack and Cassie's story a chance. Well played, Ms. Sterling.


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Members of the Bayelsa State Judicial Service Commission have been urged to work in line with the provisions of the constitution to enhance the productivity of staff of the State Judiciary.
Members of the Commission are Chief David Serena Dokubo-Spiff, Chief Festus Lott, Retired Brigadier General Fredrick Enai and Mrs Daupremo Dele-Ungbuku.
The Judicial Service Commission has the State Chief Judge Justice Kate Abiri, as its Chairman while the Vice Chairman is the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Chief Francis Egele.
Speaking shortly after the swearing-in the 4 members of the Judicial Service Commission at the Executive Chambers of Government House, Yenagoa, Governor Seriake Dickson, said the members were carefully chosen based on merit, integrity and their track records over the years in the service of their fatherland.
Governor Dickson, who expressed optimism that the new members would bring their wealth of experience to bear in the performance of their responsibilities in the commission, assured them of government's support.
Describing Chief Festus Lott, as one of the best lawyers produced by the State, Hon. Dickson said he served as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the old Rivers State and urged members to work closely with the state Chief Judge to achieve set goals


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Hi everyone I was walking away from the craft section at a thrift store when my eye saw something metallic in a pile. Of course I had to investigate to see what it was. I couldn't believe my eyes as I found a Spellbinders Spectacular Spin die set. I keep looking in craft sections of thrift stores but this is the first time I've found any dies. 😃 Of course today with it being cold and wet weather I had to play. It was so much fun folding and tucking. This is what I came up.
I used copy paper and typing paper which has been in my stash for years. As well as a food divider which I used my airbrush with a marker to color for my shapes.
The cute bee was a freebie at all free download dot com. If you are looking for free images this is a great place. After printing and cutting out I went ahead and hand cut the wings apart so I could bend one wing forward to make it look like the bee was in motion.
I hate to say it but the card base has been in my stash as long as the copy paper and typing paper. It came in an assortment of card bases and is one of the few colors I don't often use.
If you get the chance check out yard sales and thrift stores. You never know what you might find.
Wishing you Happy Frugal Crafting till we meet again!


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Liar Liar
Exaggerated stories of rape and murders in the Nawlins Superdome and Convention center are now being reported as false. Shocking. CNN.com reported here that the initial reports of dead bodies piling up in the Superdome freezer and women being dragged off and raped were all untrue.
Both Mayor Ray Nagin and Chief of Police Eddie Compass lied. Chief Compass even went so far as to go on the Oprah show and lie about the reports of little babies being raped, children with their throats slit, and piles of bodies stacked up in the basement. Nagin lied on the same show. Sources were eye witnesses in the Superdome and the Convention center.
So, without confirming reports, both Nagin and Compass went onto national television and exaggerated and told these stories. Absolutely incredible. It's incredible that they would feed this b.s. to the press, knowing that it would create fear and heartbreak in the minds and hearts of the American public.
So why would they lie to us?
I'll tell you why. By lying to us they created tragic stories that could make the people in charge of the rescue efforts look worse. By relating these stories to poor rescue effort planning and execution, it only made local and national authorities, specifically Bush and FEMA, look worse. If only they could have been there to prevent these terrible things. Right? Bush, who is still carrying the burden of blame for this incident, looked the worse. And still does.
The fact of the matter is that this is a back page news story. The MSM doesn't want you to know this stuff. It's getting buried by news reports of Hurricane Rita and now Delay's political "scandal". If the public doesn't know this story, Bush will continue to look bad having not prevented all this senseless violence.
Liars need to be put in their place. Exposed for all to see. Especially liars at this level. What a bunch of b.s. "Don't get stuck on stupid!" "That's just plain B.S." I kinda wish I could hear Honore's opinion on all this, it would make me feel just a little less nauseous.


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The Obama administration is retooling its rescue of the financial system, looking to wind down programs viewed as having run their course while considering new initiatives to address lingering concerns.
This shift comes as Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner and his colleagues are trumpeting their stewardship of the federal bailout efforts, as they did Thursday in a series of remarks on Capitol Hill and to the media.
"The emerging confidence and stability of September 2009 is a far cry from the crippling fear and panic of September 2008," Geithner told an oversight committee that Congress created to monitor the Troubled Asset Relief Program.
As the rescue moves into a new phase, a Treasury Department program to support money-market mutual funds, put in place during the dark days of the financial crisis last fall, is set to expire Sept. 18, and Geithner will not move to extend it, he said Thursday. And the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. is weighing how to wind down its program to guarantee bank debt, which was a crucial means of support to banks last fall but is now less widely used.


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Thursday, May 22, 2008
Ralph Goings - Painting the light
Santa Cruz artist, Ralph Goings, is a realist painter who has exhibited in this country, Europe and Japan. He is represented in museums and private collections here and abroad. When I view his work, I can hardly believe they are paintings rather than photographs.
He omits nothing with his paint brush in capturing what a camera's lens would see.
One thing that Goings' work has in common with photographs is its examination of light. Photography records, not objects as things in themselves, but the fall of light on objects—in other words, the way in which light is shaped by anything that interrupts its trajectory from the source.
Goings is recognized as one of the original members of the Hyper-Realist or Photo-Realist group of the late 1960's. His work draws our attention to the ordinary everyday experience of American life... showing that there is beauty in the mundane.
Art critic,,Edward Lucie-Smith writes about Going's work:
"He wants to tell us that the most ordinary things are well worth looking at—provided that we have the discipline to look at that property, on their own terms and for their own sake. After all, this is precisely what Vermeer does in the View of Delft. Why should Goings be ashamed to follow his example?"
All works shown in this entry are in private collections or collection of the artist.
"My paintings are about light, about the way things look in their environment and especially about how things look painted.
Form, color and space are at the whim of reality, their discovery and organization is the assignment of the realist painter."
---Ralph Goings
Posted by Stacy Alexander at 6:13 AM
1 comment:
Ralph Goings was one of my teachers and was not from Santa Cruz. He was from Sacramento. He taught at La Sierra HS for years, then American River College and CSU Sacramento. He used to hang his wet, finished paintings on his front porch to dry. I would often sit across the street on my bike or in my car to view them... sometimes with binoculars.
- Thursday, March 18, 2010 3:28:00 PM
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- Klaus Lange - What no one else can see....
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Your perfume is your statement piece. It's the one thing that can leave a lasting impression that can be both alluring and intriguing. So how do we choose one scent from the hundreds of bottles we see lining the shelf? Do we just go with a bottle that looks good on the bathroom shelf or the brand that Sigourney Cantleo wears?
Not quite. It's time to carefully select a scent that emulates from the warmth of your skin and reflects your personality.
Picking the perfect scent for YOU, doesn't have to be such an agonizing process. On a trip to Paris I came across this amazing perfume store called Nośe where I was taken on the ultimate 2 hour diagnosis and consultation to find my very own scent. This formula is so simple that I am going to share it with you to try for yourself.
1. Create a list of the last 2 or 3 perfumes you have had over the past few years. Google each of them to find out the key notes for each and write them down.
2. Are there any notes that are in all three scents you have liked in the past? These are the notes you need to look out for when choosing your next scent.
3. Take a list of the key notes you are looking for to your local department store or boutique perfrumerie and ask them to suggest some options based on those particular notes.
4. When they present you with their recommendations, please block out any marketing or branding of the product. This is the key to selecting the right scent for you. It's not about the bottle or the brand name, it's about the smell and how is makes you feel.
5. Spray four different scents on different areas of your arms and go for a walk for 15 minutes. Continue smelling the spots and slowly start to make a decision on which you like and which you don't like.
6. Now is the best part, narrow it down to one scent all based on which scent you prefer on your skin.
For a selection of some of the finest fragrances check out the Nose boutique.
Hint! There are several categories your favourite perfume will posses but I think it takes a professional nose to pick these up.
Family i.e.: citrus, floral
Head Notes i.e: Lemon, Bergamont, Pepper
Heart Notes i.e: Freesia, Orris,
Base Notes: Cedar, Musk


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Let's be honest. Most people are not accountants, financial advisers or qualified money managers. The normal person is not always equipped with the knowledge needed to maintain their personal finances. And with the economy in flux, responsible money management has never been more important. Luckily, there are several financial apps available to help you manage your money.
|Scooped by About Investment


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The lady in charge of the water station offered me a chair, while she called. As I sat in it, Vince happened to run by. "No way buddy. You're not done. Come on, run with me." I didn't know Vince at this point. He was just a helpful fellow competitor. I told Vince I was done and he went on. I sat. I became a non runner. I hit the stop button on my garmin. The shuttle was a green jeep cherokee and the driver took 5-10 minutes to get to me. So, I sat and watched as runners stopped, got a drink and hurried on their way. I never volunteered at a water stop, so this was all knew to me. A runner would come by, the volunteer would give them a cup and say how great they looked. I was waiting for her to point to me and say, "you're doing way better than that guy." She didn't.
In the meantime, I massaged by calves.
My day started at 4 am. Actually 3:44. That's when I awoke at the Best Western Innsuites Hotel. I wanted that extra 16 minutes of sleep, so I closed my eyes. Figuring I got the extra rest, I looked at my clock again. It was 3:45. For the next 15 minutes I kept looking at the clock figuring time was up only to see a minute had gone by. Finally, I got up and got ready for the 2009 Tucson Marathon.
It was going to be a good day. The first 8-9 miles are ups and downs with a net elevation drop of about 400 feet. Starting at 4800 feet in Oracle, AZ. The plan was to run the downs and walk the bigger ups, but to conserve energy for state route 77. SR77 is where you go from 4400 elevation to around 27oo over the final 17 miles (little did I realize it would also be in the face of a pretty strong wind). The plan worked for the first 10 miles. All my splits were under the 12 minute per mile I planned. All except for mile 8 that was over 15 minutes and was the biggest up hill on the course.
As I sat at aid station 20, I watched runners go in and out and I knew they'd finish. My time to that point wasn't horrible. I was behind where I wanted to be, but it was the calves and feet that were the reason for me stopping. I'm not good with pain. I tried to pretend I liked pain, but that didn't work.
Miles 12 thru 20 were my undoing. I wanted to do these downhill miles in under 11 minutes. My plan was to get to the finish under 5 hours. The hardest part of the course was behind me and I expected to do negative splits. Around mile 12 I could feel the pain from the Oracle hills in the beginning of the race. The walk breaks became longer. I wasn't sure if I was developing blisters on the pads of my feet. I did realize that I should have trimmed my toe nails the night before. I could feel that one or two of them were slicing into the neighboring toe. Turned out my feet came out ok. No blisters and only one toe got bloodied. My splits in these middle miles were in the 14 to 19 range. Any split over 15 is a mile in which I could only walk. Today, it's hard to imagine I couldn't run. But, from mile 16 until the water stop after 20 I walked. I watched my garmin and I thought how could I ever be able to go another 10 miles? I saw the Catalina Moutains way to my left and I knew the road would curve back to them.
I became a non competitor at the water stop. Vince couldn't get me up. It's weird watching a water stop activity as a non competitor. So, I continued to massage my calves and then I stood up. I walked to the street and said, "I'm not done. Thank the shuttle driver. I'm going to head on down the road." Yeah, I thought about what I was going to write in my blog. I thought about what my fellow bloggers would think. I guess you're my enablers. No, there was no Rocky music with this decision. I just decided my legs felt better after the rest and I could run/walk to the next water station and then see how I felt.
I had a new plan. Survival to the finish line. I was going to count my running steps. 20, 30 or 40 right steps and then I could walk. I did this a few times and passed 3 runners that I watched pass me at the water stop. I did it a few more times and then saw the green jeep. She had her window rolled down and asked how I was doing. I tried not to look at the plush leather seats or feel the heat escaping from the car window. I told her I was fine and that I was going to soldier on. Little did I know that Vince, my 'enabler' was a soldier.
After a few more running segments I passed a Team Chances runner from Ahwatukee. Practically a neighbor. She was laboring with her two sons to get to the finish. I was in the middle of one of my running segments, so I kept on moving. Up ahead I saw a guy in a white shirt. Could it be Vince? After a while, I caught up to him. He was walking with a hiking stick. Never seen that before in a race. I tapped him on the shoulder, which scared him to no end. He was glad to see me and congratulated me on returning to the race. We talked for a while. He's in the army at Fort Huachuca (wa-chu-ka). This is where I learned his name and that he almost quit on a 100 mile race. At mile 93, someone got him up and running. He was just paying it forward. I thanked him for his service and we walked for a while. Then, I told him I needed to get running. I didn't think I'd see him again. But, around mile 25 he passed me. Said I inspired him to finish strong and he finished ahead of me.
Then, the Ahwatukee lady caught up to me. We walked and talked. Her boys still with her. I told her she was doing great and she said I was too. The comradiere at the back of the pack is nice. Everyone supported each other, except for the two 'Paris Hilton' wannabes that were running and wouldn't even talk to me. More on that in another post.
Miles 22 thru 25 were 14:09, 13:56, 14:30 and 15:56. The last hill up Hawser Road slowed me down at the end. I was making a lot better time than in those middle miles. Not fast, but at least there was some running involved.
My attitude wasn't very good. I was upset that I didn't properly train for a marathon with this much elevation change. I was a bit naive to think that a couple hill workouts would suffice. I was embarrassed that I wasn't doing 11 minute miles. I had friends that told me, I just didn't listen.
By mile 26 I was toast again. I was walking and people that I had past were now passing me. I was glad for them (not the paris hilton girls). They all passed me, but by then I knew I would finish. I did in 6 hours and 9 minutes. It felt like 60 hours. But, I finished and for that I got my third marathon medal.
The expo was at the El Conquistador in north Tucson.
The start.
Now I have 35 days to train for the flat PF Chang's Rock N Roll Marathon in Arizona. Yeah, yesterday I would have cancelled my registration.


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Shannen W. Coffin writing at the The National Review OnLine today has a story titled Kagan's Abortion Distortion. Coffin is an attorney in Washington, D.C. He was the deputy assistant attorney general in charge of the defense of the federal Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act during the Bush administration.
Partial-birth Abortion - Step 2
We know that this White House is not above changing the recommendations of "experts," as Ken Salazar and Obama did when they rendered their report saying "experts" recommended a drilling moratorium - when they did not. We got an apology and nothing more. Now it seems Kagan has the same disdain for expert opinions - she is all about Democrat politics, and obviously "not a love of the law," as I've heard over and over today used to describe Elena Kagan.
Teresamerica writes extensively (and eloquently) about abortion and the Rights of the Child. She also refers to the National Review OnLine Report and has a video of an illustration of a partial birth abortion. If you have not seen this, and do not know how partial birth abortions are performed, watch this video at Teresamerica. It's a short film, well-worth your time.


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|one bowl has milk chocolate, the other has non-dairy dark chocolate for my little vegan.
|we rolled 4 in walnuts, 4 in granola, and left the other 2 plain.
|finished product! they were so delicious.
|we combined the leftover walnuts & granola with our chocolate-peanut butter mixture to make a tasty snack while we were waiting for them to freeze
|MY DOG LOVES BANANAS, so he was definitely all over this whole cutting the ends off of the bananas thing.
xo, anna


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Jungle Joe in Photos19 11 2011
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Categories : Africa, Gabon, Jungle, Work
Jungle Joe17 11 2011
Joe is somewhere in the Gabonese jungle.
Normally when he goes to a job, it's offshore but due to a lack of qualified engineers, he's been sent inland. He took a 1.5 hour helicopter ride to get there and he doesn't really know where he is except for the fact that they followed the coastline South for about an hour before heading inland.
The jungle in Gabon is crazy – it is so dense and lush that you often can't see through the wall of forest. It's also home to forest elephants, silverback gorillas and countless other snakes and bugs. While he has yet to spot the elephants (apparently those on the rig at night have) he did come across a giant snake yesterday which he says was as thick as his leg. The local guy he was with thought it was a viper so perhaps it's this one.
He continually reminds me that he's glad I'm not out there as he's encountered huge spiders, cockroaches the size of rats and moths that are as big as birds. I think this will be one of those trips that he'll be happy to have done once and hopefully not again!
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Categories : Africa, Gabon, Jungle, Work


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One specific area where this has been a concern is in the case of married couples where one of the spouses was transgender. Because of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the federal government can not provide a benefit based on a same-sex marriage. For transgender people, determining what their sex is for purposes of marriage recognition can be legally frustrating and confusing enterprise. The memorandum makes it clear that if a transgender couple has been recognized as a different-sex couple for the purpose of state law, then they will also be considered as such for immigration purposes, thus avoiding any DOMA-related problems.
From the press relase from Immigration Equality:
You can read the full 7-page Memorandum for yourself below.The revisions update the Adjudicator's Field Manual, a guide binding all USCIS staff overseeing immigration procedures.NCTE Policy Counsel Harper Jean Tobin said, "Today's announcement is another example of the Obama Administration's long-term commitment to equality. These revisions mean that trans people and their families can obtain accurate identification while maintaining their privacy. It'll also reduce bureaucratic delays, intrusive questions, and wrongful denials of immigration benefits."Significantly, the gender designation change is modeled after the U.S. State Department's updated passport policy, which does not require sex reassignment surgery. "This Guidance is an important step forward for transgender immigrants and their families," said Victoria Neilson, legal director for Immigration Equality. "It brings USCIS in line with DOS in its guidance for updating gender markers on identity documents – no longer requiring any specific surgery, but instead allowing a doctor to certify the individual's gender."NCTE has been working with Immigration Equality to advance these urgently needed policies, part of our comprehensive agenda for the fair treatment of transgender immigrants. Neilson added, "The memo affirms existing law and precedents, and recognizes that if a marriage is considered valid and opposite sex under state law, it is valid for immigration purposes.""And while these two revisions aid some trans immigrants and their U.S. citizen spouses, and vice-versa, the revisions only highlight the need to eliminate the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act," said Tobin.
U.S. Immigration Trans Policy


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The youths then donned loincloths made from the skin of the goat and led groups of priests around the pomarium, the sacred boundary of the ancient city, and around the base of the hills of Rome. The occasion was happy and festive. As they ran about the city, the young men lightly struck women along the way with strips of the goat hide. It is from these implements of purification, or februa, that the month of February gets its name. This act supposedly provided purification from curses, bad luck, and infertility.
LUPERCAʹLIA, one of the most ancient Roman festivals, which was celebrated every year in honour of Lupercus, the god of fertility. All the ceremonies with which it was held, and all we know of its history, shows that it was originally a shepherd-festival (Plut. Caes. 61). Hence its introduction at Rome was connected with the names of Romulus and Remus, the kings of shepherds. Greek writers and their followers among the Romans represent it as a festival of Pan, and ascribe its introduction to the Arcadian Evander. This misrepresentation arose partly from the desire of these writers to identify the Roman divinities with those of Greece, and partly from its rude and almost savage ceremonies, which certainly are a proof that the festival must have originated in the remotest antiquity. The festival was held every year, on the 15th of February,a in the Lupercal, where Romulus and Remus were said to have been nurtured by the she-wolf; the place contained an altar and a grove sacred to the god Lupercus (Aurel. Vict. de Orig. Gent. Rom. 22; Ovid. Fast. II.267). Here the Luperci assembled on the day of the Lupercalia, and sacrificed to the god goats and young dogs, which animals are remarkable for their strong sexual instinct, and thus were appropriate sacrifices to the god of fertility (Plut. Rom. 21; Servius ad Aen. VIII.343).b Two youths of noble birth were then led to the Luperci, and one of the latter touched their foreheads with a sword dipped in the blood of the victims; other Luperci immediately after wiped off the bloody spots with wool dipped in milk. Hereupon the two youths were obliged to break out into a shout of laughter. This ceremony was probably a symbolical purification of the shepherds. After the sacrifice was over, the Luperci partook of a meal, at which they were plentifully supplied with wine (Val. Max. II.2.9). They then cut the skins of the goats which they had sacrificed, into pieces; with some of which they covered parts of their body in imitation of the god Lupercus, who was represented half naked and half covered with goat-skin. The other pieces of the skins they cut into thongs, and holding them in their hands they ran through the streets of the city, touching or striking with them all persons whom they met in their way, and especially women, who even used to come forward voluntarily for the purpose, since they believed that this ceremony rendered them fruitful, and procured them an easy delivery in childbearing. This act of running about with thongs of goat-skin was a symbolic purification of the land, and that of touching persons a purification of men, for the words by which this act is designated are februare and lustrare (Ovid. Fast. II.31; Fest. s.v. Februarius). The goat-skin itself was called februum, the festive day dies februata, the month in which it occurred Februarius, and the god himself Februus.Robert Esiner in his provocative study; Man into Wolf associates the Lupercalia leather eros and public S&M rituals with the modern phenomena of lycanthropy;werewolfism and vampirism. Which was brilliantly portrayed in the movie the Howling, one of the most under-valued cult werewolf films of the eighties.
OF SADISM, MASOCHISM, AND LYCANTHROPYIn analysing the basic factors leading to sadism and maso-
chism Dr. Eisler draws attention to what he describes as 'a feeble
sympathetic resonance', the lack of emotional response, the
insanity affecting altruistic feeling which forms so large a part
of the constitution some of us describe as the psychopathic per-
sonality. This, however, according to Eisler, is not simply a
throw-back to primeval savagery, for, as he shows, primitive
man in his primeval forest was not a killer but rather a peaceful
creature le bon sauvage. In confirmation of this fact the author
mentions numerous small tribes who have never as yet heard
of or encountered war. Killing and being killed has been a
developmental process whereby the carnivorous, predatory
packs, the ancestors of the hunting and game-seeking tribes,
have preyed on the vegetarian, frugivorous, peace-loving herds.
Eisler elaborates his theme by utilizing Jung's conception of
archetypal race memories. Such memories may be not only
ancestral, but may occur even in the sub-human animal strata
So this valentines day let your inner wolf out.
A Little Eros For Valentine's Day
Passover Song
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