Gems

Well - too long a break. While the ducks paraded through mom's yard, out in the east, Susan "Duckie" Ellsworth had a parade of her own - a birthday parade. So first to that...
Here's our recipe of the day that turned out great: Grand Marnyay Crepe Cake
Recipe: Mix up a grip of crepes and a bowl of whip cream (flavored, if you desire, by liquor). Layer. Chill.

Warning: the cake may leak in your fridge, so put a towl or something down. Warning: if you ruin your first batch of whipcream because you're not paying attention and it turns to butter, don't try to save it, go to the corner store.


It was a perfect cake for a Sunday Champagne Brunch birthday. Great with fruit salad, mimosas, mini-quiches, cheese biscuits, fresh bread, and other delights that may be on-hand. We followed brunch up with an anarchist take-over of the nearby tennis courts. My serve still sucks, but tennis was great, and fortunately we played doubles, then jumped in the pool next door. Unbelievable.

Moving back in time: Bermuda. Yes they do wear those shorts and yes the Uigars from Guantanamo are the luckiest refugees ever (except for being in Guantanamo for years and years) and yes the uigars will be required to wear khaki shorts with knee high socks and blazers. But... they'll get to go swimming here:
So they got that going for them. (and sisters, I know you're jealous of my form on this dive).
Bermuda was like stepping into a postcard. Perfect weather, amazing hosts, tempered only by crazy narrow roads. The wedding of Minta, Susan's cousin, was beautiful, and her family was, as always, very welcoming, very fun. More on all later. Really just getting some pictures up to make everyone jealous. One of the trips many highlights was "Glass Beach." (Following this winter's trip to "Round Rock Beach," all my childhood treasures are becoming swiftly less valuable.) This was an amazing afternoon - our last of the trip. We follow-up on an off-hand comment from somebody and asked our host, Kathy Wadson about this place. Turns out the place was one of her favorites - though most other locals we asked didn't even know about it. These places amaze me - crazy and magical (because of the obvious appeals, but also because of the funky stuff that always goes along with - in this case, an old maritime slave graveyard on the hill above (if i'm remembering right), and syringes, etc. at the high tide mark. Just enough to keep it off the cruise ship itinerary), strangely peaceful, with a history (of people more than politics) that you can feel, and always turning up by a combination of luck and openness to adventure. The small beach on this small cove was probably no more than 200 yards long (split by an old concrete pier), but covered in sea glass. All the cobalt glass has long been scavenged, but years of dumping from a nearby, and now shuttered, glass factory left many gems, including chips of old porcelain (from plates to conductors), twisted and rusty pieces of factory pipe, and enough bottle ends and half-melted bits to keep a curious child occupied for hours.
For now, will leave with a few pictures, and return later to tell about the Bike Show, the Memorial Day Ride to Gibson Hollow, and the trail of tears that accompanied both events (for varied and random reasons - physical, environmental, mental, and /or emotional).
Discoveries discoveries always to be made.

Glass

Fennel covering the seaside hill.

More Jumping (i would send you pictures from the beach, but just look up "bermuda amazing beach" or something and photoshop us in.

Flora