passing

good bye mom...

Home Restoration

Construction and restoration continue on Old Wire Road. The latest challenge was the removal of 1960's aluminum siding and the replacement of our rotten porch.



Hibernating wasps stumbled around for a few hours.


The porch construction was a semi-frightening experience as we removed all the load-bearing columns and replaced them, but now it stands proudly.


Next, we installed a layer of insulation and hardiplank. This allowed us some quality time in the dry windy Florida air desperately attaching house wrap which turned our house into a Lowe's billboard. This wind also whipped-up a nearby trailer and forest fire which inspired amateur fire chasing.


Next a layer of concrete boards which we positioned with tools that Charlie referred to as "angels." His came complete with a grotesquely scrawled religious figure.


Charlie primed and painted the entire house almost entirely by himself while I screamed encouraging words at him...that went well. Coming up next: the garden and chickens are soon to arrive...

San Francisco: January/February

Cymande and I visited San Fran to attend her sister's wedding. We had a week to visit our old favorites (Kubuki, Zazie, Moma, Arizmendi) and create new favorites (the observatory at the DeYoung, Chantal and Noah's apartment, Bette's, the Tape festival, Frog's Leap Winery, Ace).

All of this was made extra-super because of the hospitality and generosity of our friends Chantal, Noah and Katie. We stayed at C+N's studio in North Berkley which was also being shared by several speeding trains; all the conductors compulsively fondling the whistle's trigger.

Kira amazed and delighted us all with her camp counsellor affectations and divaesque performances.

My dear old friend Gio lives 5 minutes away and we all went for a intoxicating and loquacious drive though Napa valley, starting with Amber at Frog's Leap and fading out with a friendly Czech pourer at a winery I have since forgotten the name of.







Shannon and Tobias were married at Stern Grove (a small green gem in the Sunset) and I had the enjoyable task of entertaining Lucas for the day. I taught him about Redwoods and women and free concerts. He seemed interested, but he did nap for about three hours while his parents celebrated their marriage. Cymande's mother was able to attend the wedding and reception and everyone celebrated her attendance.




We spent the last nights on Cole Street with our friend Katie. Her futon is underrated.

Little Christmas

Christmas Stinkhorn

Because about 100 bizarre fungi sprouted from the wet earth on christmas day we'll begin with the Columned Stinkhorn. And yes, they stink after oozing their spore slime.


Christmas day also brought us another gift: a small flock of Cedar Waxwings. Our camera was incapable of capturing the birds but here is Cymande and Lula enjoying the chance encounter. They hung around for 10 minutes until a Hairy Woodpecker scared them away.


Earlier this month we played with our friends (David and Allison) in Orlando and got totally overstimulated by things that threw us into the air and dropped us from the sky. I felt a bit sick by the end of it all. I failed to bring my camera because I figured it would be difficult to hold onto it while simultaneously screaming for my life. This chapter shall go undocumented. We did stop off at the Botanical Gardens in Orlando on the way home. Above, Cymande enjoys the fine Orchid Tree. Mmmm.


This is part of the new winter morning ritual. Reading with the light box.


We spent the entire Christmas weekend on-call and mostly at the clinic. I try to avoid discussing work here, but our job seemed to dominate our free time this holiday. Lake City did experience a little excitement and national fame (I heard "Lake City, Florida" on NPR) after a tornado touched down 10 miles north of us.


Oh, the coop. The interior is complete, as is the exterior! Now, we need actual chickens.


Charlie is back on Old Wire Road after they kicked him out of North Carolina. He is contributing greatly to the many difficult jobs around here. He also can be spotted batting oranges much to the delight of Lula.


Merry Christmas to all our friends and family and creatures of the forest and field.

Thanksgiving in South Carolina

Cymande and I spent Thankgiving by the marsh on St. Helena Island with her parents, sister and friends. I started Thanksgiving day with a butter-fueled smoke show, but out of the ashes rose a dozen cinnamon rolls (Cymande insists I report them as delicious). Outside we spotted some yellow-rumped warblers and bluebirds. Inside, the larger flightless turkey reached the perfect temperature. We were all thankful. The food was truly memorable and delicious.



There was good cheese, good wine, good music, and a goofy dance Cambridge made up herself. We toured Baxter Oaks with one of the proud developers. You can see from whence Cymande's smile came.


Upon our return to Lake City we were presented with a complete double rainbow that arched across the back of our property.


If you really used your imagination you might imagine its origin at the base of the soon to be dedicated Chicken Chapel (fully sided and painted, only the interior awaiting completion). Cymande would call it le Palais de Poulet but its style is more Plymouth than Versailles. Ahh...Florida...land of rainbows and rednecks.