Happy New Year - 2012!

 I don't have a photo of a dove, so I'm putting a picture of shore birds in flight. Here is one of my favorite quotes, to start off the new year : "When the power of love is stronger than the love of power, the world will know peace." - Jimi Hendrix.  Something to think about in an election year.  Peace may seem unattainable, but is worth always striving for.

Watching and waiting...

I'm on Tybee's north beach, watching and waiting as four cargo ships enter the shipping channel from the open ocean. Don't believe I've ever been at this corner, seeing so many ships at once. I can see several more on the horizon, no doubt bringing in holiday cars and products.
The 70 plus sun temp is warm on my back, two hours from slipping away, leaving us in darkness once again.

I'm here alone, consoling myself in the best way I know how, as it looks as though a job I would have loved to have had has been given to someone else. I can accept that, but I still feel a loss - a loss of what could be.

The job was at a local college, as secretary to a department head. A wonderful job perk is that, after six months of employment, you can take classes at no cost. I could see myself getting a Masters in English, teaching as an adjunct professor.

I'm stretching out these peaceful moments before I'm back to my "to do" list and problem-solving how to pay bills. Life goes on, watching and waiting some more....

Being thankful...

We're here, Mark and I, at the north beach channel, with our chairs and backpacks full of writing implements, cameras, sandwiches and drinks. The sky and water both appear cornflower blue in color, punctuated only by the islands across the channel. The strips of land are the only way to distinguish the horizon line. Temps are mild; low 70s with a gentle breeze and no clouds for the sun to hide behind. I like my beach sun in November! A man nearby is digging up mussels, the smooth sand interrupted by small mounds he has scratched up. A few people, probably tourists in rentals, walk by. A nearby beach house of modern design, with lots of glass, stands with windows and doors flung open to the breeze. Kayaks in bright blue and yellow are piled nearby on the small dunes. It looks so inviting I want to walk in or grab a kayak!

We are heading into the Thanksgiving holiday. What am I thankful for? To be alive, to be cognizant and and walking, with good health to this point. To be with my husband and son together, we three. To be aware of this moment in time. To be able to appreciate the past but still look with hope towards the future.

One step at a time...and loving it!

I have had some great walks on this three day weekend. With this pic, I am standing upright; the tree, on the bank, is leaning into the river. I took this near Skidaway Island on Veteran's Day and it was a cold, windy walk!

Today at Tybee Island was glorious! Mild temps and loads of sunshine! Calm winds with a low tide to boot!

Even the shore birds seemed to be enjoying the day. I love sandpipers!

Pelicans tend to be so skittish, so I was pleased to get this shot.

Making the most of fall days...

I was sitting with Mark at Ft. Pulaski on Sunday, at the beach by the shipping channel. We brought beach chairs, drinks and sandwiches to enjoy after our walk. Each season in Savannah is pretty, and I'm enjoying the blue sky, the golden marsh grass, and the blue-gray of the ocean. The temp is near about perfect today - upper 60s with a breeze. The sun feels great on my face! Visibility on the water is so improved in the fall. I can see details on the neighboring islands you normally couldn't see in a summer haze. No ships or pilot boats have gone by today. A smaller shrimp boat came into the channel but then left for open water. The sound of the lapping water, and the quiet of nature, is hypnotizing. So far we've had this area to ourselves - no yelling kids, running dogs, etc. Yesterday we were on Tybee walking. Mark showed me where two "free" parking spaces are. I'll check there first from now on. The smell of the marsh and open salt air is so familiar and welcome. This is the best way I know to enjoy unemployment! If I'd kept the teaching job, I'd be mired in lesson plans and a "to do" list today. I feel foolish after all the rants about not getting a teaching job. We each have a finite number of days, and I want to look back on each one to say that I used my time wisely.

Retreat from misery to happiness...

I'm sitting on a large piece of driftwood (remnants of a tree, bleached smooth and white from the elements) at Fort Pulaski. I'm at the shipping channel. It's high tide, or close to it. The water is almost at my feet. Oops, a pilot boat went by, but no, the ship is leaving the channel, not entering. No water worries! A ship can force a foot or two of extra water to the channel edge. Actually, I do have to raise my feet for the waves generated by the pilot boat but oh well....

I'm thinking about the history this area has seen. Ft. Pulaski sits on Cockspur Island, where James Oglethorpe, founder of Savannah, and John Wesley, founder of Methodism, both landed. The Confederate fort fell to Union troops firing from Ft. Screven at nearby Tybee Island. So much misery in the mid 1800s...now today a beautiful wildlife refuge and historical monument.

I've gone from misery to happiness myself. I haven't posted in some time and that is because I applied for, and got, a public PreK teaching position in September. I worked all through August setting up the room. I left after two weeks with the kids. The stress of having 22 students from 8 to 4 with no break and only one very young, very inexperienced and sometimes rude helper, scads of state paperwork, county training obligations, and lots of school level battles was just too much for me. This fifty-something would rather be a lot poorer and have time to get outside and enjoy nature. I had almost 20 years as a teacher, and it is time to leave it at that. I'm now looking for any kind of retail, customer service, or food related job. Lesson learned - misery and money often go hand in hand, and the price tag is too high for me!

New challenges for the fall

Just when you think it will never happen...I received a call back on a pre-K teaching position I applied for, interviewed and accepted the job! This happened around my birthday - best present ever! I am sorting through little kid stuff, making displays, having fun!

My son starts college next week, and today is dorm move in day. It is just a 45 minute drive away though. My husband is going to help with the loading and unloading. It will be an adjustment. The house is going to feel very empty. Not that he was always around anyway!

I see there's one spot left on a post at present....Pelicans are so cool!

Here's a recent sunset from Tybee. I haven't seen any manatees yet this year; have seen lots of dolphin pods with plenty of little ones playing. This month the jellyfish are making it hard to stay in the water without pain, and the black flies make sitting on the beach uncomfortable as well...this too shall pass by September....