Mykonos (Part II) - Saturday, 28 Mar 09

Another day in Mykonos proved to be just as rewarding as the first.
The sun shown a bit warmer, so wearing shorts was the perfect way to go - although a jumper did make it a bit more comfortable than just a t-shirt. Behind me is an area called "Little Venice"; named for the way the buildings are situated directly against the sea.

Speckled throughout the island were small churches similar to this one, yet each one unique in it's own way.

Along the northern edge of Charo (Mykonos Town) five windmills lined the hillside. This pic is taken from the water's edge in front of Little Venice.

A captured sunburst adds so much character to this ancient church that stands along the sea.

The sun continues to fall toward a distant island beyond the harbor. This was the repeated scene each evening in Mykonos. I do love my sunsets!!

Mykonos (Part I) - Friday, 27 Mar 09

A fair portion of Greece is comprised of many islands throughout the Aegean and Ionian seas. We had hoped to see several of these islands, but due to being low-season there weren't many ferries moving between the islands, but rather more so to/from the mainland cities. Rather than spend the majority of each day on the boats we elected to spend a few days at just one island and then return to Athens.
The island of choice was Mykonos. This time of year it was quiet and relaxed; which was just fine. It provided an opportunity to enjoy the environment without the typical summer crowds.

A small boy climbs one of many "streets" within the main city on the island, Charo - also called Mykonos Town.

The local people were busy preparing the towns for the upcoming tourist season. The walls were receiving fresh coats of paint as were the streets also. Here I'm standing along a typical passageway through the city (actually many were smaller); very unique in style and decor.

The coastline of Mykonos is a mix of rocky cliffs and sandy beaches. Here is a photo from one of the many beaches. The scene just looks so inviting!! Yes, I'm a beach nut!

Even though the windmills have no canvas, they are still very picturesque as they prominently stand above the city. Here the setting sun brightens the western face of the windmill as it also reflects off the sea.

Athens, Greece - Wednesday, 25 Mar 09

This year's main travel event was a trip to Greece, via stop-overs in Spain before and after. Well, due to the unpredictability of military air travel I missed out on several days in Spain before arriving in time to make the commercial connections to Greece. But hey, I still made it, so I'll concentrate on the good parts and forget about the not-so-good ones. :) The pictures I'll be posting from this trip will be both my own shots as well as those taken by my friend/travel companion, Felix. Between the two of us I think we captured some pretty nice photos during the journey.
There were numerous statues in different locations throughout the city of Athens; this one, an athlete posed on a pedestal, was positioned across the street from the Panathenaic Olympic Stadium. The sunny day allowed me to capture it in almost silhouette form.

The Arch of Hadrian towers toward a cloudy sky. The architectural details of this structure built more than 1875 years ago (approx 131 AD) remain very interesting and impressive.

While meandering the streets we happen to turn the corner just as the Changing of the Guard of was taking place. Even though their uniforms are considerably different than those of other countries I've seen, their actions were still performed with professionalism and respect as they orchestrated the very distinct and ceremonious maneuvers.

The front the Odeon of Herodes Atticus (a stone amphitheatre built in 161 AD) shines bright in the evening lights while the Parthenon sits high upon the hill in the background. A wonderful night shot (after the rains slowed a bit).

Another shot of the Parthenon (the main structure of the Acropolis) at night as it stands prominently high above the city of Athens. It was a great first day in Greece!

Sunrises and Sunsets - Delaware Style

I was pleasantly surprised to find that there are some beautifully colored skies in Delaware when it comes to the sunrises and sunsets! I still miss my ocean sunsets, but at least I have some wonderful displays of nature to enjoy quite often.
A colorful sky as viewed from my bedroom window. Fantastic colors!

Each morning I pass this farm and many mornings there's a wonderful sunrise peeking out to start the day. It's a wonderful way to begin the morning.

A few slips from aircraft passing over as well as some clouds made for an intersting morning sky.

The morning sun bursts over the horizon in blazes of vibrant colors!

A bit of distant fog clings near the ground, but the cloud edges show there's a magnificent sun just waiting to climb over and begin the day!

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow - Monday, 2 Mar 09

I was told that winter doesn't really arrive here until January. Cooler temps could be expected starting in Oct, but the snowy season held off a few more months. Even with that, I wasn't expecting a dump of snow in March.
The first six inches were already on the ground when I got up around 5am. I figured I should be up early enough to shovel out before heading to work. About an hour and a half later I had my drive and sidewalk cleared as well as my elderly neighbors too. As you can see, by the time I was done enough snow had fallen to afford another clearing.

I didn't know until I was half way to work that they closed the base due to the weather. I promptly turned around and returned home to enjoy multiple more occasions to be outside shoveling away what continued to accumulate over the remainder of the day.

Between shovelings it was nice to sit inside and watch the snow fall. It was a heavy, wet snow with minimal wind, so it clung to everything and piled up easily.

Another shot from the patio door of the snow covering everything.

The plow truck went through once late in the morning to give a single pass for cars. It was late afternoon by the time any clearing was being done. Since my neighborhood has several cul-de-sacs and circles they just piled the snow in the centers of each and left it there to melt. It only took a few sunny days for the piles to go away.

Philadelphia Flower Show - Sunday, 1 Mar 09

I was invited to the annual Philadelphia Flower Show by a friend of mine who happen to have an extra ticket. I thought it would be something different and interesting to do so I accepted the offer and went along.

Each year's show is done based on a different theme; this year's theme was Italia. The extravagance and detailing put into the displays in the show obviously took a lot of creativity and effort.
The entire area was an array of colorful blooms of every possible flower imaginable, all put together in unique designs and styles to represent different perceptions of Italy. As a lover of Europe, I enjoyed seeing what was being presented.
Mother nature never seems to skimp on the details. This lily was absolutely beautiful, right down to the "feathery" texture on the inside of the petals.
I think I enjoyed some of the "not so flowery" displays as much as those abounding with foliage.
Some of the designers had a eye for mixing their statuary and foliage to make a beautiful balance. This statue was just a small portion of a larger display, yet by herself she still made a statement at the front.
I didn't quite understand why there was a Irish display at this show, but really liked the Celtic cross that was used as part of it. The foliage in this display was done with less vibrancy and concentrated on the different shades of green. A very well done display, but a bit out of place for a show themed Italia.

Return To Antigua - 14-21 Feb 08

Less than five months after leaving Antigua the crystal blue waters, light sandy beaches and calming tropical breezes were calling me; I had to go back for a visit. While speaking of the trip within my office a colleague of mine commented "that sounds great, I want to go", so I replied "grab your passport and some $$ and come along" - he took me up on the offer. The week went very quickly, but it was wonderful to see friends and enjoy the island once again!
Not many hours after arriving we made our way to one of James and Mary's famous pizza party's. It was great to see some familiar faces and meet a few new folks too.

I've shown Devil's Bridge to many people as they've visited the island and never once have I been caught in the spray of water that shoots up and over the edge as the sea hits the rocks - until now. Watching those little fishes in the crevices of the rocks that must have been tossed up there by the waters left me a prime target for the "sploosh" that caught me off guard. I was subsequently drenched.

Game Night was a big hit while I was there, so a few of us got together for a pretty rambunctious game of Guesstures one night. Lots of laughs and fun throughout the night. Thanks Barbara for orchestrating that!

Sitting on the sand watching the boats sail by was such a big part of returning to the island. Thankfully Guy (my colleague/friend) was content with most of the same. I did take him around different parts of the island to see some of the sights too though.

Our final day there Mary was able to join in the fun for an afternoon at my favorite beach - Half Moon Bay. If you've seen my blog before you would probably recognize that name from numerous previous posts. It was a great day of fun on the sand and in the surf!

Christmas In Wisconsin - 24-28 Dec 08

After many years of being away from home for the holidays I was able to make a short trip back to Wisconsin this year. Even though I couldn't attend every family function spread out across the weeks before, during and after Christmas I was able to be there for a few.
Rob & Romelle have adopted a unique tradition of placing their Christmas tree outside on their patio. They enjoy it more there through the patio door from the dining room than they would in the family room. I love the idea and as you can see, it makes for a magnificent sight with the northern Wisconsin snow.

Out front the scene is a bit different, with a cheerful snowman to welcome you and bright white lights in the miniature trees that line the entry.

What's one of the best things to get for Christmas?? In my family that would be some hand made chocolates! Here at Dad & Audrey's home that's exactly what I was able to unwrap and enjoy (amongst other goodies too).

During my short five day stay we had two separate snowfalls. The pines behind Dad's house hung low as the snow collected on their boughs.

An old piece of farm equipment sits peacefully covered in fresh snow.

New York, New York, Sunday, 7 Dec 08

In late Nov/early Dec my friend Felix from Spain was visiting the US, where he spent time with friends in New York as well as here in Delaware. I went to New York during that time to see friends I hadn't seen in a long time and to take in a few sights while there. Here are a few shots.
The Chrylser Building lit up for the night. (Sorry for the blurry shot, I didn't have the tripod with me).

New York city as seen from the back of the ferry as it departs from the shore on it's way to the Statue of Liberty.

Statue of Liberty stands tall on a cloudy day with Manhattan in the background.

It was a pretty chilly day in New York, but still worth going out to see our Lady Liberty.

A creation of the weary and wanting as they arrived on the shores of America. This statue stands near the entrance to the ferries that travel to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

Home Sweet Home - Saturday, 1 Nov 08

After extensive searching for the perfect home I decided buying wasn't going to be the best option at this time. The market was still in a decline and homes in Delaware are still way over-priced in my opinion. As much as I didn't want to rent I decided that was going to be the smarter choice for now. So, on 1 Nov 08 I began moving into a two-story, side-by-side twinhome in Dover, DE. Here are a couple of shots of the new digs.
This should be a nice place to call home for a while.

Not much for a patio out back, but I plan to work with the landlord and see if I can get him to put up the $$ if I put up the sweat and do some upgrades in the back. We'll see what the summer brings.

Going Away Brunch - Sunday, 21 Sep 08

A few local friends put together a very nice brunch on the Sunday before I left the island to say good-bye. It was a excellent time for more laughter and smiles amongst some good friends.

Tina's back patio was an ideal spot to get together for a small, yet pleasant brunch with good friends.

I was so pleased when Catfish brought me along to a party at Patricia's home many months ago. She is a wonderful person and has become a great friend.
Likewise, I'm also very pleased that Patricia has shared her friend Tina with some of us. She is always good for plenty of smiles and good times. I'll miss them both very much.