Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
Musings on cats, travel, gardens and life
Raindrop Jewels
We’re cold and rainy for a few days here in the Pacific Northwest so I curbed my plans for today’s outdoor activities. Even so, I found the raindrops on our maple tree to be exquisite and wanted to share them with you.
~ Susanne
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A Walk through St. Augustine and Castillo de San Marcos
On our drive from Charlotte to Orlando last fall we were welcomed into the sunshine state with very little sunshine.
But rainy or not we were determined to stop by St. Augustine, founded in 1565 and the oldest city in America.
More precisely, according to the Visitor’s Center: “St. Augustine is the first permanent and oldest, continuously occupied European settlement in the continental United States. The city was founded 42 years before Jamestown and 55 years before the pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock.”
It was a city that would change hands numerous times in its long history: from Spanish – to British – to Spanish – to the United States – to the Confederacy – and back to the United States again after the Civil War.
We set out to explore it.
Through the City Gates
Constructed in 1808, the city gates open onto the north end of St. George’s street into the heart of historic St. Augustine.
St. George’s Street
We walked down the narrow, pedestrian only street, and came across the oldest wood schoolhouse in the USA.
The street was also lined with restaurants and shops and I’m quite sure it would have been jammed if the weather had been better. We stopped for lunch, then browsed the shops and I somehow managed to abstain from buying anything (save ice cream.)
Take a closer look at the structure above, made of coquina, a Spanish word that means ‘little cockleshell.’ Coquina is a semi-rare form of limestone composed mostly of shells and a little sand and is the same material used to build the city gates and historic Castillo de San Marcos, which was our next stop.
Castillo de San Marcos
The large Spanish stone fortress was built between 1672 and 1695, to protect St. Augustine against pirates and defend Spain’s claims in the New World. It’s the oldest masonry fort in the continental USA, complete with drawbridge and moat, and is a prime example of the “bastion system” of fortification.
Now a National Monument, we met this soldier at the entrance dressed in the uniform of the earliest Spanish period.
We crossed the draw bridge and explored the castle-like fort and its historic artifacts,
including this Spanish coat of Arms from the 16oo’s, which originally hung outside at the ravelin.
We almost didn’t make it up top over fear of lightning strikes, but when the coast was clear we were allowed upstairs, happy to have brought umbrellas with us.
Not exactly the best day for a walk but I’m glad we stopped to see the historic city and its castle/fort. Now if we’d only had time to stop at the Fountain of Youth – but alas we were out of time. I guess I’ll just continue aging gracefully.
My entry for Jo’s Monday Walk
~ Susanne
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Dream House at Tiffany Park
There once was a forest in Tiffany Park. The trees were worn and tangled yet full of life; native plants and mosses provided splashes of color.
Deer and raccoon, owls and woodpeckers, all called it home.
Dogs and their walkers visited daily and there boys built their forts.
The woods were the stuff of childhood but I was not here then.
I came later when the Tiffany Park Woods became the backdrop to my dream house.
Until one day the woods were sold and the loggers rolled in.
They ripped out the trees where they were firmly planted for generations.
‘So violent,’ we said. ‘We didn’t expect it.’
Time went by and streets were paved and lampposts added.
And finally there was a house – a model house – like a luxury hotel at luxury prices.
With ninety more like it to come.
I won’t be buying one but that’s okay – I already have my dream house.
It still remains on the other side.
~
Inspired by life and Lorna’s prompt, ‘Dream House.’
~ Susanne
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Murals in Black and White
My portfolio is rather lean when it comes to murals but I did manage to find a couple of pictures in my collection from recent travels and bleached most of the color out of them – I hope they don’t mind. 🙂
The first is from Poulsbo, a charming town on Liberty Bay, known as ‘Little Norway.’ Most folks take the ferry from Seattle to visit and are welcomed by this mural on Front Street.
I found the second mural on the American Legion Hall in Snohomish, a tribute to local fallen heroes from the wars of the last century – WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam. If only it would stop there.
For Cee’s Black and White photo challenge, Murals.
~ Susanne
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Spring and Winter in the Garden
Sorry for another weather post but this morning we woke up to more of the white stuff. It’s pretty, but c’mon now, isn’t it time for spring yet?
I thought so earlier this week and managed to do some work in the garden
with a little help from my friends.
I even found some primroses in bloom.
So much more to do but it will have to wait. Nature has its own calendar.
~ Susanne
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Kitty Patterns
Benji and Tiger have lovely patterns in their fur and are happy to show them off.
But sometimes they are swallowed up by other patterns.
For Cees’ Fun Foto Challenge, Patterns.
~ Susanne
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A ‘Wow’ Road Trip on Maui
On our first trip to Maui a few years ago we were advised by friends who knew the island well to take two road trips while we were there. They traced them on the map for us and pointed out the best things to see along the way. The first was the Road to Hana which I shared about in another post (click here if you missed it.) I was prepared for the narrow roads, one lane bridges and continual twists and turns on the Road to Hana as they are well known.
But oh that second road trip! On the map our friend had written a single word over the route we were to take: ‘wow.’ The ‘wow’ road runs around West Maui’s North Shore so we started from the small town of Lahaina, the historic whaling village, once the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Lahaina
I took a few pictures of Lahaina Harbor but none as good as the postcard I got for my scrapbook.
When I first saw it I immediately thought of ‘Gilligan’s Island,’ though I understand the setting for the TV show came from a harbor on Oahu.
In addition to the harbor, shops, galleries and restaurants in Lahaina, there’s a giant banyan tree in the middle of town. Planted in 1873, it’s now 50 feet tall, nearly a quarter of a mile around with over 10 trunks that anchor it into the ground.
North and West to the Road
From Lahaina we headed past the resorts of Kaanapali and around the top of West Maui toward the ‘wow’ road. You’ll see it on the map below, where it says in red, “Narrow Road, Drive at your own Risk.’ So that’s what we did!
And yes, they were right, it was narrow!
Fortunately there were only a few other cars on the road as who in their right mind drives here beside the locals? The slowing below occurred due to the sale of fresh banana bread.
As we continued on we rose higher above the ocean and I became increasingly agitated, wondering what on earth we would do if a car came toward us from the other direction.
It did.
I squirmed in my seat as did the driver, my husband.
But here’s the good news. We got the inside lane and the driver coming our way realized the futility of his situation and began backing up, and up, and up until there was a small pullout. We were so glad it was him not us. Just in case it’s not obvious to you yet, if you ever take this road (unlikely I realize) make sure you drive it from the west side or you will be the poor soul going backwards near the edge of the cliff, with no guard rails.
It was fun. Yes it was, once we got past the hairy spots. At the top we stopped at the Kaukini Gallery and Gift Shop; I bought a picture and Bob took this picture of me.
Don’t I look happy? Yes, I was. But by then we’d had enough of the scary road and kept moving on, not even stopping for the famous Nakalele Blowhole which required a short hike under the burning sun and which they also warned people about since some tourists had been swept away by waves. (Um, I think we’ll pass.)
As we neared the other side we stopped by the lush Iao Valley and the 2,250 ft. Iao Needle where there was no lurking danger, only dark clouds.
It was as they say, a trip to remember.
Thanks for coming along! 🙂
~ Susanne
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Goodbye to Snowmageddon
It’s finally time to say goodbye – and some may say good riddance – to February and Snowmageddon. But before I do, I thought I’d share a few more pictures from our epic snowy February here in the Great Northwest!
Yes, it was inconvenient at times but we were richly compensated by seeing our landscape blanketed in beauty.
Now it’s time to welcome spring! 🙂
~ Susanne
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Crows in Flight
For as long as I can remember I have been intrigued by crows. On a recent walk before sunset I saw hundreds of them perched in treetops noisily chattering away until they all took flight to the next tree and then the next as they continued to caw, making the rounds again and again, partying I guess you could say, until it was time to settle down for the night.
Inspired by Travel with Intent’s Photo Challenge, ‘Movement.’
~ Susanne
Cats and Trails and Garden Tales 