Schooner On the Rocks

Good Morning Everybody. A whopping 2 degrees above zero this morning and clear as a bell. We are approaching the last quarter moon here in a couple days. The moon is beautiful sitting low in the western sky as first light approaches. Yesterday was another busy day. There just are not enough hours. Or maybe my expectations need readjusting. The forecast for today, mostly busy, slight chance of craziness, followed by clearing minds late tonight around bed time.

Jen took today’s photo of me trekking out to the schooner across the ice. (I am that tiny little dark spot on the ice under the bowsprit) Some of the windjammers have the ability to be dockside and can step aboard at will. Not so much with us. The dock system was left in one winter like this one with disastrous results. The ice is a powerful creature scouring the intertidal zone. I don’t understand how the rockweed survives it. A few pilings at the newly created harbor head dock facility were plucked up by the ice and toppled just a few weeks back. The schooner actually does well being locked in “on the rocks” as I say. Once locked in, the schooner doesn’t move so ice chafe is not a big concern. The cold temperatures actually are good for the boat and are part of her longevity. Wooden vessels don’t rot in these cold temperatures. For those traditional "plank on frame" wooden vessels that head south in to warm waters it is only a matter of time before the Earth reclaims what is has provided. The walk across the ice is not as perilous as might appear. The ice is about 8-10” thick and growing each day. I could walk around the schooner. I have been told that old timers used to walk on the ice with long poles just in case they stepped through one of the pressure cracks between the flows. When I was a kid my dog wound up found in the next town, many miles by road from where we lived but only a short distance away by ice flow across the harbor. He had seen us kids paddling around on the ice flows in front of the house and decided to take a ride. He forgot his paddle.

Have a great day! Be well. Do Good. Don’t forget your paddle.

Hail Mary

My heart is heavy with sadness as I write this particular blog. Since the beginning of August our dear friend and cook for the last 12 years, Mary Barney, had been struggling with cancer. I have intentionally respected Mary’s privacy and I apologize to you for not sharing any news about Mary’s health sooner. On Monday afternoon Mary passed away very peacefully at home, surrounded by friends and “family”. Her departure was as graceful as the rest of her life. Many people, including Jen, have been doing heroic work to support Mary these last few weeks. Oddly enough Mary was never very excited about transitions though this was about the fastest transition she ever made. And as I struggle to let go of Mary I realize I am terrible with transitions as well. We used to joke about how we liked things just the way they are, thank you very much, so why change what is working already even if it might be less labor intensive. Hard works is its own reward. I used to joke about getting Mary a Cui...

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