Off to a flying start this day with the blog and photo editing/posting/printing. But the call from the great outdoors rang and we responded. Our sight was set on Annapolis.
Photo by Mike Hartley
A day trip to the state Capital was something we had been thinking about for a while. And a chance to take my freshly charged camera.
Photo by Mike Hartley
We used to go to Annapolis quite often but in recent years it’s been far less frequent.
Photo by Mike Hartley
Despite the great sunshine and blue sky, it was a cool day. I had shorts on but a jacket also.
Photo by Mike Hartley
Like any sunny day the Red Bean Ice Cream Bar was a popular stop.
Photo by Mike Hartley
Next week is graduation for the Naval Academy. The town was already jumping and looking good. But landscape crews, Tent assembly crews and other setup was under way. Go NAVY
Not a bad afternoon at all. Lots of walking, a good meal, some shopping and I got to take a ton of pictures. Mostly for this coming Thursday Doors. So, you will see more of this town later this week if you follow along.
Opinions
The federal gas tax is 18.4 cents per gallon. The cost of gas went up 20 cents per gallon last week alone, so what is suspending it going to do? Besides take away money for our failing roads and bridges. Moron.
I will miss The Late Show.
We are all now aware of a new virus – hantavirus
When ESPN started covering WWE like a sport that is when I thought to myself enough is enough.
There are so many good/great choices to eat in Annapolis that we could have stopped at a dozen places and been happy. We went to one of our favorites there called Carrol’s Creek Cafe for lunch.
It has a nice view of the harbor area and looking across at the Naval Academy. They hadn’t opened outdoor seating yet but I’m guessing it’s any day now.
The BBQ Shrimp wrapped in bacon and the Baked Oysters topped with horseradish, house made bacon and cabot vermont cheddar were really good. The Rockfish Tacos and Salmon Salads were excellent also. As usual, service was top notch.
Then it was over to Storm Brothers for some ice cream.
Annapolis is only 45 minutes from us (non-rush hour) so it’s an easy trip. Parking is getting a bit expensive, and I might have to look for alternatives instead of downtown.
Random Thoughts of the Morning
Another sunny day ahead puts a smile on my face.
A note from my daughter this morning will make that smile last all day.
The only thing that was missing at the White House yesterday was one of those air-filled balloon characters that flop around as the President was trying to sell cars.
I may be repeating myself, but RFK Jr is an idiot. And a dangerous one.
The last of the shots from Tuesday in Annapolis MD. At least I think it’s the last. I was pretty tired, editing late this morning. I fell asleep in the chair which I hadn’t done in ages.
Being the weather is rather overcast and wet today, I’ll have to do something other than sunny day photography. Have a great Friday all.
My better half and I spent a few hours in Annapolis on Tuesday afternoon and I was able to capture a few images along our walks.
First I’d like to share my appreciation of the 2 female members from the US Coast Guard team who took part in their lunchtime to grant a request from a stranger. As they pulled up and docked on Ego Alley and tied off a woman with 2 small children asked the 2 women Guard members if they would take a photo with her daughters.
They gladly agreed and took the time to make that mother’s, day. I didn’t want to hop up and distract the girls while they were trying to get the shot so I just took one as they walked off together.
Happy and maybe a new dream. Photo by Mike Hartley
This is a great town to walk and shoot. On the next trip, we visit the Navel Academy and hit some shops around town.
We love hitting new restaurants together and found a nice one in Annapolis Maryland. It had been a good while since visiting this town. So this place isn’t new, I believe they opened in 2022. It’s just new to us.
We were pleasantly surprised to see The Choptank on Ego Alley. What a beautiful spot on a wonderful spring day.
When younger we would always make a few trips a year to Annapolis but we skipped the last 2-3 years.
We love seafood and they didn’t disappoint. We split an order of Oysters Rockefeller and each had the Lobster Roll. Mine with fries and hers with a salad. And both were so good. There’s a great number of items on the menu, I’d try.
Photos by Mike Hartley
Some tips we learned on our first visit. If you want upstairs outdoor seating make reservations. Outdoor seating on the lower level is still very nice. Indoor seating by the windows should be your 3rd choice if possible.
On second thought reservations would be a good idea anytime here. We were there on a Tuesday afternoon and the place got crowded quickly. We were lucky to come early.
Oh, one more thing, our service was excellent. I wish I had gotten her name for this. But thank you again.
Obviously, with this view in this town with very good food you can expect to pay a good price but to us, it was all well worth it. And as General McCarther said, “I shall return.”
PS: Storm Brothers Ice Cream on the other side of Ego Alley is a nice dessert.
For those not from the area. Ego Alley = a short narrow waterway that expensive boats come to parade through.
Spend a few minutes outside with that substantial breeze today and you will feel winded here in the mid-Atlantic. I had thought about some outdoor tasks but thankfully decided to stay in and do some editing. I was going back looking for some street photography and found this item I hadn’t done anything with before.
The glassworks in the window make the town street come alive. Photo by Mike Hartley
It’s a store in Annapollis Maryland showing a street reflection. I loved the store but I believe it was gone on my last visit there. Wish I could remember the name of it. I got my daughter a gift from there when shopping together so I’ll have to ask her. I’m sure her memory is better than the old mans.
I think I’ll place a greater emphasis on doing more street shooting. I might as well, I’m on a mission to visit a great number of towns in this state I haven’t been to or love visiting and shooting before.
I’m having a lazy day. I didn’t sleep all that well. The AC repairman (preventive maintenance check) came and did his thing. Got to editing a few hundred flood pictures of the 2016 Ellicott City one. Made about 70 prints. Scheduled a doctors appointment and cooked some sausages for breakfast. Worked on a car and cleaned my workroom a bit. So I haven’t been a couch potato but I just can’t feel like I’m in gear.
Maybe I should get on the treadmill and see if I can find a gear to get me moving.
Random Thoughts of the Day
I was always so acutely aware of what day of the week it was when I was working. It took 3 months and 11 days for me to lose track of them after retiring.
Going to try a new butcher shop this week.
Time to shake up this office.
I wonder how many times a day my thoughts wander to my children.
I have no idea what lies in state for me the rest of the weekend but I hope to make the best of it. I think the only actual obligation I have is to say happy birthday to a brother inlaw but that is about it. There is the fact I have to pick up the basement from that whirlwind called a grandchild, no small task but accomplishable. And as always work on the relationship to keep that humming along smoothly and some phone calls to relatives and friends are needed. Geez, work is less than 24 hours away. And no holiday for this kid on Monday either.
Regardless my heels are in the air.
Kick up dem heels. Photo by Mike Hartley in Annapolis Maryland
I’ve already selected my next piece of wood for the next carving and am about to make the first cuts on that. Also just ordered another batch of ink for the printing press which I hope to have humming tonight. So lots of personal goals to accomplish this weekend.
But there is always a little time to kick up our heels on the weekends. Even if it isn’t a full blowout party, there is fun time included in the weekends now. Sometimes not a lot but always a little. It’s something I’ve been trying to incorporate into the weekdays more and more. And the more I do the better I feel.
In the last couple of years, my life is finally coming into what could be called a rude balance. Most observers would still say insanity but it’s controlled insanity. And once I jettison this overnight schedule and get back to some regular sleep patterns I’m expecting a lot more energy and a clearer head.
But there is a ton of life to kick my heels up about. One of the greatest gifts I think I’ve received besides my own children is getting to be a big part of their children’s lives. Watching them for a few years before they start school is a time that flies by so fast but it’s been so magical so far. And I’m imagining there are a few years after that where we can still go see their concerts or young league sports before they get into high school where I’m assuming grandparents aren’t cool, except at graduation.
Reflecting gets more distorted with time. Photo by Mike Hartley in Annapolis Maryland
And from experience, that time is upon you before you blink your eyes twice. So I savor each visit. Each Papa can I have this, each leap into my arms, each make me this or that request, each color with me or play with me ask. And now with another infant, the cycle repeats of smiling if they spit up on you or laughing each one of the hundred times, they will pull my glasses off my face. Because my role now is to make their life happy and enjoyable and a fun learning experience. I’ve always had a dream of doing comedy and this young audience is easy pickings and gives me great joy to make them laugh, even though I’d still like to try my hand at the old crowd too.
That coupled with my professional focus shift from IT work to the Arts has me about as happy as I’ve been in a long time. I wish I had found a way to incorporate both into my life as I do now but everything has its own time.
The demise of the manual transmission. With the coming EV revolution and fewer and fewer sports cars, even those mostly converted to high-tech automatic transmissions I have a sense of dread. For someone who had driven a stick all his life but a few years the thought of driving without a clutch and stick is repulsive, worrisome, horrifying, and downright depressing.
To think my grandchildren will never know the pleasure of glancing at that tachometer and then catching a second or third gear and feeling the tires break loose again brings me great sadness. To know they might be denied the privilege of downshifting through a corner and hitting the gas coming out of it leaves me shaking my head. I might just have to keep that Miata running to show them the love driving becomes with a stick.
I taught both of my children to drive on a stick. But they didn’t “stick” with it and drive automatics. I can see why the stick they had was in a small car. I had the privilege of a V8 and Hurst 4 speed shifter which I guess I fell in love with from Day 1.
Random Thoughts of the Day
Find yourself, no matter what age you are.
I’ve been wearing a broken set of reading glasses for a while now. Time to replace.
Keepsakes are very important to me. The kind of things I’d like to detail for my children so they aren’t quickly trashed.
Life is a lot more enjoyable when you take it off autopilot.
If I knew spending so much time with doctors was part of being old I would have become one so I could figure out what they are talking about.
Life is fun when covered in sawdust.
Sometimes when I’m writing I find myself typing to the tempo of the music.
