Do you have the FE-VAH?

photos by John Robert Hill

That's right.
We got the FE-VAH.
Stan-ley Cup Fe-vah, folks. (that's fever with a Boston accent, for you Midwesterners)
The Cup came to the Island.
And was it ever Crazy Town!!!

Boston Bruins Prez, Up-Islander and Aquinnah resident Cam Neely brought the trophy to the island to share his joy with the Vineyard - and the Vineyard reciprocated with blatant devotion.

The island high school hockey teams first welcomed the trophy - right on the airport tarmac Saturday evening. Neely and fellow Island "summer people" Jerry Jacobs, a principal with the company that owns the Bruins, took the Cup into Edgartown on top an antique fire engine for a victory lap, stopping at Sharkey's Mexican Cantina, the Atlantic Fish and Chophouse and a function at the Boathouse. Olé!

And could they keep that Bad Boy down after the private party?
H-E-Double-Hockeysticks NO!

Stanley was hand-carried into the streets to The Wharf pub, for further adulation.

On Sunday kids, hockey moms and dads, puck bunnies and even the entire South Beach Lifeguard Crew stood by for a chance for photo-ops at the Edgartown School.

Then it was off-island, and on into prosperity and history.

And who ever said the Island didn't have diehard hockey fans?

All Hail The Bruins!
(Genuflect now, please.)

Have a good one. :)

Beachglass Kind of Summer

That's what you get when you live on an island.
Everyone coming here wants it.
And we have it. :)

Excitement like the last day of school.
Anticipation of the entire summer off.
The joy of being the first one.
The first one to spy that prized piece beach-combing, jumping forward, grabbing for the brass ring.
The first one to run slap-dash into icy cold waters. No matter what.
The first one to yell "Ollie, Ollie, In Come Free!" dashing for the tree.
And later, the first one to get that Summer Kiss.

On the watch for every opportunity to feel the bonds of summer.
The hot sun baking you dry while you lie on a sandy, sea-swollen beach towel.
Best bud at your side.
Keen on savoring every feeling of every last minute of every last day.
Eking the last drops of sunlight to play as hard as you can, spilling over into darkness for kick-the-can, statue, freeze tag on the lawn.

Like beach glass, it's a frosty, rounded around the edges, filtered view by memory, been-around-forever-like-those-worn-Keds kind of feel.
Listening at the water's edge for the ocean lap, like a good playlist against our mind.
The chance to reconnect with youth, simplicity and the kind of life we thought possible, once when we were young.

Feeling just like we are at the cottage, the camp, the cabin once again, no matter where we are.
Can you capture that feeling again?
Try.
It's here.
You only have to come get it.

It's there.
You only have to feel it.
With a little help from your memory and the dare to let go.
One. More. Time.

 

Have a good one. :)

Great Day in the Mornin'!

It was 6:19.
The 16 year-old cocker spaniel, Quinn, was starting her morning whine at the stairs.
Hmph.
I turned over. I did not want to get up.
I had just had an irritatingly bad dream.

Cup o' morning sunshine

I was nursing a headache.
I had company coming.
The house needed picking up.
A lot.
Then I remembered.
Madeline Tosh.
DK weight merino yarn.
Waiting on the hassock.
Where I left it.
Half knit into a Mara shawl.
The morning owl hooted.
"Whoo, whoo."
The birds twittered.
"Witchedy, witchedy, witchedy witch."
Quinny whined again.
Grmph.
I let Quinn out.
There was the Madeline Tosh DK. Right where I left it.
I reached out and touched it.
Soft. Sproingy. Enough hand to thoroughly enjoy knitting with it.
Sigh.
I let Quinn in.
I sat down.
And I knit.
At 6-something-something in the morning.
I knit because the house needed picking up.
I knit because I was nursing a headache.
I knit because the bad dream lingered.
I knit... because I could.
No, because I would.
In the quiet of the early morning.
Needles clicking softly.
Wool against my hand, lightly warm, inviting me in.
I would allow myself to knit... to 7.
Then I would get on with the day.
But for now, knit.
Thinking of nothing and everything.
Void into quiet and solitude.
Yet full of companionship.
Dawn of a new day.
Colors soothing. Soft gray fading into light swaths of misty red, the color of sunrise and india ink. "Calligraphy." Aptly named.

It seems to me that everyone should have a place, a thing, an activity to retreat to, to think, dream, plan. For comfort, peace, companionship. With or without others. Something to fall into, when you need to.
On an island or in a city. On a plane or in a car. In the park or at the pool. Lunchtime at your desk. Dinnertime with a movie. In the middle of the night when you can't sleep. Or daytime when you are too tired to listen. A pause that refreshes. A zen habit.
Plan for it.
Respect it.
And guard it as if your life depended on it.
Because really, it does.


Have a good one. :)

Zen Circle - Enso - the Absolute, Enlightenment, Strength, Elegance, the Universe and the Void

PS  - To help get you started, try:
Zen Habits or the book: Focus, A Simplicity Manifesto in the Age of Distraction, by Leo Babauta

Five Questions Friday

 

 

Rules for Five Question Friday: You can copy and paste the following questions to your own blog, answer them, and even link up if you want!

If you don't have a blog, but want to play along...feel free to answer the questions in the comments of my blog.

 

1. Is there something you've always wanted to try but just can't muster up the courage to actually do yet?

2. If you had $100 handed to you in cash without your significant other knowing about it, what would you spend it on?

3. What was your favorite piece of playground equipment as a child?

4. Do you prefer a sweet or hearty breakfast?

5. Are you a Neat Freak or a Messy Bessy?

 

 

My answers:

1. Try out the new Y pool. The open-to-the-public restaurant is situated RIGHT NEXT to the pool for prime viewing. UGH!

2. Yarn or something for the house or a bit of clothing at Bryn Walker.

3. I had several: the merry-go-round, the monkey bars and the swings. The merry-go-round because I loved the feel of the wind on my face (the round and round part not so much lol). The monkey bars because I loved the feeling of not touching ground and the challenge of making it across without dropping. The swings because I loved pumping my feet and feeling the freedom of going way up in the air. I sense a theme here. Freedom and weightlessness lol.

4. Hearty Breakfast. Nothing like a cheese omelet and maple sugar flavored lightly sausages. Ok maybe a little sweet. 

5. I am a little of both. I LOVE organization and organizing, especially others' stuff. But I can on a moment-to-moment basis be quite a Messy Bessy. I'm like a silver bullet - I just shoot through the air, not looking right or left, just full steam ahead to the target. Unlike my driving, where family members say when they pass me I'm never looking at the road lol.

And what are YOUR answers?

Have a good one. :)