It’s a love-hate relationship.Vast bodies of water are one of my absolute favorite experiences. The power of an endless, roaring ocean; the inspiring sight of a sparkling blue lake; water so still it provides a mirror-perfect reflection of trees and mountains or touched by the wind to create ripples and whitecaps; ferries carrying their precious cargo; boats lining a marina. So much for the senses to take in.
Funny, how I have fear of the very thing I am drawn to. I am interested in looking at it; in being on top of it. I have little desire to be in it or under it.While my husband snorkeled in Maui; I floated along the top of the water, dipping my head in every so often to take a picture of him. I’ve always considered breathing underwater to be a thing best left for fish! Water skiing was cause for internal struggle. The skiing part was exhilarating; but my delight was tempered by having to begin and end in the deep, dark water.
Thankfully, on numerous occasions, a love for adventure and desire to challenge myself has prevailed over my fear. A trip to picturesque Orcas Island, part of the San Juan Islands of Washington, was host to one such occasion. When visiting Orcas, a popular thing to do is go sea kayaking in the Puget Sound.
Let’s take just a moment to analyze these two words:
Sea = deep, vast water; animals swimming amongst and beneath, including whales.
Kayaking = self-propelled human travel via a narrow, canoe-like, tippable boat, using an oar.
Our trip began with a lesson in how to maneuver the kayak and handle a possible tip. The very mention of which caused a combination of heart palpitations and nervous goosebumps. We were led to believe that, if our kayak were to tip over, we could perform a kayak roll using a swift lift-of-the-torso-hip-flicking-paddle-pushing action. I was fairly certain, though I didn’t share this with the guide or my husband, that – if I were upside down in the sea in a kayak – I would be spending more time figuring out how to get my lower half loose from the skirt attaching me to the kayak, and less time perfecting the roll technique.
Thankfully, neither method was put to the test.
As we floated away from the dock, getting a feel for how to propel and steer the vessel with our paddles and realizing the kayak was more stable than expected, the pounding in my chest slowed.
The sights and sounds surrounding us were stunning: water gently lapping against the kayak, hills of evergreens, snow-capped mountains, and blue sky mottled with cotton-ball clouds. It was peaceful, exhilarating, and the fact that I was playing a part in making the kayak move forward and turn filled me with a sense of strength.
As our group paddled out to the open sea, seals poked their heads out of the w
12 Comments on Deep Water, last added: 5/9/2010
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 5/3/2010
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: drawing, sketchbook, travels, Italy, Add a tag
There are 3 islands off the coast near Naples: most people know Capri, but we'd never heard of Ischia or Procida. All were rumoured to be beautiful, but the ferry to Procida takes just 45 minutes: instant escape!
We left Naples overcast and drizzly, but Procida was sunny, instantly cheering us up. The port bustled with cafes and gift shops, whining still with the inevitable scooters. Two mins walk though, and it became a sleepy village of an island, all cobbled lanes and crumbling render: just what the doctor ordered. We booked into a little hotel and resolved to put airports from our minds.
It wasn't a big island: we could walk its length in 45 minutes, cross it in 20. The coast was a series of round bays with high cliffs: flooded volcano craters, trimmed with dark, volcanic sand. A daunting 16th century fortress of an historic centre stared down from a high cliff at one end.
We spent our days pottering between the three pretty fishing harbours, watching men making nets and learning to drink espresso. We relaxed in the sun for hours on largely deserted beaches, gorging on picnics of local fruit, cheese and salami.
I paddled and sketched. Though it was clearly a busy resort come summer, we were out-of-season, so things were wonderfully peaceful.
We did a day trip to Ischia, also lovely, but much busier. Ischia has volcanic hot springs and we found one bubbling up in the shallows at the edge of a beach, so hot, you could burn your feet.
We walked in the sulphurous crater o
1 Comments on Heads (and Feet) in the Sand, last added: 5/5/2010
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 4/30/2010
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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We only intended to spend 2 nights in Naples, tacked on the end of our walking trip: one day in nearby Pompeii and one for pottering round Naples itself. Then off to the airport and home. Of course, the volcanic gods had other ideas.
Pompeii
totally lived up to expectations: we wandered the crumbly streets for 7 hours straight with Vesuvius looking down at us. It struck me that the site of such suffering is now a poignant and yet very peaceful place.
I was really pleased I'd read Robert Harris's novel Pompeii last year, as it helped to bring the whole event to life for me (it's a fabulous book, I'd seriously recommend by the way).
We didn't warm to Naples though.
Naples boasts the noisiest, craziest, most irritating traffic I've ever encountered. Many narrow streets have no pavements and the scooters that constantly zip between the randomly parked cars seem quite happy to run you down if you don't leap from their path. Annoying every 5 mins, but every 5 steps?!?
As an escape, we went on a nice day trip on the train, to a pretty, but quite touristy resort, Sorrento.
Naples boasts the noisiest, craziest, most irritating traffic I've ever encountered. Many narrow streets have no pavements and the scooters that constantly zip between the randomly parked cars seem quite happy to run you down if you don't leap from their path. Annoying every 5 mins, but every 5 steps?!?As an escape, we went on a nice day trip on the train, to a pretty, but quite touristy resort, Sorrento.
I sat on the harbour, drawing the fishermen above. When I showed it to them, one man explained that a local religious ceremony was just about to start and, sure enough, within 10 minutes, a procession led by nuns came from the church, carrying a painting of the Madonna along the harbour front.
The nun and the painting got into the boat above and left for Capri and, as soon as they had gone, fireworks were set off from the end of the jetty.
Our flight home on April 19th was cancelled of course. What to do?
We booked 2 more nights in N
2 Comments on Volcanoes Are Go!, last added: 4/30/2010
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 4/29/2010
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Just to let you know, I've scanned in some more sketches from the Italian villages, and the rest are in the Picture Gallery if you want a peek.
Look out for stage two of my travels tomorrow!
see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 4/28/2010
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Despite my worries, the poor feet did well, surviving a whole week of trekking, with only occasional pain killers. Phew!
The weather was a bit iffy. We had 2 days of walking in constant, torrential rain, and overall had very little sunshine (unlike the folks back home: grrrr...) but it was ok really: overcast is so much better for keeping cool while trekking up and down steep hills.
The scenery was dramatic: one day we'd be in lush, sweeping valleys, winding between the peaks, the next picking our way along a sheer-sided gorge, the limestone below sculpted into womblike shapes by a thundering river.
That wonderfully mournful clang of goat bells often drifted to us between the trees, but we rarely saw any other people until we arrived at our destination.
The villages were timeless: generally tiny hamlets nestled in high mountain valleys, twisted through with narrow, cobbled streets, with huddles of old men standing around, watching the world go by.
We walked for 5 - 6 hours each day, staying at a new village every other night, doing round walks on alternate days, to make things less hectic.
We walked for 5 - 6 hours each day, staying at a new village every other night, doing round walks on alternate days, to make things less hectic.
We were mostly pretty early to bed, after the tramping round all day, but our favourite early evening pastime was finding the local watering hole, and having a beer while watching the men playing cards. It seemed to be the locals' favourite pastime too:
see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
13 Comments on The Feet Done Good!, last added: 4/30/2010
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 4/27/2010
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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We finally got back late last night.
Yes: we got trapped in Italy by the Iceland volcano eruption. A whole extra week. All rather ironic, since we were stuck in Naples, at the foot of Vesuvius!
I will, of course, be filling you in on how it all went and showing you some sketches, maybe even a photo or two, but a pyroclastic flow of emails surged into my inbox this morning when I logged on, so I need to set-to with the sensible, boring stuff before I get to chat further.
Back soon...
see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
3 Comments on I Am Home!!!!, last added: 4/29/2010
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By: Kelly Hoeckelberg-Young,
on 3/23/2010
Blog: Cross Your T's (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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I've mentioned it often ... my love of travel. Recently, and for various reasons, 'big' travel has not been able to grace our to-do list. When I start feeling antsy, but can't hop on the next flight to some wonderful destination, I look through pictures. This week, I have been enjoying Kauai. We traveled there in late 2007. Please join me on a quick photo-trip through the gorgeous island ... and be sure to play the video at the end!
Rainbow east of Kiahuna Beach ...
Rainbow east of Kiahuna Beach ...
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Our last night on the island, we were graced with this gorgeous sunset (taken in Po'ipu) ...
Bottle Palm in the National Tropical Botanical Gardens ...
Oh, to have a tree that looked like this one, located in the parking lot of the Botanical Gardens ...
A stunning orchid in the Botanical Gardens ...
A sky flower, also in the Botanical Gardens ...
15 Comments on Come With Me to Kauai ..., last added: 3/27/2010
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By: Kelly Hoeckelberg-Young,
on 3/9/2010
Blog: Cross Your T's (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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I promise to return with a much happier and light-hearted story next week, but thought this one important to share. It comes straight from my college photo book, highlighting my time as an exchange student in Austria. While most of the entries and captions are happy and hilarious, this one is devastatingly solemn. When I put the photo book together, this particular entry displayed no photos, just words.
Mauthausen Concentration Camp
October 18, 1992
I suppose the weather was what one would call "perfect" for a trip to a concentration camp - cold and damp, with a constant drizzle falling from the cloudy gray sky. For me, the weather added to the heaviness and gloom that I felt as I walked through the buildings and grounds of the camp. Mauthausen was built beginning in 1938, and was listed as a Level 3 camp, i.e. no return to society. Thousands died in this labor camp under the Nazi regime.
As we entered the camp, the first building our group was shown was a bunker. The rooms in the bunker had wooden bunk beds in them - each bunk bed wide enough to fit one normal-sized man laying flat on his back. The "prisoners", however, were forced to sleep three men to a bed. Even at the extremely emaciated state these men and women were in, this would have been extremely difficult. I'm sure, however, that this must have been one of the only ways they were able to stay warm throughout the night.
Next, we were directed towards the museum, where we were also shown a movie about the holocaust. The things I learned from the movie and museum were disgusting, sickening, and fascinating. Thousands of prisoners were forced to carry large boulders up the steps of the "Stairway of Death." If one of these people were to slip or "get pushed", it would turn into an avalanche of people and stones, killing hundreds. Himler, who was in charge of the camps, stated that he didn't "enjoy" his visits to the camps because they made him "sick to his stomach". While Germans and Austrians usually had some chance of survival, Poles, Russians, and Jews had no chance. Prisoners were usually fed every third day, only three spoonfuls. If they ate more they were beaten to death. When it rained, the prisoners had to lay on the ground and form a human carpet for the S.S. men to walk over so their shoes wouldn't get wet and dirty. No matter what the weather, prisoners had to stand outside from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day.
Towards the end of the movie, I could hardly bring myself to keep my eyes on the screen. I kept forcing myself to watch, however, because it's too easy - in our day and age - to forget the tragedies that occurred so many years ago. It's so easy for us to simply turn our eyes away and not watch. The movie showed piles of emaciated dead bodies; bodies being carelessly thrown into carts; close-ups of bodies covered with flies. The pictures were powerful and frightening. How could any human care so much for dictatorship and so little for human life and dignity? After seeing the movie, I didn't want to be at the camp any longer. Many people came out of the movie in tears.
We continued our tour in an amazing silence - there was absolutely nothing that could be said. We walked through rooms with human-size ovens which were used to incinerate dead bodies, then continued into a room resembling a large communal shower area. The prisoners who walked into this room thought they were going to get a shower . . . instead of water, however, they were sprayed with fatally poisonous gases.
We were led through a torture chamber, and into an area resembling a hallway. T
15 Comments on An Encounter with Gloom, last added: 3/13/2010
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By: April S. Hopmere,
on 2/7/2010
Blog: April S. Hopmere (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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It's good to be back in Australia, but we sure had some amazing adventures! We visited five different states (New York, California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona), most of which I had never been to before, saw some absolutely beautiful sights, got a lot of snow, and took thousands of photos between us!
I also got to pat a squirrel, which is very bad I know, but it was soooo cute! It jumped up on my knee - I just about died with excitement. I'm not scared of rabies shots - I'm the girl who wants to get the shots anyway so that I can touch bats, just in case I ever need to! (Bats are adorable, by the way, especially Fruit Bats and Blossom Bats). The photo above was taken while I was feeding him some cookie (don't do that, kids! It's bad, so they tell me).
Anyhow, all our mail got delivered today, and I was so excited to see this postcard from Siobhan Parkinson:
Thanks so much for the postcard, Siobhan! I'm so glad you got to visit my blog and see that I loved your book.
In other news, this Saturday I am having my inaugural Picture Book Party! I am so excited!! And my book is officially for sale. In a few weeks it will be on Amazon. Here is the cover. Click on the link on the side of my page to check it out.
Thank you for reading!
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By: Kelly Hoeckelberg-Young,
on 1/26/2010
Blog: Cross Your T's (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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This is a re-post from about a year ago, with a few minor updates. I've been thinking about Austria lately, and this is one of my favorite memories. And, I'm so thrilled for the upcoming Winter Olympics, I can hardly stand it ... and there's a bit of Olympic trivia in this story. Enjoy! :-)
One of my favorite memories of my exchange student days in Austria involved a trip to Innsbruck, Austria.
Admittedly, I’d label the majority of Austrian towns as ‘gorgeous and amazing’, but - oh my - is Innsbruck ever cool. It’s situated right in the midst of the Austrian Alps, which makes for great hiking, especially when you’ve been blessed with stunningly beautiful weather.
We visited the Alpenzoo first. Situated 727 meters above sea level and nestled into the mountain, it is the highest zoo in the world. And, as its name would indicate, it is home to animals that originate from the alpine region, showing them in their natural habitat. The Alpenzoo, in and of itself, could be considered a hike for many.
After visiting the zoo, our group split into two and my dear friend, Rachel, and I decided to hike up into the Alps. It was my absolute favorite day in Europe … exhilarating and incredibly beautiful.
Halfway up the mountain, we were joined by Marco from Germany. We had no clue who he was, but he stayed with us for the remainder of the hike. He seemed nice enough, as did all our fellow-hikers that day. I guess back then crazy stalkers weren’t as prevalent on our minds. I’m still quite certain he was a bit enamored with Rachel!
Halfway up the mountain, we were joined by Marco from Germany. We had no clue who he was, but he stayed with us for the remainder of the hike. He seemed nice enough, as did all our fellow-hikers that day. I guess back then crazy stalkers weren’t as prevalent on our minds. I’m still quite certain he was a bit enamored with Rachel!
We made it above the tree line and, after a few moments of sitting and taking in the beautiful view and brilliant blue sky, decided to commence the joint-pounding trek down the mountain!
Towards the end of our descent, we passed another hiker who was headed up the mountain. As he passed, he greeted us and asked, “How vas the vodka?”
You know how you respond when you don’t really know what someone has said, but you still want to reply in a friendly and jovial way? You kind of do a hearty laugh and throw your head back like you ‘get’ the joke or the funny comment even though you haven’t a clue as to what they actually said?
That’s what we did. And, I think we added something like, “Gut … sehr gut!”
We giggled as we tried to figure out what had possessed him to ask us about vodka. I mean, we knew these particular hills were alive with music, but not vodka-drinking hikers.
It wasn’t until a few laughter-filled minutes later, that it dawned on us what he had really asked.
“How was the walk up?”
“How was the walk up?”
To this day, Rachel and I still laugh about that story. And, it just goes to show that the hills are alive … with music, yes … but also with fresh air, exhilarating views, and very friendly German-speaking hikers. No vodka required.
18 Comments on How Vas the Vod-Ka?, last added: 1/29/2010
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By: Kelly Hoeckelberg-Young,
on 1/19/2010
Blog: Cross Your T's (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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It was a very cold, snowy night in December. Our gas-powered fire was pretend-crackling and I had a million things to do before Christmas arrived. I was quickly flipping through the television channels in search of something entertaining to keep me awake while I accomplished my never-ending list of “to-do’s”.I found "The Sound of Music" and was hopelessly drawn in. I got very little done for the rest of the evening, and went to bed way past the time I had hoped for.
Sure, I've seen it a dozen, maybe more, times (though never from start to finish). Yes, I know the story, but certain details sometimes need refreshing. Yes, the song lyrics have long been ingrained in my brain. Nevertheless, I still had to watch it.
Maybe because it is such a gentle, hopeful movie about the love of family, standing up for what you believe, and holding on to the hope that "when the Lord closes a door, somewhere he opens a window..". But, I think it's also because it reminds me of my time as an exchange student in Austria, including a funny little incident involving a certain gazebo in Salzburg.
We traveled to Salzburg in November. My most vivid memory is that of hillsides crowded with trees in every shade of autumn you could possibly imagine, against a brilliant, clear-blue sky. It was like walking into a painting. It was gorgeous.
I also remember our long and comical search for the famed gazebo from 'The Sound of Music'. Just when we were about to give up looking, we found it. Locked! Hours of walking, and it was locked. I could see inside, but it wasn't the same. I wanted to be inside where they had filmed that touching scene between Maria and Captain von Trapp.
So, I did what any reasonable college student would do. I started pulling and yanking on the door. Not that I thought I would get in ... my roommate and I were laughing to the point of tears when she took this picture.
Nonetheless, I still do believe that when God closes a door, somewhere he opens a window ... just not the one to 'The Sound of Music' gazebo.
22 Comments on When God Closes a Door ..., last added: 1/22/2010
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By: April S. Hopmere,
on 1/19/2010
Blog: April S. Hopmere (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Yay, tomorrow we're off to America for another adventure!
Oh, and I have just discovered the joy of brush pens. Maybe I shall give my beloved pencils a break and give pens a go.... Hmm.
See you next month!
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By: Maria Madonna Davidoff,
on 1/2/2010
Blog: Maria Madonna Davidoff - Artist Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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By: Maria Madonna Davidoff,
on 12/10/2009
Blog: Maria Madonna Davidoff - Artist Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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I'm in a time " crunch" before I fly again. I am doing all the last minute preparations for my trip to Europe and Scandinavia. Wrapping up some illustration projects, x'mas shopping for my Swiss Friends, and other errands. Also I just sold this painting yesterday entitled " Flying High" so how coincidental is that?
7 Comments on Illustration Friday Theme: Crunch, last added: 12/10/2009
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 12/7/2009
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Urban Sketchers, Lapin, sketchbook, illustrators, Vietnam, travels, Add a tag
This morning I was messing on Urban Sketchers, instead of getting on with more boring stuff, and found an old post entitled 'Inspired by Lynne Chapman's Post'. How lovely!
Well, I had to take a look of course. It turned out to be a reference to my trip to the hairdressers earlier this year:
This is the sketch Lapin drew of his hairdressing experience (love the busy fingers!):
Lapin is a fellow illustrator who lives in Barcelona and it turns out that, like me, he has been sketching in Vietnam:
I so love the way The Net helps us make connections that would otherwise be impossible.
see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 11/18/2009
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Rick Tulka, Flickr, drawing, sketchbook, travels, Add a tag
Some of you may be familiar with Flickr, where artists keep on-line portfolios. It's a brilliant way of quickly finding other creative people out there, and keeping up with their most recent work.
It was on Flickr that I came across fellow illustrator Rick Tulka who, like me, is a tad obsessed with sketching people in public places (Rick's the one in colour in the montage above).His character observations, drawn in pencil in a small sketchbook, are always exquisite, sometimes poignant, often hilarious. I love his eye for detail.
For a couple of hours almost every day, Rick sits sketching in the same Parisian Cafe: La Select.So, when we decided to go to Paris for a few days, I thought it would be fun to look in on him. I was a bit nervous, but dropped him an email.
We got on really well and it was lovely chatting over a coffee (in La Select of course). We talked about the sketching, as well as all sorts of other things. Turns out, when Rick is not in the cafe, he works as an editorial illustrator, which is what I used to do too, before I got into children's books.
It would be nice to report that we sketched each other, sketching, but we both agreed that we hate drawing portraits 'on demand' and much prefer clandestine scribblings under a table.Also, it hadn't occurred to me before but, because his work has more caricature to it than mine, Rick said he never ever shows the victims what he's drawn. Fortunately people rarely spot him at it either. Interesting.
I'm really glad I made the effort to look him up, and it'll be so nice now to be able to picture exactly where Rick's sitting, when I look at the new drawings he posts to Flickr.
see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 11/14/2009
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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I have really enjoyed my break - we decided to whizz off for 3 days in Paris! It's over 15 years since John and I were last there, when we were first together.
It was a bit chilly for hanging around outside, so we pounded the halls of as many galleries and museums as we could fit in, before our feet withdrew their services in protest.
John was keen to visit the Louvre for the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo.
My favourite was probably the Musee d'Orsay, where they keep the bulk of the post-impressionist work. I can never get enough of it: the colour combinations make my blood zing! Totally inspiring.
It's astonishing too, standing in a room surrounded by paintings, every one of which is so famous that it's worth millions. Weird.
And we had to visit Monet's waterlilies of course. Fabulous.
The Orangerie is such a great space too: emanating calm in the centre of the city, like a secular cathedral to colour and light...
I took my sketchbook as you can see, but with such a short time and so much to pack in, I hardly opened it in Paris itself. At the top is a breakfast stop in a cafe, waiting for the Arts et Metiers to open. I highly recommend the museum: a massive collection of technological inventions through the ages, including the first flying machines, like this one:
Plus the earliest computers, all sorts of working models, and even Foucault's Pendulum, hanging all the way down from the apex of a chapel.
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By: Kelly Hoeckelberg-Young,
on 9/8/2009
Blog: Cross Your T's (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Last week, hubby and I took the kids to the stunning Bonneville Fish Hatchery in the equally-impressive Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Before actually going there, I would have never guessed I would be referring to a fish hatchery as 'stunning'. But, it is. The grounds are simply gorgeous. I walked around clicking pictures and commenting continuously on how beautiful everything looked.
The main attraction, however, is not the landscaping. It is Herman the Sturgeon. I couldn't help but think how perfect a character Herman would be for a children's picture book.
The main attraction, however, is not the landscaping. It is Herman the Sturgeon. I couldn't help but think how perfect a character Herman would be for a children's picture book.
While myths abound, the true facts about Herman are limited in number, but staggering to the mind:
- Herman the Sturgeon is over 10 feet long.
- He weighs in at over 450 pounds.
- He is over 70 years old.
My son and daughter thought he was a riot. As he nonchalantly swam by, my son waved; while my daughter excitedly showed him her Pet Shop pups ... ya know, just in case he was in to that kind of thing.
As for me ... I'm still wondering about the picture book possibility. Looks like I've got some research in my future!
Happy writing!
28 Comments on Herman ... A Fish Tale, last added: 9/11/2009
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By: Kelly Hoeckelberg-Young,
on 8/27/2009
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It was early. Dewdrops balanced atop the grass blades, sparkling in the morning sun that would soon be heating up the aptly-named resort town.“Are you going biking today?” my husband asked, as he quickly took a final inventory of his fishing gear. He and a friend, whom we were vacationing with, were embarking on a remote fly-fishing trip along the Deschutes River. They would be out-of-range and unreachable all day.
“Yes!” I could hardly wait. I was a fairly avid biker and was thrilled to be taking advantage of the 35 miles of paved biking trails weaving in and through Sun River, some of it along the Deschutes.
My dear friend was 8 months pregnant. We were staying in her aunt’s stunning vacation home. They had a relaxing walk planned for their morning.
I grabbed a bottle of water, stuffed my I.D., some cash, and a snack into my small bike pack, and attached them to my bike’s front frame. I was off!
Or, maybe not. I had a flat tire. I pumped it. It immediately went flat. It was the inner tube. Dejected, I returned to the house.
“No problem,” said my friend’s aunt, “just take my bike!”
I was both excited and hesitant to ride her gleaming, new bike. Really, though, why was I worrying? I had never been in a bike accident before.
Odd, the power of suggestion. Not that it was even a suggestion, really. More like a passing thought.
To be continued ...
14 Comments on The Kindness of Strangers - Part I, last added: 8/31/2009
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By: Kelly Hoeckelberg-Young,
on 8/6/2009
Blog: Cross Your T's (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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This past weekend, we visited the always-stunning Oregon Coast. The roar of the ocean and the warmth of the velvety sand has the immediate effect of relaxing all the tensed-up muscles in my neck and shoulders. I love it.
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And, so does the rest of the family. The kids are as content as can be digging in the sand, constructing sand buildings and bridges, and running alongside the frigid water. Jeff perfected a new sand-building technique I'd just read about in a magazine ... combining water and sand, and letting it drip from your hand into little sculptures. Witness here ... a mountain of sand trees!What amused me most, however, was our attempt at flying the Blue Angel's jet kite. The wind was just this side of a little too calm and it refused to stay aloft. At one point, as Jeff held the string and Braden tossed the kite up in the air for one last attempt at flight, I grabbed my camera ... and shot this sequence:.jpg)
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Oh, yes ... we've got it ... we're heading up .....
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no ... wait ... we're going down ...
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oh dear ... yep, we're eating sand.
For some reason, as I watched this all happen over the course of mere seconds, my last rejection popped into my head. Usually, I'm waiting for a response from a children's book publisher. This time, however, I was thrilled to be waiting for a response from a magazine editor. It was the first magazine article I had submitted. I was branching out, expanding my horizon ... and I was quite excited by the prospect.
When the editor e-mailed back, I had the standard, "Do I really want to open this?" feeling in the pit of my stomach. But, of course, I did.
The first line was good ... "this is terrific", it read. I was soaring up, up in the air.
But, then I read the word, "unfortunately" ... oh dear ... I think we're going down.
"We can't find the right place for it in our line-up." And, there I was ... eating sand again!
I actually chuckled as I stood there, in the warm sand, silently connecting my rejection to the failure of the kite to fly on this particular day. Because ... on a different day - when the wind is just right - that kite will soar up in the air (and, yes, it will eat sand again too!!). It was a great reminder to me that someday - when the timing is just right - something I've written will find its place and get its chance to soar. In the mean time, I'll just have to learn to appreciate the sand!
29 Comments on Eating Sand ... The Ups and Downs of the Writing Life, last added: 8/17/2009
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By: Kelly Hoeckelberg-Young,
on 7/2/2009
Blog: Cross Your T's (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Travels, Summer Memories, Add a tag
Some might find it surprising that I have such an obsession with Italy - Tuscany, in particular - considering what happened to me while vacationing in the beautiful country a few years back.Hubby and I learned, after our trip, that the weather we thought to be normal for the late May/early June timeframe was very much non-typical. In fact, they had been experiencing a somewhat unusual heat wave. And heat waves can, apparently, bring on infestations of certain pests, namely fleas.
I should note here that I have an allergic reaction to flea bites. There’s a back story to that … I’ll share it at another time.
Our first stop was in Rome. There, I accumulated five or six flea bites. Thinking it to be a fluke, I grinned and beared the bites as they grew into large blisters. I was slightly miserable, but thoroughly enjoying the historic and culinary experience that is Rome.
Florence was the second stop of this dream vacation. In an effort to be frugal, I had found a wonderful Florence apartment on-line, boasting a gorgeous view of the Duomo. The owner was going to be traveling while we were in town, and had made his flat available for a reasonable price to gullible travelers such as myself.
The flat, with its musty stench and jungle-like plant arrangements did – in fact – have a view of the Duomo. Yes it did. If you went into the bathroom, which measured approximately 3 feet by 5 feet, and stood on your tip-toes to look out the 1 foot by 1 foot window, you could see the peak of the Duomo perfectly. (See that little bug, strategically located on the picture above? That's the bathroom window of our flat, as seen from the top of the Duomo! :-))
The bathroom – view or not – brought me to tears. Upon arriving in sizzling Florence, with my ever-so-itchy blisters, all I wanted to do was wash away the itchiness with a shower. After standing on my tip-toes to view the Duomo, I turned my attention to the task at hand. Unfortunately, a shower did not appear to exist in the 3 by 5 foot bathroom space.
Sink? Check. Toilet? Check (sort of).
Oh, wait … there is a water tank mounted over the toilet; a floor drain in the middle of the room; and a hand shower of sorts propped near the tank. Super … the bathroom is the shower.
I had exactly four minutes to wash, relax, and get my mind off my growing, itching blisters before the tank of lukewarm water emptied. Certainly, though, things would start looking up soon.
The next morning, I awoke to oodles of new blisters. It was then that we pulled back the covers to find fleas dancing on the sheets.
Day’s agenda: Visit the Ponte Vecchio and the Piazza della Signoria; buy hydrocortisone and bulk supply of Band-Aids; and eat lots of gelato to numb the pain and itching.
That night, in the midst of an Italian heat wave, I went to bed wearing socks, sweats, and a sweatshirt. Certainly they wouldn’t be able to attack me through so much clothing.
They did. Our dream vacation was quickly becoming a flea-infested nightmare. Second only to my hubby, Lenirit Idrocortisone Acetato became my close and constant companion.My main goal as I dressed each morning had become attempting to disguise the increasing number of Band-Aids and hideous blisters under the diminutive selection of warm-weather clothing I had brought along for the trip. “Certainly, I can make these capris stretch down to my ankles!”
In a heroic effort to keep his bride from going insane from the incessant itching, hubby suggested we ditch our next intended stop – Venice – and head north to the cool, fresh air of Zurich, Switzerland. Forget trying to be a good sport … I jumped on that bandwagon and, with a sigh of relief, concurred with the suggested change in travel plans!
By the time we left Florence in a mad dash to escape the heat-seeking fleas, I had 32 blisters lining my body from neck to foot … most of them concentrated on my legs, some measuring the size of a dime.
At this point, frugality was a distant and silly thought. I found and booked a room at the Zurich Best Western, where - upon arrival - I wept with joy at the beautiful tub and shower, and the gorgeous, fluffy down beds.
We emptied the entire contents of our luggage into the bathtub, ensuring no fleas had hitched a ride north with us. Dream vacation saved, though bite scars still remain as a bittersweet reminder of our time under the hot Italian sun.
We do plan to eventually make it back to Venice …this time, however, we’ll be a bit more mindful of timing, in the hopes that we don’t arrive during an Italian flea-infested heat wave!
23 Comments on Beware the Fleas of Italy, last added: 7/15/2009
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By: Kelly Hoeckelberg-Young,
on 6/23/2009
Blog: Cross Your T's (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Writing, Travels, Favorite Writers, Add a tag
If I had to choose one word to sum up fellow blogger friend Rebecca Ramsey's memoir, "French by Heart: An American Family's Adventures in La Belle France", it would be ... delightful. No, wait ... engaging.
And, hilarious.
But, really, truly just delightful.
And touching.
Oh ... and heartwarming.
But ... really, I'm sticking with delightful.
And, very charming.
And real.
And oh so delightful!
Maybe it's because I dream of someday living in Tuscany. I know, I know ... that's not in France, but it's a similar uprooting kind of experience so just go with me!
I lived in Europe once before, as a college student in Austria. But that was different. I took two suitcases; she took an entire house worth of furniture, cars, a cat, and three children!
I attended a college where all the classes were taught in English, save for the intensive German class; she had to send her three children off to a French-speaking grade school.
I lived in a flat with other American students and not once did I lay eyes on our fellow building neighbors; she lived in a house in the middle of a French neighborhood with very curious neighbors!
Reading Rebecca's account of their four years in France was a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining experience. It was the last thing I read at night before drifting off to sleep. It was like being transported to life in France each night, after a crazy day.
It became my nightly respite. When it ended, I was not pleased. My nightly trip to la belle France was gone. Where was I to go now?!
How about Tuscany via "Under the Tuscan Sun" ... after all, that IS my goal destination!
It became my nightly respite. When it ended, I was not pleased. My nightly trip to la belle France was gone. Where was I to go now?!
How about Tuscany via "Under the Tuscan Sun" ... after all, that IS my goal destination!
Thank you, Rebecca, for kick-starting my summer reading travels with your refreshing and witty account of family life in France!
19 Comments on Transported to France via "French by Heart", last added: 6/26/2009
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 6/9/2009
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: drawing, pencil, sketchbook, travels, Add a tag
Sorry I've not been talking to you for a while - a good friend of mine just married a Czech woman and we were at the wedding in a little town called Novy Bor. We decided to make a week of it and spent a couple of days in Prague too. Of course, I did a bit of sketching. These are my favourites, both done on the Charles Bridge:
Last time I drew all pointy buildings, so this time I concentrated on people. I thought it was rather ironic to draw a portrait of the portrait artists, so sat down beside him as he began work.
I tried to do some sketches during the ceremony, but they didn't come out as well as I'd hoped, as the lighting was quite low and ambient - always a problem for me these days (getting old!).
It was lovely to experience some different wedding customs. My favourite was during the wedding feast - the bride and groom were swaddled together in a huge napkin and they had to feed each other, which looked very tricky!The groom's speech was so moving that everyone was in tears. I dabbed at my eyes with my napkin, then put it back on the table, on top of a tea-light. We were all so engrossed, nobody noticed until there were actual flames leaping up from the table! I was accused of attention seeking again...
see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
6 Comments on Back from Novy Bor, last added: 6/11/2009
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By: Kelly Hoeckelberg-Young,
on 5/27/2009
Blog: Cross Your T's (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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I must admit, when I first packed up my apartment and headed south from Seattle, WA to Portland, OR ten years ago, I was reluctant and a bit teary-eyed. My bonus was going to be living with my hubby ... we'd been commuting between Seattle, where I worked, and Portland, where he worked, for four or five months. The I-5 corridor is lovely, but quickly gets old when you're driving it so very often! My company had an office in Portland ... thus, the reason for me making the move rather than hubby.
Anyone who has experienced the loveliness of Oregon might wonder why I was hesitant to make such a move. Both states are green and beautiful and filled with mountains and valleys and all sorts of natural wonders. And, Oregon is less ... drizzly!
It was the water. And, no ... not the variety of water descending from the sky.
Seattle sits between two major bodies of water ... the stunning Puget Sound to the west, and beautiful Lake Washington to the east. And, in and amongst those major bodies of water are more bays, rivers, lakes, and creeks than you can imagine. I had become accustomed to seeing crisp, blue water everywhere I went ... I biked along Lake Washington, and ran and walked along the Puget Sound. It was not only beautiful ... I found it completely calming.
And, here I was ... headed to a city with a river ... a single, not-always-so-blue river. Secretly, I wasn't pleased. Yes, there were lakes and creeks and all that stuff too ... but it just didn't seem as expansive ... as accessible.
But ... I quickly realized that I had increased my accessibility to the mother of all bodies of water ... the gorgeous Pacific Ocean. This made me quite happy. In under two hours, we could be at the beautiful Oregon Coast, playing on the soft-sand beaches. The roar of the ocean and the warmth of the sand - even when the air is chilly - tops my ultimate relaxation list!
We headed there this past Memorial Day weekend. It was perfect! Technically, the picture at the top of this post isn't from our most recent trip ... it's from last August, when it was a bit warmer and the water a bit sparklier from the sun's rays.
This breezy beach weekend, however, proved to be perfect for kite-flying! So, the stunt kite finally got a good workout!
And, as an added bonus ... we arrived home to find this beautiful first bloom on the clematis ... a perfect ending to a relaxing weekend!
Anyone who has experienced the loveliness of Oregon might wonder why I was hesitant to make such a move. Both states are green and beautiful and filled with mountains and valleys and all sorts of natural wonders. And, Oregon is less ... drizzly!
It was the water. And, no ... not the variety of water descending from the sky.
Seattle sits between two major bodies of water ... the stunning Puget Sound to the west, and beautiful Lake Washington to the east. And, in and amongst those major bodies of water are more bays, rivers, lakes, and creeks than you can imagine. I had become accustomed to seeing crisp, blue water everywhere I went ... I biked along Lake Washington, and ran and walked along the Puget Sound. It was not only beautiful ... I found it completely calming.
And, here I was ... headed to a city with a river ... a single, not-always-so-blue river. Secretly, I wasn't pleased. Yes, there were lakes and creeks and all that stuff too ... but it just didn't seem as expansive ... as accessible.
But ... I quickly realized that I had increased my accessibility to the mother of all bodies of water ... the gorgeous Pacific Ocean. This made me quite happy. In under two hours, we could be at the beautiful Oregon Coast, playing on the soft-sand beaches. The roar of the ocean and the warmth of the sand - even when the air is chilly - tops my ultimate relaxation list!We headed there this past Memorial Day weekend. It was perfect! Technically, the picture at the top of this post isn't from our most recent trip ... it's from last August, when it was a bit warmer and the water a bit sparklier from the sun's rays.
This breezy beach weekend, however, proved to be perfect for kite-flying! So, the stunt kite finally got a good workout!
And, as an added bonus ... we arrived home to find this beautiful first bloom on the clematis ... a perfect ending to a relaxing weekend!
20 Comments on Calming Water, last added: 6/5/2009
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By: Maria Madonna Davidoff,
on 4/25/2009
Blog: Maria Madonna Davidoff - Artist Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Vietnam, Travels, Asian trip 2009, HapLong Bay Cruise, Ha Long Bay Cruise, Add a tag
Our Cruise to Hop Long Bay, From Start to Finish
Bart & I waiting for our car service to take us to our crusie ship to Hop Long Bay,
A three hour drive from our Intercon Hotel Hanoi. Hap Long Bay is a world Heritage site
and is one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
and is one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
The traffic in Vietnam--filled with motorcycles, some carrying stuffs you cannot imagine:The drive is an experience in itself.
More Motorcycles:
Stopping at a ceramic workshop where you can buy souveniers done by the disabled:
Some rural scene on the way to hop Long Bay:
Beautiful sculptures:
The ceramic workshop:
Madonna Davidoff in the middle of two buddhas:
Finally, we reached the port to board our ship to Hop Long Bay:
Our ship the Hop Long Ginger:
We chose this ship because it only has 10 private cabins and the interior is all wood plus it resembles an old Asian sail ship. Really beautiful and cozy, plus romantic:
Having my first Vietnamese beer while waiting to board:
The captain of our ship The Hop Long Ginger
Our ship The Hop Long Ginger:
The Ship's bar:
Our Ship Guide named SON
My lifesaver--I made sure I know where it is...
Our cabin:
Our cabin bathroom:all marble
The ship dining area:
More views of Hap Long Bay( lime stone islands, lots of them)
Bart getting his coffee:
Stopping at a beach at Hop long Bay:
Another cruise ship The Indochine: a view from the beach
Madonna Davidoff at the beach in Hop Long Bay:
Bart swimming at Hop Long Bay beach:
Again, yours truly after a swim in the water:
Back again in our ship:
Bart enjoying the breeze at the top deck of the ship:
Madonna Davidoff on the top deck of Hop Long Ginger:
Approaching the Fisherman's Village: some of the fisherman's kids selling shells:
Fisherman's Village homes: All of them have TV and electrical power:
After seeing the Fisherman's village, we are now visiting the Hop Long Bay National Park:
Waiting for dinner at sunset:
Our dinner at the ship: giant prawn, Vietnamese fresh spring rolls, crab soup, grilled fish, calamari and of course dessert
The Morning after: before breakfast in the ship, more vendors -I bought a sea shell from one of them:
Bart & I before breakfast:
This is a typical Mini Mart vendor in the sea:
After breakfast, we are now visiting one of the famous caves in Hop Long Bay:
Madonna & Bart inside the caves:
Going back to our ship after the caves:
Madonna Davidoff in a tradti0nal Vietnamese dress:
Our last lunch buffet at the ship:
An unforgetable cruise of the Hop Long Bay:
Bart and Madonna Davidoff 2009, Vietnam
0 Comments on Hap Long Bay Cruise, Vietnam as of 4/26/2009 1:41:00 AM
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What a perfect description of your relationship with water. Hope you get that boat someday, apartment or not.
Water I can't see the bottom of makes me a bit uneasy. I'm a great swimmer, but still, I'm with you.
what a great post!! the experience sounds amazing and the overcoming even better!
Lovely. I'm so glad for you that you were able to overcome your fear and relax and enjoy your beautiful surroundings. When you talked about needed to learn how to roll the kayak over in case of a tip.. I held my breath. I'm with you when it comes to deep water.
Well done you :o) Yes you never know just what is lurking down deep. I use to love swimming out quite a long way in the sea, but after 'Jaws', I was too scared.
I'm with you. I'm scared to death of the ocean, but also love it sooooooo much! (and yes, I was almost a marine biology major and am scuba certified etc.)
Wow! You're brave.
The last time I went on a canoe trip with my husband, our two hour easy paddle turned into a six hour adventure that would not end! I ended up in the hospital with carpal tunnel--this is when I was 23--with an old lady disease!
Now, many years later, he keeps begging me to try again. Your beautiful description makes me want to consider it...if I can't float along as a passenger!
can float along, not can't
I need coffee!
What a wonderful post! Congratulations on facing your fears head on! This post is a metaphor for just about everything that's scary in life: following your dreams, success, love. I have the feeling that your words are going to be echoing in my head for a long time, "sometimes, the deepest water can bring the greatest joy." Thanks Kelly!
I love the deep, dark water :) But I have to say water-skiing wasn't my thing...I could never even get up! My arms are too weak, I guess.
I have a similar love-hate relationship with water. When I was in college, for a while I wanted to be a marine biologist because I was so drawn to the ocean. Then I realized that I'm actually terrified of what lives under the surface. When my husband and I honeymooned in Hawaii, I was all set to snorkle with him, but the first school of fish that swam by freaked my out and he ended up snorkeling by himself the rest of the trip.
I'm glad you overcame your fear and had such a wonderful adventure. :)
Give me a swimming pool! If I can't see through the water I'm a mess!