Jersey Dunes

Grandfather Mountain

2010-07-05T21:04:00.009-04:00

The bridge doesn't really swing, but it does move, and the whole thing hums loudly when the wind blows.

From the peak looking back to the parking lot and gift shop. There were thunderstorms in the area but our weather stayed dry.

Glo' is checking out the springs attached to the guy wires that help dampen the sway.

The road down...

Into the Teeth of a Nor'Easter

2010-03-14T14:27:00.009-04:00

Jenk's north pavilion: Low tide at noon.

High tide at 6:00 PM. Same place. It got worse.

Looking north across the inlet toward Manasquan.

Horizontal rain, winds gusting to 60 mph.

Looking east, out the mouth of the inlet. The area was evacuated soon after this was taken.

2010-02-07T18:44:00.001-05:00

Thanks Sis

I love you too!

Bleepin' Blizzards!

2010-02-06T15:20:00.004-05:00

Here we go again. About 14" with drifts up to 24"

And it hasn't stopped snowing yet!

Granddaddy's Boat

2010-01-31T19:51:00.004-05:00

Cousin Herb took these shots of a restored 1930 Elco. Granddad had one just like it. During WWII it was painted gray and used for shore patrols.

Snow Geese at Brigantine

2010-01-26T20:50:00.010-05:00

Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, called Brigantine by the locals, is just across the bay from Atlantic City. Note the windmills.

Snow Geese stop here to rest and fatten up for their migration from the Arctic Tundra to the Mid-Atlantic states. There were only a few thousand birds on this day. At peak migration, geese will number in the tens of thousands.

Pluck your magic twanger Froggy!

2009-12-27T15:12:00.002-05:00

The weather frog shows two and a quarter inches of rain. It fell in less than 2 days and washed away all the snow. (see below).

Merry Christmas from us to you

2009-12-23T19:42:00.004-05:00

May the peace of Christ be with you always

Snow Storm 2009

2009-12-23T19:23:00.003-05:00

There's a Ranger somewhere under that drift.

We were lucky. We only got 14 - 18 inches. Other Jersey towns got up to 24 inches.

The flowers of summer are planning their triumphant return under that white blanket.

Upside Down Tomatoes

2009-07-18T19:24:00.003-04:00

Not so much a revolutionary agricultural method as a fun fad. Rather than spend $20 on a store bought planter, we cut the bottom off plastic juice bottles and used a bent coat hanger to fashion a handle. A piece of cloth wrapped around the stalk keeps the dirt from falling out. These are not doing as well as our plants in the ground, but they are certainly unique.

Race Shops in Mooresville, NC

2009-02-22T16:13:00.010-05:00

Michael Waltrip Racing. Notice how clean the floor is.

Pit stop practice. A tank of gas and 4 tires in 14 seconds.

Roush Racing. The remains of Mark Martin's Busch car after a little mishap.

Penske Racing. That shiny plate is a perfectly level surface to take accurate measurments.

Drivers can spend up to 4 hours in the car which gets well over 100 degrees. They may loose 15 pounds during the race and must concentrate intensely while traveling up to 210 mph.

2009-02-08T21:20:00.003-05:00

Natural Bridge in Virginia. A natural arch carved by Cedar Creek. The arch is 215 feet high and 90 feet wide. There's a road up there - U.S. Highway 11. Thomas Jefferson once owned it, and the Monacan Indians consider it a sacred place.

2009-02-06T20:41:00.004-05:00

At the top of a class 4 rapid on the lower Gauley River. There's a 10 foot drop just behind the helmsman. The spring release of 1987 yielded 4 class 4 and 2 class 5 rapids. Definitely an E ticket ride.

2009-01-31T14:52:00.009-05:00

A cold and dreary day at Cattus Island park. A dirt road winds through the woods and ends at Barnegat Bay. Numerous foot paths take you from pine woods to marsh. A good area for birding. Robins stay year round due to plentiful holly berries. Nice nature center with exhibits for the kids. In the summer this place is the tick capital of the east coast.