I’m going to participate in Cee’s challenge to show black and white phots.
This week my black and white challenge topic is In or on Water. I hope you have FUN with this challenge.
An Experiment in Photography
Author Archives: Kim Smyth
Julie and Wes Visit Port Aransas
Our friends Julie and Wes came to visit us and see Port Aransas for a few days this week.
We packed a lot into that visit, which started Monday and ended last night. They left early this morning before we even got up.
Since they got in Monday afternoon, we let them get settled and went for drinks and snacks to Fins and sat in the outdoor bar area so we could watch the ships, and boats in the marina.
Julie and I had to take a selfie on the way, of course, and after drinks and snacks, we took her by where the fishmongers prepare the day’s catch coming off the fishing boats. She was shocked at the trashcan full of fish heads and tails, mostly red snapper. While drinking and snacking, we saw one of the local attractions, a restored pirate ship replica that takes kiddos and their parents out for a show.
We had drinks like a spicy Mexican candy margarita, and some delicious seafood nachos. That Margarita was spicier than I anticipated and we also met a couple of fun ladies in the bar that looked like they’d had more than one of whatever they were drinking, lol!
The next day, fishing was the first thing on the agenda. Unfortunately, it started out bad as we tried three different places in search of a working computer so Julie could get her fishing license. 🙄 It was all good later when we started catching fish off the bulkhead and got to see the surfer dude doing that thing he does so well.
After fishing, we came back and got in the pool for a while and had it all to ourselves! That’s rare!
Yesterday, being it was their last day, we went to the beach, then shopped for things Julie wanted, then they took us to Cancun restaurant for a Mexican food dinner to celebrate our anniversary. What a good day it was! The beach was calm, clear and the water was clear all the way out. We saw sheepshead, mullet, and some beautiful blue fish 🐟 and I saw a pink fish that looked like an opal in color. Wes and Julie were great company at the beach, but the fish weren’t biting for Dave. We stood in schools of fish that completely ignored his lure, lol. It’s been a lot hotter, so in the water is where you want to be.
Julie is great at taking pics, one of these we were not even aware she took. Then we had to have a picture of them when we got back from dinner. We were both wearing pretty dresses. I loved hers!! Dave and I look like we were walking on eggshells 🤣😂
Dave gave me a card, and I gave him a special duck for the Jeep that’s wearing a Captain’s hat. Them after eating dinner, we got back to the Jeep and we had been “ducked” by a stranger! That’s the kind of ducking I’ve been waiting for! Now I feel like I can be part of the Duck Duck Jeep group on Facebook, lol!
Now my oldest son Sean is here in a big house with friends, so we went and found him on the beach in their designated spot. We weren’t dressed for the beach, so we just visited for a few minutes and net all his friends. They will be partying there all night I’m sure! Hopefully, we can all be together hanging out one of the days he’s here. He is staying through Tuesday. When he leaves, friends Kerry and Michelle will be arriving. It’s so much more fun with friends and family, and friends that are like family visiting! ☺️
SOCS-Alone Time
When you live with your partner in such a small space, getting alone time isn’t always easy.
So I relish the few times that Dave runs an errand by himself. Today we’ll attempt the prompt by Linda G Hill who gave us this: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “left alone.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!
Yesterday, Dave set out to go fishing and so I was left alone to my own devices. I had plans, of course. My back was sore and I didn’t really feel like going, so I used the time alone to clean up, organize messy cabinets in the sala-living room-and paint my nails while watching the documentary “Save Me” about the life and career of the musician Jellyroll.
What an eye-opener that was! If you care to watch it, I’ll leave a link. If nothing else, it will make you understand the man more and that he came from a very bad past. What he has done with his life is nothing short of miraculous! It was a very good documentary.
I don’t like to do my nails when Dave is around to spare him the odors, but he got back earlier than expected, so we watched the rest of the show together. Even he was amazed at the man and his story. Oh, they call him Jellyroll because of his stature, and I think he said his love for donuts. ☺️
Sometimes, even when Dave is here, I find alone time by going in the bedroom to watch something like a movie on my iPad, so I did that too. I watched Ticket to Paradise, a very funny movie with George Clooney and Julia Roberts. Other times, as you probably know, I take off on a long walk. If he’s watching golf, like today and every week Thursday-Sunday, I find other things to do. Not that I don’t like golf, but all day for four days in a row is too much for me. I’ll wait for the last day, when it’s more exciting.
So, today, I plan to work on crafts, and maybe take a walk to check out the pottery shop and just browse. Who knows? I might find something I can use in my crafts or a gift for one of my many friends coming to visit this month. I can’t wait!! I won’t be left alone when they get here!
Fishing and Riding the Waves
It’s been an interesting couple of days, busy with activities such as fishing and riding the waves, so today I’m resting my sore back.
Wednesday we went fishing at the park pier and I scored two small fish, and Dave got one. They were of no value, so we tossed them back. One was a hard-head catfish and we don’t know what the other one was, but they ate all of our shrimp!
Dave looking like a true fisherman.
Me with the unknown fish and pictured is the hard-head catfish.
Yesterday, we went to the big concrete pier that most people go to, it might be the Pat Magee pier, anyway, we fought the wind and waves caused by large ships passing through and did no good at all, so we went home, ate lunch, and ventured out to the beach.
A beautiful day with kicked up waves, little to no seaweed, and puffy clouds along the horizon.
Even though it was extremely windy, we managed to put up the little shelter because Dave remembered the stronger tent stakes. Once or twice, we worried the tide was coming in and we might have to move, but we actually stayed in the same spot for the three hours we were there.
I caught a couple of good waves on my boogie board, and figured out that fighting the waves is really great exercise for me, because all of my rings were closed last night on my Apple Watch. The waves were different than usual, they came in sets, and when standing on the third sandbar, I could literally see the wave draw back the water to the point I could almost see the sandbar before it curled down and I thrust myself in front of it, hopped on the board, and it propelled me rapidly toward the shore. It’s such a rush, y’all, I wish it lasted longer. If only I knew how to surf on a surfboard, but at 62 with bad knees, it’s not in the cards I’m afraid. Anyway, normally, when the waves are bigger and harder to fight, I can’t make it to the third sandbar. That’s what made yesterday’s waves so perfect. I wasn’t too far out for Dave to get worried, or he’d have been whistling from the beach. (Like I’m one of his kids, lol). Floating on my boogie board was not as easy though because of the waves. I tire more easily now, so after a twenty minute session of fighting and riding, I have to rest before going out again. Another thing about my age is I pay for it the next day. Sore muscles, sore back. Some of that is from sitting too.
I took a cute video of a lady playing ball with her dog in the surf, but WordPress won’t let me post it. Anyway, he really loved the waves and would have done it all day. He did get sick a couple of times, which she had to clean up, from drinking salt water.
Fishing is not boring to me, I love it. Except when bobber fishing on a bad day. Watching the bobber for long periods of time with no chair is boring and also gets to my back. I like fishing with bait. Or lures. Dave tried his luck in the surf yesterday with a lure, but the waves were too rough for his small rod and reel. We don’t have surf gear for fishing because he said those rods were ruined from sitting in the shed too long.
One Liner Wednesday
| “It is a beautiful truth that all men contain something of the artist in them.” |
If you’ll indulge me, I thought I’d share a few of my creative projects. I don’t know about artist, per say, but I am creative. ☺️
Twisted Trunk Travels 