This is the first summer Shanti and I have spent away from Florida since moving north. Living in North Carolina has been a real treat, honestly, but the accessibility to beautiful Florida white sand beaches we once had sure has a way of tugging at those home sickness heart strings. Ask me how many times I went to the beach in the few years we lived in Florida and admittedly, the figure would be in the low numbers. 
However, the escape from NC to FL was a wakeup call, if not for me, then for those of you that still live close to those beloved places only a tourist would love. I am all for promoting the place I once lived, but what is living if you are not participating? I can honestly say that my quality of life has improved greatly over the last year, but finding a place in my new home that competes with the cool waters, sounds of palm tree breezes, "exotic" beach wildlife, and a sun tan souvenir has not yet revealed itself. I just need to make it through summer and report back next year. Until then, get out and go to the beach (or whatever it is that makes your home "home")!
If you have gotten ahead of my typing and clicked through the photos and wondered "Sheesh...those look like pictures from a family vacation taken back in the 70s", then you would not be all that off on your assumption except that these photos were taken this past Friday (6/15) by yours truly with a camera built in the late 70s. (See inset photo.) So why the crappy 35mm film photos? Simply stated, I didn't feel like toting a DSLR home. It took about 10 steps off of the plane for my dad to ask "Did you bring your camera?" Regret, pain, panic, and all of those feelings an addict has quickly set in. I had the shakes. We were going to go to the beach the next day. WHAT was I thinking?! As luck would have it, I happened to give my dad a vintage camera for his birthday last year - the same one we were all photographed with as kids. A trip to the "Wonderful World of Sam Walton", a 4-pack of cheap Fuji film, and an old camera in hand I had all I needed to get my fix. 
So I wanted a shot of the boats, condos, water, and bridge railing. Instead I luckily got a picture of an Aston Martin Jaguar beautifully reflecting a whispy clouded sky. Luck - it happens and I will be the first to admit it. Come to think of it, the previously described scene would have been incredibly boring. What you don't see in this picture is the obnoxious telephone pole obscuring a block of condos in the backdrop. Don't look for it. Just enjoy the cheap 35mm photo hacked into a digital format. :)
What is not to love about a shady place from which one can take in the hypnotic sounds of the ocean? These brought back some great memories of a falling asleep with Shanti on the beach on an early Sunday morning after breakfast at the Clearwater Beach IHOP. There were no tourists and the cabana merchant had not yet opened shop to collect rental fees.
This is the clever work of an 8 to 9 year old boy and his dad over the course of their weeklong Florida vacation. Admitting that I was no longer a Florida resident and that I had given up that life for another up north was a tough one. The change of perspective from that of a once Florida native to tourist was a difficult moment to accept. Nonetheless, it made my appreciation of this sandcastle much greater. 
In late May to early June I had the opportunity to seek out a great wine country landscape view for a July edition of the Winston Salem Monthly Magazine. Within 35 minutes of Winston-Salem is a string of wineries offering beautiful views and wine tasting rooms outfitted from former horse stables and vintage homes. On a Sunday afternoon Shanti and I headed north on Highway 421 straight to the heart of Yadkin Valley seeking out some great vistas. The sun was already fairly low in the sky at about 6:30pm and the tasting rooms had long been closed, so being picky was not an option if I did not want to have to make a return visit. 
Little did I know, but I did not have to go much further than RagApple Lassie. One of my best shots selected for the magazine came from this particular vineyard. The view of the winery offers winding rows of grapes with a dusk view of Pilot Mountain far in the distance. The images was taken from the same vantage point as the one just above, but inclusive of the rows of grapes and recently tilled soil. Regardless, Shanti and I scurried along from vineyard to vineyard until the sun offered little light or little hope of another print worthy view. Overall, we visited four vineyards in a one hour stretch. Getting lost proved to add a little humor to the stress of having to get "that one shot." All is well that ends well and surely enough I will have something to smile about when the July edition lands in my mailbox. I sure wish I could have all of these images put to print, but alas only one lucky one gets the honor. The others are here for your enjoyment. Wine anyone? Cheers. Come visit Yadkin Valley sometime. You will not be disappointed. 
In exchange for Florida beaches are North Carolinian mountains full of hiking, biking, kayaking, camping, climbing, you-nameit-ING and it's here. Sure, there is no replacing the sound of waves and seagulls, but the hypnotic sounds of waterfalls, flowing creeks, and the wind blowing through the trees sure gives me that same feeling of just being relaxed. I have yet to decide which I prefer, whether the mountains or the beaches, but I am in no hurry to abandon either. I figure a few years in the deserts of Arizona or New Mexico might be another future quest for tranquility. Maybe someday I will pursue life in a big city filled with sky scrapers and subway systems. 
Carrying my camera became quite the chore after the first rigorous hour of hiking - so was anything else in my pockets. The day was cool and the wind was constant, but the sun was on overdrive making my clothes feel like it came out of the dryer. 
"Dinner at Union Station"
"Shanti's Starbucks for Starters"
"Gravel Path to the Capitol"
"Washington Monument by Moonlight"
"White House Lawn"
"Leaving Rosslyn Station"
*This painting in the National Gallery of Art is used to assist the gallery patron in locating the restroom.
"Family Outing"
"A Room of Gentlemen"![[banner_spring09.jpg]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IxW9pxRZGgw/SetdhfkCodI/AAAAAAAABBI/yZutqr7brFg/s1600/banner_spring09.jpg)
