THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR ACTIONS AND SURVIVING NATURE’S WRATH

 

A series of essays….

SUNSET AS SEEN FROM THE BEACH ON CAPTIVA ISLAND

….as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E Hughes

Once again, you forgot to put the dog on a short leash to take her outside for her morning constitutional. Once again, you paid big time for it. When will you learn? I know, you’ll be asking yourself that same question over and over again and answering it in the very same way the next time she pulls you outside the front door, slamming your left hand against the glass at what seemed like one-hundred miles per hour…

Consequences. Yes, we bear the consequences and must accept the responsibility for our actions as the result of them. Even when we’re forgetful enough to erase the memory of the pain these activities precipitated; the swollen, black and blue left hand, the result of meeting the glass head on, rendering you helpless, forcing you to slink down the front stoop in absolute pain after transferring the handle of the leash to the right hand. 

The sound of flesh and bone hitting the glass with such ferocity that you immediately looked around the neighborhood thinking that someone else must have heard it. Someone will surely step out of their door to see what caused such a loud commotion as you double over in unimaginable ‘hurt’ with the dog pulling your right arm straight out and your already purple left hand clutched to your chest before you work up the nerve to splay it out and gingerly check for broken bones. Someone must have, at least, heard your shocked scream with its tearful results as you trailed the dog into the backyard—oblivious to the consequences of her own actions.

MY NASTY, NASTY BRUISE!

Underestimating the strength of your puppy creates negative consequences just as underestimating the power and sheer force that pushes a major hurricane along towards the destruction of property and life down its path. Hurricane Ian sits right off the Gulf shoreline with its eye making landfall near our beloved Sanibel Island. Ian is playing ‘ugly’ with sustained winds of 155 MPH and wind gusts reaching 190 MPH equaling a category 4 hurricane. These are numbers too high to even imagine. The imminent destruction to property and lives (if you have not evacuated by now) is the consequence of your non action and will be catastrophic in proportion. 

Having lived in Orlando from early 1997 through August of 2018 and personally experiencing quite a few hurricanes in that span of time, let me say that they are certainly no picnic to live through. The 2004 hurricane season hit Orlando like a nonstop freight train barreling down the tracks, spawning tornadoes in their aftermath. Charley relocated a large live oak tree in our neighbor’s backyard by unceremoniously tossing it into ours.

Charley, Ivan, Frances, and Jeanne, names I’ll never forget, took aim at Central Florida in rapid succession and spread their ugliness across the state between August 13 and September 26, 2004. The windowless main bedroom closet, equipped with a battery operated radio, became a retreat and sanctuary. Our Cocker Spaniel, Brûlée, was so used to this space that he would find his way into the closet during normal thunder storms for many months afterwards. 

The physical act of covering all windows with plywood and having to live in candlelight and flashlight glow day and night, filling the bathtub with water, packing the car in the garage with our most precious possessions, and backing our truck snuggly against the outside of the garage door in the hopes of preventing the door from blowing inwards— all reflect the preparation of hunkering down before a hurricane passes through. With any luck, all of this hard work will pay off or, at least, the worst of it will pass by you and the sun will come out again the following morning. Did I mention that all of these hurricanes happened long after the sun set and on into the very early hours of the morning? The secrets in the dark haunt us forever.

Ian, a very slow moving disaster, is going to crawl across Florida for the next several days while flooding this low-lying state via initial storm surge and potential rainfall. Charley, Ivan, Frances, and Jeanne moved swiftly by us with minimal flooding. This one will be different. Every morning, following each storm, large parking facilities of lineman from all over the country were waiting outside the main storm areas to do their job by restoring our power. Ian, I’m afraid, is going to keep the lineman busy for quite some time.

My heart aches regarding the potential destruction of my beautiful Sanibel Island and Captiva Island while landfall is making its way even as I type. We purchased a timeshare unit on Sanibel while visiting there on our tenth wedding anniversary years ago and enjoyed wonderful family vacations at Sanibel Cottages until moving permanently to Florida when we, eventually, sold our unit. This area is among the most picturesque in the state and draws people there from all over the world. We were exulted at having been able to purchase a small piece of paradise and create amazing family memories for many years.

Watching the official correspondence out of Washington D.C., President Biden recently spoke to the people in danger of damages and loss due to Ian and verbalized the federal government’s intent to be there for them via FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency. My fervent hope is that, politics aside, the governor of Florida and the president will work to evaporate their differences and secure the means required in order to assist the people of Florida after Ian moves on. President Biden warned that raising gas prices by major oil companies after the hurricane will not be tolerated and action may be taken if this happens. How important recovery will be after such a major hurricane sheds its devastating impacts on Florida and beyond.

Lessons are learned after every storm and every storm can be entirely different. I do understand that no matter who you are or where you live, disaster can strike at any time. Natural disasters can place us in survival mode and impact multiple people at once with great speed and precision. Cooperation with one another is the ticket to survival. That’s a major lesson learned while living in Florida all of those years. You learn to appreciate the beauty of the land, as well as respect all of the possibilities that come with it. 

BEAUTIFUL, COLORFUL
SANIBEL ISLAND

Every action has its very own consequences. These past few days have made me even more aware of this as I recall fond memories of Sanibel Island, as well as a painful slam into a glass door leaving a wicked bruise on the back of my left hand. (Bree fails to understand her own strength and how it can affect all of us.) As the eye of Hurricane Ian makes landfall, I shiver to think of its consequences on the people and landscape of Central Florida. 

I wish everyone the opportunity to ride this storm out safely and experience a positive outcome when all is said and done. Storms of this magnitude are not to be second guessed or trifled with. Stay safe people of Florida. Live to tell your grandchildren how you survived Hurricane Ian back in September of 2022!

Copyright © 2022 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved

FRIENDSHIP NEVER FADES

 A series of essays.....

ENJOYING TIME TOGETHER IN CELEBRATION, FLORIDA

.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

Friendship may seem to disappear for a little while but, it never fades away into oblivion. Human nature does not forget the strong bond that is formed between friends, even when circumstances can tuck it away into the folds of time, only to resurface once again as strong and beautiful as ever.

The soft clinking sound of one crystal wine glass tapping another, coupled with yet another toast to health, good cheer, and priceless friendship renewed, still rings in my ears. I sit here this morning, i-Pad on my lap, feeling just a little bit lonely; a tiny bit sad. Our friends have moved on to the second phase of their Floridian excursion before traveling back home to Michigan, but their laughter continues to reverberate, sweetly, in my head.

I met Janis the year my parents decided to make the move up to Three Rivers, Michigan from Terre Haute, Indiana in order to help my grandparents run the laundry and dry cleaning establishment they had built-up through the years. It meant that we'd finally be settling down in one place instead of changing towns and schools every year to follow my dad's employment with the Sinclair Oil Corporation and Quaker State Motor Oil Companies. 

It turned out to be one of the best years of my life!

Thrust into an high school environment as an eighth grader, it was easy to see how, at a very young age, we were influenced by the upperclassmen. Back in the day, Three Rivers High School included an eighth-grade program. We had to learn to blend in with everybody in order to survive. Janis and I had several classes together, shared a sense of adventure, understood the importance of study ethics, and maintained Honor Roll status throughout our high school careers! We just clicked, immediately.

Even though we moved on to different colleges upon graduation from TRHS, we always kept in touch and visited one another at Alma College, Janis' alma mater, and, ultimately, Michigan State University, for me. 

Janis, eventually, moved to East Lansing, Michigan and I invited her to move into the apartment I had been sharing with several girlfriends I had, initially, met on campus while living at Shaw Hall. And, it just so happened that a really nice looking guy from Jackson, Michigan lived in the apartment above us with several other roommates. Well, Janis and Fred began dating one another and, as the old adage goes, the rest is history, folks!

Dan and I had been dating while I still lived in the dorm on campus and he had already moved to a house apartment located on Evergreen, north of Grand River Avenue, the main street that runs through East Lansing. The four of us hung-out together quite often during this time. 

Well, let's just say that Janis wore a gorgeous shade of pink as a bridesmaid at our wedding and I.....well, I served as an 'honorary bridesmaid' at hers two years later because I had been considerably pregnant at the time. It was not my desire to draw any attention away from the actual ceremony by waddling down the church aisle along with the wedding party. But, we were there, once again, cheering each other on as life took its course, babies were born, addresses changed, and challenges arose.

SO MANY MEMORIES.....!

Not long afterward, Dan and I had ensconced ourselves in the life rhythms of the small town of Eaton Rapids. Fred and Janis, not far away in Holt, located just south of East Lansing, were raising their young family. But, as I've stated before, life has a tendency of getting in the way.....even when involving strong friendships. New faces emerge from each new experience until old friends get tucked away as creative memories drifting through time like colorful autumn leaves wistfully navigating their earthbound flights.

My path was to follow Dan down here to Orlando, Florida after our youngest daughter, Corinne, completed her freshman year at Michigan State. Our oldest daughter, Alexandria, was interning at Walt Disney World at the time and, eventually, was employed full-time in Procurement in the business offices at WDW. Somehow, someway....twenty plus years have transpired, Dan is responsible for building quite a few multi-family apartment projects in the area, and Orlando has become our established home.

LITTLE, YELLOW COTTAGE

Now, both of our children reside in Kalamazoo/Portage, Michigan along with their own families and we have come to realize that moving back to Michigan after retirement, to be with them, is going to be the next chapter in our lives. We have begun to establish ourselves within this amazing community by purchasing the cutest, little house ever built in Kalamazoo!! Well, at least we think so. Built in 1941, our little yellow cottage is a work in progress but, a project based on the sheer joy of rejuvenating this small gem into a comfortable home where grandchildren are always welcome and cookies will certainly be baking in the oven....!

Returning to Michigan, even on a part-time basis for the past few years, has changed us forever and, in a very good way. Yes, we share in our children's lives ten times more than before, which has, in turn, enhanced our sense of well-being and balance. We are enriching our outlook on life through the power of the arts with so much credit going out to our friend, Michael, and his adorable wife, Marsha. Michael, a local artist and architect, along with Marsha, a librarian/writer in the town of Portage for many years, have greatly changed our lives for the better. Together, they have proven to us that Kalamazoo has so much to offer through the local talent of painters, writers, sculptors, poets, educators, and more, all intertwined to help create a Mecca for other artists willing to immerse themselves in their particular activity or interest.

Right before we made the solid commitment to Kalamazoo by purchasing a second home, something absolutely brilliant happened! I was invited to lunch. Not just any lunch, either. Several old friends from high school got together at a local restaurant, Food Dance, in downtown Kalamazoo (I like typing that word!) and, low and behold, Janis and I sat there, side-by-side, having lunch together after all of these years!

The amazing part was that only a few moments in, she and I were talking and acting as though the time that had passed between us had never seemed to matter. We picked-up where we'd left off and our friendship began to blossom once more. Like a flower in springtime, the colors of friendship were bright and stunning, with stems as strong as a long-stem rose, and the possibilities, endless. Conversation flowed. Goodness knows we had a few years to catch-up on.

JANIS AND FRED

Today I sit on my living room couch brooding because they have come and they have already gone. The four of us had such a wonderful few days together. Jan and Fred enjoyed the tour of our beautiful, albeit spread-out, adopted home, Orlando, and the surrounding area. After the laughing, crying, reminiscing, and partaking in good food and spirits....our house is quiet again. The 'battery fed' clocks hanging on our walls tick-and-tock into my subconscious like they never do when this house is full of people and uncontrolled laughter. Just as it did this past holiday season when all of our children were here celebrating and filling-up the bedrooms with their pleasant nighttime breathing.

Hairstyles may be notably shorter and interspersed with grays, as only our hairstylists know for sure, and minute lines collect on our faces like soft, Victorian lace denoting character and a full life, but the soul.....ah, the soul and a person's spirit never really changes at all. Time passes before us controlling our ultimate destinies, but in what manner and for how long we choose to communicate with those we share breath with is entirely up to us. 

Janis and I have always shared the spirit for living, enjoyed the world around us, and spread as much love as possible to everyone, near and far. That will never change. They will return here, as we will travel north to share more time with them. It is inevitable. It is fate. It is written in the stars.

However, in the meantime, oh, how I wish we didn't have so many 'battery fed' clocks hanging in this house!

JOY!

Copyright © 2017 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

"ORLANDO UNITED"

 A series of essays.....

BEAUTIFUL RAINBOWS CRISSCROSSING OVER ORLANDO, FLORIDA

.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

Like beacons in the night, the digital highway signs above us along the 417 were guiding us home with their bright flashing messages of "ORLANDO UNITED!" 

"AMBER ALERT," or "HEAVY TRAFFIC NEXT 10 MILES," or "SILVER ALERT" need not apply here. "ORLANDO UNITED" was showing us the way home tonight. And, we were almost there!

The colliding evening sea breezes between the Gulf and the Atlantic decided to take a late hit as the skies opened up above us along I-95 near Palm Coast a short while before. For the last forty-five minutes our world had been wrapped in a cloak of darkness that was sporadically illuminated by bright flashes of intricate lightening bolts tossed at us from a hostile eastern sky! 

Happy about our final leg of driving after a long, long day on the road, and feeling comforting warmth on the back of my head, I decided to text our two daughters of our imminent arrival. "The fiery red sun is in full bloom low in the western sky and we are between Sanford and home! There are at least three rainbows to the east! And, it's still raining! WOW!" What a magnificent welcoming party! What a glorious sight!

It felt as if the highway signs had teamed up with the sun, rainbows, and rain in welcoming us back to a place we've, literally, grown up in for twenty years. And, true to nature, the growing pains have hurt, as well as inspired us along the way.....

Growing pains. All large cities have them. It's a challenge to keep up with the needs and constant fluctuations of the multitudes that incorporate so many various ideas and desires. Death. It surrounds all of us every day, big city or small town, in one way or another. With life there will always be death. Senseless Death? Hate? Gun Violence? Please help me understand these acts because I'm having a major problem here!!!

Rainbows in the eastern sky. The souls of the recent gun violence victims from the massacre at 'Pulse,' an Orlando nightclub located on Orange Avenue, in the very early hours of Sunday morning, were still making their way Home. The brilliant colors comprising each rainbow, representing their vibrancy and pure joy of life, were vehicles assisting in their climb up to the heavens along perfectly formed arches.....God's elegant gateway to Bliss. 

The 'tears of the survivors' that we have been shedding for these innocent souls are splashing down upon us in the form of rain from the Heavens above. God's way of stripping off the dirt and grime of travel; cleansing us of the filthy, tangible atmosphere of Hate and Fear.

The blood orange evening sun, now large and bold having broken through the angry black cloud cover, coupled with the bright digital signs right above our car, warmly light our way as we pass by the exit to Orlando Sanford International Airport, our personal gateway to Michigan, and over the bridge at Lake Jesup, spanning its calm, lazy alligator-filled existence. These landmarks exist between time and space and embed into one's very being given exercise and time. 

Yes! I truly understand and believe that rolling along the 417, we have become witnesses to this miracle of Life and Death. 

As a 'survivor,' I welcome the challenge that exists for those of us who clearly see the backwardness of our society and are capable of standing up to the idea that a gun-toting, miserable and mentally insane loner can cause such damage to everything we hold dear. Let's check a person's mental stability at the front door of every gun shop, gun show, and NRA meeting that exists today!

And, by the way, the National Rifle Association is an organization, according to the New Oxford American Dictionary, founded in 1871 that promotes the legal use of guns and gun safety in the United States. It defends a U.S. citizen's constitutional right to own and bear arms. 

You see....I have a problem with accepting an archaic law that refuses to change or upgrade with the times. Let's pull ourselves out of the Wild, Wild West and actually admit that circumstances and people do change over time. More guns will never make it right! And, just for the record, isn't a large part of "gun safety" about protecting the innocent?

Owning another human being as a machine to provide labor for one's personal benefit and enrichment is ARCHAIC! Telling half of the nation's population (women) that they cannot vote....is ARCHAIC! Pulling your gun from its holster in order to shoot another human being because he or she is taking what you believe to be a personal possession of yours (Such as land, space, gold....) is ARCHAIC and very much related to modern day road rage and pure hatred of those around you. 

You do see my point, don't you? What was written up in the year of our Lord, 1871, may not apply in the same way in 2016. Times change. Circumstances change. The world evolves. People within a society should evolve along with these changes. Laws and regulations need to match the changing times. Many refuse to believe this and continue to act like small children soon to be denied their 'toys of choice.' If organizations such as the NRA convince you that your life is threatened and your 'toys' are required to maintain the wellbeing of your existence.....then, what better way to do so than to convince you that there are terrorists, unstable minds, unmitigated hatred constantly surrounding you?

Create the seed and hashtag it #power and you will find you've created monsters legally possessing lethal weapons.

Create the seed and hashtag it #Love and you will find that Love attracts more Love and can be shared throughout the world....  

Orlando nightclub shooter, Omar Mateen, and the killer of the twenty-two year old singer, Christina Grimmie, this past Friday at The Plaza Live in Orlando, should both be filed under 'mentally unstable' and yet....both were sold guns. Both succeeded in annihilating the innocent lives of those they had targeted for whatever reason. 

CHURCH LOCATED IN BOONE, NORTH
CAROLINA, OFFERING PRAYERS OF
HOPE AND LOVE FOR ORLANDO

As a reasonable human being, I cannot justify this unreasonable behavior. I will not attach a certain lifestyle to a "God given right" if it means the death of innocent people. I refuse to glorify young women and girls posing with handguns and attack rifles in a 'Charlie's Angels' like opening scene. I am still shaking my head after seeing my niece and her young daughter engaged in this imagery on Facebook! 

This is not "I am woman; hear me roar..." material. When women take pride in themselves, we see them flocking to the poles on Election Day, working hard to secure equal pay for the same job done by men, and maybe, just maybe, ensuring the fundamental rights of women over their own bodies instead of taking the lead from men who believe they know what's best for all women. The power I seek will be securing all of the above in my lifetime for myself, my daughters, and their daughters. For ALL women in the future! And, I will be voting for our nation's first female president in November in order to assist in making this country a better place where both women and men can coexist in mutual tolerance despite different ideologies or interests.

Talk is cheap....as the old saying goes. The words and actions of a self-proclaimed racist, egomaniac, and all-around nasty man will fire-up the masses, including those who think along the same vein as he does; their latent hatred being encouraged and served-up on a platter reinforced by Fear itself. May they tumble around in their massive machine of bigotry and denial (often under the guise of religious beliefs) until some sense of reality is forged from their actions. Their power is weak and self-serving. Their leader is, as well. The sad part is that this guy is crazy dangerous with his many twisted lies and opinions that are untethered to reality.

My friend, Amanda Patterson, shared a post on Facebook, written by Gareth Van Onselen for The Rand Daily Mail, suggesting diseases affecting South African politics. I am applying it to American politics, as well. "Entitled: The Instability Itch. Description: Instability itch manifests as a compulsion to disrupt or destabilize order by introducing chaos and uncertainty into a situation. Symptoms: Randomness, irresponsibility, and patronage." I believe it fits in our case quite well.

Light and Hope shined into our car windows just a few miles from our house bringing peace and contentment into my heart. I knew that coming back home to Orlando carried its heavy burden of grief for the lives so indiscriminately taken away from our community. And, for those they left behind. Knowing that I had to decide how to live with the pain and attempt to make the changes needed to make things better, I turned to my writing.

My words do matter. And I will continue to write them for all who are willing to read them and hope for a better life; a better, kinder life in a world filled with change and renewal.

If the written word is a means of replacing or repairing something that is worn out, run down, or broken, then there is a general need for more people to open up and relate how they feel to others. Simply put, we cannot afford to allow bigotry, walls, hatred, the ego, and negative power to take over our lives. 

Coming home to "ORLANDO UNITED" was living proof of this....!

That's the spirit we see in Orlando!

Remember that Love is what will always matter the most!

REMEMBERING THE LIVES SO BRUTALLY TAKEN
FROM US BY SENSELESS GUN VIOLENCE
IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA, 6-12-2016

Note: At this time I would like to extend my condolences to the Graves family from Elkhorn, Nebraska, who lost their two-year- old son, Lane, at the Grand Floridian Resort at Walt Disney World. Prayers are being sent out to help you carry this burden and let you know how much you are loved..... 

Copyright © 2016 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

SAYING "I LOVE YOU" FOR THE ONE HUNDREDTH TIME

A series of journeys.....

THE ROAD WELL TRAVELED

.....as seen through my eyes!



By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

We can all agree by now that life is an amazing journey filled with wanderlust, new beginnings, healthy lifestyle alternatives, brilliant stories, and interesting people lining the entire path. And, if we are fortunate enough, some will join us walking hand-in-hand every step of the way.

Today I am celebrating my one hundredth post on Moving On.....2015.  I am thinking how I'd like to gather each story in my arms and go with a huge 'Group Hug' right now, briefly pat myself on the back, and then tell myself to regroup and go create, at least, one hundred more!

Each time I post a story, I am sharing a part of me with all of you. It may be about a fleeting moment in time well spent chasing a dream or, in many cases, fulfilling a lifelong goal. I am opinionated and informative at the same time and serve to seek out your own thought-provoking ideas while encouraging stimulating discussions. No matter what the particular topic may be each week, every essay, collection, book review, conversation, and story is my way of telling the world just how much I love being a part of this process called LIFE....




In celebration of this particular milestone, I choose to thank several entities that have directed me along my own journey and honor each with a few short paragraphs of appreciation. If you have been following 'the ride' with me, you will recognize them. If you've recently joined my personal excursion into life's abundance and joy....you will delight in the emotions that have fueled my work and exposed my passions. The greatest of these is Love.

SANTA HAS VISITED IN THE NIGHT

Portage, Michigan: December 25, 2013

This morning, Christmas morning, has been blessed with feather-like snowflakes dancing around just beyond the mullioned window and resembling tiny ballerinas drifting down from the clouds. I have made my way downstairs a bit early so that I can prepare and place my breakfast quiche into the hot oven to bake. I am hoping the delicate aroma will tempt everyone downstairs soon...as if the prospect of opening Santa's goodies from beneath the tree isn't enticement enough.

ADRIAN O'CONNOR

Doolin, County Clare, Ireland: Adrian O'Connor, October, 2013

Adrian stood and told us he would be right back, as if, suddenly, remembering the kettle was on. He returned within moments carrying a small set of pipes that appeared as old and craggy as our dear friend. Okay, so I could barely make out his face four songs later due to the tears freely flowing from my eyes. I knew, as sure as the Irish sun was shining down upon us, as precious as the memory of a grandchild's kiss, as blissful as an invigorating walk through a green-splashed forest on a Sunday morning.....we were in the midst of a power so great and strong, it was bigger than all of us. Yet, it was all of us combined. Love isn't complicated. You just have to be aware of it with every breath you take. My 'tears of happiness' equaled nothing short of pure peace and solace in my life. Thank you my friend.....

MY FAVORITE PICTURE I
HAVE TAKEN OF LA TOUR EIFFEL

Paris, France: Any day of the year!!

So many remarkable stories fill my mind when I look at the amazing buildings of Paris! The flavors and tastes of Paris all enriched by her sumptuous beauty…just waiting to be unwrapped over and over again by ‘fresh eyes’ and open hearts! To stand on the balcony overlooking the quintessential icon of Paris, La Tour Eiffel, as I kiss the one I love so deeply, excites me beyond belief! It would be a privilege to call this place ‘our home,’ even for a moment in time, and immerse ourselves within the power and beauty of the most delicious city in the world! My heart has already arrived….

SAILING SHIPS OF WHITE LIGHT

Orlando, Florida: Joe Bonamassa Concert, December 19, 2014

Color creates moods; color changes moods. Color evokes memories and, in turn, produces responses from those memories. Yet, color is timeless. Color is ageless. It can be yesterday, today, or tomorrow and ebb and flow offering irregular outlines that shift like the seas with the tide.

Soft, powdery blues mixed with powerful beams of bright, white light spotlighted Joe and turned the stage into an extraterrestrial-like encounter as this eclectic mixture of talented musicians delivered an intricately textured, unplugged experience. At one point, the white illumination resembled sailing ships carrying the music across an imaginary sea and back to Europe, the place which lent its vintage flair to this acoustic blues set.

Nostalgia: February 5, 2015

Nostalgia, my old friend....  Why must I always find you lurking in the vast recesses of my mind, waiting, waiting for my vulnerability to emerge? Wrap me in your rose-tinted veil so that I may see all that I long for once more. Seduce me with your false promises and drown this present feeling of 'hope lost' so that I may smile and feel whole once again, if only for a short while.

EVA IBBOTSON

"I want to live like music sounds.": About author Eva Ibbotson, January 22, 2015

My journey into the life of this interesting female author began because of a quote online that struck me as one of the best 'writing prompts' I'd seen in a long while. Spoken by her character, Ruth, in the novel, The Morning Gift, Eva Ibbotson wrote, "I want to live like music sounds." There's something quite magical in this statement. How does this interesting quote affect you? Are you conjuring up all sorts of pictures in your head right now as I am? From the four most recognized notes (Big Bang Introduction) of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 to the haunting dirge called A Prayer sung by Madeleine Peyroux from her album Dreamland.....and all of that 'life' filling in the huge area in between, our lives are surrounded by the sounds, noise, and notes that swirl and collect around us every moment of our existence!

Patriotism: July 2, 2015

PATRIOTISM conjures up the image of tri-corner hats and the courageous warnings of an American silversmith and engraver. The vivid impression of a loved one marching off to protect and defend with the pending separation beating life's blood rhythmically between kindred hearts. "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.....!" The school day begins with white stars in a backdrop of deepest blue and broad red and white stripes etched against the industrial green walls of the classroom. Who doesn't recall, at some point in time, the irregular rhythm of halyard and snap hooks clanging against a metal flagpole just outside of an office building or in the schoolyard on a breezy day?

THE LOST ART OF COMMUNICATION ~~ SPEECH

Waterford Lakes, Florida: June 6, 2014

The foyer of the restaurant was comparatively small, just enough room to allow several people respite from a summer shower, if need be. The six of us occupying this enclosed, hollowed space created an unusual feeling of quietness after a few minutes. As we sat comparing notes in whispered tones on our side of the space, it was apparent that silence prevailed on the opposite side.

Texting a friend? Checking her messages? Deleting unnecessary emails? Checking game scores? Absolute quiet. With silent keyboards, there wasn't even the sound of 'clicking' to stir-up the atmosphere. Were we witnessing a complete disregard for the unique enjoyment of interacting with those physically close to us? Exchanging human contact with cyber interfacing instead? With minds compartmentalized by their own devices, mother and daughter, husband and wife, sat silently, deep within their private worlds.....for a very long time.

LEA LISTENING TO SOUND INFORMATION
FROM SHOP CLERK

Cocoa Village, Florida: September 25, 2015

Timeline: September 15, 1997
Google.com is registered as a domain. The name....a play on the word "googol," a mathematical term for the number represented by the numeral 1 followed by 100 zeroes, reflects Google's mission to organize and seemingly infinite amount of information on the web.

Timeline: September 25, 2015
Today I am being formally introduced to the quaint and beautiful little area known as Cocoa Village. Hidden in the midst of hundred-year-old oak trees along the banks of the Indian River, this community dates back to the 1860's. Having lived a mere thirty minutes away for nearly twenty years, why am only discovering this Historic Village now?

Because of my new, dear friends, Lea and Dave, whole new vistas have opened up for me. After enjoying coffee and conversation at Ossorio Bakery & Cafe on Brevard Avenue, Lea took me on a tour of the village, introducing me to shop owners, spoiling me with small, 'unusual' gifts, and making me feel like her beloved sister come to visit from around the world! I not only enjoyed the enchanting Southern experience, but my unselfish host made me feel like a 'Queen for a Day!'

Later we met up with Dave to experience a 'Diner' extravaganza for lunch. Good food and excellent company.....near perfection! Dave, a Mathematician, Engineer, and thirty-five year military veteran, enlightened me as to the interrelationship between Google.com and the mathematical term, 'googol,' for which I am exceedingly grateful.

Lea is trying to convince me to broaden my horizons and dabble in becoming a playwright. The funny part is that I am seriously thinking about it.

Our day together sadly came to an end and I found myself driving back up the 520 to connect with the Beachline Expressway and back home to Orlando. Conveniently, perhaps subconsciously, I left my umbrella in their car. Not that this act was needed to pull me back to this lovely area or into the company of these amazing friends. That will happen again soon. When one finds treasures such as this, you keep 'them' nearby for the rest of your life....

LOOKING UP AT  'BENBAUN'
THE PEAK OF DIAMOND HILL
IN CONNEMARA

Next week I will begin posting my second hundred stories. I can't help but wonder what intimate and surprising roads they will lead me down.



Copyright © 2015 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

A PICTORIAL EASTER SUNDAY IN OLD ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA

A picturesque journey..... 

 

 

 

Taken From 'The Bridge of Lions' Crossing The Matanzas River
~St. Augustine in the Background~

 

 .....as seen through my eyes!


Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015



By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

Watching the Easter Parade Coming Up Cordova Street



Darth Vader in Full Easter Attire



Dan, The Prince of Wales?



Ah! Dining Al Fresco at 'The Prince of Wales
Restaurant' on Cuna Street and people watching!
 

Privately Owned Building at the Corner of Cuna & Spanish Street
"I Love Its Colors and Textures."



The Oldest Wooden School House
Located Along St. George Street

"In the course of my lifetime, I have probably taken over fifty pictures of this historic, little building. It never fails to impress me as I stroll down St. George Street. I am always looking for the spirits of these hardy, forward thinking individuals.....both teachers and students alike!"

 

 

 

 

Close-Up of the 'Old City Gates' at the North End of St. George Street

 " 'The Old City Gate' is a noted landmark in St. Augustine and was constructed of 'coquina' in 1808. Coquina is a soft limestone mixed with shells and corals and was used by the Spanish when constructing many featured buildings and walls that comprise St. Augustine."





A Silhouetted 'Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine.'  Standing at
Cordova Street & Looking East Down Cathedral Place...



East Portion of Ponce de Leon Hall
~Flagler College~



Another View of Ponce de Leon Hall
With Coquina Post in Forefront

Afternoon Sun Filtering Through the Trees
Between Palm Garden & West Lawn

Flagler College, located in the heart of old St. Augustine is as amazing as it is beautiful. Only recently established in 1968, its campus is located on nineteen acres, the centerpiece of which is the Ponce de Leon Hall, built in 1888 as a luxury hotel by industrialist and oil magnate, Henry Morrison Flagler. 

 

 

 

 

  

Gazebo at Center of the West Lawn

Smokestack Rising From the Original, Coal Power Plant of the
'Ponce de Leon Hotel' Built By Henry Flagler  



"This amazing building with its magnificent 'stack' and upper portion studded in stones, stands-out so beautifully in the afternoon sun! The structure continues to stand proud and is the Molly Wiley Art Building on campus today.....!"







"These last two pictures were taken as we were walking back to find our car on a small side street called Markland Place. They were taken in the early evening with the sun burning in the Western sky! Even though only several moments exist between these photos, the play of the sunlight on this stunning church is marked by such amazing diversity in both color and shadowing. You might even believe that they are two different structures."

'Flagler Memorial Presbyterian Church'
Proudly Stands on the Corner of Valencia & Sevila Street



West Side View of the
'Flagler Memorial Presbyterian Church'

"We certainly enjoyed our Easter Sunday within the scenic beauty of Old St. Augustine, Florida....! Founded in 1565, St. Augustine is the oldest continuously occupied settlement of European and African-American origin in the United States. This was fifty-five years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock! It continues to amaze me that all of this history and beauty is right in our 'backyard' and I, for one, will never take this privilege for granted......!"




 Copyright © 2015 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All Rights Reserved