The War Horse

I'm not the greatest photographer in the world, but when you're taking pictures of some of the Creator's best work you hardly have to work at it to get some nice scenes. This one is shot from the balcony where our second home is on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The pier you see in the distance is no longer there, the victim of a hurricane. Whenever I am here, the weight of the world gets much lighter, and there is a serenity that is hard to describe without using spiritual terms. The time of year after the beginning of school in September to about the end of May is my favorite for the same reason that everyone else is opposite. Suntan oil, searing heat, heavier traffic, and all of those people are what I like least, and walking the beach with a cool breeze, hunting shells, fishing, and watching the dolphins go by is what I like most.

Since I have experienced this for about nine years not including the countless vacations we spent in the area before we got our place, I have noticed that even the weather makes no difference in my mood. A good storm or a fog and once even a bit of snow were just as beautiful as a sunny day. I guess it's the real appreciation of the power of the sea that plays a part in that.

This weekend, my wife and Lucy The WonderDog are enjoying their stay there, while I oversee the new concrete walkways being set up here at home. Which one would you rather be doing? Maybe I could train the WonderDog to bark commands at the workmen? I guess not. I will show you and comment on some of my favorite places at Pine Knoll Shores, N.C. later. Hey, Darnell, drop that grade a few degrees, would you?

"Nowhere can man find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his own soul."
__ Marcus Aurelius

See you later.

Tim