November 2016 Beautiful Jacarandas

Had the opportunity to return to The University of Witswaterstrand to compete my Fulbright Specialist Scholar award. It was a great experience and I really enjoyed the staff and members of the Dean's office.
What was really unexpected was the abundance of the beautiful jacaranda trees. They lined the streets like a beautiful canopy of purple flowers. When they flowers fell to the ground the scene was purple on top and purple on the ground - a really beautiful image.

 

As soon as I can, will share pictures from the Ann van Dyke Cheetah Center and Kruger National Park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 End of blooms - leaves now emerging.

 

 

 

10.16.16 NOW its football season

Our favorite quarterback, TB12 Tom Brady, returned to Gillette stadium on Sunday, where are New England Patriots beat the Cincinnati Bengals 35-17. (Brady's first game back was last week in Cleveland, where we won as well). It was exciting to be at the game and the fans were very enthusiastic to have him return.

Here are a couple of pictures from the game, including pregame warm-ups, celebration of Breast Cancer Month (October), and a couple of TB12 during the game.

Here is Tom Brady (12) running with Jimmy Garopollo (10), the back-up quarterback.

 

 

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

 

We held these cardboard signs and made the image as shown in the previous photographs. Many breast cancer survivors were invited to participate in the pregame activities on the field.

 

 

 

 

 

This was a great game and the weather was beautiful. But Fall is also a time to wind down on the summer activities and I had to dry dock my girl Mimì, but not before we had a wonderful solo sail in Boston Harbor. It was perfect wind, clear blue skies, sails perfectly trimmed, and a great afternoon. And yes, I was able to pick up the mooring on my way back! 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

09.23.16 The Great Chase Race

One of my favorite activities during the summer months is racing. I am crew on a beautiful Saber 34 named "Pajama Girl". Her skipper is Charlie and the crew on this race included Richard, Don, Theresa and me. The last big race of the season is the "Great Chase" is hosted by the yacht club in Hull. This yer 117 sailboats of all classes were registered and it is quite fun if not a little hair raising to jostle around the start line waiting for the gun. At the end of the day, there is a great barbeque with a band and a slide show of the boats.

Here are a few photos of the competing sailboats! And yes, it rained a little, hence the gray skies.

 

 

The ferry went right threw the race! Many ferries would go around the sailboats.

This was a great dog! He loved being on the sailboat!

 

 

 

And we were treated to a beautiful sunset on the sail back home.

 

09.24.16 Summer is over and a good day for a sail

It is now officially autumn - where has the summer gone? I had not written many posts as work has been quite busy and I was doing a fair amount of traveling. I will try to make up for this with a few updates.

You all have been introduced to my "boys" Fionnegan and Gunnarr and of course, Shorty, but you have not met my girl.  Here is Mimì, my Rhodes 19 sailboat. She is the little boat in the front. Just a day sailer, she entered her first race this year and we came in fourth. And we have a trophy for our efforts!

 

 

 

 

Her mooring is near the airport with a gorgeous view of the Boston skyline. Today just the two of us went out for a lovely sail in the harbor. The wind was perfect and it was a great afternoon. My only concern is that I am able to pick up the mooring when we are finished - just a bit of a challenge when we are going against wind and tide under sail power. But I did it! Am getting better at it everytime.


Here is a picture taken from Deer Island of a fisherman and the Boston skyline. You can see airplanes on the runway. I think it is really cool when I am sailing with Mimì and the plane takes off directly overhead.

CPYC, where we have our mooring, is a wonderful and congenial club. A couple of weeks ago they held the rubber ducky races. My duck won the first year the race was held. so I try to make the whenever I am in town. Once the first duck makes it to the pier, the kids scoop them up in nets. It really is a lot of fun.