Sunset at Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine

Acadia National Park is a remarkable place up in the Northern New England Region. I had the opportunity to bring my parent's there yesterday for Sabbath. They are visiting from Southern California, and drove more than 3200 miles. I was happy we had a good showing. My mom doesn't have the reputation for being a hiker by any stretch of the imagination, but decided it was fine walking around the rocks at the top of Cadillac Mountain. Arguably the highest, Eastern most point in the United States (those who argue say Puerto Rico is ... uh, ok.), it is rumored that if you sit at its peak and await the sunrise, you'll be the first American living in the U.S. to be kissed by the rays of the sun. I'd like to try it some time.

In the mean time, we took the driving tour (we only had a Sabbath afternoon), and my parent's learned the beauty of Vacationland, and "the way life should be." We couldn't watch the sunrise, but they were game enough to sit around during my intervalometric shenanigans (I used a stop-watch and released the shutter on my old 5D every 30 seconds, then put it together on my computer), while I captured the sunset. We closed the Sabbath, then off to home.

Object Lessons on a Laceration

On Sabbath morning, I slipped crawling out of bed (it's a longer story than this).

It only hurt initially, but as I look on the scar every day, watching it get better, I thought of a few object lessons...

1) Examine the wound - Take a look at what was hurt, cut, or broken. This requires an honest assessment. If there are multiple layers, you have to at the least, admit it.
Sometimes this is the most difficult, because the wound still hurts while the examination is occurring. But it is the most necessary first step. God requires this, we should, too. Jer 3:13, 2 Cor 13:5

2) Clean the wound - Remove anything, such as debris, that will prevent healing. Is there extra blood, dirt, or chunks of tissue? These have to be cleaned out. Sometimes you have to remove things out of your life that just keep you from healing. Eph 4:31

3) Approximate the skin - in other words, bring the separated portions of skin back together as close as you can. This is difficult, despite the puzzle piece shapes of my wound, but care in this point of the process will speed the healing and maintain the appearance more than any other reconstruction afterwards. To restore as close to the original is a difficult but terribly necessary part of healing, especially prior to throwing the first stitch or placing the bandage. Often you have to do your best to reconcile things that have been separated, even before you lay down that thing that will keep things together. 2 Cor 5: 19

4) Apply structured and consistent restraint - Two characteristics: they have to be somewhat maintain restraints, such as a stitch or a bandage. For healing, a consistent structured restraint has to be there to provide support while the body heals itself. These two qualities must be there for any other kind of healing as well. With out consistency, the body will not be able to lay down the proteins appropriately to close the wound. Without traction (restraint), the would will be too open for scar tissue to form rapidly enough. You just can't heal without consistent structure and restraint. 2 Peter 3:11

5) Duration - I'm giving it about 7 to 10 days. That's about how long we keep stitches on. Exodus 7:25, Jeremiah 42:7, Ezra 10:13

It's Biblical, look at the way God healed the human race...

Oh, and by the way, I'm fine, I'm thinking straight, the wound is painless (now).

I'll let you know how it goes ...

Holiday Pics

Elissa & Christy

Lauren

Joel

Abigail

Andrew

If you click on each picture, you'll get a full PRINT SIZE photo (you don't have to, I'm just sayin'...)

Snow Day

Snow Day ... this is NOT Southern California.

Growing up in Southern California, in grade school we'd had a phenomenon called Heat Days. Conditions in which it was so hot that the school's airconditioning couldn't keep up with the sweltering, and we were all sent home early. Well, something similar happened today, AND I'm on-call tonight, so I have to sit around the apartment waiting for someone to walk in to ER or head to the OR for some kind of crash c-section. While my friends get together for Sushi, and fun, and photography, and potentially new video footage.

While at work

 While at work, the snow continued to come down. They had to dig some of the 2 wheel drive cars out of the parking lot. But fortunately for my, my Jeep is tried and true, and at no other time (other than the trip to Sacramento from Mammoth through Tahoe without snow-tires, chains or a snow-plow), have I been more happy for this vehicle.

The View from my Apartment parking spot.

It's not even that cold outside, just windy and snowing A LOT! But the snow is nice and relatively dry, not as squeaky as Colorado, but still pretty dry. But relatively safe here, and warm, with books. Interestingly enough, I left my camera at the Lombards (so that their cousins could mess around with it), and I had to shoot these with my sidekick: the S90.

It snowed today

Ristorante Lombardi - New Menu Item

Newly added: Tomato Bisque

After being sick all week, I treated myself to some really good food in Freeport. To my pleasant surprise, in addition to the Signature Soup,  they have added a new Tomato Bisque to the menu.  A little more subtle taste and less artificial than other soups of similar nature, by comparison.  Quite delicious, it is creamy, and fresh and a perfect evening soup (or rainy day soup, or light soup). Served with the special bread (I had the Avocado and Tomato Sandwich - on Wheat), it made a satisfying dinner.

Behind the dining and serving area, there is a place for board games or just general ruckus, you can look through what they have available, or bring your own, or they have some downstairs in the lower room. Did I mention they also have internet access, but you have to get the password from one of the owners. Tonight there was a game going on that had the main Chef and the rest of the crew laughing, along with the guests, with such intensity that I could stop, I started to cry, and my chest started to heart, but that wouldn't get me to stop.  It continued for a few hours. 

At the end of the evening, I was short on the bill so I volunteered to help with the dishes. It's not tucked away like some other places so it wasn't a completely unpleasant task. One can do dishes but be adequately engaged in the conversation around the cooking area. Before that the last call was made, and the night staff was preparing pastries for the following business day. I left shortly after.

Summary: If you're sick, go get soup at the Ristorante Lombardi.

Semi-Annual Recital

Renon on Violin

About twice a year, if you're lucky enough, you get to hear a recital of some of the young performers in Topsham. Usually some fun songs just to enjoy some music and some food afterwards. This particular even, included with the fine classical violins and piano, we had an exceptional treat. The kids gave a recital of prose, highlighting the every day life of a medieval village. Dressed up in mock peasant garb, they spoke of glass blowing and marriages planned for the financial benefit of the parties involved, their resignation and defiance of the arranged marriage, and plans of advancement from squire to knight. The music was fun and wonderful. Adri's song was wonderfully cheeky, and Mary hit the piercing high note with her beautiful rendition of The Prayer (while Jonathan busted out the Italian! - What else do those Gerrans boys do?) But the recitation was fun, and light, and put on with sincere child-like lack of reservation, it was refreshing. The food was tasty and company could only be minimally improved on.



Sienna



Perla

Summer

Luca

Perla and Yesenia

Rose and Liz

As for the pics, you get to see my recent trial on Photoshop. If you can't tell it's been shopped, then great. If you can, send me a message.

Seasonal Waymark

Pumpkins and Scarecrows

September 22, 2010. Late that day marked the Autumnal Equinox, one of two times of year in which the axis of the Earth is perfectly perpendicular to the angle of orbit around the sun, resulting in a tilt that is neither towards or away from the sun. The result is that the amount of daylight is equal to amount of darkness for that 24 hr period, a perfect balance if you will of light and dark. In terms of the time of year, it marks the official seasonal change from Summer to Fall. Thematically, the pumpkins come out and plaid-dressed hay haired scare crows with sewn mouths and straw hats come out, to mark the time of harvest. In terms of fashion, fall sweaters and corduroys are brought of the closet to battle the colder weather, along with wool coats. No more jumping into the lake for a quick dip or sitting on a lawn chair with a cold (decaffeinated) iced tea.

Back in the day, it was time to gather in the crops and reap the work that had been going on all summer. Not just because it marked the end of a growing season but in preparation for the coming winter. It was a looking forward, in a way, to a time when commodities and resources would be scarce if duties weren't done now.

The haunts of my younger days wouldn't really know what this is like. Southern California is a place where preparation isn't so marked by necessity. Its even temperature allows a sensation of a single year round season. Even near the desert. There one could delay gathering in crops because Nature was relatively mild all year round, and little consequence was to be born if procrastination was the order of the day. One could always gather things later, or so one thought. Temperature never really cooled the way it does in locations marked by Four Seasons, and passage of time can be easily lost track of.

Here, in New England, it's getting cooler. Wool has come out, skirts have dropped, shorts have been put aside. Apples are going to be soon ready to pick. Applesauce and peanut butter (yum!) will be on the menus with abundance. The rain is a little cooler, and one no longer has to sleep with the windows up.

Winter (and Christmas) is just around the corner.

Winthrop Street

Two Lights

Two Light State Park, Cape Elizabeth, Maine

Location scouting for an upcoming photo shoot. You'd think I didn't have a day job. But I have the opportunity to do the senior portraits for one of the guys in our youth group. How's that for a connection, right?! So I found myself at Cape Elizabeth, on a high contrast day. But looks like it has really good potential, I guess it can work. Smaller of the State Parks in Cape Elizabeth, so consequently less people. I like that better, no one meddles with the gear.

Something has to be said for Coastal Maine. Now if I could just find a decent lighthouse to shoot...

Sailing through the S90

Still waiting on the other cameras. I brought the little guy instead of my usual rig. We launched off Dr. Losey's backyard, on Sabbath afternoon.

John Howe skippered us to an island name WhaleBoat. Not what you'd think of when you think of a deserted island. Only some sand, and no palm trees. If you click on the slide show on the right (those of you who get an auto-feed have to actually go to the website) can see all the photos in a slide show, of those that came off the S90 until I ran out of batteries. That's the reason I'm waiting on the other cams. Eduardo from Argentina was generous enough to lend me his camera to shoot to my heart's content, well until the card got full at least. Also look out for Lauren Lombard's shots, Jonathan Gerrans and Jennifer Penner's. I think David Gerrans snuck a few in there, too.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then we must be lacking in adequate vocabulary, because here are the equivalent of 34,000 words.

Finding Homes (for the stuff)

Today marked the arrival to the new apartment and new assignment: Maine General Hospital and Kennebec Pediatrics. Tomorrow starts the routine of picking up the pager, taking the hospital tour (they'll show me useless stuff like the Cafeteria, without showing me useful stuff like how to get a radiograph read after hours), having my photo taken for the ID badge and security clearance, EMR review, and clearance codes. In the afternoon I finally get to see kids. But this evening......we find new homes for all the gear.

Above is a picture of my new townhome/apartment with the contents of my Jeep emptied out on the living room floor. Don't worry, Mom, there is a full service kitchen. Daniel and Byron, there is enough room to house more people that at Mid-Week Prayer meeting. We'll see how that goes.

But included in all the wood paneling, floor molding, and wooden furniture is (finally!) working high-speed internet access, and a dry erase board! Now for all you faithful readers of this obscure blog, I can finally catch everyone up to speed (because the last time you all checked, it was maple syrup season in Vermont).

Oh, and for all you low tech (pen and post-it) people, you can actually leave comment below, just leave your email or postal address. And if you haven't figured out, you can click on the picture to make it bigger.

Only Because He Would Not Do It Himself

This is post is prompted in part by a certain Matthew in California that is starting to think I don't actually meet people in my travels. Another part is because the subject of this post would never toot his own horn (though you may catch him humming more often), so I'm taking the liberty to do it for him. If you don't know what I'm talking about, click on the title of this post and enjoy the clever mental playground of sights, sounds, and observations that display a wit that is merely enjoyed for its own sake. And of course, a disclaimer is needed: 1) I didn't ask him for permission. 2) This post reflects exclusively the views of the writer and his narrow experience with the subject. So without further ado, let's hit the jump -->



If you get to meet John, he's one of the most unassuming individuals I have met, or have the privelege to know. If you've never met an unassuming person, be advised that this is a good thing. Their counter part is a pretentious person. John is the former to a large degree.

He's a student at Southern Adventist University and you can tell that he enjoys his major by his clever remarks of the mammalian species he is observing, provided in his field notes. If you want, you can view his profile and see his interests, so I'm not going to review the things that you can read for yourself.

I first met John through his parents. I was on assignment in Maine, and ended up attending a church in Topsham, where John's parents attended. I was introduced to John, not in person, but in a sense, in spirit. His mom is kind and verbally encouraging. His dad is quiet and thoughtful, and firm. I enjoyed many Sabbath afternoons at their house either in the canoes or having pleasent conversation for hours in their living room. At that time, John was at school, but I learned some of his parent's traits, that same unassuming personalities in both of them, the thoughtful and thought-provoking conversation, the helpfulness and hospitality. Don't get me wrong, I met a good handful of people in Maine, and that I enjoy still, and of whom I continue to think fondly. But their home, the house with The View from Great Island, was a haven that allowed a place for me to "come rest awhile."

But John is definitely his parent's son. If you don't know what I mean, just look at your own parents, and unless you are in a deluded state of denial, you have to acknowledge that a lot of your parents' traits can be found in you, especially when pain strike, burdens bear down, or elation erupts.

So as I spent time with John for a meager three days, I had to smile to myself, recognizing in him the same traits that I enjoy in his parents. It is difficult to imagine a teenager today who doesn't have his own agenda and in one way or another, lets others know it. But when I met him he was 18 years old at the time, others had volunteered him to tote me around for the next 72 hrs, putting aside his own agenda, just to make sure I got to where I needed to be in a timely fashion. Rarely does one find someone who does not complain, but even they will let it slip in their conversation that there are other things they could be doing. As John was driving me around New Brunswick, I got the sense that the only thing he was interested in doing was taxiing me around, even when he was in the middle of doing other things. Even as we talked, I noticed an interest beyond the typical, "how was your day?", but genuine curiosity was marked by, "I noticed that you said ..." and followed by, "...I thought it was interesting that you (did/thought/said/etc)...". Traits very similar to his father and mother.

Another trait common to parents and son is their generosity. The offering that the door is always open and Rolo the dog will be happy to see me, is substantiated by the availability that is apparent when you drive up. In particular, on the night I arrived for the weekend, they put me up in what I learned was John's own room, and though he could have insisted otherwise, he let me have the entire room, for my own privacy and collection of thoughts. I awoke the next morning to find out where John slept that night: on the bay window bench, lined with a sitting cushion. He dismissed my concern without any fuss, and proceeded to direct conversation to other things, never really concerned with himself. He almost seems like a person who would find himself comfortable in any but the most extreme situations. The canoes, the rooms, the cabin, even time working wood with John's father, all available. Not to be taken lightly, these are not free things to any of them. But they are offered.

John plays the cello, and I had a chance to photograph him at a wedding this last June 2009 (that's him here with Julie Penner in the background). Although he can dress up in appropriate formal wear, I imagine that he is more comfortable running around in comfortable cotton pants, and a pair of Crocs or at least hiking gear. It won't be an unusual thing to find him taking a solo three day backpacking trip, and he has some interest in rock-climbing as well.


Talking to him, one may notice a similar characteristic to his father. The conversation is unhurried, but interested. Insightful, but unpretentious. Humor is subtle, but very clever. And if nothing else, very relaxing, such that except for hunger pangs twice a daily though would intrude, it's easy to just keep talking, not because he fills up the conversation with 'filler words' but because somehow he puts you at ease. Company like that have a certain kind of freedom.

If you're in New England, his parent provide a service to the community, by giving health talks and cooking classes (some of the best food you'll put in your mouth). The three boys are travelers. John has a brother who is married and lives in Africa. Some of you may have heard him speak at GYC in Kentucky, his name is Paul Howe. He has another brother, Barry, who is currently doing research in Kyrgyzstan. Both equally as interesting, and different in their own way. And when I'm in Maine the first weekend of March, John, himself, will be in Haiti to do relief work during Spring Break.

So drop by his blog, enjoy his clever wit and insightful observations and disciplined creativity, and give him a little appreciation. And even if Providence never brings us in contact, I know I'll always be grateful.