Author Archives: LB

Pauline the Wise and Wonderful

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Our Wedding Day, September 5th, will always be a day that signifies love, life, and loss: the day of Pauline’s birth and also the day she left her dear daughters, Danella and Jo, her sweet Siddy and Orlando, and so many, many friends.

Dear Pauline, when I think of you, I think of wisdom, artistry, and kindness. What a giver of love and life you were!

I will miss knowing you are not in Dunedin waiting for us to visit again, but I am thankful that I will wake every morning to your painting of daisies and when at work, the gorgeous painting of me on my bike.
Friends, please visit Alys Milner’s blog post about Pauline so that you may learn more about this remarkable woman.

❤

* I am on my honeymoon and am not able to access much of my photos; I will add images of Pauline’s paintings when I return *

 

A Few Hours in Blacksburg

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Last week, my friend Ruth and I visited the Blacksburg Museum in order to view the work of longtime Roanoke Times photographer Matt Gentry. Despite the fact that we have spent the last 6 months checking the CoVid19 status of every business and restaurant and potential activity, we somehow forgot to check this day.

Upon arrival at the Alexander Black House, which was built in 1897, we learned that the museum was temporarily closed due to CoVid19.  Despite our disappointment, the outdoor exhibits and the Queen Anne Victorian house were still worth exploring.  I did the best I could with my cellphone and was thankful for the beautiful day.

The exhibit Glass Reflections, created by artists Kate Golden, Paula Golden, Diane Relf and many community volunteers, is made of “serving plates, bowls, saucers, salt cellars and other glass / crystal dishes collected from antique stores and combined into flowers as garden accents that remind us of our parent’s and grandparent’s gardens”.

This next piece, Tryptic in Glass by Diana Relf, is created from “pieces of glass, many unused, discarded, and no longer valued. When combined they are both beautiful – and strong”.

Through the trees, I saw the house next door. The Thomas-Conner House, c.1878, is registered as a Virginia Historic Landmark.

Our next stop was the Hahn Horticultural Garden on the campus of Virginia Tech.   The garden was founded in 1984 and covers 5.8 acres. “The garden was renamed the Hahn Horticulture Garden in November 2004 in honor of Peggy L. Hahn who was First Lady of Virginia Tech from 1962 to 1974 during her husband’s tenure as President.  Their generous gift and bequest for expansion has had a significant impact on the garden – from the construction of the Peggy Lee Hahn Pavilion (2006) to the Hahn Meadow Garden (2008), as well as in other ways too numerous to list”.

My post-surgical status kept me from exploring as much as I would like so I look forward to going back!

Next time, we’ll pack a picnic and spend much more time exploring the gardens

Mothers With … and Without

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Today, I am thinking of all the amazing women in my life and all that they have done for me and for those around them.

In particular today, I am thinking about the women without children.

They serve as guidance-givers to friends, family, and even strangers, and as role models and confidantes. They are our aunts, teachers, on-the-job mentors, and neighbors. They might not have given birth or raised children, but they’ve made a difference to the young people in their lives — nieces and nephews, and the children of their friends.

Whether by choice, or by other circumstance, these women earn just as much love and recognition as women with children.
Raising a glass to all mothers and mothers without children ❤

The Ultimate in Social Distancing

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One weekend this past March, while we were all still adjusting to the “new normal” of CoVid19, it was warm enough to ride.

 We decided that time on the motorcycle was the ultimate way to be socially distant.

Typically we ride 100 miles or so before stopping for lunch at a local pub.  In light of the times, we all packed our lunch and enjoyed each other’s company from a distance at a roadside picnic area.

Then we headed back out on the beautiful back roads of Southwest Virginia.  See those splat marks on the windsheild?

I guess it was the warm weather that had so many bugs out and about.

We rode through several rural counties, along too many back roads to count, and the wind in our faces helped us to put aside the worries of the day.

I can’t wait for more rides like this one!

Peace! and Stay Well, my friends

How Ya’ll Doin’?

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Forgive me, Word Press Friends, for I have sinned.  It has been 6 months since I last posted.

Okay, so it’s not really a sin, but it sure has been awhile! I also realized that I never finished posting about our Pacific Coast Highway Tour … someday I’ll get to it!

I’ve managed to keep up with some of you through Monochromia and others of you through Zoom.

The rest of you, I have missed, and I assume you’ve all been posting regularly.  How ARE you?  What are you doing to keep occupied during this CoVid Crisis?Please share a link in the comments of a post that you would like me to read that will let me catch up on your life and health!

 Here in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the East Coast of North America, we have had tons of rain, and unlike many who have suffered in drought, the rain has allowed the ferns, flowers, and trees to bloom in abundance!  While I still see patients everyday in my Women’s Health / OB / Gyn Office, I am no longer traveling.  This time at home has given me opportunity to photograph some of the beauty right in my own backyard.

The flowers and trees are not rare varietals, but they sure make me happy.

Japanese Maple

Red Bud

Of course, Daffodils

Dogwood – the first photo in this post is a Dogwood as well

Gerbera Daisy

Rhododendron

And … some grocery store Tulips

As I told Joe, this time with my camera has started me thinking about upgrading my gear.  Time to do some research!

Our May wedding has been postponed to September.  Fingers crossed we can proceed.

And I have found time for the bike, although not near enough!

Thus far, family and friends are healthy.  Living in a less than dense area has kept those that I love free from CoVid-19.

Again, please share in the comments how you are doing or link to a recent blog post that would update me on how you are doing!

Pacific Coast Highway Tour: Astoria, OR to Newport, OR

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We left Astoria knowing that we had less than 150 miles to drive.  Piece of cake, right?  Not on Highway 101 and not when we were stopping every few miles.

What an incredible day!  One minute it was gloriously sunny; the next it was raining, and all of it was wonderful!

I’d aleady had my feet in the Pacific Ocean off of the Washington Coast, and on this day I did the same in Oregon.

Haystack Rock on Cannon Beach

Whale Sighting!

Forgive me! I just realized that these next four images are from Cape Disappointment State Park in Washington!

The Astoria-Megler Bridge

My apologies for the lack of order of these photos! Hope you enjoyed them anyway!

In Memoriam – Patricia Fogarty

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Thank you, Joe, for putting into words what many are feeling. My thoughts are with her family and friends the world over.

Monochromia

It is with deep regret that I wish to inform our followers that my dear friend and fellow Monochromia contributor Patricia Fogarty (aka Patti Kuche) has passed away. She is survived by her loving husband Mark Fogarty and her sons Iggy, Dom and Patrick. All of us at this blog want to extend our deepest sympathy to Mark and family. She will leave a void in hearts of the many people who have had the pleasure of knowing her.

Images by Stacy Fischer

Patti was first and foremost a great street photographer. She was also a dear friend and a genuinely fun person to be around. My wife Theresa and I had a special connection with Patti. We adored her mixture of Australian and London brogue accent and I don’t think there was ever a time where she failed to make us laugh when we got together.

When I first…

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Pacific Coast Highway Tour: Port Angeles, WA to Astoria, OR

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What a thrill it is to spend the entire day driving the Pacific Coast Highway! Mile by mile of exploration with the only downside being that I wanted to stop and photograph EVERYTHING!  We had 10 days to get from Seattle to LA and we could have spent weeks!  Still, it was a gift just to be there and we will be back!

Day 2 on the road found us leaving Port Angeles, driving through Olympic National Park, and ending up in Astoria, Oregon.

This view brought tears to my eyes.

But that view came after miles of driving through fog, which was stunningly beautiful even though it blocked some of the view.

#mysawyerbracelet

At the end of the day, we found a local brewery and enjoyed a cold beverage.  Happiness!

Pacific Coast Highway Tour: 3 Hours in Seattle

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What do you do when you have 3 hours in Seattle?  After arriving by plane from Virginia, and with WAY TOO MANY options, we picked up our rental car and made a quick stop at the Pike Place Market.

 

After enjoying Fish Tacos and a local craft beer, with vows to return, we took the Edmonds Kingston Ferry to the Olympic Peninsula.

Getting Back Into It: Halloween Redux

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Like many on the East Coast of the United States, the weather was wild in Southwest Virginia on October 31st.  This photo was taken 2 days later while helping a friend hand out candy to those who came by.  The absence of costumed folks in this image, belies the fact that there were HUNDREDS of trick or treaters!