July 12, 2012
Summer visitors
An excerpt from a restful new release.
Despite all the beautiful beautiful beautiful things I see when I’m in the air,
Zipping past Mount Rainier… oooh…
Approaching the narrow South Beach area of San Juan Island, with other isles in the background… aahhhh…
I’m celebrating being in the midst of a three month stretch during which my feet are not leaving the ground.
I sail and hike and kayak and scramble and drive around this beautiful beautiful beautiful place. When human visitors come to my doorstep, I take them along for the adventures.
And every day, when non-human visitors come to my doorstep, they take me on their adventures.
Escher-esque: editing a twilight photo I had just shot of the eagle on the rock in front of me, while the eagle is on the rock in front of me.
A pod of orcas glides by my toes.
YIPPEE!!. Or something like that.
It’s hilariously distracting when I’m on a business call and these guys are hurling themselves out of the water in front of me (I will never get over my great fortune to work at a desk with this view, instead of, like, an airshaft). Sometimes I giddily describe the scene to whoever’s on the phone. And other times (during more, uh, professional calls), the person on the other end has no idea that as I’m oh-so-professionally discussing whatever professional bit of professional stuff we’re talking about, I’m silently going !!OHMYGAWD!! and clicking away on my camera. Sometimes.
Also airborne are these folks. Except in the brief moments their teeny tiny feet curl around the feeder.
And then there are the land-based guests.
This fox comes around regularly, and has mastered the art of the marvelously pathetic, pleading stare. The aliens do their best to ignore him.
I can’t quite tell what he thinks about my music.
Until he comes to the door and reports to me in no uncertain terms exactly which notes I need to change.
So, that’s this week’s chamber of commerce visitor tourism overview. Stay tuned for more Island Adventures with Al!
Yes, I AM behind the wheel of a road grader. Don’t even ask… is that the theme to Green Acres I hear?
Paul Muller said,
July 13, 2012 @ 9:50 am
Great pictures – as usual.
Your fox friend looks like Wylie Coyote. Getting any deliveries from the Acme company?
Alex Shapiro said,
July 13, 2012 @ 9:52 am
Yes. And I’m smarter than the roadrunner: I don’t open them!
Russell Sadler said,
July 13, 2012 @ 9:58 am
Alex, this is just the most pleasant blog, especially when I am off island and away from my boat for an extended period. Thanks for reminding me why I live there.
August.
Alex Shapiro said,
July 13, 2012 @ 10:01 am
It reminds me, too, in the best of ways. I’ll see you over here when you’re back, Russell!
Paul Muller said,
July 13, 2012 @ 11:31 am
Caption for the Road Grader photo: “In which Alex decides to up the ante on John Luther Adams’ ‘Inuksuit’…”
Alex Shapiro said,
July 13, 2012 @ 11:36 am
Love it!
Karen Kingsolver said,
July 23, 2012 @ 2:20 pm
Alex you write in such a distinctive and alive-with-joy-and-aliveness voice, just like your music.
uh oh. Now I’m firmly hooked on your blog. At least on this website I’ll get predictably inspired.
Alex Shapiro said,
July 23, 2012 @ 2:39 pm
Oh, that’s a wonderful thing to say, Karen! Thanks! And you know the island well enough to know why I can be so joyous here 🙂
Tony Z said,
August 1, 2012 @ 5:36 am
“Green Acres is the place to be
Farm Living is the life for me!”
I remember!!!!!
Great photos!