Linear view vs. Masonry View

Archive for ‘Observations’

Waterlogged

Empty Beach
Caracara Drying Out
Underwater Flower

After over a month with very little precipitation, the rain came in with a vengeance the other night (parts of town received three inches). As the storm blew away I traipsed out to the beach at Mustang Island State Park for an afternoon stroll.

It was completely empty. Mine were the only footprints on the sand. A pleasant switch from the crowds of summer and a small hint that the season is changing (even though the temperatures sure haven’t dipped yet).

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Eyewear Gyre

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My afternoon stroll on Mustang Island took an unusual turn yesterday. The storm from the previous day washed ashore piles of flotsam. As a beach picker, it made me very happy to see all the detritus – I never know what will turn up.

It became clear pretty quickly that there was a theme to my treasures. Within half an hour I found seven pairs of goggles, fourteen pairs of sunglasses, a headlamp, and a GoPro. Most of the shades were too damaged to save but I now own a nice pair of Ray-Bans! Oh, and the GoPro turned on, I just need to figure out how it works. Thanks Gulf!
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Rockport Strong

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This weekend Rockport hosted the second annual Harvey Encore Block Party. The event was conceived as a way to honor the resilience of the local population after Hurricane Harvey devastated the community in August 2017. Harvey was not only the costliest hurricane to hit Texas but also the deadliest, killing 103 people. In the months that I’ve been here I’ve been impressed by the amount of construction, with new homes and businesses going up all around.

Sadly, there are still so many that haven’t been able to rebuild. Apparently, some property owners didn’t know that in addition to Homeowners they needed to buy separate Flood and Wind Storm policies. It’s a hell of a way to discover they didn’t have the right kind of insurance. Echoing local sentiment, one of the pubs called their celebration the F*$k Harvey Party.

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Perspective

I don’t recall how Traveling Light by Brian Andreas ended up in my possession. A gift from a friend? Or a fantastic flea market find? The important part is that it found its way to me. The colorful book is full of quirky illustrations and short snippets that pack a punch. One that often pops into my head is called Perfect Ending:

“I’m not sure how it’s going to turn out, except I’ll die in the end,” she said. “So, really, what could go wrong?”

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View from Rockport Beach, Texas July 2019
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