Thursday, November 23, 2006

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!  Today is not just about big meals and good food;  It is a day to reflect on our blessings and to remember all that we have to be thankful for.  For me, this has always been a day to reflect on loved ones, family and friends, who touch our lives in so many ways.

 

My thanks today include the many friends and acquaintances I’ve made through this journal.  How lucky I am to live in an age that made this virtual community possible.  J-land has proved to be a community beyond the virtual boundaries where real and tangible friendships have been forged.   May you all enjoy the warmth of family and good friends today.  Yes, Happy Thanksgiving, J-Land.

 

I’d like to take a moment to right an oversight and give credit where credit is due.  When I posted my Halloween entry for trick or treat, I credited Donna at D’s designs for the graphic I used.  I forgot to give credit to Dona at, "Blue Skies and Gentle Breezes," for the Halloween theme colors and fonts used.  The instructions for the J-Land trick or treat series was to copy and paste the instructions into your post.  I was reading Dona’s journal at the time and copied and pasted from her page and completely forgot to give her a mention in my post.  Sorry Dona, it was not intentional. 

 

Just to make sure I don’t pull the same mistake again, my thanks to Donna over at, “This and That and Hockey!” for the graphic I used today at the top of this posts.

 

We have been busy at our household this fall season.  I spent an entire weekend cleaning out one of our two storage units, a holdover from the days when we lived aboard the boat we owned at the time.  I was able, with Paulette’s help, to consolidate into one unit and cut our storage expenses in half.

 

About that time Paulette decided to do some arts and crafts to sell this year.  That meant that I would be involved, of course.  We finished up just in time for the first crafts show we had booked into and have at least one more weekend of selling scheduled in the near future.  Yes, this fall has been a much busier season than I would have normally anticipated.

 

There have been a couple of interesting events at the marina since my last post.  The first one was an opportunity to get a few shots of the Coast Guard Cutter Anvil.  This is the tug and barge the Coast Guard uses to maintain the navigational markings in the Intra Coastal Waterway and in bays and harbors up and down the coast.  This work is critical to the safe navigation of these waters by commercial and recreational vessels.

 

This first shot shows the name on her stern.

 

 

The Anvil passes by here several times a year as it goes up and down the waterway.  I have always been just a little too late to get a good shot of her in the past, even though I really had wanted one.  The other day she stopped right in front of the marina to take some core samples of the bottom of the waterway in this area.  I was off to grab my camera in a flash and got a great series of pictures.  Here’s one more showing her in all her glory.

 

 

I have posted shots in the past of interesting things I have had to pull out of the water at the marina to dispose of.  I will probably never run out of these kinds of things to show and tell here.  A couple of weeks ago, I noticed a tree floating in the side creek part of our marina.  I couldn’t do anything about it that day due to the tide, current, and time of day.  The next day I looked for the tree and did not see it.  Whew, I thought, and started walking my rounds up and down the docks.  It wasn’t long before I spotted this tree again.  This time it was floating towards the dock at a higher rate of speed.  I watched as it hit a portion of the dock and immediately got wedged, half under the dock and half out.

 

 

I launched the tiny club work boat and got a line wrapped on the tree.  The boat was too small to pull the tree out from underneath the dock.  Thank goodness the tree lodged itself under the dock right next to our hoist system.  I was able to carefully dislodge the tree using the hoist motors.

 

 

We loaded the tree onto our work trailer and hauled it off to the back part of the property.  We’re going to let the tree dry out, then cut it up with a chain saw and stack it up for firewood.  Its a black hickory tree and will make fine firewood once it is dried.

 

 

Well, that’s about all I’ve got to share for now.  I’ll try not to let so much time elapse before my next post, but I’ve promised that before and life always seems to step in, presenting me with new situations that keep me away from the keyboard.  Take care and God Bless!  Oh, and once again, Happy Thanksgiving!

 

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hope you and your wife have a wonderful holiday!
I am thankful for the many people here who have touched my life...so thank you!

hugs,
Tracie

Anonymous said...

Hi Sam ,great to hear from you ,busy as ever ,great pictures Iloved the one of the Anvil and the tree made a good story , and some good firewood ,could we have some pictures of what Paulette has been  making ? A very Happy Thanksgiving,to you both  .love Jan xx

Anonymous said...

Well, now I know my Thanksgiving will be wonderful. I got to hear from a great friend. Thanks for the gift Sam. Happy Thanksgiving! Hurry back!! Tammy

Anonymous said...

Happy Thanksgiving to all who visit Sam's journal.  Pause a moment to remember our troops wherever they are, and to give thanks for the freedoms we enljoy because of their sacrifices.  No matter what your political beliefs, you are able to express them because of the work the military does.   The hoist with the tree is ingenious.  Loved the pictures, Sam, as well as sneaking a peek at my favorite relative!  Don't stay away so long!!!

Anonymous said...

First off, I want to wish you and Paulette a very Happy Thanksgiving, and all the best that goes with it!

Great shots as always; enjoyed watching tha Anvil do her thing. I can't believe the size of the tree that came for a visit, but it looks like you'll get a pretty nice stockpile of firewood from that one,

Great stuff, as always. Enjoy the holiday my friend

Jimmy

Anonymous said...

A Happy Turkey Day to you and yours!
http://journals.aol.com/astaryth/AdventuresofanEclecticMind
http://adventuresofaneclecticmind.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Have a good Thanksgiving Sam, and also to Paulette.
Interesting harbourside stories, we've got our own share of excitement at Stornoway

http://journals.aol.co.uk/pharmolo/NorthernTrip

Anonymous said...

Wishing you, Paulette, and Sandy a very Happy Thanksgiving.  May your day be filled with love... lots of good food and a good football game :)~
hugs
d

Anonymous said...

Now THAT is a tree..........wow!   Happy Thanksgiving Sam!      Anne

Anonymous said...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Anonymous said...

Sam,

Blessings to you and your loved ones.  Be safe.  Be happy.  Enjoy!
Dona (who really loves your graphic but wonders just how many snowmen you have in Georgia)
http://journals.aol.com/delela1/BlueSkiesandGentleBreezes

Anonymous said...

Sam, I enjoyed the pictures and your explaination of the Cutter Anvil. Also enjoyed your description of the tree removal. I'm glad that you have the time to put up this interesting Journal. Happy Thanksgiving to yoou and yours. Regards, Bill.

Anonymous said...

Sam I hope you and Paulette are having a wonderful Thanksgiving day ~Loved the photographs you took at the Marina the "Anvil" is an impressive looking vessel ~ glad you managed to take pictures of it this time ~ that is some tree you had to dislodge and move on ~ you seem to have everything at hand to make this possible ~ it will be a good source of heat when dried out and cut up ~  that will keep you warm when the weather is cold ~
I treasure the Friendship's I have made in JLand they are Tangible and deeply forged and I hope will last a lifetime ~ Ally

Anonymous said...

Hi Sam.  Happy Thanksgiving!!  
Tami

Anonymous said...

dropping by to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Kathy

Anonymous said...

Very nice entry and pics... Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Michelle

Anonymous said...

Always nice to hear from you...Jae

Anonymous said...

What kind of crafts?

Anonymous said...

Happy Thanksgiving! God Bless
Christy

Anonymous said...

Hi Sam :)

So sorry about not getting by sooner to wish you and your Paulette a Happy Thanksgiving! Oh well, it's the season of Thanksgiving, so I hope the rest of your weekend is a happy, safe and pleasant time for both of you. Take care.

Always, Carly :)

Anonymous said...

You're just a great guy, Sam  :)  I am thankful for JLand and all those I have been honored meeting here...

The Anvil is pretty cool!  But I admit I like the tree... LOL

Grilling over black hickory~ YUM  ;)

Hope you did/do well at the craft fairs!  They can be fun...

And hoping you had a nice Thanksgiving, too!

Cat

Anonymous said...

    Hey Sam  .... A Happy Belated Thanksgiving greeting to YOU, my friend.  I'm hoping that you and Paulette had a lovely day.  Looks like things have been busy in your life these days.  Well, they do say that 'busy hands are happy hands', so I would imagine that you are wearing a smile !
    Thanks for sharing the pictures. They put me in mind of my nephew, who used to work aboard a vessel similar to this one.  These days, he is working on a research vessel for a university, which does alot of experimental scientific work in all parts of the Pacific.  He, too, talks about finding some interesting things while working out on the water.   Glad you managed to get rid of the tree.  It will pay you back on one of these cool winter nights, by providing a nice fire.  Take care,   Tina

Anonymous said...

Hello hello hello season's greetings !!!!!!!!!!

I haven't been to your journal in a while. I have been catching up on my reading. I have missed not being to your journal. I hope your Thanksgiving was a nice one. I wish I could come down to the marina your pictures are the next best thing though. I have met so many wonderful people here at J-Land and I am enjoying getting to know people through their journals. I have been off of work for the Thanksgiving holiday which was really nice. I do hope you and your family have a great Christmas. Take care and I shall return to your journal more often. I did forget you. Byyyyyye for now !!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Interresting and creative use of resources.  Loved the shots.  Hope y'all had a good holiday.  All of Bill's kids were home and I got to take our grandsons over to play with their cousins Saturday.  Great to see them all.  Katie is getting married Sept. 29, 2007 in Nashville.  Love to all,  Lynn

Anonymous said...

Hi Sam, happy belated Thanksgiving! I've just got back from China and have missed you all! Lucky the tree got lodged near the hoist! I love the pic of it standing in the water! I hope the craft fair went well for you and Paulette. I'm saving now for my next trip to come and see you in Savannah! Jeannette xx  http://beta.journals.aol.co.uk/jlocorriere05/Welcometomytravels/

Anonymous said...

wow! I love that tree story! and the Anvil is an interesting boat Sam! Quite a beauty!
I'm so happy that Paulette is enjoyng her crystal hobby!
hugs,natalie

Anonymous said...

Well, heck!  A happy belated Thanksgiving to you!  Believe it or not Sam, life does step in and I save entries to go back for reading later.  So here I am today!  Catching up!  Sounds like you and Paulette have had a busy and wonderful fall season.  Hoping the winter treats you well!  Merry Christmas!