Air, Earth, and Water

This is an exact replica of The Mayflower. The Mayflower, according to American history, is the first boat carrying pilgrims from England to the United Sates. History tells us that it was a long hard journey on this boat, many were sick, and many died before landing in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

This is a float plane that carried me, a few canoes, and some friends to the remote wilderness of Ontario, Canada. They dropped us on the Dumoine River and we paddled our canoes 10 days through the wilderness back to civilization. It was a fun plane ride with a very French-Canadian pilot and a little motion sickness.

One of my favorite forms of transportation.

When will a car enthusiast ride a bus?

mom and i visit my grandfather every year in nuernberg, germany. he always tells us, "take the bus to the ubahn when going down town.. it's fast, easy, cheap, and you need not worry about parking."

nevertheless we consistently drive. perhaps because in her earlier life she had to walk forever, and ride two streetcars across town to get to school. in this life in germany, however, she can drive. Though perhaps more expensive and stressful, driving provides ultimate control, the perceived independence from an outside schedule.

So what was it that inspired us to ride public transit for the first time in 25 years of visiting germany together?? jet lag, coupled with attending a birthday party in old town made riding the tram simply more convenient. We had an amazing experience. talked with a few people. one of whom was so amazed and perhaps inspired to meet a woman who was born in nuernberg, and actually moved to america.

Hostel

Mountain Harbour Hostel, the nicest hostel I have stayed in stateside. It is the hayloft of a barn turned into a very nice living space. You can see one of the horses standing in the door. I think she gets to stay for free, or in trade of a few hours of riding...not a bad deal.

Bugs Life

According to Bella, a home is a place that is bug-free. She doesn't like bugs because sometimes they bite and make her itch. So, she posted this sign on the front door to keep them away.

American Dreams?

I don't think this sign was meant to advertise for this little shed, but it sure made me laugh.

houseboat hamburg habour

in some of the arms of the Elbe-river, it's possible to live in a houseboat...

most of these places are in former industrial areas...

York, Hamburg, Northern Germany

sunday afternoon balkony

Temporary Home...

On the banks of the French Broad River -- North Carolina





In a tent, on the cliffs of Savage Gulf -- Tennessee

A home with a little more space.

This is a replica of the home most astronauts live in when they travel to space. This small area includes a shower, a kitchen, sleeping quarters, an office, and a toilet. This replica is located in the NASA Space And Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

shelter

we came across this stone shelter on the ridge leading to silver star mountain in the mt adams wilderness.

Creative Home

This used to be a home for animals, a barn. Someone turned it into a home for people, a house. I have never seen anything like this, so I had to take a picture and share it with others. It's pretty neat to see how creative one can be when it comes to creating a home.

(This home is located in Cookeville, Tennessee)

Home.....less

This photo was take by Chris at
http://chris.quietlife.net

This is a picture of two homeless guys in Nashville, Tennessee trying to stay warm by laying on a warm exhaust vent in the sidewalk. I'm not sure if they consider this "home" or not. And perhaps its the lack of home that makes it such a powerful picture.

home in the woods

This is a shelter on the Appalachian Trail. This is a trail that runs from Georgia to Maine in the eastern United States. The trail runs well over 2,000 miles. Many people hike the entire trail each year. All along the trail people have built shelters, like this one, for weary hikers to stay in. These shelters serve as home to many tired souls and a few hungry mice.




This tree, located in the southeastern United States (Georgia), looks like it has been and could be a home to many different animals.

Our new theme....HOME

Our new theme is HOME......what creates a sense of home or belonging? Is it a structure, a place, people.........?

International Market in Southeastern USA.

This is a neat market about a mile from where I live. It's mostly Mexican, Asian, and Middle Eastern foods. They have quite the variety. I feel like I am in another county when I go there. They will even let you pick a live fish from the tank and butcher it for you. Pretty neat.




"Mountain potatoes" on the left....a few foods typically found in Asia.




Some yummy candy often found in China, Japan, and Korea. Pocky is very yummy!




These are some prickly foods often found in central and south american. The stuff in the middle is Aloe. They also have Aloe soda!

Costa Rican Supply Runs

visited friends in Costa Rica who operate a bed and breakfast named montezuma gardens in Costa Rica. participating in their daily routine as we prepared for the coming high season in january, included the weekly supply run to the nearby town of Cobano.

the main market is called megasuper. a great place to purchase canned goods. (higher quality of fruit, vegetables, and carne are available at the small markets down the street.)

the bulk food aisle.

evidence of nestle's efforts to promote baby formula in central and south america. breastfeeding is currently "in" in the US, formula seems preferred in costa rica.

a nestle solution across the age continuum.

and onto the hardware store, traditional courtship grounds of the iguanan locals.

chihuahua awaits his owner at the furniture maker's shop.

This is a small country store in central Kentucky. As you can see, they have a little bit of everything, in no particular order. There is even a cow from a manger scene...right below a box of raisins.

shopping in seattle, washington

a 12 x 5 foot refrigerator houses specialty cheeses at this natural foods cooperative on capitol hill in seattle.