–Puzzle Pieces, May 29th, 2007, photo © 2007 by QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
Arrived safely into Baltimore after an hour delay in the flight. I had the very last window seat on the left side of a plane filled with chatty middle school kids, a toddler, and a screaming baby one aisle over. I’m not complaining. I was happy to catch the flight. I practiced just sitting.
My mother and brother were there to meet me at the gate with open arms. They were a sight for sore eyes. After the hour and a half drive north, I walked back into the Pennsylvania home where I spent my teenage years, and the first thing I said was, “Smells like home!”
“Smells like home,” Mom repeated and kind of smiled as she hugged me and went through the daily mail. I’m tired tonight. Not much umphhh left. I bet you’ll find typos and rambling sentences in this post. But I wanted to get the aerials on the page.
What I realized is that the area around Baltimore is even more lush and green than Minnesota. You don’t get the patchwork quilt of fallow fields or the splat of glacial sky puddles. But you do get jigsaw forests and sea inlets, briny make up of a showdown between aquamarine salt and bluesy freshwater.
-Bridge, May 29th, 2007, photo © 2007 by QuoinMonkey.
All rights reserved.
And I think that’s the beginning of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, though I don’t know for sure. I’ve driven it a few times on the way to Ocean City, Maryland with my family. But from the air, and with my spatial ineptitude, I could be staring at a foot trail through the Rockies, and I might not know it. I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong. I wish I had shot this last one a few hundred feet forward. That’s when the bridge opened up to the huge expansiveness that it really is.
Alas, it’s time for bed. I’m downloading on dial-up and all my electronic gizmos, cords, and gadgets are spread out on the bed. It takes an arsenal to travel and capture the subtle nuances of the environment. Changes from day to day.
Already I’ve talked to my step-dad and we might make a journey to Tennessee to see the places where I spent some of my younger years. He said most of the houses are still standing. My brother said he’d fire up his GPSr so Mom and I might be able to do some geocaching in Georgia and South Carolina. Mom and I talked about Savannah over dinner at Rock-It Pizza & Subs down the way. And I tried to track down the address of my 8th grade English teacher, Mrs. Juarez.
Let the sleuthing begin. So far, so good. I’ve called many places home. But of all of them, this place smells the most like what I remember as home. The house noises are starting to resonate. My mother has lived here over 40 years. A long time. And at the same time, only the blink of an eye.
Wednesday, May 30th, 2007
– related to posts, View From The Sky and Arriving Albuquerque From Seat 21A
Natalie thinks I’m from Baltimore, remember? I’m not, but have flown in and out of the Baltimore Washington Airport several times — and seen the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Breathtaking. About two weeks ago there was a horrible car/truck accident in the middle of the western span. Four folks killed. That span of the bridge was closed for about 8 hours. Drivers retreated to restaurants and bars until they all ran out of crabs and beer.
I’m not familiar with all the details, but have you gone home (where in PA? My home town is Slippery Rock) to uncover your past? I ask because I’m planning to do it some time with my pen, writing pade and documentary movie camera.
My 8th-grade home room teacher was Mr. Snyder, who also taught geography. He was terrible, so bad, in fact, that I don’t know any of the answers to geography Trivia Pursuit questions. I answer every single one of them, “Belgium.” I was actually right one time. Blessings on your journey, and thanks for staying connected to Red Ravine while you’re away.
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Oh my, Balitimore is lush, isn’t it? Nice shots. The bridge is really cool. I notice a shadow, perhaps your reflection?, on the very right edge.
That far back in the plane? With middle school kids? Good for you practicing just sitting. I’m impressed. I might have taken an anxiety pill that I copped from Mom instead.
I’m so excited for you. I love that you’re looking up Mrs. Juarez. And that your mom’s house smells good. It must feel safe being there with her.
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Sharonimo-
What kind of movie camera do you use? Just curious since one day when I grow up I’d like to have one.
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Skywire — after extensive research (I’m not kidding), I went with the model considered to be the Documentary 101 Camera — the Sony FX1-HDV. It only weighs about 4.5 pounds and everything is so automatic, I’m stunned it doesn’t hoist itself onto the tripod. It has no XLR port for audio (though the camera has a microphone), if one is interesting in serious interviewing, which I am, so I also purchased an audio adapter. So far, all I’ve filmed is my cat, Isaac, sleeping, and my girlfriend, Adrienne, doing an imitation of my cat when he’s awake. Things are really hopping here.
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Hey, you ought to start a blog and post videos of your cat sleeping and Adrienne imitating the cat…
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Sharonimo: yes, I remember – Natalie thinks you are from Baltimore. 8) I had not heard about the Bay Bridge accident. I’m always amazed at how long that bridge is and how much water it covers. I love going to Ocean City.
To answer your other question – YES, I am travelling home to uncover the past and research more of my memoirs. Home for me has been a few places – most notably, almost dead center between Harrisburg and York, PA (though I’m very familiar with Slippery Rock. They used to be one of our college rivals in sports).
I also grew up in the South until I was about 12 and have lots of memories there. The universe is cooperating in so many ways as people are seemingly coming to me (rather than me having to dig for information). I’ll be driving down to Georgia tomorrow. I’ll keep you posted!
Sounds great to use the video camera to document your memoirs. I’d be interested to see how that process unfolds. What a great angle. Last time I was home (PA) Liz brought a video camera and I went around the house and taped all the corners and crevices. I found old typewriters, Bell South dial up phones, canned goods, well, let’s just say the well is rich!
I’ll be flying back out of Baltimore in a few weeks. I’ll wave from the air!
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I’m just trying to get a sense of how far your Pennsylvania home is from your Southern home. How long will that drive be?
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ybonesy: I called my 8th grade English teacher (and person largely responsible for me writing) Mrs. Juarez today and got her answering machine. She has a different name now but Mom said she lives not far from here. We’ll see if she returns my call. Maybe at the very least, I’ll get to talk to her. I’m as excited at the possibility as I can be.
skywire: sounds like a good tip on the movie camera. Can’t wait to see what you end up buying and seting up with your Mac. 8)
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ybonesy: Ameila says if we stop to eat and go to the bathroom a few times, it’s between 10 and 11 hours for our drive tomorrow from Pennsylvania to Georgia.
If we go to Tennessee sometime over the next week (where I also lived for a while as a child) that drive will be about 5 hours from where we are in Georgia to Tennessee. Good thing Mom and I love road trips! 8)
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QuoinMonkey — when will you be flying out of the Baltimore Airport. Maybe I could run up there and we can do a quick 15-writing exercise. I’m not kidding. The airport is only 21 miles from my house. You should come the night before to my house and then I’ll drive you up. Want me to meet you between PA and my house?
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Sharonimo: what a generous offer. It would be kind of cool to do a 15 minute practice in person. I’ll have to see how it goes with all the travelling and with visiting my family on the back end of the trip South. I leave from Baltimore on Tuesday, June 12th, early afternoon. We’ll have to check in later in the trip. 8)
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Thinking of you, QuoinM, and waiting anxiously to hear if you connect with Mrs. Juarez! You sound really good. Awake. And grounded, considering being on the move right now. More pictures, please.
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Sinclair: There is more to come on Mrs. Juarez. So much to write, so little time. Maybe I’ll have an update soon. I’m in Georgia now. And even more connections arising. It seems when we move, Providence really does follow. Thanks for your comments. It’s good to know I can stand with other writers when I’m out here excavating.
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