I joined some of my soccer teammates at Gillette Stadium this evening to watch the NE Revs take on Miami CF. It was a chance to see Lionel Messi in action and we were not disappointed. He scored twice in the 4-1 drubbing of the Revs. He spends ~90% of his time on the pitch walking or slowly jogging about, and any high school soccer coach would question his contribution to defense. Even so, when the ball is at his feet, there is little doubt why he is considered the greatest soccer player of all time. While I thoroughly enjoyed the soccer match, the parking logistics for the stadium were abysmal. Pedestrian traffic interrupts car traffic due to the lack of a bridge or tunnel between the field and general parking. Rather than parallel entry points into the parking area, it is ultimately reduced to a single file where the time it takes to park a single car is the rate limiter. With a crowd of 65,000, I would estimate a total of 25,000 cars. It took an hour and a half just to exit the parking lot.

It has taken some time to get around to completing the stairs to the garage. I finished the structural portion several months ago to facilitate access to the house. The plan post-construction was to top the structure with the same white oak flooring used throughout the house. I intentionally left a roughly sanded surface to reduce the possibility of slipping when coming into the house with wet or muddy shoes. I was very satisfied being able to use all scrap/left-over materials for this project.

Nico has been named to the 2024 Range of Motion Project (ROMP) climb team for the second time. Each year, a select group of adaptive athletes, industry leaders, and disability rights advocates come together for the signature climb: an attempt on one of Ecuador’s highest peaks to symbolize what is possible when you have access to proper prosthetics care and to raise money for those who do not. To commemorate their 10th anniversary, this year’s team will split into groups to climb the highest three mountains in Ecuador (Chimborazo 20,549 ft, Cotopaxi 19,347 ft, and Cayambe 18,996 ft). Nico climbed Cayambe last year and is hoping he will be assigned to Chimborazo or Cotopaxi. This year’s goal is to raise $500,000 to fund prosthetic care for underserved communities. Should you wish to support Nico’s fundraising goal of $10,000 you can do so at this link by selecting his name from the list of climbers.

When Maya and I visited Ecuador in 2017 we climbed a small portion of Cotopaxi from the trailhead at 14,650 to the Refugio José Rivas at 15,953 feet. Getting to the summit looks to be an order of magnitude more difficult.

Our landscaping plan for the River House is based on native species. Only recently did we learn that local insects and pollinators are not able to eat non-native plants. Absent a food source, their numbers dwindle which negatively impacts the entire ecosystem. A secondary goal was to create a pallet of colors and textures that change with the seasons and require little maintenance or watering. Much as I took charge of the design process for the house, Jeanine has taken the lead on the landscaping design. Installation of plant material in the front “yard” commenced today and it is exciting to watch as the transformation begins.

Jeanine adds: We will be planting many drought-resistant grasses that require no mowing. Grass seeds mixed with clover will assist with adding nitrogen to the ground to help recover post-construction. The only non-native plants added to the mix (requested by Carl ) are hostas which will line the front walkway – Elephant and Mouse-ear variety! To preserve the views of the river, only low-profile trees will be added, witch hazel, hazelnut, serviceberry, viburnum, and leucothoe (a broadleaf evergreen). In place of a typical suburban lawn, many different ground covers will be established (“barren strawberry”, sedges, creeping thyme). Like most features of the house, the plan is to enjoy the natural setting without adding maintenance.

Kyle has moved on from Spain to Italy where he connected with my brother and his family who are on vacation in Tuscany. I am pleased to report that we are receiving a steady stream of photos that help us live vicariously through his travels which have now taken him to Rome. Not posted here are the many food photos he has shared. I feel like I will gain weight just by looking at them.

Final grading for the yard was completed today as was seeding with a no-mow fescue. Jeanine assisted our landscapers with the installation of one hundred native plants while I put our last two stone slabs to good use as foundation elements for our new grill. I also cut down 30-foot lengths of leftover standing seam aluminum roofing into 6-foot sections and loaded them into my car for transport to a metal recycling center. The yard has really taken shape over the last few days. More plants will be added later this week and it is probably time to schedule the driveway top coat. I say probably because we are seeking permission to cut down all the white pine trees that pose a threat to the house. Because we are so close to the river, we will require authorization from the Natural Resources Commission. Should we receive it, we will want to postpone the top coat which may be ruined by the large crane that will be required to remove the trees.

My soccer team’s second match of the season produced another shutout with 7 unanswered goals. I had one shot on net but found the post instead. Still, it was a well-struck ball and I like the sound of the reverberating frame. I managed one assist before tweaking my hamstring at the end of the first half. Given our lead, I decided to sit for the remainder of the game rather than risk exacerbating the injury, even though it was minor.

Jeanine was convinced she heard the doorbell ring at 4:30 am. A review of our video surveillance recordings revealed no such occurrence but did show a ghostly figure peering out the window shortly thereafter. We have a total of six cameras covering the house and grounds that we use primarily as nature cams. Thus far we have captured a fox, a fisher cat, deer, groundhogs, raccoons, a coyote, and beavers but none have rung the doorbell so far.

Rain for much of the day sent me to my workshop to start the construction of a small credenza for my office. It is the perfect project on which to use our last sheet of bamboo plywood and will make a nice matching piece to the desk I built earlier. The design will include two drawers for hanging file folders and four smaller ones. I cut and edged all of the carcass components and used my last sheet of 5/8″ baltic birch plywood for the drawer box parts. When the next rainy day comes along I will complete the project.

Jeanine and I spent the better part of the day burning off downed limbs that we had been gathering for days. Six hours of constantly feeding the fire covered half of what we needed to burn. In all likelihood, we will hire someone to chip the remaining tree trunks that fell during the winter and have them deal with the remaining limbs as well. Although the work was quite strenuous, it was also very satisfying. We want our property to remain very natural but are aiming for something closer to a park than a jungle.

Work has begun on our landscaping plan. Four inches of clay has been replaced with an equal amount of topsoil in areas where we will be planting a no-mow fescue. River rock has been installed to create tiny “streams” where roof and surface water runoff can make their way to the river. New temporary erosion control barriers have replaced the original ones which had started to degrade. Plant material is scheduled to arrive next week.

When our most recent wind storm took down several trees, Jeanine and I did the minimal amount of work necessary to clear the driveway for vehicle traffic. Today, we did considerably more to prepare the downed trees for removal. This involved cutting up the trunk and separating burnable wood from branches with pine needles. The latter will be taken to the town composting facility. Site preparation for landscaping starts tomorrow and the contractor delivered a mini excavator he will use for the initial work. In places where we plan to grow things, we need to replace 4 inches of clay with a similar amount of loam.

We are scheduled to begin landscaping this week at the River House and I thought I would take a before photo now and an after photo when the installation is complete. Regrettably, I did not think to open the first-floor blinds for the early morning shot. I spent a good portion of the day assembling and seasoning a new BBQ grill that will reside on the patio once the landscaping is finished. I have never been one to do much grilling but I think that may change with retirement.

The people of Massachusetts, and Concord in particular, take Patriot’s Day very seriously given that this was the epicenter of the battle for American independence. I began the day with a pancake breakfast at the First Parish church where Jeanine was volunteering as a cook. I did so despite the image carried by the sign walker designed to entice patrons as it had the opposite effect on me. Fortunately, the flapjacks were excellent. The reenactment of the fighting between the Minutemen and the Redcoats at the Old North Bridge, a highlight of our local celebration, was canceled due to safety concerns related to the high water level of the Concord River. Nevertheless, I was able to shoot one Redcoat for the benefit of our cause.

Rather than stick around for the parade, I decided to catch the Boston Marathon. This year, I managed to photograph all four winners of the major divisions because they were all in the lead at the 12-mile marker where I was positioned. Marcel Hug (men’s wheelchair); Eden Rainbow Cooper (women’s wheelchair); Sisay Lemma (men’s); and Hellen Obiri (women’s).

After taking off the fall season last year to work on the River House I returned to the soccer pitch this morning for the opening match of our spring season. I am back with Concord United, which just established an over-62 team now that many players from the over-55 league have become eligible. This is now my 20th year with the team and we got off to a great start winning 4-0. I believe I will be credited with the first goal. I had beaten two defenders and was about to take a close-range shot on goal. The defenseman chasing me could only manage to toe-poke the ball from behind and put it right into the net for me. I finished the game with sore legs and a slight hamstring tweak but should be good to go for next week’s match.

Garlic Mustard is an invasive species in our neck of the woods. Jeanine and I joined a large group of our neighbors to pull these little buggers this morning. Even though there were some seriously large patches to be eradicated the work went quickly with so many people working together. Later we returned to our house to deal with the aftermath of the tree that came down across our driveway yesterday. We wrapped up the day with a “birthday dinner” with friends at a newly opened Mexican restaurant here in Concord.

For the second time in as many months, a large tree has been the victim of a windstorm and come down across our driveway. Fortunately, it missed by inches the Japanese-style stone lanterns we had placed in the clearing where it fell. Clearing a path for vehicles with my chainsaw was a welcomed 20-minute distraction from preparing our income taxes which is never something I look forward to. We have returned to high winds and heavy rain that makes it feel like we are still in Scotland. Still, it is nice to be back on home turf.

Today is Jeanine’s 61st birthday. She is foregoing a family celebration today since we had extended time with the full crew while on vacation. Now that she is a sexagenarian and I am also a sexagenarian means we will be having lots of sex. Perhaps her newfound maturity also explains her evolving thoughts on headwear fashion.

Looking back on our two weeks in the UK, we have had a magnificent experience spending time with the kids, and our friends, while enjoying the natural beauty of the Lake District and the Isle of Skye. For me, it has been a much-needed respite from all the work I have been doing on the new house for the past 2 1/2 years and a chance to reignite my passion for landscape photography.

Our flight back to Boston via Dublin was uneventful and we were greeted at the airport by Nicolai who is about to embark on another west coast travel stint. Meanwhile, Kyle has set up shop in Barcelona and plans to work from there for the next month before connecting with my brother and his family in Italy.

We commenced the first leg of our journey home today driving from the Isle of Skye to the outskirts of Edinburgh in just over six hours with a few stops along the way for food and gas. We stayed at the Dalmahoy Hotel & Country Club.

The main house was built in the 1720’s for the youngest son of the Earl of Stair. It was then acquired by the Douglas family in 1760 and the Estate on which the house stands is still owned by a direct descendant of the family, the 22nd Earl of Morton. Mary, Queen of Scots is said to have been a visitor to Dalmahoy and when she was later imprisoned in Loch Leven Castle, the Douglas family came to her aid. George Douglas, who was in love with her, was banished for concocting a plan to free her. His brother, William Douglas then helped her escape and threw the keys of the castle into the loch. In the 19th century, the loch was drained and the keys were found.

Fortunately, no keys were to be found for the Easter Bunny Buggy which Jeanine seemed quite determined to take for a spin around the club’s golf course.

What a difference 8 hours can make. This morning, Jeanine and I arrived early at the trailhead for the Old Man of Storr hike. It was overcast with intermittent rain. Jeanine turned back at the halfway point when it became apparent that the pinnacles would be shrouded in clouds. I continued to the top where I waited for an hour hoping the clouds would lift. They did not and the best image I have is the one below.

Later in the day after driving around the entire Trotternish peninsula, a challenging drive on one-track roads that I will not soon forget, we returned to the Old Man of Storr trailhead. Naturally, the clouds had mostly cleared and the sun was shining. My knees would not tolerate another ascent so I decided to fly my drone up the mountain. Having hiked the trail earlier, I knew just the path to fly to position the drone for the photo I wanted. I an extremely pleased with the image I was able to make. It is possibly the best landscape photograph I have ever taken.

After lunch, Jeanine wanted to visit a nearby wool crafts store. In the quaint little shop, we learned that all the wool for sale was from the sheep on their farm. While Jeanine was shopping, I photographed the father of all the sheep on the property. He looked like a pretty happy dude.

The Fairy Glen was not on my radar but Jeanine learned about it and thought it would make for a nice place to visit. Indeed, it was a whimsical area filled with small conical hillocks created by an ancient landslide. We did not see any fairies, but if they are to be found anywhere, this is the place. Below is a basalt “castle” adjacent to one of the hills. Falling from the top would be sure to result in severe injury but probably not death. For this reason, I was able to climb to the top despite my intense fear of heights which can be more accurately described as my acute fear of falling to my death.

An early start got us to the Fairy Pools ahead of the crowds. Jeanine and I enjoyed a lovely hike along a cascade of waterfalls feeding a series of turquoise pools. It was mostly overcast but thankfully it only rained for a few minutes. The pools are the primary attraction on this hike but I cannot resist a nice waterfall. We had lunch in Portree at the Inn of the same name. I had a cheese-smothered salted brisket sandwich on a Scottish roll. It was the best sandwich I have ever had in my life. Jeanine had the Cullen Skink, a smoked haddock chowder that she loved as well. Fortified by our meal we drove on to the Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls (pictured below) where calmer winds allowed for a drone shot.

We continued north to the An Corran beach where In 2002 a local woman, out walking her dog, found what looked like a set of footprints in a recently exposed block of rock. They were found to be those of a three-toed carnivorous Megalosaurus, a fierce predatory dinosaur of the Mid-Jurassic period that roamed the shallow lagoons over 168 million years ago.

Our final stop for the day was at an unnamed waterfall Jeanine spotted above the road while we were driving by. A short climb revealed a very beautiful cascade and it may well be my favorite on a day that included some spectacular waterfalls.

We were greeted on the Isle of Skye by gale-force winds which blew all night and day. We decided that it would be wise to limit our time outdoors and did so with a visit to the Dunvegan Castle followed by lunch at a nearby pub. That wisdom failed me later in the day when I decided I would try to photograph the Neist Point Lighthouse at sunset. Jeanine was smart enough to stay at our AirBnB which is aptly named the “Snug”. When I arrived at Neist Point after a harrowing 40-minute drive, the wind was even stronger than elsewhere and it was raining horizontally. Walking was very difficult and I had to shoot at 1/400th of a second because holding my camera steady was simply impossible and my tripod was no match for the gale. When the wind finally knocked me off my feet and into a soggy bog, I decided it might be wise to pack things up. I managed a few photos that were not crap but on balance, it was a failed outing. A gale force wind is rated at 39-46 mph. I have no doubt that the wind speed at the point was closer to 60 mph.

Yesterday’s rain was replaced with gale-force winds as we drove from Glencoe to the Isle of Skye. Our first stop along the way was the Neptune Staircase, the longest staircase lock in Scotland, raising the canal by 62 feet over a quarter of a mile of continuous masonry. Requiring nearly two decades to complete the lock began operation in 1822 and is still in use today. It takes around 90 minutes for a boat to travel up or down the locks. 

Our next stop was the Glenfinnan Viaduct made famous by the Harry Potter movies in which it is traversed by the Hogwart’s Express. The viaduct is built from mass concrete (no rebar; strong in compression, weak in tension) and has 21 semicircular spans of 50 feet. It is the longest concrete railway bridge in Scotland at 416 yards, and crosses the River Finnan at a height of 100 feet.

As we approached the Isle of Skye, where we will be spending the next four nights, we stopped to photograph the Eilean Donan Castle, originally built in the 13th century.

Pictured below is the Old Sligachan Bridge built between 1810 and 1818. Legend has it that eternal beauty may be gained from bathing one’s face in the enchanted water beneath it. Specifically, one must submerge their face in the ice-cold water for 7 seconds and then allow it to air dry. Although Jeanine and I could both benefit from a dose of eternal beauty, neither of us felt compelled to stick our heads in the river and decided on some hot tea at the pictured inn instead.

Our final stop for the day was in Portree, the largest town on the island, where we found a good vantage point from which to enjoy the famous colored houses that can be found here.

Hadrian’s Wall is a former defensive fortification of the Roman province of Britannia, begun in AD 122 in the reign of Emperor Hadrian. The largest Roman archaeological feature in Britain, it runs a total of 73 miles across the whole width of the island. Soldiers were garrisoned along the line of the wall in large forts, smaller milecastles, and intervening turrets. Homesteads Roman Fort is perhaps the best preserved and where we stopped for a visit this afternoon. The fort was occupied for almost 300 years and housed some 800 soldiers. Wooden floors in the various buildings were supported by vertical stones which kept the interiors dry and free of vermin.

In total, we spent more than 5 hours driving from the Lake District through the Scottish highlands to Glencoe, our destination for the night on what might be the most scenic road I have ever witnessed. Regrettably, heavy rain, high winds, and low clouds made photography impossible and we can only hope for better weather when we make the return trip.

Today I ventured out on my own for a day of photography while Jeanine and the kids all did their own things. Pictured above is St Mary’s Parish in Ambleside constructed in the 1850s. I used my drone to capture the most flattering perspective. Below is the Cathedral Quarry, a small network of interlinked quarries above Little Langdale. The system is best known for its main chamber, which stands forty feet in height and is lit by two windows off the main quarry. They are frequently referred to as Cathedral “Cave”.

On the hike to the caves, one has an opportunity to cross the Slater Bridge which dates back to the 17th century. Built of slate, it consists of a 15-foot segmental arch and a flatter span built of slabs and incorporates a natural boulder in midstream. The bridge is thought to have been created by miners working in the nearby quarry. It has been described by, Alfred Wainwright, a famous British fellwalker, guidebook author, and illustrator as “the most picturesque footbridge in Lakeland.”

A tiny, whimsical 17th-century stone house on a bridge over Stock Beck River caught my attention. A relatively short hike took me to the Stock Ghyll Waterfall. Pictured below is the lower section of the 70-foot falls.

My final destination for the day featured a stepping-stone river crossing. Normally, I focus on still images but when I saw a young woman in a white dress and yellow boots getting ready to cross I switched to video.

With rain forecasted for the entire day, our group decided to do a flat hike around Lake Buttermere, arguably the most beautiful of the lakes in the Lake District. We started and ended the 4.5-mile walk in light rain but during the middle, we had a respite and a chance to thoroughly appreciate this magnificent place. Afterward, we relaxed in a local pub for fish and chips and steak and ale pie. Jeanine, Kyle, and Nico were walking ahead of the group when I took this photo so Maya was our only representative.

Today, Maya, Nico, and the rest of the lodge crew tackled Jack’s Rake, a challenging climb with a lot of exposure (see the route pictured below). I become paralyzed when I am in such situations and would not have been able to complete the climb. Regardless, I had already decided to avoid further vertical climbing to protect my knees for the soccer season and was joined by Kyle for the day on a photographic expedition. Meanwhile, Jeanine joined Lou Ann (our hostess) on a shopping excursion to Keswick.

Below are a few of my favorite images from the day. The first is a second attempt at a photo I took yesterday. This time I returned with my tripod so I could make a long exposure and circular polarizing filter so the colors would pop. I think the difference was worth the effort.

After two perfect weather days, things returned to normal with a bit of rain throughout the day. The kids decided to have a rest after their big climb yesterday. Jeanine and I opted for a 6-mile valley walk with our hosts. The constant drizzle only added to the ambiance and the relatively flat trail was a welcome change of pace for my very achy knees.

Jeanine opted to attend Easter Mass this morning, I joined the adults to hike Sheffield Pike (2000 ft. climb, 6.5 miles), and the kids tackled the very challenging Helvellyn via Striding Edge (2660 ft., 9.5 miles). Hard to say who had the most fun but I can claim the company of the best dog, Pemberry (Pembi, for short). UPDATE: Maya, who has been proclaimed the BogWench by her mates felt it would be appropriate to honor her new title by taking a plunge in the ice-cold Red Tarn during her ascent of Helvellyn. Kyle suggested I was to blame for this questionable choice of bathing location because of the “Brave Maya” training I put her through as a small child.

We were treated to lovely weather for our first proper hike in the Lake District where we are staying in the small town of Patterdale with the MacKenzie family. Fiona MacKenzie is a close high school friend of Maya’s and current flatmate. Alex MacKenzie is one of my former soccer teammates. Also in the photo is Alex’s brother, Charles, and his family as well as Fiona’s brother and his friend from childhood. The MacKenzie’s have been holding family reunions in Patterdale for more than 50 years and today we did their traditional first-day’s climb of Place Fell. The views were outstanding and well worth the rugged 7 mile hike. On the way up Maya escorted Kyle through an underground cave/tunnel and I caught them as they emerged.

The family arrived in the UK this morning. We all flew together to Dublin and then the boys continued to Manchester while Jeanine, Maya, and I flew to Edinburgh. This unusual arrangement is due to our different return plans. After renting a defective car (steering wheel on the wrong side) we stopped for breakfast at a local bakery before driving to the Lake District. There we stopped at the Aira Force Waterfall for a short hike before checking into the nearby lodge where we will be staying for the next week..

Using leftover scraps from the plywood I used to build the stair treads, I completed the drawer fronts and doors on my shop sink cabinet today. I know I declared I was done with cabinetry the other day but I did not include my shop as part of the official house. The fact is, a shop is never really DONE. It is merely in a suboptimal state of completion. I also built some drawer dividers for the walk-in closet and finished the partitions for Jeanine’s spice drawer. The work was a nice distraction from the passage of another kidney stone that started this morning. I am hoping it will move through me before I start our vacation later this week.