Whatever Wednesday - Seljalandsfoss Waterfall (hope you like waterfalls, there's going to be a lot)

Saturday 10/17/26  Seljalandsfoss     200 foot waterfall wow

Gorgeous surrounding views

Ray's ready to walk the trail and go behind the falls

It was cold and rainy these first days in  the south.  Broke out the rain pants. Wind gusts were up to 40 mph.  Dramatic and misty
 

Monday Moments - Start Your Tour - Iceland

After a red eye flight from Montreal, we landed in Reykjavik and hit the ground running with Odyssey Tours.  We met our fellow passengers and tour guide, Oli, at Cafe Loki for a breakfast spread.  Fish, cheeses, meats, and really yummy bread. Initial introductions and then GO!

Statue of Leif Erikson

Halleskirche - a very cool looking concrete church

Massive organ

Then a bus ride heading southeast east to Selfoss.  Along the way we toured a Geo Thermal plant. It's quite interesting to see steam just rising from the land.  Iceland has worked to harness the power. They are very eco conscious and advanced on the technology. 

It was a great start to our tour, but man, we were tired when we got to our first hotel. Forced ourselves to stay awake. I made it to 9 pm. 

This was only the beginning of a unique adventure.
 

Finally Friday - Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

 I am late to this party.  Everyone I know recommended this book, Theo of Golden by Allen Levi. 

It proved to be a very worthy read.   Theo is 80+  years old and from Portugal. He's a man of independent wealth and he comes to Golden, GA to "visit".  This visit proves enlightening for all who meet him. 

He has questions and truly meets and talks with people. He's buying portraits from a local coffee shop and then gives them as gifts to the actual  people. A story is told, a friendship is born, and a life altered (back blurb).

This is a story of giving and receiving and being seen. It's about creative generosity, wonder to a purposeful life, and the invisible threads of kindness that bind us to one another.  (back blurb)

I'll be honest. A lot of friends recommended this book. When I started reading it, I thought it was almost too perfect. A bit too contrived.  Then it pulled me in and Theo captured my heart.  And then the finale...

Holy crap.  You just have  to read it for yourself.    Whew!

Whatever Wednesday Wow - Northern Lights

So, we went to Iceland

yes, in October - the rainy season. More on that later.  

But it's also the best time for the northern lights.   

Here you go.  Hotel Siglo.  25 miles from the Arctic Circle.   Called us at 10.30 pm  - "There's activity."  

Ya think?   holy cow.  Totally mind blowing 

 so, I'm leading with the best thing ever.

You are welcome!!!

Now, in the coming weeks, you must live through a lot of waterfalls.......

Just saying....

Iceland is exotically cold, rainy, beautiful, and fantastic.    Enjoy

Monday Moments - Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy

 Laundry from our Iceland trip is done. Whew! That took a bit. I'm still sorting pictures...so, patience my friends...You'll see some Northern Lights!!!  Yes - fantastic.  And also more waterfalls than you care to imagine.  Meanwhile - here's the book I read while traveling.  It's a good one. 

Dominic and his three kids are caretakers for Shearwater, a tiny island off the coast of Antarctica.  Sea levels are rising and they are packing up their life mission - the seed vault. Researchers and scientists have left. (some mysterious circumstances are hinted).  

A woman, Rowan,  washes up on shore, badly injured. Turns out she's the wife of one of the researchers.

What the heck is going on?    Sabotage.  Blood.   How many secrets are there? 

p. 168  and now there is this day. Here on a windswept, starlit hill, and I think I have found something, and the broken years fall away.        ...............I am quite certain I have found his grave.

p. 261  Orly the young lad who loves the plants, the seeds, and the stories of the island.  It's all he's known as a kid.    He's very protective of the seeds.  Here's his thoughts

The banksia will wait, and wait, and wait for this fire to come. Only with flames and smoke licking at everything around it will it open its valves and let its seeds be taken on this hot burning wind.......

which the untrained eye would look at and see death - comes life, bursting free....

McConaghy writes a very near future tale - very aware of climate change, global warnings,  all the nature concerns we have. It's also a tale of a family without a mother.  And a mysterious death? maybe. 

Wild Dark Shore is a wow of a tale and kept me hooked until the end.  Highly recommended. 

Finally Friday - Happy Halloween Weekend

 Happy Halloween Weekend everyone

Hope it's safe, fun, and full of treats

Welcome Great Pumpkin, indeed

(All I got was a rock.... poor Charlie Brown)

Witchy Wednesday

We're back from Iceland and recovering.  But hey, it's Halloween week, so let's get spooky

Stop staring at me

 A groaner....