Waves built from onshore wind, fast, steady overnight, through the day from early morning until sunset. Pam and I adapted with a revisit to the Sands Space History Museum, Cape Canaveral just outside the Air Force Station. Click this link for a previous posting, “Cape Canaveral Lighthouse,” first of a series. This post header is a vintage gumball machine from the lobby.
By sunset the waves were roaring. Viewing from the safe distance of our condo porch we spied two surfers incredibly among the waves, taking rides. Waiting and attempting a ride. You can see for yourselves the two tiny dots of humanity, appearing and hidden among the waves. I spot them first and Pam does not believe me, I do not blame her. It is beyond my comprehension people are out there. I cannot recommend the quality of the video from my IPhone, our comments are humorous.
It is difficult, Pam is astounded when they come into view.
He rises briefly only to wipe out in this brief video.
Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) fly as linear flocks of a few individuals, at altitude over the shore, and low over the surf line as seen here. Taken January 27, 2020 with the IPhone 8, there is a the insertion of the modern world as a cruise ship comes into view. The ship departs Cape Canaveral Cruise port for parts unknown.
Pelicans, when skimming the waves solo, fly even closer, and do wipe-out when a wingtip hits the water. This bird successfully negotiates a path through the surf.
To continue my posting “Climb Hill of Tara” my first submission of three Hill of Tara photographs to Getty Istock had two of the photographs returned for revision.
A statue of Saint Patrick fittingly welcomes visitors to the Hill of Tara, County Meath, Ireland. This statue of cast concrete was an existing statue donated by the Sisters of Charity, moved from an existing installation to the Hill of Tara in the year 2000 AD. The creator is anonymous, the is no plaque or other attribution on or around the statue.
The original statue was erected on the summit of the Hill of Tara shortly after Catholic emancipation in 1829, commemorated the events of 433AD when St. Patrick lit a bonfire on the nearby hill of Slane on the eve of Easter Sunday.
Lighting such a fire was contrary to the pagan laws of the time which dictated that the first fire lit that night be in Tara. Observing St. Patrick’s bonfire from afar, the chief druid of the ancient Gaelic capital predicted that if the flame were not extinguished that night, Christianity would never be extinguished in Ireland. The saint’s bonfire continued burning and the next morning, Easter Sunday, St. Patrick entered Tara to convert the king and his followers to Christianity.
For the fenced statue of Saint Patrick the revieweR wrote:
Please provide a full description for the work of art featured in this image. Include the artist, date of creation, location, etc. Works of art created by someone other than yourself must be free of copyright protection to be considered. If this work of art is indeed under copyright protection, a property release signed by the copyright holder will need to be provided.
Hmmmm….What I do while capturing a photograph of a statue is take photos of any plaque, sign, whatever to acquire the name of the creator, how it came to be there, community connections. There was nothing around the statue nor the very informative Office of Public Works placards at the entrance. I was proud to submit the statue photograph, as it turned out so well, and hoped for the best.
Last week, I put in a query to Ireland’s Office of Public Works (OPW), the agency responsible for the Hill of Tara, and did not receive a response when, for other queries, they were helpful. This Saturday and Monday mornings, several hours of internet research revealed this history.
The original statue was placed on Tara sometime after the 1829 Catholic emancipation. It was molded concrete, created by Thomas Curry of Navan at his own expense to honor the connection of Saint Patrick to Tara.
The OPW removed Curry’s statue 1992 for repair of a century of wear. During the removal the statue was damaged beyond repair and, afterwards, was further damaged by vandals who decapitated and used it for target practice.
Initially, the OWP decided not to replace Saint Patrick citing the “pagan” nature of the place. After an angry meeting of local people at the Skryne Parish Hall. In this meeting the local Rathfeigh Historical Society formed the “Committee to Restore St. Patrick to Tara.” In turn, pressure was put on Michael D. Higgins, Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht (and the OPW). It was decided a new statue was to be created, based on a competition, and instead of it former place at the hill summit (called Rath na Rí), it was to be near the entrance, outside the Interpretative Center, to offer a Céad Míle Fáilte to visitors and be seen on departure.
The outcome was the competition winner was rejected by locals. The winning entry, by sculptor Annette Hennessy, did not follow competition rules that specified the statue incorporate traditional features to include shamrocks, harp, miter, a crozier and, perhaps, fleeing snakes. Hennessy’s design was of a shaven headed teenage boy in a short (“mini-skirt”) kilt, a handbag-shaped bell in hand. She agreed hers was “not a traditional style statue” saying it “acknowledges our Pagan Celtic history.”
The rejection included a statement from Dr. Leo Curran, chairman of the Rathfeigh Historical Society, “We agreed that most of the monuments in Tara are from the pre-Christian era, but St. Patrick should be at the uppermost layer, representing Christian tradition extinguishing paganism.”
By this time, a new government and minister were in place. The decision was made to search Ireland to find a suitable, existing, replacement statue. By 2000 the present statue, donated by the Sisters of Charity, was in place at the Hill of Tara entrance.
At the end of this post I provide the two references from my internet research and from which many facts and all the quotes were used here. I concluded the statue author was anonymous without copyright protection and submitted a revised image description, attaching a copy of my research.
What happened to my IStock photograph of Saint Patrick on the Hill of Tara? Getty accepted my application, published the photo and it is one of my top downloads, and earners.
Discover the charm of Cocoa Beach’s enchanted sunset where Olaf, the endearing snowman from “Frozen,” joins athletes in a celebration of imagination and sport on Florida’s magical Space Coast.
Olaf, with his carrot nose and coal-button smile, is the epitome of the whimsy and innocence that fills the hearts of those who dare to dream. He’s the spark of childlike wonder that persists even as the day gives way to night. As the sun dips below the horizon at Cocoa Beach, the playful contrast of a snowman who loves warm hugs stands out against the backdrop of Florida’s Space Coast—a place known for its rocket launches as much as its sun-soaked shores. It’s here, on this stretch of sand, that imagination and reality dance in the twilight, blurring the lines between a tale from the silver screen and the tangible joy of a beach evening.
The presence of Olaf in this coastal setting is an unexpected delight, akin to the wonder of snowflakes in summer. He is more than a snowman; he is the manifestation of Elsa’s magic, a symbol of enduring friendship and the embodiment of the happiness that comes from simply being alive. His creation, a whimsical result of Elsa’s ice powers, speaks to the capacity we all have for creation and transformation. The Olaf suit, worn by a young athlete, represents not just a beloved character, but a beacon of joy and the power of sportsmanship that enlivens the USSSA National All State Championship.
Don DeDonatis, CEO of USSSA, speaks of the excitement of hosting a tournament that is a “celebration of talented softball players from around the country.” Indeed, it’s a parallel to the celebration of life that Olaf represents—where each athlete, like each snow crystal, is unique and contributes to the beauty of the whole. The tournament at the Space Coast Complex in Viera, Florida, is a tribute to the hard work and dreams of young athletes, much like the dream that brought Olaf to life.
The sunset photograph of Cocoa Beach, snapped in December 2023, is not just a capture of a moment in time, but a timeless reminder of the enchantments that life offers. The beach becomes a stage where each footprint tells a story, and each wave sings a song. It’s a place where memories are made, where the spirit of characters like Olaf can leap out of their fictional realms and into our world, if only for an evening.
Brevard County’s Space Coast is a junction where the vastness of space meets the intimacy of earth, where shuttles launch into the cosmos while children build sandcastles, and where a snowman can stand on a beach without melting, embraced by the warmth of the setting sun rather than the chill of winter. It’s a testament to the human spirit’s boundless creativity and our ability to find joy in the juxtaposition of opposites.
This enchanted evening is a tapestry woven from the threads of fantasy and reality, sport and art, the cosmos and the coastline. It’s where the horizon kisses the sea, where the sky becomes a canvas for the sun’s parting masterpiece, and where Olaf, our friend from “Frozen,” reminds us that magic is not just in the realm of fairytales but all around us, in every grain of sand, in every sunset, and in every heart that believes in the wonder of one enchanted evening.
Copyright 2024 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved
A week after Rough Surf pounded Cocoa Beach a north wind was up, I set out on a long beach walk. Our plan was to meet at Cheri Down Park, Pam driving up with lunch.
After I emerged from under the Cocoa Beach pier, I spotted this sailboarder. At first it was the handheld sail that caught my attention, enough to capture this video. Watching the recording, I see his board is equipped with a hydrofoil. He is about a foot above the water.
Join me on a journey through Inishmore, Galway Bay on a horse-drawn carriage. We’ll see a ruined church, horse pasture, and iron age fort, Dun Aengus, with reflections on the word ‘riven.’
Embrace with me the unique splendor of southern Arizona’s deserts in November. Join me atop the Tanque Verde Ridge as we capture the last light accentuating the saguaros against an evolving sky.
Michael Stephen Wills Photography 