the idea of glimmers is this: there are so many seemingly simple, somewhat mundane things that we take for granted that are here every day that need to be enjoyed. this is deeply personal in nature. what i deem to be a glimmer isn't the same as what my husband, kid, or friend believes is a glimmer. it's all personal belief and preference really. i love to look for glimmers. i love to relish the simplicity of it. when days seem dull, depressing, or just plain blah, a glimmer can really turn it around.
when i traveled to the eastern shore of virginia in the past few weeks, i really took to the thought of finding glimmers and giving it a word and purpose. i was travelling by myself for a very sad reason and if i was going to be in this situation, i needed to find something to search for to make myself feel better. i was wildly successful in this treasure hunt. i set off to the shore with snacks, a giant starbs, my snoop elf, a spotify taytay playlist blaring, and an anxious mind, but hopeful in making the best of this trip.
first of all, i will say that it doesn't matter the reason, blasting taylor swift on full volume and turning my subaru into a karaoke club is a real vibe. granted, it's really just my vibe, but friends, IT A VIBE. glimmer it taytay. glimmer. sister friend has a song for every mood, emotion. of course this trip was legit all TTPD. if you don't know the ttpd, shameeee.
next, the fact that i was hype on overpriced coffee was heavenly. i realize again, that this isn't everyone's legit cup of joy, but it is mine. it's my life blood. glimmer it starbs gods. glimmer.
now, with my starbs and my beloved taytay, i was off on the five plus hour drive. i turned my thoughts to making sure i didn't get caught speeding with my foot the rough weight of a cinder block filled with lead and finding things that brought me joy.
generally speaking, i love random things. those that know me know this very well. i love funny signs, license plates, neat looking or random cars, plants, flowers, trees; tractor trailers carrying interesting cargo, fields of crops, animals, and BIRDS.
good lord i love birds. i identify as a 80 year old bird lady. i keep a bird journal on my notes app. i hate to discriminate, but i love a different bird. i don't note every sparrow, finch, or crow. i note the blue heron with its long legs and elegant silhouette, the grand pileated woodpecker with it's beautiful red hairdo that would fluff anybody's feathers, the northern flicker with its spots and bits of red, the indigo bunting with its vibrant blue hue that's hard to describe and even harder to find in the wild. then there's the raptors....oh the raptors. i very rarely identify any of them correctly. it's hawk. i know there are several species in our area and i'm slowly learning to differentiate but when you're driving they are all hawk. now the most elusive raptors really get my feathers in a fluff. have we met? i'll wreck a car to see an owl, eagle, or osprey. now if a bird isn't a glimmer for you, it should be. maybe in reading my musings you'll be turned on to this treasure hunt that is birding. it will turn your day around to find a hawk--red tailed, red shouldered, sharp shinned, or coopers. or just hawk. beak, talons, feathers. hawk. maj glimmer people.
now where was i? ok, yes, trip. glimmers. birds. anyway, i was off on this trip, looking for these things. and here are some of the things i saw:
- a sign at a business near petersburg that said something like "holes are our specialty" or "your holes are our specialty" or some shit. i cackled. the first thought i had was to share that shit with everyone i could think of. why can't i text to blog? who can come up with that technology? it would be a game changer. i'm someone who likes to multitask. anyway, it was an excavation company slogan sign and i thought it was hilarious because i'm a heathen i guess. i obviously don't care. it was a glimmer. i had to tell troy and tishie.
- sheetz. there was a brand new sheetz right on 460 before you get on i-85. now usually i'm a love's truck stop girl. i love a love's. that said, sheetz on my side of the road with a brand new bathroom with the good cranberry soap, the big crispy diet dr pepper, and the granola protein ball snack things i like AND a self checkout situation? a total glimms baby.
- fields. i saw so many fields. cotton. peanuts. soybeans. most of these had been harvested already but it's ok. i know as i travel back and forth to eastern virginia i will forever see these fields and inquire to myself what they growing. usually when i'm asked by someone what is growing my answer is a smart ass one and is always soybeans. but obviously 460 east of petersburg is peanut country. there are signs to that end everywhere. i legit couldn't tell you the difference between peanuts and soybeans when they're just green though. now, cotton, that's different. i usually know that one. and in the fall you can't escape it or mistake it. now when i got to the eastern shore, those lame-os hadn't harvested it yet. our side of the bay had that crop harvested and baled by late october. come on esva. big glimmer. i love cotton fields.
- birds. i could talk all day about birds. i get it from my grannie, papa, and mama. they were bird people from the word go. they fed them, identified them, tracked their migration. i'm not quite there yet, but i am getting there. nevertheless, i saw: hawks (again, no clue what kinds), geese, cormorants, gulls, bufflehead ducks (on migratory holiday from canada), giant white egrets, smaller white egrets, and holy shit the eagles. THE EAGLES ya'll. the first one i saw on my first trip down around 13 december. it was a juvenile. i confirmed this with my glorious marine biologist niecie. the second was on my way home on 13 december on fisherman's island on the bay bridge tunnel. that bad boy (or girl, hard to tell the diff) was a majestic fucker. it was sitting on a light post waiting to be admired (it was) or to eat an unsuspecting duck or big black sea bass. giant fucking glimmer that thing was. it was all i could think about until i found the starbucks on northhampton blvd.
- texts. calls. texts. when you are driving long trips alone, texts and calls save you. the fact i can do both wirelessly because technology is my bestie makes it so much easier. going the first weekend and the second was saved by the glimmer that is a text or call. the random ones from random people were the best ones but i loved the thought behind all of them and the ability to send them via siri too. i mean who doesn't love a text with horrible spelling and questionable content because siri really can't translate my appomattox accent?
- express lane. ez pass. and someone who loads them up for you and says "fuck it. use the express lane! what's 2 dollars?" i tell you what that express lane around va beach on 64 is worth every penny. i was rolling 70 plus waving at people in traffic saying 'see ya suckerrrrrrr'.
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