Breakfast on the beach

Recent circumstances have made my daily beach walks impossible for the past week or so. I didn't realize how much I missed them... or how grumpy I could get without my daily commune with the natural beauty of the coast. This morning I was again invigorated and reminded that no matter what's going on in my life, I need to take advantage of the privileges offered me right in my backyard.

The gull having his breakfast on the beach spoke volumes and reminded me that I am fortunate enough to live where most people come for vacation. I too could have breakfast on the beach, though I don't think a dead and sandy fish would be on my menu. 

It seems too easy to get caught up in the chores, routines and obligations of our daily life and forget the fun things that are right around the corner. Like those who live in New York city who say they have never been to the Statue of Liberty. I say GO. If you live in Washington D.C. and haven't been to the Smithsonian... GO! If you want breakfast on the beach don't hesitate. Life is too short to miss out on opportunities — even the simple ones. The marketing folks at Nike said it right... Just do it! 

Kiteboarding fun

I've seen kiteboarders in the distance but only one or two at a time. It looked fascinating but more than that it looked like a lot of fun. Today there were five kiteboarders right in front of me at the beach. Wow! Fun doesn't even begin to describe what I saw. Those guys were moving fast over the surf, they were flying... literally. 

Imagine a snow board type apparatus on your feet and a 30-foot kite pulling you through the surf, or pulling you right straight up in the air. To say I was fascinated would be an understatement. I stood watching them mouth agape for a long time. A couple of photos adorn this post but they don't do the sport justice. 

Too bad no one had invented this activity 40 years ago when I would have been able to take part in the fun. For a minute it made me wish that I was 20 years old again, then I thought better of that idea... I'd only want to be 20 again if I could have the knowledge, experience and life lessons I now possess. Guess I'll just enjoy watching someone else getting their own board-acious thrills.

Nearby treasures

If I were still living in Maine we would have called it a Nor'easter. Here in Florida we don't have the cold rain along with the wind, but a 20 to 25 mph wind out of the Northeast makes for some difficult and chilly slogging while walking on the beach. Since my beach walks are for pleasure I went searching for somewhere else to enjoy the great outdoors. Little did I know that about 3 miles up the road the county has a park with nature trails. I knew the park was there but thought it was only recreational facilities, tennis courts, basketball, a beach pavilion and beach parking. What a delight to find that it also had a nature trail that lead all the way from the ocean to the river. This wonderful trail goes up hill and down dale, well actually up and down one sand dune after another. That had my leg muscles working and aching the next day. The trees and dense brush blocked the wind, or at least turned it into a pleasant breeze instead of a pounding gale. I have now been there three days in a row with great pleasure. The photos above are from the beginning of the trail to the fishing dock on the river at its end. Roundtrip is a little less than 2 miles. 

Again I am reminded that one can find hidden treasures and hidden pleasures in the most unlikely places. Taking the time to look beyond the obvious is sometimes quite a reward in and of itself.

Fish are jumping...

What could be more peaceful than the sun setting across the river on a beautiful spring evening? The only thing breaking the peace and quiet of the river tonight are the mullet that are jumping. No, not the haircut, but striped or black mullet, the fish that are often referred to as happy mullet because they jump out of the water and skip along the surface with great exuberance. There are many theories as to why they jump out of the water and break the surface but there are as many theories as there are fish, so only the mullet know for sure. The only thing I know for sure is that it adds a wonderful ambience to this peaceful scene. 

Space shuttle

It never ceases to thrill me when the shuttle launches. The one on Sunday, March 15 was particularly spectacular since it was a sunset launch. It was getting close to dark at ground level on the east coast but when the shuttle got high enough the setting sun reflected off the contrail and the shuttle itself. I have never so clearly seen the solid rocket boosters drop away and the sun shining on the shuttle kept it in view for a long time. Simply spectacular! Photos don't do it justice but here's what I've got. The first one is while the rockets are still propelling it forward, the second one is long after the shuttle was out of sight and the contrail started to break apart, though the colors were still amazing. The shuttle looked like a star shining in the sky for several minutes, the camera couldn't see it but my neighbors and I certainly could and we all knew that this launch was truly unforgettable.

How lucky I am to be able to step out my front door and enjoy all this!

Shrimp... yum!

When I walked onto the beach this morning I saw shrimp boats all along the horizon... yum! I counted nine in all from this one spot. They're hard to see in this photo, just three little dots along the skyline but they were there and my taste buds started tingling. 

When we see those boats with their nets out it means the shrimp are running and the local seafood market will have a fresh supply of local shrimp. Nothing better! Gives me a Forrest Gump moment. Fried shrimp, boiled shrimp, shrimp salad, grilled shrimp, shrimp curry, shrimp cocktail or one of my family's favorites: shrimp purloo (pronounced PUR-low) a southern low-country dish of shrimp, rice, onions, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, bacon, and various seasoning. Makes me hungry just thinking about it, even at this early hour. You can bet I'll be headed to the seafood market tomorrow. 

See, just another thing to be grateful for. Fresh-caught shrimp have an entirely different taste and texture than the farm-raised varieties you find in the grocery store. However, even those I now salivate over at my local fish market don't compare to the shrimp my Dad used to catch from his little fishing boat. It was a lot of hard work but he could throw a ten-foot net like a pro and when the shrimp were running we'd be cleaning shrimp and Mom would be cooking up some really good eating. Those were the days and I'm certainly glad I have those memories.

Gee, how could I be this hungry for shrimp so early in the morning? 

100 years!

Today marks what would have been my Dad's 100th birthday. Dad was the fifth child and the baby in his family. He grew up right here in Florida and there was no indoor plumbing, no telephones, of course no TV and only a few of the wealthiest had automobiles. Where my house stands now, was part of the woods my Dad and his friends used to play in as kids. It boggles my mind to consider what has transpired during the past 100 years.

My Dad was my favorite person on earth. He was a great outdoorsman and regularly took me fishing, hunting or playing golf. He taught me how to tie my shoes, how to drive, and how to do almost everything a kid needs to learn. I used to follow him around his workplace and had to run to keep up with his long stride. He was a handsome man, had a great sense of humor and was a born storyteller. Best of all he loved me as much as I loved him. He has been gone 17 years now and I still miss him, though to be honest I still talk to him quite often. 

The above picture is quintessential Dad, and a larger version hangs over my fireplace. I say "catching anything?" to him quite often. Someday he's going to answer me and I'll jump right out of my skin! Happy 100th birthday, Daddy!

Red stockings

On my way to the beach yesterday I noticed in the distance a flock, if you call 6 a flock, of big white birds with red stockings and red beaks wandering around and repeatedly sticking their long curved beaks into the ground. A very strange sight indeed but they were very industrious in their labors and so focused that they didn't hesitate to come close to the strange human standing there with camera in hand. Here I happily share some of those photos of the 20-inch tall White Ibis (Ibises?) that made me smile on such a lovely sunny day!

Headed south!

When I hear weather reports of snow and 15º up north, it is hard to complain about 38º here in Florida, but it certainly does feel cold and with our 15 to 20 mph winds the damp ocean air seems to sneak in every crack and crevice not only of my house, but also of the clothes I bundle up in for my beach walks. Plus, it is March already and I can't remember ever having to turn the heat on in March. (I'm sure I have but it is a long-lost memory.)

There are no photos that can show cold better than those with snow or ice which fortunately I don't have, but these clouds and the long, long line of pelicans (I counted 27 in all) flying south seem to exemplify just how I feel about the cold. Br-r-r-r but I can gratefully say that at least I'm not shoveling snow! So I guess life is good after all!