The Atlantic Pond

The mighty Atlantic Ocean was about as ferocious as a pond today. Our normally prevailing easterly winds push the water to shore creating the waves we are so used to seeing. Westerly winds have just the opposite effect and on this day the winds were strongly from the west keeping the waves to a bare minimum. Ho-hum, more pond than ocean.

Surfers were sorely disappointed and if anyone was making their very first trip to the ocean they would have wondered what all the fuss was about the powerful ocean.

It was kind of a nice, calming change but if I had my druthers... I'd happily take a little more ocean action.

The gulls didn't seem to mind it though... easier fishing.

Yoga pose

I started taking a yoga class and after many, many years away from the practice I discovered that I am still pretty flexible, or as one young girl in the class called it — bendy. What I am NOT is well-balanced. Yep, my balance is way off kilter.

It amused me when the very next day I saw this group of sandpipers on the beach all standing on only one leg. Perfect balance. How do they do that? Their legs aren't nearly as sturdy as mine, little twigs actually, and their little round bodies would appear to severely offset their centers of gravity. Humpf. Wish I had the balance of a sandpiper. I'll have to work on that.

Here & There

Today the beach was just packed with spring breakers and little wonder! Not a cloud in the sky, perfect temperature for roasting in the sun without getting too hot and kids everywhere were laughing, screaming and just plain having fun.
I walked down to the part of the beach with hotels, condos and on-beach parking. There were people in the water, enjoying a game of catch or just strolling at water's edge.
Even the hot dogs smelled good, and the ice cream didn't melt before you could eat it. The people watching was fabulous. Big and small, young and old there wasn't a cranky person in sight.
I also enjoyed coming back to my quiet part of the beach with no beach driving and only private homes. Didn't take much to remind me how lucky I am, either way. Loved it!

Beach perfection and eagles too

The weather is perfect... not too hot, not too cold and a gentle breeze from the east thrown in for good measure all added up to a flawless day at the beach. It is spring break for our local schools and also enjoying the sunshine were lots of young folk playing volleyball, surfing, tossing a ball or just toasting themselves and enjoying freedom with their friends. I happily reveled in every minute of it.

Another thing I am enjoying is the Eagle Cam at Norfolk (VA) Botanical Gardens. For those of you haven't found it yet I highly recommend this webcam. Here's a screen shot I took today after Dad brought a fish and Mom started feeding the eaglet:

Two bald eagles have built a nest where the female laid 3 eggs back in February. The first egg hatched on March 13 and I have been mesmerized watching the loving care these great creatures are providing for their little bobble-headed eaglet as well as the two eggs expected to hatch any day now. For viewing pleasure and an eagle education, check it out:

http://www.wvec.com/marketplace/microsite-content/eagle-cam.html

Enjoy!

Dawn fishing trip

With promises of times to come, i.e. shorts and t-shirts at dawn, I pulled this photo from my archives.

What I liked was the reflection of the sunrise in the wet sand and a fisherman's pleasure at casting a line into the surf. In the meantime I've been just plain lazy and haven't been to the beach in 3 days. Today's the day though, sand in my shoes for sure.

Looking skyward

There was not one drop of rain but the clouds, which looked formidable at first, proved to be fascinating to the utmost. My gaze was skyward every step of my walk. I took many many photos but will share only a few with you here. This first, looking east, is what I saw when arriving at the beach. Ominous.

Looking south (below) there was a hint of blue mixed into the black, gray and white. The sheer size and weight of these behemoths was intriguing.

Looking north the heaviness seemed to be dissipating and the movement of these clouds caught my attention. Still not one drop of rain.

Finally, looking overhead I caught a donut hole of blue. It wan't too much longer before the hole opened up and we had mostly blue skies for the rest of the afternoon.

Florida weather... go figure. At least temperatures were in the 70s and I enjoyed some extraordinary clouds.

Remembering Maine

Throughout my teens and early 20s my family and I spent our summers living on the coast of Maine. Today along the coast of Florida I was transported back 45+ years to that idyllic time of my life. I don't know if it was the sailboat enjoying a day on the sea that triggered the memories because of all the time I spent sailing, or if it was the low humidity and bright skies, or the coolness of the wind picking up the cold ocean temperature.

I know Thomas Wolfe was correct in saying that you can't go home again, and I'll try not to be sad for losing what once was. Instead, today I certainly enjoyed many, many memories of special friends, special times and special events along the beautiful and rugged Maine coast. What a remarkable time that was in my life. How lucky I was to be a part of it all.

35-year blooms

Two of my prized possessions are my jade plants. I've had them for more than 35 years and they were single cuttings from my godparent's plant which was probably 50 years old at the time. These lovely plants occupy an important part of my heart and have really grown and thrived since I moved to Florida.

They both used to live on my front porch but during a freeze this winter I moved the larger of the two inside to my Florida room where it remains. Both are over three feet high and between four and five feet wide. (I had to remove a chair to put one in the Florida room.)

So, imagine my surprise a couple of weeks ago when my front porch jade began to display some tiny little flowers. Thirty five years I've loved this plant even without a bloom, this year this profusion of joyful little flowers has me just so pleased I can hardly stand it and I proudly show it off to all who will pause to look.

Of course, I just have to share my proud new-parent feeling with you. Um-m-m-m-m, wonder if I'll have to wait another 35 years to have more?