The day after...

It doesn't take long for the weather in Florida to change, hence today's windy gray day. What a change from a lovely Christmas day. No complaints from me. I still enjoyed the beach... and there's always tomorrow.

Merry Christmas!

 

What a joyful day at the beach this was! The temperatures were perfect in the upper 70s, the cloud formations were ever-changing and just plain stunning and the sea itself looked like it was having fun rolling in and out.

 There were lots of people. One visitor was complaining that it was too hot and I said aloud... "No bah humbugging allowed on this beautiful day. You could be home shoveling snow." Thankfully everyone laughed. 

Here are a couple more photos so I can share this joyful day with you. 
Merry Christmas!

Winter solstice

Since we experience winter solstice this week with the shortest day of the year, it seems appropriate that it should be celebrated with shining seas and skies. A perfect beach day... beautiful. As a bonus, the days will get longer from here! Woo hoo.

Hello again!

It's been a while but I'm here again, at last. We had several days of rain, then a couple of days of high tides during prime walking times and, well... just lots of idle excuses.

Today I managed to make it to the beach only to be greeted by more seaweed (See Back to Normal post on Nov. 19th.) The Sargasso Sea again made a huge deposit on our shoreline just as last month's accumulation had begun to disappear. It's stinky and unsightly but that's Mother Nature for you. Not always pretty.

We're expecting a cold front later today and though at first there was not a cloud in the eastern skies, to the west... there definitely was something afoot.
As the day grew towards evening, the front was beginning to affect the eastern skies as well, but made a lovely close to a lovely, and warm, December day.

I enjoyed my late afternoon stroll and picture taking and laughed when I got home and saw that I had taken a couple of self portraits. 

The long shadows were a surprise and a delight. Kind of like Where's Waldo. This final shot was one of a brave swimmer in the 64º surf. Can't see him but there I am, long and tall in the corner. Fun!

Untethered

 An obligation I had for today was unexpectedly canceled at the last minute and surprisingly I felt like a helium balloon whose string had been released by a small child who then stood in wonder as its balloon soared into the skies. I didn't feel one bit like the bewildered child.

Instead, released, I headed to the beach with a hip hip hurrah and a skip in my step. There I was greeted by my osprey soaring as free as I felt! Lucky bird, lucky me.

It was absolutely invigorating, the ocean was rough and seas were running high. There was a steady northerly wind and the clouds were perfectly framed in the blue skies. Joy. Untethered joy for me as well as the birds who were speeding south with a tail wind or just soaring where the winds would take them.

Lucky us!

Blissfully oblivious...

There are days that I make a point of not listening to the news, no TV, no radio just peace and quiet and absorbing the atmosphere in my own little world. Today was one of those days, well, until I was on my way back from the beach, that is.

It is almost 80º with shining sun and just a few wispy clouds. A gull enjoys floating on the southwest wind and I was reveling in Florida's gloriously warm December 7th weather. 

Then I ran into a beach buddy who lamented the approaching cold front. Bah Humbug. I liked being oblivious to the approaching 40º temperatures. Above are a couple of gloriously unsuspecting photos. Enjoy without a jacket. 

Ketch Up!

Yes, this morning there was a ketch up on the sand when I arrived at the beach about 7:30. A sad plight indeed for this a sturdy little sailer. There were people standing around musing on what to do. I continued on my walk knowing she wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. It was dead low tide and eventually the incoming tide would change things but for now she just lay there, stranded. Sad.

She ought to be out plying the waves, taking her passengers on exciting journeys. Providing power from the wind that would thrill and enliven the spirits that cared for her. 

But alas some of her rigging is broken, her sails lay bunched in tatters and she was stranded.
The American flag was still flying as more people gathered to offer an opinion on her fate. When some started crawling all over her slanted decks making haughty decisions, it was time for me to leave. 

I left feeling sorrowful for the plight of the ketch but hopeful at the wonderful memories she left behind for those who loved her.

December 1... already!

It's hard to believe this year will soon to be coming to an end. I'm going to have to do some looking back and putting things into place to figure out what I missed.

One thing I missed today was my beach walk. It was a little chilly, the wind was blowing, the sun was hiding and by the time I was moving it was high tide. I tried to slog through the sand and 15-mph headwinds but decided it was just a lot of hard work. With a head slap I remembered that in the winter I enjoy the park just north of here with walking trails over the dunes between the ocean and the river. Off I went.

Not only was it a lovely walk blocked from the winds, but I was greeted with beautiful nandina bushes. The vibrant green leaves and bright red berries bolstered my Christmas spirit and I was humming Christmas carols by the time I finished. It turned out to be a wonderful walk after all.

♪♫ "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas." ♪♫ ♪♫