I've Looked at Clouds

Stormy weather. I love that song. When I'm on American Idol - Oldies Edition, I'm so going to sing that song. Of course, I can't really sing well, but that doesn't seem to hinder most of the other contestants.

Last year it rained one day in May; this year it rained every day. Just goes to show - be careful what you pray for ...

Washed Ashore

Another Saturday morning at the beach ........ ho-hum. Wait a minute ............. something's not right. What in God's name is that stuff? It looks like mounds of wet spaghetti noodles broken into two inch pieces. Where did it come from? Take it back - it's all wet and squishy, like walking on waterlogged carpet. Yuck!

And it's wall-to-wall carpet.

Obviously something the sea has regurgitated and is in no hurry to re-absorb although the little bits are floating in the gulf as if it were a cauldron of minestrone.

This guy doesn't seem to mind wading into the soup, but what does he know? He's an ibis and rarely comes to the beach, preferring to hang out in groups on recently watered lawns or boggy spots by the side of the road.

She's a regular at the beach and seems unconcerned. Whatever. Don't say I didn't warn you when the alert is sounded tomorrow that some deadly bacterial strain has washed up from the bottom of the ocean, or more likely whatever it is will have washed back out to sea. If you know, do tell.

Into the Wild Blue Yonder

Early morning before the wind awoke, these marvels floated into view, causing me to bolt upright in surprise and stumble about searching for the camera. In the stillness of day's dawning there was something almost eerie about the silent journey of the two vagabonds as they made their way across the river, occasionally dipping almost to the water's surface. Somehow you just can't take your eyes off them - blimps and balloons. Something magical about the way they float up there. Of course, these descended from eye level....

Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon?

I'm not sure - will I need a parachute ... a life jacket?

Wearing White

Thank God Memorial Day has come and gone, and now the other beach babes and I are free to be acceptably stylish, clad in our white attire. No need for anyone to call the fashion police. Oh, uh-huh, boats are shes - especially sailboats. Pay attention, people.

A Memorial

These are my parents circa World War II in Washington D.C. He's in uniform; she's not.

According to Tom Brokaw, they were part of the greatest generation. I won't argue. They were a generation who served; we are a generation who protested. During my youth, I listened to stories about the war years, but those years seemed long ago and far away. After all, at school we never did get up to the 20th century in our history books. Every year on a sunny day, my mother would hang out my dad's uniform on the clothes line and air out the old memories. Eventually their memories became my memories.

My dad died in 1995. Thereafter, on Memorial Day weekends, we would go to the cemetery up on the hill outside the small town where he grew up. The veterans' organizations had been there before us and planted flags next to the graves of the service men and women. We planted flowers. Sometimes my mother would yank them out later in the summer because she had her own ideas of tombstone decor. She hated geraniums and day lilies. Too messy, maybe. At any rate, I always teased her that she would have no say about which flowers I planted on her grave.

My mother died two years ago, and now I live too far away to bring her flowers.

And speaking of far away, thoughts from the next generation:

http://www.juliryan.blogspot.com/

Ain't No Sunshine

I suppose you know that here in SWFL ... every day is a beach day ... or, as I once thought: the worst day at the beach is still better than the best day on the job. Amen.

One of my favorite weather descriptions is: a light chop. However, today I think we're experiencing more of a roil.

Ah, I was mistaken ... there is some sunshine on the beach.

Now things are getting really nasty - too windy for the hat.

And that, gentle readers, is why the space shuttle didn't land in Florida today.

Well, unlike California, at least we're not bankrupt.

Are we?

Trees That Make Me Sneeze

Poinciana trees are in full bloom. No shrinking violets, they. If I owned a house, I would insist on a least one of these brazen beauties.

The splashy blossoms are difficult to ignore. Alas, this year the rainy season arrived early with a bit of an attitude, and many petals lie crumpled on the ground.

The jacaranda is much more subtle, but no less lovely.



Airy, lacy, lavender canopies eliciting oohs and aahs.



Achoo!

When it Rains .....

Tis the start of the rainy season in the Sunshine State.

A washout at the marina.

And a rain delay on the lanai.

We Get New Windows Too

Speaking of jobs I wouldn't want to do ... I mean, of course, besides all the tasks I don't like to do in the kitchen ... anything involving swaying on a platform dangling from the top of a 27 story building ... well, let's just say there would be a lot of screaming ... um ... let's make that shrieking ... Did I mention that none of these men speak English? Well, maybe the same fluency as my Spanish. I mean, I can match their, "Good morning, ma'am" with a "Buenos dias, senor" and maybe even throw in a gracias or two, but beyond that we're pretty much at a stand off. I did take Spanish and Latin in high school but my teacher was a 97 year old woman who had a cougar crush on my dad so you can imagine. I really don't know my puella from my muchacha. I do remember that she must have been a germaphobe because she used a tissue to open the door knob. Yep. A woman ahead of her time. Probably never missed a day of school either.

Where was I? Oh, yes ... 21 stories up. Does that contraption look safe to you? I am not sure what purpose that big black suction cup serves, and the language barrier prevented my inquiring.....


This is how they remove a window. Who knew? Now I'm not so sure they really are hurricane strength. I will be in the master bath during any wind events.

Didn't you think the hombres (see how that Spanish is coming back to me?) on the inside had the easier job. Pero no. They have to do all the heavy lifting. The old window out .....

the new window in .....

A little putty and some Windex.......and we're done!

Hasta luego, mis amigos.

Birds @ the Beach

The osprey, or fish hawk, is one of my favorite birds. Spring is their nesting season so it is rare to see one sunbathing at the beach, like this one. They are usually perched on or near their nests if they are not soaring over the water searching for a tasty fish. OK - so he's probably not sunbathing, but maybe he is napping.

I can spot an osprey from quite a distance.

Now this is more like it - a bird with a sense of purpose. You can tell that she's not just out for a walk on the beach. This egret has some serious fishing in mind - she's not going to just wait until the fish come to her.

Even the pelican is taking it easy today. It is hot, and sometimes you just need to cool your toes in the water. Besides ... what's that they say about all work and no play?

Hot as Hades

Hello from the hottest spot in the nation - 92 degrees and it's not even noon yet. We love it though ...

because we are at the beach. What could be better ... a calm, gentle sea ... no wind ...

but here in paradise, we have to take the bad with the good and I'm not just talking about hurricanes. (More about those next month.) On the way home from frolicking in the surf, we observe this brush fire.

Yes, we have gulf beaches and golf courses, but when we have high heat, low humidity, and no rain, we have wild fires - thankfully not so serious as those in California.

An errant spark, and the view from our back deck ... 125 acres burning ...

Water Ballet

- Applause -