The second day of my ‘old’ friend’s visit, can’t tease her without admitting my own age also, brought us to Longboat Key to visit yet another old friend. Such a lovely spot to sit and talk about life after high school. Another high school friend commented that it must be fun to reminisce about our high school days, but that didn’t seem to be the main topic of conversation. We seemed to be concentrating on what came after high school, raising kids, and grandkids too. And where life has brought us now. How lucky we are to reconnect after such a long time.
Such a lovely view.It was a nice day to walk on the beach. Our friend said that people were commenting that there were no intact shells on the beach. Most had been pulverized by Hurricane Ian. But this area was spared from major damage.We decided to head toward Anna Maria Island for dinner but traffic was quite backed up, and the sunset was early, so we stopped at The Beach House and this was our view while we enjoyed our dinner. I ducked down in front of the sunset watchers to get a few photos. It hadn’t looked too promising to start with, but it just got better. Eventually we all took a few pictures.Even after the sun had set the sky got more colorful.Then the stars began to shine through.
The next morning dawned cold, with blustery winds. I headed down to the beach early, to try to capture the look of the surf. It was a bit foggy too, hence the feature photo. My friends chose to try some watercolor painting while I was out taking pictures. Then after a nice lunch it was time to say goodbye and head home again. But there was talk of another visit next year…
The waves were rolling in.The sun had come out by the time we headed out for lunch. This time the traffic was better so we made it to Anna Maria Island. We got the valet to hold up traffic in order to take our picture. It was too soon to say goodbye…
Because even though the ‘breeze’ is whipping the rain against the house in sheets, and even though I was listening to it in the dark this morning, it just doesn’t sound like a tropical storm in this area. I hope it’s no worse in the areas that haven’t yet recovered from Hurricane Ian.
I’m told that there was a small opening in the corner of the fence when they moved into this house. And they had dogs, so they planted the bougainvillea in the feature photo to help keep the dogs in. And now it’s the bougainvillea that is threatening to eat Wesley Chapel. I used to prune the small one I had in Spring Hill and my arms would take a beating from the nasty thorns this plant is known for. I had my cat at the vet once and he looked at my scratched up arms and asked, with a horrified look on his face, if the cat had done that. It is a pretty sight, but it would be prettier if it attracted bees and butterflies. And right now it’s waving those deadly fronds like crazy.
I was leaving Sam’s Club the other day and noticed this Rain Tree as I waited to make my turn. I once drove around Spring Hill looking for these trees, always so shapely, for a blog post. My fall foliage, Florida style.And a rose from the garden of the local library where I went to pick up a few books since I wouldn’t be out in the rain taking pictures for another day or so. Nice library with an unexpected Florida friendly garden.
I have books, actual physical books, to read while I listen to the wind and rain today. I say that I prefer a real book, I’d rather turn the pages, which I’ve been known to try to do when I’m reading on my iPad. But my vision hasn’t been tested since my cataract surgery, and my cheaters don’t seem to be doing the trick as well as I’d like. I’ll probably pull the lamp a little closer also. The joys of aging…
I took the feature photo with my new iPhone 14 pro max about 15 minutes after I peaked out the back window and saw an all white sky, and I congratulated myself on not going out for the sunrise. I’m not sure what made me look, and then I couldn’t find either phone to take a picture. Either phone, you may wonder? Yes, the new phone I ordered through Spectrum Mobile arrived exactly one week ago as I sit here writing this. My old phone transferred all my data to the new phone perfectly, until it was time to bring in the cell phone carrier info. It’s not just me, I found lots of people online who wiped their old phone and now have found themselves without a phone for 11 days, 24 days, and who knows if it’s longer for other people. It’s the SIM card in the old phone vs. the eSIM card in the new phone. In that sense it’s Apple’s fault for rocking the boat, but really it’s Spectrum’s fault. I didn’t intend to get a new phone until I saw that Spectrum also had a deal to finance the new phone and trade in the old phone. Spectrum now works with the eSIM card, says the advertising. Instant activation, it says! I will soon have to wipe the old phone and send it in. I have a ‘ticket’ in the queue for activation. A supervisor says it’ll cost me a $50 restocking fee to just send the new phone back. It’s called the Rock and the Hard Place. Someone who is also in this state of limbo said that he now has a $1200 iPod. At least I take pictures with mine.
To add to the general upheaval I had cataract surgery on Wednesday last week. Which all went perfectly, but added to the tension. I went for a post-op check the next day and had 20/20 vision. The doctor said I wasn’t supposed to be doing that well! But my close vision is now the pits, worse than I anticipated. I’m actually worried about the day I leave home without my cheaters. It’s bound to happen sometime. But if it’s a choice between a glitch with the iPhone or a glitch with the cataract surgery, I guess I’ll live without a phone for a bit. After all, I take lots more pictures with it, I hardly ever talk on the phone.
There isn’t just one story to tell since I’ve been back at my friend’s house in NH. We mostly just talk and talk. And eat. Ice cream for lunch one day, but lots of other good stuff too. I see the birds in the feeders out front, and the squirrels who torment my friend to no end by eating all the bird seed. We’ve visited the Squam Lake Nature Center and gardens. But mostly we laugh at ourselves when we can’t quite remember the word we are searching our brains for. Our opinions of the state of the country and universe are as in sync as ever. Grow old along with me… and be my forever friend.
A charming statue in the garden.A runaway ballerina caught my eye too,A coyote laying in the sun,A bear keeping in the shade.We finally found bees.Lots of bees.A lovely stone church in our travels.More hummers at home,Even with a nice background we were shooting through the window and had reflections to deal with.This little guy was enjoying the feast out front until the squirrels destroyed the feeder.Who me?
I’m attempting to cheer myself up with my photos today. I woke up in a down kind of mood, for no particular reason. So then I decided to get a haircut, and I got scalped! So I could go crawl in a hole for a couple of weeks while my hair grows, or look at my pictures of the cute little chicks I saw the other day. I hope they can do it for me…
I had been there for a little while without spotting egret chicks, which was my goal for the day. Then along came a gal who visits every day, and she kindly pointed them out to me. I think they are the ugly ducklings of the rookery, but they will grow into such beautiful birds.They were secluded in the nest, but soon they will be big enough to poke their little heads up higher and yell to mom to feed them.These wood stork chicks are a few days older I think, and their lung power is developing nicely. I think these guys are adorable, at least when they are little.There is a certain lack of privacy in the rookery. I was looking at the egret and seeing bobbing heads. I sometimes think they look like they are babysitting their neighbor’s chicks.This anhinga chick is singing along with mom, or maybe that’s dad.Have no fear though, more egret chicks are coming…
I have become a bah humbug sort of person. I don’t say that proudly, or lightly even. I grew up with a reverence for the day we celebrate the birth of Christ, and I loved making Christmas for my own kids through the years. Growing up in a big Italian family there were many treats to be had at Christmas that we didn’t see for the rest of the year. As the daughter of a fireman and a nurse I spent the major holidays at my aunt’s house, with my working parents coming and going, plus lots of relatives dropping in to visit. Special times that I couldn’t have appreciated at the time what treasured memories they would turn out to be. So when I got married and moved away I did my best to recreate the holidays I treasured. I made lasagna for Christmas dinner, something the family had switched over to some time in my preteen years when they decided that they were ITALIAN, for goodness sake, and weren’t going to duplicate the Thanksgiving dinner at Christmas anymore. I made the Italian cookies that are flavored with anise. I made strufoli, the tiny honey balls we only had at Christmas, and, when I could find it, I bought Torrone, a nougat candy that came in individual boxes that were exquisite little works of art in themselves. For many years Christmas was a wonderful time of year. But those days are long past, the kids are grown and gone, and even the grandchildren are grown. It feels like the media has taken over all aspects of life, including the holiday, and you can’t escape the pressure to be HAPPY, to spend more and more money. The meaning is lost, hence bah humbug.
With my bad attitude I have disappointed the new special person in my life who still treasures Christmas. Our first Christmas together and he didn’t expect my usual light-hearted self to just want to get this whole thing over with. We will visit his relatives for Christmas, and when a discussion of what to have for Christmas dinner came up my offer to make lasagna was accepted. That perked me up a little. It really warmed my heart when my daughter said that she is making lasagna for her crew too, and she is making strufoli for the first time in years! Now I will make strufoli too. I collected all my recipes yesterday, and my friend wanted to stop at the nice Italian deli near him, and I wondered out loud if I might find Torrone there. Boy, did I ever! Torrone in the little boxes. Torrone cut into wedges like a slice of layer cake, some topped with chocolate! Torrone packaged in the shape of Christmas trees! I stood there with my mouth open, and possibly drooling, as every where I turned I found Torrone. So, yes, I did find Torrone, and I think I might have found my Christmas spirit too.
The feature photo is a display of containers of strufoli, larger honey balls than the ones we used to make, but it made me happy to see my familiar treats. I wrote this post early yesterday, before a heart-warming (and tear-jerking) message from my daughter showed up online. I was already on my way to finding that elusive Christmas spirit, and now I’m happy to say that my strufoli is made, and my lasagna is coming together. So let me wish a Merry Christmas to all with a happy heart. And the new year? Well, there is always hope…
A Snowbird's Life Through the Lens 