Category: Just do it

'scene' along the way, a second look, adventure, Florida landmarks, Just do it, leap of faith, nature, old dogs new tricks, perseverance, photography

Warner-Boyce Salt Springs, the annex…

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Almost immediately outside the gates to my home park is this little nature trail, which I had walked down before with friends.  But the other day I was by myself.  It’s part of a bigger park that’s a few miles down the road, but this part is small, and quiet.  It was sunny, which is why I was out in the first place, but I was surprised that my car was the only one in the parking lot.  But I started down the path anyhow, hoping to see, I don’t know exactly, I guess I was ready to be surprised.11-18saltsprings3

The surprise proved to be how different the whole experience was when you are hiking by yourself.  The path was narrow, and as I walked it got shadier, and darker.  And I began to notice that there was water along side the trail.  And I got to wondering what creatures were lurking in the water, or on the path just around the bend.  From my previous trip I knew that the path made a loop, and just as I began to question the wisdom of the solitary journey the trail be gan to get damp.  No, muddy.  And the mud began to pull at my shoes as I took each step.  By this time I wasn’t sure if I would get back to the car more quickly if I turned around or kept going.  So I stayed the course.11-18saltsprings2I began to wonder if I was more worried about four legged predators or two legged predators.  I wondered if it’s legal to carry mace in Florida?  But the reality was the only creature I did startle on the path was a partridge, or maybe it was a wild turkey.  It disappeared into the thick bush too quickly for a photo.  And I walked some more and began to hear traffic noises.11-18saltsprings4

And I was back in the sunshine at the parking lot.  It was an adventure but all the excitement took place in my own mind.  I’m grateful for that…

 

friends, fun, Just do it, learning, old dogs new tricks, photography, weather

At the vineyard…

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When a friend mentioned a Christmas craft class which included wine tasting I didn’t even ask what we were making, I just declared that I was in.  It turned out to be a fun way to spend a gray, dreary day, and in a vineyard to boot.  There was even a grape stomping competition, we have no idea who won.

The surprise came when I was working on the pictures and out of the blue I remembered something from my childhood.  It was the bell that did it.  A phrase from an old TV show came to mind, something like ring your magic clanger Mr. Froggie”, but googling it brought up “Plunk your magic twanger Froggie”.  Now instead of working on pictures I’d taken I was watching You Tube videos of the Andy Devine Show.  Is your whole childhood running on a loop in your brain, just waiting for something to spark a memory?  I think it may be.

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And the solar powered wine bottle light was a fun project to do.

'scene' along the way, adventure, fun, junkyards, Just do it, perseverance, photography, road trip, travel

Fall in Georgia…

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I seem to have missed the peak fall colors in Georgia.  Just like I missed them in New England also.  It was a tease to see the hints of color, but nope, not the peak color.  But I really did have a wonderful summer, and a great trip to the car museum with the photography group.  And like the optimist I am there is always next year…

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I kept seeing landscapes and city scenes in the rust on the cars.  Looked more amazing in person than the pictures turned out, but what the heck…

'scene' along the way, adventure, friends, fun, Just do it, life, life goes on, perseverance, photography, road trip, second chances, sunrise, technology

Sunrise in flight…

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There is an upside to leaving for the airport at 4:30 AM to catch a 6:20 flight.  And for being lucky enough to be on the side of the airplane with and east-facing window.  Once I began to notice sunrise colors beginning to happen I couldn’t help but try to take pictures.  The best color seemed to be a little behind me, and behind the wing of the plane, and it stayed there even as we flew north.  And the sunrise just kept happening as we flew.  The longest lasting sunrise ever, even if it wasn’t the prettiest.  Nice…10-17inflightsunrise10-17inflightsunrise2

finding my way, go with the flow, Just do it, leap of faith, learning, life goes on, live and learn, old dogs new tricks, perseverance, photography

Details…

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I’ve never taken a trip as long as the trip I’ve just returned from, so I’m not an expert at knowing if it’s always a let down to finally get home.  But it was. Maybe it was the fact that I felt like I limped home, what with the broken trailer jack and all.  And feeling dirty and smelly and dying to take a nice hot shower, and finding no hot water, that wasn’t fun.  The water wasn’t stone cold, but it sure wasn’t what I had in mind.  Then I went to my son’s house to pick up the mail that I had had forwarded to his house while I was gone, imagining bringing home a whole box of mail to sort through, and he had exactly FOUR pieces of mail for me.  In five months!  The post office had been returning all my mail as undeliverable.  There was no replacement credit card waiting for me (I never did find the one I cancelled but didn’t think I’d really lost it, just misplaced it).  There was no dividend check from Publix, just a letter wanting me to make my ‘new’ address official.  My primary care doctor had become a specialist while I was gone, so he couldn’t be my primary anymore, which was disappointing since I liked him a lot.  And I now needed to find a new doctor asap since I had just taken my last blood pressure pill.  Maybe that’s what made me so frustrated with all of this, no more BP meds.  I might have thought that the lesson I’d learn from all this would be to never go away again.  But no, my immediate reaction was to want to just run away… but then there is the issue of the broken trailer jack.

I woke up yesterday and started tackling the problems.  First I called my go-to plumber, Billy the Sunshine Plumber.  The first time I needed a plumber here in FL I called them because their name cracked me up.  They are absolutely great, which is why I called them the second time I needed a plumber, and now this is the third time and my uncle is now a believer.  Not only did they solve my problem, but they installed the kitchen faucet I’d bought before I left and then forgot about.  But better than that, they suggested I call UHaul for my trailer jack problem.  UHaul couldn’t help me but they told me to call Rentz LLC, and I bopped over there and they fixed it on the spot, the best $55 I ever spent.

I’m feeling better now, maybe it’s the nice hot shower.  Or the fact that I got a new doctor, and my credit card will be delivered soon, and Publix knows where I live.  Just another example of needing help and finding it, and finding out just how nice people can be.