Nothing But Blue Skies

Indeed, we are having nothing but blue skies, for now, and the foreseeable future. Strange actually because it is time for rain, however, after the mega storms of a week or so ago, it has been dry as a bone. Not that I'm complaining mind you because the even better news is that the humidity, despite the extreme temperatures, has been very low. As I type there is 38% humidity, and yes, I checked it twice.

But, for several of those days, I remained indoors, nursing a cold. I know, "what a wuss", right? Seriously for two solid days I could not stop blowing my nose until Monday morning when it became more like a dripping faucet. I missed all sorts of good stuff, yet in these days of everyone being so germ conscious, I decided to keep it to myself. Saturday was even Bruce's birthday, and he went cakeless, if you can imagine. He spent the morning fishing, followed by the afternoon at the pool with David. What did I do except feel sorry for myself? Watched golf, that on Saturday night looked as if the outcome was set in stone, until that is until Brooks Koepka began making bogeys. Sports are great, providing real drama.

Before crawling into bed on Saturday night, I forced myself to rally when I saw this beautiful sight out the window.

Anymore it seems as if every huge moon has a name attached to it, but what this one was called is a mystery to me. Big and beautiful is what I called it. Even sent Connie a text to encourage her to look out the window. When it begins shimmering on the lake, well, it is just fantastic.

Another thing I did was read through a magazine that I have no idea where it came from. Published by Life magazine, it goes through the 1960's through words and pictures, and what it convinced me is that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

And even though I lived through those years, a good deal of it I'd forgotten, such as how long and awful the Vietnam war was. My brother Pat enlisted, serving as a Green Beret there, however, he never much talked about his experiences, and if he did, I was still a silly teenager who probably didn't register what he was saying. The Civil Rights movement, assassinations, protests, love-ins, all documented through photographs. The words below, spoken by President Johnson, well, they ring true today as well.

Back to the weather report, this link is flat out incredible. (apologies for the format!)

 https://www.facebook.com/todd.snyder.543/videos/10216551382050836/UzpfSTYzNDA4NTI2OToxMDE1NzIzNDA3OTkwNTI3MA/
During my days as an outdoor vendor I thought I'd experienced everything, but I thought wrong! Our friends, Sandy and Dave, drove over to Naples during that invasion and had to stop four times to clean their windshield! Thankfully, they seem to have gone away as quickly as they came.

Speaking of bugs, here's something new I learned the other day. While out on my bike ride, I went to examine the Willow tree, knocked down during the big windstorm,

when one of the landscape people pointed out the large number of Mud Daubers in the gaping hole, gathering mud for nests. I'd just a soon they didn't find our porch as those nests can become messy.

Things are segueing very nicely in this post because following the above, I can tell you about a new addition to our porch, thanks to Matt and Tom. For Mother's Day they sent a bonsai tree, or did I already tell you that? Anyway, the glazed container was in pieces, and do I mean pieces. Late Monday afternoon the new pot and soil arrived, with Bruce having the honor of re-potting.

There are four holes in the bottom that you run wires up into the pot and basically tie the tree down, presumably to restrict the roots? All new to us, and we are so hopeful that we can be good caretakers of this beautiful gift. In more porch news, I about lost my mind when some Black Capped Chickadees came to the feeder!!!   Sadly they have not returned, but it was fun while it lasted.

Oh my, oh my, oh my! Watching one otter is fun, but watching five, what can I say?

I just wish they would do this in the afternoon when I would have better light to show them off!! While I was roaming the shoreline, in a first for me, I came across a cat fight in the late morning!!! It began with one stalking the other...

and I would show you the fight if I could, but they were going at it so fast, my shots did not turn out. Plus they were SO loud! Back to that beautiful moon above, I suggested to Bruce that he go out and have a look because it was magnificent especially once it was dark. Returning, immediately he spoke glowingly about the orchestra of night sounds. Frogs, insects, and frankly others we could not identify. Even more remarkable to me was that on the next night I went gazing and it was quiet as could be. When I worked in the hospital the folks in the emergency room always joked about the effect of a full moon on people. Maybe it happens to animals too?

We have a new duckling that I was finally able to get a good shot of how they travel with their Mama, under the protection of her tail. :)

After well over a year, I am finally traveling again with an odometer. My previous one quit working and I was too lazy to go to the bike store to get a new one. I complained often. Finally. Bruce kept the old one on because, well, I hated to lose my mileage, inaccurate as it is.

For one reason or another, I never mentioned that we returned to Wild Florida about two weeks ago to see the animal park. You may recall we went there for the airboat ride, but only had time to skim the animal side. Both of us were mightily impressed with the personnel, the exhibits, the animals, well, everything. This Chinese squirrel...need I say more?

This was the absolute best!

Watching that baby was fantastic.

Another shot that I never got around to posting is this one,

taken in one of the few remaining areas of Orlando proper, with cows. Judge Road to be exact on the way to the airport.

As I gaze out my window at the shimmering lake, rustling leaves, ducks floating and of course, nothing but a blue sky, well, life is good.

your friend,

Gail

p.s. not to mention that I now have a lightening fast computer to write this on!!