Woo hoo! Taking my first spin on my bicycle this afternoon, I felt pretty darn good. Bruce, of course, is nervous, however that's his nature so not to be unexpected. For many, many years, my favorite exercise was a five mile ride most mornings because it allowed me to both ride and stop to take photographs. It was the best! Since moving here however, mostly my bike has collected dirt from the weekly parking lot blowing that spews dirt on anything sitting still. Earlier today Bruce cleaned it up in preparation for our CAMPING trip tomorrow. We are heading out in the morning to a campground just west of Tallahassee. Speaking of which, Florida State finally won a football game and looked good doing so, bringing me much joy. They have a week off to savor the win and hopefully get even better.
While Bruce was loading the kayak and sorting out the other equipment, I spent hours in the kitchen after struggling with menu ideas. Not that it is really hard but I so hate planning! In the end, I figured out some meals for four days but it does not come easily to me.
Yesterday, arriving at church, we discovered when we were on Park Avenue that it was the weekend of the Winter Park Autumn Art Festival. Parking in the lot adjacent to church was at a premium, unlike most weeks when there are ample parking places as so many have not yet returned to church. Anyway, it brought back both good and bad memories. The photo below is an old one from the weekend that brought good memories.
This was back when I wore bangs and did not wear glasses full time. Perhaps I should bring those bangs back? Anyway, I had a marvelous show that year and was thrilled to return the following year. Unfortunately, the second year I was there, a monsoon came through forcing the show to close on Sunday after steady rain for eight hours kept crowds away on Saturday. Naturally I was heartbroken and never was accepted again. :(
Here is the link to that sad occasion that brought me to tears. Even though my selling days are over, I've never quit taking photographs because I love it so much. Anywhere I go, something speaks to me and my camera. Driving down Ferncreek the other day, I had to pull over to get a shot of this decorated house that claims they are still working on it. Pretty darn creative so far.
Another day I was coming home from somewhere and the light on this pretty red house was so good it begged to be photographed.
One day last week I returned to Demetree Park where the light was pretty fantastic as well. Temperatures are still pretty warm, but with the lower humidity, it is almost pleasant.
The chickens were out in full force, although not quite as noisy because it must have been too late for the rooster to be crowing as loud as I've heard before. It looks as if they have quite the variety.
Look what I came across. That little yellow duckling is hanging in there.
Isn't it a super sweet park that almost no one seems to know about? They have a tennis court, stocked fishing lake, fantastic playground and a basketball court. The most people I've seen there at one time is probably about ten and that might be a slight exaggeration. Every now and again you run across a Wood Stork.
I used to not appreciate them because of their prehistoric head, but I'm starting to like them and am always happy when one shows up when I am out and about. Perhaps there are those amongst you that did not know that when I had a business it was called, Out & About Photography. In the first photo in this post, the young lady in the plaid shirt was a UCF student who used to visit me at the market along with her friend Stephanie. Week after week they would come and say hello and I remember them trying to get me to make a Facebook page for my business. I always had a hard time with promoting my work and they were more than happy to help me out although I never took advantage of their kind offer. That was in the early days of social media and I will be the first to admit that I never imagined what an influence it would become. As we sat at the bar for lunch at Prato, I found it so hard to imagine that a youngish woman was taking selfies, posing this way and that and not just one photo. Probably ten. I just don't get it which proves that I'm old and out of touch!
Mary had us over for dinner last Thursday and she is loving her open kitchen.
I was loving the blue cheese on this board, the fig not so much.
Mary is still waiting on a buyer for her other condo and we sincerely hope one turns up sooner, rather than later. She's going on a multi day kayaking trip and I bet, just when she has no mobile service, that a buyer shows up! Being a bird lover like myself, now I can text her when I see something interesting. By my count, we are up to about 15 ducks on the lake, including many Wood Ducks with the males in their full plumage.
I never take seeing them for granted because someone else has never had the pleasure of seeing a Wood Duck before. Isn't that the way? Living in Vancouver for that year, most people went about their business never even thinking that there are those, myself included, who were in awe of mountains, never having lived in their shadow before. Oh how I miss seeing them! Then again, most of those folks have never seen a WD which isn't quite a fair comparison, but you get my drift.
Before we planted them last year, I'd never seen an Arctic Snow plant before. This year, having been in the ground for a while, they are blooming very nicely.
What I discovered on my inaugural bike ride is that my wrists take some pressure while holding the handles. When Lisa bid me adieu she reminded me to keep on working to get my wrist stronger which the bike riding might just help. We've not gone camping since the accidents, but I'm hoping my wrist is strong enough to be able to help put up the tent and, well, everything that camping requires.
Time will tell won't it?
your friend,
Gail
No comments:
Post a Comment