Who Gets Sick in Paradise?

He snores beside me,
deeply, but not too loud.
Maybe after three days of
fevered restlessness he has
Found some equilibrium.

Just outside our hotel
room, people frolic in the
Warm waters of the blue green
bay, while I play Words With
Friends on my iPhone.

A morning spent on the beach
alone, pretending to be a
Minor celebrity escaping
pursuit by rabid paparazzi
Proved far too lonely.

So I drank too much rum punch
before returning to the dark
Comfort of our air conditioned
suite where I slipped beneath
Cool sheets to be with him.

Saturday Wanderings

On Saturday morning Studly Doright played in a golf tournament at Southwood Golf Club. I should have stayed home to do laundry in preparation for our trip to Clearwater Beach, instead I went in search of a gift for the faeries, and drove over to Native Nurseries on Centerville Road (nativenurseries.com).

I’d driven past Native Nurseries a number of times, but since I’m not much of a gardener, I didn’t think there was a reason for me to pull in. Boy, was I wrong! I might be in love.  

    
    
 I found some new friends while snapping photos of a staff member relocating caterpillars. Who knew caterpillars were so photogenic?

   
   
And I learned a bit about attracting butterflies to my yard:

   

The staff were friendly, knowledgeable, and super helpful, and even though I didn’t spot any faeries, I suspect a great many reside there. Just look at the tiny dragonfly bench I purchased! My faeries are going to love it!

  
Peace, people!

 

Snapshot #8, I dunno

Can you say “Paradise?” Unfortunately, this one has been titled, “Studly Doright Has the Flu and I’m Sitting on the Balcony of our Hotel Room.”

  

Snapshot #8, I think

I love the names of Florida towns. I call this one, “If you can’t pronounce it, you must be in Florida.”  

Destination Clearwater Beach

Florida is a big ol’ state. Just how big?

  
Well, according to City-data.com,

“The total area of Florida is 58,664 sq mi (151,939 sq km), of which land takes up 54,153 sq mi (140,256 sq km) and inland water 4,511 sq mi (11,683 sq km). Florida extends 361 mi (581 km) E–W; its maximum N–S extension is 447 mi (719 km). The state comprises a peninsula surrounded by ocean on three sides, with a panhandle of land in the NW.”

Even though Studly Doright and I have lived in Tallahassee for the past three years, and prior to this stint we lived in Melbourne, FL, for a period of four years  from 2000 to 2004, with a stretch of Illinois in between, there are a great many places in the Sunshine State that we’ve yet to visit. 

This week we’re heading to one of those long neglected places, Clearwater Beach, for a belated 40th anniversary celebration. 

  
Clearwater Beach is on Florida’s Gulf Coast, roughly 40 miles from Tampa. Rumor has it that the beaches there are some of the finest in the world, and I plan to do some serious investigating–mostly from the comfort of a lounge chair under a broad beach umbrella while sipping a mojito.

My Studly Doright is in need of a hefty dose of downtime, so we haven’t made plans to do anything too strenuous on our vacation. We have tickets to see The Dixie Chicks in Tampa on the 19th,

  
and I want to check out the Clearwater Marine Aquarium where “Dolphin Tale” was filmed. 

  
I made Studly watch “Dolphin Tale” so he’d be familiar with Winter, the dolphin. 

Other than that, we’re going to be lazy beach bums for a week. I’ll try to keep up with my blog, and I’ve got a few pieces queued up. Maybe I’ll even find some new inspiration.

  
What??? It could happen. Until then, keep the faith.

  
Peace, people!

Snapshot #7.5

 I zoomed in on this photo of a faerie in my backyard. I’ve entitled it, “Contemplative Fellow.” 

Snapshot #6 or Something

I call this one “Storm Gathering.” I snapped it while riding in our little convertible as we drove into Tallahassee on Sunday afternoon. Not long after I took the photo we had to pull over and put the top up. 

 

Tripping

Studly Doright and I are getting away for a few days. We’re heading to a resort hotel on Clearwater Beach for a belated 40th anniversary celebration. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and we’ll have fun in the sun instead of a fizzle in the drizzle.

My pre-vacation ritual always includes a couple of days in which we aren’t allowed to wear anything that might need to be packed. If at all possible one should just sit around the house naked, but Studly Doright played golf yesterday, and he’ll need to report to work this morning, both of which are better done clothed.

As for me, well…

  
Yes, I might or might not be naked right now, not for any prurient reason, but solely to avoid doing unnecessary loads of laundry. 

  
Ok, so I’m not naked, but I am wearing a pair of too tight, too short yoga pants and a faded pink t-shirt that I pulled from the deepest, darkest corner of my closet. 

  
At some point today I’ll make a trip to the grocery store. I’ll probably change into something less offensive. Or not.

 

Peace, people!

At the Car Wash

I took my Mazda into Tallahassee to wash several months’ worth of road grime away. The swirls and colors of the detergents were mesmerizing, so I began snapping photos as the car was pulled through the wash bay. I wonder if Jackson Pollack was inspired by a car wash?