seriouslyscorpio

thoughts of the moment and of my life

Tag Archives: beauty


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NO CURFEW IN THE GULF


Well, I’m here to say, there is seems no end to this spring party in the Gulf….One doesn’t hear much, but the beaches are jump’in..yes, even ‘in the air’ jump’in.

Now that the little guys have arrived, their extended family have received their invites. It is time for sprucing up the digs, so many hermit crabs are up sizing. Yes, they do outgrow, their studio type homes, so searches go on constantly. People (nice humans) who visit the Gulf, know they should only take one live shell away from the beach each visit……what a shame they are allowed even that.
(another ‘be that as it may’) So it is proper etiquette to lift gently and peek in to these shell homes first, before plopping them into your bucket. If they have set up housekeeping, it is then necessary to put them back, and apologize for making thier little hearts skip a beat.

As spring progresses, many empty shell bodies are found. The tides give us a new view of what the Gulf has to offer, and the waves gently deposit the new, old, and empty shells of life in it’s beautiful waters. It is a fact of life, life and death, and the Gulf of Mexico shows us how the grand plan was put into place. I still wonder, at almost age 70, why things are the way they are, so don’t feel alone, if you wonder the same, now and then.

Discarded shells from other generations do provide exquisite art that cannot be duplicated. Their color, their shape, and their design are the architecture of God. Each is made to house the life inside…and is done so to perfection. Take note…..and know it is a simple joy to ‘stop’ and look at these treasures….they will move you and replenish your soul.

I spent the evening at low tide, picking and choosing my next gallon of shells….What a wonderful and inexpensive habit I have. The warmth of spring, the waters of the Gulf, a good friend, and a bucket. These are the days to remember. Thank goodness I’ve been allowed to realize these moments. Just take 60 seconds…and stop to look around…then take 70 seconds and then 80. Take in all the gifts God gives us each day..for free!!


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THERE’S A PARTY GO’IN!


Wow….or maybe it should be WOW!! It is party time in SW Florida and the city is not one you regularly party in on Fri. night…well, at least not all the time. IT’S THE GULF OF MEXICO, of course. It is springtime in the Gulf and on the Gulf and the place is jump’in.

Everyone who is anyone in the Gulf Kingdom is coming home to reunite with some and partner up with others. It seems they’ve spent the winter in the deeper waters of the Gulf for safety and warmth, but now the beach waters are 80F and the welcome mat is out.

Mother Nature/God sure set it up right. The breezes are mild, the bugs are few and the snow
birds have gone north. The beaches are relatively quiet as big and little couples come to be a part of the large guest list. As in the order of things, there are some who depend on the lunching of others to keep this arrangement in harmony. I plan to ask Mother Nature/God about this when I visit the other side. If I ever come back, I’ll write about what they say.

Be that as it may, these wonderful creatures come home with great folly. There are schools of little fish…just new babies who stay close to each other or Mom/Dad. Some come from long egg pods that look like snake skeltons…and are they a work of art. Others look like the rubber seals that keep canned peaches tasty.

In the sky, parent and child Osprey glide and squawk during daily lessons. As in our species, many children carry on something terrible when mom quits bringing the daily meal. Goes to prove that leaving the nest is not exciting for everyone.

The skates come to visit for the summer in April/May of each year. They definitely add a ‘shuffle’ to our step when we take our daily walks. You see, they love to nestle in the very shallow waters of the Gulf….looking for tasty morsels. After finding a spot, they wiggle/shiver into the sand and do whatever….maybe take a nap.
However!!

When someone or something comes by unannounced, these tiny darlings become a little startled and whip their tail around to barb whoever is nearby. Well, dang, I can vouch for the fact that THAT HURTS!! Keep in mind, however, I’ve been coming here for 35 years and have only been stung once…and it was my fault….not shuffling in a skate zone. No ticket given, but 45 min of pouring super hot water on the spot to ease the toxins, taught me well.

More later…….your correspondant, from the beach says tootle


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SUNSHINE MEDICINE


“You may have a medical problem”……runs shivers up and down your spine.  Even in the movies, those words make us tremble.  We are all act brave, showing that ‘devil may care’ attitude, but deep inside our gut is churning and the sunny day goes to turbulent winds with the threat of rain.

It is checkup time…..an ultrasound for me and a colonoscopy for him.  Been there more than once and yet it still creeps into our daily living, like the fog from the Pacific.  Warm winds of serenity touching the cool winds of change…..cause us to become solitary, even though there is no prediction of doom.

So the bootstraps are pulled up…..as we become nonchalant in the face of  our inner fearfulness. 

We then begin to rationalize, and examine…..what are the odds…I take good care of myself….it doesn’t run in my family, and on and on.  We do begin to feel better, and our sleep goes undisturbed.

The day comes for our tests…..and the phone rings for each of us…..”sure, we’ve done everything, we’ll be there, no problem”.  The medical facility is warm, and friendly, and we are ushered to our rooms.  We look into the eyes of the staff, watching as they take pictures, in hopes of finding reassuring glances that all is well.  The procedures are over almost as quickly as they begin and we welcome the lifting of the haze of  marking time.

The phones ring the next afternoon….and with certitude, we answer.  “Just calling to say your test was negative and all is well”…..”We’ll see you next year”.    The phone rings again.  “The results of your procedure are negative”. We’ll see you in 5 years”.     And the sun shines once more.


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southwest florida


82, hardly any humidity….beautiful southwest fla—stay on the east side of the gulf….enjoy the same beauty and have a better chance to stay alive


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CRUIS’IN WITH THE OLDIES


We’re home…..it was fun…..will do it agin……not tomorrow.   All those statements are true, even tho it sounds as tho it was not a ’10’.  Cruising is  be so ‘so ordinary’, ‘so fabulous’, and yet ‘so shocking’…..More about shocking later.

The ship is very nice….100′ shorter than the last ship we were on, but half as many people.  They had to drag me to my first crise.  I mean, it really sounded boring.  Same stuff to do on the cruise as I do at home, so why pay to fly and cruise….Well, I was wrong, in a way.   Cruising is truly a way to get away…I am forced to do what I want to do sometimes, a good example being..reading.  I love to read, but I put chores first, so when I get into bed to read, I last about  4 pages.  I tell myself to read in the AM, but then chores get in the way again. I read 5 books in 2 weeks…..Good for me!

Cruising and eating have to go hand in hand.  I can read and eat, I can watch TV and eat. I can sit by the pool and eat. I can drink and eat. I can do almost anything, except exercise, and eat.  Same with drinks, any kind,  any time, any where, doing almost anything.  Now that is not something I crave, nor need to do, but it was nice to be served a Tequila Sunrise  by the pool.

Yes there were art auctions, nights of bingo, magicians, comedians, dancing, games, the spa, restaurants, bars, a library, pools, quiet spots, and a casino, but most of all…..THERE WERE OLD PEOPLE!!!!!!!        I LOVE OLD PEOPLE!!

Probably 96% of those aboard were over 60.  Folks came from US, UK, Spain, India, Argentina, and Jersey…….It was a delight.

We sang Queen together, we talked about our home towns, our countries, our politics (local and foreign), our clothes, our retirement and former occupations, our families,and our lives as  we know them.  It was great…it was powerful, it was a learning experience and a confirming experience.

We were with a group…’that made it’, thru 30 to 60 years of marriage, family expectations and family sadness, illnesses,  and loss of parents. We talked of 50 and 60 year high school reunions, and the warmth of long friendships.  We talked of war and we talked of peace. 

“How lucky we are”…..they repeated, “to be sitting here today”.  We “oldies” are confident and hopeful group, but not proud in a ‘haughty’ since. We have seen the past, lived the past, done our best and look forward to tomorrow.  We are strong, opinionated, political, moral and ethical, and our values do not waiver. 

We have seen leaders come and go, we’ve seen strife, and victory….and we’ve been a part of it.  Our beliefs are strong, our faith remains, and we are not a selfish group.  You see our pictures……when ‘been there, done that’ is looked up.

So cruis’in is really pretty good……isn’t it……(took the chevy to the levy but the levy was dry……and good ole boys were drinkin whiskey and rye, sayin……(cm’on you know the words))

later

 

 


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DEATH AND DY’IN BACK IN MY LITTLE TOWN


Creation, flawless as it is, is sometimes hard for us humans to understand. I know we all have different opinions when it comes to creation, and this discussion is not about that…..Mother Nature has pretty well put together how things work, the sun, the seasons, the temperature, the  chloroform idea, the magnetic field, and on and on.  I know there are a few forms of life we question when they over run our picnic tables, or swallow a deer whole, but since I wasn’t called on at the time of ‘making stuff’, I should be happy that I don’t have more or less anything.

But every now and then, I walk into sadness.  I know, we all have families, and friends who have passed, or have a certain type of chronic illness,  but at least, as humans, we have the ability to communicate our sorrow, our understanding, and our help.

My sadness comes for those, I can’t communicate with.   I know animals die in the forest, I know plants wither, but when it happens en mass, it is striking to the heart.   On the beaches of  south Florida, this time of year, the fighting conches are mating and dying.  They are wonderful little ‘people’ who spend their lives int he Gulf of Mexico.  They come in all sizes, shapes, and colors, and have a ‘foot claw’ that helps them move along in the sand.  They aren’t scary and don’t bite or sting or spit.  They are just wonderful little beings.

They become more human when you see them look up at you with their little telescopic eyes….they stick out of their shell, one on each side, and watch. Their eyes are on the end of the long telescopes…it is so cool!

Laws supposedly prohibit anyone from taking more than two live shells per day from the gulf…….right….. we could fill the local jails with people who bag these creatures by the hundreds …..and then are appalled at anyone who tells them to put the little guys back.  Another story….another time.

So now is the time of the year when the conchs come to mate.  I repeat, I know life and death are certain, but it causes one to pause when low tide uncovers the dead and dying by the thousands.  They leave us for their hereafter, and it doesn’t happen quickly…..Mother Nature steps in to see that their remains are taken care of by the local birds and hermit crabs. Admittedly, she has thought of everything, in spite of our doubts, but the whole thing is just hard to watch.  I am part of the cleanup  committee too.  Their colorful shells are carefully cleaned and used for decoration, crafts, and sent to schools where little ones learn about the sea.

All I’m say’in is, dang, when you are hit in the face with thousands of anything dying, it should have an effect on you.  How we treat  our fellow-man, how we treat our earth, and how we should care for every creature with love and respect, should cross our minds each time we walk around a life and not on it.

Handling sickness and death with love and compassion…..whether it is your friend, your pet, or the fighting conch is something we should strive for. Although we cannot change migration without dire consequences, we can feed those who are hungry and care for those who are alone and afraid.

Little eyes are little eyes, no matter who they belong to…….


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WHO IS THE ANIMAL/PREDATOR HERE?


Pitures in the local paper this AM….shows young teens and adults standing beside the dead deer they shot..They even hold the face up as it hangs….who is the animal here?


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mother nature cleaning today


a light rain is washing off the earth this morning, leaves are letting go of their life and fluttering to the ground, blanketing my yard in yellows atop the green carpet. It feels good.


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let inside the house alone today


too beautiful to be inside….let the dirt get a little deeper….time to be atuned to the warmth and smells of Fall. one can always work when it rains…… later


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re-arrange the garden


time for plant ‘perk-up’….they are clean and nicely trimmed for winter….now it is time to find them some new homes in the yard….today