beach still-life

careful where you step

The man o' war jellyfish have been everywhere, all over our beach lately. I have gotten some minor stings on my feet, on the tops of my toes, but that hasn't stopped me from wanting to take a morning walk there. A little white vinegar does the trick to take away the sting.

this winter's erosion ...

... can also be beautiful.

panoramas

I don't usually use the panorama feature on my phone, but I couldn't resist these views.

Larger view on flickr

Larger view on flickr

the birds

During the week I try to fit in a walk on the beach after I drop the kid off at school. I can't be sure, but a few of the gulls seem to be treating me like a regular lately, not skittering off as soon as I get in their vicinity.

throwback thursday: morning stroll

When we first moved down here four years ago I was walking everywhere after dropping the kid to school. I need to get back in the habit, as you can see some pretty cool things around town.

throwback (holiday) thursday - seeing santa

At the Flagler Museum holiday celebration, 2010.

blue skies

Some more amazing early morning beach, sand, and sky shots.

chasing clouds

I have always been a huge fan of clouds in the sky, cumulus, nimbus, cirrus, stratus, and beyond. Florida seems to have some of the best cloud formations of anywhere I've lived or visited.

calm seas

Trying to start the week off with a peaceful, calm sea ...






... Goodbye summer. Well, at least technically. It's still in the 90s around here.

jersey girl

Although it's been over three weeks since we returned from our Jersey Shore vacation, I haven't had a lot of time to process it all yet. We've been adjusting to going back to school, and getting our first colds of the school year (I seemed to get it worse than the kid, go figure).

I grew up at the Shore, and there is always an element of nostalgia in coming back. I was afraid that might be the only thing pulling me there, and was presently surprised that wasn't the case. Yes, it is always fun to drive around and see what has survived since my childhood days and be disappointed in what hasn't (this year's big heartbreak — Freedman's Bakery is no more.) But there is something else going on, too. Going home isn't just about memories, it's also about physically connecting to a place. I live by the ocean in Florida, but it is still renewing and refreshing to dip my toes in the cold Atlantic of New Jersey, the ocean of my childhood. Maybe it's in my DNA.








There is also something about the pace that I love. I grew up in a vacation spot. I seem to have always wanted to live where everyone, i.e., tourists, want to come and visit, whether it be the beach, or a major city like New York or Washington, D.C.

As much as I enjoyed my time in those urban metropolises, the other thing that seemed crystal clear to me on this recent vacation was how much I love the beach lifestyle. Ron Jon's anyone? I may never have learned to surf, but I completely connect with a slower, more relaxed vibe. Like the "salt life" stickers you see on cars everywhere down here, I connect to the ocean, the salt air, the sand in my toes.

Where we live now, Palm Beach, can be a bit fancy sometimes, but that's not what I'm about, and it's not why I'm here. It's the ocean, across the road, that calls me. And I can't help but answer, "Hello, old friend."

soylent green is people

O.K. Maybe I was over-reacting with the Soylent Green reference. But our walk on the beach last night was a little spooky, as just wads and wads of seaweed kept washing ashore. The kid was able to enjoy some surf time, as long as she wasn't afraid to share the ocean with the Triffids, I mean plant life.

more beach discoveries

You never know what a walk on the beach will bring. Interesting corals, seaweed, or just a moment of contemplation.

a walk on the beach

palm shadows

Backlit palm trees on the beach, with the moon peeking out from the clouds.

evening stroll

Last night the kid and the dog and I took a stroll on the beach just as the sun was fading and the moon was appearing. It's amazing how calming the ocean can be. We need to do this more often.

small world

The fire alarms in our building went off last night after dinner. Our stone and concrete structure didn't seem likely to be a tinderbox, but better safe than sorry. The kid and I marched downstairs to await the fire department's arrival. We were actually the only two residents to do this. I don't think everyone else was out to dinner on a Wednesday night, but it's Palm Beach, you never know.

The fire truck drives away — false alarm (whew!)

Three fire trucks showed up, plus a patrol car. As we waited for the verdict near the parking lot (the quietest place in the vicinity) the policeman on call made a little small talk, praising us for leaving the building. Apparently most folks tend to ignore fire alarms. He then looked at us a little more closely and asked, "Do I know you?" Before you imagine that the kid and I engage in crime sprees in our spare time, we determined that he was the cop who showed up back in June when my mother fell and the ambulance came. Small world. He asked my daughter if she was the one who found Grandma and she nodded. He then asked how mom was doing, which was nice.

The firemen came out, axes unused (thankfully). Apparently the smoke detector in the elevator had gone off, setting off all of the building's alarms. So a false alarm, but an extremely loud one.

palm beach pink

This is a real sunset from the other night.

what's wrong with this picture?

We had lunch yesterday at a local drug store luncheonette. Yes, there are thankfully still some drug stores in the good ol' U.S. of A. that have lunch counters. It's a step back in time. We've learned not to order anything too fancy — just eggs or a burger, but it's a fun place to go to from time to time.

The tropical murals add a certain je ne sais quoi

After lunch we can peruse the shelves and do a little shopping if we like. The kid heads straight for the aisle that has toys in it of course, and today this caught my eye. Notice anything?

For Ages 3+  - Really?

Need a closer look?

That quite the outfit, nurse

What is the target audience for this doctor set? Is it just me? It says 3+, but the nurse looks more Benny Hill or '80s-era Madonna than what a little three year-old should be picturing during roleplay.

Nearby was a second, anime-style set which had artwork that was also a little weird, but at least seemed age-appropriate.

Aimed at a younger than 3+ audience?

Silly artwork, but pretty innocent

Oh well, the eggs were good.

for those of you who think the birds is fiction ...

... witness our now-regular evening guests — some local, noisy, wild green parrots.

Cocktail hour, Palm Beach style.