Project 365 - May 13, 2024

 A Little Extra Weekend for Me

Since we have a concert tonight in our Cultural Arts Center (Rogers Richie and Robinson — a tribute band of the the music of Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie and Smokey Robinson) I get to go in to the office at noon. So a little extra weekend for me to enjoy. 

The weather cooperated so I did my mile and a half walk.  But the vibe is very different on a Monday morning. The sound level of everything is a little higher. The neighborhood kids are walking to the bus stop. The neighbors are jumping into their cars and zipping off to work. I had to jump out of the way a couple of times because people are in a big hurry to get to wherever they are heading. 

But they still took a moment to wave. 

It makes me smile when that happens it’s so simple a move. But so meaningful a gesture. 

I did see a few things to make images of and the one that make me giggle was the one tree with four squirrels chasing each other. I only caught three of the four in my image. It’s not the best image but you can feel the movement. 

Project 365 - May 12, 2024

 And the Summer Begins …

As I walked out my front door at 6:30 am, the stillness in the air and the smell of smoke struck me like I had walked into a wall. This is a reminder that our South Florida summers are long, hot, and always difficult to navigate. 

We have to prepare for these long, humid, and uncomfortable days. Select the correct clothing so that the material can breathe and allow the sticky film of sweat to evaporate. Keep an extra pair of shoes or flip-flops in the car so that when the torrential rains begin every afternoon when the clouds build over the Everglades and drift east with angry lightning and swirling winds. Store extra umbrellas in the car and in the office so that the one that just broke due to a wind gust, can quickly be replaced. Keep a folded raincoat handy for, well for keep dry in the daily, and mostly brief, rainstorms. 

But, along with the longer days, and higher temperatures that the weatherpeople just love to exaggerate and compare record highs, come exhilaratingly beautiful landscapes, sunrises and sunsets, plants for closeup photography, and smells unlike any other in different climates. There is something about a sub-tropical atmosphere that is scientific and predictable but elusive and charming. 

I do love the winters here. But after 45 summers, I have learned to adapt to this climate and embrace it. Remind me this when the humidity is 95 percent and the temperature is also around 95 and the “feels like” temperature is well over 100!!!