Since I’m avoiding humans (per social distancing guidelines) I’ve begun chatting with the local wildlife. Met a squirrel the other day, our conversation went something like this:

Me: Hey, Squirrel. What’s up with you?

Squirrel: Nuthin’, just hanging out. I’m bored.

Me: There’s a lot of that going around. This stay at home stuff is driving people nuts.

Squirrel: Nuts?! You haf nuts? Gimme des nuts!

Me (backing away slowly): No, no. Not edible nuts, it was a figure of speech…

Lesson learned. Hey, I didn’t promise it would be scintillating.

Motel Sign, Treasure Island, Florida March 2020

I do have a good number of imaginary friends, so this is a smoking deal!

Play Money, Rockport, Texas December 2019

During the week before I moved from Texas I made it a point to re-visit my favorite places. One of them was a peaceful, little cove on Copano Bay with stellar sunset views. It was such a relaxing spot that I made it a point to swing by there at least once a week.

On my last trip, I espied this green rectangle from a distance and though it looked a little funny I was hopeful that I would get my wish and find a bunch of money. Technically, it was $100,000 (which is a lot of money to me). It just happened to be play money.

Once again, I was reminded that though the universe conspires to help me, I need to be a lot more specific with my wishes!

T-shirt, Tampa, Florida January 2020

I presume it is easy to find meeting space and the club meetings must be short, since there is nothing to discuss with anyone.

Guest Book, Sarasota, Florida December 2019

I did my best to do as commanded, I complimented the book and gently stroked the page. Never got much of a reaction but I presume it was pleased?

Sign at Myakka River State Park, Sarasota, Florida December 2019

After working in the environmental education field for two decades (and being a bit of a word nerd), signs like this really make my skin crawl.

I’m not alone in my reaction. I recently had a chance to visit with two of my former colleagues and we ended up swapping work-related stories: In answer to a question about a mushroom on a nature hike, Jeff replied, “Well, technically, everything is edible. Once.” Which is in a similar vein as one of Julie’s favorite sayings, “The poison is in the dose.” Because even water can kill you, if you drink too much of it.

There is a huge difference between poisonous and venomous: if you bite it and it kills you, that’s poison; if it bites you* and kills you, that’s venom (so yes, you could eat a venomous animal, if you were exceptionally careful, but I don’t recommend it). Then again, you’re dead, what do you care?!

*Or breaks your skin in some other manner.