The Frangipani (aka Plumeria) in my front yard started blooming last week. Even though it dies back hard every Winter I’m quite delighted with how this little cutting grows every Spring.

I had a bit of a surprise this evening when I bent over to take a sniff of one of the softly sweet flowers. There was a small spider inside. So I went to the next one, and the next one. Apparently, Crab Spiders like frangipani flowers, too!

Well, I had a bit of a surprise this evening. I heard Westley chirping on my back porch. It’s the sound he makes when he’s actively watching a bird or squirrel so I wasn’t worried about him. But I was curious what had his attention so I wandered into my Florida room to check.

I was a bit startled to discover a snake in my house! Truthfully, I think all three of us were equally surprised by the situation. It took a few minutes of careful negotiation but eventually I was able to encourage the Black Racer (Coluber constrictor) outside and my cat inside.*

I’m not an expert at cat language translation but I think Westley was saying, “Mom, look what I found! Can I keep it?” My answer was no but I do hope our snake friend chooses to stay around.

I love knowing that wildlife can make a safe home in my yard!

*No one was harmed during this event.

Between our two residences, it seems Al and I always have a list of projects that need to be tackled. Neither of us are complaining, we both enjoy getting things accomplished (maybe not so much during the doing but definitely when we can enjoy the fruits of our labor).

The important thing is to make sure we have some fun along the way. I think we do a pretty good job balancing work and play. A couple Saturdays ago, we transformed a section of his front yard before catching a Bradenton Marauders Baseball game.

The ballpark was celebrating Margaritaville night (with live music and Hawaiian shirts) and the weather was perfect for a ball game. We had a great time (even though the Marauders managed to find multiple ways to lose the game). At one point, I even caught a player carrying off a base (pretty sure that’s NOT what the manager meant when he told him to steal a base).

Sunday afternoon we wandered out to Jiggs Landing, a little slice of old Florida located on the north shore of Evers Reservoir. The outpost offers fishing, canoeing, lake/river tours, and even has rental cabins for overnight stays. The best part? They have live music every day, three hours before sunset.

The property, which is owned and operated by Manatee County, is surrounded by large housing developments. But, if you look south across the water and focus on the trees, you can slide back in time and enjoy a relaxing afternoon.

One life, right? Might as well make the most of it!

In case the longer days and warmer temperatures down here weren’t enough signs that Summer is on the way, the migration of Greenies along our coast should clue you in.

The Atlantic thread herring (Opisthonema oglinum) is a small, distinctive fish identified by black tips on its caudal fin but mainly by the blueish green color on its back (hence the common name).

As Greenbacks head into peak breeding season they are schooling in shallow, nearshore waters much to the delight of anglers (who catch them for bait) and hungry birds. It wasn’t just the usual pelicans and terns taking advantage of the buffet, joining the fray were also gulls and crows.

A few weeks ago, Al and I joined friends for a lovely afternoon at the Sarasota Polo Club’s Hawaiian day. Even though I had a tenuous polo connection as a child, this was my first time attending an actual match.

Growing up, my childhood home was essentially the animal equivalent of the Island of Misfit Toys. Over the years my parents took in hundreds of animals, most notably: 100 Desert Tortoises (dislocated by urban sprawl), a pregnant ewe, male calves from a local dairy (for obvious reasons), abandoned puppies, stray cats, one loud-mouthed parrot, and even a young one-eyed polo pony (he’d lost it as a foal and therefore, wasn’t suited for the game he’d been bred for).

Pony isn’t an accurate descriptor since these Thoroughbreds, while on the smaller side for horses (generally 15-16 hands), are incredible athletes. I still don’t fully understand the game but it was exciting to watch the players and their ponies charge up and down the field.

It was an enjoyable way to spend the day and yes, I remembered the advice from Pretty Woman and made sure to “avoid the steaming divot” during the divot stomp!

This handsome boy and his family stopped by the store where I’m working this afternoon. He took some time out of his busy day to smell the flowers.

I think there’s a lesson for all of us here…

I met Smithy and his owner at the jetty tonight. It was his first trip to the sandy shore and he certainly seemed to be enjoying it. The sunset is usually the showstopper out there but tonight, all the attention was on our colorful, feathered friend. And he knew it, cheeky little bugger!

…are why I moved here (definitely one of my better decisions). Just look at those colors!