Received this fitting gift from a friend. What a wonderful way to wrap up a warm, sunny day!

I may have been a touch dramatic about the chill in the air this morning (according to my good friend Alyssa). In my defense, it was only 54 degrees at 10:30am!

Thankfully, as the day progressed the sun came out and the mercury rose. By midafternoon it was in the upper 60s and the beach beckoned.

The best part of a cool day on the coast? I pretty much had the place to myself!

I took these photos within a 15 minute time span on my beach walk tonight. The sun put on a colorful dance with the clouds before slipping away. I do love living here!

This past spring I planted an American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) in my yard. This native species is a boon to wildlife; the thick shrubbery provides protection from predators, the tiny flowers are a nectar source for pollinators, and the magenta fruits are favored by birds.

This afternoon my driveway provided me with evidence of the latter. It’s such a pretty color, makes me wonder if I could use the berries as a dye.

A vast school of something yummy must’ve been swimming along the coastline tonight because the birds were having a field day. I noted Black Skimmers, Brown Pelicans, Laughing Gulls, and three species of terns working above the water while a Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, and several Black-crowned Night-Herons were hunting from the jetty rocks.

I drove home from Ohio yesterday, putting in 17+ hours behind the wheel but it was worth it just to get home. My first impression was that my house weathered storm quite well, though it was too dark and I was too tired for a thorough inspection.

My plants took a beating but hopefully, with a little care, they will survive. I spent the day undoing my hurricane preparations, so very thankful that the storm damage was minor in my neighborhood. Acutely aware that so many others south of me were not as fortunate…

After another restless night, I awoke this morning to some amazing news concerning my county: my friends who stayed in the area are all okay, initial assessments in St. Petersburg found minimal damage (trees and power lines down but no flooding from rain or storm surge), and my wonderful neighbors reached out this morning to let me know my little house survived unscathed.

Though the mandatory evacuation order was lifted at 9am, the county has asked people to stay off the roads while crews attend to repairs. I will remain in Ohio through the weekend.

As relieved as I am, I am keenly aware that the devastation suffered by the communities a few hours to the south could have been mine. I am researching the best ways I can assist in the recovery efforts.

As a fairly stubborn person who isn’t afraid of hard work, I’ve tackled some challenges over the years. However, when it comes to Mother Nature, I willingly cede the field. She has my utmost respect so I generally do what I can to stay out of harm’s way.

Mercifully with Hurricane Ian, there was advance notice and time to prepare (unlike some other types of natural disasters – earthquakes, I’m looking at you). Driving away from my cozy little home, not knowing what shape it would be in upon my return, was emotional but there was little time to dwell on it.

Heading north through Florida I was impressed by the storm preparations; convoys of lineman, emergency response trailers, and semis loaded with generators, portable toilets, and other critical supplies were heading south while the state had already lowered the interstate lights.

I was halfway through Georgia by the time the mandatory evacuation notice was issued for my county. I drove as far north as I could manage before stopping for the night near Charlotte, North Carolina. The parking lot at the hotel was filled with familiar license plates.

I arrived without incident at my cousin’s house in Ohio yesterday afternoon, thankful for a safe place to stay. I’m worn out and incredibly worried about the intensity and path of Ian. I know there will be a lot of work ahead, until then I’m hoping for the best.

On a lighter note, I thought I’d share something from a Florida Facebook group that I belong to. In the face of uncertainty, sometimes humor helps…

Late last night I finished my preparations for sheltering in place. After a few hours of restless sleep, I awoke this morning to a different scenario – mandatory evacuation was imminent. So, I followed the old axiom; Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.

I secured my outdoor furnishings and decor, covered my windows, loaded up my important belongings, and by noon I was on the road. My Plan B was to stay with friends in central Florida, Plan C was friends in Georgia, Plan D was friends in North Carolina, Plan E was friends in Virginia.

The weather update around 2pm tossed all those options out the window as the hurricane was predicted to track north through the South. I have stopped for the night in Charlotte, NC. Well on my way to Plan F, my cousin’s in Ohio.

Thank you to everyone who reached out to check on me, sorry I haven’t able to respond. It’s been a hectic day! The next few days should be interesting. I hope the storm does minimal damage throughout its path!