3rin's View…

Not sure where Brian was when he wrote this poem but it certainly seems to fit my weather. I’m really not complaining, I knew what I was getting into when I moved to Florida.

Truthfully, summers here aren’t much different from the ones I grew up with in Tucson. The monsoon season out there (where tropical storms blow up from Mexico) correlates with hurricane season here. Though we share the high humidity at least we don’t get into the triple digits. Thank goodness for air conditioning!

~ Oh the irony. I scheduled this post a few days ago when it was in the mid-90s, incredibly humid, and the sun was on full blast but today we won’t even break 90, it’s cloudy, and relatively mild. Still a cute poem though. 🤷‍♀️😂

Just a little photo collage of how Westley deals with Mondays. Actually, any day that ends in ‘y’. Ah, the wisdom of cats…

This is what happens when I’m bored at work and my work happens to be inside a health food store.

So, if using the drops helps relax me what exactly do the mints do? I think I’ll pass on them, I have enough stress in my life without buying more!

Independence Day celebrations near me started with fireworks shows over the weekend. Much like they do with their lighted holiday boat parades, the nearby communities stagger their events.

St. Pete did theirs on Saturday, St.Pete Beach’s was last night, Madeira Beach is tonight, and Treasure Island will go off tomorrow evening. Which means I get multiple opportunities to enjoy the pretty lights.

Though to be honest, I think our sunsets can be just as showy and they happen way more often!

Wednesday night the library near me hosted an adults only comedy and magic show featuring Cesar Domico. Since it was too hot for most outdoor activities I decided to pop in and I was not disappointed!

Cesar was not only funny but obviously quite skilled at his craft. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more of his shows in the future. Many thanks to the St. Pete Beach Library for scheduling the entertainment!

Added bonus, I left with an armful of books that’d been on my reading list. Aren’t libraries amazing?

Be sure to watch all three videos…

I spotted this Black Witch (Ascalapha odorata) while waiting for my car to be serviced this week. This moth is the largest noctuoid in the states. The term comes from Latin and translates as night owl which seems fitting.

While I was impressed by the roughly five inch wingspan, I wish it had been a female because they are twice as large. Now that would’ve been amazing!

I was happy to see this handsome specimen until I learned that in some parts of the world they are considered omens of death or misfortune. What a cheery thought, I think I’ll just ignore that part.

Saturday’s fun didn’t end with my morning of kayaking. After washing the salt off me I took an afternoon siesta, resting up for the evening ahead.

What better way to wrap up a beautiful summer day than with a backyard concert? The Habitat was featuring Jonas Lorence (who I first encountered at Parrothead events in Texas) and a relative newcomer to the Trop Rock scene, Monallo.

Heather and Ken started hosting concerts years ago, making improvements every off season. I have no idea what they’ll work on next because their backyard oasis is pretty darn near perfect. I especially love all the lights and quirky artwork.

Oh, and based on the back of Ken’s t-shirt, it appears he and I are kindred spirits! 🙄😂

Since I recently rearranged my schedule and now have weekends off, I can finally go out and play with my friends. I was looking forward to yesterday morning’s kayak trip all week and it did not disappoint.

We launched from an unassuming patch of dirt on the north side of a highway. It wasn’t the most inviting location but once we paddled through the mangroves into Feather Sound it was easy to see why Christine chose this spot.

Unlike other areas I’ve paddled around here, we were far outnumbered by wildlife! I counted at least a dozen bird species in addition to the dolphins, rays, needlefish, mullet, and manatees.

The water was wonderfully flat which not only made it a delight to paddle but also easier to spot aquatic animals. Dolphins swam by during the first part of our voyage around Big Island Gap, though they were busy fishing and remained in the distance.

After a short respite under some shady mangroves, we continued around the north side of the island where we came across a fever of juvenile rays. They were the smallest I’ve yet seen, only about 6″ from wingtip to wingtip (technically pectoral fin-tip but wingtip is commonly used since they appear to fly through the water).