Orange Sky, Red Tide

The beauty of tonight’s sunset belies the sad truth that red tide is flaring up again in the gulf. The fumes tickling my throat were my first indication but as I walked along I also saw a few dead fish.

Out of curiosity, I checked the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s recent water testing data. It noted medium levels of Karenia brevis in the water along my favorite beach. I certainly hope this isn’t the beginning of a massive flare up…

Different Perspectives

After hearing about this amazing location for the past couple years, I finally had a chance to check out John Chestnut Sr. Park up in Palm Harbor. I spent four enjoyable hours wandering the various trails and boardwalks.

Keep in mind, for every cooperative subject I managed to capture, there were at least two others that snuck away. It was a stellar way to spend the day.

So, imagine my surprise when I overheard a young woman talking on her phone, “Nah, there isn’t anything interesting to see here.” It certainly gave me a chuckle…

Sweet Reminder

Mural, St. Petersburg, FL February 2023

I parked near this mural while working downtown today. It stopped me in my tracks since it was one of the first things Linda said to me when we met.

I was sitting at Gators during happy hour one evening, watching the sun set. I could tell she was upset when she sat down near me. After she ordered her drink (Tito’s and soda, as I recall), I glanced over and said, “I don’t mean to pry but whatever is going on, I’m sure you can handle it.”

She smiled through her tears, we started talking about life, and by the time the night was over, we were friends. That was three years ago, almost to the day.

Often Linda would call me up and say, “Sunshine, let’s go have fun!” She passed away unexpectedly four months later but we certainly made a lot of good memories during that time. ❤