Tropical Bird, Minus the Rum

 

"A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song."
~Chinese Proverb

One year ago.

Look what November was doing last year.
Click to play this Nov, 2009 video.

Fiery Night

 

 

 

During our visit to Cozumel, we were fortunate enough to catch a Fire Dance performance. I believe the tradition has Aztec origins. The show was incredible. We could feel the intense heat from several yards away. I can't imagine what it's like for the dancers. They put on quite a show and we'll definitely see them again if given the opportunity.

Senor Dragon

 

These guys were all over the resort we stayed at in Mexico.


"Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee"
~Peter, Paul & Mary

Last Light

 

 

 

Sunset in Cozumel.

“I didn't ask for it to be over, but then again, I never asked for it to begin. For that's the way it is with life, as some of the most beautiful days come completely by chance. But even the most beautiful days eventually have their sunsets.”
~Author Unknown

Distant Shore

 

It was my first look
That's when I swallowed the hook
On my first look
Around

 

Amor a primeira vista
Voce nao, quer que o insista
Amor a primeira vista
Reacao quimica quimica

 

Now it's time for siestas
And a belly full of rice and beans
And figure if I'm brave enough
To repeat the whole crazy scene
~Jimmy Buffett

South of the Border

 

 

 

My camera recently took a quick dip in the pool and never recovered. As a result, this blog has been quite neglected lately. So, when we went to Mexico for a few days, we took the big camera with us for a change and ended up with a ton of photos. I love Cozumel. Always have. It's full of beautiful people, incredible views, delicious food and great shopping. We had an awesome trip and can't wait to go back.

Opa!

We went to the Greek Festival at the Emerald Coast Conference Center this past weekend. The theme for this year was "Our Big Fat Greek Festival" and it was definitely a great experience. There were lots of local artists there and the food was AMAZING! These photos are really dark and the only explanation I have is that we attended this immediately after that McGuire's brunch I mentioned earlier and I might have 'forgotten' to use a flash.

Irish Patience.

Recently, while waiting for McGuire's to open for brunch, we took a stroll along Destin Harbor. It had been a while since we'd been there and it was just as beautiful as ever. Also, surprisingly, it was bustling with tourists and they were throwing money all over the place. That was almost more beautiful than the view. It's been a rough Summer around here and it was nice to see a little normalcy before the season closes.
On a side note, if you look just beyond the bridge, you can see Crab Island, a local favorite.

Up in Navarre

“I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God.”

~ Abraham Lincoln

Clear Skies

"What we see depends mainly on what we look for"
~ Sir John Lubbock

Wind Blown

It's been several years since Ivan then Dennis blew through here and it's almost hard to tell anything so devastating ever occurred. However, every once in a while a sight like this catches my eye and I'm reminded of how powerful storms can be. We're now at the height of the storm threat for our area and I hope we get by with another uneventful year. After all, the ONLY good thing about the end of Summer is the end of hurricane season.

Beachin It

"May you always have a shell in your pocket, sand in your shoes, waves to play in and friends around you."
~Author Unknown

Full of Surprises

I took this photo because the sun had just set and I really liked the way the sky looked. When I downloaded it later, I was surprised to see the moon hiding behind the clouds. We had been in the park all evening and not seen it once.

"From now on we live in a world where man has walked on the Moon. It's not a miracle; we just decided to go."
~Tom Hanks

Go Take A Long Walk...

The new Navarre Pier is wide open for business and it is amazing! It's the longest pier around and it offers great fishing and stunning views. At the base of it you'll find a wonderful shop full of local wares, a place to eat and a great little bar. For more info check this out : http://navarrepier.com/

No Place Like Home

I wanna back to the island
Where the shrimp boats tie up to the pilin'
Gimme oysters and beer
For dinner every day of the year and I'll feel fine
I'll feel fine
Yeah now, the sun goes slidin' 'cross the water
Sailboats they go searchin' for the breeze
Salt air it ain't thin
It can stick right to your skin and make you feel fine
Makes you feel fine
~Jimmy Buffett

Jardin Nuevo Mexicano

One of the reasons I love staying with my in-laws in Albuquerque is that the guest bedroom we stay in overlooks their beautiful garden. They are excellent gardeners and always have lots of intriguing plants that are indigenous to that area. This time of year the yard is teeming with wildflowers. There are so many that they seem to hover as if stemless. I have no idea what the 'bloom' in the last photo is and neither did anyone I asked. It has a hideous plant at the bottom of it and my sister in law said that large blossom shot up out of it in 3 months time.

The Lake

"Look at the trees, look at the birds, look at the clouds, look at the stars... and if you have eyes you will be able to see that the whole existence is joyful. Everything is simply happy. Trees are happy for no reason; they are not going to become prime ministers or presidents and they are not going to become rich and they will never have any bank balance. Look at the flowers - for no reason. It is simply unbelievable how happy flowers are." ~Osho

Land of Enchantment

We spent the weekend with family in New Mexico. I'm always struck by the stark contrast in the landscape there compared to Navarre. Everything from the architecture to the food is completely different. It's dry and brown and full of creatures like prairie dogs and road runners. It is also incredibly beautiful.