Random Thoughts

Here’s some shots that may or may not fit into any single category. I just like them for one reason or another. Explanation/comments below each one.

Lake Mary Jane, Orlando, FL 10/11/13

Early in October, Columbus Day weekend to be precise, the weather here finally started to cool. By which I mean we had a weekend where the highs only reached the low 80’s and the lowest low actually dipped below 60 (to like 59). We were fortunate enough to be camping at Moss Park for this major Central Florida event and I got up early to catch the sunrise over Lake Mary Jane. I actually had to wear my long pants! Alas, the temps have gone back up again and it’s still not cool enough to wear our new Italian leather jackets, but soon. Soon.

Cocoa Beach, FL, 10/20/13

There are many feral cats up and down the beaches here. This fellow is a regular at our beachside watering hole. He is always close by, but is not very social with humans, with one exception. There’s a guy that shows up most every evening and buys a pitcher of beer. The cat is actively waiting for him and, as soon as the guy sits, trots on over to collect his due. The guy gives the cat several handfuls of kitty treats which disappear in a jiffy. Cat takes a bath, guy drinks his pitcher and enjoys the ocean and everybody’s happy.

Florence, Italy, 9/15/13

We saw these ladies begging in both Florence and Rome. They apparently stay like this, unmoving, for hours at a time. They must make enough to make it worthwhile. I would not be shocked if, at the end of the day, she gets up, stretches, and turns around, gets in that (expensive) car, and drives home.

Corniglia, Italy, 9/13/13

Patti calls these the steps from hell, and we only went down them! There are 365 of them (one for every day of the year) and we were very tired after hiking the Cinque Trail when we went down them to catch a train. It seemed as if they would never end. (Patti weighs in: I called these steps the Nine Circles of Hell. They seemed to never end. Also, after making it along the not-so-easy trail from Vernazza and down and around these millions o’ steps, I fell. On a sidewalk. No hill. No rocks. An ordinary walkway made of concrete, except for that one little crack where I stepped and my ankle said ENOUGH and down I went. I said a naughty word. Loudly. Fortunately, aside from acute embarrassment and a skinned knee, I was fine.)

Cocoa Beach, FL, 10/20/13

Ya gotta love Cocoa Beach. You can’t walk your dog on the beach, but adult beverages are fine. As long as the container it’s in is less than gallon size. You can have as many of those containers as you like, though. It’s actually very civilized.

Rockledge, FL, 7/1/13

While driving to a regular appointment one day I saw that the Sand Hill crane family that lives along the way had grown. The next several times I went that way at that time I made sure to have my camera with me. I knew that these cranes are creatures of habit and that they have a regular route they follow. Sure enough I got lucky and got several nice shots. Love their knobby knees.

Cocoa Beach, FL, 10/20/13

Nice custom paint job. I really need to post this to Redditt. Those folks would love it.