Playful Swimmers

I thoroughly enjoyed another downriver swim this morning. What a great way to beat the heat (the water temperature in the Gulf of Mexico is 91 degrees, the Rainbow River was 72).

There were a lot more swimmers than last month, and some were even willing to explore the wildlife.

 

Around the Bend

The Starkey Wilderness is only a few miles from my house and offers miles of quiet hiking and biking trails. 

Besides a few birds, some ground tortoises and the rare deer sighting, I have not experienced much in the way of wildlife there. But who knows what may lie around the next bend?

 

Weeki Wachee Springs

Weeki Wachee Springs State Park has plenty of kitsch, but fun kitsch. It was a mere thirty minute drive from our house to their parking lot, yet we had never visited before today. 

The enthusiastic audience made the mermaid show a lot of fun, and the excited and precocious children got everyone excited about the creatures we saw on the river cruise.

We didn't even mind braving the chilly spring waters to do our own mermaid show.

 

Rainbow River Swim

This morning I was lucky enough to swim the Rainbow river with an adventurous crowd. I heard conflicting reports regarding the distance: somewhere between 3.4 miles and 4.5 miles, but I was sore and tired at the finish. Of course, it helped that we swam downstream.

 

Jack's Beanstalk

Doug recently planted a packet of sunflower seeds. Most of them grew to chest height, but this one keeps reaching to the sky. 

Disney Overdose

Ken and I, along with Leanne and Doug, visited Disney World for the first time since December of 1971 when it first opened. 

All four parks were great, but I reached my limit with three full days of experiencing the magic. 

Back Out

I, obviously, have not been inspired to take or process any photos recently. In fact, I am so cozily nested into my new home that I don't get out and about much at all.

So, it was quite a treat to head down the street for sunset the other evening. This great blue heron insisted on posing for me right off shore.