October got away from me in a hurry! Fall Festival season kicked into overdrive, and I participated in so many I finally gave up unloading the car after each event. Pair that with a revolving door of house guests, and you could say we’ve been busier than ants at a picnic. But I am not complaining. We’re having too much fun!
Fall weather here has yet to become what I would consider fall-like. If it were not for deciduous trees slowly beginning to change color and shed a few leaves, you’d swear it was late summer. The local weather reporters inform me these near-80 degree temperatures are “unseasonably warm” and “above average”. I was kind of hoping it was always like this in November! My herb garden is still going strong, we still have blooming flowers, and I am still wearing shorts! This may be my favorite November of all time!
The warm temps have been great for our visiting guests. That is unless they visited from south Florida. In that case, it’s chilly here and back home the pool water is still warm. But other than tropical dwellers who have bananas, mangos, and passion fruit in their own back yard, the rest of our guests have welcomed a warmer change of pace.
Our latest round of visitors were a group of fellas who arrived for a “Guy’s Weekend” with the hubby. I know these gentlemen well and love each and every one of them. But I gladly ushered them out the door to enjoy a full day of classic car viewing at the Concours d’Elegance. It’s not that I don’t enjoy beautiful cars. I just don’t need to look at them for six hours. The following day I happily sent them off for a half-day of fishing. Again, it’s not that I don’t enjoy boats. I just prefer not to have to handle bait while on one.
The guys returned home from their day of angling; the fish likely already growing in size with the telling of their adventures. Hubby caught the biggest redfish– so large it exceeded the limit for keeping – and he made sure to get photographic proof of his conquest. The others also had a very productive and fun day with busy lines and lots of catches. One caught an ugly creature they called a toad fish; of which there is also a photograph, although I question why. They came upon many dolphins, which did conjure up a bit of jealousy in me. But since I do get to see dolphins fairly often, I quickly got over missing them on this excursion. They also saw several ospreys, which are wonderful to watch as they fly overhead.
But then they told me what else they saw. Something that sealed their fate eternally and ensured they will never again go fishing without me. SEA TURTLES!
Amazing, lovely, enormous loggerhead sea turtles. With heads the size of footballs and shells as big as my kitchen table. And not just one. Several of them! Gracefully coming up to catch a breath of salt air and then with a couple of flaps descending down below to feed again. Here I was, home sewing dog collars and thinking how great it was to have the peaceful house all to myself. And there they were, surrounded by one of nature’s most wonderful creatures that I happen to love with all my heart.
Yep, I’m going fishing next time!
