Of Sun and Sand; Of Water and Wonder

If you follow my blog, you can probably guess where Mike and I are right now celebrating our anniversary.

Although I had visited the Keys on a couple of occasions prior to marrying Mike, he introduced me to the calm, beautiful Key called Islamorada. We stay at a resort known as Kon-Tiki. And yes, that’s where our cat, Tiki, got her name.

Kon-Tiki isn’t fancy but it is beautiful. The water, the tropical flora and fauna of the islands, the sand bar where we can see fish swim by, listen to music of our era, and eat sandwiches we buy from Manny, a local entrepreneur who drives a “food boat” instead of “food truck.”

Yep that's me in the boat
on the sandbar! 

The restaurants on the isle are excellent. Hey, the competition is tough. You either offer your best or go under. And each visit we discover new restaurants to enjoy. We still have a few favorites and each time we add a few new favorites. 

Of course there are tourist attractions. We’ve checked a couple of them out. Like the museum of diving and the 1935 Hurricane Monument. On our first visit together, we went to an attraction called “The Theater of the Sea.” It was sort of a miniature Sea World.

Mike took a picture of me 
with a HEAVY diving 
helmet!

There are tourist shops and such, but the real draw for us is the peace of the water and the quiet of the sunsets.  We revel in the renewing energy of the sandbar and the ocean life sharing the space with us.

Mike brought me here for our honeymoon and as long as we can make it happen, we plan to celebrate every anniversary here. 

Do you have that “special to you” place in your life? I’d love to hear about it.

 

 Kiddos From “Up the Country”

I have three daughters. Danielle, the middle of the three lives in Wisconsin. This past week she arrived in Florida with her husband and four children. Mike and I knew they were coming. We looked forward to their visit. 

We readied the house and stocked the refrigerator. Mike made sure the boats had gas and the fishing equipment was in order.  

Yes, they did a few tourist things like visiting Homosassa Springs and a “dolphin experience” in Clearwater. That was fun.

They also went to visit the University of Florida, since the oldest of these four grands is preparing for college. 

They found a drive-in movie in Ocala and played a bit of golf. They went swimming in the pool at my mom’s. Several times.

And they spent some time with us. That was a treat. Especially when Mike taught Matthias not only how to fish, but how to use a trolling motor. AND…the teen caught the biggest bass we’ve pulled out of these waters to date.

We enjoyed meals together, including Mike’s grilled hamburgers. That is a special treat when you leave the cold temperatures of Wisconsin for the  warm Florida sunshine.

“So, what was the best part of your vacation?” I asked.

 “Golfing and the dolphins,” the seventeen-year-old told me.

His fifteen-year-old brother? “I liked the trip to Homosassa Springs and the beach and I liked catching that fish!”

 “Swimming!” was the choice my twelve-year-old granddaughter readily chose as her favorite.

And the nine-year-old? “The dolphins!” 

What do you think would have been

your favorite Florida experience?

Creativity is a Frame of Mind

 Creativity… a Frame of Mind

 

Many people associate creativity with arts and crafts. But it is so much more. Creativity is a frame of mind. 

It is the openness to recognize solutions to problems using what you have available.

 

Likely you’ve heard the saying “Necessity is the mother of invention.” It’s true. But there is more than need driving the creative mind. 

 

Think about it.   

Saw this at an arts and crafts show.

 

Creativity may be fueled by a dream or desire. The Wright brothers wanted to fly. They couldn’t grow wings, so they figured out a way to build some. 

 

Creativity is the outcome of solving a problem when the “typical” tools aren’t available or the solution isn’t readily visible.  

Creativity is being confident enough to take a first step toward a possible solution.

Remember Appollo 13? If you watched the movie, consider the scene where a group of scientists and engineers need to develop something to address the need for oxygen to help the stranded astronauts. They are forced to consider what the astronauts have on the space capsule to use to build what they need to assure all three of them will make it back to earth. 

 

It’s a true story.   

Our "Lending Library" is made of
an ice box with a Barbie doll house roof.

 

Sometimes creativity means observing something in one area and applying to another. 

 

The invention of Velcro comes to mind. A man by the name of George de Mestral noticed the cockle burrs attaching themselves to his dog’s thick fur. The hooks and loops of Velcro soon became a useful fastener for clothing. 

 

I often meet people who tell me they don’t have a creative bone in their body. I find that hard to believe. Some people don’t think they are creative. Maybe you are one of those people. 

 

The truth is… you may be more creative than you think. 

 

You may be that person who can pull random items from the refrigerator and create a delicious meal for your family without a second thought. 

 

This Gal at The Diner was Creative!

Maybe you’re the one who figured out a way to move a heavy, awkward piece of furniture across the room without scratching the floor.  

 

You could have been the one who punched holes in garbage bags and donned them as ponchos to protect you from the rain. Silly? No. Creative. 

 

Quite simply, being creative is more than arts and crafts.  

 

Creativity is an openness to the notion that there are multiple ways to solve a problem. 

 

How does creativity play out in your life? Please share your thoughts in the comments below. 

One more picture...

Mike used a Boot Jack to practice his putting!