These past two weeks have been a great escape. I was uneasy for the first week, not knowing if coming down here was an irresponsible decision, as if one of us might walk unknowingly into a cloud of COVID. At the end of 13 days, we all feel well rested and healthy, but we’ll still keep our distance for a bit from friends and family when we get home.
I wonder if I could live here. I am a bit of a beach fanatic, and being able to ride my bike to a white sand beach and turquoise water is pretty hard to beat. Paddling through mangroves has also proven to be very easy to pull off here. We’ve launched from several points over the past two weeks, and I was never disappointed. I’ve paddled at sunset and sunrise in various bays; I’ve seen dolphins, manatees, pelicans, herons, and other shore birds with long, thin beaks, perfect for plucking out sand crabs. I’ve biked alongside swamps filled with alligators, and through prairies, wetlands, and pine lands in one single park (Myakka State Park – check it out!).
Would I ever grow tire of these things? Maybe. I think I would miss the changing leaves and a crackling fire on a three-dog night. It’s a good thing I don’t have to decide this right now. I think I’ll just remain thankful for the getaway and put off worrying about where I should retire for a while. I have plenty of time.
My Corner of the Village 