Peaceful Retreat

The trip began with a rainy drive to central Florida through one-gas station towns and seedy roadside restaurants that offered a burger and food poisoning. The moonscape left from Mosaic's active and obnoxious phosphate mining operation eventually gave way to orange groves. And orange groves. And a few more orange groves.

(taken today, in the sun obviously)

It was cold, rainy and desolate at Bok Tower gardens when we arrived on Saturday. But we put on layers, armed ourselves with umbrellas, and enjoyed an adventurous tour in the rain with a senior volunteer and passionate Bok-lover named Mary.  She did her best with a small green and white umbrella that barely covered her increasingly wet coat, and insisted on plowing ahead to reveal more of the garden's secrets and history. Most enjoyable and unique--and an experience you couldn't enjoy with meek and wimpy adventurers for sure! 

What can I say about our stay at the Chalet Suzanne, five minutes from the garden?  We were a little hesitant when we first arrived at the end of the meandering drive that deposited us at a partially crooked pink house with purple and yellow doors and funky tiles. Ask me about it now, and I'll tell you I'm a convert. Everyone who's in for something unusual and fine flies into the airstrip behind the chalet and dines there at least once--certainly if you're the likes of Dina Shore, Ed McMahon or Bono. So maybe Bono wasn't there. But there was quite a collection of autographed celeb photos displayed at the reception area.

We returned to Bok Tower Gardens today under blue skies without a single cloud and enjoyed the most inviting signs of spring: flowers from camelias to witch hazel and all kinds of birds including quail, catbirds, brown thrashers, cardinals, eastern towhees, Carolina wrens, and an ovenbird.

And yes, there were two swans as well. Both males, to prevent the inevitable mating and offspring that sparks aggression with guests. I can't say the theory worked--these were intent on eating shoes and pants in an attempt to bully us into feeding them. Yes, they knew they were "hot."

The gardens were designed for the purpose of providing a haven of peace and tranquility with nature, woodland creatures and music. I was surprised to find the tower--seemingly random plopped right in the middle of a hillside in the middle of Florida--so beautiful. Carillon music rings out twice each day, and decorates the nearby neighborhoods and groves in the timed assurance of calming sound.

"gilded" front door of the tower

the very top...don't get me wrong, it's reallly high

hilltop bench overlooking orange groves
(this is on a huge lawn that also includes the tower on the opposite end)

Pines Lake Redhead is a most excellent travel companion, and the trip wouldn't have offered the same peace and renewal without her lovely company! She even knitted me a scarf, which kept Gropius warm and toasty, even in the freezing rain.

A Tale of Two Bloggers

So about a year after I started blogging, I met Pines Lake Redhead via blog. Like many of us do, I started following her after I saw a comment she left on another blog, Uncommon Blonde. I had no idea who she was, where she lived. Turns out, she worked with a friend of mine I knew through a professional association.  After a bit of guessing, the friend in the middle helped each of us figure out we shared this commonality.

We met on a blogger's first date of sorts, thinking we we could be friends. We have boys of a similar age and husbands who love fishing. We both work in PR. We love to take pictures. And, most importantly, we both have red hair. (You HAVE to stick together.)

So after our sushi/ shopping gig one Saturday night, our families went out to a Rays baseball game together. We've both been crazy busy with work and other things, but tomorrow, Pine Lakes Redhead and Gropius are enjoying a girls' weekend of our own.

We're driving over to the center of Florida to explore Bok Tower Gardens on the Lake Wales Ridge, an area that sports some unusual vegetation for Florida, since it's located on slightly elevated ridge right through the middle of the peninsula. Tomorrow night, there's a full moon concert out on the lawn there. Please pray for us--it's supposed to be cold and rainy. Chalet Suzanne, the little Restaurant & Inn, looks like a trip.

I'm sure we'll both have stories and photos for you this weekend. Let's hope we won't have pneumonia too.

We're coming equipped with Cheetos, lots to share about work, books, blogging, family, etc.  And for the record, yes, I met her on a blog.

I Knew It. The Mexican Food Would Get Me.

For the month of February, I set out to get straightened out with eating out. Yes, the dangerous trio of "outs." You see, me and the fam have gotten entirely too dependent on ordering our dinner. And I never seem to remember to bring my lunch to work with me, so I go pick something up. On weekends, there's nothing better than eating a leisurely breakfast at The Village. It's just gotten out of control.

Granted, I have a few excuses up my sleeve:  I hate to cook, I suck at cooking, I am exhausted when I get home, I love to eat out, blah blah. They're all lame.

On the last day of January, I declared that I would not eat out a single time in the month of February--for breakfast, lunch or dinner. No coffees in the Starbuck's drive-thru, no sporadic "let's go get ice cream!" after dinner runs, no ordering or eating out of any kind. You get it. The reasons?

Other than the fact that my reliance on restaurant food is a nauseating habit--wasteful and far too indulgent--it causes other gross things to happen, like:

1. I eat meals that are far too large, with far too many calories.
2. I spend way too much money on food laden with who knows what as the main and secondary ingredients--money that could be used for charitable purposes. Or clothes. Or saving. Or clothes. I'm going back to that.
3. I feel guilty hearing stepson say "What are we ordering for dinner?" instead of "What's for dinner?"

I know, it's bad.

So I've done pretty damn good...until now. Husband was the first to break. He bought a slice of pizza one day. I've eaten out during a couple of days at a conference (give me a break on that one, I really couldn't help but do it), a lunch date with a friend when I seriously forgot to bring the picnic food from home, a professional development luncheon, and that's about it.

Last weekend the craving for Mexican food crept over me like a gorgeous stranger singing Peter Gabriel. I had to do it. I didn't have to do much convincing to get the boys over to Pablano's for a linner (lunch + dinner), and that seemed to herald the end of the restaurant strike. Yesterday I picked up dinner for my friend who needed a little cheering up, and of course, I brought some home for the fam.

Five minutes ago, I got this call from Husband:

"Okay, I'm finally on the way home. Since we ah, um broke the, you know...Want me to pick up Chinese?"

I'm still blaming it all on the Mexican food.

Watchin' Out for Yourself: Women & Safety

So I was trying to be playful with my recent Publix Predator post, spreading the annoyance about a senior widowed grocery store bagger who was over eager for human affection from customers. Turns out, many of you didn't think it was so funny. It's very sad, but very true--we really have to be careful to avoid something terrible happening to us or to someone we love. Husband is always on my case about being more alert, and I should be more vigilent for sure.

Thought I'd post a list of links I found about various safety topics that you can use for yourself or share with your wife, daughters, sons and others in your life. They're not just for women.

1. How to protect yourself in a parking garage, from the Florida's State Attorney General's office. Some of these tips are unrealistic, like always walking with someone, but most are great reminders. You'll find other tip sheets for self-protection on this page as well.
2. Warning signs of domestic violence. This is great direction from Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center's website. They're located right here in Sarasota and provide an incredible service for so many women in crisis.
3. Tips and advice for avoiding dangerous situations outside of your home, an excellent compilation from safetyforwomen.com.
4. Identity theft face off. This is a cool quiz I found on the Federal Trade Commmission's website that tests your knowledge of identity theft. We've had presentations about this at work, and it's frightening to think of how someone can so easily ruin your credit, charge up all sorts of debt, and you can end up having to pay for it all. If you don't want to play the game, look at this FTC tip sheet for preventing identity theft.

If you have a good source of information about crime prevention as well, or a tip of your own, I hope you'll post a comment and share it!

The Publix Predator

Turns out both mom and I knew The Publix Predator on our own terms. And one day, he put two and two together, figuring out we were mother and daughter, thus multiplying his stalking power in the parking lot, aisles, and check out line. I'm sure he's just a simple old man.

So in Florida, we have a nice grocery store chain called Publix. And in most locations, Publix has friendly, helpful employees. The company makes a point of giving jobs to people with disabilities and they give a lot to charity.

At a store I used to frequent, an older gentleman who worked as a bagger used to love to help me out to the car. He was a sweet, gentle soul who loved to talk about his dog, his deceased wife and ask about my life. I really enjoyed our short conversations. But he started getting a little "extra" friendly. He started getting all up into my personal space, making a huge point to touch me on the back, on the arm, or generally move into a sphere where he didn't exactly belong.

Discussing this guy with my mother one day, she said "Oh you mean the Publix Predator?"  Apparently, she had the very same experience (as I was sure a million different women did), and had invented this little name for him for home use--you know, because he was like a "nice" stalker. Rii-iight.

It didn't matter where you were in the store, the Publix Predator would find you. I started scouting the parking lot before trying to enter the store. Once through the automatic door, I'd do a lightening scan of the check-out aisles to see if he was bagging. If he was there, literally it was as if his "spider sense" directed him to my presence.

You could move faster and faster with the carts, trying to hide yourself behind bananas, Campbell's soup displays, mountains of Halloween candy--whatever it took.And I don't mean to sound like a jerk, but sometimes you just want to get your freaking groceries. And most of the time, you don't want a strange man all over you.

So one day, mother and I were ran into the store together to pick something up. PP saw us and realized we were related. Things got a little heavier after that. "Oh, so that's your DAUGHTER?"  What a can of worms.

After that day, mom did some recon to figure out his schedule and didn't go shopping on those days if she could help it.   As for me, a move to Bradenton, just a few minutes away from Sarasota, did the trick. My parents live on the other side of the state. I have no idea what jarred my mind to think about the Publix Predator today. I'm sure he was just lonely, but there are boundaries, right? I hope he's well.

And under normal circumstances, Publix is a great place to shop.

The Good, the Bad and Perspective

Life is a real yin/yang, isn't it? Although that evil eye may always be lurking around every corner, the good prevails in most cases. I have to believe that.  It's been a mixed bag of stories and outcomes over the last day or two. Here's some of the good and the bad--I guess it's all a matter of perspective.

• Moving Away...or New Possibilities?
  Bad: So it appears that my closest friend is moving. It's been a year, she's in her 50's, incredibly talented and well-educated, but she cannot find employment. Southwest Florida has arguably been hit the hardest with the recession, and jobs--good ones--just aren't coming back. I'm going to miss her terribly.
  
  Good: She has a sister in Arizona who can provide her with a nice place to live while she establishes herself in a new community. She has new adventures ahead of her, new people to meet, new lives to touch. I'll have a new vacation spot. And will be forced to find new friendships here to fill the void.
  
  
• Abandoned Dog...Or New Pet?
  Bad: While traveling with our friends, D-Man saw a dog--completely abandoned-- tied to a fence on the side of the highway. Honestly, I just have ZERO tolerance for people who abuse or mistreat animals. NONE!!!
  
  Good: They picked up the pooch, brought it home and now have a new member of the family. We chipped in for the food, leash and collar. Hope he's there to stay.
  
  
• Can't Sell the House...Or Modern Mother Theresa?
  Bad: Someone we used to work with at our organization called me this afternoon out of the blue. She's moving with her husband to Oregon but can't sell the house. What is she doing in meanwhile...?
  
  Good: This girl is on CraigsList all day picking people who need help finding things and using her connections to help them. Have you ever heard of something so nice? She's working on helping the mother of a 37 year old woman who was the victim of a hit-and-run. She's ready to come home--out of the rehab facility--but needs a hospital bed. She contacted me to see if I could help. Let's see if a few of my contacts can come through. 

I think this world is full of angels and full of people who are honestly just mixed up about their purpose. Sometimes it just takes a tiny bit of inspiration to steer the rest of us in the right direction.

Women In Art

Your comments about the stolen bikes, whether you're karma believers or not, are consoling for the young D-Man. He said to me last night, "This sounds weird, but I feel like someone stole a part of my life."  What an artful statement for a 13 year old.

I see the young artist in him and his way of looking at the world.

Whether musician, photographer, writer, painter, sculptor, or actor, I have such profound respect for the expression artists deliver into the world, leaving us all feeling better connected through creative daring and perspective. One might consider bloggers as the "new artists." So many of you are adept at weaving your own art into your daily postings, whether it's through the lens of fashion, photos, the playful written word, or brilliantly crafted commentary--from the very personal to the outlandishly hilarious.

A botanical illustrator friend who moved to Oregon some time ago just posted this moving video of Women in Art, and it was a 2 minute ray of sushine for me. Thought Gropius could share it with you.  The colors, the differences in times and techniques, and the similarity in great care for the subject are all characteristic of any artist's work, whether he/she's a painter or a tight rope walker.  Take a look:



Do you see yourself as an artist?