Wednesday, July 7, 2021

Honeymoon Island


Yesterday morning, with a tropical storm churning toward Tampa, I did what anyone would do. I went to the beach!

I was scheduled to have dinner with my friend Sue last night, but during the day I had nothing on my agenda. I figured a little road trip over to Pinellas County would be fun. I decided to go to Honeymoon Island in Dunedin, a beach I remember visiting as a child.

In fact, here's a picture of my brother and I in Dunedin when we were kids, taken some time in the mid-'70s. (I'm on the right.) It's a weird beach, littered with limestone rocks and not particularly sandy. As kids we collected some of those rocks and had them lying around the house for years. (I used to love that beach towel I'm wrapped in, by the way.)

As it turns out, during my drive to Dunedin yesterday, Sue cancelled our dinner because she had to work. (She's still in journalism and subject to the whims of nature and happenstance, and of course, with a tropical storm coming, it was all-hands-on-deck at the newspaper.)

So then I contacted my brother and we agreed it might be smart for me to just hit the road and come to Jacksonville a day early.

I hung around Dunedin just long enough to walk on the beach, smell the salt air and see some sights.


Those limestone rocks I mentioned are often studded with fossils. Someday I'll have to figure out why the geology of this beach is so different from sandy Clearwater Beach, just to the south.


Someone put the rocks to use and built a small cairn.


Someone else wandered away and left their possessions unattended on their beach chair, and I watched this mischievous crow digging around in the folds of cloth looking for a treat.


There were quite a few wildflowers blooming -- lantana, beach morning glory and these blue dayflowers among them. (The plant-identifying app that I recently added to my phone works in Florida too!) I also saw a brilliant gulf fritillary butterfly, but I wasn't fast enough with my camera.

Then I hopped back in the car, zipped back to Tampa and set out for the long drive north. Satellite radio kept me company, first classic rock and then an '80s progressive station. I learned that Ringo Starr's 81st birthday is today, and according to the deejay, Ringo wants us all to pause at noon -- whatever our time zone -- and say, "Peace and Love." (Subsequent research reveals that this is apparently true.)

The weather was entirely dry for the journey and although I hear Tampa got some rain and wind last night, I don't think it was anything devastating. We're still waiting for the storm to strike here, but as I said in yesterday's post, I don't think it's going to be much. It sounds mildly windy at the moment.

I even got to visit Mom. I arrived in Jacksonville around 4 p.m. and my brother wasn't home yet, so I went straight to her retirement center and sat with her a while there. She was happy and energetic and seems like she's doing well. It astonishes me to think that Covid kept me from visiting her for almost two years!

By the way, I realize I am behind on responding to comments and keeping up in the blogosphere. Sorry about that! I am reading every comment, I promise.

27 comments:

  1. I just love blue flowers, so that blue dayflower photo is a joy to behold. Beach flowers are a hardy breed. I woke up this morning (7:30) near Orlando to a very full pool and wind. My husband said when he woke up at 5:00 am it was still a storming. But we were outside the area of concern. It sounds like it has been downgraded to a tropical storm with 65 mph winds. At 8:00 am it still hadn't made landfall. I'm hopeful there won't be too much damage once it hits the land and travels north and east. We'll see.

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  2. How do you know that NOT the crow's chair? =)

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  3. Lovely beach photos! I have to laugh because during spring training the Braves played some games in Dunedin, which I have always pronounced DUNE-a-den, but apparently it really sounds like Done Eatin'. Is that right?

    I'm glad you got to spend time with your mom & that she's doing well.

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  4. I've never been to that beach and I've never seen a beach in Florida with stones. How strange! You and your brothers were cute little fellas.
    Glad you made it to Jacksonville safely. You were smart to get on the road early. Also happy to hear that your mother seems well. Good! Enjoy the time with your brother and his family.

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  5. Sounds like a wonderful and full day of adventure. I so love seeing the fossils there and all the other beautiful sights. I'm so glad you got to visit with your mom.

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  6. I'm glad your Mom was in good spirits when you visited. I am sure she was so pleased to see you. Nice beach photos - I would have wanted to bring that fossil stone home!

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  7. Hoping as I type this that you're not getting much from the storm. I just heard from my friend in Tampa that she got about 4" of rain and some wind, but it wasn't bad at all.

    Glad you got to drive up in good weather and have a visit with your mom. Ringo was always my favorite Beatle. Maybe I'll remember to say Peace & Love at noon.

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  8. That is a relief, news here of Elsa looks horrendous!
    The stones from the beach are wonderful! I would collect a suitcase full.

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  9. looks like a cool little beach, love the photo of the rocks. I heard that the hurricane was supposed to dwindle to a tropical storm by the time it hit Florida but that was days ago and I haven't been keeping informed. glad you got to see your mom.

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  10. Good to hear that your drive was dry and event free. Also good to hear you had a good visit with your mother. All that limestone brings back childhood memories. We had lots of limestone along the Mississippi River.

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  11. Don't worry about reading blogs or responding to comments. You're in Florida for goodness sakes! We're just glad you're updating us on your adventures there.

    It's good to hear that your mom is cheerful. I love your pictures of the cairn and the mischievous crow! Good luck with Elsa.

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  12. Great post and photos as always. Love that shot of you and your brother. So glad you’ve been able to find the time to blog every day during your trip. Glad you got to Jacksonville. Enjoy your time there and stay dry.

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  14. Wow I love the pics and I am happy that you were able to spend some time with your mom. Those moments are so very precious. I tried to remember the last time that I spent actual time with my mom before leaving Texas for Nevada and that time was so short. I wish that I had not gone to Nevada when I did at times but I know that I did the right thing for my boys. They had opportunities in Nevada that they wouldn't have had in that small town in Texas.

    The beach was interesting and strange at the same time. I think that I am not use to the limestone but to know that some contains fossils is really awesome to think about it.
    I think that Elsa has lost her steam! I heard she was downgraded to a tropical storm so maybe she was just blowing steam lol.
    Have a wonderful time with your mom and brother! Hugs xxxx

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  15. Tell your Mom Hi from me if you get a chance.

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  16. Glad to hear you made it to Jacksonville ahead of any bad weather and managed a visit with your mom. All good. Looks like Elsa will be visiting up my way by tomorrow night--was supposed to just brush us, but now it looks like we'll be more centered--so wind and rain, even a possible tornado activity. Sigh. Hope the rest of your visit goes well and is uneventful (except for the good times).

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  17. That blue flower is a gorgeous color. I know you take pride in responding to comments, but you're on a trip/vacation, so that means from answering blog comments too. (in my humble opinion)

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  18. Hope Elsa passed quickly! Seeing that rocky beach reminded me of blowing rocks preserve in Jupiter. Limestone ledges jutting out and tide pools! Pretty unique in Florida. Glad you enjoyed a visit with your mom.
    Xoxo
    Barbara

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  19. Love that old picture with you and your brother on the very same beach you visited. The colouration speaks of different times - back in history - almost fifty years ago. Glad you made it up to Jacksonville safely and got to see your mama.

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  20. Watching the news tonight, I hope you stayed safe.

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  21. Dunedin! We took a drive to there before COVID and really liked the town. We had to ask our waitress how to pronounce the name of it: “done eatin” Nothing like what I’d been saying.

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  22. We had plenty of rain, but fortunately, Elsa wasn't too bad. Glad you enjoyed time with your mom. I live in Murray Hill. We're supposed to be a cool neighborhood now where everyone wants to live. HA

    Love,
    Janie

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  23. I find beaches a surprising mixture of exhilaration and calm - very restorative, for me at least. It's neat that there are so many fossils on the beach you visited. Glad you got to see your mom and that she seems well and happy.

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  24. We need our morning Steve report! Hope all is well.

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  25. That's an adorable photo of you and your brother. I love the photo of the rock with the fossil. That one's a keeper. I'm so glad you got to visit with your mom. Enjoy your day, hugs, Edna B.

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  26. Love all the photos here, especially seeing young Steve, and rocks with the fossils. I hope you collected the rock on top in the photo, such a clear illustration of geological time. The storm sounds like it's added some excitement to your trip! Thankfully, only that.

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  27. You're a very adaptable fellow as you can roll with the punches and change your plans.

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