Florida

We left yesterday afternoon to come to San Destin to visit our friends Wes and Deidra who have a house here. The drive was not crowded because we opted to take county roads instead of 331. South of Troy we turned toward Elba. The landscape becomes noticeably flatter and the vegetation changes. It's dry in South Alabama so the fields are brown as sage. The contrast between the color of the dried grass, azure sky and billowing clouds looked as if it were fall of the year.
We made good time and found our way to their house on the bay just as the sun was setting.
We stood in silence watching the show. I shot a few pictures as the sun dropped down out of a bank of angry clouds which were hovering just above the horizon. In a clear strip of sky which mother nature had reserved for us, the sun made a final show of defiance.
I felt thankful. Thankful for our friends and for an abundant life.
We talked for a long while and then Wes fired up the grill and threw on some amberjack. He had already prepared a crab and corn chowder as well as asparagus and spinach. We had a feast on the screened deck and listened to a frogs and crickets serenade.
We got up early and drank coffee on the front porch and watched the world come alive in the scrub pine and palmetto. We did the nature walk before breakfast.
A little later in the morning we went to the beach. The red flags were out so swimming was not advised, so we did another long leisurely walk picking up shells.
We'll head out tomorrow but we've really enjoyed our stay. Florida has a way of relaxing you...and that's something I really want to do more.