Happy? Tag! You're it.

I was sitting on the top of the grassy hill near a dried up watering hole watching what I thought was the most beautiful sunrise spill out into the morning sky. It was a brilliant show of red and orange hues that laced through puffs of grey and white clouds. The s ky  called to me, "move forward c ome" it  seemed to say. Even though I had rested for awhile, I was still dead tired. So, there I sat on the side of South Post Road watching the sun break over the trees and then it dawned on me today is the day I will die. I felt it. It was time to lift up my size 14 body, (that’s in inches), and get moving. Eight summer seasons ago, I was born a male soft shelled turtle and today will be my last. There was a time when I could inflict a serious bite with my powerful jaws, and sharp jaw sheath. My neck is built to extend, twist, and chomp. I also have well-developed webbing on each foot. I was lightning fast in the water and also on land. Sitting on that ...

If living in Florida is so dangerous, then why have so many of us migrated  here?                It's no secret, Mother Nature's tough on the sunny state inhabitants. For starters, six months out of the year there are threats of hurricanes. This season is supposed to be one of the worst; Floridians had an unusual long cold winter followed up by a sudden heat wave.  The ocean water is warmer and s torms are predicted to be on the rise. There is plenty of rain in Florida. The heavy storm down pours flood most streets around rush hour. That’s always fun. Not! Those same storm cells also hurl thunderbolts. Light ning sirens at parks, schools and most outdoor recreation areas sound off telling everyone to seek shelter and there’s a good reason for that. “Waiting to see or hear the first stroke of lightning means that you’ve been at risk of a ...