Mirror Ball over Lake Munson

My friend has a capacity for whimsy. This mirror ball shines over Lake Munson.

Late Saturday afternoon on The Wakulla River

I awoke early this morning after a late night of playing music and after doing a few chores I took a Saturday afternoon nap. I didn't get the email from Peggy at http://paddletales.blogspot.com/ so I went on down in the late afternoon to try out the Wakulla in my Kayak. I have not paddled this river. It is a Manatee hangout and there were signs everywhere beseeching boaters to use an Idle Wake which is even slower than Slow Wake. I didn't see any Manatees although I looked diligently. I did see some wildlife and took these pictures.

It must have been high tide as I had no trouble launching. I went all the way up just past the power lines and did cardio-kayaking on the way downriver to get to the lower bridge before it got too dark to find my way home! I made it back to the bridge at sundown. I like this river but MY favorite is still the Wacissa. I think I will like the Aucilla as well. I have not kayaked the Aucilla yet and intend to do so soon. The Wakulla is only twenty six miles from my door. But the Wacissa is twenty-two with very little traffic...and those damn airboats!

This turtle was rather large and quite unafraid. I saw cormorants and jumping mullets and the river smelled like alligators. But I didn't see any....boo hoo ...The river was brightened up and down by these pretty yellow wildflowers. I'm not sure yet what they are.

I spent the remainder of the evening hanging out with my retired psychologist friend, Jack Bowland. We had a good long talk about our usual subjects: his long and illustrious life and my many reasons for not spending my money!

Dogmatch.com

I need a dog! I want a medium size dog who might be happy staying in the house or the yard while I am working and who likes moonlit walks, trips to the springs, camping, homemade music, and doting grandparents. Would be alpha dog at home. Will be well fed, and treated daily. Must be reasonably obedient and loyal. Must like being hand bathed at least once a week. No biters or snarlers need contact me.

Please get in touch if you fit these requirements.

Paddy's Day Gig at Cool Grindz

I was wondering if we would book a Paddy's Day gig, since we haven't played out since December, with Linda being so disabled by her back problems. We're doing a 5PM gig at Cool Grindz downtown in Tallahassee where Club Park Avenue used to be, this Friday. Coffee houses, art festivals and outdoor venues are my preferred gigs. And we can go home early to avoid amateur night as my dad calls it. So please come and have Irish coffee.

My great great grandfather Tobias Fitzgerald will be drinking his potato brew looking up from "you know where" that night! John will probably make me sing "The Scotsman!" I'm bringing the doll John; so watch out!

Stop eating Cows!

I see that Mad Cow disease has been found in an Alabama cow. Here is one of her sisters in the field near Willfest, having a snooze in a ditch. Vegetarians unite!

Hot Flash!

Here is a photo of my friends Linda, Jan and Rochelle singing at Willfest this past weekend. I don't know if this is on the web yet so here it is in a photoflash! Cute ole gals, huh?

Azaleas around the house

When I first moved into my home in 1989, I planted lots of azalea bushes all around the house. I love the riot of pink, red and white flowers in spring. We have a great blooming this year! I thought they would brighten your day! Mondays can be rough....

Will McLean Festival

Willfest was awesome and I did get some sandhill crane pictures along with many photos of friends and festival performers! The weather was warm, the orange blossoms scented the air, and the music was resonant. Dade City is still the sweetest smelling city in Florida! Here is breakfast cooking on the stove and a sunset Saturday night.

I camped in my Flexus throw-up tent because the truck was tipped at an angle which I didn't like for sleeping. I always sleep great outdoors and this weekend was no exception but I am tired tonight from late night jams.

The lake was drawn down to water the orange groves around it so no kayaking on it this weekend. I met some new kayaking buddies and they will call when they get up this way for a trip, Peggy. I heard about lots of great places to kayak that I wouldn't have thought about, so I am looking forward to their influence.

Amy Carol Webb did a very good workshop on singing and I deviled Ernie Williams in the banjo workshop again.

Dad and I talked this morning just before they left on the bus for a cruise to the Caribbean. Dad bought a Prius, so he was real excited. He is a progressive guy and always had solar water heat in the house on Singer Island. He believes in saving the environment in some small personal way and the Prius is his attempt. He always used to say we would probably find life in Alpha Centauri so I star gazed a lot this weekend and thought about his predictions. I returned up 137 again at sundown, for a lark. Spring is dangerous...

"Toss The Feathers" was accepted into the Florida Folk Festival this year so we will be playing it the last weekend in May. It will be hotter than a three dollar pistol , no doubt. But so will we! Yea!

I sent many of my photos out to the folks who graced them. One has already made a blog. Look here: http://www.secretbanjo.blogspot.com/

My brother, Bob

This is my brother Bob. He worked fifteen years in high construction in South Florida, walking along those skinny beams many floors up. In 1993, he fell from a third story when a safety rail gave way. He was very beat up from this accident and has a bionic right arm. He also lost a finger in the Navy on the USS Forrestal in a boiler room accident.
He's tough though. He just kept getting back on the horse! I have a great deal of respect for my little brother. He fell again a few years later from a ladder at Blair's school. More broke stuff! He's worked the trades all his life and he drives trucks now for a restaurant supply house. He is a working man. He is a family man, married twenty seven years to Julie. He is a survivor. He's my brother. I'll always stand by him, even though we have often been at odds throughout our lives. I hope he'll stand by me. Every girl needs a tough brother. He's mine!

The black and white photo is the two of us ( we called him Skipper then) in the foc'sle of our Hinckley. It was a staged picture for a Detroit magazine. But we did bunk together in the foc'sle of every boat we lived aboard until I left home at eighteen. Dr. Bob Head, one of my favorite psychiatric colleagues, used to say that was what was wrong with me!

Alachua County Getaway

I needed to get out of town Saturday and my favorite place to chill is with Lorrie and Rusty. These folks are such great friends and they always welcome my kamikaze visits! Lorrie is my role model for taking risks. In fact, I have a sign in my kitchen that says "What would Lorrie do?"

She is Marty Schuman's daughter and Annie's mother. Annie and Lola spent the night with Austin and we went out for night fishing on the lake behind Lorrie's. The next day we went out in the canoe and snaked back through the woods and over the fences from the lake behind her home. We went all the way back to the secret lake, which was quite an adventure.

My arms are all scratched and I will be explaining that all week, no doubt! But it was lots of fun. We saw this snake in a cypress tree sunning himself. Lorrie got very excited and wanted to get up close for a picture!.

I also saw the babies of my fish in her pond, which are now about four inches long. I met the new dogs, cats, and birds and said hello to the goat and the pot bellied pig. There is also a new Harley and I brought Lorrie a little Harley pin to wear on her chaps!

We had some good meals and went to see Kevin's new land on Sunday after our boating adventure. I got to be a swamper this weekend!