Little Bindi and I went out this morning to check out a couple of yard/tag/garage sales. On the way, we stopped at Pet Paradise, the dog grooming/boarding facility with the bone-shaped swimming pool for the pooches, to get Bindi's nails trimmed. We've been there many times, and they remember her, so it gets easier and easier. I saw a gorgeous greyhound running around the pool, chasing some unknown breed dog. What a sleek, fast animal a greyhound is.
Nothing at either of the yard sales interested me. But the second place we visited, south of Crescent Beach, awarded us with a visit to an absolutely stunning house on the Matanzas river. People leaving the sale were amazed that the owner of the house, which was for sale, would leave such an incredibly beautiful spot, which clearly was loved with an artistic hand. I asked the owner why they were leaving; he said at first, "We don't know." Then he continued, "We need to be in a smaller place. Lower taxes." Because of the economic situation in the US, the "for sale" sign was embellished with yet another sign which read, "Reduced." I walked to the back of the property, to the boat house on the intercoastal, and discovered the most exquisite manatee with baby sculpture. Enormous. And a neatly landscaped and furnished fire pit, with probably eight Adirondock chairs surrounding the fire place. In its day, the home must have been teaming with children and friends, as much of the stuff for sale was children's things. And there was a precisely designed playground on site. One of the reasons I go to these yard sales is that it takes me to parts of the area I would not otherwise visit. And I get to see some tantalizing homes and gardens.
Did you know that manatee babies nurse from a nipple underneath the mama's front flipper? Curious, but just one aspect of why I love these gentle, slow-moving creatures. Also, did you know that manatees are often identified by conservationists by the boat propeller scars that they have on their backs? Ack. Brutal. I hate speed boats, and especially boats that ignore the "Slow - Manatee Area" signs that are everywhere in the Florida waters.
It was a hot day, so I decided to take Bindi and me to the beach which was close by. She loves the water, although won't go in very deeply. There were a couple of dog lovers sitting by the water, and they eagerly agreed to hold onto Bindi while I dashed into the water for a dip. The woman ran with Bindi for a bit, which I cannot do, with my double knee replacement. The water was so warm and calm; I could have stayed there for a long time. But alas, I had nowhere/place to park Bindi for a while as I frolicked in the water.
On the way home, hungry and thirsty, I stopped at Stir It Up, a funky window-only cafe on A1A, and had a tasty turkey/avocado/lettuce sandwich while sitting outside. These sandwiches always come with too much meat, so I gladly fed Bindi some of my food, for which she was grateful. Stir It Up? The Bob Marley song. "Stir it up, little darlin', stir it up . . ." They also serve a mean rice and beans bowl. Always fresh; always friendly. Bindi barked once and the other patrons were astounded that a small dog could have such a loud voice.
We came home, and both of us got in the shower. Bindi is so good with her baths. I swear she was a whole shade lighter after the shampoo!
And finally, on this day of the Blue Moon, a full moon that occurs twice in one month, we headed out to Vilano Beach to watch luna rise.
No comments:
Post a Comment