Hat Trick

Went to the beach to see great hats.

Not any truly fascinating finds
 but this is a nice floppy one providing shade for a sand lover 

near Sharky's On The Pier.

The weather has been splendid here, especially for tourists.
And I have a new computer :)

Mirror, Mirror

The best mirror is an old friend.

~~Peter Nivio Zarlenga

Life is like a mirror; we get the best results when we smile at it.

~~Byrd Baggett

Pardon my indulgence...

....but those naughty Borgias always fascinate me.

 While playing nurse to Mr. J. who is recovering from minor surgery,

 I'm indulging in a re- viewing of television's Season One of The Borgias.

 The series explores the sordid history of the real-life Borgia clan,

a powerful Renaissance family steered by scheming patriarch Rodrigo.

Dripping with pomp and circumstance, glittering costumes, and delicious Renaissance architecture,

 the lavish Showtime drama follows the rise of the Borgia family

 to the pinnacle of the Roman Catholic Church and their struggles to keep their grip on power.

 Every scene arranged like a da Vinci painting.

 Every tabletop set with a Rembrandt still life, every face a Raphael portrait.

I thrill at the swish of Cardinals' red robes as they sweep across stone floors.

I immerse myself in candlit interiors filled with tapestry, leaded glass windows,

 mosaics and richly decorated arches.

I notice ruby rings, gold chains and crosses, tassels, fringes, fur trims.

The real-life Rodrigo Borgia (Pope Alexander VI) looks nothing like

 the Rodrigo Borgia played by Jeremy Irons in the Showtime drama.

Source: Wikipedia

OK, the story is about simony, usery, public lechery, and murder.

Political intrigue.

 Its visual trappings are quite secondary...or are they?

+   +   +

The question is: Why does all this fascinate me so?

The rich fashions don't relate to me and my ways~~I am, after all,

one whom the perfume sample girls avoid in department stores

 and fashion models, while displaying and retailing dresses, hats, and jewelry in restaurants,

 never stop at my table.

I've decided that it must be the art of the production that fascinates.

Or the irony of so much evil cloaked in splendor.

If you've seen The Borgias, I'd love to hear what intrigued you most. Or not.

Woman sitting at the edge of the water, Sarasota Jungle Garden.

Now and then it's good

to pause in our pursuit of happiness

and just be happy.

~~Guillaume Apollinaire

Running Lessons

The Five S's of sports training are: Stamina, Speed, Strength, Skill and Spirit;

 but the greatest of these is Spirit.

~~Ken Doherty

Lesson One:

 Get ready. Dress for the occasion.

Lesson Two:

Stand in line and wait your turn.

This is 20-month-old Landon, ready for a 1-3-year-old 100-meter kids' race.

Lesson Three:

When they count down from 3, to 2, to 1, and say "GO!" you can go!!!

It's fun to run!

Lesson Four:

 My mom doesn't need to carry me.

I can do it myself!

Lesson Five:

 Sometimes I fall down...

...it hurts, but I can get back up...

...and go again!

Lesson Six:

I finish what I start.

Lesson Seven:

When Mom likes what I do, we do high-fives!

...and Dad rides me on his shoulders.

You have a choice.

You can throw in the towel,

or use it to wipe the sweat off your face.

~~Gatorade

Blind Date at Blind Pass

Karen, The Essential Beachcomber, and I met for the first time at Blind Pass yesterday morning.
I was excited to meet her, a blogging friend who lives just 20 miles away.
"I'll be driving a white Honda Pilot," she said. "Look for a tall blonde!"
And there she was as we drove up, tall and blonde,
seated on the opened end of her vehicle, ready and waiting.

I arrived with my family Christmas guests, happily anticipating the hunt.
 Karen had offered to mentor Blake (10) and Hunter (11)
 in the art of hunting fossilized sharks' teeth in the best place she knew~~
 Blind Pass on Manasota Key.

A shark shovel for sifting sand, shells, and~~hopefully~~a shark's tooth.

There are several methods for searching the sand and the sea, she said.

One is to scoop directly from the sea, digging into the sand.

Another is to walk along the sand at low tide, hoping that the waves have brought some to the surface and that you spot them before others do!
I heard Hunter ask Karen why this beach is so good for hunting
 and she said, "Because there's no one here!"

Blake is making good progress...

note the plastic bag of collected sharks' teeth.

Karen taught the boys a third method: Dig a trough in the sand and wait for a wave

 to fill it with water~~and possibly bring in a tooth. It happened!

They also learned about The Boneyard~~an area between the Service Club Park and the jetty of Venice, Florida filled with fossilized bones. Besides sharks' teeth, fossils of other marine creatures are found in this area. You can see the boats and divers out on the water, searching for big treasures. Because millions of years ago most of Florida was under water, many fossils are also found inland.

However, state law prohibits digging without a permit.

Blake and Hunter's fossil finds are small by comparison

 but they're thrilled by the hunt. So is their dad...but that's another story.

It takes concentration and sharp eyes to discern the differences between sharks' teeth

 and the black debris in the shell/sand crush.

At one point, a proud shark's tooth hunter came along and showed the boys his big find...
he actually found it several years ago but enjoys taking it out of his carpenter's apron and showing it off every year as he walks the beach looking for more great finds.

Last shot at the beach as a storm kicked up and sent us running for our vehicles.

Below:  Blake and Hunter's finds laid out on paper towels

after washing them up in the kitchen sink.

Note to Karen: THANK YOU for a marvelous morning! It added so much meaning, history, and appreciation to Blake and Hunter's Florida experiences...also for the rest of the family. 

 And, check out this hilarious picture of everyone in

 the Sharks' Tooth Squat!

I look forward to seeing you again soon!

Hugs and Happy Hunting,

Becky