Such a great week!

Naples was, per usual, pure heaven. My trip was everything I'd hoped- sun, fun, relaxing, and I really treasured the time with my sister. She lives in Jacksonville, FL, where she is attending college. We see each other only once or twice a year. It was so great to spend some QT with her.

The highlight of my trip was Thursday at the beach. I was there with my sister and my dad. We decided to walk to the pier to get an ice cream cone. There were lots of people hanging out of the pier looking over the edge, at this:

There were 9 manatee! And they were so close to shore that some a holes people were actually swimming up to them. I got pretty mad about that, but soon the beach patrol showed up and asked the a hole morons people to please leave the endangered manatee alone. Not to mention, these guys weigh a literal TON....They're kind creatures, but they could drown a person or injure one anyway.

I've only every seen one other manatee in Everglade City, FL when I was a kid. I saw a glimpse of his back. Seeing so many this close was one of the coolest experiences of my life! It was sad to see that some of them had scars on their backs from boats. I see people on the their boats in "No Wake" zones just speeding along, and I wonder, "What's the freakin hurry????" I mean seriously? You're on a boat...this is a leisurely activity....simply owning a boat indicates to me that you're a person with leisure time...what's the rush???? People baffle me.

When I'm in Florida, I try to take time to appreciate the beauty. The ocean is humbling. The trees and the flowers are so beautiful, and the wildlife is so unique and magical. I always come home rejuvenated from time spent with my loved ones, quiet time reading or day dreaming on the beach, and time spent near the sea. Seeing those manatee was a once in a lifetime moment. The cell phone picture is all I have to show you, but I'll remember it always in my mind and treasure it.