Naples, art, reconnecting with friends, beach, and recovery

And now I'm in Naples with a slight delay in posting. I was in a 3 day art workshop taught by my previous teacher and good friend Patty which kinda put everything else to the side. Great workshop and saw many old faces and met some new ones. Patty and I got to catch up after the workshop as it's been over a year since she moved to the other side of Florida. We stepped right in as if it had been 5 minutes ago. Nice when time and distance don't mean a thing.

As predicted by Mark there's been enough time since the hurricane before I got down that a lot of clean up has happened. So much damage as of course Naples took a direct hit. We were extremely lucky and our place is whole but many were not as lucky. Very impressed with how much hard work in clearing has gone on. Everywhere you look though, homes with roof damage, pool screens ripped off, and gaping holes where immense trees once stood. That's minor of course compared to those people who remain homeless and there are many. There is still FEMA presence here for some time to come. Below are the 25 year old banyan trees on my morning walk that were mostly flattened and upended. The crews have tried to right a number of them to see if they might survive. Sure hope so.

Our "new" ugly duck. She, at least I think it's a she, showed up in the first 10 minutes I was at the condo looking for a bread handout. She squeaks which is different than all the others. They've been completely mute.

Patty and I made it to the beach her last morning. We both love this particular one (Delnor-Wiggins) for the same reasons - its been kept fairly wild, nature in glory. Hardly any people but those that were there were busy: fishing, painting or just enjoying. So happy the beach was not destroyed by Irma.

The weather has cooled off to lovely 70's. Don't know if that's it for summer heat but enjoying the heck out of it now. When you can open up your lanai and enjoy the outside you do understand why people flock to Florida. I am off on another trip out of town this week, this time to Charleston to see Tiffany and family in their new home. Can't wait!