It has been a long, long winter. I know it wasn’t just my winter, but I do take the cold personally.
I am at home at the beach. I am happy at the beach. I am better at the beach. My hair is not only bigger, which feels right to this Oklahoma girl, but wavier, and somehow more golden even before the sun has touched it.
Sitting in the sun may be my last conscious vice, having long ago given up late nights, too many cocktails and scoundrels. Something in me craves it, soul, psyche, some sort of cosmic battery, and I can feel each muscle begin to relax one by one as it absorbs the heat.
My friend, Nick Olsen, would shrug and think, “Duh. Leo,” at this gush and perhaps he’s right. You can all but hear my tail gently slapping the sand as I raise my face to the sun.
More lion than lioness as I have no drive to hunt, content to consume what others bring back. (Perhaps lions would be the bloggers of the animal kingdom if they could type.)
At the beginning of the week I wondered if I needed the ocean; perhaps sun was sufficient. But I found myself facing the surf. Nick knows, Aquarius rising.
Each day I walked to town and knew that I prefer a village. Here for coffee, there for bread, somewhere else for the paper. In and back, hello and how are you.
If you were nearby, either towel or table, you would have heard me express my recently discovered distress at the thought of having a gluten allergy. In the past week I became acutely aware that I could live on bread and butter. And pasta. And cookies. “I,” I declared, “am going to eat better bread. From here on out I am going to eat wonderful bread for breakfast every day.” Mr. Blandings looked up over his bracket, “I asked Scott yesterday how he got into such good shape. He gave up carbs.”
“Really good bread and a square of dark chocolate.” His blue eyes held mine for a moment before he returned to his basketball picks, “That sounds like a good idea.”
Are those pictures from Boca Grande, Florida? It's my favorite place!
We should eat more things touched by people and less touched by machines. I'm going to Fervere for bread this weekend.
You married well.
One Leo to another, I DO understand! Vacations are necessary, so are bread and chocolate.
Oh, that gluten thing……..how I fight it. But stick to a little whole wheat and you might be able to indulge once in a while. (I do go on binges and then I am really sorry and don't touch the stuff for a few weeks until I forget about the consequences) As for the beach…. pretty hard to come by in Kansas. I loved the photos. Take heart, Spring is definitely on the way, it is simply hiding for a while.
Please share the locale, it is charming!
Aahhhh, I can just feel that sunshine on my winter-white shoulders right now. Looks like a lovely trip. The gluten thing's an enormous pain (especially when you desire all things bread), but … well, you learn to live with it. I hope spring brings you loads of sunny days and luscious squares of dark, dark chocolate.
Sunny and beautiful here in Palm Beach…on my way to the ocean to read, and pick up an ice tea, and say hello.
It is coming your way soon…
In this age of instant everything, we all crave a simpler, slower, calmer pace. While reading your post I found myself visualizing a day of relaxed sun-worship, a stroll to the bakery, a stop at the village market for a few essentials and a soothing sip of something while preparing a simple dinner! Thanks for the escape.
Karen
This is Boca Grande, Florida. I love it, though I don't think I would weather a Florida summer well. Any suggestions on similar spots in California welcome.
Another Leo who purred during her winter break in Panama City Beach!! And DH is an Aquarius who revels in beachside living! Lovely time there! And I do recommend checking out sites for places like Seaside, Rosemary Beach or Alyce Beach — some gorgeous spots there!
Jan at Rosemary Cottage
Bread and chocolate. That is exactly what I ate as a kid in Spain in the 70's for lunch on the run. Dark chocolate and crusty bread. God. What a great memory. Thank you!
Mrs. B, as a fellow Leo I share your sun-seeking gene. I follow the sun around my house here in Atlanta, laptop in tow, looking for a sunny spot to park and write. Gorgeous pix–lucky you to spring in Boca Grande.
Between the pictures and prose, I feel like I've had a tiny virtual getaway.
I love your stroll and couldn't agree more. Love the beach and all it offers. Love a village and the easy banter.
So glad you had a bit of a break, you Leo, you!!
I always want enough sun to dry out my bones, before the next winter begins.
There is so much to love here but the phrase "I take the cold personally" needs to be needlepointed on a pillow yesterday.
And it all makes perfect sense to me: Leos bask in the sun and Aquarians drop in from outer space (no slight to the Middle West), studying the resident control group (village). This Pisces, Leo Rising would gladly share some SPF 4 tanning oil between dips in his native Gulf.
Happy you felt the sun and got to the beach! I've never been to Boca Grande…it looks charming. I love that carport in photo 2. I've been savoring pumpkin-seed toast lately!!
Carmel and Montecito/ Santa Barbara. If you can stand cool, foggy June mornings and wearing a sweater to the beach, Mendocino isn't too bad but a bit patchy in terms of decent hotels and restaurants.
Boca Grande…glad to see some of it survives…
aaargh. These pictures are just cruel even so, as Winter is resolutely refusing to give up here. Glad somebody is having fun.
if i read correctly, you do not have a wheat problem, but Sami's Bakery in Florida does several great gluten free breads-
available in the freezer section at many local health food stores-
and is very good-
tho about 3 times the cost of a loaf of bread from the grocery –
john in nc
Love Boca Grande, I am here now for vacation. So charming.