The second weekend that I was home, my best friend came to see me again. We decided that I needed a day trip away from the hospital so we went to a sleepy fishing village on the north Florida coast called Cedar Key.
I have been there before but it had been so long that most of what I recognized was changed or gone due to hurricanes. However, this beautiful restaurant remained.
We spent the afternoon talking about trips with our dads, family in general and how much we had missed spending time together. The day was sunny but not hot and it made for a perfect afternoon to stroll and relax.
We walked down to the pier and looked out across the water. A few men and families were fishing off the side. Several large birds were hoping for and easy treat from the fishermen.
We were astounded by one pelican that let me get just feet away from him, as he perched on a railing. He seemed very comfortable and not about to give up the best spot for free snacks.
After the board walk, we had a sea food lunch at a little dinner and were happy to share the space with a pack of bikers. This was interesting because bikers are really fun people (not scary at all) and we seem to run into them when we are together.
While finishing our lunch Rebecca spied a gallery across the street. We stopped by and found that the exhibit was full of stunning mosaics. Everything from abstract to landscapes. We took our time enjoying the art and wishing we had lots of cash to bring some of it home.
As we circled back to the car we passed a little park. Rebecca regaled me with stories of how her family used to pick-nick and cook out here in the summer. Then we noticed the birds.
At first we thought it was ironic that a few were sitting in a row on the buoys, as we looked across the swimming area we realized that every buoy had a bird sitting on it. It became clear that these were some sort of turn and probably were migrating together.
We wrapped up this part of the afternoon and headed out with a Tom-Tom hunting for brown state park signs.
To be continued in the next addition of R&R.
Amanda Schwab 