Fin. Dolphin fin.
Yes, indeed, here is the dolphin photograph we’ve all anticipated! I’m sorry that it’s not jumping out of the water. I’m sorry it doesn’t look like Flipper. We tried. We truly tried to lure it skyward. We requested jumps and twists and dolphin babies.
We got a fin. Isn’t it a lovely fin? 🙂
Stingray.
We also saw a stingray. Isn’t it a fine stingray? The first time I fished in Florida–years ago–I caught a stingray. I thought it was a gift from the heavens. (No one else in the Universe would think that it was a gift from the heavens.) We threw it back in the bay.
Yet another reflection in the Back Bay
I am still enamoured by reflections in the water. That’s an understatement, isn’t it? I am enamoured by all reflections. They tell magnificent patterned stories.
Sailing in a sea of stars
We boated to Big Hickory for lunch yesterday. Tim steered the boat out into the Gulf of Mexico. The water was so calm. What do you think of that strange little sailboat? I like how the water looks like a sea of stars. We were boating on a sea of stars.
My mom and brother through the window of a sand castle
I also meant to show you the photo of my mom and brother captured through a sand castle window. Such a unique view, yes? I think we’re living a fairytale this week. Which is good, because not all weeks are fairy tales. Last night my sister-in-law, Michele, and I laughed so hard that we cried. The rest of the family looked at us as if we were crazy. So we laughed some more!
(And who knows why we giggled so hysterically? Whatever set us off wasn’t even that funny–at least according to witnessing family members. We did get my brother chuckling, too, though.)
In an hour we drive to Tim and Michele’s place for a glass of wine before our final dinner out. I am leaving tomorrow. Time to return to–are your ready for this?–snow. Yes, snow. Barry said the word “Snow” is mentioned almost every day in the ten-day forecast.
No dolphins in the Upper Peninsula!
Red bouquet in the sky
See you soon…in snow country…
Lake Superior Spirit 
Amazing photos, Kathy! Love the one of… oh gee, I love them all! 🙂 Thought you’d be mildly amused to know that when I received notice of this posting (in my email), it said that the title of this blog was ?p=2913. So, of course I went here right away, fascinated to see what this mysterious ?p=2913 would be all about. Charming it was, but indeed not exactly what one expects from a ?p=2913. 🙂
That is funny, Martha! I wonder why? Maybe the word “fin” was too shocking to WordPress…lol…had to be censored in the email programs. Not exactly what one would expect from a ?p=2913! Thanks for liking the pictures.
I know, hey? I was all excited and wondering what you’d come up with now! I’m still excited ‘cuz this was fun….I really like the stingray – doesn’t it look mysterious hovering there with its spots?
The snow really isn’t bad – it’s OK to come home. On our side of the bay, it was gone by noonish. We had the day off – Opening Day, you know – gotta love the UP!?!? Safe travels, sweetie!
Cindy, it’s good to know I can come home without being buried in snow–yet! I hope you enjoyed your day off work. Anybody in your family hunt?
Loved the sea of stars. Things like that always grab me hard and won’t let go.
It’s a grabber, Gerry, a magical mystical sea of stars…
It is a wonderful fin indeed! It looks like your Rebel is surely having a magnificent time; I will hide mine from seeing this blog post, because the way he’s been talking lately he’d probably try to get me on a plane!
I love sunshine-y water pictures.
You watch it, Karen! That Rebel will be leading you by its EOS Digital strap and taking you south…any day now! Laughing…it’s sure been fun to have that camera here. I am so glad you helped inspire me to buy one.
Sailing in a sea of stars is beautiful, Kathy. All the photos are wonderful. What a great trip to be a part of.
What a delight to share the trip with you. Thank you for putting your toes in the sand and trailing your fingers in the Sea of Stars.
Oh yes, I forgot to mention that your giggling hysterically sounds like a blast. Good for you, it’s great to have those moments. They are very healthy too.
It’s been the most laughing visit ever. Michele and I maybe should stay away from each other in public places!
I love the sea of stars!!! And the red bouquet in the sky….
Safe travels!!
Thank you, Ms. Dawn. You may see me waving from the plane window sometime later this afternoon!
Great last full day picture!
Yes,
Check out my blog—-Snowing in Wisconsin here
Kim, I haven’t visited anybody’s blog during my week of vacation, but promise to stop by and see your snow photos as soon as there is a spare minute to breathe at home.
It’s good you’re heading home because I think I’ve about used up my quota of Wows. Again, Wow!
Oh but wait, you take pictures at home too. Maybe I can increase my wow allotment. I’ll check with the wow powers.
Carol, I think we should all just keep increasing our WOW! allotment every single day until we’re amazed by everything we see, feel and experience. What do you think? I think the wow powers will have to agree…
Wonderful photos! I’ve been trying to capture a piece of a dolphin too. I forgot about it, though, while I was caught (captured) in the moment of watching them frolic in the sea at sunset this evening. By the time I remembered the camera, the dolphins had moved on. Perhaps it’s better that way. A divine moment captured by the heart and soul rather than the camera. 🙂
Save travels to you.
Oh, Robin, it sounded like you had a divine experience with the frolicking dolphins. Sometimes it’s better to forget the camera and just let the heart sing with the dolphins. Maybe they will reward you with a photograph sometime later…because your heart merged with them. Safe travels to you, as well.
Sis, enjoyed spending so many wonderful moments with you in FL. I love the things you do with your new camara, keep on a shoot’en.
Tim, it’s been wonderful to spend time with you and Michele and Mom and Dad. Really and truly wonderful. (And I don’t think you could pry the camera out of these claws–lol!) You guys have a safe trip back home later this week.
Kathy – I’m a day late and a dollar short, but I made it! The photographs are great – my favorites are the DOLPHIN FIN and RED BOUQUET IN THE SKY. It sounds like your trip has been glorious. Safe travels today!
You’re never late in this timeless world of the Internet, Laurie! I am so glad you liked the dolphin fin. You can’t imagine the fuss just to get a picture of that fin. It has been a glorious trip…headed to the airport in 35 minutes. Of course won’t be home until long after dark.
Great photos – and post 🙂
Thank you, truels. It was a fun trip!
I’m smiling at Laurie’s comment about being a day late and a dollar short. That was one of my Dad’s many sayings. It brought back memories.
I love your sea of stars. Very much. I have a small moment/meditation that I sometimes do….imagining our(my) body as an entire universe made up of billions and billoins of stars, each atom a tiny star. And then imagining that everything in creation is made of stars……
Your photo really touches this for me.
It’s been so nice, spending this time with you and your family. Thank you for inviting us 🙂 Hope your flight home was a good one.
That sounds like a wonderful meditation, Colleen. We are made of stars…
Thank you for joining our family on this trip. It was really special sharing it with you!
Great Florida pics…like the Rosette Spoonbil, sand sculptures and dolphin. Sailboat must be a FL version of the Kon Tiki.
Thanks, CWD. Perhaps you are right about the Kon Tiki. Most of us had never seen a sailboat quite like it!
Love these photos, Kathy!
Looks like you had a really good time and you know what they say:
All good fins come to those who wait.
😉
Val, I am smiling. “All good fins come to those who wait”. Perfect!
I also love the sea of stars photo, and thought the sandcastle window is sooo clever! I like!
Hard to believe that, from all this sea and sunshine you’re going back to … snow. I know the word also starts with ‘s’, but… sheesh. Can’t wait to see what juxtapositions you come up with! 🙂
Hello, Reggie! Guess what is on the ground this morning? That ‘s’ word. Imagine…how quickly our worlds turn…
I got two words for you…polarizer and focus. 🙂 You are getting it, Kathy. Your photos from this trip have been outstanding. The polarizer filter (see my blog tomorrow) is great to use on bright sunny days or for cutting through reflections (yes, I know you like them but there is a time and place for them) like with the stingray photo. Nice use of a framing object and composition for your Mom and Brother’s photo but the focus is behind them on the ocean.
Scott, I’m actually at a strange place in my photography. Might have to write a blog about it one of these days. I suddenly know a bit to much to appreciate the photos like I used to…and too little to be able to do anything different yet. You may not believe this, but I have never looked at a photo deep enough to even know that the lens FOCUSES on different subjects in different ways. I really need to start studying how to use the new camera to its best ability, but so far haven’t had the time or inclination. Thank you for you advice. One of these days I will figure out how to locate the camera’s flash button (manually) and do something other than turn it on, remember to remove the lens cap and unlock the lens. Yikes! (You can see what a camera baby I am…)