May 1, 2024
By Michele Miller
What’s What New Port Richey
The weather has been delightful, no doubt about it, I’m thinking as I gaze out my home office window at the flurry of blooming colors dancing in the green. There’s been nary a gray day these past weeks and while we could use a dousing of much-needed rain the lure of the brighter side tugs at me in that “make hay when the sun shines and isn’t too hot” kind of way.
We’ve got a month before the official start of the Hurricane Season here in Florida and it’ll be hot as Hades before long.
Add to that the fact that the old man and I are in that time of our lives when we might have to give a good think about what day it is at morning’s rise and even in the afternoon because the days all meld together which ironically means that we’re rolling along to life’s evening tide.
Ah, mortality.
There’s an upside that has us figuring out how to make the most of this “free time” in our retirement years. Volunteering some. Getting out and about to local haunts. On a fixed budget. While we still can get out and about – even if we’re bringing walking sticks on what purists might scoff at as a Florida “flatlanders hike.”
That’s okay – they can have that high road, especially since the Vista is just fine from here. And besides – there’s bears, wild boars and other wildlife we might have to reckon with in those woods.
Being that it’s the best time of year we’ve had some company in from out of town. That had us feeling fortunate as we showed off favorite spots in our little urban hub and local parks where beauty is breathtaking on a daily basis whether it’s pausing for a bit at the wooden overlook of the Pithlachascotee River at Grey’s Preserve or taking in a view of the Gulf of Mexico at Anclote Gulf Park Pier.
Photo | Michele Miller, April 2024
We made good use of our Florida State Park pass touring Homosassa Springs and lazing on the beach at Honeymoon Island State Park which is one of my favorite places in the world.
Photo | Michele Miller, April 2024
Toured downtown NPR during the annual Loquat Festival at Sims Park which proved to be an unexpected boon for our visiting friends when what some would call an underlauded and unappreciated fruit was the answer to a Jeopardy question a few days later. Grabbed an ice cream at one of our two favorite ice cream shops. Drove the six miles back home to sit on the back porch sharing laughs and “remember when conversations” along with a pleasant breeze and a prime view of this backyard ecosystem in bloom.
It’s there waiting for me. I’m headed out.
Now onward. Peace –
Michele
Michele Miller is a former newspaper writer/photographer and now creator and jack of all trades for the What’s What’s New Port Richey website which has a mission to “Connect people to the community they live in.” For more, read the About page below.
