Saturday, May 28, 2022

Thank you to all of the service men and women who have died in the line of duty so that...

...we can enjoy our rights and freedoms. In honoring the fallen we must remember that along with those rights and freedoms comes  responsibilities too.

Funny story, I guess. I thought our glass-bottom boat tour Friday at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park would be a perfect compromise. Pat wouldn't have to snorkle and yet we would both get to see the coral reef.

The boat had bench seats in the middle with V shaped glass sections running from the bow to the stern on both sides. Odd numbers on the left sections 1, 3, 5, and 7 and even numbers on the right 2, 4, 6, and 8. 

The boat employees (Rangers or maybe Naturalists?) knew their stuff. Once we reached the coral reef they used the numbers to identify where the fish they saw were and described the fish along with it's name. It took maybe an hour to get out to the reef, on choppy waters, and once we were there we did a bit of bobbing round because they couldn't anchor in the coral reef. I think (it felt like an eternity) we stayed about 15 minutes.

I hope Pat enjoyed it. I had to deal with sea sickness.🤢 I saw a little bit of the reef and a couple of fish, but that's about it. While looking at the horizon, and trying not to toss my cookies, I did try to listen to their wonderful underwater descriptions! Pat was in charge of pictures which weren't easy to get.










A double-crested cormorant


The holiday weekend is expected to be crowded. We've seen what we came to see, and then some, so we'll spend most of the long weekend hanging around the RV Park.  Pat wants to do some all day smoking (meat that is), I want to do a little sewing, an art project, and we both have books to read.

Saturday Pat spent the day outside smoking pork and  I decided to tackle a project I've put off for a year. Last summer I bought a painting project at Let's Make Art. It's a partner store with Missouri Star Quilt Co. in Hamilton, MO. I thought painting might be fun, or at least interesting. My experience today taught me otherwise.  

I watched the video, obviously not paying enough attention, and began painting Beach Shore. It did not look at all like it should,  partially because I didn't listen well as to what exactly I was to paint. It came with 2 canvases and I put all of the paint and extra canvas in a trash bag because I was done.  I had decided I had no skill after my first ever painting experience.  After reflected on my disappointment and reviewing the lesson, I pulled the supplies out of the trash and told myself I deserved another chance. I even got a little excited when I realized what I needed to do differently. Not that I needed to reproduce theirs, but what I wanted to do to make it look like what it should be. A real class or two may be needed to pursue future endeavors, however. 

The funny part was me opening the tiny vials of paint. The 'violet' one was clogged or dried up. After trying a paper clip to try to unclog it, I cut the tip of the violet container off. Holy cow, that tip went flying across the RV like a torpedo, spreading violet paint everywhere as it went! Alas, it was water color and I think I cleaned it all up.😁

My supplies and what the picture was supposed to look like. After I try again I'll show you both pictures and tell you what I thought I was painting the first time. 

Actually, yesterday I accomplished another project.  For the first time, after watching the video, I put on my Color Street nail strips, purchased from Linda's Lovely Nails. Once again, not totally successful, but I'm confident I will get better!  


Where are the Piepers now?  Key Largo, Fl

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