"" Writer's Wanderings: March 2021

Friday, March 12, 2021

It Pays To Have Friends With Connections


 Anyone who knows us knows we are addicted not only to travel but to Pickleball as well. We meet the nicest people playing at home and in Florida during the winter months. One of our fellow Florida players is married to a boat captain who does tours with his six passenger pontoon boat. We followed our Until-Next-Year lunch with a cruise on his boat. It was so much fun as well as informative. A whole new perspective on Key Largo from the water. 


Captain Larry picked us up from Senor Frijoles after lunch and took us out and across Blackwater Sound to a protected area of mangroves. We went through a channel that is part of the Intercoastal Waterway and then into a smaller channel that led to a small lake in the middle of the mangroves that are actually a part of the Everglades. Captain Larry has a special permit to go into the area with his charters. 

Mangroves are an important part of the eco-system. They reduce erosion, protect water quality, provide a nursery habitat for marine life and provide shelter and nesting areas for a variety of other birds and animals. Their roots that go down into the water make them look like they are standing on stilts. 


Along the way we saw a variety of birds including some really pretty herons and an iguana out for a swim. It was interesting to learn that the channel is where they anchor boats when a hurricane approaches. When Irma came through, the water was blown out of the Bay and the boats rested on the bottom but the mangroves protected them from damage. 

Since all of us onboard new what a manatee looked like, he didn't spend time trying to track one down. We did take a peek at the dolphin pens by the Dolphins Plus at MM102. 


Captain Larry was informative and kept us all chuckling with his humor as well. It was a relaxing and enjoyable time with wonderful friends from our Pickleball group. If you happen to be in Key Largo and are looking for a little relaxing and enjoyable time on the water, you might want to look him up. He does morning tours and some sunset cruises as well. 

Monday, March 01, 2021

So What Is A Leprechaun?


 St. Patrick's Day is approaching. And while I don't resemble a leprechaun in any way, I feel like there must be some kinship since I was born on March 17. It has led to my dislike of the color green however since everyone naturally assumes that the best way to celebrate is to give me something green--green cupcakes, green mints, green cookies, green carnations (the worst!). 

The color green has long been associated with leprechauns although in my research, there are said to be leprechauns that do wear red. Apparently leprechauns belong to the fairy family. Small in size and prone to mischief, They are said to be descendants of Tuatha De Danaan, a group of magical beings that served under the Gaelic goddess Danu. According to legend they lived in Ireland long before humans.

There are no female leprechauns. It is said they are they unwanted fairies, tossed aside by the community. They are described as grouchy, untrusting, solitary creatures. Doesn't sound anything like the guy on the cereal box. 

Pot of gold? Leprechauns are cobblers and I guess there's a lot of money in making shoes. They are also the bankers of the fairy world. who take care of the money supposedly for the other fairies who would just spend it frivolously. And of course there are always stories of people trying to steal a leprechaun's gold. (No wonder they're grouchy.)

They are sneaky little creatures though. One story tells of a man who forced a leprechaun to show him where his gold was buried. The man tied a red scarf around the tree trunk the leprechaun showed him and ran off to get a shovel to dig it up. When he returned to the forest, he found that every tree had a red scarf tied around it.

Ah, the stories abound. But wait! There's a whole other story about where they came from and who they are. Looks like my work here is not done. There's still time to explore before St. Paddy's Day.

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