Chunksters!

I was in a book club when I lived in Boulder. I was a founding member (haha-really, that just sounds funny), they continue on, yet I have moved and am now a full time rv er. I try to stay current with their reads, but it is not the same-I miss the discussion and of course, the camaraderie. One of their books is in my Chunkster challenge, though. My sister is an AVID reader and has done a few on line challenges before, so I am off to join the online reader clubs.

I am starting with the Tournament of Books. I haven't read too many 2013 books and these are almost guaranteed to be good. I put them on my kindle so I am all set and can read wherever or whenever. Here is the official page and info.

The Morning News
The rooster is back, and the rooster is famished. Introducing the finalists and judges for The Morning News 10th Annual Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.

http://www.themorningnews.org/article/announcing-the-morning-news-tournament-of-books-x

Now, here is the other challenge-CHUNKSTERS! a book of more than 450 pages. HA! I love thick books, long winding stories, lots of character development, epics… LOL This is the pile I already have in my library of 27 books, heck I only have a little library space-and once the book is read, it goes.

Challenge!

The Chunkster challenge web site is cute, if nothing else give it a check.     

http://chunksterchallenge.blogspot.com/2013/12/2014-chunkster-challenge-sign-ups.html

How I read: iPod, kindles, and real books too!

My sheltie-see, it is small.

I have a little ongoing challenge-to read the most famous book of each state. Some of those in the Chunksters pic are favorite state books. This was a FB post quite awhile ago.



http://www.businessinsider.com/most-famous-book-set-in-every-state-2013-10


What do you like to read? Are you in any book clubs? What are they like, what do you read as a club? Do you 'accept' any on line challenges? How do you keep track of what you read? Mostly I use Goodreads. Please leave a comment and tell all!!

Macarthur Beach State Park, FL

YEAH!! Beach day! After a few errands, I headed to the beach. The sky had light clouds but the day was warm with a nice breeze. Also a Monday, so I figured I wouldn't have any trouble parking the van. (Missed photo op! Bummer) Macarthur Beach is about 20 minutes from West Palm Beach. The approach to the beach is as beautiful as the beach itself. After the parking lot, you walk through dense Florida vegetation and then take a boardwalk over the channel. The tide was in, so no wading birds but a wading fisherman was there!

Path from parking to the beach              

Boardwalk

Channel approach

Wader in the channel

The loooong boardwalk to the beach

Beautiful waves crashing in… The green flag was out which means SWIMMING! But the purple one was too, and I did see man 'o' war on the beach. I did not go too far in, there were others braver than I. The water was a perfect temp for a hot day. I dug my chair into the sand and just sat and enjoyed the sights and sounds for awhile. After a stroll and splashing I settled in to read one of my 'chunksters' (next blog) The beach WAS beautiful, people looking for shells, reading, sunbathing, and walkers with a purpose. 

After a few hours, I could 'hear' Arya whining in the van-Let me out!  I headed back to the boardwalk and a leisurely stroll back to the parking. I definitely plan to come back here-have to visit the gift shop for sure. There is also a nature walk and moonlit guided kayak tours! That would be fun! And hopefully some swimming. Oh and low tide, so I can see the birds. :-)

   

View from end of boardwalk

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Beach Hopping

It wasn't really a beach day, but I couldn't wait any longer. The weather certainly didn't discourage strolling people, surfers, or the shell hunters. I started at the public beach for Boynton Beach. The guy at the parking gate laughed when he saw me pull up. He wanted to know how many people were inside with me, only my kitty I said, and I held up Arya for proof. All the pictures are grey because it was seriously grey everywhere I went. I missed the rain until I started to head home, that was good. 

This beach is big and beautiful with lifeguards. The yellow and purple flags were billowing in the wind:large swells and rip tides; dangerous marine life. EEK! Didn't stop the surfers. The beach has those wood bench chairs with cabana pull up sun shades. Cool! People were sitting and enjoying a late lunch, trying to fend off the seagulls. They kind of freaked me out!

They look innocent, but managed to get some sandwich right as I was putting it in my mouth!

Yes, that is a surfer. There were a few-6 or eight. These biting man 'o' war- war were all over the beach-hence the purple flag! Surfers charge ahead!

There are some private homes along the beach. they are HUGE and really look more like hotels, I guess they would be villas. This is a small one ha!

        I strolled along the beach, stepping carefully, I have to admit. I found someone's collection of shells and proof that life can grow on anything-the bottom part of a man's flip flop!

  

Should I buy??                  

Lake Worth Beach is just a little further down A1A. Another very pretty beach, with an awesome pier. It only costs a dollar for sightseers :-) The red flags were blowing hard here, no icky stuff in the water, just crazy surfers. 

waiting, waiting for just the perfect wave

I could do the waiting part,
I think.

 The pier was busy with families fishing and kids chasing the seagulls. Check out this stream lined sea gull, perfect posing with feathers all tucked in.  All of a sudden it really started to get grey,  so I headed home. It was great to be on the shore, even though I only got my toes wet. It was certainly warm enough to swim, next time!!

My right now 'hood

Now I get what a small rally is all about, so much fun!  I had an awesome time with the Chai Chapter of FMCA in Sarasota. I made some nice new friends that I already look forward to seeing again. One of the couples, Marcy and Steven, has let me use their beautiful lot in an RV resort in West Palm Beach, while I hang out on the east coast of Florida. Even though it is  pouring rain right now, it is a pretty place to be. In between rain drops yesterday I was able to get some pics taken. Check this out, even Arya is happy. (Last night she got unhooked from her leash, she had so MUCH fun running in and out of those bushes. It was LOL watching her go in and out and in and out.) 

As soon as it is sunny out, I plan to spend the afternoon here!

ooohhh! bushes

Arya-new grounds to explore

comfy camp

I have a fun to-do list while here on the east coast: lots of friends to get in touch with and visit; a small rally in Brooksville; lots of beaches to check out to read on and maybe swim (?); and anything else that might come along!

From That….to This

From that…To this…

When I left Ojo Caliente, NM I had plans to stop at Carlsbad Caverns, Gaudalupe Mountains National Park, and finally Big Bend National Park, TX. I figured they were south enough that it would be chilly but pleasant. And besides, I was in their neighborhoods. But then, the big freeze hit. I left Ojo in a freeze, (macerator frozen, refrigerator not behaving) but that was nothing really, compared to Guadalupe. I’ll let the pics say the 1000 words.

Icicles!  New Mexico

Guadalupe Mtns, Texas

Henderson Beach State Park, FL

It was chilly and rainy my first few days at Henderson Beach, but now it is sunny and beautiful. Just like they say, the  “Sunshine State”. Today I leave for the first part of my drive to Sarasota. I am headed to my first rally!

Smells...

I just returned from a walk along the boardwalk near the beach-Henderson State Park, Destin, FL. It is 8:30 pm and the air smells so wonderful. Spicy from the pines, moist from the gulf, fresh on the breeze. I think each state-or parts that I have been to- have a unique smell. New Orleans smells old, you have to admit that. It was a fresh mild day, so none of the gross summer smells. I camped outside of Baton Rouge and it had that same smell: old trees; earth composting; a life that had been around awhile. Texas--big, open, fresh, green, and dry. I am sure that had to do with the time of year I was there. Cotton fields were ready to be picked in early November and by the time I left after Thanksgiving, they were stripped bare. I wouldn't have known what had been there except for the fact that I had driven by earlier. But also there I was along the Gulf in Texas; moist air, fresh breeze but so different from Florida. There was no pine or spicy fragrance in the air, just ocean air with no earthiness connected to it. 

I was going to say this might be a December aroma for Florida, but I have been here in summer. Even though the wall of humidity that greets you as you walk off the plane is intense, it still has this earthy deep green smell. I think Hawaii does too. Some places you visit might smell of; food, fresh air, forest, dry heat, urine-what can I say-, spice of trees...For me it is the smells that help me remember the places and feelings I had while visiting.  Sniff, sniff!!!

For the folks in the BRRRRR weather

Galveston, Texas
It was fun to go in the grocery store to see how these people were dealing with 50 degree weather, it was chilly with the breeze, I admit that :-)  Everyone had on hats, scarfs, and totally buttoned up. But for those of you in the chill-here are some warm pictures.   Pretty beach, fun boardwalk, fancy hotels.  Maybe in September??

  

After this, I took a short ferry ride from Galveston Island to Port Bolivar, TX.

Guide Birds

 The guy in the car next to me fed the seagulls and blackbirds as were moving. They were pretty adept at grabbing the food with the wind and movement. Fun to watch! 

Thank you, Mister

Well, Blogger will not let me download the video, so imagine--this red car (photo to right) with LOTS of seagulls fighting the wind, caw caw cawing, diving and switching places to get the bits he held out. It was total entertainment. 

Stay warm, friends. I, myself , am headed even further south!