On Day Two of my southern sojourn, we kept it fairly quiet. My mother was getting over a respiratory infection, and we had an eventful day planned coming up later that weekend.
There was a nice brunch at home, al fresco. Looks rather magazine coverish, no? Mom’s chicken salad rocks.
Mom’s gardenia put on a nice show of blooms for my arrival. One of my most favorite scents EVER… nothing beats the fragrance of gardenia.
We’d decided late afternoon to maybe check out the sunset at nearby Safety Harbor. It turned out to be more of a cloudset. But still a neat sight. We were told that manatees often lounge about near this pier, but closer to low tide. We waited for some time, but none chose to grace us with their presence.
And yet in the opposite direction, a peculiar sort of rainbow… blob.
- No manatees still, but plenty of pelicans – bobbing hopefully in front of the fish-cleaning station. The fishermen were quite generous.
Mangroves… felt like I was back in the Keys. I miss them… strangely, they don’t grow around the Great Lakes. ;-p
- Our appetites trumped our interest in manatees, so we found a delightful tapas cafe along the main drag.
Portions, tapas-style, were perfect for mixing and matching and sharing. Suggested wine and beer pairings were spot on. Here, my parents deeply contemplate their culinary options. The food was excellent.
Frangipani bloomed thoughtfully behind my chair. Second meal that day where I ate outside and feasted (figuratively) also on my favorite tropical flowers. Yes, I could get used to this.
Sometimes, the quietest days are the best ones. 🙂
April's Atelier 
When your mom gets home, have her pack up that plate and post it to me, please! 🙂