Grieving means you are healing
Good Morning! Ahhhh, a fall kind of sunrise with a cool breeze and a deep pink and orange color show. The flock of laughing gulls were so loud flying in a regular sunriser called the flock “An All Gull Choir.”
The flock stopped to have a bath and get the bugs off. We all noticed the water was a hint cooler too. Pelican Highway was causing southbound with moderate traffic while an osprey flew directly overhead looking for snacks.
As the sun came up filling the air with warmth and golden rays of light, the energy felt hopeful for a new day.
One seagulls with tattered wings flew in with her wings and heart wide open. I asked her, “How do you stay open with all those bumps and bruises?” She said, “The secret is to acknowledge how you feel just like the osprey who says dive deep into your emotions.”
I want to add to the seagulls message. As you know, hurricane Ian has had quite the impact, from loss of life to the loss of homes, vehicles, businesses and so much more. Even people who were not directly impacted by the storm have felt the intensity.
When people say it is just stuff, I totally agree, it’s just stuff. However, it is painful to lose ‘the stuff.’ It is so important to allow time to grieve and feel the emotions, the loss, then go to gratitude. Feeling your pain doesn’t mean you are not strong or grateful for what you have, it means you are healing.
Life is messy, let’s flock together to support and heal so we can love each other even more.
Wishing you a day filled with love!
A little hope goes a long way
Good Morning!
I have to be away from the sunrise for another day so i thought I would post a few random shots from last October.
The dolphin looking like he has wings from the pelican and the angel cloud felt like images inspiring hope.
Wishing you a beautiful day friends!
Angel cloud, her foot is warming at the sun just above the water.
Focus on strengths rather what we don’t have
It was a seagull sunrise! It looks like the seagull shave returned to sunny Florida for the winter. The breeze had a nice chill to it giving us a refreshing start to the day. The breeze was blowing the tops of the waves sending salty spray high in the sky.
I wasn’t able to sleep with the devastation all around so I asked the seagulls for advice. One Legger was extra sweet and engaging hanging out in place with a twinkle in her eye. She said, “To survive, us seagulls have learned to stay focused on what I have that gives me strength. You see, I put my energy into my powerful leg and wings that hold me up.”
I met a new seagull about a month ago in the evening. He was walking the beach with his wings out. He has since joined the flock. He is able to fly and walk even though he carries his wings out to the side.
The sunrise crew naked him Floppy got his floppy wings. Today I asked him his secret. He said, “Being a part of the flock is important for our survival but that doesn’t mean I can’t be unique. Sure I look different with my wings out but this is what works for me. Adapting is necessary to thrive.”
Wishing you a lovely day friends!
One Legger
Introducing Floppy
Tales from the Lagoon ~ Episode- Reunited and it feels so good!
Tales from the Lagoon~ Episode - Reunited and It Feels So Good!
I met the dolphin I call Momma at the end of 2017 but t the time didn’t know she was a female. She was easy to spot because of a deep rope entanglement scar near her blow hole. When she showed up in June 2018 with a baby I knew she was a female.
I named her first baby Indy after the Indian River Lagoon. In the last year I met her second baby I call river. Momma is the first female dolphin to spend time just hanging out a few feet away. She is kind and very patient and a really good athlete.
It was that June when Uncle Larry came in with Momma and Indy. Last week was the first time since them I have seen the two of them together! It was like old times, rolling around, playing together with jagger and the other dolphins.
When they weren’t rolling around they were all catching fish, snapper, mullet and big redfish. In the 4 1/2 years I’ve been in the water with the dolphins, I’ve never seen eh dolphin eat so many redfish as I did the two weeks leading up tot he hurricane. My guess is they knew conditions were going to be rough for a few days and a sloppy mess afterward so they knew to belly up to the buffet to give them strength.
Stay tuned for more tales!
A whooper of a redfish!
Momma- you can see her rope entanglement scar from 2017
Self care is the foundation for everything
As my feet hit the sand and saw the golden rays of light meeting into the blue sky my entire body relaxed and felt peaceful. With the water being warmer that the cool air, steam was coming off the ocean looking life sparkles of light floating up.
The flock of seagulls flew in to chat and hang out. Not much bathing today with the breeze being so chilly for us birds.
Pelican Highway had heavy traffic heading both directions riding the the burgundy colored waves. Pink sparkles were blowing off the top of the perfectly formed tubes.
Ozzie and Harriett, a pigeon couple were hanging outside their boat house after sunrise. These two are truly love birds who love to kiss. They have raised many kids in their boat. They nest deep in the pontoon and often go for boat rides staying completely dry!
This morning they bring us the message of self care. As they were taking moments of quiet, shaking off the dirt and pulling out old feathers they said, “When you are not sure what to do, go back to the basics. Self care is the foundation for everything, take a few minutes to close your eyes, quiet your mind and just be. You will be surprised how that minute can reset your systems.”
Wishing you a beautiful day friends!
Even in sadness there will always be good in the world
With a cool breeze blowing the tops of the waves and cool temperatures, the morning felt like fall is visiting. The flock of seagulls flew in hot and chatty. I say split foot and a few others who have returned in the past few days.
I asked the seagulls their secret to life and they said, “We believe in keeping our wings and hearts open, even when it seems easier to close up.”
The warm sun came up filling the morning with golden light and hope for a new day. After sunrise Pip and Patches the Pelicans flew in as soon as I was in the river. Pip stayed for a while so we could catch up.
He said, “I was anxious and on edge about 6 days before the hurricane because I knew It was coming. Now I can relax and rebuild with food and rest.”
I said to him, “I could see you getting blown around in the wind, were you scared?” He said, “I didn’t have time to be afraid, I had to use all my energy to be in the moment, aware of all the elements and do what I could each moment to survive.”
On a personal note, I have lived in florida my whole life and have seen many storms.
What I appreciate about the storms is how they unify us. We hunker down together, we support each other, we are generous and helpful, we love unconditionally. Despite our differences, we come together with love, compassion and support. It’s truly a beautiful thing to witness.
"Even in sadness, There will Always be Good in the World.” ~ Roy Desjarlais
Wishing you a beautiful day friends!
Split foot is back!
Pip the pelican!
Tales from the Lagoon ~Episode Pip, Patches and Spot talk about hurricanes
Tales from the Lagoon ~ Episode - Pip, Patches and Spot Talk About Hurricanes
Hi everyone! It’s me Pip the Pelican. Shelley said people were asking about me so thought I’d say hello and let you know I am doing well.
One of the photos is of my friend Spot the egret. I think he thought it would be a good idea to grab some sticks and make a bunker for the storm. Not sure that will work, good thing he has strong legs and feet to hold on to a branch.
This past week I have been a bit skittish and a little edgy. I felt the hurricane coming about 6 days ago. Shelley asked, “Pip, Are you going toe ok during the storm? We won’t be able to see each other.”
I told her us birds know what to do. It’s in our DNA to hunker down and wait it out. We feed like crazy before the storm, also grabbing snacks if there is a lull. Just before this post I was hanging out on a wall near the lagoon with Patches, my pelican bestie. The water is rising so we will have to move soon, but I am safe and sound.
In the past 10 days, I’ve been hanging out a lot with Patches. She has white spots on her head showing she is maturing. Sometimes she likes to act like she knows everything but I just grab her with my beak and she stops, you know a gentle bite. She likes Shelley too, which makes me grumpy. Shelley talks to me about sharing but I’m not so sure about that yet.
Anyway, I’ll be back in touch once the storm passes to let you know Patches and I are safe.
Stay tuned!
That’s me Pip flying in to see my Hooman
That’s Patches my bird bestie
That’s me leaving my Hooman
That’s me diving for snacks
That’s Spot the egret
Dolphin Hurricane Party
Tales from the Lagoon Episode - Hurricane Party Dolphin Style
Yesterday afternoon during a light rain storm a maternity pod came into the lagoon to play and grab hurricane snacks. This pod had 2 males, Uncle Larry and Jagger, a momma and a youngin.’
The baby was quite the spitfire! S/he was zooming around following the adults and playing with mangrove seeds (Propagules) for an hour! This little one had the adults on the move because she was all over the place exploring and playing. She was learning to slap her tail and was surprisingly fast.
Uncle Larry and Jagger were chasing redfish when the mom and baby were nursing. At one point Uncle Larry showed his playful side, coming up to me fast, turning right in front of me sending up a wall of water with his tail. Definitely the splash zone! When he swam away he had a redfish in his mouth.
I think this momma is the dolphin I cal Charlie. I wasn’t sure if Charlie was a male or female until today when she brought in her baby. The baby needs a name, any suggestions?
It’s been a great week with Uncle Larry and jagger, more from them, Pip the pelican, and other characters on the way!
Stay tuned for more tales!
Playful baby
Uncle Larry getting ready to toss a redfish
The big toss
Jagger with a fish
Uncle Larry and the baby
Baby with a mangrove seed ( Propagule)
Momma and the baby
Worry is like giving someone a wet blanket
Ahhhh, the calm before the storm. A calm ocean and light breeze along with a soft moody blues color show brought us a serene start to the day.
So many characters out grabbing breakfast before our 3 days of rain and wind. The flock os seagulls was large and flowing together. They said, "Our secret to preparing for a storm is to fill up on shrimp and fish so we have the energy to hunker down. We also like being squeaky clean since we will flock together for safety and no-one likes a stinky bird.”
A gorgeous reddish egret was grabbing snacks from the shallows also prepping for the storm while Pelican Highway cruised southbound over the waves.
After sunrise, the marina characters were all out too, including a herd of manatees enjoying floating down the river while smooching and snuggling. They said, “Yes a storm is coming but we can’t control the weather so we are savoring our time together while the water is calm.”
We probably won’t have a sunrise again for a few days. I have plenty of Tales from the Lagoon to share as long as we have power.
I ask that instead of worry, please see everyone in the path of the storm as safe and sound. The energy of worry is much like giving a cold person a wet blanket. Let’s keep the vibe high for everyone.
Wishing you a beautiful day friends!
Slow down to see clearly
Pink rays of light jetted into the sky at first light. A soft breeze and churning ocean added to the ambiance of the morning.
The seagulls were feeling frisky and a bit jumpy darting off and flying back just to dart off again. 2 seagulls looked like a couple F18’s from Top Gun as they performed acrobatic maneuvers in a high speed chase over breakfast.
Pelican highway was slapping on the brakes again today to grab snacks. It seems the wildlife is intensely grabbing snacks before the rain and wind starts from the hurricane, reminding us to plan ahead.
The seagulls who were not grabbing snacks were enjoying bath time. One of them peeking through her feathers in slow motion said, “When I slow down I can see through the blur and find clarity. I can see things in a different light by taking time to just be."
Wishing you a beautiful day friends!
Open to love and light
Mother Nature brought us a dramatic and dynamic ever changing sunrise filled with every color in the crayon box. The color show started with a pink and purple pastel show, ending with a blue and golden glow.
Heart opening streaming light filled my heart with peace. It started with one beam of light poking through the clouds, then a few minutes later a few more and by the end several beams of light streamed thought the clouds giving us a hopeful vibe.
The flock of seagulls flew in chatty and a bit on edge, easily scattered. They stayed for a short bath time before dashing off as a group.
Pelican Highway traffic was heavy heading southbound. All of a sudden they slammed on the brakes and dropped into the ocean to grab breakfast.
They said, “We bring the message of trusting when to stop and change directions. For us, being open to quick changes is how we survive. Flexibility is one of our superpowers.”
Wishing you a day filled with love and light!
Tales from the lagoon ~Episode - Quality time with Uncle Larry and Jagger
Tales from the Lagoon ~ Episode - Quality Time with Uncle Larry and Jagger
The day started with 2 dolphins, Uncle Larry and Jagger. Uncle Larry is the dolphin with the number 968 on his dorsal fin. If you are just tuning in, I was able to find out from a friend that Larry is a male dolphin and was part of a health assessment in 2004. The researcher thought Larry was approximately 25 at that time which makes him 43 now!
This is the first time I have seen Uncle Larry without a maternity pod, a pod of moms and their calves. Jagger got his name from his jagged dorsal fin.
Today, he and Jagger were enjoying their day off from watching the kids. They were having a great time together, lots of love, play and fishing. They spent more time just hanging out together than chasing fish. Their friendship and connection was palpable. They spent more time being together than chasing fish.
After a couple hours they left and a few more pod of dolphin came in to grab snacks.
Pip and Patches the Pelican duo visited too. Pip was showing off his diving skills! And of course, Luna and Skylar, the ospreys were actively grabbing fish. More from these 4 characters tomorrow.
Stay tuned for more tales!
PS~. Patches the pelican is in the previous post- she is friends with Pip and very cute.
Uncle Larry
Jagger
Uncle Larry
Fish Fly
Tales from the lagoon~ Episode- Introducing Patches the pelican
Tales from the Lagoon ~ Episode - Introducing Patches the Pelican
This week Patches has been coming to the lagoon with Pip the Pelican but she has also started coming on her own to hang out on Pip’s old pole with Spot the egret.
It’s been really nice getting to know her better. She is shy and curious. It’s fun to watch her explore and take in all the characters in the lagoon.
I think she is a girl because of her size and the size of her beak. I’ve heard the smaller beaks means it’s a girl and next to Pip she looks little.
Pip is a little different when he she is around, he acts more confident, more in charge. When it's just the two of us, he seems more vulnerable more open. I think he likes her.
Pip named her for the white patches on her head which means she is becoming mature. Pip said she is older than him which he likes because she has showed him how to catch fish and stuff older girls know how to do.
Stay tuned for more from Luna, Skylar, a couple dolphins and of course Pip.
Utilize resources around you
Weeeeeeeeee! The wind was whipping this morning. Along with high tide and a churning ocean, the vibe was lively. The flock of seagulls flew in hot and chatty. They used the wind to hang in place as the sun came up to greet the day.
Pelican Highway was also using the wind high in the sky. They were enjoying coasting in the thermals riding in circles allowing the wind to support their joyride. The seagulls and pelicans remind us to use the resources around us to support our journey.
After sunrise I spent some time with Luna the osprey. I asked her how she was and she lifted her foot to show her injured foot. She said, “It’s healing slowly. I’m still able to fish and stand for hours while I look for breakfast. I keep my focus on what is working to keep my spirits high.”
Wishing you a beautiful day friends!
Embrace your authentic self
As I walked to the beach, the almost new moon was high in the sky accompanied by a pink glow. A cool breeze was blowing the tops of the waves sending pink sparkles in the air.
The flock of seagulls flew in hot and spunky. They lifted up in front of the almost new moon saying, “This is a powerful new moon! You may feel the energy of it 3 before and after. New moons bring us the energy of a fresh start and each have a unique signature.”
“This new moon asks us to find balance and harmony with our authentic self. This moon asks us to ensure we are being true to ourselves as we move forward. This is a trait us seagulls have, you see we know how to meet our needs while being part of a flock.”
After sunrise a handsome squirrel was very engaging. He walked with me for 15 minutes stopping to show me his breakfast. At one point he put the nut in his mouth and let go with his hands saying, “Look at me! No hands!” When I got ready to leave he was high in a tree when I said, “I have to go little man.” He put his hand to his heart and looked right the camera bringing the message of love and connection.
He said, “Even a quick moment of connection can be powerful. Enjoy those little moments, they are the whip cream of life.”
Wishing you a day filled with love!
Look at me! No hands!
Paw to the heart
GO within to let go
The wind was whipping while the ocean churned. The vibe was energizing as the current pushed the water rushed toward he shore with intensity. The foam was blowing in the wind making beautiful art with the sweet light.
Pelican Highway traffic was flying southbound, taking time to enjoy coating in the thermals. They said, “We bring the message of finding the sweet spot of energy and let yourself glide, enjoying the quiet ride.”
The flock of seagulls and a solo sandpiper were waiting when I reached the beach. Piper was engaging and chatty. She brings us the message of going within.
She said, “The month of September is a good time to be reflective, look inside to pull out old patterns you no longer need. This will make space to bring in more love.”
Wishing you a beautiful day friends!
Find your unique song
With heavy rain just before sunrise the sunrise was very dramatic with more rain all around, huge fluffy clouds and a lovely pastel color show. The sun found a way to shine through bringing us warmth and hope for a new day.
The flock of squawking seagulls flew in for our regular bath time and connection. Pelican Highway traffic was light heading southbound.
On the way off the beach I ran into a very chatty mockingbird. She said, “I’m here to remind you to notice the fine details. Notice the messages that are in the back of you head trying to get your attention.”
“I’m also here to encourage finding your unique song. Sure I can copy other songs from various birds, I find it’s more fun to find my song and share it with others.”
Pip the pelican was I the lagoon after sunrise playing with a few sticks. He said, “Hi everyone! Always remember to take time to explore, learn and play.”
Wishing you a beautiful day friends!
Pretty Rain
Mockingbird
Pip the pelican
Support from our loved ones
Mother Nature brought us a sweet pastel sunrise with soft colors with a supportive vibe in the air. The waves rolled in with a velvety pink glow while the moon was illuminated in the blue sky.
Pelican Highway traffic was less today, lined up perfectly as they floated above the waves down the beach.
The flock of seagulls was very loud as they flew in sounded like dogs barking. One of them with her wings facing forward said, “Keep your wings pointed in the direction you want to go, then take a deep breath and relax into the moment. You see, this moment is creating your next moment so it’s important to slow down and savor the now.”
As the sun came up slightly behind a cloud I saw a bright male figure standing on the horizon. I felt like he was there for someone reading this. A lovely message of support and connection.
Wishing you a beautiful day feeling supported!
A man on the horizon
Acknowledge your feelings and let them float off
Mother Nature is enjoying the moody blues theme this week. A dark wall of clouds hung in the horizon when my feet his the beach. The ocean was calm until the sun creeped up to greet the day bringing the waves and Pelican Highway to life.
Pelican Highway was jamming with hundreds of birds coming in waves from the north. Lucky surfers were on the highway experiencing the wing span up close and personal.
Pelicans remind us to float through our emotions. They said, “Acknowledge what you feel then let them float off you so you can soar with the flock.”
After sunrise I was chatting with Luna the osprey when the Dolphin I call M popped up from under the dock, swam into the lagoon and grabbed a fish. He said, “I bring the message of expecting the unexpected. Be open to spontaneous moments of play!”
Wishing you a playful and beautiful day friends!
Trust your intuition with the unseen
With thick clouds and fog, the morning was dark with a moody blues color show. The salty fog added to the cozy and serene vibe.
The ocean was warm and clear making it easy to see the baby sharks swimming by looking for snacks.
The flock of seagulls flew in early loud and ready for bath time. One of the seagulls peeking through his wing brings us the message of reading between the lines.
He said, “Sometimes, you have to see between the lines to know what is real. Trust your intuition to know what is true with the unseen.”
Later, another gull flew up with his wings and heart open. The rest of the flock cheered in support, reminding us to flock together with encouragement.
Wishing you a beautiful day friends!
