We spent the day at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge near Cape Kennedy. The Florida birds were out in force. We saw an osprey nest, both parents in residence, and an enormous eagle nest with two fledglings. Sunning himself alongside a canal, this alligator looks to be smiling.

Snowy egrets chased fish in the shallow waters, right alongside avocets, willets, and skimmers. We then drove south to Fort Lauderdale, and after many turns and twists, found a hotel that accepted our discount coupons. We’ll fan out from here to explore those famous beaches along the Florida gold coast through the rest of this week.

We visited Mary and Alyssa staying in South Beach at a funky retro art deco hotel right on Collins Street. The traffic inched along at under 5 mph, cars bumper-to-bumper, people crossed the two-lane streets at random, lights from upscale shops glittered like Las Vegas, and music boomed out of sidewalk bistros. For dinner, delicious sweet sushi at a walk-in restaurant, the cooks chopping great slabs of raw salmon. We talked and later walked along the beach, far from the noise. The crescent moon rose above the palms, its gleaming white crescent at the bottom of the moon, so different from Oregon.

At night coming back home along the causeway, the high-rise condominiums glowed and seemed to float along the horizon, sided by ocean on one side and the intercoastal sea on the other. Most of the time, we don’t go out at night, so this world was quite different. It makes me think that our journey is inward as much as outward, and we make a quiet world wherever we go. Make it a good week.

Today we drove from St. Augustine down Highway 1 to Titusville, Florida. Along the way, we saw the space shuttle launch. We weren't close enough to see the actual lift-off at 2:45 pm, but we could see the con-trail from about 10 miles away. We were driving along Highway 1 at 70 miles per hour, listening to the NASA count down on the radio, and then that amazing white cloud trail that follows the shuttle filled the sky. Wow! Otherwise, entirely a quiet day.

Tomorrow we visit NASA's Kennedy Space Center. What a testament to hundreds and thousands of hours of creative work. When we checked into our hotel, Best Western, dubbed Space Shuttle Inn, everyone was excited the launch had gone well. The day ended with a glorious sunset. Make it a good week! Beth

Last night at O'Steens Seafoord Restaurant here in St. Augustine, Florida, packed full of seniors and international tourists, I heard Clinton and Obama's name repeatedly. I didn't write yesterday, mostly because we stayed up so late watching primary election returns. This morning, all the candidates look so exhausted, and I think it will be a long summer before the Democractic ticket is resolved.

Allen knows several men who would not vote for Hillary even though they consider her qualified. They seem angry at her but can't quite articulate why except to mention something about the health care debacle. Are people really talking about why Hillary seems unelectable?

The commentators last night suggest Obama will win in the next several primaries, reinforcing his surge. I admire his vision, charisma, and articulateness when he speaks to a large crowd. I admire the depth of her experience and her articulateness as she lays out what is possible. Both speak out against the war; both have specific plans to improve our economy.



This You Tube clip "Vote Different" shows where we're headed. Elections are emotional. But the problems we face require rationality. Allen says this clip is dirty politics. I see it as another example of sexism and manipulation. Who really put this video out? Why? How does the average Democratic voter decide between the two? By reading their official web sites of Hillary and Obama?

I'm still on the fence between the two, but ugliness in the campaign will not help either side. It shows the depth of the divide between two candidates who could be a dream ticket, at least for the Democrats. And I'm guessing there will be many, many arguments before the ticket, dream or otherwise, is resolved. Beth

Yesterday we spent 8 hours at Epcot, walking around a lake and visiting Mexico, China, Africa, Japan, Morocco, Great Britain and Canada. Sunny and warm at 83 degrees. We saw a few birds, mostly snowbirds, a very strange looking and aggressive goose with a big brown circle on its eye, and three ibis nabbing french fries. OK, I "forgot" my camera and just relaxed (I took this photo of a 17th Century Chinese folding screen at the Prince Albert Museum in London in 2004 and still hope one day to travel to China).

Most memorable for us at Epcot was China ("knee how" means hello and "si si" means thank you). I saw a Tang Dynasty pottery sculpture of a court lady, conventionally holding a bird (similar to the Greek's ancient statues of Athena). No alligators. Lots of malls for each country. Rich pasteries in France (I don't know how we resisted). We savored a lamb dinner in an outdoor cafe in Morocco, listening to belly dance music. By the end of the day, everyone looked tired but happy. Today, we're holed up at HoJo's with a 27" TV, both of us resting up for a late night of watching election returns and hoping for some resolution for the Democrats (not likely). I'm still torn between Clinton or Obama.

The writing goes well. Most days I'm sprinting along at 500-750 words, but each day I learn something new and start noodling about some other aspect about life in the 1850s. I wonder how to reflect conflict in my writing as I tend to avoid confrontation in real life (as does Allen).

Yet is that true? This morning I stood in line, desperate for coffee, yes at Starbucks. Four women ordered every designer option provided, and I waited. Finally, they left to cluster around the additives table, and the waitress turned to the man (who was after me) to ask what he wanted. I simply said, "Black coffee to go, please." So I guess when it comes to 'fight or flight', I'm less willing to back down. Even over coffee. Allen's the nice one, though I did say please.

Have a great day, and may you not have to wait for coffee. Beth

Check out the
by pictures I've taken in Florida, now updated at WebShots. Make it a good day! Beth

Yesterday we drove 30 miles down to Naples, past rococo malls packed with cars, then along a boulevard sided by three- and four-story mansions near the sea, palm trees edging the two lane road, and “For Sale” alternating with signs for beach access.

We came for the opening of the Picasso exhibit at the Naples Museum of Art, and found two lovely modern buildings, one for the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra with its own galleries, and the other, the Naples Museum, featuring not only Picasso, but a fine collection of modern Mexican masters, with other galleries of modern American art.

Nearly every aspect of Picasso’s range was tastefully on display, our favorites, The Frugal Repast, Women in the Café, and several portraits of Jacqueline Roque. His drawings, paintings, and pottery, chosen from throughout his long and influential career, show tremendous creativity, classical innocence, and outrage, with absolute simplicity of line and color. I admire his ability to communicate his ideas with a very few lines, whether in the early works or in the later modern abstractions that provoke and challenge the viewer. All show his genius.

The museum was interestingly arranged, with one gallery entirely devoted to contemporary American drawings, some abstract, most compelling those following super-realism, creating portraits, often self-portraits, of startling beauty. The first floor exhibit welcomed us with the exuberant and brilliant canvases of Jerome Tupa who has painted his pilgrim’s journey to the great medieval churches in France and Spain. His larger-than-life canvases bend buildings and glow with vibrant primary colors. A final gallery of paintings for sale (Chuck Close for $68,000), reminds me of how affluent Naples is, notwithstanding the mansions. This link shows highlights of several of these exhibits, including some of the work of Tupa (see below).

Later, we walked along the beach as the sun fell behind the horizon. We’re back on the road this week, paring down to simplicity, carrying the idea of home with us.

NEWS ALERT! My first travel article was accepted and just posted this morning on Women's Voices for Change. Click here to read it: "Trading Textbooks for Travel: A 14-Month Cross-Country Journey Marks the Start of a New Career." And now off to Lovers Key State Park for a nice hike with hopes for seeing more of Florida's truly amazing birds. May your day be especially beautiful!!!! Beth