The winds have been blowing steadily for about 48 hours now. I'm clinging to keeping the doors and windows open again, but its been dicey the last couple mornings with the heat. So far, so good. We're at high season now here at Deer Run. Longer minimum night stays are in place, and looking ahead we're seeing a hopefully busy season. I'm plotting and planning what to bake for Christmas time, and what to offer for sale locally too. I have come up with what I think is the most perfect recipe for chocolate biscotti ever. Just-right crunchy, a heavy dose of (fair trade! organic!) cocoa, sweet dried cranberries, toasted almonds, and a couple tosses of (vegan!) white chocolate chips. I really must learn to stop making food I love so much. I still secretly hope broken biscotti have less calories than whole ones... I can dream, right!?
Beyond the baking and wind, things are status quo at Deer Run. I like the status quo. I've never been a fan of surprises. As an innkeeper well, you kind of get the attitude of every day brings a surprise, which isn't usually what I hope for. There was a another heroic effort and success story with local Refuge Officer "Chad" who was able to come to the aid of a young female Key deer on our property who had a metal ring around her ankle. She must have stepped on it as a baby, and couldn't get it off. So, as she grew, the metal expanded, then began to embed into her flesh. It caused her to limp terribly, obviously was painful, and was becoming infected. The hardest part was actually capturing her for an Officer to respond and help her. It took a few weeks, but she was finally able to be confined in a certain area. Once we were able to corral her, Officer Chad came out, helped her, and then cleansed the wound. We have seen this female deer almost every day since Officer Chad was here, and she is doing very well, yay!
The snowbirds are making their way back to the Keys in earnest this time of year. Houses on all the streets are filling back up with residents, and its a happy time because we get to see friends that were gone all summer long. My road has become much busier than I've been accustomed to, lots of people bicycling, walking and even running. Its pretty social out there at times, I have to keep my focus. I simply wave, say hello and never break stride. Pop still sits either in his driveway, or at his dining room table most days waiting for me to run by. He waits and waves as a morale booster for me. Its a very sweet gesture, and we count on seeing each other that way regularly.
My "cold zone" friends have left to go back to the cold zone. I will miss them, and am holding hopes for a not-too-snowy winter in their neck of the woods. Although... looking at my facebook friends posts on Thanksgiving Day, things are looking unseasonably cold, and snowy. Couldn't believe all the places that got snow on Thanksgiving. Our island hit a balmy 79 yesterday... it was overcast in the afternoon otherwise we would've been over 80, as we are today, and as we have been most of the last week.
I think today my plan is to do chores, go for a run, catch up on laundry (I told you that never ends) and spend some quality time with my kitties. Beyond that, maybe there will be time for a sparkly sipper on the beach and maybe a drive to the health food store to say hi. I missed them yesterday, being they were closed for the holiday and all. That place is like a second home to me.
So, as you can see, we're settling into a rhythm for our busy season. Chores, sunshine, short drives and visits. All things that happen busy or not. It's kind of like "groundhog day" for me between now and Easter. Not too shabby.
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