key west walkabout

By the time this morning's welcome rain finished falling, I'd done just about enough of my Saturday chores as I was figuring to and it was time to get out of the house. Under a partly sunny sky with that rain-washed fresh smell in the air, I decided to take a walk and visit with an old friend across the island in Bahama Village.

These are a handful and then some of Key West unique-ities (a.k.a. things you won't find in New Jersey) that mapped my course along the way to there and back again. . .

Watson Lane

Grinnel Street

Catherine Street

Amelia Street

Olivia Street

Julia Street

Virginia Street

Angela Street

spike

Last week my cactus plant, I call him Spike, flowered again. I love it when he does that and even though he's really only done it once before, about 4 years ago, it's the rarity of the event that makes it that much more special.

The thing about these cactus flowers is, they're weren't there yesterday but they're here today and they're gone tomorrow. So, if you're not paying attention, it's easy to miss them.

That I did notice it and took the time to take the picture is somehow reassuring to me. In the face of all the noise and distraction that is the current clusterf@#k of a world we live in and even as jaded as I feel myself becoming, the larger part of myself is still paying attention to the real world around me and remaining grateful for the small things that are God's quiet work.

cactus fruit

Someone told me that these bite sized bits were edible. . .
So, true to my childlike spirit of adventure, I had to try one.
(the one that's missing)
It was yellow. . .
But no, it didn't taste like lemon and actually it was pretty bitter.
I don't imagine the orange one would taste like orange or the red one like cherry either.
I guess if you were castaway on a desert island with nothing else to eat, you'd thank God for these nasty little bite size bits.
But when you know you've got leftover pizza back home in
the fridge. . .