The pipers raced around as the water played with the sand, uncaring about the onlookers waiting for the sun to set. The calm waters, unlike the rhythm of the currents of my first evening in Florida, lapped in food for the small birds. The waters of the gulf shimmered in the setting sun as it does nearly every night. We walk along taking pictures and soaking up the last moments of my visit. Florida seemed almost empty with the nearly empty beaches as the snowbirds from the North were yet to be seen.

A longtime friend, good conversation, quiet beaches, and shelling, what more could you want for a trip away?