February 02nd, 2021

"What A Difference A Day Makes".  Do you know that song? It was the first thing that came to mind when I realized that these two photos were taken only 24 hours apart.  Well twenty-four hours and about twenty miles.

On Sunday, in the course of running errands and just in general getting out of the house for a bit, Tim and I somehow ended up in Sarasota at Bay Front Park.  I've written about this park before.  It's a lovely bit of green and a cute little walking path right in the midst of down town Sarasota.  Surrounded by a combination of marina, enormous buildings and ocean, it is a happy surprise to first time visitors and a delightful place to pass some time to those in the know.

It was a pretty sunny day, the water was fairly calm and the park was teeming with visitors.  Everyone was either masked and/or socially distancing while enjoying a nap, a walk, or a meal.  Kids were playing, safely corralled in the fenced playground, visitors (and folks like me) were walking and taking photos, or just watching the boats and the seabirds, dogs trotted loyally at their sides.  It was a lovely little respite in our otherwise busy.

One day later, the temperature had dropped, the winds picked up, the sun took the day off and the surf was high.  Here on the island, right in the midst of high season (meaning tourists, visitors and snowbirds galore) the beach parking lots were nearly empty (unheard of!) and the only thing in the water were surfers and a few pelicans.

It was awesome!

Tim and I stood out there, buffeted by the wind (I was nearly knocked over by it a few times!), covered in sea spray, chilled to the bone and mesmerized by it all.  And frankly kind of wowing over those surfers who braved it all just for the excitement of battling the waves.  (I hope those wet suits kept them warmer than my jacket!)  I suppose I was standing there snapping away for the same reason they were in the water with their boards: for the thrill of it all.

It was so completely different than the previous day at Bay Front Park.  Which was also beautiful but in a calm and serene sort of way.  There was nothing serene about the second day, but I loved it just as much.

I guess the lesson here is twofold.  First you just never know what's going to happen next.  And second, there is more than one kind of beautiful.

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