Stuck Like a Duck on a Deck May 26, 2013
Posted by nrhatch in Art & Photography, Food & Drink, Travel & Leisure.trackback
It’s Memorial Day in the States . . .
Creating a 3-day-weekend for many working folks who enjoy spending their “off hours” congregating in record numbers with other boaters in shallow waters atop barely submerged sandbars in the inter-coastal waterway while they float from boat to boat, cans in hand, to discuss matters of deep import.
We didn’t join them.
Instead, we went for a long walk in the waves on alcohol-free beaches.
We enjoyed $2 Happy Hour appetizers and a cold Yuengling at Bella Mia Grille on the Manatee River ~ our fave, fried green beans with chipotle dipping sauce.
We listened to the Sarasota Jazz Project while strolling through the Farmer’s Market on Lemon Avenue.
We enjoyed all the bright colors, textures, sounds, and aromas.
We bought fresh corn-on-the-cob for dinner, a pair of ripe red tomatoes, and two considerably-less-ripe green tomatoes to pair with grits for lunch today.
After getting our fill of the Farmer’s Market, we went for a short boat ride on Sarasota Bay with Captain Daryl of the Freedom Boat Club.
The weather whispered, “kick back and relax.”
We complied.
After having a few laughs, we headed north to Longboat Key Club for an Auction of Artwork and Diamond-studded Rolex Watches.
A Peep at Christies: Wikipedia ~ Elizabeth Farren (in Public Domain)
We didn’t bring our checkbooks, content to spectate only.
After watching an original Pissarro sell for $11,800 and a Rolex go for $8,900, we turned our backs on the stifled bidding and returned home.
Where we found a duck, stuck, on our deck.
We didn’t realize, at first, that she was stuck. She seemed to be enjoying the shade of the palm tree.
An hour later, she began pacing, intent on finding a way out.
We screened the deck posts so Tigger can’t slip through. The duck could have flown the coop by looking up.
But our stuck duck didn’t think of that as she waddled to and fro, flapping frustrated wings.
So we rescued her.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Spirit Lights The Way 
Those limes at the market look amazing! Must head out to the market now. Since I got a new lab puppy, we don’t get ducks in our pool.
Aww . . . a new lab puppy?! They’re my favorite pups. Feel free to share a photo of your little one with us. 😀
We now pick fresh limes off the plant in our courtyard. So nice when I’m cooking and realize I need fresh lime juice.
Nancy, as Louis Armstrong once sang: “What a wonderful world…”
Yes! Louis got it right . . . lots of wonderful things! 😀
That farmer’s market looks good! Poor duck, though. I’m glad you were able to save her. I’ve been that duck before, so focused on my situation that I miss obvious ways to change it 🙂
Yes! Sometimes we need only step back and reassess the situation to see an easy way over or around the obstacle in our path. No dynamite needed.
The Sarasota Farmer’s Market is fantastic ~ about 9 blocks of goodies to peruse.
I love going to markets like that – we’ve got one here every Sunday where we can buy fresh fruit and veg (YUM!) 😉 Sounds like you had a spectacular weekend! I’m so glad you saved the duck (poor thing) 😀
It is a FUN way to shop for the freshest of fresh food . . . and the music is a nice accompaniment.
The duck did NOT want our help and kept running away. QUACK!
Sounds perfect Nancy!
Glad you came to the rescue of the stuck duck!
BFF lifted her up to the top of the railing (3 ft. above the deck) and off she flew. As she skidded to a stop on the lagoon, you could almost hear her relief. Aah . . . that’s better!
What a beautiful environment you live in!
The four years we’ve lived here have FLOWN! We love it.
Today, we went to the first ever “Pickin’ Picnic” at the Bradenton Riverwalk. Bands from 11 am – 10 pm. Great turn out and terrific weather ~ just perfect.
Fried green beans. Who knew they would be so delish?
Before going to Bella Mia, I’d tried fried zucchini, fried potatoes, and fried green tomatoes . . . but my first fried green bean was a new taste sensation.
What a fantastic day! The Farmer’s Market looks inviting!
We’re having a fun weekend. The Farmer’s Market would have benefited from the slightly cooler and less humid temps we’re enjoying now ~ yesterday and today have been fantastic.
Not sure what we’re going to do today. Nothing on the radar yet.
Hope you’re enjoying the long weekend.
It sounds like the perfect Florida day. That is probably exactly what we would have done.. 🙂 As long as it wasn’t too hot! I have you guys on my phone as a favorite weather location on TWC.. 🙂
Thanks, Pix. We had a “warm” day Saturday . . . it felt great out on the boat because Captain Daryl stirred up a lovely breeze.
Yesterday and today, the humidity is lower and the temps are cooler. It’s just fabulous!
“probably* good grief! Even that doesn’t look right. I should not type before 10am.. 😀
I read right over it, Pix ~ maybe it’s too early for me too. Now fixed.
Thanks.. 😆
One of my grand-daughters’ favorite books is “One Duck Stuck.” Your entire day sounds sublime to me, Nancy! I would have enjoyed accompanying you right down to the green beans and chipotle sauce! 🙂
Oh, I bet that’s a darling book.
This post actually covers 2 days (although that isn’t clear from the post). On Thursday, we walked the beach and went to Happy Hour with a couple friends. The rest of the post happened on Saturday. Next time, you come too!
It looks like a wonderful way to spend the weekend, Nancy! Beautiful photos! And and ripe tomatoes are among my favorites for sure! Picasso isn’t too bad, either, I guess… and if that decimal point was moved over just a bit I might have even had a shot!
🙂
It’s been a FAB weekend. Today, we’re taking it easy “at home.” We can only stand so much gallivanting around.
I’m with you on the decimal point, Sig. Fortunately, my taste in art and jewelry meshes with my wallet ~ I don’t see the point of spending $10,000 (and up) for a painting or a watch.
Sounds like a good day; and even ending with quackly giving a spot of luck to your stuck duck. Even a boatride without the sandbar-stamping can-carriers!
As we drove over the bridge from Longboat Key to Anna Maria, on our return home, we saw 100-150 boats in the shallows with happy, smiling, bathing-suit clad boaters wading through waist-deep water to visit with other boaters.
They looked to be having quite the time of it . . . but I did see some sunburns starting to appear on unprotected shoulders.
I love messing about in boats – but then, I like to do a lot of it actually IN the boat and moving!
Our sentiments exactly. We enjoyed our boat ride around Sarasota Bay . . . with the wind whipping through our hair, but wading about on a sandbar holds less appeal. 😉
My kind of day – the markets, the weather, the music, I am just wondering about “grits”? Showing my ignorance here. Joy
Grits are Southern Comfort food. I didn’t taste them until I went to school in Williamsburg, Virginia. They aren’t common north of the Mason-Dixon line.
Grits are ground up corn and prepared like oatmeal in boiling water. They can be fancied up in lots of ways (like mashed potatoes or rice), but I like mine with just butter, salt, and pepper.
You can see a photo of them in this post:
https://nrhatch.wordpress.com/2012/10/11/southern-comfort/
Glad to see you had a better day than that duck. Birds aren’t too bright, are they?
Except for crows, most birds are not terribly bright. Hence the term, “birdbrain.” 😛
What a lovely day 😉
We had lots of FUN. Thanks, Tok.