Busy with your crafts project, focusing intently
Threading the wire, using the crimping tool
Inspecting the earring you have repaired.
I enjoy watching you as I type these words
Practicing my craft here on my side of the table.
You are making alterations to old earrings
While I work on my form of documenting our life.
We are here in Florida as new retirees.
It is evening as we are starting our third week.
The illusion is that we have all the time in the world
To do whatever we want and only what we want.
We are here this year just for the winter
Enjoying our escape from the cold north.
We go out every morning to explore nature
Wearing binoculars to better see the birds.
Sometimes we walk, sometimes we bike.
Always we enjoy being outdoors being alive.
Today we went looking for painted buntings
Finding the house with the feeder they visit.
It’s a house by the Caloosahatchee River some miles upstream
Across from the post office in an old town named Alva.
A retired couple from Michigan moved there
Living out their days in her father’s house.
We stopped in front when we saw the feeders.
Is this the White's house we wondered?
Leon was on the front porch and called hello.
He came out to introduce himself.
How nice to be welcomed when we were strangers.
Lois invited us onto their porch and into their chairs
Where we chatted about our lives and watched
The beautiful painted buntings show themselves off.
Leon and Lois are older than us.
They used to travel around more.
Now they wait for the world to come to them.
We so enjoyed their hospitality and advice.
As we were leaving we went to their back yard
To see their grand old live oak trees twined together
And pick some delicious ripe oranges from their tree.
Then Leon told me to do things now while we still can.
