AMANDA, TURN ON THE DAMN TV! Technology. Jeez. At home it takes me 4 remotes just to adjust the TV. I just turned 65 years old (how did HE make it to 65 you are saying to yourselves). I could be “that guy” on the SNL skit about Alexa. If you haven’t seen it, it is hysterical.

Knowing the inmates are running the Insane Asylum in Washington, we decided to head south to one of our all-time favorite campgrounds – Fort Desoto. If you are not familiar with Fort Desoto – it is one of the crown jewels of campgrounds., situated on a string of islands at the entrance to Tampa Bay. While it is located in a densely populated urban area in the Tampa/Clearwater (FL) area, it feels like an oasis.

You don’t get to go to Florida without going through south Georgia – the peanut capital of the world. We camped overnight in an RV lot operated by Carroll’s Sausage, and next to the world’s largest peanut monument.  Can I get an amen for Carroll’s Sausage and Country Store?   The “campground” they operate sits right next to I-75. Quaint. Cozy. Quiet. Not.

So back to Fort Desoto. There is a tremendous number of birds that either makes Fort Desoto their home, or for migratory birds a place to stop.

Let’s talk about flight. There may be a few of my flying pilot peeps out there that can relate to a few of these landings. Just sayin’ – not being judgmental. Grab your ass – this is what flying back in steerage feels like.

It wasn’t just birds flying.  The fish were flying as well! Seriously. Maybe it was an identity crisis, but the fish were jumping out of the water the entire time we were there. I guess everybody wants to fly (except me).

Meanwhile, some of the flying birds wanted to swim like fish. What is wrong with this world? What some creatures won’t do for sushi. These cormorants would fly in and land right next to my kayak, which was more than a little intimidating, and stay so close I could have patted them (I didn’t).

Dolphins swam close to me as well, although sadly – no pics. But one of the really nice parts of Fort Desoto are the sunsets. I know no one wants to see pictures of others’ sunsets, but these were so beautiful I can’t help myself sharing. So I will leave you with a few of my sunset pictures…

Breathe deep the gathering gloom,

Watch lights fade from every room,

Bedsitter people look back and lament,

Another day’s useless energy spent,

Impassioned lovers wrestle as one,

Lonely man cries for love and has none,

Cold hearted orb that rules the night,

Removes the colours from our sight,

New mother picks up and suckles her son,

Senior citizens wish they were young,

Red is grey and yellow white,

But we decide what is right,

And which is an illusion?

Moody Blues, Late Lament