Weathering Tropical Storm Andrea

Courtyard 

Heavy rain was testing my umbrella this morning as I went out barefoot to get the paper.

I love rainy days and I poured a cup of coffee and headed to the lanai to listen to the rain and read the paper.

The lanai is our favorite room of the house.  Completely windowed on three sides, we can view all kinds of weather, tiny lizards scampering about, and watch Florida bloom and grow in our courtyard.

We both lean towards a natural look and have cultivated what Robert calls, "A neat and tidy tropical jungle."  The man who used to own the house put in a fountain  right outside our bedroom window.  It wasn't working when we moved in, but once we invested in a new pump, Voila!  It's so peaceful, listening to the sound of falling water as you drift into sleep.

We've discovered so many wonderful things about living here.  One nice thing, in Florida, anyone can have a green thumb, even me.  Whatever I stick in the ground here grows and flourishes and I love it!

I smiled as I took another sip of coffee and pulled the newspaper out of its protective plastic bag.  There, on the front page of the newspaper, was an article about Andrea, the first tropical storm of the season!  Wow!  It's out in the Gulf and I guess we're in for a lot of wind and heavy rain.  As new Florida residents, that brings a mixed bag of emotions!

I do feel very safe here in our home.  Robert and I purposely bought what's called -- in The Villages, anyway -- a 'courtyard villa'.  It is made of concrete block construction which is then stuccoed.

The entire property, even the back courtyard and side patio, is enclosed by an eight-foot wall, which is also made of concrete block and stuccoed.  The wall is gated at one end, which opens to the street out front.  The whole effect is very Spanish and elegant and very private.

Lanai

Geez oh man, it's windy!  The palms are swaying like crazy!  Cleo and Kitty (our cats) are side by side at the patio slider watching the storm gear up.

I wonder what Andrea, our very first tropical storm, will bring.  She's our first introduction to the Florida hurricane season, which lasts from June to November.

This will indeed be interesting ...




"A Writer soon learns that easy to read is hard to write." ~CJ Heck