Venice Florida Getaway

After Christmas, a teacher asked her young pupils how they spent their holiday away from school. One child wrote the following:

We always used to spend the holidays with Grandma and Grandpa. They used to live in a big brick house but Grandpa got retarded and they moved to Florida. Now they live in a tin box and have rocks painted green to look like grass. They ride around on their bicycles and wear name tags because they don't know who they are anymore.

They go to a building called a wrecked center, but they must have got it fixed because it is all okay now, and do exercises there, but they don't do t hem very well. There is a swimming pool too, but in it, they all jump up and down with hats on.

At their gate, there is a doll house with a little old man sitting in it. He watches all day so nobody can escape. Sometimes they sneak out. They go cruising in their golf carts.

Nobody there cooks, they just eat out. And, they eat the same thing every night ---early birds. Some of the people can't get out past the man in the doll house. The ones who do get out, bring food back to the wrecked center and call it pot luck.

My Grandma says that Grandpa worked all his life to earn his retardment and says I should work hard so I can be retarded someday too. When I earn my retardment, I want to be the man in the doll house. Then I will let people out so they can visit their grandchildren.

The weather was cool but so much warmer than at home where family let us know they were being snowed under almost every day. We really enjoyed being able to walk the beaches daily, which soon became our morning routine. We gathered shells and soaked up all the vitamin D we needed to feel healthy and fit.
I can understand why seniors love to spend their winters in the warm weather and sunshine. Everyone older and younger are either walking or riding bikes along the many trails. There is so much to explore - we never ran out of things to do.
Sitting outside was wonderful even on those cool days when the temperatures only got up to the 60's compared to at home where it was way, way below freezing. Not having to put on hats, mitts, coats, scarves and boots - was a joy in itself.

I have always loved being in nature - listening to bird calls and songs. Along the beaches in Venice and Nokomis we were introduced to pelicans. They are everywhere! Watching them swoop down into the water and come up with their catch of the day was one of the daily activities I looked forward to.
When the winds were up and the waves were rolling you could see many pelicans along the jettys where they seemed to seek protection from the raging gulf waters.
They often sit on top of poles or on the shore rocks watching for fishers returning in their boats, just in case some of the goodies slip overboard.
They are very entertaining!

I visited the Warm Mineral Springs more than once. It is known as the Fountain of Youth discovered by Ponce de Leon.
It is a great place to spend an afternoon - floating in the springs and soaking up healing energy. The spiritual energy of the water and the area is very restful and reviving.