Farther South

Over the weekend, we drove to Islamorada, in the middle Florida Keys, to visit a couple we've known for nearly 60 years. As usual when driving over to Miami from the Ft. Myers area and then south toward Key West, we noticed how much more tropical it is there than here.

Partly, I guess, that's because of the Gulf Stream, the warm waters of which hug the south coast of Florida. And partly, it's because Islamorada is about 150 miles south of an imaginary line drawn between Ft. Myers and Palm Beach on the east coast of the peninsula.

house near our friends' rental

Of particular note was the frangipani, which is still bare where I live, and is beginning to put out a few blooms on Islamorada. And the coconut palms, which on my island turn brown after a prolonged cold snap, are green and lush farther south, despite brushes with hurricanes and tropical storms.

The bougainvillea, which grow in both places, seem to flourish especially well farther south. (They have wicked thorns, no matter where they're planted.)

Bougainvillea

Islamorada beach

Because it was windy, we old folks chose to eat dinner indoors overlooking the beach at sunset one evening and watched one couple's barefoot wedding. In a few minutes, after that tableaux had cleared away, another young man knelt on one knee and held up to a young woman a small box, whereupon he jumped up and they enthusiastically kissed. I believe she said "Yes!"