I am so excited about our upcoming New York trip!! I want to start packing now but that’s just stupid as we aren’t leaving until June 19th. Monkeys is coming this year; it’s the second time in the nine years we’ve been married, so I’m extra excited because I keep thinking about getting to show him houses and yards and plants and rocks. He’s probably not all that excited, because I’m sure nothing has changed dramatically since the other time he came with us. But two of my cousins got new homes with *amazing* yards, so I think Monkeys will enjoy tromping around their woods and streams, at least.

I’m not really much of a nature girl. I don’t spend a lot of time outside. But I think that’s because there isn’t much shade around here and I don’t handle sunshine well (instant explosion) and because all we have around here are sand spurs, beaches, and straggly pines and water oaks. Our beaches are gorgeous, truly. The Gulf is stunning; the water is often the most incredible shades of blue and green. (Often – “frequently”, not “one who has no children”…) When I was dating Ken of the Sailboat I was outside every weekend on the boat enjoying the coastline. But from shore, it’s not as fun for me. I love mountains and woods and streams. I love Florida more, so I imagine I will never permanently get my forest home, which I suppose makes the NY trips even more special.

I adore everything about the flora and fauna up there. I love visiting the plants as much as I love visiting the people, which seems a little wrong. But they have ferns and flowers and bushes that we just can’t grow down here. It’s insanely green and lush. Honestly, I could just lay out a sleeping bag in any of my aunts’ or uncles’ back yards and sit in the grass the entire week. Well, except for the bugs. I hate the bugs. They don’t get as many of them either because of the cold winters which would probably freeze me back to Florida, but they do have loads of mosquitoes. Then again, at least that part feels like home. :)