The spiral of life
ever turning
spinning
twisting
Curves ever winding
inner to outer
and back to center again
A journey of beauty
wonder
mystery
the spiral of life
© Julie Rehnelt 2020
~
This past week the spiral of my life brought me to Miami Florida! I’ve never been to Florida before, so it was a fun, new adventure for me!
My sister and her husband flew me there to spend a few days with them while they are on vacation down there. How nice of them was that?! I’m so grateful!
But do you know what guys? The winter loves me so much that it followed me all the way from Minnesota and made iguanas fall from the skies! Yep. They had a windchill advisory and everything. One local told us it was the coldest temps they’ve had in 5 years. I blamed myself and promptly apologized. 😉
But being a cold-hearty Minnesotan, I found it amusing that they issued a windchill advisory for 35 degree weather, and my sister and I giggled to see many of the locals all bundled up in winter clothes. You guys think this is cold? Bah, you haven’t seen nothing! Incidentally, I hadn’t packed any of my own warm clothes, thinking it was gonna be 80 degrees. I didn’t even wear a coat to the airport, knowing I wouldn’t need it. But I was wrong, it was indeed quite nippy on Tuesday evening. But that didn’t stop us from going out to the hot tub that night. The only other people we met out there with us were from Canada. Maybe they’re the ones to blame for bringing the winter weather! Hahaha!
When I got back home, I heard that the National Weather Service had also issued a warning about “Falling Iguanas” on their Twitter page and that really took the cake! But in actuality, that’s not funny. Poor things! And they weren’t really falling from the skies obviously, they were falling from the trees.
I didn’t see any fallen iguanas while I was there, but I did see one, and thankfully, it was alive and well. It was really cool to see. I snapped a picture of it, but didn’t get a good quality shot…
You can’t tell from the photo, but it was HUGE! I wish I could have gotten closer, but it ran away as I approached. I was lucky to even get this shot.
I feel lucky to have even seen it at all! And lucky to have seen all of the other wonderful and beautiful things I saw while I was in Florida too! I have 300+ other photos that I snapped during the few short days I was there. Excessive much? 😉 But I won’t make you scroll endlessly to look at them all, I’ll try and share them little by little in future posts.
But I will share this one before I go…
My big seester and I at the lighthouse on beautiful Key Biscayne ❤
May your day be with love! And may the spiral of life bring you to beautiful places, people and things today…
✿~Peace & Love~✿
Ramblings From Jewels 
How wonderful that they flew you to be with them in Florida. Sorry for the cold weather, but clearly you found ways to enjoy and find beauty anyway. I love your poem Julie and look forward to seeing a few of the photos! 🙂
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It really was such a wonderful gift! Yeah, the cooler temps didn’t bother me too much – I’m not a fan of the heat anyways, but I had expected it to be a bit warmer than that! 😉 Thanks so much, Brad, the poem was inspired by that beautiful seashell in the photo. My sister had found it along the shore and after I snapped a few pictures of it, she tossed it gently back into the water because we found a little creature was living inside it! Nature is so amazing! 🙂
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I’m glad you enjoyed your trip anyway. Yes, nature is amazing!
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So glad you got a little respite from winter, even if it seemed to follow you, haha! The Floridians, including the iguanas, were really suffering!
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Thanks Eliza, it was a lovely little respite from winter, despite the cooler temps! Luckily for the Floridians (and the iguanas) the temps returned to normal… after I left! 😉
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Liked your post. Have been to Florida a few times when it was warm. Had to be the Canadians that brought the cold weather to Florida. Ha Bet you thought 35 degrees was just fine – Minnesota has some real Winters. So nice of your sister and her husband to invite you on their trip.
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Thanks Patty, so glad you liked it! Haha yeah it had to have been the Canadians! 😉 30’s are perfect winter temps here, but I never would have imagined them in Florida! I don’t think it even reached 70 the whole time I was there. But even with the cooler temps, the sun was still nice and warm, so that was nice. I know, it truly was so nice of my sister and her husband to fly me down there for a few days, such a gift! ❤
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Loved your story Jewels and how the weather traveled with you. We have similar experiences with my wife when we travel to hot dry places we bring the rain and locals say it never rains this time of year. Great shot of you and sis, so glad they gave you that time away it is so special when loved ones do that for you. I reckon if I went to the US Florida would be a place I would want to explore also. Have a wonderful week my friend!
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Thanks Ashley, that silly weather! Yeah, my sister has always taken a huge part in introducing me to new experiences. It was with her that I saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time 20+ years ago, and now I was with her the first time I saw the Atlantic. Well, technically I did see it from the plane as it was coming in for a landing, but you know what I mean. 😉 I don’t think that Miami specifically was necessarily my cup of tea, but I’d love to explore more of Florida’s natural areas and wildlife, it’s beautiful down there, and the color of the water… SO lovely!
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Julie–we can always tell the tourists! You guys are dressed like it’s warm outside and we are freezing in our 30 degree weather! 😀 I’m up in the FL Panhandle, we were really cold **see 30 degree comment above** I love your frosty windowpane photos, but have no idea how you handle that cold.
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Haha yeah, when it’s in the 30’s in the winter here it’s like perfect! 😉 I think people have a certain image in their heads of what the temps are like in different areas of the country (and world), and I have to admit that I was expecting it to be way warmer in Miami – I don’t think it even reached 70 while I was there! It was still ‘warm’ to me though, especially with the sun. 🙂
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Lois, it’s not as cold in Indiana as it is in Minnesota (most of the time) and when I see anything that doesn’t start with a 1, I’m pretty happy with the winter forecast. Like, this morning, I looked, and the highs are in the 30s all week and I think, “Oh thank goodness!”
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The spiral is so reflective of your mandalas
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I thought so too, Derrick 🙂
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Kind of sad your first time in Florida wasn’t hot as blazes. LOL Pity about the zerds and in Miami, no less! Sooo south! Phew!
I’m glad you had a good time 🙂
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Haha you know that I’m so totally fine with the ‘wasn’t hot as blazes’ Joey! 70’s would have been nice though. 😉
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I realize it’s very selfish, but it’s always hot as blazes when IIIIII go! lol
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