THE JOYS OF BEING FREE AND WINGED

THREE SEA BIRDS IN THE EVENING
FISH FOR TINY MORSELS OR
ARE THEY SIMPLY HAVING FUN
AT THE BEACH? THEY WILL FIND
A SPECIAL PLACE TO
SLEEP AND WAIT
FOR THE MORNING SUN
TO BEGIN THEIR FUN
AGAIN. LIKE THE SUNLOVERS AND
FUNLOVERS, THEIR HUMAN
COUNTERPARTS ON A PIER CAFE
WATCHING AND POINTING, SECRETLY
WISHING THEY COULD BE LIKE

THE BIRDS ALONG THE BEACH, ALWAYS DANCING, SNACKING, ALWAYS WAITING FOR
A SPECIAL PLACE TO SPEND THE NIGHT AND WAIT FOR THE MORNING SUN...
BY R.L. HUFFSTUTTER

ANNA MARIE ISLAND FLORIDA BEACHES BY R.L.HUFFSTUTTER

The island has a number of beaches. There's Anna Maria beach, Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach, Coquina Beach, all on the Gulf (or west side); on the Tampa Bay side of the island, there's one long beach that boasts calmer and gentler waters; it's called "Three Piers" and features views of the Skyway bridge and Tampa's high rise building.

One of a number of watercolor paintings of

Anna Maria Island by Robert L. Huffstutter

THE BEACHES OF ANNA MARIE ISLAND

watercolor paintings by Robert L. Huffstutter

Until 2005, I had never been to Florida; I had always assumed the beaches of California were the only ones that mattered. Afterall, having studied elementary geography, I knew that Florida was flat, almost at sea-level, so there would be no dramatic cliffs or hairpin curves around the Gulf or Atlantic like the ones between Santa Barbara and San Francisco on the Pacific Coast Highway. Florida was flat; it still is flat. But I can't deny that many of its beaches are more beautiful than a few of the lesser beaches in California. One thing about the flatland around the beaches that's positive is that there are very few steep ravines where a high-speed vehicle could careen into if out of control. What I like best about Florida beaches is the water temperature. It is so much warmer than the Pacific waters around Santa Monica and Laguna. Oh, the palm trees are more diverse--and taller. Well, the palms around the Beverly Hills Hotel are taller, probably the tallest in the world, but there's a reason and that reason is the celebrities who out hang out around there would not settle for less. I have wondered if the palms there are super-injected with a tall growth hormone of some type. Hey, this makes no sense and has nothing to do with Florida. Yes, I love the Florida beaches because the waters are warmer. At least the Gulf in July is so warm that I do not have to take test runs and get my courage up. It's simple: go to one of the beaches on Anna Marie, plop down the towels and hydration kits, the shades, a chair or two, and head into the the water. From the first time I felt the warmth of the Gulf, I knew I would be spending time floating about, relaxing.

The only problem I have with the island is remembering the correct spelling. ANNA MARIA ISLAND

A BEACH BACK BENEATH A PIER

THERE ARE THOSE BEACHES

BACK BENEATH THE PIER

OW MANY YEARS HAVE PASSED SINCE WE MET AT THAT OLD PIER BY CHANCE? IT WAS A SUMMER KIND OF ROMANCE, ONE WE KNEW WOULD NOT LAST. YOU WERE FROM SOME LITTLE LAKE TOWN DOWN IN UPSTATE NEW YORK AND YOU ASKED ME WHY I DECIDED TO SPEND TIME IN BAR HARBOR, MAINE. YOU LAUGHED WHEN I TOLD YOU I HAD NEVER HAD LOBSTER WITH A MAINE BAKED POTATO OR WRITTEN A BEST SELLER. YOUR EYES SPARKLED LIKE THE STARS WE SAW AS WE LINGERED AND STAYED ON THAT RICKETY OLD PIER. WHEN THE ATLANTIC'S NIGHT WIND BEGAN BLOWING IT MADE YOU SHIVER. WE EMBRACED AND SPENT THE REST OF THE SUMMER TOGETHER IN THE CABINS WE HAD RENTED IN ADVANCE UNTIL SEPTEMBER TO GET AWAY FROM LIFE LONG ENOUGH TO FALL IN LOVE. IT'S A WONDER WE NEVER WROTE EACH OTHER EVEN ONCE, BUT I THINK WE BOTH KNEW IT WOULD BE BETTER BECAUSE WE SENSED OUR LOVE WAS TOO PERFECT TO LAST ANYWAY. WE WERE SO ROMANTIC, YET SO FATAL AND SO SELFISH TOO. WE WERE TOO YOUNG TO UNDERSTAND THAT PASSION COULD BE DIVIDED. WE WERE UNWISE. ARE YOU STILL THE DEAN OF THAT ALL GIRLS SCHOOL? YOU DIDN'T KNOW I KNEW, OR DID YOU? MAYBE WE WILL MEET AGAIN SOME SUMMER, BUT THE OLD PIER, AS YOU MUST KNOW, FINALLY FELL IN THE WINTER OF EIGHTY-NINE. IT WAS ON THE COVER OF MY LAST BEST SELLER.

ELECTRIC BEACH PEOPLE HAVING FUN BENEATH A BLUE ELECTRIC SKY

THE SKY SUDDENLY CHANGED

AND BECAME A COOL BLUE

paintprogram image/sketch/painting by Robert L. Huffstutter

Venice beach, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach in the late 50s and early 60s are memories of what beaches were and should be before the concrete was poured...watercolor by Robert L. Huffstutter

BEACHFRONTS ARE AS PERSONAL AND UNIQUE AS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIFETIME RESIDENTS OR TEMPORARY TRANSIENTS...THEY HAVE ONE BOND TO SHARE, THE BEACHFRONT

Laguna Beach in 1960 by R.L.Huffstutter using the Paintprogram

WELCOME TO THE BEACH...A GREAT PLACE TO GO TO GETAWAY

a photo/art journal by Robert L. Huffstutter