We just got back from our annual spring break trip to Sarasota, FL. As some of you may know, we used to have a house there but sold it when Mikayla had to be in school all winter for some stupid reason. Now we stay with our good friends, Joe and Kristen, who are kind enough to lend us their beyond fabulous beach house. Unfortunately they were away– skiing, of all things– for their spring break, so we only got to visit them for the one day that we crossed paths. We were worried that Mikayla would be bored and lonesome without her friends Tess and Jack, but it turned out to be one of our best trips ever! (Although, let’s face it– how bad could it be?? All our trips there are wonderful.)
The first day or two always seem to be spent running to our favorite restaurants and stores and picking up things we forgot to bring at Target and the drugstore and so on. But then we realize that we’re here:
looking out at this:
and we finally start to relax and remember we don’t have to be anywhere or do anything except swim, take walks, and look for shells and revolting dead sea creatures that wash up on shore. Mikayla records all such finds with her trusty camera.
One afternoon we went to the Mote Marine, Sarasota’s amazing aquarium and marine research center.
We went on a Sea Life Encounter Cruise, where a marine biologist is on board explaining everything you see. The boat takes you to an island in the middle of Sarasota Bay where you get to take a little trail walk past mangrove trees and couples who thought they had found the most remote spot ever to have a romantic beach picnic. Then back on board, our guides throw a net overboard and bring up all kinds of amazing things that they pass around to all the children– sea urchins, starfish, regular old fish, and even a seahorse on this trip!
Of course Mikayla caught it all on film and made me promise to show it on my blog.
I always bring a few art supplies with me on trips, just in case, but I very rarely use them. The ideas usually start coming to me on the drive home and I know they’ll eventually make it into a drawing someday. I think the first one I’m going to do when I get back to work is of a blissful little girl with a seahorse, much like her parents, wrapped around her little finger.
~Mary
Editor’s Note: All photos used in this blog were taken by Mikayla!
Mary, Tell Mikayla she did an awesome job on the photos. Quite the little photographer! I absolutely love the starfish photo. Such neat characteristics. Glad you had a relaxing trip.
A pleasant surprise to see the inspiration for your Florida scene. I could not mistake the familiar shells and forms of broken pieces from any place except beautiful Sarasota. My former home for years, I will always treasure the finds brought to shore from sunlit waters. My mind retains the sounds of crashing waves heard while walking on the coastal beaches. Thanks to Mikayla for the photos. A big fan of yours, Mary, I too miss your magazine.
Mikayla is technically our granddaughter, but Phil and I adopted her when she was just a baby when our son, Evan, died. She is 10 years old and the light of our lives, just as Evan was and just as his brother Will is. We’re basically blinded by light here!!
Thank you for sharing your special moments with the rest of the world. Over here in England we have some beautiful sights but it has to be said after visiting some of the amazing places in the USA I think I would like to be there rather than here. Have some amazing memories some incredible friends and can’t wait to visit again. Keep taking piccys Mikayla who knows where it might lead you.
the pictures are great! she is so far ahead of me photographically speaking (is that a word?) I especially loved the sea horse. thanks for sharing.
Thank you for the wonderful pictures and descriptions. Sarasota is such a beautiful place.
I too love the beach. My first memories are going to the beach to walk, skip rocks on the water and beachcomb. One of the many gifts given to me by my loving Mom. Thank you for sharing. You are one of my favorite people and I am so glad you are here in STL. Wish I could afford your workshop, but I enjoy seeing your wit and artwork on the daily calendar and the pocket calendar. Thank you.
Lovely photos! Thank You
Can someone tell me who Mikayla is? And how old?
Seems you had a good time. I too live near the seaside here in the UK but have to admit to preferring Country life! Still miss Home Companion.
great photography mikayla!
sounds like you had a fabulous time
as almost
all beach trips usually are!!!
Mikayla is turning into a wonderful photographer! Looks like a lovely and peaceful respite.
Thanks for sharing the photos MiKayla took on your trip to Florida. She does a great job. How old is she now? I miss your magazine as well. But am glad to stay informed with your blog. I love being a grandma and look forward to the years ahead with our granddaughter, who will be 2 in May, and those who come after her.
I live in Oregon so I get to the coast a few times a year. I’m longing to go so hopefully next month!
Have a great day!
I’m one of the lucky ones that lives in Sarasota County and happen to work at the beach every weekend! I knew the slant of that sun on the water… in an instant.
It is one of the only beaches that has that silvery angle with the rays hitting just perfectly. Tell your daughter she has a great eye..and if she would like to join a shoot sometime we’d love to have her!
All The Best,
D.
It is so nice to see folks enjoying what Florida is really all about. The theme parks are fun,but they are manifestations of someone’s grand imagination(that is not bad).
Florida is a unique ecosystem and it needs to be seen and appreciated. I live a couple of town’s south of Sarasota(Punta Gorda) and I love being able to step outside and see up to ten different species of birds and all sorts of flora and fauna. Mikayla, you did a wonderful job of capturing the essense of Florida sea life. Thank you for sharing.
Mary thanks for sharing the photos! I also live in STL and we head to Sanibel every March. I love the beach and love getting away but it is always good to get back home!
I’ve been a FAN of ME for years and am delighted to find your blog. As always you are truly an inspiration! I look forward to getting caught up now.
Warmly,
Karla
Soooooo relaxing!
S.W.A.K.
I am so excited that you come to Sarasota. It is a beautiful part of Fl. I live a little south of Sarasota, south of Venice (Sharktooth Capital of the World)in a town called Englewood. Englewood is half in Sarasota County and half in Charlotte County. I do turtle patrol on a beach on Manasota key with my friend Maggie and share my experiences on Facebook. If you are ever here later in the year you can see the hatchings!! There is nothing like it in the world….
Mikayla has grown! Sarasota has all that and baseball, too.
Such great stories and photos from your little one. A dear friend saw this on my F.B. page and posted how much she also misses your magazine. We live on a barrier island off the Alabama Gulf coast with a great marine research center which offers a close-up look at the amazing sealife we take for granted. Thanks again for sharing.
I felt like I was right there with you ! Thank you so much for sharing! Big Hello from Joplin, MO !!
I’ve been wondering how Mikayla is doing!! I always enjoyed seeing pictures of her growing up in Home Companion. Way to go on your pictures, Mikayla — they’re beautifully detailed. Mary, the picture of Mikayla on the seahorse is one of my favorites and has been framed on my wall for many years right next to signed greeting cards of yours you signed for me at your store in Dallas, TX many moons ago. Glad to hear you had a relaxing time in Florida.
Thanks so much, Mary & Mikayla, for sharing your beautiful beach trip with the blogging community. (Oh, how I miss your magazine, Mary!)
Is that drawing pencil, copic marker or both? I just want to jump in! Who knew that you vacation so near to me? There isn’t enough ME in S. FL. Now when I look at your seaside drawings I know where your inspiration came from!
First of all, I have to tell you how much I miss your magazine! Also, have to say how much I enjoyed all of my trips to Sarasota too – lots of white sand, and incredible shells that wash up on the beach at Lido Key and also on the sugar white sand beach of Siesta Key. Picked up so many shells on one trip that I had to buy another suitcase to take them home! Love the pictures and the memories…. Thanks for sharing with all of us.
Looks like Mikayla has inherited that artful eye…her pictures tell a calm and serene story of a lovely vacation.
We lived in Sarasota,Florida for 26 years but moved due to husband’s job transfer. We too were in Sarasota last week visiting my parents over Easter week. Beautiful weather! Which beach is your favorite?
Sounds like a great vacation!!! Mikayla’s pictures are great! I love your seahorse pic at top. Thanks for sharing, Lynn
So beautiful!! Great photos.
Toes in the sand … Heaven.
=^..^=
I think you have a budding photographer in your midst, the pictures are wonderful. Glad you had time for a “toes up” relaxing trip.
Hi Mary,
Thanks for sharing about your vacation. Sounded like a good time! My husband and I just got back from a little jaunt to Tahoe on my spring break from teaching and his break from his job with the Navy.
I wanted to share this website that I stumbled upon via a friend’s facebook pics… they make cute and whimsical items that reminded me of your style… http://www.mackenzie-childs.com/
Sadly, it’s very expensive stuff though!
Lovely!!! So glad you all had such fun!!
Looked like a whole lota fun, thank you for sharing it with us, I almost felt like I went there!
Mikayla, your pictures areamazing especially the seahorse. You are growing up so fast!!
It looks absolutely fabulous; have been to FL but not to Sarasota, will have to look it up someday. It is amazing how big Mikayla has gotten just since MEHC went on hiatus!!
Mikaila pictures are beautiful. We are in Tampa.
I’m so glad you were able to kick up your feet and relax. I can’t wait to see the illustration…I have one that has me wrapped around his little finger too.
Alfredo says hello to you and Mikayla!
Love the drawing of the little girl riding the seahorse. I also love the beach and it’s shells and sealife.
Would love to take our grandchildren on vacation with us. Maybe one day we will try that. But we have 6 and I am just not sure how to do it fairly. One at a time starting with the oldest? But I know we would so have a blast.
Hi Mary –
Thank you for sharing about going to SuNnY Florida….ahhh….
Miss Mikayla, GrEaT photos!!!
How time fLiEs…How can Mikayla already be SO grown-up??? Thankfully, she has a wonderful example of how to PLAY :-]
Blessings!
joy
Love it, my dream come true. I am very happy for you…..It looked just beautiful, tell M she did a fabulous job on the pics. My 9 yr. daughter takes great pics of my grand baby, and nieces….I think its because the babies are just soo happy to see her, they love her and she is soo good with them…Did you ever frame any of her pics? My best friend does a shadow box of each of their vacations…of all the souvenirs that best described her trip…they all were the same size and they lined her hall way upstairs it was sooo cool. Margaret died on vacation in 1999. She was 43, it is something her family treasure, her shadow boxes.
Sorry for the down note, made myself sad…lol
love Marilou
I grew up in Oregon, so the ocean is something I miss very much now that i have lived in the midwest for 30 years! I love the midwest too…but there is NOTHING that beats a nice long walk on the coast for clearing the mind.
Love it. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve never been to Sarasota, it looks beautiful.
I love that you and your husband are so much a part of Mikayla’s life. I too watch my grandchildren Laura-14, Madison-11 and JC-10 everyday after school and would not change my “occupation” of grandma for any amount of money!
What beautiful photos! Thanks for sharing your trip with all of us! You are truly an artistic inspiration…and I have followed your work for years. Your former calendar art graces many of my walls at home! So glad you had a great trip!
What a refreshing moment to enjoy your blog…as it’s snowing here in Utah and the thought of the sun, sand, surf and seashells are just so pleasant. Love you and all your goodness, Mary!
We vacation in Sanibel and love the shelling. Anything to do with the beach would make a perfect drawing!
It’s apparent that artistic talent runs in your family!
Just think I live in this wonderful state year round! Thanks for visiting!