Yesterday was a busy day. Jim volunteered with Kayuba to monitor the 'Plywood Regatta'. This is a fun event where teams of high school kids build boats out of 2 sheets of plywood, then they race. The Kayuba volunteers paddle around in their kayaks to assist those in need of help once they're on the water.

Meanwhile, I joined Mom and Emily at their Society of Women Geographers meeting. I've been to another meeting a few years ago and knew I would be in for a treat. It's a fascinating group of women. One spoke of the medical training facility she established in Samoa - they use the Internet and Distance Learning techniques. Another spoke of visiting businesses in India. She gave me a whole new perspective on outsourcing, making me think that moving to India might be the best way to get a good tech job! And then there was Mom, Emily, and Gypsy who spoke of their recent trip to view the total solar eclipse in the Mediterranean.

The real highlight though was that the meeting was held at Fairchild Tropical Gardens in Miami. It's been on my list to visit there since the early 80s but I've never made it. It is lush and gorgeous, and there is a special exhibit there right now of Dale Chihuly glass artwork. I'll be you never thought you could see icebergs in Miami?!



Or, how about these glass teardrops floating in a lake? Doesn't it look like some planet where Star Trek personnel are given shore leave?



Or, how about this boat full of glass-art?



More floating balls.


The glass art certainly adds a sparkle to the landscape, but the trees and other garden vegetation are works of art themselves.











It's the integration of the glass and the vegetation that is so striking.









When we were finished at Fairchild, we drove thru Miami to get home. What a skyline!
Ya gotta love the colors.



And, I don't know *how* they make this vision happen.



I've never seen so many cranes downtown.



Then we got back to Fort Lauderdale. Mom thinks this lot with all the broken trees from hurricane Wilma is being left untouched as a reminder of the power of that hurricane. I think the crews are still too busy with roofs and traffic lights that still haven't been repaired. Whatever the reason, it certainly is a powerful image of the force of wind.



Then, to top off the day, Jim and I met friends at a nice little pub where we got to sing karaoke! What fun. I could get hooked on that.