Boy oh boy, I’m on a roll this year! Here’s why…

In 2014, on a trip to Key West, we saw our very first waterspout. A few minutes later, we saw another one. I had never before seen a real one with my own two eyes and I think they are one of the most beautiful of nature’s dangers. It was such an adrenaline rush that I hoped so badly I would be able to see more someday!

Soon thereafter, the rainy season each year turned into a sort of Easter Egg hunt for me. The big storms would blow in and I’d stare off into the distance, toward any body of water, watching and waiting. The year 2015 came and went. Didn’t see any (but there were plenty in the news!). Then, 2016. Nothing. But, in 2017, I was standing on the 18th floor of our apartment in St. Petersburg (before we moved onto the boat) and I saw one forming right next to the marina. It was AWESOME!! (Especially since nobody was hurt.)

In May of this year, I FINALLY saw another one, and actually got a photo of it in Tampa Bay! It’s RIGHT HERE.

And, last week, I got another one! TWO WATERSPOUTS IN TWO MONTHS!!!! It was AWESOME!!!

On this particular evening, I was sitting in the cockpit with Richard. There were some clouds in the distance but nothing alarming. No thunder. No lightning. Just dark clouds. There was no breeze and all. Sweat was prickling on my forehead and I felt a warm drop running down my lower back. After wondering silently if I needed a second coating of antiperspirant, I fanned myself with my ipad cover, and whined out loud to Richard, “It’s sooooo danged hot out here! Can you pretty please go inside and get the fan?”

I guess the good Lord heard me because he then whipped up quite a show! Out of nowhere, at that moment, the wind went from zero to 30-something. BAM! No Tan Lines heeled over. Her lines screamed in protest. Our neighbor’s flag was flapping violently and he jumped outside to quickly yank it down.

I looked at Richard. He looked at me, our eyes wide. I jumped up, and threw open the companionway, calling for the boys.

“Max and Mason! Come quick! Something is happening!”

They raced up the steps just as Richard pointed his finger to the East, and said, “Oh my God! Look at THAT!!”

A WATERSPOUT!! WHOO HOO!!!!!!

I grabbed my phone, crawled out of the cockpit, and got this shot just before the mother cloud sucked the waterspout back up into herself.

And, just a few moments later, the wind stopped. I mean, it came to a dead halt. Everything ENDED, just like that. We were all quiet, speechless over what had just occurred. I sat down. Max and Mason went back down into the air conditioned salon. All of that had happened in perhaps less than five minutes. It was completely still outside once again, like the past five minutes had never happened. Sweat prickled on my forehead, and ran down my back. While fanning myself with my ipad cover, I turned to Richard, and whined once again, “It’s sooooo danged hot out here! Can you pretty please go inside and get the fan?”

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• GotNoTanLines.com – Jump on board with the Hoy Family as they move their children, pets, and business onto a 52-foot sailboat!

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The Art and Craft of Writing and Editing

Writing is a constant dialogue between author and reader.

The craft of writing involves an interchange of emotions between an author and a reader. An author creates a story line, conflict, and characters, gives his characters words to speak, and then hands off these materials to a reader. This process results in a constant dialogue between the mental imagery produced by a reader and that proposed by the author.

Read more here:

https://writersweekly.com/books/6712.html