SO THIS IS WHY THE SNOW BIRDS FLY SOUTH

I must admit, I've never gotten why anyone would want to live in Florida. This, I realize, is because I didn't always have the most positive experiences there. My first visit I learned you Floridians have alligators in the lakes and fire ants on your lawns. And I flew out barely ahead of a hurricane. Totally creepy. My second visit was summer before last for a writers conference. In July. I thought I would die. But last week I was in the Tampa area and had a very different experience. Warmth! End of January and I was running around in a sweater. Wow!

I had the opportunity to meet the fabulous sales staff for my new publisher, Mira, and stayed at the Innisbrook Resort. What a lovely place. The sun was out, the osprey put on a show, and I even got to spend some girl time with my fabulous agent Paige Wheeler in the nearby town of Dunedin, which is both scenic and a lovely place to shop. Probably one of the most unique shops we went in was this one pictured below that featured every imaginable kind of dangly from wind chimes to Christmas ornaments. Sensory overload! Loved it.
And loved Florida. I'll be back. Hopefully.