I'll Paint You a Rainbow

by Grace E. Easley 

I’ll paint you a rainbow to hang on the wall, 

to brighten your heart when the gray shadows fall.

On a canvas of joy outlasting the years,

with a soft brush of sweetness to dry all your tears.

I’ll paint you a rainbow with colors of smiles

that glow with sincerity over the miles. 

On a palette of words I will tenderly blend

Tones into treasures of sunlight and wind. 

I’ll paint you a rainbow that reaches so wide, 

Your sights and your sorrows will vanish inside,

And deep in the center of each different hue,

A memory fashioned especially for you. 

So lift up your eyes, for suspended above,

A rainbow designed by the fingers of love. 

Last night, as I was walking the beach, I looked up at this beautiful sight of the moon, the clouds, and the pink lighting over the glorious ocean waves and soft sand. The number of times I’ve walked the beach and looked around, no other person nearby(sometimes even in sight), where I smile and appreciate the beauty of it, the magnificent colors and textures and sounds and feelings- it’s such a common and wonderful experience and I so enjoy it. When my Great Aunt transitioned from the physical, this poem was on the cards at the funeral. It was so lovely and fitting and, as I looked up last night, I recalled the words, “I’ll paint you a rainbow.” It wasn’t a rainbow I was looking at. It was natural beauty and I watched the coloring as I walked and the sun set, changing from the pink to grey and then darker and darker night. It was all beautiful and the ocean was calm. I wanted to share this here. 

I’m doing extremely well. Life is incredibly good and I am excited and eager for more while also finding so many moments like these, where I am so content and happy right where I am. I update Instagram more often, though I will be back here with more soon enough. Inspired posts are far more favorable than anything else to me and so I update when and as it feels best to. Regardless, I continue to notice and appreciate a great many moments and experiences in my days as I trek on. The journey is the living and I am savoring every step! 

Sunset Tonight

It was rainy and windy for much of today. I put on my raincoat and ventured out to walk the beach in the morning and, once I got to the end of the boardwalk before the sand, I stood there looking at the crashing waves with gusts of wind, salt water, and rain coming at me. It reminded me so much of a snow storm. I thought how it'd be good to have goggles as well as rain pants. Instead of a beach walk, I came back to the RV, soaked.

Later in the afternoon, I felt convinced that the rain had let up long enough and the sun was shining more clearly. I wanted to walk. Off I went, satisfied by my feet in the water as I made my way down the shore. I especially love the sensation of walking on the newly wet sand as the tide rises. It was a happy surprise that I walked for a few hours considering I thought it might be short when I set out. Of course, I was smiling when I saw the big, bright sun and felt its warm light on me. The birds I came across were many and happy, too, squawking and staying where they were despite my nearing them as if the food they were finding was well worth the close proximity to me.

I was so thankful for the storm to clear and glad to be back out at the beach. Here are some photos from the walk this evening which ended with a beautiful full moon.

That lovely and awesome liminal time of sun and moon at once. The moon is there within the clouds.

I love walking the beach.

On Rendezvous with Wildlife, Noticing Things, and Being Alone

A really great thing about the way I live and travel is that I allow myself the freedom to go as I please and to stay as I please as well. I have fallen in love with this place. It happened when I first came and it happened each return. I love being here. When I leave, I come back. As far as a physical location goes, I want to call this home.

I’ve lived different places for various lengths of time. I enjoy the changes and variety a lot. I don’t think of home as simply a place. I’ve lived places that don’t feel like home. I’ve lived places that I knew were temporary. Everything is temporary actually. I’ve known when it would be short term. I’ve known when I like a place and want to stay. I’ve known when I liked being someplace and would be happy to leave and return or not.

I was just talking with some rangers and volunteers at the ranger station about Wisconsin. Some had just been or were headed there for a visit. I mentioned how much I loved it and how I spent a month there last Summer. I had no idea, when I first entered WI then, that I’d be exploring it so much. There is still more to see there, though I am quite happy I got to a lot of different parts of it.

Last night I was walking the beach and my attention was drawn to this post with a light. (I’m not sure the name of this … pretty sure it has an official term.) I looked at it and did think it would make a pretty picture and then wondered to myself, is there anything there to take a picture of? Yes. I immediately noticed a bird perched on it. We’d had rain storms and it was wet looking. It looked like an eagle! *A hawk! I keep referring to it as an eagle. I love seeing hawks. I've rarely seen eagles. I'm leaving eagle because I want to since that is what I kept saying and thinking until I realized I meant hawk now.* Do eagles go to the beach? I took some pictures. I got closer. It flew to another one of those posts with a light on it and this confirmed for me that it was an eagle. I was appreciative I had looked and seen this. I love eagles and view them as a positive sign to see them. I’d seen another recently on a fence along with two other, smaller and different kinds of birds. Loved seeing that, too.

That wasn’t all that happened though. Then I saw a fin come out of the water nearby the post with the light that the eagle was on. Dolphins! Swimming in that way that reminds me of a wheel in water, circular and up and down. I was now so thankful I had looked and that this was unfolding as it was. You can see in this picture the bird by the light and the dolphins as a speck there in the water.

The bird is perched and the dolphins are to the right, sort of centered in the picture.

Here, the dolphins are on the left about above the '.I" of www.InspiredTrekker.com below.

I walked back to the campground I’m staying at. I’m at a beach campground. There is no better place for me to be right now. I love it.

Did you know that those white crabs like to run the soft sandy beach at night? Did you know they sound like mice scurrying when they do? I’ve heard mice carrying things. This crab sound is like a mouse just on its own, not carrying anything. I usually listened to music but last night, on my way back and just toward the end of my walk, I took my earbuds out to hear. I heard the ocean waves breathing and felt the breeze. As I reached the boardwalk to get back to the campsites I noticed a deer looking right at me from the grass nearby. We looked at each other. Do you know the sounds of a deer sort of snorting? Softer than a horse. Harsher than a dog. It ran off and I later heard that sound. Recently, another night, I turned my phone flashlight on and had a similar encounter with a deer near the walk there. It was startled by my light and made that sound(I want to say it chortled) and we both jumped a bit and it ran off. That’s when I figured out it was a deer. It’s really cool to see them by the beach.

Hearing the sounds last night, I thought about how I usually walk and listen to music and how much I enjoy doing so. I love the rhythm and the way it feels to walk like this. I briefly thought about the sounds I was missing by doing so and I stopped myself because I wasn’t missing anything. I loved listening to the music. I knew the ocean sounds were there. I just chose to tune into something else. I wasn’t missing anything. When I’m feeling happy doing whatever I am doing, I’m there. I’m fully there. I’m not thinking about all the other things I could be doing or all the other things I love to do and that I’m not doing right then. I’m there. I have preferences. I know I love being at the beach lately and I feel there has been tremendous benefit from spending so much time at it. There has been benefit in tuning into it as well as tuning it out.

I see butterflies pretty much every day. Gopher tortoises are out and about and far faster than one might imagine if familiar with the idea that they might be slow. They aren’t. I’ve seen a baby sea turtle and I’ve seen the sign for where there are eggs so we can look and not get too close. I’ve seen darker crabs in the water and along the shore.  I've seen horseshoe crabs and stingrays. I've seen lots of creatures I don't know the names of. I’ve seen cardinals and other birds. I’ve seen cats other than the one I live with. I’ve seen dogs, too of course.

There are lizards, however, I haven’t seen them as often. I’m excited because the new site I just moved to today has a tree! I am very excited about this because not only do we get a bit of shade even in the daylight, animals like trees! And my cat likes to watch them. Perfect!

As I was walking last night and noticing these things, I was thankful because I know that things like this are everywhere. There are all sorts of opportunities for us to rendezvous with what we like and want to and it’s just a matter of paying attention to them and being receptive of noticing.

I’ve written about traveling solo and the connections and in the moment experiences I’ve had that have been so much fun. This is the same thing. That quick view of the dolphins rising and then submerging is exciting. It’s brief, even if I watched them cross the water so saw it repeatedly. It’s a tiny bit of my walk and my day. It’s also the thing that brings such satisfaction to the walk and a bit of a thrill. I know the water has lots of dolphins yet I don’t always see them. I know those moments are everywhere throughout each day yet I don’t always meet up with them and recognize it.

I’ve been spending a lot of time alone lately. I see people when I go out and I’ve been staying at a campground more than ever before and enjoying it. I like being alone. I like being in fun company. I like being around animals and nature. I adore the beach. I am not feeling lonely in the slightest. I’m not missing anything. My days are satisfying yet if you ask me what I’m doing, I somewhat short for words. I’m enjoying myself. No matter what I’m experiencing, or how I am feeling, at the end of the day, I’m really enjoying myself. That really is all that matters to me.

A Favorite Place

I'm so thankful for this grey day. As I lay here, listening to the sounds of the wind through the trees and with a sense of how it feels to have it brush upon me, I'm once again appreciating the contrast. So many warm and sunny days abound here and I absolutely love it. I love the sunlight and the warmth and the ease at which I feel being in it. I have found a place that is so easy to feel good and be happy at. 


It's raining now and being in the RV when it rains is lovely. The sounds of it hitting various parts, the relief from the heat and humidity, plus the added bonus of a wash to remove the sand and make the exterior sparkly clean is all enjoyable. 

I posted the above picture today on IG with this:

"So where have you been and what have you been up to the past 5+ months?"

"Oh, here, there, traveling and exploring. Mostly, I've been at the beach. "

And it's true. I can be content anywhere and I can especially be content at the beach. Even someone who loves traveling and new and different places and experiences can have favorites and this is one of mine. In fact, I've hardly been in woods in comparison as the beach is just so enticing. It has been and continues to be. 

Depending on where along the coast I am (traveling mostly along the Central to Northern coast of Florida these months), there have been noticeable variances. I've shared about this throughout my posts and I continue to like the similarities and differences I find. The textures, the objects and creatures, and what have you. The beach is a lovely match to me when I'm already happy and feeling good and a place I go to realign with happiness and feeling good if I'm out of sync with that. It's truly one of my favorite places. 

I want to open this post to comments because I would love to hear from people where their favorite place to be is. Where are you happy to return to and happy to be? What is your favorite place? 

There are some thoughts and things we can think of that immediately evoke good feelings. Beach

walking, for me, is top notch. I love it. 

Anastasia State Park Once Again and the Southeast Intracoastal Waterway Park

I returned to Anastasia State Park as I wanted to stay at the beach more and one day had the impulse to drive there to see if the one site I saw open online truly was available. It was! I got a walk up site in a new area I hadn't stayed in before. Perfect. Like at Tomoka, I started with one night and then returned to add more the next day. 

At my campsite.

I did a load of laundry for $3. Awesome. I love how they state the cost and time right on the machines. I wish laundromats would do this, too. Some state more info than others. 

Really tiny Portuguese Man-o-war and a four legged purple starfish! 

There is wifi at the beach so I drove there to use it some (my site was a far walk otherwise) and also walked the beach as usual. 

This gull had a good catch!

Another crab.

I have come to especially love pelicans. They are so amazing to watch and such large birds! 

Portuguese Man-o-war which is apparently not a jellyfish. Their colors can be really beautiful. I wouldn't touch it though! 

I cleaned the RV again including vacuuming which made it feel so nice inside. I will be sharing some tips for beach going in the near future as I've certainly learned some things, especially for dealing with sand. 

My cat was out in her tent more than once and a neighbor gifted her with a handmade toy on HER BIRTHDAY! What perfect timing! 

One of the things I really like about this park is that there are three dump stations in one so that multiple RVs can use it at once. I really like that. Very easy. 

I think this is the coquina site...

I also stopped to see the coquina site at the park. I'm not sure if I missed it or what. I walked through and probably right by but it looked rather different than the pictures in the pamphlets. Oh well. I think this picture is actually it, to the right especially. 

This is down by the picnic area and beach parking. 

The rangers at this park are all very nice. I was thrilled when I came back one afternoon after food shopping and the ranger gave me a big smile and wave to let me through. I just lit up at that. She was the one who I had paid for more days with. I've interacted with several of the rangers here and they were all top notch. Another cool bonus was this stay I was given a BOGO for admission to another nearby state park (not one with camping, though I'd love to camp at it if they add it!) A post on that is coming soon! 

This stay was wonderful with a good mix of nature, comfort, and the joy of having unlimited power for my computer and whatever else. It was really nice. I woke up on my last morning and knew I was ready to go. Still, I'd return to this park yet again. 

Not too far south of here is the Southeast Intracoastal Waterway Park which I've also enjoyed multiple visits to. There is a little dock to walk out on where you can see the nearby fort and there is a nice pathway to walk around with some benches here and there to stop at. I liked walking it and learned from one of the informative posts throughout that mink live in Florida and they swim. Go figure! I've wondered now if what I may have thought was a river otter was a mink at some point. There is a small body of water plus some picnic tables here, too. While there were some others visiting at times, even at the busiest times I was here, it was pleasant and a nice little spot to chill and enjoy. 

Tomoka State Park in Ormond Beach, Florida

I've spent a lot of time at beaches the past several months yet still enjoyed exploring the surrounding areas and traveling up and down the coast some. One of the places I don't recall visiting ever before was Ormond Beach. I had heard of it yet never been until this Spring. 

Along A1A there are numerous pull offs to park with easy access right on the water. That's great! I will note, however, that this is largely restricted with signs that clearly state, "No RV Parking" and, while I normally take that to mean larger RVs that take more than one spot, I only briefly parked at one(right by a large RV actually.) I had found a beach side park that sounded good so went there instead. It was beautiful! 

Unlike St. Augustine Beach which has a lot of shells and such mixed in, the sand here was all so soft along where I walked and as far as I could see, even when it was wet or darker near the water than the bright, dry white. There was far less on the beach other than some sort of seaweed, too. It was an interesting difference to find. Also, there are lifeguards! Another difference I appreciated. 

I was able to back into a perfect spot at the park itself and spend the afternoon. After this, I drove south to Daytona as I don't think I'd been there before either(if I had, I was a kid or baby and don't recall it.) Not my cup of tea at this time but hey, I've seen some and got a feel for it. 

I decided to spend a night at Tomoka State Park. I absolutely love walk up sites which are non-reservable. That means that I can decide each morning up to 14 days to spend another night. With the state park system, after 14 days you need to leave that park for 3 days before you can come back. I had a sense I'd stay longer and as soon as I got to the hot showers with excellent pressure, I was sold. I walked around that evening and went back to pay for more nights. 

So scenic, I love this shot. This is part of why I love state parks, the natural beauty is preserved and the campground is in nature, with a lovely mix of privacy and community.

This park is really nice! There is a statue: 

An area with info on the indigo that had been produced here and a tombstone. There used to be a small museum right by these and now the building is an open space rented or used for various purposes. 

You can walk along the water (fresh water - the beach is nearby but the park is situated on the river) and a trail plus there is a shop and you can rent kayaks or canoes or bring your own boat. 

I loved watching the sunset by the water. I got some shots of the moon and the sun in the sky. All my photos shared here have been from my phone, by the way. 

If you look, you can make out the moon up there, too. It's overexposed but you get the idea. I used pano for the shots and this one appears clearest to me. 

I greatly enjoyed my stay at Tomoka and would return to this park again. 

Satisfaction and Appreciation

I woke up this morning and wrote in a notebook about a number of things that were working out for me. I touched on satisfaction when I wrote about Beach Love, how it’s great to fall asleep satisfied and wake eager for more, and I’ve really been feeling satisfaction in noticeable ways more and more for a while now. I’m talking about the feeling of it, not just an action like crossing off something on my to do list or a taste of it here and there. I mean that I have recognized feeling satisfied a lot and I absolutely love it. It is one of my favorite feelings to feel. 

Yesterday I made a phone call to one of my banks because I am getting a new credit card due to a security issue. I had actually been contacted by the merchant and recall not caring much as the transaction was a while back and I watch my account and it’s been fine, as usual. Then I got an email from my bank saying that I’d been issued a new card and it was mailed to me. Now I cared more. I had less than 10 days to get my new card before this one was deactivated and my mail service couldn’t flag my account so I have been checking with them very often to see if it has arrived. I knew and know this will work out fine. So yesterday I called my bank and explained and asked for my current card to remain open for longer, which I was granted. Leaving out the specifics, I wanted to comment on something. The woman was nice and helpful. She kept apologizing. I was thinking in response, “Please stop apologizing. You’re doing your job.” I didn’t say it, I thought it more than once. She also made the comment that she hoped I was having a good day aside from this. I thought, “This is no big deal. I wouldn’t let something keep me from enjoying the day.” I LIKE the contrast. I like new experiences. I LOVE knowing that everything is always working out for me and it’s fun to have it all come together and experience first hand how all the details do just that. 

Last night I returned to the beach for an evening walk and I loved seeing the sunset. It is so beautiful and amazing and something I can’t imagine tiring of. Every day the sun rises and sets. We’re close to a full moon and I watched and admired the lighting on the sand and the waves and the clouds and how the sky was changing color. I stopped very often to look and take pictures. There are moments where you can see the sun and the moon and that liminal time is so cool to me. I love noticing these things and feeling appreciation for them. Appreciation is another one of my favorite things to feel. 

As I left the beach and was heading on a main road, a kind police officer pulled me over. I wondered why and she was very nice and wanted to let me know one of my lights was out. I had a funny moment of not quite understanding her dialect. She told me I could go to Advanced Auto or someplace for a new bulb and that it would probably cost about $10. I thanked her and this morning that is what I did. I showed up fully expecting and knowing that they’d have what I needed and would install it for me. I also had a cash back bonus with them via my credit card. The man helped me as soon as I walked in. We determined which light it was and for less than $12 (less than that once I get the 10% back), I had a new bulb. As he tried to get the old bulb out and explained to me how this light worked (sometimes changing a light is a much bigger process than others depending on the make and how it is built in and thankfully mine was pretty simple and didn’t require a shop visit), he was having some difficulty and went to get a few tools to help. As he tried again and seemed ready to give up, I thought about how easy it was to do it and he tried again, jiggled it back and forth some, then pulled up again and it worked. I learned how to change the light in this RV and this was a quick and easy fix. I told him I really appreciated it and off I went. 

The store I went to next was right in the same lot and I got some thin bagels, juice, and more fresh ground turkey on sale. I got back to the RV happy with how much I enjoy shopping. I especially love grocery stores and now that I have a fridge that is working, I’m loving all the fresh foods and variety I have easy access to. I drove to the beach and got a great parking spot, as usual. I froze most of the meat and made lunch. It was DELICIOUS! Turkey burger with Colby jack cheese in a thin bagel plus fresh tomatoes and a mini cucumber. I also finished off the ice cream and made a float. Satisfaction. Mmm. 

I wanted to write about this more. It’s only a glimpse of all the “little things” in my days that I appreciate and enjoy. 

The other day as I was waiting to turn into the beach parking lot, I recall the moment where I had to wait there and then, as soon as I turned in, I was with perfect timing for another vehicle to leave thus giving me a parking space right away. This lot fills and people drive around it a lot looking for someone leaving, some even park in places that are not actual parking spaces. I stay calm. I know I'll get a spot. I didn't know I was waiting before turning so I would get one until it happened. 

There are so many things working out for me. So many things I may never know the specifics or details of or even have in my awareness other than through the bigger picture. That’s OK. I don’t actually need to. I can be happy and enjoy knowing, trusting, and feeling my way as it happens. And I do. While I have my moments, I pay attention to how I’m feeling. I don’t need any condition to be happy. I can be happy and let the conditions that match be in my experience. And I do. I’ve said it before and I will say it again and again and again: I’d rather be happy. And I am.