My book is coming out in a couple of weeks!

If you enjoyed my Scotland travel blogs on my website (www.spinningcompass.net), you will love my ebook which will be released in June 2014 on amazon.com and through iBooks. I've added 34 new blogs to the 22 originally posted, complete with stunning photographs my husband took, such as the one on the book cover of the Old Man of Storr on the Isle of Skye. The countryside was absolutely gorgeous and inspired many of my blogs, as did the adventures we had as we learned to slow our pace and make ourselves at home on the road.

Watch this page, or my website or Facebook page (Cynthia Fletcher Rothstein), for updates on the release!

New gastropub in town

The beer wasn't so great, but the food was delicious!

chicken poppers wrapped in bacon

In my yard...

Get a load of this baby pineapple growing next to our house! That plant has been there since before we moved here four years ago, and I've never seen it produce fruit. I didn't even realize it is a pineapple plant!

Siesta Key

cool solar ring

We love the east coast of Florida--the ocean breezes, tempestuous surf, worm reefs, and snorkeling and diving--but the west coast of Florida is amazing for wildlife, at least it was in April when we spent a week on Siesta Key off of Sarasota.

We didn't take nearly enough photos. I wish I had a video of the crazy sea hares that were everywhere in the bay. Dozens! I was trying to steer the boat around them. I was so afraid I'd hit one.

One day sea urchins started washing up on the beach. Why? I probably shouldn't have messed with Mother Nature, but I started throwing them all back into deep water. They'll die without water.

a fever of manta rays off of Anna Maria Island

SCUBA

Food like art

churrasco at Cabana el Rey in Delray Beach, Florida

The Everglades 2014

River of Grass

baby anhingas

no-good, lazy gators!

endangered wood storks, roseate spoonbills

baby blue herons waiting for breakfast to be delivered

my first good look at a manatee

beware the gator!

I can see all the way down to the tail!

Smokin'!

Here's Marcus with his new toy--a smoker! He's had fun playing with it and figuring out how best to smoke meat, fish, and turkey. Delicious results!

I'm still here!

Even though I haven't been posting frequently, I'm still here and enjoying life in Florida immensely--especially this past gorgeous winter. The weather was beautiful, which you may think is always the case in Florida in winter, but we do get cold weather now and then. There were a few days I could wear sweaters and boots, and--believe me--I took full advantage! But overall it was sunny and a delightful 70-something degrees during the day. We slept with windows open a good deal of the time, and sat outside in the evenings. We only used the fire pit once, and the outdoor sun deck in the evenings twice. Otherwise it was too warm for either.

I've been writing my book, Scotland at the Speed of Life: making ourselves at home on the road, since we got back from the UK in November. I finished it, for the most part, the first week of February. Then I spent the next two months editing with the help of my fabulous editor, Katie. It's now in production, and should be released as an ebook in the next few weeks. Keep an eye on my website, www.spinningcompass.net for updates about the release.

In between bouts of writing, I managed to escape to the Everglades for what I hope will be an annual trip. And we spent a week on Siesta Key, off the west coast of Florida near Sarasota. I'll post some photos soon.

We also had some very welcome visitors from up north, out west, and even central Florida this winter. Lots of fun!

Right now we're enjoying some extraordinary, low-humidity weather. We have the windows open in mid-May!!!