At sea with the dolphins

Such a slice of Heaven where this kind of thing happens often, so much that it’s *almost* expected in the summertime. It’s off the coast of Florida and even though it’s not rare, it’s so amazing every time it happens. These wild dolphins just seem to have joy and that’s why they’re one of my favorite creatures on earth!

The big jump in the first minute of the video is definitely rare, so that was pretty special and fun to see. I was also told the view from the tube was incredible, too. Dolphins continue to fascinate me. The way they speedily swim in the wake, jump and play, and seem to enjoy having fun. It’s just so cool!

Have you seen stuff like this? If so, share in the comments below!

-Out of the Wilderness

Would you rather…. Florida summer edition

When I left Nashville and arrived in Florida, I wasn’t sure how soon I’d see the prehistoric creature Florida is known for. Surprisingly, it took quite a while to see an alligator. But since then, I’ve seen a lot! I’ve also seen snakes, so recently I had a thought.

Would you rather encounter an alligator in a lake, a shark in the ocean, or a moccasin on land?

Note that you aren’t on a boat or in a car in those scenarios. I think sharks might have the more intimidating reputation, but I would choose a shark over the other two 99 times out of 100. Sure they can be deadly, but being drug under water by an alligator just seems so inconvenient. Being poisoned by a moccasin, well, who’s got time for that? With a shark bite, at least they would go away for periods of time giving me a chance to swim to safety.

Sorry if this question causes nightmares tonight. I guess you can take comfort knowing that I, also, have ruined my upcoming night’s sleep.

Thanks for swimming (or slithering?) by…

-Out of the Wilderness

The biggest turtle I’ve ever seen not in a zoo

There I was, sitting comfortably in my trailer working on another puzzle to create. I look out the window and oh my, my, my… I saw this huge creature off in the distance! I rushed out to gather anyone who was close to go marvel at it. So a few of us curiously gathered around it… a huge turtle!

This is a soft shelled snapping turtle. As it walked through the grassy field, I noticed the back of its shell was giving way to its legs. These soft shells have always fascinated.

How about that nose, huh?

Thanks for dropping in…

-Out of the Wilderness

The beagle and the dishwasher

Just recently my little Piper did something that she’s been doing her whole entire beagle life. It doesn’t matter which state (evidently) or which dishwasher (evidently)… if there are dirty dishes to be licked, she’s the dog who’s up for the challenge!

I remember when she was really young, under a year old if I had to guess. She learned quickly how to do this pre-wash ritual.

Now she’s 12 going on 13 and at this point I think this is one of a few traits she’ll have for eternity. Obviously the most important one is being the queen of wherever she is. The second is this: eating anything and everything that’s even halfway similar to food (frogs, poop, tampons, she’s on it!). I’m not totally sure it’s just a beagle thing, but I think a lot of it is her just being a hound. They just like food, and can they really be blamed?

I’m thankful for her although sometimes she can be a bit of a diva 🙂

-Out of the Wilderness

Airbnb’s First Law of Travel Commercial – The Music, the Monologue, and More

Airbnb is at it again with their user-submitted photo montage commercials. This new one features a voiceover about travel that’s worth listening to. Check it out then scroll down for more info…

The Voiceover. Lending his voice, and wisdom from things learned, is Pico Lyer, an essayist and travel writer. The audio is taken from a TED talk. Here’s the full clip, and you can read a transcript here.

The Music. Backing the speech from Pico is a song called “Annie and Owen” by Dan Romer. It’s from the soundtrack of a Netflix series called Maniac. Here’s the full track…

Thanks for dropping by…

-Out of the Wilderness