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EDITOR’S LETTER Happy summer my perpetually-sweaty-and-stickyyear rounders, we have hit the mark when we realize why most people flee this state during the hot months. The mosquitoes are on a first-name basis with us, the Gulf feels hotter than the air temperature and we seem to spend an awful lot of time mowing the yard. But the streets are empty, the stores and restaurants are ours to rule and the beaches make us feel like Robin Caruso. Boca Grande in the summer may be hot, but it’s the best time to see it, if you ask me. Barefoot locals, beers on the beach (we might sneak a few), the sound of parties and music filtering through the night … this is just a step closer to what old Florida was. The Fourth of July all around the island is a sight to behold. The people who are here spare no expense when it comes to fireworks, and you can see them both on and off island from miles around. After spending so many Independence Days in Illinois, I must say that Florida has it beat (maybe not Wisconsin, but definitely Illinois). You just can’t beat fireworks on the beach going off for hours, that’s for sure. Summer is a great time for us to explore parts of Florida we wouldn’t normally consider a destination. We have so many little islands around us – some inhabited and some not – and each one has its own air of mystery. 12 GASPARILLA ISLAND July/August 2017 What might we find there? Pirate treasure or Native American artifacts? It’s fun to let your imagination run wild when you’re on the boat and you cruise by a little shady island. I used to run the huge boulders around Lake Koshkonong in Wisconsin looking for arrowheads, hoping to find more … This is beach time for us, too. We may be dodging a few stingrays and jellies, but the beaches are certainly ours and ours alone to enjoy. It’s funny how you can get so used to hiding out in the air conditioning, but when you finally venture forth from the cave and get a little sand on your toes and salt water in your hair you remember why the beach is magical. I hope these hot months find you doing something you love – kayaking, boating, fishing or beaching. After all, we’re blessed enough to live where most people vacation, so make sure you get out there and take advantage of all our state has to offer … while it’s still quiet out there. Take care of yourselves, and of each other … Marcy Shortuse Editor-in-Chief


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