Life, like a rhubarb-strawberry pie, is often a blend of bitter and sweet. Wanting to enjoy Florida sunshine during dreary January in Indianapolis but not wanting to overburden the resources in Southwest Florida in the aftermath of hurricane Ian, Pie Pal Linda and I decided to go to the less disrupted area of Marco Island. With mixed feelings, we visited people and places and searched for pies where even the effects of the hurricane were still evident. At the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge we learned that the hurricane changed the balance of salt and fresh water but we also saw the resilience of the waterfowl. On a boat tour around Marco Island, we saw disrupted shorelines, washed out oyster reefs, and uprooted mangroves. At the same time, the dolphins were seemingly oblivious to habitat changes as they showed off for us by dancing in the waters around the boat. We also saw osprey nests on channel markers with the parents spreading their wings to shade the babies and lots of LBBs (Little Brown Birds) flying about.
People: While the national news conveyed the devastation of the hurricane, it was not until we met the actual people whose lives were affected in so many ways that we understood the human impact of this hurricane: boat captains, pie-makers, homeowners, keepers of nature preserves whose stories remain untold, but who daily must blend the bitter with the sweet and move on with their lives.
Places: Crabby Lady Restaurant in Goodland Florida. We did not see any signs of “crabbiness” here as we enjoyed our lunch of fresh-caught fish, and our pie ordering skills were successful when it came time for dessert.
Pies: Key Lime is the signature pie of most restaurants in Florida, but post Ian, the pie might appear on the menu but when we tried to order, the pie was not available. On inquiring, we learned that Hurricane Ian had closed the supply chain from Fort Myers, where many of the restaurants in Marco Island purchase their pies—a metaphor for the bitter and sweet, disruption and continuity—that the residents of this area experience daily. Today, when we asked about Florida’s renowned pie, Lisa, the pie-maker at the Crabby Lady, was on duty, and Key Lime Pie was available! Lisa’s pie was very rich (cream cheese and sour cream creamy) and topped with whipped cream (not whipped topping) and a crunchy (not just graham crackers) crust. Thank you, Lisa, for tempering the hurricane with sweetness.
