A Full-time Life

Category: Florida

  • MOODS OF THE DAY

       

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     Sunrise  on the Canal.

    That sky is showing off  my favorite color.  We even painted part of our Canal Cottage as close to that shade as we could get.    It's good to start the day with a shot of happy — especially these days when I'm sure I'm not the only one who can use all the mood-lifters I can get. 

     

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    Same day, same place, different times.  All cheerful colors.

     

     

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    My favorite hibiscis plant — I take pictures of it every year and I'm sure it's obvious why.

     

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    The usual suspects.  Ospreys are everywhere and seem to build their nests on whatever is handy at the moment.   Turkey vultures aren't quite as common as their black vulture cousins, but there are a lot of both kinds.  And Ibis – this one was by itself, but often we see flocks of them.  Nothing unique, but watching any bird at all makes me happy and grateful to be where it's warm enough to do that almost any day.

       

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    I thought of this picture since our weekend 'agenda' was changed today by high winds and expected rains.    Definitely not a good day for a photo/walking outing.  Sometimes it's better not to make even simple plans.  (This boat was docked near us on our New Year's Eve boat trip.  I'm really glad we're not out on the water today and hope all boaters are safe–there are whitecaps on the river today!)

     

     

    Thank you to the hosts of each of these sharing opportunities:    ALL SEASONS; MONDAY MACRO; MOSAIC MONDAY; NATURE NOTES; OUR WORLD on Tuesday; WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY; WEDNESDAY WATERS; SIGNS SIGNS; and SKYWATCH FRIDAY.  

  • THE DAILY WALK

     

     This close to the equator, there isn't much gradual change between night and day.   

     

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    These days, when I start my morning walk sometime  between 6:30 and 7:00, it's still dark.  Here's a morning moon, just a minute after I left the house one day last week.  

     

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    The sky's turning blue a few minutes and a few yards later.

     

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    Ten or fifteen minutes later the sun is out — it's broad daylight in the parkland next door to where we live.  (Caloosahatchie Regional Park East).   

     

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    And when I get home again around eight, it's already a blue sky, bright sunshine, and …

    …. 'darn it I forgot my sunglasses again' kind of morning.

    This picture taken from almost the same spot as the second from the top  –  about an hour later.   (All pictures are straight-out-of-the-camera.)

     

     

    LINKING to the following sharing opportunities, with thanks to all of the hosts: ALL SEASONS; MOSAIC MONDAY; NATURE NOTES; and OUR WORLD on Tuesday.

     

     

     

  • PARADISE AT OUR FEET

       

      Three couples of us from Upriver boated to Pink Shell Resort at Fort Myers Beach.  

    It was a great place to spend the New Year's Eve Weekend.

     

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    In case there is any doubt, the sign on the right tells us that '"You are here — in Paradise."      The two pictures on the left are the resort Marina.    Us and a few other boats — maybe you can guess which one is ours.  (Keep in mind that our dock at home is only 30 feet long.  Some of these boats would take up our whole canal.)  

    Pink Shell is a beautiful resort hotel, with a couple of places to eat, swimming pools, spas and the whole usual resort amenities.   It is on the trolley line, so it was easy to go to the town of Fort Myers Beach, which we did one afternoon and evening.    

    We had fun visiting with our friends, eating, drinking, walking, and watching the fireworks display at midnight New Year's Eve.   But my favorite pictures are of the quiet times at the beautiful beach.

     

     

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    I think this is a Black Bellied Plover in winter plumage.  

     

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    New Year's morning walk.  A good start for the year.

     

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    Ring-billed Gull

     

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    Sunset at the beach.

     

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    Good advice (at a driveway in the resort complex.)

     

    Thank you to the generous hosts of each of these sharing opportunities:      ALL SEASONS (Jesh) ; MOSAIC MONDAY (Maggie) ; NATURE NOTES (Michelle) ; OUR WORLD on Tuesday (Lady Fi, Sylvia, Sandy, Arija, and Gattina); WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY (Stewart); WATERY WEDNESDAY (Gemma) ; SIGNS SIGNS (Leslie); SKYWATCH FRIDAY (Yogi, Sandy, Sylvia); SCENIC WEEKENDS (Gemma); SATURDAY CRITTERS (Eileen); and RATHER B' BIRDING (Annie).  

     

  • BOATING AND CAMPING

    Linking to : SKYWATCH FRIDAY; SCENIC WEEKENDS; SATURDAY CRITTERS; RATHER B'BIRDING; ALL SEASONS; MOSAIC MONDAY;  NATURE NOTES;  OUR WORLD ON TUESDAY;  WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY;  SIGNS SIGNS and  WATERY WEDNESDAY.  

    Thank you to all of the hosts and HAPPY NEW YEAR to all!

      

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    Several decorated boats from our resort took a short evening cruise up the river  the week before Christmas .

     

     

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    My after-dark pictures of the lights decorating the boats didn't turn out well, but the light from the setting sun earlier in the evening made up for it. (Taking pictures from a moving boat is always a little bit difficult, even in the daytime,  so  I'm happy to have these sunset picture.)

     

    The next few pictures are from a "land cruise".  We camped at Collier-Seminole State Park.

     

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    This great Egret posed in all its feathery glory at Fakahatchee Strand State Park, in the Everglades (and near where we camped).

     

     

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    Red-shouldered hawks (I think) near our campsite.

     

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    We saw our first alligators of the season at Fakahatchee Strand.  Now we know we're really in Florida.  We might possibly see egrets and hawks in Oregon.  But never these guys.  This one was sleeping in the parking lot at the visitor center … very near our car.

     

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    We had lunch in a little town (Goodland) near our campground before we checked in.   This was our first "chickee hut" restaurant for this season …. another thing that we don't see until we get to Florida.  We didn't see any "catfish" but the gulls would have been happy with our leftovers (except there weren't any from our table.)  

     

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    And back home again, another sky scene at the end of Upriver Canal.

     

     

     

     

  • THE PROOF …

     

    We are celebrating December in Florida — the proof is in the pictures.

     

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    December Lunch Cruise Destination

    It's all about the blue skies, the birds, the boats, and the bare feet. 

    (Or at least no heavy socks and boots)

     

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    Boat Club lunch cruise, December

     

    It is a joy to have an operating boat right from the start of our season here.   We had problems with a prior repair person last year, but we found a good one this time.    Boats do need a lot of attention.   

     

     

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    Harn's Marsh, Lehigh Acres

     

    On another day last week, we went for a walk at Harn's Marsh, a new birding spot for us.

     

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    Hooded Merganser pair

     

    The female merganser was quite unimpressed as her mate worked hard to come up with only a bill full of water.  


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    Snowy Egret

     

    Just two of many species of birds we saw on this warm December morning.   

    We'll definitely go back to this spot again.

     

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    Night-time views from our deck —  across our Canal.  

    Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to All.

     

     

     

    LINKING this post to: ALL SEASONS; NATURE NOTES; OUR WORLD on Tuesday; WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY; WEDNESDAY WATERS; SIGNS SIGNS; SKYWATCH FRIDAY; SATURDAY CRITTERS; RATHER B'BIRDING; and SCENIC WEEKENDS.   Thank you to all of the hosts.

  • ON THE ROAD AGAIN …

     

    … or almost anyway.

    Taking some time off from blogging to finish closing up the Canal Cottage 

    before our semi-annual cross-country migration.

     

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    I think this road picture (from our archives) is from Colorado — anyway from somewhere with mountains!  

    And that's the way we'll be heading as soon as we get away. 

     

    Comments are closed (for this post only) …  Thank you for your good wishes for our safe trip.  

    Back soon …. same channel, different state!

     

    LINKING TO:   OUR WORLD on Tuesday.  Thank you to Lady Fi, Arija, Gattina, Sylvia, Sandy and Jenn.

  • ODDITIES FROM THE BEACH TRIP

    This is a flashback post featuring some oddities and ironies from our trip to the beach a couple of weeks ago .    

    Shallow waters are a hazard around here.  We saw the boat below as we traveled (fortunately in deeper waters)…. 

     

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        ...   We came home a different way, so I'm not sure if anyone was ever able to get this boat upright and under sail again.  I hope so.

     

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    When walking on the beach one morning I noticed a temporary outdoor wedding chapel being  set up in front of one of the cute little rental cottages.    The ceremony  was underway when I came back on the way 'home'  …  I probably have a strange sense of humor, but I thought  it was funny that the wedding was taking place right in front of the Emergency Call sign.   (In case anyone wants to back out call 9-1-1?)

     

       

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    I find it odd and ironic when people pay good money to stay in hotels like this one  – with their patio and pool and every balcony carefully fenced for privacy from people walking on the beach.   Unfortunately for them,  they aren't able to enjoy the ocean from their fenced in "people zoos" (which is what they look like to me).  When I downloaded the picture,  I noticed that the man standing at the right side of the picture is actually taking a picture through the "bars".  (I didn't get that close.)

     

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    Here's the view for those of us who weren't behind bars.

     

     

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    And here's  a bonus spectacular beach sunset that I didn't show in my earlier beach posts.  

    (I just can't stop taking sunset pictures when we're at the beach.)

      

     

     

     LINKING TO: WEDNESDAY WATERS (thanks Gemma); SIGNS SIGNS (thank you Lesley);  GOOD FENCES (thank you Theresa) and  SKYWATCH FRIDAY (thanks Yogi) 

     

     

     

     

     

  • SUNDAY MORNING AT MANATEE PARK

    Now that the weather is nice and warm (make that HOT hot hot), manatees no longer congregate where the waters are warmed by the nearby power plant.  This time of year, they can spread out and enjoy warm water in the river and the gulf.  They'll be back to their 'hot tub spa' next winter.

     

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    But Manatee Park in North Fort Myers is still a good place for a morning walk close to home — and always a sure bet for picture opportunities.  

    The flowers above are from the Native Plant Demonstration Garden.

     

     

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     The Park is only a couple of miles from home but I didn't get an early start.     Most birds (sensibly) hide during the hot part of the day and  it was already late in the morning.  But the Blue Jay wasn't letting the heat keep him from this pretty perch.

     

     

     

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    The Passion Vine isn't native to this area but it has been planted out of necessity as a supplemental host plant for certain species of butterflies.

     

     

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     This pretty dragon fly posed nicely.

     

     

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    I saw lots of butterflies, but these two were the only ones that landed long enough for a picture.   (Note to self:  Get out there earlier in the morning.  Butterflies are more active after it warms up.)

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    We're at countdown mode, getting organized for our semi-annual migration in a couple of weeks,  so it's a busy time around the Canal Cottage.  A couple of hours in the park was a good way to get energized for the week ahead.

     

    LINKING TO:  Jesh's SEASONS; Judith's monthly MOSAIC MONDAY; OUR WORLD on Tuesday (hosted by Lady Fi, Gattina, Arija, Sandy, Sylvia, and Jenn); Michelle's NATURE NOTES;  Stewart's WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY; and TODAY'S FLOWERS, hosted by Denise.

    Thank you to all of the hosts.

  • ROSY TOMORROWS

     

     

    We had lunch one day last week at Rosy Tomorrows Heritage Farm here in rural North Fort Myers.  The lunch and tour were sponsored by the local newspaper and only people they call "insiders" were eligible to buy tickets.  ("Insiders" meaning people who subscribe to the paper — unfortunately nowadays that is a more exclusive group than it used to be.  But not all that special!).   Everything at the lunch was grown or raised on the farm.

     

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    Longhorn cattle

     

    Rosy Tomorrows is a 100 acre sustainable farm.    All of the animals are pastured and nourished on grass.  No steroids or antibiotics are ever used. The owner has chosen breeds that are slow-growing and that do well in the hot Florida conditions.   

     

     

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    Rosy's website says "All our animals are slow-growing and are raised organically, holistically, sustainably, humanely, and as close to nature as possible."

     

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    She said that the donkeys came with the 100-Acre Farm when they bought it.  They headed right over to all the people taking their pictures — hoping for a handout.

     

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    Red wattle pig

     

    All of the animals seemed happy  in their generous pastures.

     

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    Silver-laced wyandotte chicken

     

    I didn't get as many pictures as I'd hoped to on this tour — there were about 80 "insiders" and it was hard to get good shots.   It was also hard to hear everything Rosy was saying.  We would like to go back sometime next year on one of the days when the Farm is open to the public so that we can wander about on our own.

     

     

    LINKING TO: GOOD FENCES (thank you Theresa)    and     SATURDAY CRITTERS (thank you Eileen).

  • AN ORDINARY WEEK

     

    We stayed close to home this week — no boat trips, no interesting day-trips  … just an ordinary week at the Canal Cottage.

     

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    We stayed  home — but we were almost the only ones on the Canal who did!      This is the annual obligatory shot of our empty canal with some of the vacation homes already shuttered up for the hurricane season and nearly all of the boats pulled out.     (You can see ours nearly at the end on the right.)    

    Most people leave for their summer homes in April or May.  There are only a few people who live year-round here in the resort.   We usually arrive later in the season than most of our fellow snow-birds  and we stay later at the end.  It works better for our schedule.

     

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    It's summer temperatures here already.    Walks (or rides on the purple tricycle) have to be early in the morning or in the evening.  It's really hot mid-day, but  I went out with the camera one afternoon purposely to "pick" these subtropical spring flowers.  

     

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     These are some of the birds I see sometimes on morning walks.     I haven't had very good luck woodpecker hunting this year and I'm not happy with my pictures at all.    Some mornings I see the red-headed, the red-bellied, and a pair of pileated woodpeckers.  I haven't even been able to get a bad picture of the pileateds.    (There are a couple of my better woodpecker posts from other years in the links below).  You'd think since they are the largest they would be easier, but they just won't ever stay in one place.  I'll keep trying.   

    The blue jay loves this one yard — it's the only place in the resort where I consistently see it.

     

     

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    This is the other end of our Canal.  You can see the Caloosahatchie River out there.

     

    LINKING to:   SEASONS;   NATURE NOTES;   OUR WORLD on Tuesday;   WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY;   WEDNESDAY WATERS; TODAY'S FLOWERS and FLORAL FRIDAY FOTOS.  (Thank you to all of the hosts).

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