Bye Bye Boat

Since we're selling our Florida home, we put the boat on the market too.  Sad though we are to say good bye to a boat that we've owned and loved for 14 years, we couldn't leave it on the dock if we no longer owned the house.

Fortunately, we found a friend who will love and care for it!  Our neighbors, Connie and James,

went out with us to see how it ran, and introduced us to

a new island, a new restaurant and a new friendship!

From the dock on the bay side of Palm Island, we walked across the mangrove swamp to the beautiful resort of Rum Bay.



We had a great lunch looking out to the Gulf of Mexico.

It was a lovely day for a boat ride.  We saw so many birds, dolphins, and a few other boats.

Truly a wonderful way to spend a December day in Florida!



Orchids, Orchids, Orchids

For anyone who loves flowers like I do, orchids are right at the top of the list of favorites.  They come in a variety of colors and shapes and are often very fragrant.  So I couldn't resist when I saw the signs that said "Orchid Show - Friday and Saturday" a few blocks from the house.

Of course, they had a competition, with lots of ribbons, but they also had a section for people selling plants.

It's hard to choose a favorite

They ranged in price from $8 to $35 - I picked 3 even though I wonder how I'm going to keep them alive.  I just couldn't resist.

Sarasota Keys to Anna Maria Island Motorcycle Trip

On another beautiful warm and sunny day, one of our favorite trips is through Sarasota and up the several keys to end at the pier on Anna Maria Island.

The waterfront in Sarasota has many unique statues and sculptures.

The first bridge takes us onto Bird Key

 Then onto Longboat Key, with its golf courses and luxury condos

And finally, Anna Maria Island.  First stop Bradenton Beach.

Even with sea fog, it was comfortable riding without coats.

Close up view of the pier behind me - Smell was powerful!

Real orchids graced our lunch table.

Sea fog shrouded the bay, so the Sky Bridge wasn't visible today.

Several rays swam near the pier

The rays seemed to be chasing the fishing birds.

Anna Maria Pier's history

Two Floridas

With beautiful weather and the bike running great, we've been out riding every day lately.  Yesterday, we decided to go to Fisherman's Village in Punta Gorda.  We used to have lunch there frequently, but hadn't been there for a couple of years even though it's pretty close.

Although neither Ron nor I are very good at shopping, we do appreciate that we could probably find anything we wanted at the shops at the Village.

We should have known it would be crowded when we could barely find a spot to park the motorcycle.

 We walked part of the mall on the outside along the harbor.

Oh boy, no place to eat here without a long wait.  Headed back to Chubbyz in Port Charlotte for fish n' chips.

 

Then today, we went with our friends, Patti and Fran, and headed to the interior, planning lunch in Sebring.

Wide open spaces, with birds, cows, and an occasional alligator.

 

We stopped on the way back for a diet Pepsi at the Limestone Country Club.

A biker bar with rather unique décor.

 

A perfect day for a ride in the countryside.

More Key West Pictures

 

Second day in Key West. 

Woke up to sunrise, and possibility of rain.

The resident Iguana was out watching the sun come up too.  The house didn't look so bad - we all slept pretty good in spite of a storm that poured rain and rocked us with thunder and lightning until about midnight.

We decided maybe instead of going exploring on our own, battling traffic, trying to find a parking spot, and wondering what we were looking at, we should take a city tour.

Lots of interesting buildings - most with a story.

Like "Sloppy Joe's" - one of Hemingway's favorite bars,

 

and of course, Hemingway's house.

The government paid for this building for headquarters, complete with snow load ready roof.  This in a place that has only seen one 40 degree low temperature in its recorded history.

The aquarium is in the middle of

Mallory Square, one of the trolley stops.

You can still buy a sponge here, even though the sponge industry was wiped out by red tide in the early 1900's.  It never returned from Clearwater, FL, where it was relocated, because of new rules and regulations.

 

There are still 44 cats in residence at the Hemingway house.  This cat watering hole began its life as a urinal.  Mrs. Hemingway decorated it as best she could to disguise its origin and even brought the vase from Italy and made it into a fountain that flowed into the watering dish.  All the tiles around the edge made it quite a work of art.

Our guide through the Hemingway house seemed to be auditioning for a role.  Even the ticket taker at the gate seemed to be trying to look like Hemingway. 

Last tour stop - Monument to the southernmost spot in the US.