Great Blue Heron
Cormorant looking at you...
Great Blue Heron on nest.
2.12.15 - South Venice Beach Ferry
There have been a couple of times this winter when the beaches we usually visit have had no parking available. We found that to be pretty frustrating so we decided to check out the private South Venice Beach Ferry.
This ferry is only 2 miles from our house. It transports beach goers to a primitive area of beach on Manasota Key that is accessible only by boat or foot. The ferry ride is just a couple of minutes across Lemon Bay. There seems to be plenty of parking available at the terminal.
We took a complementary ride over and then decided to purchase a pass which is good for up to 6 people at a time. My only issue is that there are no restroom facilities at the beach. However, the terminal has restrooms.
2.15.15
While our Mildhog friends, Bill and Chris, Jeff and Lynn, and Susan and Brian, were together over Maine's Feb. school vacation, we attended a car show in Clearwater.
2.16.15 - Tampa Bay History Center / Amalie Arena
We also spent a day in Tampa and visited the Tampa Bay History Center. There were many interesting displays. You are not supposed to use a flash with your camera. I thought that I had turned my flash off. Seems I couldn't figure it out and it was still on. This is the only picture that I took. This room was dedicated to Cigars.
The History Center is very near the Amalie Arena where I will soon attend the Women's NCAA Final Four semi-finals and final. I suspect that we will be seated up behind the Amalie sign somewhere and the girls will look a bit like scrambling ants, but I will be there.
2.18.15 - Sanibel Island / Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge
In our area we generally see brown pelicans. On Sanibel as we drove through the wildlife refuge we spotted this resting flock of white pelicans along with a few stray brown birds.
And it was a real treat to catch this romp of otters crossing the road.
We weren't really very close to these critters. I was in the backseat of Bill's Mustang and shoved my camera out the window and didn't know what I would get for a shot. Chalk this up to luck.
I was able to blow it up and crop it to get the close up picture displayed above. Brian is the driver and sharp eyed one.
It was very windy. So windy that I avoided the beach. I had issues with my allergy to shellfish once when I spent some time on a very windy beach and the sand pelted my face...
2.19.15 - Kite Decorating and Manasota Beach
The Mildhogs assembled and decorated some kites. Brian, the lefty and Susan, the righty worked well together.
Lynn and Jeff made it work. Allan and I took turns coloring. I guess Bill did the bulk of the coloring on their kite. Chris, the artistic one, must be checking her new phone to see if more pictures of grandchild #1, Lincoln, have been sent.
It was another cool windy day at the beach. Allan tried to get his dolphin kite to fly without much success.
They went up but went around in tight circles and came back down.
Here is Jeff capturing Lynn with their kite in flight.
Hawk-eye Brian spent some time looking for shark teeth.
He found quite the keeper...
2.22.15 - SeaBlues Festival in Clearwater
For many years now the 'hogs have enjoyed the music and food at the free SeaBlues Festival in Clearwater. There seems to be more people in attendance in recent years.
Allan and this armadillo were startled by each other. It was scrounging for something by the edge of the trail. I am not sure proportionally which of them jumped higher. By the time I got my camera ready and got a shot it had stopped hopping and was scurrying into the underbrush.
We don't generally walk/hike during lunch time but it is nice to know that most of the preserves/reserves have picnic tables.
Maybe spring has arrived...
2.28.15 - South Venice Beach and Venice Fishing Pier
The first day of Dave and Sue's FL vacation overlapped with Dawn and Rick's trip down for the closing on their new South Venice house.
We all rode the ferry over to South Venice Beach. Yes, once in a while we have a cloudy day with rough surf.
However, it was warm enough for Dave and Sue to be in their t-shirts and shorts. No complaints from these northern visitors.
I was so excited to discover this shark tooth that I had Allan take a picture right there on the beach. Not sure if I thought I would drop it or just what was the rush.
It is the largest tooth that we have found.
We went to Sharkey's for dinner and enjoyed a walk on the fishing pier and sighted this egret and heron. Dawn and Rick had to head back to NH and work the next day.
Another night while Dave and Sue were here we went to Manasota Beach to watch the sunset.
We also went to Pop's for lunch one day with Dave and Sue and were treated to lunch and to a couple of dolphins doing their thing in the intracoastal waterway.
Early March - Hampden, ME
And thanks to Jake, we are reminded of the ongoing snowy situation up north on Hamel Ave. A whole lot of melting needs to go on before I will ever be able to get Allan back up there...
3.3.15 - Alligator Creek
We've have great fun nearly every day. However, one of my regrets is that we didn't kayak this winter. I think I would prefer to paddle in the winter when the temps are in the 60's and 70's. Lucky for me I can try harder next winter. Maybe I'll have a new much lighter kayak by then too.
We did get out on this day, while Dave and Sue were in Key West, and paddled from the South Venice Ferry Boat Landing out to Lemon Bay and the intracoastal waterway then up Alligator Creek almost to the Tamiami Trail and back again. It was about a 5 mile paddle. It was a warm day in the low 80's. We had a great time.
Allan paddling past the South Venice Ferry Terminal.
Great Egret
A delightful day for a paddle.
Tri Colored Heron
No alligator sightings on or in Alligator Creek and that is fine by me.
We made it back to the waterway where the big boys play.
And as good navigation would have it we found the boat ramp.
3.6.15 - Jet Blue Park, Fort Myers / Fenway South
We attended a spring training game with Dave and Sue. The Red Sox lost to Miami. We will just have to go to another game or two and see how they do.
This new park opened in 2012 at a cost of $78 million and with field dimensions that match Fenway. It seats about 11,000. The money to build the stadium came from a tourist tax on Lee County hotels.
We were seated on the Green Monster. It was an interesting view.
The fans, peanuts and beer were outstanding.
After the game we exited directly from our Green Monster seats and came by an open door to the field. We stepped in and I got a couple of quick shots from the warning track before we were politely informed that we were not supposed to be in there.
3.9.15 - Cyndi and Emmi Visit
A quick trip to Manasota Beach the afternoon of their arrival. Emmi is using a shark tooth rake but pickin's were slim on this day.
3.10.15 - Banana Harvesting and a Swim
Allan decided to cut down a couple of bananas from our plants. Cyndi decided that Emmi needed to be in the picture. Emmi was thrilled.
Later in the day we went to Service Park Beach on Venice Island. We enjoyed the sun, sand, water and picnic lunch.
Cyndi is the only person I have ever come across who willingly stays in the water as long as I do.
It may have taken us a while to mosey in...
but we made it.
3.12.15 - McKechnie Field / Pirates vs Red Sox
For the record there is very limited parking for this field. Actually there is less than that. We were tied up in traffic before we even left Venice and arrived in Bradenton to the traffic of people trying to find a parking space. Because we were willing to pay $$$ we did find a space and very near the entrance gate.
It was a hot sunny afternoon. We were seated in the full sun. It was thrilling to see many of the regular season potential starters play the first four innings or so.
Papi got a single or two. He also got a three run homer and that was followed by the Panda getting a solo home run.
We were happy to have the chance to cheer them on. However, at about the middle of the 7th after baking in the sun for some time Cyndi and I decided that our mother was not with us and it would be OK if we left the game before it was over. By this time we didn't really recognize the names or faces of any of the Red Sox players still in the game anyway.
3.13.15 - Arcadia All-FL Championship Rodeo
Back when Cyndi was planning their trip I realized that if she tweaked the dates of their stay by just a day they could attend this rodeo. She was all for that idea and thus we attended the Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo.
Arcadia is a little over an hour inland from here and we had no trouble finding the rodeo. It was pretty much the only thing in town. It was a first for all of us and I suspect given the opportunity we just might go again. It had a bit of a fair or carnival feel with food booths, a few whatnot tables and a mechanical bull that you could ride. We all passed on the ride. The rodeo itself went quickly from one event to the next.
There was pageantry,
calf roping,
speedy barrel racing,
bronc riding,
more bronc riding,
clowns,
and bull riding.
In between company we managed to catch a spectacular sunset at Venice Beach with a flock of black skimmers and a stray sea gull or two.
3.21.15 - Shamrock Park Clean-up
Allan and I participated in a spring clean-up day at our neighborhood park. It was a nice morning to do a good deed. I expect that the gopher tortoise and this duck appreciate our efforts.
3.25.15 - Gasparilla Island State Park / Boca Grande Lighthouse
We decided to take Ma out for a ride and lunch. We drove to Gasparilla Island which is about 25 minutes south of here. We stopped by the state park and checked out the lighthouse - turned - museum. The views were magnificent and the museum displays very informative.
On our way down from the lighthouse Allan spotted this iguana. From what we have read they have tried to eradicate them from the island so I don't know what the expected life span is for this fella.
We stopped for lunch at a beachfront restaurant. Ma and I enjoyed fried grouper and Allan had blackened grouper fish tacos. For me grouper is the haddock of Florida and I really like haddock.
Ma is certainly a long way from home.
3.26.15 - Fenway South / Red Sox vs Twins
Time to see another ballgame. This time with Ma. We were glad that she brought her handicapped car tag. It got us parking quite close to the ballpark although they do have golf cart like buggies that they run through the parking fields to assist folks getting to and fro if the walk is too long.
On the way in we saw Ted Williams and Wally.
Again the big boys played for the first 4-5 innings.
We had great seats down the first base line just before first base. We were in the shade the entire game and there was a nice gulf breeze blowing on our backs as we sat on the top row looking down.
Papi swinging for the Green Monster.
They won in the 10 inning with a walk off home run. Way to go boys. We will see you again in April at the Trop vs the Rays.
3.29.15 - Regrets / Hopes
I regret that it has been so long between posting. I worked on this once and got some pictures sorted out and then there was more company and more pictures. It has taken me much of today to get this post done.
There will be a lot going on the next 10 days and I hope that I will get a post done soon after all the action.
Ah, the joys of retirement.
