01/31/2012

 We just came back from a visit to my brother Rick's condo in Islamorada which is the Florida Keys.  We drove down Friday to Ft Lauderdale Airport w/ my brother Mike and his wife, Paula to pick-up their son Troy.  From there we went on to the keys.  We arrived  about 9:30 at night.  We flipped a coin to see who got the master bedroom and I lost, so Larry and I had twin beds but the bath was just steps across the hall.  The condo was great!

The next day we all went down to "Robbie's Place", a waterfront, surf shop, rental place.  We ended doing an "Eco Tour" on a small runabout.  This turned out very good, since it was just the five of us and Sam our captain and tour guide.  We were out for two hours and saw many things, including  a saltwater crocodile, iguanas, many, many birds and lots of mangrove "islands".

Larry and I on the "eco tour boat"

Saltwater crocodile

Birds at "Robbie's Place"

The third day we drove and hour and half down to Key West and spent the day there.  This was a good time.  Larry and I walked from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean!  This is only about a mile and a quarter!  Later that afternoon we all went to the Square to watch the sunset, along with about hundred other people.  There were all kinds of entertainers and booths selling everything and anything to do with Key West.

Mile marker 0

Larry and Mike under the tightrope walker at Mallory's Square

                       The sunset from Mallory Square, Key West, Florida!!


The fourth day the weather changed and the wind was horrendous!  It was steady at about 20 miles per hour with gust up to 30 to 34.  We did go to a state park in Key Largo and had planned on snorkeling off the beach, but the wind would not lay down.  My brother Mike did get in and tried to snorkel for about 5 minutes!

Paula and me on the beach in the WIND!

All in all it was a good trip.  Larry had never been to the Keys and I had been only once and that was about 40 years ago.

Good to be back to my little house!!

01/24/2012

The weather here is on the warm side.  The temp is about 10 higher that usual for this time of the year.

The Florida weather is great for growing flowers and I have planted four planters and a hibiscus on our site.  Hopefully it will survive the summer and be blooming next season.  I think that it should be established enough by the time we leave to do fine.  In my plants I have two flower boxes of impatience and two basket of Gerber daisies.  Ever thing is blooming except the Gerber daisies, but they are looking good!

Little house big back yard!!

01/11/12

Yesterday we went to Blue Spring State Park and had a great time. There were 107 manatees in the spring.  It is so neat to see these animals so close.

Here  is Larry and my brothers Bob and Mike with a manatee.

We also took the boat tour on the St. John's River.  We saw around 50 alligators and all kinds of birds.  Some of the birds were Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Little Blue Herons, Tri-Colored Heron, Purple Gallinules, many Anhingas, one Wood Stork and many more. 

It was a beautiful day not too hot and not too cold and not a cloud in the sky!

Little house big backyard!!

01/09/12

Larry, Max and Lois and I went to Eustis's First Friday party downtown last Friday.  It was great!  Two great bands, one on each end of the streets.  Lots of vendors selling food and everything else. Lots of lights and people!  Tables and chairs are set out but some people brought there own chairs.

Here is a picture of Larry, Max and Lois.  We will be sure to go again next month!!

01/02/2012

Happy New Year everybody!!

We had a good New Years Eve.  Earlier in the day I saw a Little Blue Heron and then two Sandhill Cranes in the creek.  This creek runs around the edge of our park on two sides.  I new the cranes had to around close because every morning and evening I would here their call.

 

Here is on of the Sandhill Cranes.

And here is the Little Blue Heron

The New Years Party was great.  Great food and friends!  We all had a good time.  Here is a picture of me with my party hat.

Here is Larry, Lois and Max doing the Electric Slide!

Little house big backyard!