Shell piles, Birds and Sunsets

The last couple of days have been so busy with all kinds of wonderful therapy, I'm already behind on my posting.... Cheri and I met up for a walk and talk and to see the amazing sunset....we ended up doing more talking and less walking because we ran into an area on the beach that had LOTS and LOTS of minis! Wentletraps galore too....and if you read my posts often, if there is something that will stop me it's those 'wentles'. I neglected to take pics of the areas, but I did take some of what I found...I didn't bring any containers for smalls, but I did fill up my shirt pocket!  There's a dime in there to give you an idea of size....

 The sunset didn't disappoint either!

Just before sunset, the Skimmers came out! I absolutely love these guys and have not been able to successfully photograph them, tonight I got a little bit closer...they are so graceful and so fast....with the fading light it's just tough to catch them. These pics aren't too bad though for my little point and shoot water camera!

They fly along just off the surface, and their bottom beak onto the surface, just amazing to watch!!

Early the next morning, Liz came by and picked me up and we went to check out the newly refurbished Turner Beach, just across Blind Pass Bridge at Sanibel on Captiva Island. It traditionally has a large shell pile right at the rock Jetty and today it did but we walked up the beach for a while to see what was out there.

We couldn't find anything on the beach, so we decided to try our luck in the shell pile....

I haven't done this very often, but have seen many posts where people have found lots of treasures in there! It was still damp inside, so I'm thinking it hadn't been there for too long....right off I got a teaser....a pretty good sized piece of a Lion's paw!!

Then after a little while I ran across this....see it in the center of the pic...in the shadows

Score!! A nice sized Alphabet Cone, and it was perfect!

I got teased a couple more times with two pieces of Junonia!

But alas, it wasn't going to happen today....I did find a few orange scallops, sharks eyes, a couple Gaudy Nauticas, Bittersweets, and a sweet little True Tulip.

We took a short walk on the Sanibel Side at Blind pass, 

and found this Calico Crab taking a dip in the clear Gulf...

That afternoon, I got a call from Cheri and she wanted to know if I wanted to go by Ding Darling to see some White Pelicans on the way to our afternoon Walk-and-talk and Sunset....

I've only seen White Pelicans in flight, never 'up close and personal' they only fly in during the winter here as they migrate here. I was truly amazed! I love the 'goofy' brown pelicans, but these guys are so much larger and much more graceful! They eat like ducks, (don't dive after fish like their cousins)

We spent so much time looking at these guys, we got to the beach just in time to see an ABSOLUTELY gorgeous sunset... and this guy came by to say hi....

How about that for a beautiful ending for a day!! 

 Stay tuned! Hopefully more adventures to come!

::Shelllady Virtual Hugs::

 

Fall Beach and Shell Painting Therapy!

Hi all! I hope this post finds you well and adjusting to the new way of doing business...i.e quarantine! Hubby and I have stayed home, just trips to the store as needed and I've learned how to be a housewife! I worked full time, so was never home enough to do that! I'm kinda like this!! This housewife and househubby needed a break so we headed down to our place in Fort Myers for some R&R!

Let me start out with a Beautiful Sunset!

 Haven't been for a Sunrise yet, but it's coming....

The shelling has not been great, but you know how I am, the beach therapy is! I've only been able to go every other day, due to afternoon thunderstorms...so the last couple of days Team Cheri has gone earlier. There are a couple of small storms...The weather Channel calls them Invests that we should get this coming weekend which hopefully may stir things up a bit, hopefully improving the shelling.

Team Cheri did take a quick trip out looking for Wentletraps...(We call it Wentling) and it was somewhat successful...

I put the penny in there to show sizes...I LOVE the minis! (I forgot to take pics of Cheri's finds)

As usual, every time we go out, we have a little bit of an adventure....Cheri found these eggs...I believe they are Octopus eggs! How cool is that? These haven't fully developed yet, and we don't know if they are still thriving, but we have found them when you could actually see them inside!

We always like to see live stuff during our walks, here is a Live Sunray Venus...

...and a live Lightning Whelk and Sand Dollar!

Most of my time in Virginia, (and a lot of time here) has been spent painting shells and, as we call it, sprinkling them on the island! I came down with 2 boxes full I had painted since last trip...over 200 shells!!

This week I started getting ready for Halloween...and what fun!! I know, I know, it's a bit early...but I won't be here then!!

Here are a few I have been working on!

A Mumingo!!

So fun, and Highly Theraputic...then you get to find new areas to hide them for people to find!! Some areas do this with Rocks....on Sanibel they do it with Shells...of course!

Hopefully I have more adventures to post while we're here....

Stay Tuned and Stay Safe!

::Shelllady Hugs::

Social Distancing Florida Style

If I've got to have social distancing...what better place than Florida?! I have taken a couple of nice walks on the beach, and after the holiday weekend, I'm hoping to take a few more before we leave. Most public parking is still closed on Sanibel so it is difficult to get there, otherwise you would be getting more frequent posts! :) These pictures are a group from different places...
My favorite find so far is this horse conch....I know beauty is in the eye of the (be)holder....right?

What do you think now?

I soaked it in bleach water for days, frequently removing it and using a pic, knife, and a strong brush...then putting it back in the water...I'd say it was worth it!! This is my favorite size Horse Conch!

I also love these Atlantic Wing Oysters....they are so fragile and aren't real common, they insides are always iridescent...this trip I found 3!

I picked up a few Wentletraps...another favorite!

Beautiful True Tulip...

and I found this Spiny Jewel box with my foot!!!!!!

Nice one, but would have preferred to find it the 'old fashioned way'!

I got a few minis also....(notice the inside of the Wing Oysters)

That's a penny in there to give you a size comparison...

look at that Albino Sharks eye...my Daddy would be proud...as I've said before, Sharks eyes were his favorite!

I saw a lot of Life while I was on these walks, that means as much...or even more to me than the shelling....

How about this Sea Star??...Sea X??? How cool is that?

There were lots of Sea Stars out there....

I even had the pleasure of seeing a Dolphin slowly swimming and feeding...

and of course, I love my Pelicans!!

I've been spending lots of time painting shells and hiding them either early morning or late evening. It keeps people from seeing me being sneaky and keeps me away from people. Here's a few I've just finished... so fun!!

and of course, I have needed to restock since it looks like we'll be staying in for at least a while longer....

I hope you all are well and I hope to post more soon!!
Back to the paint brush!!! Stay Tuned!


::Shelllady Hugs::