Relaxation 101...

Don't underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering.  ~Pooh's Little Instruction Book, inspired by A.A. Milne

Another day in paradise!! Today was mostly spent learning to slow down, our lives have been so caught up lately in things that must be done, and doing as much as we can in one 24 hour period that it takes us a couple of days to just wind down and enjoy tranquility.  A 2 week vacation would work really well about now, but alas, life doesn't offer us that luxury....YET!!

No shelling today, but the new moon low tides begin early tomorrow morning, so Hubby and I are going to let Lily sleep in a little tomorrow and head out and see what we can find! 

We took Lily back out to the beach for a walk, (and to play with sticks) and sat out under the umbrella until we got chased in by a quickie little rain shower, so we took advantage and ate PB & J for lunch in the condo while watching oldie movies!! Followed by reading and a little nap time!! How does that sound for relaxation! It was a blast, and very satisfying for all 3 of us!!

We then went back out for a little walk, Lily even enjoyed digging through the old shell piles! Wouldn't it be funny if she picked up a Junonia!!

We went to an early dinner at Sanibel Grill, we started with fried grouper bites and Hubby had the oysters, of course, and I had the Thai Shrimp, we both brought home extras for another meal!! 

I did take my camera with us and took a few pics and some video!

I love these 'pelican trees'!!

A Little closer!!

I took a little video for you to watch to help you drift away and relax, so come on in under the umbrella, turn up your speakers and drift away with us, even if only for a few seconds!! Enjoy!!

 

 

More tomorrow!!

::Hugs::

Cheri

Our 15th Anniversary.....It's all about Lily!!

An anniversary is a time to celebrate the joys of today, the memories of yesterday, and the hopes of tomorrow.  ~Author Unknown

Greetings from paradise!!  We headed down to Sanibel for our annual anniversary trip!We came here on our honeymoon 15 years ago, and have made it a tradition to come back every year after a trip to see the November Thursday night game and the Hokies.....er..lose!! Only one tradition has changed! We brought along Lily, our 14 month old, nearly 4 pound Chihuahua, our baby!! This is the first time we have brought along a pet, and that required us changing where we stay to a pet friendly condo and driving both ways as she cannot go on the Auto Train, so it has been an adventure from the beginning....and we have had a great time!!  ...It's only day one!!

We are staying at Island Beach club, these pics look like the first floor, but it is actually on the second, we have a view of the Gulf, just not Gulf Front, which is fine!! The windows all go from ceiling to floor, and it's really very nice! The temperature is so nice, we just leave the doors open so Lily can travel onto the deck whenever she wants to!!

Our view of the Gulf...we can hear it all night!!

Lily spends a lot of time on the deck!

Her first step in the sand and shell was quite a shock, she didn't like it at first, but quickly adjusted and it was sniff and smell EVERYTHING!! Unfortunately there was a lot washed up, dead fish, seaweed and of course pen shells....all you shellers know that means the good shells should come in the next day or two!!

We LOVE the beach!!

That's a Gar!!

Here she is with her Daddy, just trying to take it all in!! She didn't like the water ....maybe tomorrow!! :)

These HUGE pelicans like to hang out on flimsy branches....these are pretending to be twins!!

See those flimsy branches?

This guy was grooming while balancing up there 3 stories high!

She did pose for me once!! Awww Mom!!!

Then she started playing with sticks!! She would grab one bring it back to me, I'd throw it, she's grab it till finally she just wanted to lay down and chew on it!! She's not prissy....laying all out in the sand!!

The stick had to go with us wherever we went!!

...stopping for a chew now and then!

Then back inside to play with my frog....on the deck.....

...until I finally began to wear down....in the sun of course....getting sleepy....

....and sleepier....

We went out to film the sunset.....

  ...and my batteries died just before it set!!  You'll just have to believe me that it was beautiful and wait for pictures of tomorrow's sunset!

We did little to no shelling, walked a little ways down the beach, but it was very rough and windy, so with the new moon on Wednesday and low evening tides, we expect to do well then!! I will keep you posted on our adventures!! Lily has crashed on the couch, if I could just get one peek in that little brain to see what she thought, she just seemed very happy....looking at EVERYTHING, birds, bugs, shells, waves, sand everything!!

BTW, our favorite restaurant, Hungry Heron, has closed and been replaced by Rosies.  We went there tonight, and though we did get to see some of the people from Heron's, the food was just average, and expensive...so I guess we begin the search for a new favorite!! Will keep you posted!!

Happy Veteran's Day and God Bless all who served, 

ESPECIALLY my Dad!!

::Hugs:: 

Cheri

 

Birds of a Feather

“It’s hard for me to put into words why I like the beach so much. Everything about it is renewing for me, almost like therapy...Beach Therapy”

~Amy Dykens

As predicted, the lack of low tides during daylight has certainly slowed down the shelling for us... As you can see by this picture!

Hubby and I have spent a lot of time sitting on the beach, just enjoying the sights! We've seen lots, and lots of birds, dolphin...and the occasional sea monster again.  We think that we figured out it was manatee...they seemed to swim rather quickly, but saw another couple yesterday, and the beaver-like tail made us more certain....I think....! :) Maybe I'll be able to get a picture of one of them!!

An Osprey on the hunt...fishing!!

A Cormorant, I was told they stand there like this after a swim to dry out their wings to fly! This one stood there for a Long, Long time...posing for me!

I think this is a Willet

Reddish Egret, He was fishing too...had a great system...video  later!

Snowy Plover

Ruddy Turnstone...I think

Ibis

A Duck!! In the Gulf??

Love the Pelicans!

Love the Snowy Plover....so hard to photograph because they move SOO Fast!

Got Him!! This (I think) is the male...a lady following them told us the female is banded, we saw the baby the other day....so sweet, but of course, I didn't have my camera!!

These are the shells we've gotten over the last 3 days!! What a difference a tide makes...huh?! I don't really need any more shells anyway! It's fun to look though...something is therapeutic about it!!

 As I said before....the internet here is terrible, that's partially the reason for the lack of posting!! This post took a LONG time to add the pictures!! Oh Well...one more day here in paradise....we plan on staying here and at the beach all day...we have plenty of food...the only thing growing short is time!! :(

We will head back to Sanford tomorrow am to catch the Auto Train back home...hopefully Beryl will not be there when we get there!! Maybe I'll post one more time this evening, then I will catch you up with the videos after we get home!!  

::Hugs::

Cheri 

Tidal Pool: Life

"At the beach, life is different. Time doesn't move hour to hour but mood to moment. We live by the currents, plan by the tides and follow the sun."~Unknown

We had another good evening of shelling the tidal pool....I'm afraid it won't last too much longer because the low tide is getting into the night and the tides are going to be 'less low' (does that make sense?) We got lots and lots of mini shells this time!! (Sorry about the quality of the pics, guess my focus wasn't working too well!)

Banded tulips, a mini true tulip, and Florida Cones above the apple murex

Hubby's Pear Whelk, Alphabet Cone and paper fig, those are kittens paws on the left, appropriately named don't you think?

Olives below a faded king's crown and sharks eye; fighting conchs at the left then lightning whelk minis, Horse conch minis and button shells!

We call these cat's eyes! and 4 mini pear whelks

There are so many living creatures in the tidal pools, lots of activity, everywhere!! Here are just a few pics of what we saw!

Peek-a-boo crab....now you see him

Now you don't!!

How about this for a fancy garage? see the crab?

 A live pear whelk....I put him right back, I promise!!

A live fighting conch...see his eyes sticking out the end?

Can you see the crab hiding out in this pic?

A hermit on the run!!

A live Banded tulip, has his 'door' open and running through the pool!

My favorite, a Horse Conch, or Florida Conch...his body is BRIGHT Orange!! This one is about 7 inches long!

A banded hemit!!

This guy was HUGE and was digging in the sand...video later!!

A huge starfish

 Unfortunately, while shelling in a tidal pool, some things will hide in the shells we pick up, since they are usually still underwater when we get them, we don't know they are there until I boil the shells when we get back to the condo! That is what happened here!! 

Notice how tiny he is! He was evidently tucked up in one of the shells! I felt terrible!

 While we were Chillin' on the beach this massive unusual looking boat came by...I zoomed in to get these pics....you can see how huge it is by looking at the size of the guy driving it!! It's so low in the water!!

Tonight's shelling was pretty disappointing, the tide never dropped very low before dark, so we need to regroup tomorrow and figure something else out!! But we're pretty resourceful...we'll figure something out....or maybe just RELAX and let the world go by!! :)

::Hugs::

Cheri