Becoming Locals...

Every day is an opportunity to make a new happy ending. ~Author Unknown

As part of our effort to become "Locals" we tried our second restaurant yesterday.  The first was on Tuesday and it was Salty Papas Shrimp.  It is walking distance from our house.  We both got the garlic pasta with grilled shrimp.  It was okay, a smidge pricey, but just okay, it could have used a little more spice or seasoning, but we will probably give it another chance. Yesterday we tried Kenwood Lane Grill.  It was a very small place, only 12 tables, and if you didn't know it was there, you would definitely miss it!! They pride themselves on hand ground fresh burgers, deli sandwiches with fresh ingredients and homemade fries. Hubby had a burger, and enjoyed it and I had a 'Chubby' Sandwich, Roast beef w/provolone, onions, mushrooms, and roasted red peppers, both sandwiches with the homemade chips. It was very good, and a huge sandwich! This restaurant is definitely on the 'let's try this again' list!

After our big lunch had settled a bit, we headed out to Gulfside City Park at Sanibel yesterday about 2 hours before low tide, which was about 3:00. The gulf was very calm, and visibility in the water was good.  We headed West and once again, were finding little to nothing against the shore, we decided to venture a little deeper in search of a place to dig.  I ran across an area right in front of Oceans Reach that appeared to have buried treasure! I began digging and soon found pen shells! Pen Shells tend to trap shells in them, and pile up together as they are washed in, causing many treasures to be hidden in and around them! It looked like it was going to pay off this time! 

(Here is a pic of some penshells from a previous trip, you can see how they would tend to trap shells in them, especially underwater as the waves wash the sand over them.)

Hubby went out a little deeper and found hundreds of live sand dollars on the sandbar! So many he said he couldn't walk without stepping on them, so he came on back in and decided to sit under the umbrella and chill some.  

I continued to dig in the pen shells, I was pretty comfortable, sitting in the water it was a little deeper than waist deep, couldn't see, but could feel the shells.  Unfortunately as Florida afternoons usually do, thunderstorms began to move in, and I got chased out before too long!! I think I found a place that would have brought some amazing treasures too!! :( But I did get some nice things in the short time I had!

All our finds for the day

My finds

Hubby's finds, Olives, fighting conchs, a lightning whelk, and scallops

I found lots of Olives, a well worn King's crown, a beautiful orange true tulip, a Florida Cone and a Horse Conch, and even 2 top shells!!

Both sides of a mussel cleaned up well!

A gaudy nautica (we call them Cat's eyes) and a tiny shark's eye.

We decided it was time to head back, Man! I would have liked to stayed around to see what other treasures I could find!! I would like to find an alphabet cone...it's been months since we found one!!

It was moving in pretty rapidly as we headed back home across the causeway!

It hit just before we got home!....it rained a lot, but stopped after a half hour or so, and then as Florida weather does, it cleared up and was a beautiful evening! Don't you know I thought about going back out there?! But low tide had passed...there is tomorrow! :)

Stay tuned!

::Hugs::

Cheri