Full Moon!!

"May your time be filled with relaxing sunsets, cool drinks and sand between your toes"

Good morning all!!  We had an early dinner in the Condo (Steaks on the grill !!) yesterday so we could stay out and enjoy shelling the low tide, and it was great!! I'm sure it was because it was full moon last night!! It certainly paid off! The sand bar came all of the way out and the water was so clear!!  There must have been millions of hermit crabs running around in the new formed tidal pool, it was such fun....so much space, so little time!  We saw live olives for the first time!!  Sorry I didn't take my camera, but maybe I can find one when I do have my camera to show you...I believe it is Olive season!  It's always such an adventure to see to the gulf floor we even saw a pod(?) of rays!!  Dolphin came in toward the beach...I wasn't so lucky with the camera this time, but they are such fun to watch from the Lanai!!

Yes Jess you are right Mimosa was what I was trying to remember, it finally came to be late yesterday afternoon!!  You win the prize!!....

We had a large group of shells, I was up late getting them ready for their viewing this morning!! I thought of you Daddy, there were at least 3 crabpots to dig around!! Not much fun to do by myself so I need you to come down and help!! :)

I took more pics of the tropical flowers....not sure of their names so I made up my own!!

Bell flower tree

Green Bean Tree

Verbeena

Junonia Jim's catch!

Kings Crown

True Tulip (orange) & Banded Tulips

Lace Murex and Alphabet cone!

My Catch!

Shell catch part 3!

Sunset



Full Moon!



Tropical Full Moon!

I slept in this morning, and we went back into town for breakfast at Jerry's, so we could also stock up on some more of their fresh pastries!  So now you are all up to date!!

{::Hugs::}

More Beachin' and stuff!!

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

The timing of the pics in the posts from now on will be a little different since the evening tides are the best.  Therefore, I can't take pics until the next morning....cuz it's dark by the time I get them all cleaned up!! :)


We went to Hungry Heron and saw our favorite waitress Lori....she greeted us both with a great big hug!  We have her schedule so will see her hopefully a couple more times before we leave!!  BTW...Thanks to the Weiners for our early dinner....it was great!!

Yesterday afternoon proved to be a little better shelling, although it was still pretty rough and you had to walk behind the waves and scoop them up.  It began to get a little hazy so it became difficult to see very well, but I think we did well!!  What do you think?



I'll take it!!

Winged Oyster

Spiny Jewel Box...both sides!

 



A Baby's ear!!



Daddy's favorite.....a Shark's eye!!

I got up early again this morning, Jimmy decided to sleep in since the tides weren't going to be very low.  I didn't find much but enjoyed the walk in the morning sun!! Came home and had my apple fritter from Jerry's ...Yummm-o!!


I heard you all had some pretty scary weather yesterday.....will contact Maxine today to see how she is, since Willow Springs and Raleigh NC made news on the weather channel!!   Things around here are still beautiful and warm!!


I took more pictures around the condo this morning! Hope you all enjoy....




I believe he is called an anole....he has a red flap under his chin that he shows from time to time, but refused to let me get a picture of it!!  I'm gonna keep trying!!



Fuzzy flower.....I know the name of the tree but can't think of it to save my life!!

A baby version of the same tree!!

Mr. Osprey looking out over his kindgom!

A Blue Heron in the alligator pond....click the pic to zoom...he has a snack!!



Another pic of the same Blue Heron, very pretty, never seen them before, only a Great Blue!!



Trip Report....Day 2!!

“I have the world's largest collection of seashells. I keep it on all the beaches of the world... perhaps you've seen it.” ~Stephen Wright

We got a few more shells yesterday evening, not a big group....ate dinner in (leftovers from Hungry Heron!) Quick showers and more relaxing on the couches!!

We are having a lazy day today....got up before sunrise, and got out on the beach around 7:00.  Today's morning tide was not very low...in preparation for change to the evening tides being much lower!  Not much out there, and came back in by 8:30 with little or no shells!  That's okay it's still a beautiful day for a walk on the beach!!  I walked around outside after we had our breakfast (homemade pastries from Jerry's!) and snapped a few pictures for you all to see!!

These are tulip shell egg cases!  Hopefully they are all out there in the gulf swimming around growing up!!

These are lighting whelk egg cases...there once were hundreds here in these little pods!

White Heron in the 'Alligator Lake" out back!!

Osprey...The condos here built a nest for these guys...this one is looking particularly cute with his new hairdo...must be mating season!!

Speaking of birds....Birds of paradise....you just don't get any more tropical than that!!

Bird of Paradise up close



Morning glories are all up the entrance to the beach....and as their name says, they only bloom in the morning!!



This is the walkway to the Gulf....Beautiful as usual!!

Junonia Jim with one of his favorite snacks...sugar wafers!!  Out on the deck trying to take it all in!!

We plan on eating the big meal about 2:00 at Hungry Heron to visit with one of our favorite waitresses Lori, and spend Jimmy's gift certificate from April. Jon, Hailey and Chloe!  Then back out early to get some good shells!!  Hope you all are enjoying this....I know we are!! :)  Would love to hear from you....either post here if not too complicated or send me an email!! 
More updates later!


I don't want the day to go buy without a shout out and a prayer to Virginia Tech Hokies everywhere and the entire Hokie nation!  Don't ever forget April 16th, 2007!!

...From the We Remember site:   http://www.weremember.vt.edu/

"The We Remember website provides information about the 32 students and faculty members who were tragically taken from their loved ones and our community on April 16, 2007. They ranged in age from 18 to 76 and represented a variety of academic areas, along with nearly every major faith and ethnic group. We hope that you are able to reflect on the tremendous promise each of them embodied for our world and that you take with you a little of their creativity, intelligence, humility, and humanity when you leave the site."


::Hugs::

Sanibel Thriller and Dolphin!!

Just wanted to post this video I took today....just happened to be at the right place at the right time!!  Sanibel Thriller came by just off of the beach....we had seen some dolphin out there playing and they decided to follow.....watch this behind the boat!!  Sorry, it's a little jumpy in places, but almost as good as being there!! Enjoy!!

Double click twice for full screen!!

Summertime!

"If this isn't heaven, you sure can see it from here!" (posted in a guestbook at the room we're in)

Greetings from Sunny Florida!  We came down on the Autotrain, it wasn't nearly as good as usual, they put us downstairs next to two families with 4 kids....the kids thought that the entire area was for them to play football and play all sorts of games in, never closed their door until bedtime ~10:00 pm....so we were fit to be tied....so much for a quiet trip! 

We did have dinner with a couple who had retired from Maryland and were living on the east coast of FL and loving life!!  Made us realize that maybe it is an achieveable dream for us!! 





The Mustang top level on the train,....as it should be :)



We got into Sanford (near Orlando) around 9:15 am which was ahead of schedule, and got our car and on the road about 10:45 or so. Arriving at Sanibel around 2:30.

I went out for a little while, but we were tired, and decided we would go get us a bite to eat about 5:30 and make it an early night so we could get up early!  We were both tired!

We got up and went out when it was light enough, just before sunrise (about 6:45) and walked toward the east, which has always been our favorite area...the tide was not very low but we found a few small shells and came back to the condo around 9:15.

This Hibiscus was the first thing we saw....Isn't it beautiful?!

Jerry's Grocery...our favorite place to shop...and eat breakfast!!  You park underneath!!

First trip shelling....not a whole lot, but I'll take it!!

Suray Venus Clam

Knobby Fighting conch! (and a nutmeg for you Brad!)

Our view out back!!

Our view out front!

Like the guy said...."If this isn't heaven, you can see it from here!!"


Then off to Jerry's for some breakfast and to pick up a few groceries!  It's beautiful here....not humid and LOTS of sunshine, which is just what we need!  I will keep you posted here on how we do shelling, and what ever other adventures we find!

::Hugs::

Gone Fishin' 2!!

The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.  ~John Buchan

Daddy and I went fishing again....back to his fishing cabin in NC.  He started going there with his Mom, Dad and brothers and sisters when he was just a small boy!  It's a wonderful place, although 'progress' is slowly taking over the secluded banks with amazing, and in some cases obscene houses!  I love the huge cypress trees and knees and spanish moss!  It's a place to go to think, enjoy, and relive old memories!

I took some pictures to share... (click to see full screen!)



Do you see the people?? I have always seen the cypress knees as people each one is an individual....look closely!



It was such a beautiful day!!  This guy got this gar while we were there and enjoyed it while we fished near by!

...and we found a hiding place for something eating clams.....look at all that loot!!



From a distance......





...zoomed in!!





Daddy won the prize of the day with his 3 pounder!!  Finally Bass in the freezer!!

These are maple tree 'helicopters'!!  They are always red down there, and look like the tree is in bloom!!

We had a great day....a lot of activity and a lot of bites!! And as you can see the weather was BEAUTIFUL!!  I hope you enjoy this as much as we did!!




::Hugs::