Tuesday, February 12, 2008
KEY WEST ROAD TRIP - DAY 2
7:58 AM | 
Posted by
Gabby Faye |
This is how we got around Key West...electric golf cart for 4. It was more than a LITTLE cramped in the back seat, but we managed and it got around the streets far easier than cars or trucks. Traffic, not to mention gas, make this the preferred method of transportation. When the power is low, you take it back to the rental place and get another one. I think we had 3 or 4 for the 3 days.
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We just HAD to do the tourist-y photo at the marker. This was early morning so just one other couple was there ahead of us. Later in the day they are lined up out to the street!---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Breakfast: BLUE HEAVEN: Thank goodness the other couple was so familiar with Key West and love good food. This place was terrific! I could have eaten all of our meals there, easily. The coffee was the best I have had and my blueberry pancakes were made with FRESH blueberries. 
There is a very colorful history to the structure...house and courtyard. The stairs lead up to a floor of tiny bedrooms...what was once a bordello. 
This is the door to the inside eatery, but I guess everyone likes the patio. There is a bar, tables, and a stage with 20 or so chairs. Breakfast didn't have any entertainment except the roosters. The Jimmy Buffett song, Blue Heaven Rendezvous was inspired by this place. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After breakfast we went back to the Southernmost Point for some photos and a visit to "Louis' Backyard".
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We stopped at one of the beaches and I was fascinated by this pier they are rebuilding. The piers extend way outside of the left edge of this photo. It will be AWESOME when it is done. I assume one of the hurricanes destroyed the original.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pepe's! Our friend wanted to shop so the guys waited here with a couple of Margaritas. I wish we could have fit in a meal...it was a very relaxing courtyard with an amazing Bougainvillea.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Being Jimmy Buffett fans, we just HAD to visit the store and restaurant. Of course we had a CHEESBURGER for lunch!
Longer Road Trip-Key West
DAY ONE:
For all my friends and family, here is a little pictorial overview of our long-awaited trip to Key West...our Christmas Present to each other.
The Rain Barrel - a store and artists colony on Islamorada. We would have missed this if our companion couple weren't SO familiar with the out-of-the-way spots.
This is looking back into the shops and studios behind the store.
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The Wreck and Galley Grill on Grassy Key:
Best Key Lime Pie around. One slice is more than enough for two people.
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Sundown is an EVENT in Key West. The Mallory Square by the cruise ship docks is a magnet for street performers, vendors, strangeness, and tourists.
All are waiting for the magic moment that the sun disappears and everyone cheers. That also starts the nightlife as the crowd heads out for dinner and the bars. This evening the cruise ship Enchantment of the Sea was just leaving. Our first cruise in 1994 was on this ship.
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Honest! We only intended to stop for ONE drink...just to say we had been to Sloppy Joe's. But when we got there they were preparing for the headliner for the night...PAT DAILEY. He winters in Key West, but summers at...Put-In-Bay...a huge party spot in Lake Erie between Ohio and Michigan. The crowd was almost all Ohio and Michigan people, like we are. We HAD to stay and enjoy the show. I plan on tuning in this weekend, too, as it is on live Web Cam all weekend. What a party, though!!! All those drunks chanting "OOOOOO-HI-oooooooo!"
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For all my friends and family, here is a little pictorial overview of our long-awaited trip to Key West...our Christmas Present to each other.
The Rain Barrel - a store and artists colony on Islamorada. We would have missed this if our companion couple weren't SO familiar with the out-of-the-way spots.
This is looking back into the shops and studios behind the store.
__________________________________________________The Wreck and Galley Grill on Grassy Key:
Best Key Lime Pie around. One slice is more than enough for two people.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sundown is an EVENT in Key West. The Mallory Square by the cruise ship docks is a magnet for street performers, vendors, strangeness, and tourists.
All are waiting for the magic moment that the sun disappears and everyone cheers. That also starts the nightlife as the crowd heads out for dinner and the bars. This evening the cruise ship Enchantment of the Sea was just leaving. Our first cruise in 1994 was on this ship.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Honest! We only intended to stop for ONE drink...just to say we had been to Sloppy Joe's. But when we got there they were preparing for the headliner for the night...PAT DAILEY. He winters in Key West, but summers at...Put-In-Bay...a huge party spot in Lake Erie between Ohio and Michigan. The crowd was almost all Ohio and Michigan people, like we are. We HAD to stay and enjoy the show. I plan on tuning in this weekend, too, as it is on live Web Cam all weekend. What a party, though!!! All those drunks chanting "OOOOOO-HI-oooooooo!"-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Small Road Trip
If there is an excuse to do business in another town, especially one an hour or so away, we turn it into a road trip. Monday we headed out by expressway and turnpike to do a bit of business South of home. On the way back we avoided the "fast way" stopping at one of our favorite haunts...a Tiki bar on the water at a city marina.
I hve never really taken a photo of a pelican I liked. Although the distance to The Indian River Lagoon is less than a half-a-mile, it is rare for a Pelican to come to our little inland lake. Last year one decided it liked the neighbor's porch, a work-in-progress, in spite of the music he played as he worked. Silly old bird.
Here are some pelicans at the marina we visited.
Here is what we REALLY went for...Sweet Potato Fries!!! I never had them until a couple of years ago when we first visited this place. Now I can't wait for them to make their way North in popularity. I have had bad ones elsewhere, though, so be careful.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
On a scrapbooking site where I am on the Creative Team, I put out a challenge called, "12 on the 12th". I heard about this challenge on Scrapbook Memories, a TV show from Brigham Young University TV. The challenge is to take your camera everywhere with you on the 12th of each month, take 12 photos to scrap. They should be photos of your everyday activities on that day. Maybe you will be lucky enough to be going to a wedding and dressing all up, or maybe you will have to take your camera to work, or with you as you scrub floors...whatever. Here is my embarrassing day on January 12. I can hardly wait to see what February 12 brings.
There I was talking to the stork today when he decided I had moved close enough and he took off. I was fast enough this time to get the above shot. Oh, he was back in an hour or so. There is a stack of cans of sardines in the cupboard so I opened one of those and put them out in the grass for him. He kept eating one, then snapping that big beak...as if smacking his lips. I am not about to feed him by hand with that beak!
A POSTSCRIPT: I sent this photo in to the Scripps newspaper for our area and it was published in the Photos by our Readers column.
A POSTSCRIPT: I sent this photo in to the Scripps newspaper for our area and it was published in the Photos by our Readers column.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
My "Friend" the Stork
I really think this is the same fellow we have seen in other years. In fact, my first photo with the Canon Digital Rebel, last February, was of him. He has a route all around our lake begging from the soft-hearted ladies. He comes right up to the screening of our pool and peeks into the doorwall. If it weren't for the screenhouse, I am sure he would peck on the door. When I go out the screen door at the side he prances right around to greet me.
He eats about anything, but prefers canned tuna. When I am finished he will follow me until he is SURE there won't be any more treats. He knows a "mark" when he finds one.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Camera Back in Action
I couldn't resist taking a photo of this pair of Osprey this noon. The island where they roost is to the west of us and evening is usually when they roost. By their roosting at noon, today, the sun gave me a better view of their white markings, instead of just an evening silhouette.
We saw an alligator this noon. It was right in front of the house and moved around very slowly. Finally I got the camera on a tripod and went out to the seawall with it. At one point I could see his whole body through the water and I estimated it at 4 feet nose to tip of the tail. About then he turned toward me and looked right at me. This is not the first time an alligator in the lake has met me eye-to-eye and it is quite an experience. There is no fear and you can't really read curiosity in the eyes...just cold measuring of the prey, or no prey.
We have seen no sign of the 14 footer from last year. The den and beach across the bay where he spent the winter is well under water. We figure the water level in the lake is up about 6 inches over last year and covers the little "beaches" that developed along the shore lines. The long-legged water birds still wander in the shallows, but other birds that congregated on the sand, now are on the lawns in the evenings.
The bench where we would sit almost every evening succumbed to the heat of last summer and the metal broke into several pieces. The guys bought another bench and put it in place, so we are back by the water's edge each evening with binoculars and camera (and a couple of beers).
We saw an alligator this noon. It was right in front of the house and moved around very slowly. Finally I got the camera on a tripod and went out to the seawall with it. At one point I could see his whole body through the water and I estimated it at 4 feet nose to tip of the tail. About then he turned toward me and looked right at me. This is not the first time an alligator in the lake has met me eye-to-eye and it is quite an experience. There is no fear and you can't really read curiosity in the eyes...just cold measuring of the prey, or no prey.We have seen no sign of the 14 footer from last year. The den and beach across the bay where he spent the winter is well under water. We figure the water level in the lake is up about 6 inches over last year and covers the little "beaches" that developed along the shore lines. The long-legged water birds still wander in the shallows, but other birds that congregated on the sand, now are on the lawns in the evenings.
The bench where we would sit almost every evening succumbed to the heat of last summer and the metal broke into several pieces. The guys bought another bench and put it in place, so we are back by the water's edge each evening with binoculars and camera (and a couple of beers).
Thursday, January 17, 2008
A Snowbird Again
We arrived in Florida again on the 10th. Of course, in my head I had told myself that, after 5 years, nothing would be new. We have seen all of the birds and animals we are going to see, especially after the family of Sandhill Cranes last year.
"OH," said our neighbor, "We have an owl. Up there in the tree. Hear it?"
Well, I certainly could hear the soft "Hoo Hoo".
Tonight I was looking across the bay at a large bird in a tree branch that sticks up way above the rest of the trees. Through binoculars I could clearly see the "horns" of feathers that screams, Great-Horned Owl.
I watched for a moment then a noise sent the owl to the cell-phone tower. It is half a mile away but I dragged out the camera and tripod and tried, in the twilight, to get a photo. I have the rest of the 4 months to try and get better photos but, for what they are worth, here is the best shot.
"OH," said our neighbor, "We have an owl. Up there in the tree. Hear it?"
Well, I certainly could hear the soft "Hoo Hoo".
Tonight I was looking across the bay at a large bird in a tree branch that sticks up way above the rest of the trees. Through binoculars I could clearly see the "horns" of feathers that screams, Great-Horned Owl.
I watched for a moment then a noise sent the owl to the cell-phone tower. It is half a mile away but I dragged out the camera and tripod and tried, in the twilight, to get a photo. I have the rest of the 4 months to try and get better photos but, for what they are worth, here is the best shot.
Cool Facts
- The Great Horned Owl is the only animal that regularly eats skunks.
- The Great Horned Owl will take large prey, even other raptorial birds. It regularly kills and eats other owls, and is an important predator on nestling Ospreys. The reintroduction of Peregrine Falcons has been hampered in some areas by owls killing both adult and nestling falcons.
- The Great Horned Owl is a regular victim of harassment from flocks of American Crows. Crows congregate from long distances to mob owls, and may continue yelling at them for hours. The enmity of the crows is well earned, however, as the owl is probably the most important predator on adult crows and nestlings.
- Even though the female Great Horned Owl is larger than her mate, the male has a deeper voice. Pairs often call together, with audible differences in pitch.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Michigan Mice
Can you see both of them?
There is only one here.
As I was staring aimlessly out the den window into my flower garden, I noticed a little disturbance in the lavender. I looked closer and discovered a wee mouse feasting on spilled thistle seed from the bird feeder. Soon he/she was joined by another tiny gray field mouse. "Ok", I said, "Enjoy yourselves because before fall you HAVE to go one way or another. I cannot go to Florida and risk mice getting into my house.
It became a morning/evening ritual to watch the little fellas, but part of me wanted the mice to be gone. Meanwhile I showed them to my 4 year old granddaughter. Big mistake! She named them...Tiny and Sam. Now what was I going to do?
Another day, after an all-day-rain, the two mice AND a dove were all trying to eat the spilled thistle seed. The mice, considerable smaller than the dove, nonetheless, were PUSHING the dove with their heads. I wish I had a digital video cam. It was more than funny!
Along comes my friend's two little dogs. The larger of the two is a terrier. I am taking care of the sweet little dogs while she is in the hospital. The very first thing the terrier did was dive into the garden to root out the mice. Last I saw of Tiny and Sam they were headed into my neighbor's yard. The dogs will be here for a while so the mice may just make home in another place...I hope.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Here it is, mid-July, and the "Cube-Foot-Garden" is marching right along. The yellow peppers need to be picked soon and then something else can go in those 4 spots...some late fall root crop. The zucchini, squash, cucumbers, and tomatoes all have small veggies underway. I do hope some of the insects buzzing around the lavender help with the pollination. The seeds are up except for the green pepper plants and the carrots. I am not expecting much from the corn but it should be interesting for the granddaughters to watch anyway. Even ONE ear would thrill the girls.
No damage from the rabbit either, unless you count eating the marigolds I planted to keep him out of the veggies.
If I count the money spent on water this very hot, dry spell, then these are expensive vegetables, indeed.
No damage from the rabbit either, unless you count eating the marigolds I planted to keep him out of the veggies.
If I count the money spent on water this very hot, dry spell, then these are expensive vegetables, indeed.
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