A Full-time Life

SKY, SIGNS, FENCES, AND MORE SKY

 

It's a beautiful month in the neighborhood.

 

 

 Full moon  -- rising and shining across the canal from our dock area.  

   

 

All the trails at at the Nature Park next door were dry last Sunday when I walked there -- but the added sign at the bottom of the usual ones tells you that the winter here was  a little wetter than usual  (here in SW Florida, the dry season is supposed to be winter -- the rainy season, late spring and summer).  

 

 

 

The fence is a little bit out of the immediate neighborhood -- another bit of whimsicality from Pine Island.

 

 

The day after I took the night-time full moon shots in the first picture, I went for a morning walk -- and there was the almost full moon again -- peeking at me from the other side of the Canal Cottage.  I always feel like a morning moon is a bit of magic!

 

 

LINKING TO: SIGNS SIGNS (thank you Lesley); GOOD FENCES (thanks to Theresa); SKYWATCH FRIDAY (thanks to Yogi, Sylvia, and Sandy); and SCENIC WEEKENDS (thank you to Gemma).  

RIDING A TRIKE IN MEMORY

 

 

Today's pictures are from the Regional Nature Park next door.   Earlier this morning, I rode my tricycle to the other end of our resort and then hopped off and went for a nature walk there.  No laughing -- that's not a typo -- yes, I am riding a trike.     

 

 

 

Eight years ago when we first came to Upriver, I got quite  a kick out of seeing  all the sweet little old ladies riding their tricycles around the park.    I was smug -- after all I was bicycle rider (a 2-wheel bicycle).   We had a pair of English Raleigh bikes that we'd carried on a rack all the years we were full-time RVing ....  we'd had fun exploring some of the towns and cities and National Parks that we visited -- bicycles were a great way to get around.

 

 But after we bought the Canal Cottage, the bikes just stood in our side yard, unused and neglected.   There are only about three and a half miles of streets here in the resort -- not a bad morning's walk, but hardly enough exercise with a bike to make it worthwhile.  And sadly there are almost no safe streets for leisurely bike riding  in this part of SW Florida.  So a few years ago we said goodbye to that chapter of our lives and sold the bikes.

 

 

Not our yard -- this is where I parked for my walk

 

But now, fast forward to this year and there is a pretty purple tricycle parked in the same yard where the bikes used to stand.     I inherited the trike from my dear Upriver friend and and boating buddy Connie, who sadly passed away last summer.  Even though we are not unused to losing people we know  (especially  living in a mostly "senior" neighborhood as we do here and did at the Lake in Oregon), Connie's illness and death were entirely unexpected and a terrible shock to all of her Upriver friends.

 

 

 

 

When Connie and another friend of ours bought their trikes last year, I still had no intention of getting one -- no, thank you.  Walking was fun, fine exercise and quite good enough for me.     But this year, when Connie's husband asked me to keep her bike, I decided I would ride it in her honor.

 

Especially when  I remember my earlier smug attitude, I'm a little ashamed to confess   that learning to ride hasn't been as easy as pie.   (That won't surprise anyone who knows me in real life.  Our daughter has a pretty good story about the first time I rode a bike with a hand brake.   I might tell you someday ... and if you met her, I know she would!)      But a trike really is quite different from a bicycle.  You RIDE a bike, but you DRIVE a tricycle-- much more like steering a car, you don't use your body to lean into turns.   I thought it would be so simple, but there  I was  practicing just like a little kid getting the hang of it.    ( I had waited until this month to practice, because so many people have left already that our streets are pretty empty -- not so great a chance of running into cars and golf carts!)

 

Walking back into the Resort

 

Once the technique is mastered though, the trike is a lot more stable.   And as I'm sure you probably noticed, the bike seat is a lot ---- more comfortable. Both of those are reasons why not-so-little ladies like to ride them.  And now I understand that.    Of course I'll keep walking because I love it and it's better exercise for my bones -- and also of course because it is way easier to stop to take pictures.  

 

 

 

  

But the trike will be good for different muscles -- and for riding with friends  -- and for remembering.  

 

 

 LINKING to OUR WORLD on Tuesday, to NATURE NOTES, and  to TREES and BUSHES.  Thank you to all of the hosts.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA POTPOURRI

A potpourri of pictures highlighting different aspects of our subtropical spring SEASON here in Southwest Florida.  Linking to several fun sharing opportunities.    Please enjoy -- as the funny little lady in the picture below urges!

 

 

 

For SIGNS SIGNS, This little lady lives in the jungle-like backyard of a whimsical little shop called Victoria's.  We stopped there on our way back from the Florida Bird Gardens in Naples.  

 

 

 

For GOOD FENCES this charming waterfront cottage on Pine Island at St. James City -- as seen through our boat window.  We traveled past it on our way to a lunch stop coming back from Burnt Store.  

 

 

For SKYWATCH FRIDAY --     "just" another beautiful golden sunrise behind the pines.  From a morning walk here in at home.

            

                 

 

And for FLOWERS FOR TODAY and FLORAL FRIDAY FOTOS, this collection of bromelids and orchids growing on trees here at Upriver.   (Except the middle one in the bottom row, which, I think, is a milkweed plant ... that one is  from the recent Naples Bird Garden visit.

 

Thank you to the hosts of each of these memes:  Lesley (Signs); Theresa (Fences); Yogi, Sylvia, and Sandy (Skywatch); Denise (Flowers);  Nick (FFFotos); and Jesh (Seasons)

BOAT TRIP TO BURNT STORE

 

As it says right up there under the  blog title, our life really is about the voyage itself, not the destination.    This was literally true on our boat trip last week.  The three Captains (otherwise and usually known as  husbands) wanted to figure out a route to Charlotte Harbor which none of them had tried before.   They had to use navigation instruments for this one ... some of the water was so shallow, it would have been a small disaster had we strayed out of the channel.    There was a lot of zig-zagging back and forth to stay in the channels and at the proper depth. 

 

 

 

The brownish water is where it is so shallow you can actually see the oyster bars.  (And the standing birds are a pretty good giveaway too of course).   You can also see the markers that tell the boats where the channel is.     There was a little white-knuckle boating there, but it was a successful voyage.

 

  

 

The destination wasn't bad either though!  Here's a panorama view of Burnt Store Marina basin, just after we docked.   (Taken from the upstairs outdoor bar, where we enjoyed the arrival Bloody Mary that  is part of our boat-trip tradition.) 

 

 

 

 

 The exact origin of the name Burnt Store seems to  have been lost over the years.  Apparently a trading post in the area was burned during the Seminole Indian War, but there seem to be several versions of who did it and why.  Burnt Store is the name of a long road that starts in Lee County, where we live,  and extends on into Charlotte County, where the marina is.   (If you were driving, the nearest town to the marina would be Punta Gorda.)

 The top two pictures in the collage above  are in the open bar area.   There was a real salt water aquarium in Cass Cay, the inside restaurant  -- but I was too busy eating and talking when we were in there to get a picture.   The bottom two pictures are views from the back and front of the restaurant/bar.   

 

 

 

A closer picture of our three boats.   The transient dock was almost empty -- one other boat came in while we were there. (The snowbird season is drawing to a close.)    But there were lots and lots of live-aboard boats and so the marina was busy  and we enjoyed one of all boaters' favorite activities -- looking at other boats.   (The Captains dreaming about newer boats, the first mates silently screaming 'no no no'!!)   We also enjoyed the very nice resort swimming pool -- every Marina where we've ever stayed makes all the resort amenities available to transient boaters.

 

 

 

 A boat-by shot on the way home.  This colorful area is part of  Matlacha on Pine Island (where we went a couple of weeks ago -- by car -- for the painting class.)

 

 

We passed this working barge right out in the middle of Matlacha Pass.  It is really rather odd to see a truck out there in the middle of the big water.  The people are either repairing or laying electric lines.  

 

 

 

When we got home to Upriver at the end of our trip, this Black Vulture was eyeing us from a street lamp.   We were tired, but not dead tired.   So no dinner for him just yet. 

 

 

LINKING to MOSAIC MONDAY (thank you Judith); OUR WORLD on Tuesday (thanks to the team:  Lady Fi, Arija, Gattina, Sylvia, Sandy and Jennifer); to WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY (thanks and apologies to Stewart -- these aren't the best wild birds I've ever linked, but it's all I got);  and to WEDNESDAY WATERS (thank you Gemma).   

FLORA and FAUNA at BURNT STORE MARINA

We just got back from a few days out on the boat and I am behind on posting and visiting.  Here are just a few pictures from the trip --   some flowers and trees (well, OK, flowering trees) and a critter enjoying the fruits from one of them.  All pictures were taken at Burnt Store Marina, where we stayed. 

 

 

Tabebuia Tree

We see a lot of these trees this time of year, but this particular one was near the swimming pool at the Marina Resort where we stayed.   

 

     

 The Tabebuia is the closest thing we see to yellow spring flowers.  

The tree blossoms in March and April.

 

 

 

 

I don't know what kind of palm tree this is, but it has beautiful red berry-like clusters this time of year.  Before we came to Florida, I didn't realize how many different kinds of palm trees there are.

 

   

 This little critter was enjoying one of those red palm fruits.

 

 

 

 The berries kind of remind me of holly berries --  but the temperature here nowadays is  in the 80s  (F).  

Florida is different -- we get red tree-berries in the summertime.  And summer is in April!

 

  

 

He's still enjoying his morning snack!

 

 

 

Linking to these sharing opportunities:     TODAY'S FLOWERS  (thank you Denise);   SATURDAY CRITTERS  (thank you Eileen);   SEASONS (thank you Jesh);  I HEART MACRO (thanks to Laura -- glad you are back);  MONDAY MACRO  (thanks to Gemma and MMTeacher); NATURE NOTES (thanks to Michelle); and  TREES & BUSHES (thank you Monica).  

BIRD GARDENS OF NAPLES

Last Friday, we visited Bird Gardens of Naples .    This nonprofit organization was created to provide sanctuary for parrots that are abandoned, abused or in a need of a home for any reason.   The Gardens are located in a beautiful  natural green area known as Corkscrew Swamp.    

 

 

Keri, our tour guide and the owner of the Sanctuary, reminded us that parrots have life spans of up to 100 years.   Some of the birds in the gardens outlived their owners.  Others were neglected, abandoned, or brought to her because their owners could no longer care for them.  She also cares temporarily (and free of charge) for parrots whose owners are ill (for instance in chemo or radiation, when it would be unwise for them to handle their pets).  

   

 

 

The parrots are provided with large flight aviaries equipped with watering systems, natural perching, and toys.

 

 

We are in the flight area here -- one of the birds flew right down and landed on the owner's head.  She wasn't even surprised.    She told us that all of the caregivers at the Gardens are knowledgeable in avian medicine, nutrition and behavior.  Her staff and volunteers spend all day interacting with the parrots.

 

 

A few snapshots of us and our friends feeding the birds.  They can eat unsalted nuts (no peanuts) and no seeds .  Keri said that even with the roomy aviaries, these birds   do not get as much exercise as parrots in the wild do and so seeds are not good for them.   (The children are not ours -- they and their parents were the only other group on our tour. )

 

 

LINKING to MOSAIC MONDAY (thank you to Judith) and to OUR WORLD (thanks to Lady Fi, Sylvia, Sandy, Arija, Gattina, and Jenn).  

 

 

 

 

 

PINE ISLAND

After our painting experience last week (previous post), we drove to the other end of Pine Island to the village of Bokeelia where we had a delicious lunch, watched the ospreys, and window shopped in an art gallery/gift shop near the restaurant. 

 

 

This wonderful tree is in the front yard of that gallery.   The gallery owner told us that it thrives in the salt air and coastal moisture; he does not water it at all.  You can see Charlotte Harbor across the street.

 

 

 

The fishing pier is across the street from the restaurant.  Everybody can walk on the pier  down to these gates.  But no further unless you are a real fisherman who is willing to pay the entry fee.  

 

More from Bokeelia

 

 

 

Bonus sign

(I saw this on somebody's home when we walked from the restaurant to the gallery.)  It seems like a good thing to remember.

 

 

 

 

 Bonus fence (from Matlacha, earlier on the same day).  

This was in my  earlier collage post, but it's such a wonderful fence I wanted to give it a solo.

 

Linking to:  TREES & BUSHES (thank you Monica); SEASONS (thanks Jesh); WEDNESDAY WATERS (thank you to Gemma); SIGNS SIGNS (thanks Lesley); GOOD FENCES (thank you Theresa); and SKYWATCH FRIDAY (thanks to Yogi, Sylvia, and Sandy).

WHIMSY, NATURALLY

 

This is Leoma Lovegrove's  art studio and gallery in the nearby village of Matlacha.          You can read  more about Leoma here on her web-page. She's  exhibited worldwide,  and is famous, at least locally,  for her slightly off-kilter whimsical creations.

 

(Please scroll down for Nature Notes and Wild Bird Wednesday.  The pelicans in the first collage below are not the wild birds -- or the nature -- that I'm linking to for those memes ;>).

 

My friend Kathy and I were there to take a painting "class" presented by one of those Art and Wine studios that are so popular these days.  This one was held off-site from the company's main studio and it was in the backyard of Leoma's studio.  The  acrylic art you make at these events is one step up from paint-by-number -- the leaders walk you through the process step-by-step.   (Everyone in the class paints the same picture.)   This time, instead of a classic painting, we  copied one of Leoma's whimsical ones -- a colorful pelican.  

 

 

We had so much fun -- even without the wine, which was not allowed at this off-site class.  (Since it was held in the morning, we wouldn't have wanted it anyway, so that was fine with us!)   

 

 

 

I'm sure nobody has forgotten what a real pelican looks like, since I post about a hundred of them every year!  But just in case here is one of our recent sightings.   They do kind of lend themselves to whimsicality, don't you think?  

And now another (real) bird.   Last week I included a picture of an osprey nest taken from the boat.  At least one commenter wished she could have seen a closer view.  So here are some ospreys we saw on the same day that we painted the pelicans:

 

 

Our husbands had managed to amuse themselves around the village while we created our masterpieces.     After class, they pointed out the nest on the top left -- they had been watching those birds try  to coax their nestlings to fledge.   But I couldn't wait around to try to get some action shots because by that time we were all hungry and tired and ready for lunch.  

And then, almost right outside of the restaurant, we spotted an active osprey nest and another bird  in a nearby tree.     (I didn't notice the plastic bag in the nest until we downloaded the pictures.  That upset me and I hope it doesn't cause trouble for the birds.  I left the picture in as a reminder not to discard plastic.)

 

***

Linking to: MOSAIC MONDAY (thanks to Judith); OUR WORLD ON TUESDAY (thank you Lady Fi, Arija, Gattina, Sylvia, and Sandy); NATURE NOTES (thank you to Michelle); and WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY (thank you Stewart).