Wild Florida

 

Drama at the Naples Pier. 

Fort Myers Beach.

A blue heron on Lover's Key.

Ten Thousand Islands.

The Oasis in the Everglades.

Blooms at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. 

Naples Beach sunset.

A young bald eagle at Fountains Five.

A gecko at Shark Valley National Park.

Sunset at Fountains Five!

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Beach Life

After a beloved trip, the countdown begins - the countdown to future warm weather destinations. Next stop: Florida. I don't think of Florida as a vacation anymore; it's my second home, and it is only three months away. Hooray! 

 Right now, I'm happy to live in Minnesota. The weather is humid enough to keep goosebumps at bay. Black raspberries cling to razor vines, chipmunks scurry along the fence, and weekend bike trips proceed each other like ants in military formation. There are condensation-free gin and tonics to be savored thanks to my trusted Tervis glasses and steaks to be grilled on our rusty little Webber.

 If you don't watch the news, life seems good. Sigh.

 Plus, it's only three months until Florida...

Barefoot beach and a raccoon photo-bomber.

Fort Myers beach.

I would feel like a real-life Jeanie, ready to sail away on a magic carpet, living in this house.

A basketball-sized jelly.

Lover's Key.

 

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Key West Cemetery

Memories of the dead...

I was saving this post for Halloween, but change is coming. Soon, I'll be blogging from my new author website! I'll post more details in three weeks, on my 1,000 blog post milestone. That's a lot of souvenirs. Now, I'm purging my unpublished posts on blogger.

 Last year, we strolled through the Key West Cemetery with iPhone in hand, listening to the scariest iteration of the Two Buck Tour app so far: Firestarter minister mayhem, chucky dolls, and necrophilia. Yuck. The two dollar virtual guide transports spirit aficionados on solo haunts, instead of the group nighttime variety popular among revelers. We love going solo. It's like a flexible historic stroll - albeit, with lingering souls, and deranged murders from the past. 

We've also toured Savannah, Charleston, and St. Augustine with Two Buck Tours. Salem and New Orleans are next on our audible list. 

Follow our feet...

This is what my marker will look like...but in 2090. Or maybe sooner. Gulp. 

I love this huge conch!

A feline cemetery at the Hemingway house.

Have a meaningful Memorial Day.

I'm remembering Uvalde.

 

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St. Augustine, Florida

The discovery of Florida in 1513 by Juan Ponce de Leon, eventually led to the establishment of St. Augustine in 1565. The city is the oldest U.S. settlement, founded 55 years before pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.  

Now, the city is famed for its Spanish colonial architecture, cobblestoned streets, salt life, tourist occupation, and Fort Castillo San Marcus, an enduring structure made from the sturdy sedimentary rock coquina. Basically, the city is made of seashells! 

It is also hauntingly beautiful. Follow my feet... 

St. Augustine Distillery. We bought whiskey and gin. 

St. Augustine is built with Coquina - literally. 

Peek-a-boo. 

Yum! One of my favorite Florida restaurants. 

Unfortunately, after our visit to the unsubstantiated fountain of youth, I feel older. 

Yum! Taste tester approved. I bought four decadent tarts.

Behind the ubiquitous tourist tram is Flagler college, a former grand hotel illuminated by Thomas Edison.  

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Orlando Rope Drop

This volcano is 200 feet tall and has an extreme vertical flume. Plus, a really fun water coaster.

If you don't know what rope drop means you are not a morning person. In Orlando, Florida, rope drop means you've arrived at a theme park before the employees have literally dropped-the-rope. After the cords are pulled, chaos ensues. 

We arrived at Volcano Bay before rope drop, and snagged two lounge chairs, before partaking in a day of fun, virus wars, and energy depletion. We had a five day pass last week at Universal Studios, and all I can say is uff-da-lutefisk. 

I was too busy and exhausted to take many photos, but here's a sample...

Me sipping tea, preparing for a big park day. 

Culinary delights at the Croissant Gourmet.

Sunrise at Lake Brian.

Morning reflections at our rental.

Hijinks at Harry Potter. I chose to wear a KN 95 mask indoors and go maskless outdoors.

Don't forget where you parked! FYI: Jaws is the very last parking lot, and Spiderman is the first.

OMG! This chocolate confection was as good as it looked. It's from Amorette's in Disney Springs.

Gringotts.

Islands of Adventure = Extreme episodes of exhaustion.

 

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