“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It Goes On.”
Robert Frost

Sunday, March 11, 2018

Back to Winter

I'm back with some photos of our recent vacation. I was in Florida with the husband for almost two weeks! Now most of you know I'm a home-body, so it was about 3 days too long for me! Anyway, it was a nice break from the never ending cold that has been Minnesota this year!

Fort Myers Beach


While we were gone the house/cat sitter got stuck shoveling snow twice! Hahaha! Don't worry, they were paid well for their troubles! Of course I had to spend a week cuddling and coddling the kitties, and a week doing laundry to catch up! Then a few more days to try and get my shop back on track, and finally I'm here writing this post!


It's always a shock returning back to the cold climate when you've been in such a tropical place. Florida was actually warmer than usual and was almost 90 degrees on some days. I hate to say it, but it was too hot for me! The beach lovers were flocking to the beach to lay there and cook themselves, but for me even with sunscreen, I can only tolerate about an hour before I start to burn. I spent most of the time in the shade after getting a bit pink on my shoulders from too much sun!

Lovers Key
We really had no agenda and just kind of drifted around the area and stopped in when we saw something we found interesting. Here's a pretty white sand beach on Lovers Key.


We did find a great natural area to explore and it was a wonderful walk on a raised wood walkway. The Six Miles Cypress Slough Preserve has a host of birds, plants and animals. We saw a few, but as I said, it was hot, so many of them were not out and about. We did see the cormorants, ibis and a fantastic owl, who posed for us!

Cormorant drying it's feathers, with a fish in it's bill, 6 mile Cypress Slough Preserve



Cypress Preserve






Owl at Cypress Preserve



White Ibis at Cypress Preserve







Shrimp & Grits, Doc Ford's Restaurant
We ate about as much seafood as we could stand! My favorite meal was the Shrimp & Grits from Doc Ford's restaurant on Sanibel Island! It was fantastic!



Pink Sitting room at Gasparilla Inn
One of the days we were there we drove up to Gasparilla Island.  My husband had been to a business meeting in this gorgeous old Florida hotel. He knew I would love to see the place and even though we weren't guests they let us check out the first floor and take pictures.  If I lived in Florida, this is how I would decorate my cottage! This was a favorite place of the Bush family, in particular George H.W. and Barbara. 



I loved everything about this place! The artwork which consisted of mainly natural things, like birds, fish etc. The calming mostly pastel and organic tones of the furniture and walls... the seashells and the real orchids..!  I noticed real orchids were in almost every room!





I loved the gorgeous seashell mirror! Notice those beautiful orchids! I could move right in and be very happy! It was nice to see how the 1% vacation! Actually, their prices are not that outrageous and for a very special occasion, I think it would be worth every penny to stay at this historic and fabulous inn!

Well, back to reality! Snow! We are starting to turn the corner though, and with warmer temperatures this week, a lot of that white stuff will be melting away. Spring will be here soon enough!

Thanks so much for stopping in to visit!  
~~ Diane ~~

 


6 comments:

  1. Hey Diane! Welcome back! Looks like you had a great time! Love all the photos! The nature shots are so beautiful! It probably would have been too hot for me too. The shrimp and grits look so good! That Inn is gorgeous! WOW! I love that seashell mirror too! Big Hugs to you and the kitties!

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    1. Thanks Stacy, it's good to be home!

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    2. I forgot to say, love your music in the background, with the birds chirping! "Tropical Island"

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  2. Hi Diane, thank you for sharing these images! What a gorgeous place. How lovely to get away from the cold and enjoy some nice weather. The beach is especially appealing to me; always my favourite place to be. I've never gone away during the winter months but I hope I do at some point. It's a nice break for a bit from snow and cold! Glad you had a great time.

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    1. Hey Martha, you should definitely travel south in the winter. It makes the long winters feel shorter and you appreciate the vacation even more!

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  3. Hi sweet friend, it is so lovely to visit you world again! That owl is SO magnificent, I am smitten! Such epic nature shots, beautiful and haunting..so magical! Love that place, the pinks are so enchanting..and I love that flamingo picture! Thanks for sharing your fantastic world!
    Happy Spring
    Victoria

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