We flew back to Miami from Seattle the beginning of March and were welcomed home to the Keys by a visit from Kelly and Casey. We gave them both big, congratulatory hugs on their engagement, then spent a couple days together in the Keys before going bike riding in the Everglades. Before flying out to … Continue reading
We’re on a week-long RV trip in Florida while we have a home exchange guest, Germán, staying in our house in the Keys. We stayed in Germán’s house in Bariloche, Argentina, during our recent trip to Patagonia. Our ultimate destination is Gainesville to visit the kids, but we’ve also decided to make a vacation out … Continue reading
This morning, as we were sitting on our balcony enjoying a cup of coffee as the sun rose, there was a splash across the canal and Dale yelped, “Shark!” But it wasn’t a shark. It was a dolphin, feeding on fish in the canal. And he wasn’t alone. We counted three dolphin – an unusual … Continue reading
Thursday morning, we stopped to see Kelly at work. While she’s applying to graduate school, she’s sharpening her baking skills as the pastry chef at Volta, a popular coffee shop in Gainesville. Here she is, standing behind some of her creations. The scones looked really good. We visited for an hour, then headed out to … Continue reading
We started out this morning for a little drive up I-95…to Nova Scotia. Here we are, just getting on the Interstate at its southernmost terminus; that’s downtown Miami in the background. Say goodbye to Miami Beach and South Florida for a couple weeks… Last look from the top of the Golden Gate flyover in North … Continue reading
Tropical Storm Isaac decided not to visit Florida after all, veering southwest around Key West at the last minute late yesterday. The winds probably gusted to around 50 mph, continuing through today, and we had quite a lot of rain, but no damage to our home or the neighborhood. Today, we walked to the end … Continue reading
We spent yesterday and this morning preparing for Hurricane Isaac’s arrival. Here’s the current position: Isaac is projected to get to Hurricane Category 1 status about the time it hits us in the Florida Keys. This will be the first hurricane to make landfall in the Keys in 7 years. We’re expecting sustained winds of … Continue reading
This past Saturday, Cinco de Mayo, was Kelly’s graduation from the University of Florida. The night before, we went to The Yearling Restaurant in Cross Creek for a family celebration. Dale and I had been here 29 years ago with our parents and siblings for our graduations from UF and the place has hardly changed. … Continue reading
We’re in Louisiana having the RV serviced after visiting Kyle and Kelly for a couple days in Gainesville. We left Gainesville Monday morning and drove along the Gulf coast, stopping for dinner in Apalachicola, a fishing village known for its oysters. We knew this was the place as soon as we stopped the RV – … Continue reading
It started to rain, so they closed the roof. There was a full moon over Miami. At the old stadium, we’d be getting wet now. And so, it begins…
We’re at the Miami Marlin’s first game in their new stadium against the University of Miami Hurricanes (it’s an exhibition game) with our friends from Germany, Suzanne, Frank and Lennart. We have great seats by first base. It’s a good thing that there’s a sliding roof because it looks like rain tonight.
We’re used to seeing seagulls and pelicans in the Keys, but the Royal Tern is not a bird that I recognize from our part of Florida, though it appears to be indigenous to the Gulf coast. Here’s one (foreground, right) from our beach walk this morning. We had fun watching the birds. This gull was … Continue reading
We’re not big fans of contemporary art, but there was one contemporary exhibit at the Ringling Art Museum that we really enjoyed. It was by an artist named Zimoun. You won’t be able to get the full experience from my blog because the exhibit was as much sound as it was visual, as evidenced by … Continue reading
I can’t get over the Ringling Art Museum. It was built by John Ringling in the 1920s and early 1930s to house his personal art collection after he finished building his mansion house. Keep in mind that there was virtually no one living here at the time and no way to get here except by … Continue reading
John Ringling made his first fortune in the circus business, but he also made a few more fortunes in railroads, oil and real estate. Apparently, like Henry Flagler on the east coast of Florida, John Ringling had high hopes and extraordinary vision for the future of the west coast of Florida. Before there was much … Continue reading
Ladies and gentlemen, step right this way! Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey present The Greatest Show on Earth! The six Ringling brothers were famous for their circus in the early part of the 20th century, and it made at least one of them, John Ringling, a very rich man. John Ringling had a 60 … Continue reading
Thursday we decided to ride bikes to the north end of Anna Maria island to the Rod and Reel Pier for brunch. It was 5 or 6 miles to the pier, for a round trip of around 12 miles. The restaurant sat at the end of the pier. We rode the bikes around the north … Continue reading
We are early risers. Most days, we get up around 6:00, grab a cup of coffee, and sit on our balcony reading our iPads as the sun rises over the Atlantic. It’s a very relaxing way to start the day. At the end of the day, it’s traditional in the Keys to look west over … Continue reading
I bet you would look too. We’re in Sarasota today. I left my only sandals at Tom and Leanne’s house, so we went shopping for replacements. Dale got a pair too. And I love this picture that Kelly took of me in her room when we visited her last week in Gainesville.
We’re on Anna Maria Island now, our home for the next nine days. We’re staying in a quaint beach bungalow right on the Gulf. Here’s the view from just outside our cottage where we’re having our morning cup of coffee.
Tom gave Dale a present as we were about to leave their house for Anna Maria Island. I don’t think he really expected her to hold it. It’s a dog’s life in Micanopy. Tom and Suzie taking a nap.
Every now and then, Kyle throws a fantastic music party. Nearly everyone that attends performs – anything from classical to rock and roll. This year, Kyle’s party, which he called Classical Cocktails, coincided with the end of a week of celebrating the end of Kelly’s 21st year; it’s been a week of Kellebration. Sunday is … Continue reading
After our morning hike with Tom and Leanne, we drove into Gainesville to meet Kelly and go with her to her African Choir class. It was a lot of fun singing with the choir, even though the Swahili words were nearly impossible to pronounce and even harder to remember. We gave Kelly her birthday presents, … Continue reading
We left the Keys just before noon Thursday and drove to Micanopy. We’re staying with our friends, Tom and Leanne, on the edge of Payne’s Prairie, just south of Gainesville. Their house is deep in the country and, lucky for us, the weather is wonderful right now. Friday morning we went for a hike through … Continue reading
Who knows this guy? My dermatologist tried to skin me alive today! He took out two skin cancers and had to cut from my forehead to the tip of my nose. But who knows, this might just make me movie star material. He did a great job repairing the incision and taking as little tissue … Continue reading
The Road Less Traveled 