Fishing

Fred has been fishing everyday with Bill Walls. Bill is from TX and has a boat here. We met Maggie and Bill at Red Bay since we both own Tiffin motorhomes and go there for service. We are parked beside each other at Sunshine Key RV park.


Grouper--out of season so you can't keep them yet
J
Jack cravelle

Cirro Mackerel

We took fresh fish to Castaways's on Monday and had it fried and blackened. I don't think fish could have tasted any better. We pigged out!!!! We are all sleeping well here, too. Must be the sun!!!

Views of Marathon

We are at the southern foot of the 7 Mile Bridge and the beach house is at the northern end so we spend lots of time on the bridge----beautiful views---the prettiest water ever!!! This is part of the old bridge at Bahia Hondo State Park.



Key Colony Beach Day on Sunday----lots of shopping and bands.

This singer was so funny (even her wig) Almost everyone here this time of year is over 55 and live here for part of the year.


Another view of Bahia Hondo


Veterans Park near us---it has been so windy so the windsurfers have been out.

Arriving in the Keys

Fred and I arrived on Friday and everyone else came in on Saturday----Kristin and Bill from St Louis and Sam arrived for lunch at Sunset Grill. I was there also. Fred was already fishing.



Later in the afternoon, Brad and Lisa from Indianapolis arrived. We had steak night at the beach house with sauteed mushrooms, pepppercorn sauce, grilled ribeyes, and a big salad. Delicious!!! Fred, Lisa, Brad, and Bill dig in. (Sam caught a bug and was in bed)


After the feast!!! Janice, Lisa, and Brad


Lisa and Brad smooching!!!

Birding

Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge---a drive through on Sanibel --lots of great birds!!!



Waterbirds are my favorite---I love to watch!!!





Our place has 2 ponds where we can bird watch and walk Tex---today we didn't need to---the bird came to us. (on top of our car out of the RV front window)

Ft Myers

Sam arrived to visit and we enjoyed sunset, drinks, and dinner at Doc Ford's on the marina. The band was from Chicago---Sam liked that.



Next door neighbors let their dog have his very own compartment underneath so he could watch everything. --He had a doggy door so he could get inside through this compartment and a ramp for when they let him outside.


Shelling at Sanibel Island----not as many large shells this year---must not have had as much wind and hurricanes to bring them in.


But I still loved it and dug for 2 hours.

Hits Winter Classic in Ocala

Today we attended the horse show--this happens every Feb and March and lasts 6 weeks. We always drive by it and decided to stay a couple of nights in the area. Talked to lots of horse people and learned about some of the events.


We enjoyed the jumpers more than the hunters. A little more exciting and fast paced. $25,000 prize today for the winner.

The jumpers went around a course with 15 high jumps. The hunters are judged more on form---they dress up in suits and the horses are decorated more. Their jumps are lower and they are not concerned with how fast they go.

The jumpers are judged on how fast they can go through the course. They get penalties for knocking down the rails or hesitating before the jumps.

The winner.

St Michael's Catholic Church

St Michael's Church next to Poche Plantation. Convent next to it. We could walk over and walk through the cemetery.



Beautiful interior with stain glass windows.

Cemeteries are very elaborate in Louisiana. Concrete on top to weight them down.



Some of the older gravesites.