BUSCH GARDENS ~ TAMPA, FL

How cool is this?
Mel knows how to advertise his hot dog diner!  We drove past this VW on the way to Busch Gardens. Needed to make a u-turn (without the GPS telling us to (as she so often does) ) so I could get a picture.

Beautiful gardens at every turn...
Busch Gardens**buy a ticket for a day and come back all year!  We did that, last January when Brian and Ceci visited.  Senior Citizens get special passes that are good for 15 months.
Thank you Busch Gardens! 
We will be there several times before our passes expire in April! 

Vibrant colors and amazing birds.

Frances and Lana on the sky ride.
We were in the next 'car' ~ the only ride I went on! Oh, I also rode the train and the safari jeep, but those aren't really "rides" when Busch Gardens is full of roller coasters.

A small part of the new roller coaster, CHEETAH RUN, it winds up and down throughout the entire park. While on the train, I noticed some of the animals jerked and weren't startled when the roller coaster cars traversed the tracks above them.  That I did not like. The animals at a park like Busch Gardens should not be frightened by something that gives pleasure to people.  They should have secured areas, especially if they have to be "caged." 

See the lizard on the top of the screen?
Reminds me of Michelle's dragon!

...and what are you?  

Santa's elves ~ poising at the entrance of the park.

Lana, Joe's niece, accompanied us to the park. 

Lana was visiting her Mom, Frances, who is in FL for a few months. 

Lana, Fran, Nancy, Joe

Scaring yourself silly is fun!  They had a great time on this ride ~ SANDSERPENT.  I stayed below and was the Keeper of the 'stuff.' 

Tortoises and Anteaters were among the privileged that weren't deleted from my camera.

CHEETAH RUN**Yes, it is enormous, loud and  intrusive winding throughout the park.
Guess when you think of Busch Gardens/you think of roller coasters.
I favor ANIMAL KINGDOM for viewing animals and going to shows. 

The Christmas tree was decked out with various types of gourds, all with paintings of cheetahs.  The new roller coaster opened this Fall and everything is "All about it."
It was a great day!  We were there 11 hours. At the end of the evening we ate popcorn and listened to a wonderful group of people sing Christmas carols.
WHAT A WONDERFUL LIFE!

MARCO ISLAND, FLORIDA

"Vacation" is a state of mind. 

I can be on vacation sitting at the pool, riding my bike on a trail lined with trees, viewing the sunset, relaxing in my chair while reading a book.  Last week vacation was walking the beach! 

The beach this November, was on

 Marco Island, FL. 

We went with friends, Bill and Andrea, from our park in Florida. We stayed at a condo, on the bay, and by the end of the week we meandered in and out of all the roads available.  

     Very pretty, serene and relaxing place to vacation.

My favorite place was the beach/it was clean; this is the only picture I took with Marco Island on it. 

The luggage carts seemed to disappear when we arrived ~ so this shopping cart came in handy transporting a weeks worth of "stuff" up to the 4th floor.  Not fancy ~ but utilitarian, for sure. 

Bill ~ Andrea ~ Nancy ~ Joe
On a dolphin cruise, off Marco Island.

Coming up to beach, on one of the 10,000 islands around Marco Island, this unusual building is seen in the distance.  It looks like it's "hanging" on - ready to topple with the next large wave. 

In the 1970's an architect built a series of round homes, on stilts, on one of the 10,000 islands, near Marco Island.  His plan was to be self-sufficient and have others of like "mind" live in his small commune.  

His plan seemed feasible.  The water proved him wrong.  His over 100 feet of beachfront eroded and some of his homes toppled into the sea.  Left were these few, which were later condemned. 

Teenagers frequent the small island, to party.  It has become a challenge to throw seashells into the roof.  The roof material is soft and thrown the right way the shells stick into it.  Seemed to me to be a very decorative part of the houses.  He did have a vision though, as many homes we saw by the water in Texas, were built with round roofs, enabling the winds and storms to pass over them. 

I would've liked to have had a chance to live on that island!  At least I had the chance to see it! 

Every island was beautiful to come upon.  Mangrove trees fill all of the islands.  Skunks, raccoons, snakes, birds, panthers, bobcats and who knows what else, call the islands home. 

Red and white mangrove trees/shrubs cover the islands.  A multitude of the seeds were on the beaches everywhere.  The seeds are long and easily stick into the sand and start growing. We saw some on Marco Island, in the more remote areas.  People, of course, keep the mangroves under control in the populated regions. 

Ospreys can be seen everywhere!

It was a dolphin cruise ~ these three dolphins swam around the boat, putting on a show for us.
Dolphins are friendly and playful.

There's Joe, in the shade, enjoying the ride. 

Chicken salad stuffed tomato ~ a yummy lunch! 

Looking down the beach that I walked for miles. 

Birds and seashells with every step!  Heaven...

Great lunches were had at Stilts!  Coconut shrimp, chicken strips, pineapple/chicken quesadillas...

Signs, signs, everywhere there're signs! 

Looking up the beach that I walked on for miles.
If I ran the world ~~ there would be a rule ~~ ABSOLUTELY NO building on the beaches!  The road along the beach would be free of buildings.  ALL people could then enjoy the sights of the beaches, not only those staying in the tall, unsightly hotels and condos.  When were the beaches and the sea declared private?  I thought they were part of nature and for every person to enjoy.
(Our accommodations were not on the beach. We had to seek out a public access to the beach and on Marco Island we could only find two.  The one we went to had parking, the other did not.)
YES, there would be a rule, if I ran the world! 

Water ~ for miles and miles and miles.  The 10,000 islands were wonderful.  They are uninhabited by people, full of wildlife and wild vegetation.  There is an ordinance that no building can take place on any of the islands, except for Marco Island.  

                 

A GLIMPSE OF SUMMER 2011

Josh and Michelle ~ visiting in Missouri

Rare to see a Walking Stick/but this summer I saw two.  One in WI and one in MO.

Derby, Michelle's 2 1/2lb. Chihuahua, spent August and September with us, in WI.  She loved going everywhere we went, especially on bike rides. 

It was hot when I spent time at Michelle's this summer.  Cooling off in the pool was welcome everyday!

Derby, taking a walk, in her "tough" outfit.

Truck Stop Missouri ~ You can watch it on the Travel Channel!  We ate breakfast there a couple of mornings.  They serve very large pancakes and wonderful breakfasts.  The home fries portion was so big three of us could split it!  The TV cameras were not there the days we were/ah, shucks! 

We ate at McDonald's--a regular experience when you have a two year old.  Difference is:  this Mickey D's has a glass ceiling!  Hard to eat when the flags are flying, the birds are perching on the metal connectors and the wind is blowing leaves everywhere. Oh, and there was a waterfall behind our booth!
It fascinated all of us! 

FURNITURE I PAINTED THIS SUMMER

Little blurry- a stool to be able to reach the sink, to brush teeth and learn the letters in his name. 

Doing homework at a pink desk!  What more could a first grader girl ask for?  So easy now, it won't seem like homework.  

A new baby joined the family about a week ago.
The baby shower this summer called for a painted rocking chair.  The book Goodnight Moon, and the little dog peeking at the rocker were wrapped up for the baby gift. Welcome to Baby Emil!