This last trip to Anna Maria Island would have been perfect the first week, if I hadn't come down with a cold the first evening we were there! Making the best of it and toughing it out with lots of cold meds, we still walked the beach, watched the herons, egrets, ibises, sandpipers and pelicans and even had a snowy egret come to the house (on the beach on the bayside) to try to get us to feed him (obviously previous visitors had done that because he was very persistent!).
First photo is of the north point of the island, called Bean Point. A cloudy day gave way to a cool, windy evening and we were the only two brave souls on the beach for a while.
And here's Elvis (yes, we named him). He was persistent and brave enough to come right up to the door to beg for handouts!
From the beach side, looking towards our beach house with two snowies sitting on our deck chairs. They were very used to people being around but you couldn't get too close or they'd saunter off (just a slow saunter away from you because they wanted you to know they weren't afraid of you, they just didn't feel like having a closer encounter.)
This guy, a great blue heron, came to our beach house each morning and evening, just walking the beach, searching for something good to eat in the water and sand. He was in a little area near the City Pier in this photo - and was so still, even when we got close, I thought it was a trick - not a real bird. He finally got tired of us and moved slowly slowly away. Perhaps he was meditating and we disturbed him?
We even drove up to Weeki Wachee Springs to see the real mermaid show - and it was worth the 2-hour drive. Their space is huge so they can do some real acrobatics in the water and put on a nice show.
This photo shows some pretty mermaid
and some old woman who is wishing she was 20 years younger!
Every morning at 10 am, I went to The Olive Oil Outpost on Pine Street where Kelly, the owner, made me a cafe con leche that was rich, creamy, and delicious! Started my day (I would have gone earlier but they didn't open until 10 am.) My last day there I asked for two!
That last day all the merchants in Anna Maria held a Christmas open house from 5:30 - 8:30 pm, having their shops open and serving delicious goodies for free. Kelly made a hot pasta dish and a mushroom polenta and a cold mixed salad. Her shop is small so it's a bit of a line to work your way to the back of the shop to get some hot food, but it was worth it. YUM!
Leaving Florida and back to Kentucky.
The clouds above northern Kentucky before we landed. Prettier from up above than they were on the ground.
Now time to get back to work with class today and maybe some painting for me this week.
5 comments:
Hi Rhonda,
Great photos and thanks for sharing. It was truly unfortunate that you caught a cold, but you did a great job fighting through it.
And "hubba-hubba"...who doesn't love a mermaid!! :))
Stay well and have a good day!
Sincerely,
Gary
Looks so beautiful - I love the beach when it's windy, cool, and you are the only one on the beach - it's very invigorating! So glad you had fun even with the cold. All we had here was the "bottom" side of those clouds!!!
Oh it does sound like a fabulous trip!! Me too! I want to be 20 years younger!!
Looks like a beautiful place, and Kelly's would be my home away from home. Nice break! Hope you'll get better quickly! Oh! And, I'm all for the 20 years younger thing for me, too!
Gary, we even watched Splash last night on cable - hadn't seen it in a long time (Tom Hanks was so young then - but weren't we all? ha ha).
Yes, there is something calming and even strengthening about walking the beach alone, just white sand and seagrass, a few birds and waves to join you. Not too cold here yet, though!
Sherry, thanks. Maybe I can wish for all of us to drop 15 years (instead of pounds) this coming year :)
Carol, I was in there every day so I'd walk in the door, Kelly would see me and start up the espresso machine - made me feel like a regular :)
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