Sunday, April 1, 2018

Sunday, April 1, 2018



Tonight's picture was taken on Easter of 2009. This was our last Easter with Mattie. Our friends planned and coordinated an Easter egg hunt for Mattie in the hallway of the hospital. This was a photo taken of Mattie after the hunt. Mattie's friends filled the Easter eggs with little toys rather than candy, since candy was not something Mattie really enjoyed. 











Quote of the day: Here is the amazing thing about Easter; the Resurrection Sunday for Christians is this, that Christ in the dying moments on the cross gives us the greatest illustration of forgiveness possible. ~ T. D. Jakesxx


Today we journeyed into the heart of the Everglades ecosystem, and visited Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. The sanctuary is part of the Audubon and is famous for its 2.5 mile boardwalk. The boardwalk takes you through pine flatwoods, a wet prairie, around a marsh, and finally into the largest old growth Bald Cypress forest in North America. 


Located about 30 minutes east of Naples, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is home to hundreds of alligators, otters, white-tailed deer, and red-bellied turtles. A wide variety of wading birds, songbirds, raptors and the fabulous Painted Bunting. We practically saw everything on the checklist. But it took time.

We began the walk going through cypress trees. Hundreds of them. Though interesting, we saw practically nothing and really thought this was what the rest of our journey would entail.

This was what the boardwalk looked like.

Within the cypress trees we saw brown lizards.

Green Lizards as well!

I would say we walked 3/4 of the boardwalk before we finally entered a wetland. It was in this wetland that we hit the jackpot. There were guides along the way pointing out to all of us what was in the water. This is a Yellow Crested Night Heron.










































Literally the water was filled with all sorts of life from a White heron, Roseate Spoonbill, Ibis, to a Tri-Colored Heron.

We got up close to this female Anhinga. But we saw an Anhinga nest, male Anhingas, and Anhingas interacting with other birds. 

I could have done without this, but the guide pointed out a ribbon snake eating a frog. Do you see it?

We saw about least 8 alligators in the wild. 






















A beautiful white heron. 

A baby alligator.

Carved within a cypress tree, I found a Mattie Moon.





















After our adventure, we went to an ice cream/frozen yogurt store called Subzero. They make the treat right in front of you using liquid nitrogen. It was fun and tasty. Believe it or not, this is chocolate yogurt with mixed in fresh raspberries and coconut. 

Saturday, March 31, 2018

Saturday, March 31, 2018

Tonight's picture was taken on Easter of 2006. Mattie was four years old and we took him out for lunch at his favorite restaurant. Honestly Peter and I did not know that an Easter Bunny would be coming out to visit with Mattie. When Mattie saw this bunny coming his way, he got frightened. But I explained to Mattie that the bunny was there to wish him a happy Easter. I encouraged them to take a photo together, and I am so glad Mattie complied. It is one of my favorite Easter memories. Mainly because it just happened. We did not plan it. 



Quote of the day: We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment. ~ Hilaire Belloc



The Ten Thousand Islands are a chain of islands and mangrove islets off the coast of southwest Florida, between Marco Island and the Florida Keys. Some of the islands are high spots on a submergent coastline. Others were produced by mangroves growing on oyster bars. Despite the name, the islands n the chain only number in the hundreds.

The Ten Thousand Islands were used and occupied by Native Americans for thousands of years. Evidence of former living sites can be found under as much as four feet of water. A number of shell rings and other shell complexes have been identified in or adjacent to the Ten Thousand Islands. The material culture of the Indians living in the Ten Thousand Islands was distinctive enough to be classified as, at least, a sub-area of the Glades culture area.[

Almost all of the Ten Thousand Islands are currently uninhabited. The largest, Chokoloskee Island, which is connected to Everglades City by a causeway, has about 400 permanent residents. Other islands have been sporadically inhabited in the 19th and 20th centuries by individuals or families.

After dinner last night, on our drive back to the hotel we saw a HUGE Mattie Moon. 

Mattie Moon was following us last night. 

Peter and I got up at 6:00am this morning, so that we could leave the hotel by 7:30am to drive to Everglades City. It is about an hour drive. Naples is connected by a causeway to Everglades City. We had a 9am Everglades Area Tours, specifically a Boat Assisted Kayak Eco-Tour.

On our way to Everglades City, we were hit with intense SMOKE! 

In order to keep vegetation under control and also thriving in the Everglades, they do periodic scheduled burns! They literally lit the trees on fire. I have heard of this before, but have never driven through it! 

Get a feeling for the smoke? It is like intense fog, but with a horrible smell. 














Our tour guide was Captain Dan. He lives in Chokoloskee, the only island in the 10,000 island system. It is hard to describe Chokoloskee. It is like nothing I have ever seen. It is like the land that time forgot. Nothing around it on this .23 miles of land. Whatever these people need they commute up to Naples. Clearly a tight knit community, but a community which hasn't changed since the 1950's. Not my words, the words of Dan! 


So here is how this eco-tour worked. We got on a golf cart that took us to a pier. Then Peter, myself, and a family visiting from Germany boarded an open air boat (on the boat you can see the yellow kayaks we later used). The boat took us deeper into the 10,000 Islands. Something we couldn't possibly get to by simply kayaking. 

The Ten Thousand Islands are a chain of islands and mangrove islets off the coast of southwest Florida, between Marco Island and the Florida Keys. Some of the islands are high spots on a submergent coastline. Others were produced by mangroves growing on oyster bars. Despite the name, the islands n the chain only number in the hundreds.

The islands are comprised of mangroves. A very tight network of salt resistant trees. Their root system is above water, and looks like a tangled mess. However, the trees release something like a seed, that eventually produces another tree. So the parent tree is connected to all its babies in this complex root system. 

The boat took us through the Islands. However, you have to know what you are doing on this water, because it is VERY shallow. In some places it is less than two feet deep. So you need an experienced captain who understands tides and the sandbars. He joked with us about tourists who think they can navigate these waters and land up stuck and struggling for hours. 

The boat took us to Rabbit Island. The boat anchored in the water, and then one by one we stepped from the boat into a kayak. Which could be a balancing act, but we all did it! Peter and I were in one kayak. Typically I don't like paddling alone, but this water was so CALM that I think even I could have managed it alone if I had to. 

Fortunately it was a cloudy day! It wasn't the best way to see these islands. But it spared us from getting burned to a crisp! 

We kayaked a bit, and Dan gave us some information about the shells in the water and the islands. We then got out of the kayaks at Rabbit Island and walked around. It was fascinating to visit an uninhabited beach. This whole experience was new to me. There was NO ONE for as far as the eye could see. It was totally peaceful and the people of Chokoloskee like it this way. The only thing all around us was birds. In fact the birds are not used to humans, so much so that they do not flinch when they see you approach. 

 A selfie on Rabbit Island!

This is a Mattie joke. When Mattie was in the hospital, he created a person made out of boxes and other art materials. He named the box person, Dr. Crazy Hair. Dr. Crazy Hair carried an oyster shell in his pocket. Mattie said that the oyster was really a big toe nail. 

Can you see the two people in the water? One was Captain Dan and the other was Peter. Literally the water is knee deep all around the island. They were looking at shells and so forth. 

While they were in the water, I was checking out these wonderful piping plovers on the shore line. Ironically, on any public beach, if you approach plovers they start to run. Not these guys!!!

This is what I could see from the shore line. Naturally today was an overcast day, so it impacted the color of the sky and water. But in a way, with the Gulf it is hard to determine where the sky and water line begins and ends. 

Can you see Mama Osprey on the nest. She was rearing three babies. Captain Dan was not a naturalist, but I really think the environment has rubbed off on him. The osprey and dolphins are his buddies, as he passes them daily by boat. 

Dolphin were all around us and like the birds, they are not at all afraid of people.

Peter and the horseshoe crab! He crab was NOT alive. 

These are the shells we took back from Rabbit Island. These are all big and intact shells. Shells you can't find by the ocean or on a public beach. The only time I have seen such perfect shells is in a shell store. 

I have to say that today's experience was very unique and unusual. I have never been to such a remote place before. It was very beautiful to see such unspoiled waters and a beach. It was very evident today that we were the visitors. In fact, Captain Dan considers himself a tourist on the islands too. Which I think is accurate. 

Friday, March 30, 2018

Friday, March 30, 2018

Tonight's picture was taken around Easter of 2005. We took Mattie to Bunnyland at Butler's Orchard in Maryland. Mattie loved going to this farm. In the fall, the farm did a wonderful pumpkin picking, tractor rides, and family festival. In the spring, they had an Easter egg hunt and other fun activities for the children. Mattie was all about running around, but he knew I always insisted on capturing the moment on camera. Fortunately he complied and now I am so glad we have these photos. 






Quote of the day: Our deeds still travel with us from afar, and what we have been makes us what we are. ~ George Eliot

Today we went to try something I never did before... a segway tour! I figured this would be a fun way to see Naples. The downtown area of Naples is charming.... from its cute shops, restaurants, and AMAZING homes. Huge homes but with architectural charm and character. 

In DC we have statues of elephants and donkeys, for the political climate. Here is Naples, their statues is the alligator! So Alli and I were holding hands in this photo!

If you have never been on a segway before, I would say it is an experience. An experience in balance. You need no upper body strength at all. All the motion is really with your body. We had great instructors today.... Brian and Taylor. 

Peter has been on several segway tours before. But for me this was novel, and since I am a risk averse person, I proceeded with caution. Peter shared this with the instructors and tour guides. One tour guide was literally with me the whole tour. Coaching me on the streets! It was helped tremendously. 

I haven't posted my training video that Peter took, but it was a riot. I guess I looked so serious, that the guide said to me.... remember you are on vacation and you are supposed to be having fun. I burst out with laughter and Peter's background commentary was priceless!















Taylor snapped a photo of us together! I admit I was the tail of the pack. Others did not mind zipping along! I went slightly slower, but still was able to keep up. 

I learned how to propel this thing forward, turn it, and break! Breaking was the hardest to get in my head. Because basically it involves the motion of trying to sit down in a chair!

For me, my goal was focusing on the segway itself. So I am not sure I took in all the sites like the average rider. But it worked and I would say it is a fun way to tour a flat town. We moved as fast as a bicycle, but did little physical work. 

Along our tour, we were able to take a break and walk the Naples pier. As you can see the beach was FILLED with people. 

After our hour tour, we went to eat along the water front. I just love the pelicans at the dock and all the boats. I am stunned how much Naples looks like Fort Lauderdale. On a smaller scale. It has water canals and a ton of boating. 

I took a photo of the yachts in the water. We are not talking small boats here!!!

Get the feeling...... lots of boats!

We ate at a restaurant pictured here called the Dock. Each day I have some sort of fish and the fish is incredibly fresh. 

After touring, we came back to the hotel. Behind the hotel is a .5 mile boardwalk that takes you to the beach (on the Gulf of Mexico). Walking the boardwalk is like taking a trail through a mangrove forest. 

This is what the beach looks like. You can't tell from this photo, but along the sand is wall to wall people. Not our scene! So we saw it and perhaps will try coming back out here after Easter. 

The Gulf!

Do you see that stepped down building on the right? That is our hotel.

On the hotel's property is a pond. Can you see the turtles basking in the sun? Mattie would have loved this!

However, check out what else lives in the pond.... a 6 foot alligator! Everything about today would have been thrilling to Mattie. From the Segway tour to the turtles and alligator!!!

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Thursday, March 29, 2018



Tonight's picture was taken on Easter of 2004. Mattie was two years old. Every April we took Mattie to the US Arboretum. The azaleas are absolutely priceless there! Bushes upon bushes, for as far as the eye can see. I always told Mattie that the azaleas came out to celebrate his birthday. He loved that notion. Mattie could walk for a bit, but then without fail, would land up on top of Peter's shoulders. Notice the dandelions in each hand. Mattie never went on a walk empty handed. 




Quote of the day: Too often. . .I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen. ~ Louis L’Amour



We flew to Naples, FL today. We had an 8:30am flight, so we were up at 5am. It felt like a spirit to get away this time, but we did it. Fortunately we leave plenty of time to get to the airport, because even with TSA pre-check, things were very backed up. It took at least 25 minutes to get through security. My bag was flagged because I had a bag of dried fruit, that set off some sort of alarm. 

On our American flight we met a flight attendant who was absolutely superb. I told him he should be a training manager for flight attendants. He was detail oriented, cared about his passengers, and his professionalism showed. He told me he has been a flight attendant for thirty years, and he feels that passengers should be treated the way he would like to be treated. He made the flight for me.

We arrived in Florida around 11:45am. It was too early to check into the hotel, so we headed to a part of Naples called Tin City. This was our view over lunch!

This is a night and day difference from DC. We left DC and it was gray and foggy! Meanwhile it is in the 80s here. 

 Our lunch companion... a pelican. 

Tin City is known for its Florida gift shows. As we strolled through shops, Peter saw this plaque. It made both of us laugh. 

We drove down 5th Avenue of Naples. It is a smaller version of Rodeo Drive in California. Perhaps more affordable though than in Los Angeles. 

This afternoon we checked into our hotel. Our room is provides the closest water view in the hotel. It is a lovely view, and we are on the 11th floor. But the problem is below......

Given that it is Easter weekend and spring break for many, I can't tell you the noise that is coming into our room. There is a DJ by the pools and I literally feel like our room is part of a disco. It is that loud. 

I realize people LOVE noise! But why? You are surrounded by beauty and on vacation! Can't you just talk to who you came with!!?? Why must we be bombarded with sound??? I get away and need quiet in order to relax. So I have complained twice already and now awaiting a call from the hotel manager. Needless to say, management is going to get to know me this week.