Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Lake Placid

A little cooler weather so decided to take a drive to Lake Placid about 35 miles north of the park, it is known for the murals on the buildings, they were lovely and lots of them, too many to show but here are a few.













All along the way were fields and fields of oranges, they are picking some and so we also pass lots of trucks full to the brim.








From here we went around to Lake Okeechobee, now we pass this lake all the time but you can not see a thing as it sits behind a huge dyke. So today we went on a scenic path that gets you closer. It is a very large lake but very marshy by the shore.




Sunday, December 26, 2010

Christmas in Florida

Hope everyone had a great Christmas, sounds like Alabama got their white Christmas first time since 1882. We were lucky had a beautiful warm day, had a little leisure time before we went for an amazing dinner, just so much food.
Nice to talk to everyone at home the last few days.



This is the dessert table, no one went home hungry.



Oh well back to the diet today.

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas everyone...... Our Christmas eve was very festive, we all met at the clubhouse and everyone brought an appi, there was so much food. After filling our stomaches the RV band including Ron played an evening of Christmas Carols and we all sang along.
While Joe played a Christmas Irish Jig, John danced along, we had a nice time, I am looking forward to turkey today.
Weatherman says looks good today 75 degrees but rain coming tonight to cool things down to a few very chilly days.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Sanibel Island

So yesterday we decided to go to Sanibel Island which is just off the west coast beside Fort Myers.
What can I say about Sanibel Island, I guess it would be: that this is what most people think Florida should look like.
Tropical and beautfiul, however, touristy with no place to park

To get there you cross a couple big bridges and pay your toll, the first picture is between the two bridges and is a small place to pull off. The water was gorgeous and the beach was shells.


We drove right across Sanibel Island to Captiva Island and back the speed limit is 30 miles per hour all the way so it was not high speed. There are a few beaches all along the way but the parking spots are small and were already packed.



There were lots of people fishing here but again no place to park so we just pulled off the road for a moment to take the picture.

The lighthouse was a little different.


This picture is from the lighthouse looking across to Fort Myers.

Here is a picture of the bridges as we are leaving heading back into town.


Friday, December 17, 2010

Alligator Alley in the Everglades

Hello everyone, well this park can sure keep you busy.
Wednesday we had a red hat luncheon party, it was a hoot.
Thursday we got together in the clubhouse kitchen and baked, dozens and dozens of cookies so that everyone could have a good variety of each.
So today we thought we should get out and see a few things and headed down toward Ft. Lauderdale where we connected with the road they call Alligator Alley. We did see a few dozen alligators along this stretch but it is a four lane road and so hard to stop, we also saw big turtles sitting out sunning today as it was 80 degrees.
Lots and lots of birds, of all shapes and sizes.


The fellow below had such green legs but they did not show very much in the picture.






This is a picture of the start of the everglades, they say no where in the marsh is deeper than two feet.



Look at how this fellow can crank his neck, he was getting a little flustered that we were getting so close.



But this is my favorite, he was so animated, was such a character.



He certainly was trying to tell me something.




After we turned off of I-75 and onto 29 heading toward Immokole we finally got to see the gators close up and all over the place.

We also stopped at the panther park but we were not about to do the hiking trail so did not get to see the panthers


They love to sun them selves it was a perfect day for them.



Oh, grandma what big teeth you have.


What do you call 5 in a bunch?

Ron watching the gators on the other side of the canal.






Now we came across a place where there were lots of these little fish just turning up the water. Three latinos were throwing out a net and scooping them up. The fellow I bought my watermelon from down the road said they were catfish, but he was quite a character himself so not to sure if I would believe him.


Doesn't the bushes behind look like something out of an eerie movie.


Anyway it was a spectacular day and we had a great time.
We want to say hello to Donna and Don who just found our blog, say hello to Sue for us when you are in Cranbrook.
As you can tell we did not freeze to death and the whinning paid off, nice and warm now.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Freezing in Florida

Haaaa....Haaaa....Haaaa They are never going to ask us to come to Florida again if we keep bringing this lovely Canadian weather. Most of Florida froze last night, we have not heard how the strawberries and tomatoes did but cross our fingers they were okay. It is just amazing that it can get so nice during the day and then dip so low at night.

Yesterday we went to Clewiston which calls itself the Sweetest town in America because of all the sugar cane. A couple of blurry pictures of the burning, they say it burns so hot and so fast so it does not harm the cane but gets rid of all the debris and then they harvest it.







Otherwise not much else for news, Ron is enjoying his music at the clubhouse and I have been working on sorting through the massive amount of pictures that someone took these last few months.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

A day trip to Fort Myers

Brrrrr...... Florda is having record colds, they are worried about their tomato and strawberry plants freezing...
Yesterday on our way into Fort Myers we stopped at a fruit market and her tomatoes and strawberries looked wonderful but she was nervous about what the tempatures would get last night. When we woke up this moring there was a little white on the truck, it does not last long but it still was there.

Here is a picture of her tomatoes, don't they look so healthy. Also along the way were orchards and orchards of ripe oranges. The market lady says the strawberries will be ready anytime mid Dec. and will go until April.

Our main objective to going to town was to look at our next park and it is going to be okay, it isn't fantastic but okay, I like it where we are but I think Ron does not have enough to do here.

On the way home we stopped at the Manatee Park which is right across the road from the Hydro Electric Plant that provides warm water in the little channel. The manatee gather here when it is so cold to keep warm.
They were a little hard to see what here is what we got for pictures.









The park was very cute with lots of information about the manatee, gators and butterflies.
It only cost a dollar to park and go see.



Yes they make the manatee look so cute and friendly, he does not quite look like that.



Ron bought me a book rack so he is putting that up and he has to change a water fitting outside so he will have a couple chores this morning.
It is supposed to be 65 today but back to 75 tomorrow, at least we can hope.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

The M Resort, Moore Haven, Florida

Hello everyone, just a few days late but not much to report.
December 3rd we made our way down from Port Canaveral to Moore Haven, a really nice drive.
Going through Okochobee we passed lots of fruit trucks, here is one making the corner now.

Our park is quiet, just what the doctor ordered. It is about 1/3 full and we are here for two weeks, they say they have lots of room if we decide to stay longer but we are booked in Fort Myers, perhaps we will go have a look at that park and if we like this better we will stay.
This park has lots of activites which we like so it is kinda tempting. We have about 4 of these
ponds and right on the campground and in the rules it says do not feed the gators and by every pond there are signs no swimming but still we have not yet to see a gator. Lots of different looking and sounding birds and bugs.

The pool is lovely we went for a swim this morning before lunch, felt wonderful. Today it was 78 degrees, just nice.



Very clean park with pool tables, shuffle board etc. even a kitchen that serves pizza, dogs, hamburgers etc.
We are surrounded by fields and fields of sugar cane and they trucks are going constantly with the loads, here in the picture below they are burning it off first.



Oh the picture of the sign did not turn out very well but here are the prices, at these costs we can afford to stay.


Front entrance.



And of course our spot, we are all set up for the next couple weeks.



Unless exciting things happen my blogs might be a little sparse but will keep everyone updated, hope all is well with everyone.