Happy Valentine's Day

Cooler today so we took Tessa for a longer walk along the Linear Path and around the block.  We stopped at Landmark to drop off some mail that we thought belonged to the owner but Trisha said she had no idea who it was.  Drove uptown to the In A Pickle food truck, which Bill is dying to try.  Unfortunately, the operator posted on FB that he wouldn't be there today due to a sick child.  So, we got Arby's and sat in the truck to eat.  Ugh.  Normally we might search out a nice neighborhood park but there was a lot of smoke in the area due to some controlled burns. 

Once home, I made the bed and Bill put the trash out.  I sat outside with my coffee and book, then played with Tessa while the coast was clear next door.  

The three of us left around 3:15 and headed to Venice for our annual Valentine's Day sunset.  Not quite the same having Tessa with us but we made it work.  We walked down the opposite side of the street, Bill found a bench to wait on and I crossed over to Ciao Gelato for our traditional sweet treat.  Bill got chocolate and I got half chocolate and half sea salt caramel.  I usually take a picture but I forgot.  We hung out at the bench while we ate.  Bill tied Tessa's leash to the bench and she was actually pretty good.  She gets pretty excited when other dogs come by but she is somewhat easily redirected.  She thinks she would like gelato, too.

I, too, would enjoy some gelato...

We didn't do any window shopping and I didn't get to wander through the quilt shop.  We did walk to the bathrooms, then back to the truck along a less busy side street which had some grass and we were hoping Tessa would pee.  She did not. haha We were nearly run over, while in the crosswalk, by a driver that was blinded by the sun.  

We arrived at the jetty around 5:00 and found a nice spot in the front row.  We sat on a bench on the jetty side and watched the boats going in and out.  We spotted dolphins and a manatee, which was cool.  Tessa enjoyed sitting on the bench with us.  Around 5:45 we walked down the road, on the side with grass, giving Tessa time to sniff and explore and pee.  Again...she did not.  Back to the truck, Bill stayed with her for awhile and I found a nice rock on which to perch.  No way was I sitting in the truck on the warmest Valentine's night in a few years.  69* ;o)

Bill gave Tessa the treat bone we brought, then joined me around 6:10 for the 6:20 sunset.  There wasn't a cloud in the sky, which means an unexciting sunset but there was a lot of smoke, so the sunset was kind of orange.  Not the best but not the worst either.  We have got to remember to stay at least thirty minutes after sunset for the best "after show" color!

6:18 pm

6:20 pm

6:27 pm

We headed home at 6:40 and arrived by 7:30.  I took a shower, then made popcorn for dinner. 

Hope your Valentine's Day was filled with love!

Thanks for stopping by...

;o) 

Easy Riders

We picked Wendy and Dan up at 11:00 and headed to Venice.  We ate lunch at a picnic table, in the shade, near the Train Depot.

We walked a short distance to Big Bam Ebikes, where we had reserved electric bikes...2 hours for $29.  Seems like a deal.  

After a brief lesson on how to actually operate the bikes, we were off!

Seems easy enough ;o)

Buckling up

Here we go...

We rode along the Waterway Park to the end, about 4 miles.  We turned around, rode to the Train Depot, then another half hour along the Legacy Trail.  Saw this slow moving fellow sitting along the side of the trail.

I can assure you that he moves really, really fast when we wants to.  

We rode back and returned our bikes after a fun couple of hours.  I was glad we didn't rent them for four hours because my butt was already hurting and I don't think I was the only one.

From there to Ciao Gelato for our traditional gelato.  It is soooo sweet and creamy.

It's 83*, eat fast.

We got Starbucks iced coffees for the ride home and were back at W & D's around 4:00.  Since this visit to Starbucks, we have become addicted to their iced coffees.

We visited for a short while, wet my feet in the pool (heavenly) and headed home.  

It was hot, so we sat on the front porch, in the shade and read for about 20 minutes.  The new purple case for my phone came today and it's perfect.

We had a fun day, as we always do with the "kids".  Headed home in only four weeks ;o(

Thanks for stopping by...

;o)

Happy Valentines Day

Our tradition continues as we travel north to Venice to enjoy the sunset at the jetty.  We started this tradition when Greg came to visit in 2015, which you can read about here.

We started the day with a walk from the hospital to Gilchrist Park, along the Harborwalk and back, 3.2 miles.  It was humid!  We enjoyed a coffee at Bayshore Park, along the Peace River.  Not only was it humid, it was windy, so we sat in the truck.

We ate lunch at home, then at 3:30 we headed to Venice.  It was raining when we arrived but it didn't last too long.  We got our traditional gelatos at Ciao Gelato and ate them under the cover of a nearby Italian restaurant.  Bill had strawberry, Italian chocolate chip and butter crunch.  My choice was chocolate and sea salted caramel.  It's always soooo good!

We drove to the Venice jetty and found a parking space in the front row.  The rocks were wet from the earlier rain as well as the waves washing over them, so we sat in the truck and did some reading while we waited for the sunset at 6:21.  

There was a big cloud bank, so once the sun dipped below that, it was the end of any good sunset but it was a very nice evening.

5:14 pm

5:45 pm

5:48 pm

5:58 pm

Once at home, we had the dinner of champions...popcorn!

Thanks for stopping by...

;o)

Happy Valentine's Day

A few years ago, Greg was visiting over Valentine's Day.  We found ourselves in Venice and ended up watching the sunset from the jetty at Venice Beach.  Every year since then, it has been our tradition to visit Venice on Valentine's Day.  We have pizza at Vinnie's Pizzeria, a gelato from Ciao Gelato and we watch the sunset from the jetty and take really bad selfies.

Venetian (the ultimate chocolate) and Strawberry

 The sunset was great this year and the temp was acceptable...65* and winds at 14.

5:26

6:10

6:13

6:16

6:16

6:18

6:21

6:24

6:26

6:29

6:29

6:34

6:26 pano

I really like the reflection in the one above ;o)

6:33 pano

You can see from the pano photos that the sky wasn't really as red as the other photos show it to be.  Don't ask me why, I'm not a professional.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Thanks for stopping by...

;o)

Wendy and Dan and Marie Selby

Sunday, March 26...

We left early this morning (okay...early for us) around 10:15.  Wendy and Dan drove us to visit the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota.  We made good time even though we stopped at Dunkin' Donuts for beverages and the bathroom, arriving at the gardens around 11:30.  

Fountains at the entrance

First up...the Tropical Conservancy!

Volcano Queen

This one hangs upside down!

My favorite photo of the day!

This red and white one had a great fragrance.

Nice little photo area near the exit.

This is just outside the Conservancy.

Photo by Wendy

This field of salvia is new since last year and it overlooks Sarasota Bay and the Ringling Bridge.

Love this tree...

When you gotta go ;o)

Next up was the butterfly garden and the chrysalis enclosure where there were a number of caterpillars eating and waiting to become butterflies.

Guess butterflies like these plants since they were planted in the butterfly garden.

Shrimp Plant

Dutchman's Pipe

There were a couple of plein air artists at work across this tidal lagoon

and Dan was kind enough to strike a pose

what a dork

Captured this fisherman in the bay.

Wendy was brave enough to try the yarn swing.

From here we walked back along the way we came until we reached the Selby House Cafe where we bought lunch and ate it outside.

We left there and headed toward the Koi Pond, passing a number of different bamboo trees.

Then the pond, always a very restful place.

Photo by Wendy

Photo by Wendy

We decided to pass visiting the Children's Rainforest Garden but couldn't pass a photo op at the base of the huge banyan tree.

We have been to the gardens several times but never noticed this tree in blossom before.  It's  a Shaving Brush Tree.

I don't think I would want to clean up after it tho!

From the Mangrove Walkway we saw a sailboat that was stuck in the sand and listing badly. We also saw this Best Party Boat Ever!

  We stopped in Venice to get gelato, then headed home.

When we buy one more large gelato, we get one free!  Woohoo...the ultimate discount.

At home, Bill sat in the shade on the front porch enjoying a cigar while the three of us huddled in the shade under the umbrella on the deck and drank homemade strawberry daiquiris.  Wendy and Dan also enjoyed a rum and Coke.

We had really good filets for dinner then took Titan for a walk along Rt. 41.  We watched a show on HGTV about people looking for a vacation home on an island I have never heard of - Nevis.  Learn something every day, or so they say.

Monday, March 27...

The four of us walked Titan along the Linear Pathway to the parking garage.  They were willing to watch him while Bill and I used the bathroom, which is the main reason we walk to the garage ;o)

We ate lunch at home, then they went to Hurricane Charley's to have adult beverages and "borrow" the pool, we went to Publix to buy cake for Wendy's birthday celebration later.  We sat in the shade on the deck until they came home but we all ended up inside reading because it was so hot on the deck.  

Bill fixed an early dinner of pasta carbonara, which we ate early so we could walk over the bridge.  We left the house about 6:30, parked at Hurricane Charley's, used the bathroom and headed over the bridge.  Every three minutes we did 12 walking lunges.  When we reached the other side, we did 30 seconds of squats before heading back and we added 12 incline presses every three minutes to the lunges.  We stopped just past the center of the bridge to watch the sunset and do another 30 seconds of squats.

I really like this one!

Always gotta take a selfie...

Twas a bit breezy.

We saw several large fish and 2 sting rays on our walk.

We stopped at the Tiki Bar for drinks because it's one of our traditions.

Photo by Wendy

Photo by Wendy

From there we headed home to have cake and wish Wendy a Happy Birthday, since we won't be in Maine to celebrate on her special day.

She's so cute!!!

Thanks for stopping by...
;o)