WE HAD TOO TOO MUCH FUN WITH THE MAKI'S

You know Ron Maki said I was fun to be around because of how much I enjoy life.  I wonder if that's true and if it is, how about the rest of us.  Aren't or shouldn't we be super grateful for each day the good Lord gives us.  Maybe I'm nuts but I so love each and every day so very much but don't all of us.  I think we do.  Anyway it is not the first time I have heard this but it is always a surprise.  I like being around almost everyone, hey the exception might be our neighbor next to us here at Lake Crystal.  They said hello to us once when they were out watering, by the way they have  lovely lovely flowers, but friendly, they are not.  In fact they look like the perfect couple but they must almost hate having us here.  The neighbor next to them stopped and talked to us several times because of  their Yorkie "Precious", too cute, stated that this really isn't a park that likes rentals.  I thought, thank you for sharing you jerk.  Anyway you get the real feeling we somehow have offended them and maybe it is as simple as having dogs.  I don't know.  I think I don't like her because she is about a size 2.  Who ever heard of 2 except for my friend Judy Thompson who has lost weight because of her husband's illness.
OK back to Ron and Polly.  They took us to the Tuscan Bistro.  First we went to their house for blue margaritas.  Now it actually was an Orange liquor and was delicious but strange drinking a blue margarita.  Polly has been so quite in all our former meetings but I feel she is coming out.  Ron seems to answer for her and maybe it's because she thinks before she speaks, she sure is a pretty special lady.  We went to dinner and had a lovely time, Ron bought, I had two glasses of Chianti but how could I not.  I'm Italian, well maybe not technically but I am in my heart, I eat their bread like I am all dipped in Olive oil and such.  It was Oh so good.  We went to Barefoot Beach after, of course Ron got me a plastic bag and we all picked up shells for me.  I am a shell freak but I can't help myself.  I always wanted to live on Lake Superior you know.  Now I know you will be saying to yourself what has that got to do with shells and the Ocean.  Well I am coming to that.  WATER WATER EVERYWHERE.  Same thing.  Sort of.  On Lake Superior it's rocks and I love them just as much.

 

Here we have Ron Maki, ME, Polly Maki and my Honey.

 

We went for a drive on the way to Barefoot Beach and Jim took pictures along the way.  Posting.  When we left Maki's we not only saw one snake when returning to their house, we saw a black snake at the curb driving to their house and some kind of sidewinder going down the middle of the road.  I don't do well with snakes.  Even under the car.

 

 

We just had to stop along our drive to have Ron take our picture with theis Alligator.  Hey don't you love the bright colors.  I match don't I.

Jim got me running barefoot on the beach.  How could I not.  Looking for shells of course.

I wonder what kind of bird this is.  Good picture of course.

 

I know this is a little blurry but it is downtown Naples from Barefoot Beach.

 

What a sunset.

 

We had to have Ron stop the car so Jim could snap this lovely flower.

 

 I don't know if you can see some of these houses to their full advantage.  Wow is all I can say.

Nothing is on the lower level except the garage.

The steps to some of these house is spectacular.

They are right on the Ocean.

 

The flowers are so pretty.

 

 

 

Jim is down at the Naples Pier.

He is fishing with Frank Yates.

 

We leave at 6 or 7am tomorrow.  YIPEE SKIPEE.

 

SUNDAY WAS A FUN DAY

We went to Shepherd of the Glades Lutheran Church for the last time.  We leave on Wednesday. 
I decided to go to the Ocean, only spent 3 hours there but what fun, it was a Sunday so you can imagine how very crowded it was.  I went to Delnor Wiggins State Park and they would only let one car in as one car left. They have 5 separate parking lots so finding a spot wasn't difficult.
I walked the ocean and about 4:30 I decided to go back home.  I cleaned my shells from yesterday and soaked the ones I just picked up.  I am having fun with the shells.  Heaven knows what I will do with them once I get them home.  I do have an idea  but I don't know if I will ever get around to it.  You know the round cement stepping stones.  You put fresh cement on them and put a mold around it and then set the shells in and "Walla", you have a unique new stepping stone.  I just have to find the time to do it like two years ago with the bowling balls I purchased at thrift stores to make gazing balls.   At least I keep coming up with ideas and Jim keep laughing at them.  I can't wait to see what I come up with next year.  I can't wait to see if I actually get something done.
We had a very nice steak dinner with salad, we split an 8 ounce steak and Jim finished up the fish we had the night before.
I got to watch public TV and I really enjoyed the new series "The Bletchly Circle", I probably will find out the spelling is wrong on that.  I think there is a book and I will have to look it up.  The series is wonderful.  I love Sunday night TV but I will miss it next Sunday when we get to Nashville.  It is funny thinking that we will be going home soon.  I wonder what it will be like seeing Spring in Remer.   I think it will be scads of fun.  A busy time but fun. 

 

I really love this picture, Jim told me there was an alligator out front, I took a picture of it but it turns out this wasn't it, this is a patch of weeds, looks like an alligator to me, what say you.

 

By the way there was an alligator but it was small and it was in the middle of the lake and all you really could see were it's eyes.

How can I not take pictures of Otto and Makons, they are the world's cutest dogs.

 

Jim on his cell relaxing, don't think he doesn't know how to relax, he is good at it.

 

Santibel Island's shell stash.

 

This is my real prize shell.  It's a Lighting Whelk.

 

A Calico Scallop and a Bay Scallop.

 

I added a Lettered Olive, (the long one)

 

I wanted you to see my new summer robe, you can't see it well but it is full of Chinese characters with kimono sleeves and huge red tassels. 

I THINK IT'S FRIDAY

Well where did the week go, I remember on Tuesday we were so surprised that a week from Wednesday we are leaving Naples and here it is Friday. 
We have had a few adventures since Sunday and I did do laundry but not until Monday, we had brunch with Maki's on Sunday and I think I wrote about it.  We did walk the circle of course and on Monday I walked the circle early and did do laundry. 
We went to Frank and Helen Yates for dinner Monday night.  She made a delightful chicken with rice thing, she wanted to do a Minnesota dish, with fresh asparagus.  So nice.  I gave her a red scarf and she loved it because of course since she went to Harvard, "Crimson Tide" their colors.  We had a really nice evening.  Jim had just washed his truck so of course it rained after dinner.  Their grounds are so lovely, Helen said they have 10 fountains on the property.  You wouldn't believe their townhouse.  Ground level but it's the feeling you get when you walk in the place.  I could never achieve what she had.  They must have at least 9 foot ceilings and the openness is just so nice.  a double patio door to the lanai.  She has decorated in cool colors, different shades of light blue and yellow.  Sailboats and shells.  It is like walking on a movie set.  Everything is perfect.  As we all know at best I am organized kayos.  Is that spelled correctly?
I am going to have to work backwards on my week.  A lot to report and am so sorry I can't seem to get daily reports.

Saturday was fun, we had Larry our neighbor over for dinner,  I made Northern Pike, Sweet Potatoes and Strawberry Salad.  We Talenti Gelato for desert, I think Jim picked up Southern Butter Pecan and Secilian Pistachio for dessert.  Larry brought over some wonderful wine, a  Malbec, a Bodega Poesia from Argentina.  We ate right outside our camper in the lovely evening weather.  Nice time.  Larry said he really enjoyed my Strawberry Salad, it is the same one I have made so many time for Church.  Thank you Heidi for that recipe.  It has been a big hit and the dressing is so easy to make.
I also did laundry yesterday, it seems I do laundry often.

Jim was a sweetie and took me and the kids to Santibel Island on Friday.  I have wanted to go for sometime.  We found out once we were there that you could walk dogs on the beach.  That made us really happy since we didn't want to leave them home.  I can't take them to the beach in Naples and they do have a dog beach at Lover's Key but we also have heard reports of dogs killing dogs there.  Last time were were here Makons just sat there and Otto wanted to kill all the big dogs.  Some people just don't pick up after their pets too.
We had such a wonderful time.  We drove not only the length of Santibel but Captiva Island too.  We stopped at Boeman's Beach so I could take the dogs beachcomber.  Was fun and then we went to the Blue Giraffe for lunch and it was pet friendly so the dogs came too.

I am talking to Dot from our table at the Blue Giraffe.

 

They brought the kids water and hating it as I do Jim threw them an occasional sweet potato fry.   Bad Daddy.

At Bowmen's Beach the kids and I went in the Ocean and Otto got a little swamped by the waves.  He couldn't understand what they had against him.

 

A little visitor on the bench behind us at lunch.  He really was cute but just so he understands, I won't bother you as long as you don't bother me.

 

Just a beautiful Hibiscus we bought.  It is so hard not to buy the flowers here. 

 

I had to show you my new necklace, a beautiful starfish, it has white, yellow, orange and red Sapphire's in it.  Anyway it is beautiful.  Matches my gray hair, Skye I need you here.

We tried breakfast at Toast again, not memorable.  I know we went to the Naples Olive Oil campany, dropped some serious money there.  We can't seem to go in a store without investing in that establishment.  I also got back to Total Wine this week.  May as well take care of that stop.  We stopped at Home Depot and got a wonderful pot for my Hibiscus plants.  Three of them and they look great.  I don't know how Jim will ever lift it in the camper.  Oh PJ you have to stop looking at the flowers.  We also picked up a couple more Mandivilla.  Spelling is probably incorrect but you get the idea.  We are having fun walking the circle, see some of the wonderful views.

 

I wanted to capture the full moon just before dark.

 

I love this of Jim on his phone with his stylist pen.  We would never be able to text without it.

 

All decked out to go to our Peruvian restaurant with Larry on Thursday.  Notice the pretty necklace made by Dede.  I love the Jewelry.

 

We know that we look like a giant peach, but a cute one.

 

Jim is in love with this plant.  I wish you could see the plant up close.  It is luminus. 

 

Just a pretty flower.

 

We has such beautiful views on our walk.

 

Just another beautiful spot overlooking our Lake Crystal.  At dinner last night Larry was talking about the rather large water moccasin snakes down by the lake side.  Kill me.  He said the guys that mow occasionally see them as they have to mow near the shore line.

 

I love this gardinia, it is worth having in here twice.  Have to get ready for church.  We are going to Sheperd of the Glades this morning.  I think I will go to the Ocean today.

CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S MONDAY ALREADY

It really was pleasant yesterday afternoon, it started raining about 4pm and rained all night.  It was nice not to have the air on. 

We took a drive Saturday to Ft Myers to visit the Camping World store.  I wanted to see what they have in window awnings.  Jim's only complaint is I am always looking for ways to spend money.  He could be right, I don't know. 

We had Ron & Polly out for dinner Saturday night.  I made walleye, sweet potato wedges, strawberry salad and Polly brought some banana bars.  We had a very nice time and the drink of the evening was Margaritas, they just aren't wine drinkers.  Hummmmmmmmmm, is that normal?  We met them at their church Sunday morning, The First Presbyterian Church of Bonita Springs.  Wonderful sermon about the church's foundation.  On this solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.  Love that song.  We then went out to a lovely restaurant, Bayhouse in North Naples, actually not far from our house, maybe 8 miles.  It is on Cocohatchee River, and you think we have Indian names for things in Minnesota.  Florida is full of it. 

I was going to do a load of clothes on Sunday but hey, I took the day off, Jim did a little fishing off the dock and we had a good time with dinner.  We got our favorite Bourbon Marinated Salmon from Publix and Picked up some cedar planks and I soaked the plank at least 4 hours and we did the salmon on the plank.  Was fun trying something different and it had  wonderful flavor, of course the plank caught fire so we had some issues with that but I am sure every time we do it, we will get better at it.  We had corn on the cob to go with it and it was just as fresh as if it were August 1st at home. 

I can't believe the forecast for the Midwest, it is supposed to snow again, winter just won't let go.  I will be surprised when we get home, I bet the ice will still be on the lakes and snow in the groves.

I need to do the laundry today and walk,  I didn't walk yesterday, just lazy I guess.  will try and walk the circle twice today. 

MY MORNING WALK

These are the things I see on my 2 mile around the park.

 

A typical patio.

 

 

This white flowering bush is just exquisite.  Their last name is Hipp by the way.

 

 

A beautiful white gardenia.

 

 

The beautiful white flowering bush again, they almost look plastic.

 

 

 

Of course a beautiful Bird of Paradise.

 

 

 

Sights like this make my walk around the park so special.

 

 

This is a typical pad and they add the florishes of landscaping.

 

They use a lot of different stone to decorate their sites.

 

The Hybiscus are just outstanding and the bushes are up to 5 - 7 feet high.

 

Some sites are so thick with flowers you can hardly see the ground.

 

I am really in love with the stone pads.

 

This is a view from one end of the lake from someone's patio,

 

 

A beautiful double red hybiscus.

 

Look at their beautiful landscaping.

 

This golden hybiscus is more beautiful than any picture can display.

 

Isn't this such a beautiful color.

 

There are doublewide houses on over half the sites.

 

I have to find out from Jim what the name of this palm tree is.  He just told me,
it's The Bismark.