Day 28 and 29 of our trip to FL and SE

On the road Again Tuesday Feb. 22 to Key West. Ellie called the State Parks on the Keys, but none had openings.


Approaching the 7 Mile Bridge

After checking in at Lazy Lake RV Park we headed to Key West.
Lunch at Hog's Breath Saloon.






Their famous grilled HUGE fish sandwich.

We took a trolley tour of the town.








High school students made their mascot out of car parts.









Ornate gingerbread trim on houses.






The famous SOUTHERNMOST spot of the U.S. Being on the trolley ride was close enough for us. We also stop and realize, we also were at the NORTHERNMOST spot of the U.S. In Aug. 2005 when we were in Barrow, AK...on the Arctic Ocean.


We think of our family and friends. You know what we are doing. Let us know what YOU are doing.






We had key lime pie before coming to Mallory Square for the sunset. A couple by us bought it on the Square and paid double what we did. But then again....Ellie paid $4.00 for a BIG bag of popcorn!

People everywhere, just to watch the sunset. Also vendors, jugglers, magicians, balloon artists, musicians, etc.


People cheered when the sun set!



On the Road Again Wednesday Feb. 23 to Key West.



Mile marker ZERO of Hwy. 1 in Key West. Interesting..... we traveled on Hwy. 1 in Maine last Oct.



Lunch at Sloppy Joe's.



We took a tour of The Little White House. Truman took 10 working vacations in Key West. Seven other Presidents have spent time at the house. All furniture and furnishings are from the 1940's.





Phil relaxing after the tour.

We toured Ernest Hemingway's home.







When ceiling fans were no longer in fashion, his wife had them taken out. Our tour guide and all of us would have appreciated the ceiling fan to circulate the 80 degree weather.


The headboard was a door from a Spanish Monastery. He had a love of cats. We saw at least 8 cats. Some have 6 toes.




A replica of a Picasso cat. The original was stolen and broken before apprehended.


He was in his 30's when he lived in Key West.



His Cuban friend in this picture lived to be 104 years of age.
We were 90 miles from Cuba.



Beautiful arbor with fresh hydrangeas on it.



Key West lighthouse.


Heading North tomorrow.


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Location:Key West, FL

Day 26 and 27 of our trip to FL and SE

On the Road Again on Sunday Feb. 20 to Angina Trail to see more of nature. First stopped at the Visitors Center. Yes, someone handed in our camera bag. We accidentally left it at the Evening Program last night. Thank you, God! When Ellie came to the RV, Phil was talking to the photographer who gave the presentation last night, briantrainorphotography.com. He showed us the photos he has on display now. He told us about taking the tour of the Nike Base near Anhinga Trail. We were in a group of 36 taking the tour. The tour guide emphasized how close we were to a nuclear war in Oct. 1962 when the Soviets put weapons in Cuba.






They had on display some of the letters between Kennedy and Khrushchev. Interesting history within the Everglades National Park.












We were again in awe of the alligators, birds and turtles as we went along the boardwalk of Angina Trail.







Vultures right along the sidewalk of Trail.




Wood Stork are not seen as often as herons and anhingas.


Heron



Anhinga with wing spread to dry it's wings.


Baby Anhingas, calling for food.



Bromeliads are evident through southern Florida. This one was huge.

We stopped at Paurotis Pond hoping to see Roseate Spoonbills. They were 1/2 mile across the pond. Or we thought they might be some of the many birds nesting. We were looking into the sun so difficult to know for sure.



A photo I took of Roseate Spoonbills.


On the Road Again Monday Feb. 21. We were looking forward to a cup of coffee and the generator stopped. We were out of propane. So we journeyed into Homestead, FL. On the way we stopped at Paurotis Pond. With a lot of patience we could see some spoonbills. We also saw other graceful birds flying and soaring thru the air. We'll have to ask the bird experts what kind we saw. We are learning to recognize some Florida birds, but not all, by far!



If you can enlarge this photo, you can see the tinge of pink on their wings.

We passed vegetable farms.....tomatoes, sweet corn, summer squash, green beans, melons and sunflowers.



Summer squash


Sweet corn


Cabbage


Sunflowers

Got our propane, got supplies and groceries, had lunch at Farmers Market Restaurant. Food was great.


Stopped at a veg/fruit stand for fresh produce and were enticed to get milkshakes. Placed our order and paid, but they were so busy,had to wait 30 minutes to be served. They were worth it. Phil got pineapple. Ellie got cherry, pineapple and passion fruit.


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Location:Flamingo, Everglades National Park

Day 25 of our trip to FL and SE

On the Road Again Saturday, Feb. 19 to the Park's Visitor Center. We went on a 2 hour bird watch with a Ranger. It continues to amaze us. The ospreys are everywhere in the air. So big, and such big nests.






Osprey feeding her young.


We saw a yellow warbler.





Turkey vultures.






Baby ibis.....their feathers haven't turned all white yet.






Tri-colored heron.
(Sorry, so many bird photos....just in awe of them. Don't see them in our daily routine at home.)




Blue heron.

And a giant white heron, too far away to get a good photo. Our leader said she saw 31 different kinds of birds on our walk. Can't say we saw all of them. The hike ended at the marina. We had the thrill of seeing a dolphin. He made a mud circle. It was amazing and a bonus on a bird walk. Have some good videos. No photos. Don't have a way to get videos on the blog.



The hawk is still hanging around our campsite. We are careful not to leave any food out. We are told the birds even attack the rubber seal on cars when the cars are unattended in a remote area.


A baby ibis visited at the campsite across from us.

Went to the evening presentation by Artist in Residence (a photographer). Very interesting. He used an unconventional approach to show the Everglades.

In the late afternoon Ellie went to the office to extend our stay for two more nights and was reading the notices about Programs held at the Park. A guy said, there is a good program tonight. She asked, might you be giving the program. In conversation with him she asked if he had a bicycle patch. He saw what kind of bike she was riding and he gave her an inner tube that worked perfectly. Isn't God good!!!! Now both Phil and Ellie can bike again. What an unbelievable blessing.

Yesterday the full moon came up at 7:15 pm, but we didn't have the camera with us. Tonight we kept looking for the moon to come up as we had our camera tonight. Kept watching and watching. Finally after the program the moon came up. The Ranger said, yes, it comes up 51 minutes later every evening. Never knew that! Or is the just in this locale. Just keep learning.




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Location:Flamingo, Everglades National Park, FL