The time has come.....

The time has come for us to start packing and prepare to head home. The time has surely flown by and we can hardly believe that 3 months have passed. We have missed everyone and can’t wait to see family and friends, but we will miss our small bit of paradise here in Florida. It is difficult to imagine that in a few days we will not wake up to this beautiful marina view, the sound of the water lapping the boats, the waving palm trees, and the wonderful ocean breeze we have become so accustomed to.  This morning while I type and have my coffee I look out and see people walking up and down the dock to and from their boats, some having breakfast or coffee on their boats as they begin their day,  other early birds already washing and polishing their boats,  while others pull out of the marina for a day on the water fishing or sightseeing. The water is flat with only a slight little ripple on top, the lady fish are jumping and the birds are a singing. Paradise!

We leave on Sunday so that gives me 2 more days to catch some sun and enjoy the salt water pool which is the hub of social activity. We have met some really great people here, Canadians, Americans and even a few Brits. The snowbirds are all packing up and saying their goodbyes, exchanging emails and sharing their routes home. The locals say farewell to their winter friends and get back to their quiet life here with hardly anyone in the pool because the northerners have left. Secretly I think they give a sigh of relief when everyone leaves, but they have embraced us openly, graciously sharing their beautiful gated community and making us feel at home here.  

The day is gorgeous outside so I best go enjoy it. See you all soon.

Carol

Just a few extra picutres to add.....

The new beach put in by the Army corp of engineers



sunset glowoing through the trees at FP park

Roger in the park at sunset.

Rainbow over the marina after a sunshower this morning!

Sunny and Warm.....

Here we are on the weekend thinking that it will not be long before we are headed home. This brings mixed feelings as we miss everyone back home, but will miss all the amenities this condo and area has to offer. Today the windows are open and a wonderful breeze blow through the condo leaving you to forget the 28C temp outside.  The water has only a slight ripple and the sun is reflecting off the aqua colored water and shimmering images can be seen on the clean hulls of the marina  boats. There are only a few puffy white clouds in the sky and the hot sun shines down from the amazing blue sky. How perfect a day is that!!!

The past week has been a quite one with pool time, Roger painting and a morning trip to the Fort Pierce Historical museum after seeing the old FP fort site.  It was a really neat place with lots of history of the area including the Spanish influences, Seminoles, and the navy seal training base in WW 11.  You could see the rise and fall and slow rise again of this lovely little community that is now struggling to bring back what it once was.  Over that past few years it has made great gains in restoring the historic Fort Pierce and the island is progressing nicely. Tourism is a great provider for these small coastal communities and they rely heavily on the northerners to bring money to the area.

Our neighbours at the end of our building are great people and we have spent time with them at the pool and at our condos relaxing and getting to know each other. We will miss their company when we leave. It is a good thing we have good friends back home to welcome us. Today we are off to a St. Patrick’s Day event at Archie’s( the biker bar, but it is not as bad as it sounds). It is a real happening place and today is a special events day. There are 12 of us going so it should be a fun time. The special today is corn beef and cabbage so I may have to rethink my choice of meal.  Not a real corned beef fan and think I will go for the   crispy grouper fish and salad. You can’t go wrong with fish here. It is a beautiful day to eat out side and enjoy the music and food.

Off to have another beautiful day in paradise…….

Take care all.

Carol

ps St Patricks day a blast!!!! Enjoyed every minute at Archie's!

the whole gang at Archies

Roger and Mike enjoy the waitress!!

Welcome all

Dare I say more...



Deb  visits with a pirate outisde of Archies

Goodbye again....

Our last visitors have come and gone and now we coast down to the end of our stay here in Florida. Lynn and Vern arrived last Friday evening and left yesterday(Wednesday) morning. We had a wonderful time together and before we knew it they were back on the road heading north towards home.  We started their visit with a trip to Friday Fest which was really good this month with a St Patrick ’s Day theme, which included a live band set up in the street and green beer. Of course we visited the Saturday market where Lynn bought the noted sea grass hat and even Vern bought the man’s hat.  The breeze and cloud cover made the market less hot so we were able to browse for quite a while. There were no horses this week, but a gathering of old car owners showing off their prized cars.  Although the time this week Lynn and I had time to do some shopping and pool time; the guys visited the Smithsonian Marine Station open house, did some photography and walked a nature trail. Together we enjoyed the Florida Oceanography center where we saw many of the local fish, stingrays, sharks, turtles and odd looking creatures in tanks and water tables. It was all interactive and informative. Lynn and I did the short nature trail walk and the guys did the long one. There are too many snakes and spiders our there for me so the less time on the trail the better. I did however enjoy the butterflies and birds. The great day was rounded out by a delicious meal at Capone’s Restaurant.

The next few days we have planned to just lay back and have some good old R& R. The temps are around 28 C. for the next few days so we can enjoy the sunshine. The winds are up but we can ignore that and enjoy the breeze to cut the heat. Roger is working on finishing his painting projects and I will visit the pool; perhaps we will spend some time at the ocean to watch the high surf.  

Take care all!

Carol and Roger

 Nurse sharks waiting for their food!!

Green back turtle trying to climb the rocks.

Feeding time!!!

Old mister octopus

 A crab moves to larger shell

sting ray

A butterfly on the trail.

Lynn and Vern love to beachcomb

Lynn and Vern head out, but not before one last picture.

Brenda off home……..

We are taking Brenda back to the airport today as she must head back to Manitoba. We have had a wonderful week relaxing just going to the pool, a little antique browsing, some gourmet cooking and a few games of scrabble. We managed one shopping trip to Vero Beach and a walk at the ocean and out on the jetty, but mostly just relaxed. The gourmet cooking was fun and our attempt at crème brule was a great success and oh so creamy! I will say that our bacon wrapped pork roast with a raspberry honey mustard glaze was to die for as was our crabbed stuffed chicken.   We did our weekly Saturday market run and also went the midway market to get fresh fruit which made a delicious fruit salad. The market this week had an added feature of a parade of horses. The "crackers " were doing a historic trail ride and ending at the FP marina. It was a neat thing to see boats and horses mixed together.

 Last night we were off to Chuck’s seafood Restaurant for our fill of fish and boy was it a fill. The combo of mahi mahi, scallops, shrimp and fresh oysters was a big hit, but way too much food. We now have enough leftovers for supper tonight.

This morning it is calm and muggy with the high to be 29 C. The marina is smooth as silk and a manatee came calling to give us a lovely show and then quietly left for the inter coastal waterway.  They are big amazing creatures with their huge round bodies and an odd flat tail that propels them effortlessly through the water. 

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

We are back from the airport and it was another difficult goodbye, but tomorrow brings Lynn and Vern to our happy condo for a Florida visit. We look forward to spending time with them and hearing about their hair-raising adventure getting here through all the bad weather. this week might be interesting as we have traveled with them before and had some crazy times. Hey Lynn, want to go whale watching? lol Way hey and up she rises…….. just kidding!!

The weather is supposed to be in the 30’s the next few days so it will be very hot. Good thing that pool is open early and late!!!

Take care all.

Carol

We run a good resrot , towel art and chocolates on the pillow.

Oh Yummy...gourmet cooking!!!!

A thirsty horse  and rider at the bar after a long ride.

an odd site with horses parked
at the local bar and grill

Two beautiful babes at the market

Sharks in season....

Boy another week that is flying by. We picked Brenda up at the airport yesterday in Fort Lauderdale. What crazy traffic on the 95…….good thing Roger was driving or I probably would have cried. There were so many cars whizzing around in and out of traffic, cutting people off and super aggressive. Roger handled it fine, but I just hung on and hoped for the best. One thing I have learned is that when Roger is concentrating on driving, don’t say a word. Oh, and don’t play with the GPS.

It has been very hot here the past few days with highs reaching 30degrees C.  The pool is a godsend and is wonderful for cooling off.  Just being in the water is very refreshing. I am not sure when I turned into such a pool person, but I love it. I notice the boat flags flapping in the breeze so there will most likely be a nice cooling wind today.

The manatee have been coming into the marina the last week or so because the temperatures are so warm. What I wasn’t expecting were the big sharks. They are ugly and freaky. They are in the intercostal waterway to have their pups so I guess they came into the marina hunting for food. It is not uncommon for them to come closer to shore this time of year. I won’t be swimming in the ocean any time soon!!! When the sharks are in the marina the little fish jump out the water like popcorn trying to escape the large predator. The sharks go in big circles as they hunt making large swirls in the water. Very creepy!!

We continue to like our condo and the enjoy the marina view. There is always something happening with the boats and in the water and I am even getting better at knowing the low and high tides. I must say though that although I love the water there is nothing like the wide open space of the prairie.  I guess I will always be a prairie girl at heart.

Take care all!

Carol

The shark

The telling fin!!!!

Valentines....

Our evening out at Chucks Seafood Restaurant for Valentines

Eating on the patio was wonderful and so was the food.........

........and the wine. A great evening all round.

 At the beach...

One of a million...... Royal Terns.

Three bums on the beach!!!

Time is a passing.....

Oh yes it has been awhile since I have blogged. We have had Barb and Frank with us this week and have enjoyed our time with them. It has been a lazy week of pool time, a bit of shopping and small bit of exploring around the area. After the past 4 weeks of traveling they were quite content to stay put and relax. They weather this week was very warm and perfect for lounging at the pool. We did take a pontoon boat through the channel which was great although we did not see much of the wildlife that day. The boat ride was enjoyable though so it was a nice way to spend the afternoon. We followed this up with a swim at the pool and a hot tub….a purely non stressful day! Our meals although simple have been filled with fresh seafood, local fish and even good old homemade hamburgers, lots of wine and a little rum. Pretty good  times I would say.

Today was market day again and off we went before 9 am. Pastries are bought, fish is bought , and so are all the fresh veggies. The fresh asparagus here is wonderful and very cheap so  it makes the list every week along with the honey bell oranges. That fresh orange juice just keeps on flowing!!!

The manatees have been coming into the marina the last day or so giving us quite a showing. I will include a picture of the one yesterday which sunbathed close to the surface.

Barb and Frank are leaving today and heading north towards home and we will have a few days before Brenda arrives for a week with us.  We pick her up in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday and I can hardly wait.  I am sure she is just as excited for her vacation and we always have some kind  fun adventure when we are together. I know she will love the quiet and the pool.

I hope to write again soon and not wait a week. Take care all.

Manatee in the marina outside our condo

Out on our pontoon boat tour.



Two pelicans not talking

Dredging the inlet



Barb got her pants soaked by a wave while posing with Frank!

What a wonderful week....

What a wonderful week we had with Norma and Russ here in Florida. We have some great memories to treasure and the pictures to prove it.  The week went by fast and before we knew it we were back at the airport sending them back home. Roger and I both felt kind of somber as we headed back to the condo in the rain. This was the first real rain we have had since arriving so we have been very fortunate on the weather front.  Once back to the condo it was a quick cleanup, a load of laundry and a nice 2 hour nap. Easy to sleep in the rain. 

Our week was full of activates and we have lots of memories that make us laugh and smile.  Our deep sea fishing was a real adventure and our fresh fish supper was even better.  There were a lot of fish caught although many had to be thrown back because they are out of season here. It was a real heartbreak to throw back those chubby sea bass, but we ended up with three large trigger fish and a pink porgy which were nicely filleted by the fisherman on the boat.  The key to surviving deep sea fishing is lots of Gravol and very little to eat unless you are Roger who actually ate his picnic lunch on the boat. Eating was the last thing I wanted to do as the boat rocked in the 3-4 foot waves. I will admit that this trip on the ocean was much better than the last one where I was deathly seasick. This time only a little nausea and one “upset”. It was truly a fun time.  As a little added bonus we were able to see dolphins swimming in the harbour when we returned.

Today is another rainy day as the tropical storm in the Atlantic plays havoc with eastern coast. Apparently the rain is needed as the fire hazard for grass fires is high so hopefully all this rain will fix that. It is rather muggy today with highs of 25 C. and there is hardly any wind, only a gentle breeze. It seems strange to have such a warm rain falling and no cold air.

Tonight I ventured out our comfort zone and made fish tacos for supper. They were very yummy, although Roger says he still likes his beef. Everyone here seems to rave about them so I thought I should give a chance. I will definitely make them again. It is also a great way to use up left over fish.

We hear the weather up north has been very warm for this time of year so we are happy that you are not all frozen and chilled. We look forward to our next visitors; Barb and Frank who should be here by this time next week. Hopefully the sun will be shining and the winds favorable. I can see a relaxing time at the pool in my future…... !

Take care all,

Carol

Good catch Roger--a trigger fish!

Heading out to deep sea fish!!

Ah Russ, throw back the seabass.

Some of our catch!



a beautiful heron

a good days catch

Roger- a happy wet fisherman at sea!



Fun day at Cape Canaveral




A stroll on the beach!





Another week has flown by.......

It has been a while since I have had the opportunity to blog as we have been busy with our winter life down here.  Last Sunday we picked Norma and Russ up at the airport in Orlando and have had a fun filled week with lots of laughs. It is hard to believe their week is almost gone and we will miss them when they go back home on Monday. We had a trip to Cape Canaveral, some shopping time, walks down at the ocean, some pool time and one canceled fishing trip due to high seas, but now tomorrow (Sunday) we get our long awaited deep sea fishing.  Today was market day and we browsed the food market area picking up our fresh pastries and of course a large bag of honey bell oranges. They are so juicy and delicious and we have been having fresh squeezed juice every morning. Once our food wares were purchased we stopped long enough for a pastry and coffee by the sea wall and then off to the artists market area. Norma was smart and brought her hat while I thought it was too cloudy when we left and I would not need mine. I was wrong and really felt the heat as the days temperature rose and the clouds dissipated. .  Russ and Roger zipped through the market and told us they were going to sit in the shade and listen to the live jazz music. Norma and I wandered the aisle of tents and examined the artists goods taking note of the lovely jewelry and hand crafted items. The hot sun soon wore us out and we went hunting for the men. It was a great full morning at the market and to top it off we saw manatee in the FP harbour. Now we just need to see are dolphins for Norma as they seen to be elusive this week. Up until now I have seen them most days so I am not sure why we have not seen any. Hopefully tomorrow out fishing we can find them.

I promise to write again soon. I will post some pictures of our fun week.Take care all.

Carol

Supper at Capones with Nomra and Russ



Fun at the fruit market

Two sexy mermaids

Tourists!!!! Our day a the space center.