Just hangin' in the Sunshine State

Here's one for you Sally! Ric

We took my dad along to Howard Park Beach for sunset, he seemed very content to just sit and watch, narry a peep from him the whole time. I wonder if the girls volleyball team trying to rinse the sand out of their bikinis had anything to do with that. LOL Ric

We keep passing this really pretty palm. Ric took a few shots of it today.

Closer look at the mostly ferns going in the cut branches.

Wow. Just Wow. Except the girls you can keep them LOL! Yup proably was good scenery for the popster. I sure wish we could run down to FL about now.

The closest Beach is Green Key it's not much as beaches go, even at high tide the water is pretty shallow. It has the most beautiful sunsets always some beautiful bird standing by the waters edge. We saw a Rosy Spoon Bill there this week and we have seen dolphins playing just outside the roped off swimming area at high tide.

Fl must have the most County Parks and they are all interesting and nice. With lakes, boardwalks & nature trails, boat ramps, kayak trails & beaches. At this Park we had an encounter of the Tortoise kind.

That sunset looks like something from a calendar. What a pretty place and turtles too! Holly, how is Ric's dad doing?

He is doing very well according to his Dr's. Both his GP and Surgeon are very pleased with his healing. At this point it is just a matter of gaining back his strength. We got a lot of work done both to the house and yard plus took care of a lot of paperwork and loose ends. We stocked the fridge and Michael made arrangements with one of the neighbors to drive them if the need arises. Michael just needs to make sure he eats well and walks. He should be driving in another week or so if he gains enough strength. We are planning to head home tonight. We are hoping RIc's uncle (Poppy's brother) will go down for a short stay and we can go back down if we need too.
Ric took me down to Fort DeSoto Park last evening. It is just an hour south from here and is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in America. We had a really nice time with our picnic supper and I finally put more in the water than just my feet. LOL

Sunset at Fort DeSoto beach. It's one of those places where the sun sizzles into the Gulf.
Sally there is camping down here this is a huge park, plenty for you and the kids to do. Come soon before the oil gets here.

We have been carrying our camera with us everywhere we go. Never know what you might see on your way to the Pharmacy. Sand-hill Cranes.

Wood Stork Rookery behind the Office Max.

Holly, get him some Boost or Ensure. When Mom wouldn't eat anything (she lost over 40 lbs and I spent hours every day just trying to coax something down her) I could always get her to drink an Ensure or Boost. The doctor prescribed it to make sure she was getting some nutrition but you can buy it at any grocery store. It's like a milkshake, comes in several flavors and it's a lot of nutrition packed into a pretty small can. The Boost Plus and Ensure Plus has even more protein and vitamins than the regular.

It certainly won't do him any harm.

Sounds like he's healing pretty fast. That's great news. How's Ric doing? He hasn't taken up chainsaw juggling yet, has he? LOL

Boy, those are pretty pictures. That sunset is even more glorious than the other one.

LOL Hart, I know I told you that on one of the first days down here he stuck his Reciprocating Saw in his leg. It wasn't running at the time but got caught on a branch he was walking by and snapped back and went into his leg pretty deep. Same day he stuck a branch into his eye. So I was pretty worried, visions of blood poisoning, eye damage dancing in my head. So I was watching him pretty closely. Ric said I thought he was going to go home from Fl. with a peg leg and eye patch so we had better look for a Parrot while we were here. LOL
We have been getting him Blizzards from the DQ. He likes Banana Split Blizzards they have bananas, strawberries, and some other fruit in them. No trouble getting that down him, he is eating better for us, some of the pain meds upset his stomach. He would eat but I think only because we pushed the food on him. Left to himself he wouldn't have.

Boost Plus nutrition label - 14 grams protein, 1.5 grams saturated fat, 20-24 grams sugars depending on flavor, 170 grams sodium, slew of vitamins and minerals
http://boost.com/products/ourproducts_boostplus.aspx#middle
Blizzard banana split nutrition label - 10 grams protein, but 9 grams saturated fat, 63 grams of sugars, 210 grams of sodium
http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-dairy-queen-banana-split-blizzard-i52911

Not a bad comparison for the Blizzard except it has a lot more sugar and very few of the vitamins, some A and calcium, C and iron.

Same with Mom on the eating. She's doing fine now but she wouldn't eat a bite for months unless you coaxed and coaxed.

LOLOL on the parrot.

Arrrrrggggghhhhh matey! We'd be gittin right down there if we wasn't worrrkin so hard to pay the bills, Parrot food ain't cheap!

Beautiful photos Holly! I remember the beautiful sunsets in Florida and yours bring back fond memories :) Wishing you a safe trip home and hoping you'll be back in your gardens soon!

We are home Yeah!! Jamie & Deb did a pretty good job keeping the wild from creeping in to far but there is a lot to do. The were doing double duty, too. Taking care of our house and helping Deb's Grandfather who also had surgery a month ago. Ric drove all night, we left last night about 8:00 and got home 16 hours later. He made good time and I'm glad to be here. Poppy seems better the last day we were there and we talked to him a couple of times today. I have a few more pics to post later when I have time. Holly

Diane, The banana split blizzard is made with fresh bananas, strawberries, and pineapple so it has other goodies for the body too! Ric

"Good time"?? Sounds like you guys were "flying"! LOL Happy to hear you made it home safely and will be looking for updates on your gardens :)

Ric is pretty good at overnight driving, all those years of working night shift. I slept most of the way home. LOL
I just couldn't get over this agave. We would pass it every time we went out it was growing at the edge of the road where they put out their trash not a very pretty location for this beautiful plant. Here is the close up see the flower stalk coming up right next to the telephone pole.

Here is the whole plant. It is taller than than the telephone pole.

Wow!

Double WOW!!!

Glad you made it home safely.