Alligators, birds,helicopter, and restaurants

Time is slipping through my hands like sand. We leave for Virginia Saturday - baby Penny!, and after Christmas we come back to Naples for only two days. The big drive back to Star Mt. is almost here! And lots of snow has dropped in the last 10 days. 4 feet on the ski mountain to be more accurate. Keep it up.

Made it down for our regular Everglades visit for the gators and birds. Lots of both this trip. Closeups of the gators courtesy of Mark. I would never get that close with my small lens. It's wild and crazy country there. Hunters with their gigantic swamp buggy rigs were out and about, as well as a water moccasin (alive ooh) in the road, and the only reason I point out these things is right in the middle of this, a woman with easel and paintbrush in hand was hard at work out in the dense bush. Talk about dedicated - or crazy, take your pick.

Santa at City Hall

oystering

Everglades City was destination on the way back for lunch. Florida funk is this little town. If you were staying there on vacation, it would to hang out, maybe fish and boat a little. Very slow pace there.

Lunch was at the famous Rod and Gun Restaurant founded in 1864, visited by endless famous people, including presidents, and Ernest Hemingway. We try to get down there once a year. Fresh, as you can get, fish and shrimp all dependent on the fishermen's success of the day. I actually ordered oysters, but none had come in yet.

One fun little extra was a small helicopter that was flying awfully close I thought, when it decided to land behind the restaurant. A group of guys just out for the day popped in for lunch. Hmm.

Angelina's wine cellar - two stories high

Lots of restaurant action still going on with a few still on the list. We'll see if we get to them all. A new one, Angelina's, was fantastic, gourmet Italian that's been here a few years. Equal to D.C. - really. Definitely will go back.