A little bit of this, a little bit of that

And time is going by way too fast. We have 4 weeks minus a day before we pack up and head, not home, but Virginia. Christmas is headquartered at Tiffany's - having two little ones is definitely the trump card. So we all come their way, of course Heather and Jay too.

Tony's Texas Barbecue

Mojito at Fernandez the Bull

More Fernandez the Bull - notice the Cuba poster

The glory of endless eating choices continues. Since we've been here gone to: Tony's Texas Barbecue, Sushi Thai (3 times), Nemo's ( 1 time Mark, 2 for me), Fernandez the Bull (2 times), Randy's Seafood (1 time and with Star Mt. neighbors John and Sandy!), Stir Crazy, AZN, Escargot 41 (1 time, and more to come I don't know - see write up in previous post- Nov. 8), O'mei (a lunch to check out whether it was worth coming back to have their "famous" traditional Peking duck - and yes, we'll go back to try it), and The Sauce Lady (which is not really a restaurant, but to go homemade Italian food - yum).

 Finally got a round of golf in with Mark. First in a year! I enjoyed, remembering only the good shots of course, and Mark fine tuned his game for the big Maryland guy golf trip happening in Naples in a couple weeks. We may continue the golf theme and walk across the road to Tiburon where the LPGA is playing this weekend. Fun it's so close.

We were touched by the crazy winter storm up north, the cold fingers reached down and dropped us to a record 45 low. I know, I know there's no crying for us....

My art class started this week with my friend Patty. She's a fabulous instructor and group a great one and most are repeats. She does have quite a following. If only I could figure out a way to clone her in the Gunnison valley...

Sunrise

My early morning walks can be peaceful, or dodging the ever working landscape crews and all the other people diligently doing their jogging, solitary walking, walking the dog, bicycling, bicycling  with equipment to the tennis courts. Only seen one person on roller blades this year. I think it's fallen out of fashion.

 The crews just finished planting the winter flowers, not a task for the faint hearted, there are literally thousands and thousands of flowers decorating every corner. Our community is 2,000 acres and 3,000 houses- that's a lot of corners...

Mark has been traveling part of each week to Indy on business, trying not to let it interfere in the fun and relaxation. He's trekking out early next week again back the day before Thanksgiving. We then fly to DC for our family Thanksgiving. Should be fun and a little harried I think. I'll be posting after the event so Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Beach, birds, and beauty

We sit here watching the ducks and turtles tuck and swirl around in the water in balmy temps of 78. As our weatherman likes to point out, this is the time of year in which envy runs rampant throughout the rest of the country that is experiencing Winter with a capital W. As is Star Mt. we hear. Of course for the mountain  (CB that is) there is joy and anticipation for the ski season coming soon.

Been doing a bit of fun activities here and there. Saw Interstellar at our favorite movie theatre - Silverspot on our one rainy day so far. Hard to beat with reserved seats, enormous leather chairs,and the latest projection technology. Makes a bad movie almost palatable, but Interstellar was very good in case you were wondering. Also spent a pleasant happy hour at the same center (Mercato) at another favorite spot - AZN.

Broke out the new chairs and umbrella

Ah, the beach. Finally made it, rough drive- a grand total of 7 minutes to make it there. It's a fabulous public beach (Delnor-Wiggins State Park) with one mile of pristine sand, great fishing at the Wiggins Pass(so we hear - Mark will let you know) and the cost to get in, a whopping $6 a car, $2 if you're a walker.

Quite windy, but wonderful temperature. In fact, the umbrella tried to blow away. The second anchoring worked better. You can rent every kind of water toy there is, but saw virtually none of that due to the wind.

A lone Muscovy duck appeared yesterday. He looked quite sure I had food for him which I did not. Wild should stay wild. Apparently in large groups these are considered quite a nuisance. I couldn't figure out if it was visual (those crazy red bumps), giant quantities of droppings everywhere, or both.

The wildlife is very bird oriented and I do love all that. No sighting of otters, we're three weeks in so I'm thinking they've left the area- too bad. Mark's had one alligator sighting when he played golf but nothing for me yet.

Travel on the horizon for Mark again, Indy for a couple of days this week and next which gets a little dicey close as it is to Thanksgiving.

Art, fishing, walkers, gates and such

Adjusting to Florida life. Slooowly does it.

The walker's gate with exit button. Don't use it as I don't know how to get back in!

Some amusing stuff to see on my morning walk in our massive gated community among the joggers, walkers, and bicyclists, and yes, golf carts. Man walking briskly towards me reading the newspaper - while walking. Really? Woman walking with her baby stroller, oops, no baby only small dog. Actually have seen a number of these and not a one had an infant in them.

Nice place to paint wouldn't you agree?

After quite a layoff am painting again. Signed up for class that starts in a week and a half with my friend/teacher. Love the class and love her!

Caught the rod in motion - looks like a streamer

Mark has been busy with a little bit of work, just getting back from Indy. Travel in and out is definitely easier from here. Wish Gunnison would get their act together at the airport. Mark did remember to bring fishing gear and threw a line in the water outside the lanai. No luck, that time anyway.

A normal thing to see here - hanging orchids in the trees

Lovely to see blooming things around. It's a very long time before we'll see color back at Star Mt. They've had a bit of snow, bit is the key word, only a few inches. I will start to worry if this continues on. They need lots of snowfall during the winter months. I do realize the irony of my concern as I sit here in shorts and flipflops...

The restaurant chase continues. New ones, old ones, and the occasional surprise. One long time favorite, Escargot 41, was the choice for  my birthday dinner, and upon arriving was told after 10 years, it's been sold! Met the new owner, who seems nice and eager to please, but boy, some things should not change. Just saying...

Sunrise,sunset, birds,water, and costumes

A gluttony of shopping and eating has commenced. Simply marvelous the accessibility to everything that Naples has. I've done this in years past, and it will pass, quickly I hope, before the checkbook is empty and I've inflated two sizes.

The egret is outside the screen not in

view of "our" water

We are situated on a lake,pond, canal - a body of water anyway, and immediately enjoying the fish, turtles, and tropical birds. We keep eyes peeled for the river otters, no sightings this year yet.

So there's a little mystery already. What are these creatures? There were a dozen or so hanging around in front of our lanai, I thought baby turtles (no) and Mark thinks some kind of odd fish. Remember this is the same place where the mystery GIANT fish silently swam by multi times in previous years.

Went to dinner at the Turtle Club with our friends Andy and Andrea.It's been around forever although we've never been and they hadn't for 15 years. Great food, lovely decor, and quite crowded even though season hasn't started yet, and boy, does it pack in the people for sunset watching.

Bird of Paradise

Getting all kinds of ready for beach and fishing. Bought chairs and umbrella, next is completing Mark's fishing gear. Chest strap for Mark's new GoPro (birthday present). Just a tad different than preparing for snow...

Halloween was lots of fun, once again we were at a dress up party held by the niece of friends of ours this time. This neighborhood was astounding, mobs of people and kids roaming up and down the road. No photo of me in costume, but it wasn't that inspired anyway. I was a waitress to Mark's chef. However, it apparently was authentic enough for a fellow guest to believe I was working the party. Ha.