Happy New Year!

Ok, so I'm a day late.  DD and I drove back to WI from FL over the past two days and I didn't have access to my computer while on the road. 

We had a marvelous time in Florida this year, even though the weather was a bit cooler than we would have liked.  I even had frost (gasp!) on my windshield one morning.  But it beats what we returned to last night.  While unloading the car is was a brisk 16 degrees and a windchill of about -20.  Well, that's what it felt like, at least.

So you want to see more pictures, huh?  Well, okay, twist my arm. 

Late Christmas night a storm blew through.  So on Sunday (the day after Christmas), we went down to the beach to see if we could take some pictures of storm surf or storm spray. 

Stump Pass State Park, FL

4-5 foot waves coming in from Gulf of Mexico

I was looking for a break water for the spray to blow up against, but didn't find one.


The next day (our last full day in beach territory), I went down to Boca Grand to take pictures.  Boca Grand is an island that sticks out into Charlotte Harbor and its where a lot of rich people live.  In fact, the day before, George H Bush and son Jeb and their families arrived on the island.  They stay pretty secluded and I never saw them, but I might have seen some Secret Service people hanging out. 

Boca Grand Beach 2 days after Storm

Entry Way to a House

 The Boca Grand community is very interesting in that many people on the island get around on golf carts.  You can see teenagers driving, elderly grandparents driving, all over the island.  They even have their own roads to drive the golf carts on, parelle to the regular roads.  Some of the other residents get around on bikes.  So you have to be really aware while driving, looking out for the golf carts and bikes.

A Family of Bicycles

On Tuesday, we drove from my Dad's to my Mom's house.  She lives about an hour north of Tampa.  One of her Christmas presents was a big lap sized quilt that I made for her.  I couldn't post about it earlier because she reads this blog (hi, Mom!).  Its a Christmas color quilt that I even machine quilted myself.  I made myself one, too, but in a double bed size.  Its going to my long armer since I won't need it until 11 months from now!

On Wednesday afternoon DD, mom, and I went to the Homosassa Wildlife Park.  Its part nature preserve, part zoo.  Zoos generally bother me because I don't like seeing the animals caged up.  But this park has many of the birds and water fowl in a non-cage area, so I don't feel so bad.

Two Swans A-Swimming

"And then Mabel said ......"



Sleepy Brown Bear



Wild Squirrel

Mom and DD

So we're home again.  I'm sitting here in my heavy robe and slippers, sipping some hot chocolate, dreaming of the warmth of Florida (relatively speaking, of course).  DD is still in bed (my bed, she had a bad dream) and I need to get going and start the rest of my day/year off.  I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to a happy New Year!