From See To Shining See May 21, 2015
Posted by nrhatch in Home & Garden, Mindfulness, Nature, Word Play.trackback
Florida is not all blue skies and palm trees.
We also enjoy pink spring blossoms.
Framed by palm fronds.
And budding families of Sandhill Cranes.
Brilliant reds dot the landscape.
While Great White Egrets patrol for lizards al fresco.
Gardens may be a wild riot of competing colors.
Or a single shade of shade-loving ground cover.
That’s why I keep my eyes open when prowling from see to shining see!
Here . . . see for yourself:
Aah . . . that’s better!
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Spirit Lights The Way 
Love the title! So much to see at the sea! There is much color in Florida, and to think people say you can’t tell when the seasons change. Or is it like that year round? I was particularly thrilled to see the pink flamingos in flight on the video.
We do have color year round, but there are subtle shifts as one season ebbs and another flows. Those “flamingos” are roseate spoonbills. They are the same color as flamingos for the same reason ~ what they eat.
Now, I’m bummed I didn’t see flamingo, but the plus is I hadn’t seen roseate spoonbills either…very pretty!
Both = Pretty in PINK!
I was in Sanibel once and enjoyed it. Very quaint. I used to go to Clearwater Beach back in the late 80s and early 90s. I was there maybe 5 years ago and was stunned at the development. What was then a sort of sleepy beach town is much more built up with BIG hotels. I remember staying at a place that had two floors, no elevator. Other than the traffic, I always love Tampa. It’s a kind of college town on steroids.
Sanibel is darling ~> and home of the J.D. Darling Refuge. Bike paths lace the island, set off from the roadway.
Clearwater is more built up now than it was, but there are still wide open spaces to enjoy. In contrast, when we visited Marco Island while house hunting in 2009, the profusion of towering building crammed onto the island made me feel claustrophobic. We crossed it off our list, turned around and left.
One of the best things about “our island” ~> NO HIGH RISES. The hotels and motels and inns and B&B’s are low, no more than 3 stories high.
Ah…this is definitely better…thanks for the taste of Florida, Nancy. I needed this!
Glad you enjoyed, Jill. This is a wonderful place to build a nest.
We vacationed on Sanibel Island many years ago. It was really lovely!
Our first visit to the Gulf Coast of FL was Sanibel-Captiva in 1985. RJ Reynolds tobacco company flew its attorneys and spouses down for a “pow wow.” I fell in love. For our 5th Anniversary, we stayed on Marco Island. Again, I loved being on the Gulf Coast. Then we visited a friend (whose parents “wintered” on Anna Maria) a number of times in the late 80’s and early 90’s and I knew this was where I wanted to be.
It only took 15 years +/- to manifest the dream. 😎
Good for you! The area clearly spoke to you!
It did. Love at first sight.
OhMyGosh, I don’t think I have ever seen a juvenile Sandhill Crane! How cute is that little fuzzy thing? The face!
Thoroughly enjoyed the videeohhh! Love Sanibel and Captiva, except for getting in and out of there 😀 Boca Grande calls to us every year when we head your way. Enjoyed this post, Nancy!
We spied that juvenile Sandhill Crane in . . . Venice! While house hunting “down the street” from . . . Inn on the Beach. 😎
I agree about Sanibel-Captiva. Arrival and departure are not ideal ~ I’m glad we don’t have to go through a toll booth to get on our island.
We haven’t been to Boca Grande and Gasparilla yet. We are planning a visit soon.
House hunting? 🙂
Yes. When we scouted the area in 2009, we looked from Clearwater to Marco Island. Our favorite house was in Venice ~ a house and an in-law suite built around a swimming pool in a private courtyard. We loved it! (That Sandhill Crane shot was taken in a neighboring yard.)
But we decided we loved AMI more. So we passed on the house and bought our present villa.
Thank you.. 😉
De nada! I often do quick edits IF I notice obvious typos. Yours flew under my radar.
I laughed out loud at the great egret patroling for lizards al fresco. Oh man! I see why you keep your eyes open. 😀
A former employer used to offer trips to Sanibel as prizes at the company picnic, but I never won. 😦 Still I enjoyed the video you provided, and the lovely photos.
Thanks, Linda! Summer is a less expensive and less crowded time to visit our shores . . . but the Gulf Coast is also a great place to “escape” winter.
We’ll leave the light on for ya! 💡
Would love to visit!
Yay! That would be COOL! 😎
We need to vacation in Florida soon. Soo lovely. I’m a big fan of tropical flora, warm beaches, dolphins and old beach houses.
You and me both, Nicki! The waters of the Gulf right now are so inviting ~ you can grab a noodle and float for an hour over gentle waves.
It’s all so appealing to me. I love the riot of color and the beautiful birds, and although I’ve never lived with humidity, I think I could adjust if it meant the garden was lush! 🙂
The humidity can be a bit much during the summer. Shade helps especially when cooling and soothing greenery swaying in the coastal breeze blocks the harshest rays.
Thanks for the tour Nancy, I could almost feel the balmy weather.
Here’s to balmy bay breezes!
Wandering through an authentic old Florida village sounds heavenly to me. Love historic sites. You live in a beautiful state, Nancy, and thanks for sharing a bit of the real deal with us.
I’ve been doing some “research” (i.e., light reading) to find new places to explore. Lots of quaint towns and quirky villages we have yet to see ~ Micanopy and Arcadia boast antiques and Defuniak Springs has an old timey general store.
It’s a big state and we’ve barely scratched the surface.
I know! It’s so good to get off the beaten path. On our way home from the Westie rescue event last Sunday, we saw a sign for the State Arboretum of Virginia. Nancy, honestly, such a gorgeous place and we had never even heard of it! So glad we turned in at that little quiet sign. Can’t wait to hear reports on Micanopy and Arcadia.
When we “heed the signs” . . . our path is more interesting!
As we visit new vistas, I’ll share here.
Aahhhh … lovely images and reflections Nancy….one day …. 😉
It’s a great place/way to be.
Beauty is at home in Florida! There is so much to experience. Obvious from your pictures, and thanks for sharing the video too.
A vast and vibrant state full of sights to see! 😎
I liked the sandhill cranes youngsters, Nancy.
Me too! We see Sandhill Cranes less often than herons, egrets, ibis, woodstorks, pelicans, osprey, etc. That’s the only time I’ve seen juvenile cranes.
I had to visit the egret again. Hope he found some lizards. 🙂
They do a terrific job of keeping the lizard population in check!
Glad to hear that!
Years ago, I went to Montego Bay. My hotel room had several tiny lizards crawling up the drapes. I found them rather fascinating, since they are not a usual sight back home.
We prefer they stay outside but occasionally one sneaks in and has to be relocated.
BFF has gotten good at “catch and release” games. Last night, he caught a tiny frog ~ about the size of a nickel ~ in the living room and relocated it to the courtyard.
It really is pretty there by the sea. The greens definitely aren’t ‘lush’ here in AZ, haha.
Some prefer the desert’s dryness to FL’s humidity. A little desert goes a long way with me.