On the road again!

In a few minutes we'll be out the door for our overnight in Tallahassee.

Where did the month go?

Wind Chill--Florida Keys style, we visit animal shelters...and a day of packing ahead (bummer!)

Today is our last day in the Keys. How did a month go by without us noticing? we'll be pondering that question for a while!

Yesterday the weather turned chilly and windy, Florida-style. In fact, the Miami evening news put out a cold alert--48 degrees! To us New Hampshirites, this is too funny!

Noreen and I left the Steve and Bud to do laundry and generally relax while we went off to visit a few of the local animal shelters (there are several). As board members for our SPCA at home, the Concord-Merrimack County SPCA, we were hoping for an interesting afternoon of fact-finding. We did find a wonderful county-funded shelter, the Humane Animal Care Coalition, Inc. (305 451-0088) at MM 106 in Key Largo. But we also  found there are smaller non profit shelters and rescue/adoption operations with indequate funding and facilities and overlapping service areas--confusing and also upsetting to see! 

Meanwhile Bud and Steve were snoozing and reading in loungers--bundled up with blankets against the cool breeze off the water.  Well, cool meaning 68 degrees.

Maggie knows that Noreen has been petting other dogs---how could she!

A rough afternoon for Bud and Maggie!



We finished the day with a wonderful dinner at Snappers--the restuarant (non dog-friendly) not too far from us, oceanside. This was a great decision!  Their fish menu is organized like the ones we encountered a couple of years ago along the coast of Chile. You pick your fish (grouper, tuna, hogfish, etc.) from one list, then you pick how you'd like it cooked from another list (fried, blackened, more complex sauteeing, etc.).  I chose the  grouper, cooked "Dakota" style, with slivered almonds and a champagne butter sauce. It was heaven!

Alas, tomorrow we leave for the Gulf coast of Mississippi!  This means getting our KIA Sorento packed up and saying goodbye to the Keys. We'll head out early in the morning for the first leg--a 8 1/2 drive up to Tallahasse, where we'll overnight and make connections with Bud's brother and sister-in-law, Rich and Dot.  Then Sunday morning we'll make the final 5 1/2 hour drive over to Gulfport.

We're sad to be leaving the Keys--think of all the things we'll miss! The dogs parks and dog-friendly restaurants (I'll do a complete review with links in a day or two). Playing dominoes with Steve and Noreen.  Morning coffee in the hot tub. The sunsets!

Monochrome, but still beautiful!

On the other hand, we love Mississippi's Gulf Coast, have more friends arriving from New Hampshire in a week or so and then (of course) there are the casinos!

Shopping, Hemingway and Maggie has a spa day!

Yesterday was one of those days that blurs a bit when you try and remember what you did, at least for us. But Patty and Gordon and Steve and Noreen found the World Wide Sportsman, a store-marina-lounge-fishing supply place of dramatic proportions down in Islamorada.

Normally we don't like to shop, but our friends' loot got us drooling and we decided to give it a go this morning after dropping Maggie off at the groomers for a bath, haircut, nail trim and such. First off, the store had us at hello--check out the dog-friendly display at the front door!

A bit of a squeeze, but Maggie could fit!








We were so intent on the shirts, shorts and sandals that at first we missed the obvious--a 38' boat plunked smack in the middle of the sales area. Turns out it's a sister ship (well...half sister, actually) of Hemingway's famous Pilar. The real Pilar is in Cuba, at Finca Viga, where she is on display at Hemingway's homestead. (and, oh man, would I love to go there!)

But this Pilar has her own interesting history.  She was a co-star with Bogey and Bacall in the 1948 classic film, Key Largo, though she had another name--Santana. She banged around the Keys as a fishing boat, was bought and sold and now has been restored and is the centerpiece of the World Wide Sportsman. (visit http://www.worldwidesportsman.com/ for details)

We lugged our purchases out to the car and returned to explore the boat--you can climb right up and explore both above and belowdecks.

This is the most comfortable you will ever see Bud on a boat--not a chance of getting seasick!  He could even take the helm.



As for me, I pretended to peck away at the pretend Hemingway typewriter.

Maggie went in to the grooming salon looking like this!

And came out several hours later looking like this....

Ooh la la!

The fine job of grooming (and humoring my fussiness about bell-bottom legs and Tina Turner topknots) was done by Linda Geisler, owner of PetGroomer, LLC at MM 88 Overseas Highway. (305 852-4644, keyspetgroomer@aol.com)







Everglades, casinos and a funeral procession.

Our trip to Everglades National Park with Steve and Noreen started out perfectly--with Cuban cafe con leche at Cafe Cubano. Bud even bought a pound of the coffee so we can try making it ourselves--it's called Pilon Espresso (http://www.javacubana.com/). If we can duplicate the flavor, we'll try to order it online.

The temp was around 72, with light cloud cover.  Nice for photos with good color saturation.

We started at the Anhinga Trail, just beyond the Visitors Center, where we bought a hat for Bud and more presents for the grandkids in their excellent gift shop. (A bit of advice for old folks like us: if you're 62 or older, buy a Senior Pass to all the national parks. For $10, you, and everyone in your vehicle, gets free entry into all the national parks for your lifetime--a true bargain!)

The first thing you see at the Anhinga Trail is masses of black vultures (Noreen, our bird expert, noted that these are different from the one with red heads, called turkey vultures).

A face only a mother could love!



The trail makes a two-sided loop, and we started with the loop that overlooks a large pool filled with American Alligators--they are darker, have broader snouts and are more common (and bolder...uh, more aggressive) than the endangered American Crocodile. When I say the pool was filled,I counted 14 and those were just the ones above water, trying to soak up some sun on the hammock!

I remember the same overlook from our houseboating trip to the Keys back in 1986.  Could these gators be the grandkids of the ones we saw then?

The trail is called the Anhinga Trail because of the plentiful anhingas.  They are stunning birds and are everywhere.

Anhingas like to dry their wings...nice display!



Anhingas also have rather startling blue-rimmed eyes.

I can't name all the birds we saw, but I loved this one...such a beautiful body, with wonderful colors.  But, oh, those legs and feet!  surely they were meant for a much larger bird?

After taking in nature and enjoying a healthy stroll, Bud and I headed for the Seminole Hard Rock Resort and Casino, just north of Miami. Click here for details. It was a short, if a bit fun, trip.  Table limits were high ($15 and up).  The machines are overwhelmingly slots (not for us), though we did find some keno machines that showed promise-a few minor jackpots for me. It all seemed ok until a cocktail waitress came by and offered drinks--for $5 each.  We haven't seen this in casinos anywhere in the world--not in South Africa, not in South America, not anywhere in Europe, Southeast Asia or the Caribbean--and certainly not in the US! Drinks are always free--though tips are greatly appreciated.

On the way back to Tavernier we decided to hop over to 95 instead of taking Florida's Turnpike and ran into the funeral procession for the two Miami police officers that were shot last week. Click here for the full story.  It was incredible--the entire northbound section of 95 was closed and there were hundreds of law enforcement vehicles, lights blazing in the procession.

What, might you ask, was Maggie doing all this time?  She was having a lovely day with her dog nanny, Carol Trump (305 664-0539).  Carol took her to the dog park to play with her usual pals, then snagged her an invitation to the doggie birthday party of one of those pals. When we picked Maggie up she was pooped and smiling, and got rave revues for her behavior.  (Of course!).

Dog park pictures...editor's (my) picks--some Maggie, some not!

Over the past three + weeks I have taken hundreds of pictures as we tool around the dog parks here in Monroe Country (better known as the Florida Keys). Click here for the page that gets you the list, complete with addresses. Most allow you to walk dogs on leashes, especially where there a walking/jogging circuits, like the Key Largo Community Park, which has a lovely shaded walkway.

Some of the parks (like Sunset Park right here in Tavernier and Higgs Beach in Key West) have off-leash park/play areas where you often find regular play groups built around certain times. I think I mentioned that we are addicted to the mid-morning play group at Founders Park (community park, not county) in Islamorada. We are going to miss them when we move on to Mississippi next weekend.

I haven't been able to weave all my favorite pictures into my posts, so here's a selection--no story line, just dogs. Most images are mine, but some are Noreen's.

Maggie and her friend Bailey at Founder's Park--Noreen's shots!

Tigger (who surveys all action from his owners lap)--another of Noreen's shots.

Play action fake (?) at Founders Park



Tomorrow Carol is sitting for our Maggie while we go on a wildlife excursion to the Everglades with Steve and Noreen. Dogs are not allowed in Everglades National Park, which is probably a good thing.  I imagine Maggie would make a tasty appetizer for a hungry croc!

The opposite of flat calm is....WIND!!

We're into our second day of serious, serious wind. This comes a week after our last serious wind--surely this is not a weekly cycle!

This time several windsurfers were plying the waves just off our dock, criss-crossing each other and generally looking like they were having a jolly time until the winds kicked up from the mid-20's to around 30 mph. They all gave it up but one, who fell and took a good 10 minutes to right himself.

Here's some video of the waves hitting the jetty about 100' to the west of us. Believe it or not, this was before the winds hit their highest.

Maggie will normally look skyward when a jet makes noise overhead and seemed very confused as to where all the noise was coming from!



Maggie looks right...left...up...down...back at me...huh??

 

Anatomy of a Sunset

Most days, right about happy hour, we make our way down to the dock to watch the sun set over the point just to the west of us. The tiki hut out at the tip of the point makes a good foil for the changing colors, and we have found that two sunsets are never the same.




Bud hangs at the end of the dock with friends Ted and Lucy for the sunset while Maggie plays dockmaster.

On Thursday evening the 20th of January, it was almost flat calm.  The sun had been out all day and a few clouds appeared on the horizon just as the sun was beginning to fall.  Here's how it looked, with the shots spaced out as we watched the mood and the colors change.

6:39 pm





and 6:42 pm...

and 6:46 pm...

and 6:48 pm...

almost gone just a minute later at 6:49 pm.

At 7:18 pm the chairs at the end of the dock are stacked against any wind that might come in overnight; the solar-powered lights have come on, and our loungers stand ready for tomorrow's reading in the sun.





Steve's grilled Romaine, a manatee pays a visit and Maggie takes a cruise!

Forgive me!  I have been lazy.  Here's what's been happening. Yesterday Ted and Lucy took off for John Pennekamp National Park (www.pennekamppark.com) where they had a fabulous experience on the glass bottom boat tour. The tour guide said it was the best viewing day this year! All this happened while Bud dug into his novel and I got some writing done for my favorite paper, the Concord Monitor (www.concordmonitor.com)

We re-grouped here for supper where the guys grilled up some fabulous steaks and Steve whipped up his incredible grilled Romaine lettuce.  It goes like this: cut a head of Romaine lettuce in half lengthwise, then toss it on the grill curved side first, for a moment or 30, depending on your grill.  The grill here is new (and wonderfully hot) so he just did 15-20 seconds each side.  You don't want to wilt the lettuce, just get grill marks and a bit of heat on each side. Serve it  flat side up, with various garnishes/dressings.  Like freshly grated parmesan, halved grape tomatoes, chopped bacon, Ceasar dressing...whatever. Steve may not have been the first to concoct this, but we are now total converts...even "iceberg lettuce Bud". Yum!

Today is Ted and Lucy's last day (boo hoo!) and Steve offered a mini-cruise on the Happy Ours. As we assembled on the dock, several people were all a-flutter with cameras at the stern and there was a huge manatee!  He (she?) was nudging the boat, perhaps looking for food--but definitely interacting with Noreen and Lucy.

I jumped on board for a look at the manatee--just what I had been waiting for!

Lucy got this shot of a flipper...or arm?

Noreen got this shot of our manatee taking a breath...cool!

"I can't believe it!" was the mantra as we headed out to sea, Maggie firmly buckled into her life jacket and Bud fretting over the route with poor (and patient) Steve.



So..where are we going???





It was very calm as we navigated through Florida Bay, across a channel and over into what they call "oceanside"--the Atlantic Ocean.  See what I mean?

But when we got out of the channel, the winds and seas came up a bit, making for a slightly uncomfy ride.  We turned around and headed back for the bay, anchored and had some sandwiches and cruised on home.

Maggie seems to be doing better than Bud...anyone surprised out there?





Key West--once upon a time, a dog friendly city!

I know you've heard it. Key West is a laid-back place where dogs are integrated into the outdoor bar and dining scenes--where dogs are so beloved that there's a beach (Dog Beach, of course) just for them and a local park sports palapas and chairs for dog owners who enjoy letting their dogs run free.

Well...not exactly.  Not anymore.

This morning we piled into the car with Maggie and Ted and Lucy for a day-trip to Key West.  It would take about two hours, each way...but no problem--once there we'd let Maggie run at Higgs Dog Park (at the corner of Atlantic and White, www.keywestdogpark.org), then meet Steve and Noreen for lunch at the legendary Louie's Backyard (www.louiesbackyard.com), right next to Dog Beach.

Higgs Dog Park was indeed a hit. It's immense, shaded, has easy parking and lots of fresh water. Maggie tooled right on in and made pals with a female mixed-breed right about her age.


Making friends at Higgs Dog Park






















How fun is this??

Heading for the water bowls--enough is enough!





The walk to Louie's Backyard was steamy and in spite of the tons of cold fresh water Maggie had slurped up, she was hot and we were looking forward to settling down under and umbrella with our friends around the table and Maggie at our feet.  But it wasn't to be.  It seems as though there was some "dog incident" litigation that changed doglife in Key West as of last spring.  Apparently a patron tripped over another patron's dog at a local restaurant. Injuries, suffering and lawyers ensued and a judgement was handed down that (interestingly, I think) held the injured party (a woman from Massachusetts) and the restuarant owner equally responsible. The restaurant owners were assessed $18,000. Read more about it here:

Dog incident changes dog-friendly Key West

Now restaurant owners have retreated from their dog-friendly positions in most establishments in the city. At Louie's Backyard we could only be actually at the bar with Maggie--not on the immediately adjacent shaded patio, inspite of the fact that there was not a soul at any of the shaded tables. Ultimately, we stayed and had lunch (the alternative was a treck in the heat to the apparently more dog-friendly Salsa Loca--but Maggie was already overheated). We gave Maggie lots of ice water and concocted some shade.

Maggie's bit of shade at the Afterdeck.

After lots of ice tea and some light lunch (it was HOT!) we gave up on an afternoon of shopping and decided to just do a photo shoot at the famous "southernmost point of land" marker.  Luckily, it was right around the corner.




We made it!



Thunder-boomers and Butterfly Gardens

If you saw my post and photo of the black "warning clouds" yesterday...the warning was accurate.  The weather deteriorated throughout the day--incredible downpours, winds, chilly air. By suppertime we could see lightening out over Florida Bay and could hear thunder in the distance.  A quick check on the computer showed not only a massive line of thunderstorms, but the ultimate weather thrill--tornado warnings!

All 10 of us here for supper (a mini dinner party for new friends and old) gathered on the protected upper deck to watch the show. It was dramatic at points (several of us tried in vain to catch that perfect lightening shot) and loud, but actually the heaviest weather skirted to the north and...no tornado.

This morning we woke to very light breezes and warm sun--nice for a bit of a drive to check out some restaurants and do an errand.  We decided to take the "back" road up through Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge, one of four national refuges here in the Keys. It was established in 1980 to try and preserve crucial habitat for the endangered American crocodile. We were hoping for a viewing area, but because the refuge is small and and the habitat is so sensitive to human interference, it's closed to the public--though you do see "crocodile crossing" signs here and there.

But right next to the refuge headquarters is a wonderful, beautifully maintained butterfly garden.


The Butterfly Garden is just off the driveway to the Crocodile Lake National Wildlife refuge (FL Road 905 in Key Largo).

There's a comfy bench, some nifty sculpture and a water feature. Peaceful!

But by noontime our novels were calling and we headed back to the house and dock on Florida Bay.  Time to read and rest up for tomorrow's trip to Key West.