This area continues to give us opportunities for enjoying friends and finding new discoveries! We have been getting out more since Ray is nearly over all his flu symptoms (just a bit of a cough left).
Last week-end we joined our friends Gerry & Sylvia and Karen & Steve for an afternoon at Woody's River-Roo! It is a fun location on the Manatee River that has live entertainment (good bands) on Sunday Afternoons. We hit it on a day that found the weather comfortable - if a bit cool - and not too crowded!
Received a call on Monday morning from Karen on MV Christmas. She told us that Reflection has left the dock en route to Marathon under her new captain and crew. She sent this photo - and, we say a proper, but, a bit sad good-bye to her!
We went to Sarasota on Monday and met cruising friends George and Nancy from the MV Jenna Star. They are staying in Fort Myers Beach until the end of December. They suggested an Amish Restaurant in Sarasota called Yoder's. It is right in the middle of the Amish section there. (Who knew that there was an Amish community in Sarasota?)
This wonderful mural (with actual shed and "figures" in front is outside the resaurant. The food is fantastic... and 34 pies to choose from!
Here we are with full tummies!
I, also, enjoyed looking at the quilts for sale in the gift shop ... and was told I could take photos!
They do such a lovely job with solid fabric - and the hand stitching is lovely.
Meanwhile, we are getting acquainted with our temporary home here in Cortez, FL. It is a small town of about 5,000 people on an island that borders the ICW and is only 3/4 of a mile from the Gulf shore of Bradenton Beach on Anna Maria Island. This RV Park is gorgeous. All around us there is a small town feel. We walk accross the street to pick up our mail (General Delivery) at the Cortez Post Office which reminds me of the Post Office in my hometown of East Kingston, NH. Not the one that is in EK now, the one that was there when I was a child!
Things are starting to look like Christmas here, even though the greenery is a bit different!
I went for a walk the other day and went by these local businesses!
Remember the tour of the Sea Hagg from last summer? It's right up the street...
OH! I almost forgot... I finished a new dust cover for the TV. The one that I left aboard Reflection had fish on it and I titled it "Screen Savor". I guess this is "Screen Savor, too".
The transition from full time cruising to full time RVing has been very easy for us ... so far. Of course, we are staying put for the Holidays. That has been a really good choice. We are enjoying taking advantage of the location and having good friends neaby. We are getting used to the new living space and LOVE IT! I've enjoyed the kitchen and have done more cooking lately. Ray has been sitting at the picnic table making jewelry. I even got the sewing machine out to do some work on a quilt project. We have been outdoors, as well (photos below).
Right now Ray has a flu-bug and has been "under the weather" for a few days. But, it is a comfortable place to be while he recovers.
Thanksgiving was very nice. The turkey and the location was provided by the RV Park. The "fixins" were provided by those of us who attended. I'm glad that I brought TWO pumpkin pies - they were both gone by the end of the meal! Steve and Karen attended the meal with us.
We even had a virtual fireplace!
There have been some things to do in the area (walking distance) and we have been out and about, as well. There was a Folk Music Festival at the little museum in Cortez with arts & crafts and food, etc.
We will go back someday and visit the museum when it is not as busy.
There was a sand sculpting event at the beach. So we took a walk in that direction ...
We walked accross the same bridge on the ICW that we had to have openned for us when we arrived in the area last Spring!
It was a bit cloudy, so the photos are not really clear... But, here is the Mermaid...
And, my favorite, done by student from the local high school:
Then there was the professional sculpture done for the restaurant that hosted the event:
Details:
We celebrated Steve's birthday recently. Steve wanted to go golfing on HIS day.
Most of you know that neither Ray nor I are golfers. Ray played in high school. I tried it a couple of times. (Patty M. - remember when we went golfing in Colorado about 40 years ago?) Lest you think we REALLY are land lubbers now - we did this for the birthday boy!
Steve was working with a handicap, though. He has a broken bone in his foot. We took to calling him "the Barefoot Man" - since he took off his shoe to tee off!
This was a small par 3 course that was really fun for us - since mini-golf is usually our "cup of TEE".
The scary thing was how close the condos were to the greens.
We saw some Duck Weed in the brook along side. (Remember Duck Weed from the Dismal Swamp Canal?)
After the golf game (STEVE WON!) we went for lunch at Casa Del Sol - a new favorite Mexican restaurant in this area!
Well, our "Reflection ... on the Road" has only been on the road once since we purchased her last week. BUT, we are living on land now.
Here are a few ways we are celebrating AND some glimpses of life in this lovely location:
Our first dinner guests:
Karen relaxed in our new LazyBoy while Patty made dinner!
Now that we have almost everything moved and unpacked we are enjoying our new location!
That helps with this transition.
It is a very friendly place for dogs and there is a doggy path all around the perimeter of the park.
We have done some "personalizing" on board by adding these:
We even got the kayaks out and explored the canals. Karen tried kayaking for the first time. She is a natural!!
One more thing ...
Last week Karen and Steve came by to attend an Art Fair on Anna Maria Island with us. While we were in the RV park, a fellow (total stranger) stopped his vehicle to comment on "the brothers" ...
Less than an hour later, while we were at the Art Fair, ANOTHER fellow (another total stranger) commented on the "Brothers"!!!
Here they are - these photos were taken on that day by Karen. (Somehow, they end up choosing the same colors on the same days!) ?
We have had some really enjoyable visits with friends both before and after making this move.
Larry
and Fran (former cruising buddies & members of “The Flock”) came for a
visit BEFORE the big move. They think that they will come for another visit
before the Holidays, as well. They come to the area often to visit family in Tampa. Larry and Fran are experienced at Geocaching. So, we decided to walk the "downtown" and see what "caches" we could find.
We did not have any luck finding the caches... but, we did walk around town a bit...
The "TREASURE" was in the pub that we stopped in on the way back to Reflection.
Just before "the big move" Gerry and Sylvia returned to their home in Ellenton (very close to Bradenton) and we gave up the car they had been lending to us. They visited us on Reflection for one of the last leisurely times aboard.
Gerry trounced Ray in Cribbage (but, not a skunk)!
After our visit on the boat, we went to "A Taste of Manatee" a festival for local businesses to offer up samples of their food, and other products. It was right at the end of the dock. The street was blocked off for the week-end.
Yummy food and very convenient!
On a visit to the zoo in Sarasota (a few weeks ago) we got this great shot of Steve feeding the giraffe. I had to include it!
There
was one lovely evening early in the month that we spent strolling around the Village of the Arts - which is very close to Twin Dolphin Marina. We enjoying the
lights, the shops, and the yummy tamales that were offered by the folks from Casa Del Sol. The theme of the evening was the Day of the Dead.
The little cottages make lovely studios, homes and stores for their wares.
HERE ARE SOME MORE SIGHTS AROUND THE VILLAGE - AND SOME OF THE ARTS & CRAFTS FOR SALE!
Christmas is For Sale!
No, this is not a commentary on the commercialism of the holiday. It is the M/V Christmas, the 41’ Trawler owned by our friends, Karen and Steve O’Brien. She is a beauty. I figured that since word of mouth (perhaps due to the blog) led to at least 2 inquiries on Reflection, that I would get the word out on Christmas.
Here she is from the dock (before our move)!
And here she is underway during the return from the Bahamas in the Spring!
We've closed the deal, taken possession and Ray drove us to our location (for the next 6 weeks) at the Holiday Cove RV park near Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria Island (the Gulf of Mexico).
We have a LOT more room than on the boat.
Here are some photos before we left Lazydays with our new BIG RED TRUCK and Carriage Cameo 5th Wheel:
We had such excellent help and service all through the buying of this "rig". Here we are getting instructions on setting up and driving. Bob (originally from NH and now living full time on an RV) gave us the assistance.
Those of you who are cruisers know West Marine and the (now defunct) Boaters World. This will be our new favorite store!!!
We even have a "slide" that is called the Arizona Room (Florida Room? Sun Room?) Love it.
AND, a desk and an (electric) fireplace!
We have a lot of moving to do today, so I will end now...
Here we are just before leaving Lazydays!
It is as official as it can get right now (with the closing soon):
It was a WARM Halloween here in Bradenton! We are having Summer - AGAIN! But, it was lots of fun and there were a lot of CHARACTERS at the party.
Karen won a prize for her SnowBird costume!
This Cowboy and Santa were clowning around with the wicked witch.
Melinda won a prize for this "Escapee from the OR" and Harry was Dr. Pain!
Maybe I should be worried that she will lure my Carribean Cowboy away???
Last summer my cousin, Irma, sent me the following message. Her daughter, Christina, was doing a quilt project as her Gold Award project for Girl Scouts. Christina is a Senior in High School. I think you may find the story very interesting. The project is now complete.
Here is her letter with a description of the project and photos, as well.
July 14, 2009
Hi Everyone!
I just wanted to ask you all for a little help in completing my Gold
Award project for Girl Scouts. For my project I am working with a
sewing circle of refugees in Hartford through the Institute of
Community Research. Each of these refugees are from a unique culture,
and have developed impressive crafts skills native to their home
country. They are from a wide range of countries including Peru,
Columbia, Somalia, Burma, Kenya, Pakistan, Liberia, and Iraq. Their
native craft skills range from rug/basket weaving, crocheting,
clothes-making etc.
I will be incorporating each of their native craft skills into a
unique art quilt. Each of them will help design the quilt and put a
little of their own culture into this piece. However, they are working
on a limited budget and are often short of the craft supplies necessary
to make their projects. It is difficult for them to continue their
native cultural traditions in craftsmaking, along with making a small
profit off of the selling of them when they are so short on supplies.
As the second part of my project I am running a craft drive in20order
to donate the supplies to these more than grateful refugees. I am
looking for hand craft supply donations for these refugees to use not
only on my project but for years to come. Just think of this as an
opportunity to clear out that craft bin that hasn’t been touched in a
few years, they will be glad to recycle the supplies.
any of the following items…
-yarn -pearl cotton
-beads -elastic -sewing needles -fabric paints
-any sewing supplies -knitting and crochet needles
-sewing machine tools -(baling) twine
-thread -tie-on labels (for the women to price and sell the items)
-(embroidered) trim -Miscellaneous items (ex. sewing or weaving
supplies) -cotton fabric
-any fabric
-And this is a big wish but if anyone wants to get rid of their old
sewing machines please let me know!
If you don’t have any of these items sitting around in your basement
but still want to make a donation then Joann’s fabric gift cards are
great as well.
The drive will be ending around August 18, so please look for these
supplies as soon as possible. Ideally I would like to be able to bring
some donated items to the next meeting on July 22.
Any questions you can email me at crgarbarino@aol.com and I will
email you right back. Or you can call me on my home phone at
(860)644-7847 so we can make arrangements to pick them up.
If you could also forward this to any of your contacts who you think
are willing to contribute that would be great.
Hopefully20we can work together to put some smiles on their faces. I
believe that they will be grateful for whatever we can donate. Thanks
for your cooperation!
Sincerely,
Christina Garbarino
South Windsor Girl Scout
