Naples by Day

Naples, Florida is a lovely, peaceful place. Well mannered, quiet, polite, and pretty. Filled with a lot of octogenarian millionaires, and wanna-be octogenarian millionaires. We didn't really plan on spending anytime here, and we just lucked into the Cove Inn, overlooking the marina.

 Waking up early and looking out at the view, while the mist slowly lifted.

That was a nice moment.

So was a leisurely after dinner stroll through the old Tin Town and the mellow sunset that marked the end of the day.

All the rest of the time in between was spent pretending to be tourists.

I think it worked too!

Ah yes, well...there's a moment during every vacation

where you just have to be silly! This was John's.

see more Skywatch photos at http://skyley.blogspot.com/

The Meaning of Oblivious

There they sit, totally oblivious to the impact they make. They cause traffic jams, pushing, the odd little shove, anything to get closer. And there they sit. Beautiful.

Simple humans are merely a distraction.

As inspirations, they remain oblivious.

Is this the beginning of a dreamscape by Manet?

Beauty. Grace. Stature. Bountiful. And Oblivious.

I could watch for hours. They don't care.

Small little wiggles in the water interest them. Little else.

The look says it all.

You, human, can look all you like.

I am oblivious. And care not.

The little wiggle between my beak is far more interesting to me.

The oblivious beauties, found in Shark Valley, in the Everglades are,

in order of appearance:

Great White Heron

Tri Coloured Heron

Blue Heron

Great Egret

Cattle Egret

Great Egret

Little Green Heron

Black Crowned Night Heron

Somedays I Feel Like A Fish Out of Water

  While jetliners used the sky as a canvas to practice calligraphy, we discovered the Everglades of Florida by boat. First shock? That it wasn't the tropical jungle I'd imagined, where Tarzan swings from vines, yodelling for Jane...it's a massive wetland filled with grass!

And intrepid tourists can spend $25 for a high speed ride through the water lanes, the wind in their faces, at their backs, and bouncing off the earplugs provided by the driver. We opted for the more sedate tour...

In this flat bottomed boat, there were about 8 rows of seating, and a good view of the everglades provided for everyone. The driver, Earl, promised he'd find us an alligator, if we were really nice to him...

So we were, and guess what Earl did? He found us a 'gator!

In fact, he found us several!

But while people were oohing and awing over these guys, they missed the best show of the day ( I think). Dinner time for the Anhinga, fish on the menu:

The catch of the day is over a foot long!

It took him several whacks, stabs and dashes and dabs to get dinner into the proper toss and swallow position.(Sorry it's blurry, he was a little too busy to sit still.)

But he succeeded! See the big bulge former fish in his neck?

Now THATwas worth the price of admission!

See more interesting parts of our world at  http://skyley.blogspot.com/

A Walk on the Beach

My beach is a river beach. It does not feel the gentle southern breezes that

waft over the Gulf of Mexico, unlike  this beach

on Sanibel Island in Florida, which does.

When I look over the water, the far shore I see is a small Ontario dairy farm. I don't see million dollar apartments owned by billionaires in Naples.

Their  luxury towers look like tiny lego blocks  defining adult play along the horizon. That's not what I came to see though. This is:

This incredibly artful arrangement is by Nature. And it changes every minute or so of every hour, every day, every week, every month, every year

...you get the picture.

These are creatures and tiny treasures I don't have on my beach.

They're worth travelling 1000's of miles to see.

Some things you can hardly see...

...like this lovely little plover who blends so perfectly, she's almost invisible. Or the small flock of gulls who instinctively turn into a soft gray and white cloud hiding in plain sight on the beach from the eagle's eye overhead.

This jelly fish is the ultimate surprise on the beach ...it just sits there, looking phlemgy and disgusting. Step on it? Never! Providing I see it first that is.

On my river beach, the jelly fish wouldn't win the ugly competition, although they are green and slimey.

A twig on the edge of the beach moved. Not a twig after all.

Ah, Nature, you are so clever!

A beach is a place where I can get lost and find myself.

By looking without, I become calmer within.

It is the small things that bring the most joy.

It doesn't have to twinkle above you for you to make a wish.

Bird Bliss

This little Eastern Phoebe looks out over the Florida Everglades. He is one of the least fancy birds that millions of people flock to see here every year. They come to see creatures like this...

...the  stunningly beautiful Purple Gallinule- I noticed it, and it's  a Life Bird (!), but most of the people were here to see Alligators:

They, of course, are sensational, in a primordial sort of way. And they all appeared to be smiling. Perhaps because they were so full.

I hear Tourist a la l'Orange is a local favourite of the 'gators.

While tourists lined the paths to watch these creatures not move, I found another life bird...

The Anhinga is also known as the Water Turkey, as it swims under water, fishing away. Once it catches its fill, it hops up on to a branch, and spreads its wings to dry out. Having no oil glands to help keep the feathers bouyant, it has to dry out frequently or it will sink...

They're stunningly beautiful, and will hold a pose long enough for you to take several shots of its striking black and white wings, and its long tail feathers...just like the turkey's.

The tourists like this bird quite a lot. In fact, I doubt if they even noticed this one! Another life bird!

I flew over 2000 km to meet this White Ibis, who promptly jumped up on the bench and asked me for some nuts. Scaring me half to death in the process!

There are so many birds in abundance here...makes me ever so glad

I came  to the Everglades.

Morning is Breaking

While I may be slightly winter weary, I must admit that daybreak on the icy river stops me cold.

I breathe the gathering light and hold it within.

The ice is beginning to move, pushing back against the beach, staking its claim along the frozen ridges.

It won't win. Spring will come. Water will flow.

Enjoy more at http://skyley.blogspot.com/

My Blood Runs Cold

The water belongs to the Ottawa River. The ice is 2 feet thick.

It's cool place to hang about.

Very, very cool.

He's waiting and watching.

Someone's going to jump.

The water temperature hovers at freezing, and hypothermia begins almost immediately.

Outer extremities being to tingle as soon as they hit the water. Not just the fingers and toes either.

This is not a leisurely swim. This is a Polar Bear Dip.

34 wild and crazy Canadians enjoyed the frigid waters last Saturday in Pembroke

...and the hot tub after the jump.

For their efforts, they received a free lunch. Chile of course.

And the Diabetes Association received over $6000 that the jumpers raised through pledges.

It was awesome!

Miss Peacock in the Conservatory with the Camera

Allen Gardens Conservatory inspires wonder and not a little mystery. On a chilly winter's day, it looks quite fragile. But on the contrary, there is strength in structure, especially when form follows function. In this case,

a very elaborate place to keep plants.

Very nice plants too as it turns out.

If it's an oasis you crave, look no further.

A bit of tropical air, with a hint of delicious spice?

The air is dripping with nectar as the plants begin to blossom...

 

Their beauty draws you in, and holds you, holds you...

And just as you begin to think, "I'm satisfied", you turn the corner.

...and you are consumed by green. This is what verdant means.

This is why Leda loved to bathe in the Eurotas River, where Zeus saw her and metamorphasized into a white swan so she would love and protect him.

Their union produced Helen of Troy.

This is a place of magic and mystery and golden scaled fish. 

A place where winter can disappear, and you didn't have a clue that it could.