BOB AND ROSE VISIT

Bob and Rose stopped for a few days here on their way to the Southern Florida beaches for vacation. They enjoyed our quiet spot with cow pasture in the back.

Rose made a friend near the pool.

We could not give Rose or Bob a close encounter with manatee because the water was too warm and most manatee, if not all, were back in Gulf waters where even the nights were warm enough for their comfort.
To add to our inabilities, just before they visited the pool heater broke, so the water was in the middle seventies and rather chilly feeling.
Still, we had a great time.
Bob went to my grammar school and high school, and was in a church that cooperated with mine, so we had plenty of stories and friends in common. Rose lost her husband Gary. Bob and Gary had always been great friends. Gary and I had also. So, we shared some Gary stories, and with the three of us all in the same space, we felt close to Gary and close to our pasts and those who peopled them.

We went up to Fort Edwards beach and the warm gulf water let us swim. I was particularly pleased with getting some salt water. I swam out to the buoys and saw the skimmers and gulls all lined up, one after another on the floating buoy balls. It was really a grand site. No waterproof camera for that one.
Bob and Rose walked the beach and watched the skimmers and the gulls.

On the beach we met a couple who knew the Bulls in Franklinville and Arrowhead.
http://www.arrowheadcamping.com/

Dick Bull was one of my best friends when I was growing up. He died in a tragic accident. It was somewhat ironic to be remembering my city friend and my country friend both on the same beach. Once Dick was in Buffalo and he surprised Gary with a flight in a friend's small airplane. It was my first airplane ride, and I suspect it was Gary's as well. We flew over Niagara Falls.

Here at Fort Island Gulf Beach, Rose and I swim in the Gulf. It was easily endured once we were immersed for a while. I found it quite delightful, a beach that has been too much ignored by us here. I was grateful to Rose and Bob for motivating us to visit. Elizabeth is not much on being in salt water, but she liked the beach and sand and a bit of water on her feet.

There is a pier in the park and we managed to step out on it just as the sunset. Bob got a more unique view that included the pier. I think we are standing on the pier in this shot.

For food we took them to Charlie's and for steak night at Van Der Vaulk. We managed to score a bag full of "floaters" from Charlie's, so we had a great feast of stone crab and large Gulf shrimp next to the pool.

We went to Stumpknocker's for our first time this year. Good Cajun stew and a fine redfish made my meal. http://stumpknockersonthesquare.com/

They have a fish in their logo and outside wooden sign which is very close to the bluegill.

And check out this hand made wooden bench

The place is full of fishing and boating decoration and mounted fish and beasts, including this huge alligator skin.

Elizabeth went on an airboat ride with them. I was a bit hesitant with my eye and I guess rightly so. Airboats are not my favorite anyway.
Too noisy.
They saw plenty of alligators. On the way back they saw downtown Inverness.

We took them to Homosassa Park

where they did see manatees, and saw things we had never seen. The cement examination area was drained and three small manatee were visible out of water, a rare site. Their health was being looked after.

Bob especially enjoyed the many chances to photograph birds in the park and got one photo of a bird that has been eluding him in the wild. Most of the photos I have were taken by Bob, who is a master photographer. There are a few others mixed in. The best are Bob's. I thought this heron photo with reflected trees was absolutely amazing.

I don't have any photos of the snakes or baby alligators in all the years we have gone. So, these are a treat.

The white heron is fairly rare. In the distance they often look like swans, but there are just a breed of heron.

Ibis and turkey vulture.

With the birds that need rehabilitation are wild birds that come for a free meal. Here is a young Ibis who has not taken on all white feathering yet.

Lucifer, the hippo, is a great favorite at the park. Known as Lu, he is the oldest hippo in North America, being 58. Currently he is being treated for old age diseases, and I think that is a hint that he might be on his way out.