Florida Fun

We have just returned from a wonderful week on the Gulf coast of Florida.  First stop was Sarasota, where my husband Charlie had his one-year check-up at the Dattoli Cancer Center.  Scans and ultrasounds and exams showed no recurrence or new cancer!  Great news!

Then it was on to Lido Key Beach for a couple of days.  We stayed once again at the Sand Castle Resort.  It was only steps to the water from our room, and warm enough to enjoy sitting on the beach.

On Thursday, we drove down to Ft. Myers for the weekend with my brother Jeff, his wife Anna, and their son Michael who has recently graduated from Florida State.  He leaves on Thursday for a new job in Washington, DC, so we were glad for a chance to visit with him, too.

Jeff took us on a boat ride up the Caloosahatchie River in Ft. Myers, right up to the bridge we crossed every day on our trips to Sarasota for Charlie's treatment.

We saw a lot of great sunsets on this trip.  This one is from the deck behind my brother's house.

And on our last night, we sat on the causeway to Sanibel Island and watched our last Florida sunset for awhile.  

Next check-up is in September, and we hope that visit will be just as magical.

Great News, a Fun Week, and More Great News!

We have just returned from a week on the Gulf Coast of Florida.  The purpose of the trip was to revisit the Dattoli Cancer Center in Sarasota for my husband's six-month check-up.  If you have experienced cancer in your family, you know there is always a bit of anxiety when you go back for tests or exams.  Fortunately, Charlie got the all-clear:  he is still in remission.  Yippee!  Charlie had Stage 4 prostate cancer that had spread throughout his skeletal system and lymph nodes.  We are still numb with shock that he is in remission.  Thank you, Dr. Dattoli and your staff!

On to a week of fun in Florida!


We stayed in Sarasota for two nights and enjoyed great dining, the pool, and some sunsets.  Then we spent one night in St. Petersburg on the beach.  Great sunsets!

On Thursday we drove south to Fort Myers to visit my brother Jeff and his wife Anna.  We had some great meals, a beach day, and a boat ride.  

We left on Monday, and got home before Hurricane Hermine would have affected our flight.  

After that we planned to go to our mountain place for Labor Day weekend.  Instead...my daughter-in-law went into labor!  She was about a week early.  Maybe the change in barometric pressure from Hermine had something to do with it.  

Now I am proud to present my newest granddaughter, Layla Grace McBrayer!

We kept big sister Charlotte all weekend, and then had a family day on Sunday.

Of course I have not finished Layla's baby quilt, but I have at least started it.  Here are some patchwork strips and pieced butterflies.

A Flock of Ibis

I came across these little guys while walking my brother's dog this week.

A Flock Of Ibis, Jeanne Turner McBrayer, 2015

The ibis appeared to be eating bugs out of a sunny spot on a neighbor's grassy lawn.  They looked very pretty in the sunshine.

We have had some great bird-watching off the deck of the house.  There is a small lake, and we enjoy seeing the variety of wildlife attracted to it.  Otters, ducks, herons, iguanas, even bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, and owls are all in the neighborhood.

There are two bald eagles perched at the very top of the Norfolk Island Pine, just above the first pine branch.

A couple of ducks at the edge of the lake.

An iguana is swimming across the lake.

It is a serene place to sit outside and read or just relax.  The weather is getting nicer here, less hot and less humid, making it even more attractive.

A Walk Around Ft. Myers

We have been in Ft. Myers for about three weeks, and just got around to seeing downtown yesterday for the Labor Day holiday.

Ft. Myers is on the Caloosahatchee River, which eventually makes its way out to the Gulf of Mexico. The river district downtown is a nice mix of water, restaurants, bars, stores, and businesses.

We cross the river twice a day over a long bridge when we travel to Sarasota.

You can stay on a floating condo, or pull your yacht up to the harbor.

The streets are paved with brick and lined with palm trees.

There is an artsy area.  I like the quotations on the steps.

Outside of the arts building are two luminaries.  They appear to have the names of tropical plants cut out of the metal canisters, and are lit from within at night.

We will have to come back at night to see them lit up and also to visit the Sky Bar atop the Firestone Restaurant.

Back to Real Life

I can't believe my trip to Florida is over already.  And it's gotten so cold here!  Katy and I enjoyed trips to the beach, first with our niece Laura, and then with my brother Jeff.

 

Sanibel Island was my favorite.  We walked on the beach and looked for shells.  They were not hard to find.

 

 

The Gulf was extremely calm and serene.

 

 

We drove through the Ding Darling Nature Reserve on Sanibel.  The white pelicans were visiting.  I had only seen the more common brown ones on our North Carolina beaches.

 

 

Ft. Myers Beach was much more commercial, but very colorful.  I like the multicolored buildings.

 

 

We also really enjoyed sitting on my brother's back deck and watching the birds around the lake.  There were lots of ducks, but also a bald eagle.  Once we saw an otter as big as my dog.

 

 

My father tolerated the trip very well, and enjoyed being with us in the warmer climate of Florida.

 

 

For Thanksgiving, my brother grilled a turkey, and we all made side dishes and desserts.  It was a wonderful family holiday.  My niece has painted all the interior doors in the family home, and one of them is a Gratitude Tree. 

 

 

We all wrote what we are thankful for on a leaf, and taped it to the tree.

 

 

But I missed my husband and my dog, and am thankful that we are all together again!