1238 March 14, 2025 Word Of The Day:  Gratitude

I set my alarm for 2:30am and got up to watch the lunar eclipse.  When I saw that the moon was red and that the eclipse was approaching totality, I went inside to wake Tim.  He came out, saw it, and said it was cool and he stumbled back to bed.  I stayed out watching and taking pictures.  My new camera has a terrific zoom but is not good for night photos. I used Tim’s iPhone and got a decent shot.

I had a very hard time going back to sleep and I ended up reading for a while at 3:30 in the morning.  It was still worth it and I would do it again!

I walked in the campground so that I could simultaneously do laundry…fun times!  Really…it gets done quickly when you have other things to do as well!

Can you see the crocodile warning right in front of the swimming area…YIKES!!!  I just saw this for the first time today!

Lots of bigger fish by the seawall this morning.

We packed lunch and drove the Jeep to Bahia Honda State Park.  On the way, we passed Fred the tree. This tree started to grow on this old abandoned bridge about thirty years ago. It was thought to have been “planted” by a bird. At Christmastime, locals decorate Fred. The tree is a symbol of resilience. This tree has weathered all the best sunshine and warm temperatures as well as lots of hurricanes and terrific winds. The smaller tree is called Fred Jr. by some people while others have dubbed it Wilma.

At Bahia Honda, we walked the old bridge.

We biked through the whole park. 

We saw a huge manatee in the marina.

I was just saying this yesterday.  We were watching the fishermen here, at Jolly Roger, cleaning their fish and tossing the remains to the squadron of brown pelicans.  We watched as the birds caught the fish in their pouches and then we could see the great lump in their throats as the fish carcasses were swallowed.  All the squishy guts and sharp bones.  I was worried that the pelicans would be injured.  I was right to be concerned.  It is also illegal…There is a wonderful bird sanctuary in Key Largo. They care for about 1,000 injured birds a year. The vets there are on call 24/7. It is a very cool place to visit.

We found a shady spot and had our lunch.

We stopped at the Marathon Farmers Market on the way back to the RV.  We found some pretty strawberries and a nice ripe papaya.

We got back around 3pm and we both fell asleep.

The other day, when I got my hair cut, I asked the hairdresser where she likes to go for dinner.  She recommended Hideaway Café.  We had a 5pm reservation.  We sat on the deck with a terrific view of the ocean.  We had great pinot noir and delicious food.  Tim chose seafood crepes and I had filet and shrimp with a cognac and garlic glaze.  The ambience, the food, and the service were amazing!

Another day in the Keys.  I always say to Tim “Thanks for bringing me here.”  He often says “Thanks for living this life with me.”  We have so much to be grateful for and we try vey hard to remember each and every day how very lucky we are. 

1237 March 13, 2025 Music At Jolly Roger

I began walking in the campground.  When Tim left for the gym, I went along.  He dropped me off at Guava Avenue and I walked the Morton Road loop while he did his workout.  Win-Win!

We packed our lunch and took it to Long Key State Park.  As usual, a little lizard kept us company.

This evening, we went to the pavilion at Here at Jolly Roger.  There was a hotdog dinner tonight which we skipped but they also had a guy singing.  We sat near the water and listened to a fun mix of beach music, country, and old rock and roll.

We watched families fishing on the pier. This little boy had a stringer of fish.

Our squadron of pelicans.

The sunset was obscured by a huge bank of clouds but we did get a couple of dazzling moments.

Now, we are watching Forrest Gump…the Bubba shrimp scene…

1236 March 12, 2025 Hairdo

For my walk this morning, I decided to access the walking path that runs alongside Overseas Highway.  I had to walk ¾ mile in the gravel by the road before the path began.  It was not relaxing and was rather nerve-wracking. 

I made a right on Guava Avenue to escape the noise of the highway.  It was quieter and peaceful and there was no traffic.  I walked to the end and then made a right on Morton.  I was really not looking forward to going back the way that I had come.  I called Tim and asked him if he would meet me at the end of Kyle Road if I just kept on walking.  He agreed and I walked on.  I passed lots of very property on the water.  Beautiful landscaping and entrances and gated drives with pools and tennis courts and houses tucked away from view. 

Tim met me and I had walked 3.25 miles.  This was so much better than walking in the campground or on the shoulder of the busy road.

I had a hair appointment in Islamorada and I left around noon.  Each and every time that we have visited the Keys, Debra had done my hair.  It was nice to see her and talk about her recent travels and upcoming adventures.  I was sad to learn that she will be retiring at the end of March.  I was also happy to hear that she will be retiring.  She deserves every happiness.

I ran a couple of other errands while I was in Islamorada. 

This evening, we had a reservation for dinner at Lazy Days South.  We sat on the patio and had a nice meal.

After dinner, we drove to nearby Key Colony Beach to Sunset Point Park.  We found a bench and did some people watching.  There were more than 200 people gathered.  We collectively celebrated the end of the day.  The 1812 Overture was played over a loudspeaker.  Then, the “mayor” (official or unofficial) of Key Colony welcomed us to the Sunset Point celebration.  He invited us to sing the Marathon Anthem and he had laminated copies of the lyrics available in a basket.  The music began and the community joined together in song.  It was unique and sweet and a nice ending to this day.  

1235 March 11, 2025 Anne’s Beach

During the night, we had some pretty intense wind.  It lasted for hours with sustained and relentless pounding.  I was awake for a long time.  Finally, sometime early this morning, the winds calmed and sleep came. 

This morning, the wind was still stiff and the water was choppy.

I walked in the campground again.  I was doing laundry and running back and forth to switch clothes from washer to dryer.

I rode my bike later in the day.

This afternoon, we went to sit by the water.  I took a book and read and took pictures and soaked up these beautiful surroundings.

I grilled shrimp and made rice bowls with black beans and avocadoes.  We packed a cooler and drove to Anne’s Beach for dinner. 

The water was warm.  Tim saw a 30-inch sawfish. 

We saw gar.

We saw crabs in shells crawling along the sandy bottom.

We watched brown pelicans diving for fish.

We left during the golden hour. The almost full moon was rising. I am having a lot of fun with my new camera!

The sun was setting as we drove back.

1234 March 10, 2025 Veterans Beach

I walked in the campground today.  I wasn’t sure how I would feel after my long walk yesterday but I was absolutely fine.  Lesson relearned…sometimes I just need to push a little harder!

I spent the morning making phone calls and scheduling appointments.  Then, I was able to upload all of my tax documents to the accountant’s portal…YAY…taxes done!!! 

As a reward, I took my book down to the beach area.  There was only one other couple there.  I found shade under a palm tree.  It was peaceful and quiet.  There was a great breeze off the water.  I sat there for a long while and then Tim joined me.

We went back to the RV.    I got a message that a package had arrived…my new camera!!!  Months ago, I had dropped my other camera and broke the screen.  It hasn’t been “right” for a while.  I was looking for the same camera because I really like the pictures I can get.  That camera is no longer being made.  I could still get it but it was going to cost a small fortune.  A week or so ago, we were out and about and we met a woman and she was taking pictures with a Canon PowerShot.  She just got it and was happy to talk about it and show me its features.  This camera, the SX70hs was on my short list.  Do you know that it is nearly impossible to buy a camera in a store??? I have learned that since most people use their phones for pictures, there is not the same market for easy-to-use mid-price cameras and I do not want or need a professional grade camera.    At this campground we are able to receive packages and so I ordered it.  I occupied myself with all the buttons and levers and got it set up.  I took a few practice shots.

This evening, we went to Veterans Beach with our dinner and new camera in tow!  Tim had taken the roof off of the Jeep.  As we got in, we looked up and saw some very dark storm clouds above.  Tim did a quick radar check and we decided to go!  There were a couple of sprinkles when we got to Marathon but we were otherwise unscathed,

We enjoyed dinner by the sea at Veterans Beach.

I took a bunch of pictures just to play.

The clouds got dense and stormy looking again and the winds picked up.  There was not going to be any showy sunset tonight. 

We were going to stop in town for a few things but in deference to the weather we decided to go straight home. 

Beach hair…don’t care!  No raindrops!

1233 March 9, 2025 Long Walk On Long Key Bridge

I wanted a new walk, a beautiful walk.  Tim wasn’t going to the gym this morning so he encouraged me to take the Jeep and park at the end of a bridge and walk on the parallel fishing and pedestrian bridge.  I parked at Tom’s Harbor Channel and began to walk.  It was less than a half mile to the end of the bridge.   I went to the wrong bridge!  So far, I had walked about a mile.  I got back to the Jeep and drove further north to the Long Key Bridge.  Tim thought that it was about a mile.  In the meantime, he decided he wanted to go for a long bike ride.  He called to say that he was leaving and he would meet me along the way.  I walked under the warm Florida sunshine.  The sea breeze felt amazing.  I passed lots of people fishing.

Magnificent frigatebirds were flying overhead.  They have an 8-foot wingspan and are lovely in flight.

There were ruddy turnstones, a species of sandpiper on the rail.

When Tim passed me, I had walked 1.58 miles.  I was still not at the end of the bridge but I could see it.  I was determined to get there!  He decided to keep riding on to the State Park and he wanted me to meet him there with the Jeep.  I walked 2.38 miles to the end.  Then, on tired legs, I turned around and walked back to the car.  I walked a total of 6.01 miles this morning.

I drove to Long Key and we put his bike on the rack.  We drove to Islamorada.  I had not eaten and we were both hungry.  We drove to Lazy Days but it was packed.  We drove further tot eh Green Turtle.  We had an excellent lunch there.

We went to Publix for produce and a few other groceries.

We got back to the RV park at around 3pm.

We had a quiet afternoon and then a simple dinner, fish dip and crackers with a nice green salad and n=mangoes.

Since today is daylight savings, sunset was not until 7:30.  We walked down to the beach and watched the sun go down.

17,913 steps today…hopefully I will feel like walking tomorrow!

1232 March 8, 2025 Marathon Seafood Festival

I walked laps and laps again this morning.  Tomorrow, I plan to find a new route for my walk.

This weekend, Marathon is hosting a Seafood Festival.  This is a huge event and 15,000 people are expected to attend.  The festival opened at 11am and we got there shortly after that.  Already hundreds of guests had arrived.  We paid $20.00 to park in a church lot. 

We wandered through the many stalls.  In addition to a bunch of craft vendors, lots of community groups and organizations were represented. 

We ate conch fritters, a local specialty, with mango smoothies. 

We sat and listened to the opening band, John Bartus & Adrienne Z. They played their own original music; acoustic guitars and pleasant voices.

On our way back to the Jeep, we passed a couple of women with a food table. They had barbecued chicken and Tim chose some for our dinner.

We went back to the RV and had a quiet afternoon.

This evening, we spent some time by the water. It was so calm and beautiful.

1231 March 7, 2025 Old Seven Mile Bridge

I walked laps and laps this morning.  It was 63 degrees with a feels like temperature of 53 degrees.  It felt quite chilly and I started out with a sweatshirt on.  As I walked, the sun became warmer.  The wind laid down and it was perfect for walking.

We packed a lunch and took the Jeep with our bikes to the Old Seven Mile Bridge.  Shark Valley and this bridge are my two favorite places to ride bikes. 

It was a really lovely day.  The sky was so blue with a couple of feathery clouds.

The water was every shade of blue. 

We pedaled the two miles to the end of the bike path.  We saw some bigger fish, probably tarpon, in the water.

We biked back and sat on a bench for a while.  We decided bike it a second time. When we got to the end, we watched 3 people snorkeling in the shallow water and gathering lobsters.

We found a shaded picnic area and had our lunch right by the water.

On the way back to the RV, we saw the Marathon Farmers Market.  We bought some bread and some mangoes.  We shared a cup of mango passionfruit juice.  It was cold and delicious.

This evening, the campground hosted a paella dinner.  We had saffron rice with calamari and fish and shrimp.  There was a nice green salad and plantain chips.  We sat with two other couples who are also staying here until April.  It was fun sharing travel stories.  It was fun to talk to people who have visited some of the same places we have and who enjoy a similar lifestyle.

We watched the sunset. As the sun went down someone on the next pier was playing Amazing Grace on the bagpipes. We slowly walked home.

1230 March 6, 2025 The Pretty And The Gritty

There is no really good place to walk from this new campground.  I was forced to do laps and laps and laps here.  Look at the path I took!

Listening to a book and talking to my mom really do help to pass the time!  I did 2.99 miles.

We had planned to bike on the Old Seven Mile Bridge today.  The weather forecast told us that the winds were sustained at 18mph with 33mph gusts.  It is really hard to bike in that kind of wind.  We would have been over open water.  We will save that ride for other days!

We packed lunch and went to Curry Hammock State Park for lunch.  Despite the wind, the sun was warm and it was a pretty day! This park usually has lots of kite boarders when it is windy.  Unfortunately, the wind was blowing the wrong way!  We stayed until a busload of middle school kids arrived with their lunches and beach towels!

We drove into Marathon and went to the docks to look for fresh seafood.  We wandered the side roads.  We decided that not to many visitors to the Keys get to see this gritty side, the lobster traps and work boats and docks. We found Keys Maritime Seafood.  We got some smoked fish dip, some sea scallops, and some pink Key West shrimp.

Tim walked in the campground and took this video…the wind though!!!

The wind is whipping sea water and sea grass up onto the seawall. The RV’s on the edge are surely getting blasted with sea spray.

This evening, I grilled the scallops and made a salad and broccoli and we had a nice dinner at home.

We walked to the campground pier to watch the sunset.  This is a popular activity and there were lots of people gathered.  There is a nice pavilion with plastic side panels that kept us warm enough.  I did go out to get a picture.

1229 March 5, 2025 PopPop Has All The Best Ideas

I went back and took my last walk to Bernstein Park.  As I walked laps, I saw these small lizards.  They were popping up and down out of the joint in the sidewalk.  As I approached, they ducked down.  As I walked away, they popped out again.  On my next lap, they were back out!  It was like a Whack-A-Mole game.

We were packed and ready to roll before the 11am checkout time.  We had several hours we could check in at Jolly Rogers and it was only about 70 miles away.  Tim had a genius idea.  He drove the RV to Bahia Honda State Park.  We parked in a lot right along the beach.  We took our chairs and sat by the water.  It was a breezy, pleasant morning.  Moving day is usually not that fun! 

These birds were scampering along the wrack line hunting for lunch.

After lunch, we drove the last 23 miles to Jolly Rogers, just in time for our 1pm check-in.

This afternoon we explored the amenities of the campground.

There were dozens of pelicans waiting by the fish cleaning station.

This evening, we packed food and drove to nearby Long Key State Park.  We found a tiki hut and enjoyed our dinner. 

More little little lizards joined us.

Portuguese man o’ war jellyfish.

The park faces the Straits of Florida to the south.  We couldn’t see the setting sun from where we were.

We were driving back and pulled over to watch the final moments of the day.