The Carefree Learner trip

My school chum, Gale, and I went out on the Carefree Learner, a flat-bottomed wooden boat used by both the Littoral Society and the Sarasota School system to study marine biology.   On the day we went out, the students had netted a good catch in the morning, and we also did our own netting in the afternoon, scooping up all kinds of things from Sarasota Bay.  The netted bounty was dumped onto flat boards on each side of the boat and we all got to sort through it and pull out the 'objects of art', sea art, that is.  This particular day we scooped, among other things, sea horses, sponge, coral, sea urchins, shrimp, a bat fish and a puff fish (striped burr) whose face reminded me of Elli, those longing eyes just saying 'pet me'.

The day was beautiful, mid 70's and blue skies. As part of the trip we also went down to a rookery behind Siesta Key.  It was filled with all kinds of egrets and herons.  A fun time for all.

A Striped Burr; with her longing eyes, I called her the 'Elli' fish

Sorting through the catch 

Sea urchin; very prickly!

Gale holding the 'Elli' fish

The Rookery behind Siesta Key

Coral

Elli's play date

Are Elli and Sophie having fun, or what?!!  Sophie belongs to the owner of the cottage I'm renting, and is wearing a 'lampshade' because of her recent medical procedure.  Vet doesn't want her licking her stitches.  Procedure didn't hurt her energy level!

Elli and Sophie (and the lampshade!)

First week in Sarasota

Greetings from Sarasota.   Elli and I have been in our adorable little rental cottage for a week now.  Am having great fun exploring Sarasota. It has a vibrant arts and cultural scene, and there is lots going on.  Have also reconnected with a gal (coincidentally named Gale) from Bryn Mawr, whom I hadn't seen since we graduated almost 50 years ago.  We caught up over dinner when I first got here and have hooked up for, or planned, a variety of outings since then.

Pic is of a sculpture on the Sarasota Bayfront, based on the famous photo of the sailor and young nurse kissing in Times Square, in celebration of the end of WWII.  If you see the little white splotch sticking out  below (and between) the sailors's knees, tis moi, and it gives you a sense of just how big the sculpture is.

The Sailor and Nurse sculpture - Sarasota

Coots and Cormorants

Still in Orlando...last day at the rally.  Last night's entertainment was delightful.  It was a solo performance, a gal who was part actress, part singer.  She had a wonderful voice, and did impressionistic songs of various female artists of the 40, 50's and 60's.  Her version of Judy Garland's "Over the Rainbow", as sung by Liza Minelli to her mom, brought me to tears!

We're situated on a little lake and the shorebirds have been abundant.  Coots, Moorhens, Cormorants, Great Blues, Glossy Ibis, and even a Golden Eagle yesterday.

American Coots on the lake 

Great Cormorant

Sarasota and Orlando

We came up to Sarasota on Saturday morning and checked out the little rental I wanted to consider.  It is adorable, even cuter than I thought it would be, and I took it on the spot.  It is a short walk across the Stickney Point Bridge over to Siesta Key.   Grocery store, etc., are walkable too.   I'll move in on Friday and stay til March 8th.  ;-))

In the meantime, we're at the Mid-Winter Roadtrek Rally in Orlando, where there are over 100 Roadtreks.
A great variety of people, lots of good talks, entertainment, and the food has been surprisingly good.  Elli has made many new friends!  Temp reached 80 degrees yesterday.  May get a little rain today.

Bedroom at the little rental, real comfort and space again!

Private little back yard for Elli 

Elli says hi!

Just a few of the 100 Roadtreks at the Mid-winter Florida rally