The Wind in the Willows

This dapper gentlefrog welcomes customers at a

major intersection in Naples' main shopping

street, Fifth Avenue South.

Chihuly Ceiling

The Baker Museum in Naples has a ceiling

made from the wonderful brightly colored glass

of the studio of Dale Chihuly.

The ceiling casts reflections on the plain white walls below.

Click here for more photos with reflections.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to my American viewers.

Thanksgiving this year is being spent with daughter Susie and son-in-law Wes
in Johannesburg, South Africa.  Right now we are at the lovely
Cathedral Peak Hotel in the majestic
Drakensberg Mountains east of Johannesburg.

We eat well here, too, thanks to Jerome and the rest of the staff!
All the best to everyone.

Traditions

This old-fashioned restaurant sits on the beach

on the lovely island of Sanibel.

It brings the mind back to the Truman and Eisenhower

administrations.  The food is great.

Young Love

This teen-aged couple sit on a bench

outside a community building in Bonita Springs.

I didn't see the sculptor's name.

The bicycle is a nice touch, isn't it?

Susie is 30!

Happy birthday, Susie.

Amazing cake by mother-in-law, Annette.

Alvin's Island

Alvin's Island seems like a store for people

who wear beach clothes that glow in the dark.

I don't shop there.

Pitbull

The Mucky Duck is a very popular restaurant and bar on the island of Captiva.
Parking is at a premium.  Pitbull patrols the parking lot and assures

that only patrons use the valuable parking spaces.

If Pitbull tells you to move your car, you move.

JFK

President John F. Kennedy was assassinated fifty years ago in Dallas.  Anyone my age can tell you exactly where they were when they got the news.

The Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford pairs two Kennedy artworks.  On the left is Retroactive I, a  1964 oil and silkscreen by Robert Rauschenberg that includes a reference to the space race and a photo of Kennedy and his characteristic pointing gesture.

On the right is Bluewald (1989 - 90) by Cady Noland, a silkscreen on aluminum with fabric and wood.  It is based on the newspaper photograph of Kennedy's assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, as he was shot by Jack Ruby.

The Pelican Lady

Jean is The Pelican Lady.  Check out her earring.

She heads the volunteers at the wildlife rehabilitation program at the

Conservancy of Southwest Florida.

They take in injured turtles and panthers and raccoons . . . and pelicans . . .

and restore them to health before returning them to nature.

This is an iPhone photo.  Not as sharp as some, but not bad.

Bruno

At my local coffee shop, you better like dogs.

Dog owners huddle together to discuss Bruno's latest trim.  And the parentage of their dogs.  And the dogs' diets.  And the dogs' inoculations and operations.  And their foibles.

Nancy and Leslie and their dogs sat down beside me while I was having a coffee and reading a book.  They had a lovely conversation, which I can quote verbatim if you would like.

Bruno was bored by the conversation.  He cuddled up next to me and helped me read my book until he fell asleep.

Nancy and Leslie agreed that I am a very patient man for sitting so calmly with Bruno sleeping on my leg.

Mike and the Girls

Mike was at Barefoot Beach with his family.

Mike's family is originally from Ohio.  He is a financial planner who also participates in triathlons.

Jo is a sand artist and castle builder.  Abby likes to bury her feet in the sand.

Everglades Wonder Gardens

The Wonder Gardens were an old-style Florida attraction operated for 77 years by one family.  It closed last year and the animals have been sent to other locations.  A local photographer is 
working to re-open the Wonder Gardens, while the family is trying to sell it and 
the city of Bonita Springs is considering whether to buy it.

This post is linked to Monday Murals.

Judy

Meet Judy from the admissions desk of the American Clock
and Watch Museum in Bristol, Connecticut.

Over the winter when I run short of Naples photos,
I will show some more clocks and watches from this museum.

Roger

As a youth in Maine, Roger was a boxer.  Today

he lives in Naples and rides a bicycle about 150 miles a

week, 20 - 30 miles a day.

Not bad for an 82-year old man.

Reflections at Mel's Diner

Just about everything at Mel's Diner is

polished and reflective.

Easy pickings for Weekend Reflections.

Inside Mel's Diner

Mel's Diner is a colorful place.

Charlie Chaplin and Betty Boop greet customers.

Charlie is cruel, mocking the posture of the unsuspecting customer.

Mel's Diner

In southwest Florida, there are five places called Mel's Diner.

This one is in Bonita Springs.

I Got This

Yes.  He sure does.

At the Naples City Dock.

Naples City Dock

 Naples City Dock is on Naples Bay, 

about six blocks south of the heart of Olde Naples.

Trees

Many Florida trees are beautiful.
They are very different from the ones up north that I grew up with.

I could do a daily photo blog of just the trees.

Trova

Ernest Trova painted and sculpted a series of armless male figures over five decades.  

One of his highly polished metal sculptures sits in front of Naples' Baker Museum.

Hanneke Beaumont II

This sitting figure currently greets visitors at Naples' Baker Museum.

The 2003 sculpture by the Dutch sculptor, Hanneke Beaumont,

has the highly descriptive name of Cast Iron 61.

Please visit James' blog Weekend Reflections to see other photos with reflections.

Hanneke Beaumont I

This figure sits atop a column outside Naples' Baker Museum.

The sculptor is Hanneke Beaumont, a Dutch-born sculptor with a current show at the Baker.

Sand

Naples beaches keep having their sand washed out to sea.

Replenishing the sand is expensive . . . and controversial.

We are now about one third of the way through the current beach renourishment project.  

360,000 tons of sand from an inland pit are being trucked to

Collier County beaches in 18,000 truckloads.

18,000!

Lavender

Just pull up a rocking chair beside me.  I'm sure the owners won't mind.

Olde Naples.

Kiss

Because I still have not seen any Naples murals, here is
one from my mid-September walk along the
High Line on the west side of Manhattan.

Eduardo Kobra is a Brazilian artist who based his mural
on the World War II photograph called 

V-J Day in Times Square, by Alfred Eisenstaedt.
Cool, no?

This post is linked to Monday Mural.

Big House

Here is one of Naples' many big, beautiful houses.
This one is on Gulf Shore Boulevard South. 

Cottage

Naples is an odd mix of wealth and poverty and everything in between.
Fourteen mansions are currently available for more than $10 million each.
Some well-located houses are bought for more than a million dollars and

leveled to build the next mansions.

And, some well-maintained old cottages sleep contentedly 

where they were placed 50 - 75 years ago.

Heights?

Florida is a very flat state and Naples is a very flat city.

Heights?  You've got to be kidding!

How about a new high rise building in Pelican Bay?

Click here to see other interpretations of "Heights" by City Daily Photo bloggers.