Sunday, March 30, 2014

Hiding


I just liked the little statue and its green surroundings.

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Bernice


Bernice is from Pennsylvania.  She has traveled all over Europe and lived
in London and Paris.  She has also lived in Canada.  Italy is one of Bernice's loves.

Friday, March 28, 2014

A Foggy Friday


Where does it begin?  Where does it end?  What's up?  What's down?

An iPhone photo for Weekend Reflections.

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Spring Training

In March the Boston Red Sox have "spring training"
(i.e., pre-season practice and games) in Fort Myers.


Xander Bogaerts (above) and Will Middlebrooks hit back-to-back home runs for the Sox.


My seats were in deep left field, so I was 300 feet from the batters.
The images of action on the field were shot at 300mm and then cropped further.
Even though not as sharp as most photos I post, I was happy with them.


An usher led the singing of "Sweet Caroline," a Red Sox tradition 
between the halves of the eighth inning since 2002.


EVERYONE wears Red Sox garb.


These two sons will remember going to a Red Sox game with their dad.
(The people shots are all dark because the bleachers were in the shade; sorry.)

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Palm Cottage


Palm Cottage was built in 1895.  It is the oldest remaining house in Naples.
(Europeans can laugh here about an 1895 house being old.)  
In the 1960s it was going to be torn down to make way for parking for the Naples Pier.
Members of the Naples Historical Society raised the money to buy the
cottage and avoid demolition.  Today it houses the Society and is open for tours.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Bone's Rest


Some of the old cottages in Naples survive.
Some are modest, some are grand.  Bone's Rest is one of the grand cottages, 
two blocks from the beach and one block from restaurants and shopping.


You can have it for only $4 million.


From time to time I will show some of the prettiest cottages.

This post is linked to Ruby Tuesday.

Monday, March 24, 2014

Naples Pier


Naples Pier juts 1,000 feet into the Gulf of Mexico.
It was built in 1888 and rebuilt multiple times after a 1922 fire and three later hurricanes.  
Rails once ran down the pier to move luggage and passengers from ships to shore.



These days the pier is visited by tourists, beachgoers and fishermen.

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Another Naples Art Festival


Artist Debbie Marconi is outgoing and funny.
Debbie's paintings are -- surprise! -- colorful and funny.


Sculptor Peter Rujuwa is from Zimbabwe, now living in Indianapolis.
He carves both abstract forms and animals
from serpentine stone.


Lynn Hardesty makes colorful 
cloissone enamel jewelry.


Anastasia Khabirova Musick is from Russia but currently lives
in Mississippi.  Many of the paintings she showed were
on an orange-brown spectrum.


Vermont-based artist Edward Loedding displayed
paintings from his white portfolio.

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Mary Ann from Tampa


One thing I have learned while doing this blog is that
I can sometimes walk up to a well-dressed complete stranger and say,
"You have a wonderful classic face; may I take a photograph of you?"
and Mary Ann from Tampa will courteously say, "Yes, you may."

Friday, March 21, 2014

Early morning at the 17th Hole


The sun was rising in the East as I was on my way to the clubhouse for an early tee time.
No colorful sunrise, but still beautiful and with a nice reflection.

An iPhone photo for Weekend Reflections.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Naples Botanical Garden VI - Fruit, Flowers and Plants


A bunch of Bananas.


Flowers from a Double Buttercup Tree.


Bougainvillea.


A purple flower with a bee.
(OK, I forgot to take notes.)


A seed pod?


Ben teak.


And something else that I don't remember but was pretty cool.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Purrr-fect!


Chris is from Pittsburgh.  For much of his working life, he managed landscaping crews.
These days he is retired and devotes a lot of his time to caring for his elderly
mother-in-law while his wife manages a furniture store.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

A Walk on Sanibel Beach


A mermaid sand sculpture made by
Eva, Mom and Eva's brother Jon.


A sandman.


A sandboy.


All this beach walking and picture-taking works up an appetite.
So, of course, a visit to Grandma Dot's is required.

Monday, March 17, 2014

Jane's Restaurant


Jane's Restaurant is in a courtyard on a side street
just steps from 3rd Street South in Naples.


It is a good place for an al fresco lunch.
Especially if you are wearing orange, salmon or red.


Don't forget to have key lime pie for dessert.  Hey!  You deserve it.

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Laarni


Laarni is a West Virginia University graduate.  She works for Collier County as
a supervising nurse, helping pregnant teens, drug abusers and other
at risk mothers.  We talked about photography and she showed
me some lovely flower photos on her computer.

Laarni is indeed a Superwoman.

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Naples Botanical Garden V - Hummingbird and Flower


This LEGO brick sculpture by Sean Kenney
sits in the Florida Garden
at Naples Botanical Garden.


It is made from 31,365 LEGO bricks.

Friday, March 14, 2014

Naples Botanical Garden IV - Mike


Mike is a retired high school principal.  For the past four years he has spent
 five days a week leading tours of
Naples Botanical Garden.

Do you like reflections?  Click here for Weekend Reflections.

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Naples Botanical Garden III- LEGO Garden Worker


This Garden Worker is at the Children's Garden
at Naples Botanical Garden.


This sculpture was made from 37,497 LEGO bricks.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Naples Botanical Garden II - LEGO Butterfly

Yesterday you saw the real butterflies at Naples Botanical Garden.


Here is a large Eastern tiger butterfly made from 37,481 LEGO bricks.

Through mid-May, the Naples Botanical Garden is exhibiting 15 large
LEGO brick sculptures designed and constructed by
Sean Kenney, a LEGO certified professional.