Tomatoes!

Earlier I reported that Immokalee is an inland agricultural area and a big producer of tomatoes.

Immokalee has an active farmers market every day.

This man was selling tomatoes.
He saw the camera, sat up straight and posed.  How easy was that?

Do You Want a New Car?

We have many choices.  Aston Martin?  Bentley?  Jaguar?  Land Rover? Rolls Royce?  Maserati?

We can offer you a Rolls-Royce Phantom for $400,000.

Or, for bargain hunters, a Bentley Continental GTC for $240,000.

Or an Aston Martin in your choice of stylish colors.  Talking prices is so unseemly.

Too subtle?  We have brightly colored and sporty Porsches.

For the environmentally conscious, we have this battery-powered
Tesla convertible with LEK - TRIK on the license plate.

Step right up!

Cottage by the Sea

This house near Lowdermilk Park in Naples caught my eye.

Don't you think dolphins are a good way to dress up a house?

Linked to Monday Murals.

Fort Myers Regional Library

A new library opened five months ago in Fort Myers' river district .

The 44,000 square feet building cost about $20 million.

There is an outdoor plaza for periodic sculpture displays,

public assemblies and concerts.

The monthly theme for City Daily Photo bloggers on May 1 is "Squares."

Banyan Tree

Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and their friend Harvey Firestone were searching for a good source of latex for rubber tires on the automobiles Ford was building.

They planted many exotic trees on the Edison and Ford winter estates in Fort Myers,

in search of the right latex extract.

This banyan tree is a variation of ficus, or fig tree.  It was planted next to Edison's laboratory in 1927.
When planted, it was 4 feet tall, 2 inches in diameter.  Today it occupies about an acre.
It is the largest banyan tree in the continental U.S.

But, it didn't produce industrial grade rubber.

Henry Ford's Winter Home in Fort Myers

Henry Ford began his career working as a mechanic in Edison's Detroit plant.

He showed Edison his plans for a vehicle powered by a gasoline engine.

They became close friends. 

 In 1916 Ford bought the house

in Fort Myers next to the Edison winter home.

Today the Edison and Ford winter estates and gardens are owned by a foundation 

and are open to the public.

The monthly theme for City Daily Photo bloggers on May 1 is "Squares."

Thomas Edison's Winter Home

Thomas Edison built a winter home, guest house and laboratory on Fort Myers'

McGregor Boulevard late in the 19th century, just one year after the town was established.

Edison was already a famous and successful inventor and businessman.

At the time, Fort Myers was remote and lightly settled, with only 349 residents.

But, the winter weather was warm, and the location offered Edison opportunities for fishing,

boating, bird watching, rest and entertaining his visitors from up north.

And, he could work quietly in his study or in his laboratory.

The monthly theme for City Daily Photo bloggers on May 1 is "Squares."

Some Guys Have All the Fun

Capriccio, by Milton Hebald.

At Naples Botanical Garden.

The monthly theme for City Daily Photo bloggers on May 1 is "Squares."

A Highrise Part of Town

Even though they have nice views of the Gulf of Mexico, I am not suited for living in a tower.

I like to be outside.  A balcony is not enough.

Linked to Ruby Tuesday.

The monthly theme for City Daily Photo bloggers on May 1 is "Squares."

Fort Myers Beach

To oversimplify, Naples is cultured and sedate and Fort Myers Beach is colorful and funky.  

These are along Estero Boulevard in Fort Myers Beach.

Linked to Monday Murals.

The monthly theme for City Daily Photo bloggers on May 1 is "Squares."

Doc Ford's Rum Bar and Grill

Doc Ford is the protagonist of local author Randy Wayne White's thrillers.

(RandyWayneWhiteRandyWayneWhiteRandyWayneWhite . . . say that ten times fast!)

Doc Ford is a marine biologist who also has a clandestine relationship to

a secret US government agency that we can't talk about.  Shhh!

There are four Doc Ford's Rum Bar and Grill restaurants in southwest Florida.  I usually go to the one on Sanibel, but the Fort Myers Beach restaurant is closest.

Molly is the hostess at Doc Ford's Fort Myers Beach restaurant.

I bought one tee shirt for myself and a shirt and cap for a friend.

The monthly theme for City Daily Photo bloggers on May 1 is "Squares."

Bell Tower Shops

I found many patterns to like in this small Fort Myers shopping mall.

The monthly theme for City Daily Photo bloggers on May 1 is "Squares."

Nesting Egrets

This was quite a sight.  The photograph doesn't convey how special it is to see in person.

At dusk, snowy egrets swarm in nests all over a tree on a small island in
a residential Naples neighborhood.

Weekend Reflections.

The monthly theme for City Daily Photo bloggers on May 1 is "Squares."

Peace Symbol

When the peace symbol was designed in the late 1950s,

did anyone think it would become a sculpture in a high end shopping mall?

Gunther

Gunther is a scientist with a Ph.D. in things about viruses that I don't understand.

He and his wife were born in Vienna.
They moved to the USA for Gunther to pursue post-doctoral studies.  

Before retiring, he was an executive at a Massachusetts biotech company.

Gunther is a talented runner, swimmer, cyclist and photographer, and a healthy eater.
I hate him.

A 1927 Cottage

Lots of viewers prefer cottages to mansions.  I don't blame you.
This cottage on 11th Avenue South was once called Morning Glory Cottage,
but the morning glories on the porch are gone.
Two blocks to the beach, two blocks to shopping and restaurants.

Linked to Ruby Tuesday.

Gordon Drive

It is hard to beat this landscaping, isn't it?

Do Gates Turn a Big House into a Mansion?

It is hard to have a fancier pair of gates than this big house, don't you think?

This big house is in contention for fanciest gates, 

and the house has a formal façade.  Is it big and imposing enough to be a mansion?

These gates are not as fancy, but they guard a very big and very imposing house.

It is a mansion, isn't it?

This one has a strong and imposing gate and the house is big and impressive.

I think we have found a mansion.

Maybe it Takes a Fountain to Be a Mansion

If a fancy fountain is needed, this house has one, but I can't see the house

well enough to know if it is a mansion.

This house has a smaller fountain, and it isn't working.
But, the house is plenty big.  Maybe it is a mansion?

What about this one?  I don't think mansions have awnings.

I think I need to keep looking.

When is a Big House a Mansion?

So, as I told you yesterday, I went looking for a couple of Naples mansions to show you.

But, when does a big house become a mansion?

For example, this is a lovely big house.  Is it a mansion?

How about this one?  It is even bigger.

This one is big, but it seems too friendly to be a mansion, don't you think?

This one is big, too.  But, to be a mansion, does it have to be
more imposing than this one?  And can mansions have a pelican in front?

I think I need to keep looking.