Florida

For the last several years, we have flown down to Florida towards the end of February, spent a week with my folks, then drove them home.  This year, they decided not to go to Florida at all, but we decided to keep up our tradition anyway.  So, we have spent the last week and a half in the sunny south.  And it was the sunny south all except one day.  The weather was beautiful. 
We spent the first week in Venice at the Venice Beach Villas.  A small, quaint, older, resort that we really liked.  Situated on Venice avenue, we could walk east to the downtown shops and restaurants, or west to the beach.  There were two senior couples from Bluffton staying there, so we enjoyed their fellowship.  Most of the people staying here come back year after year, so they all knew each other and were on a first name basis, even with the staff.  Venice is a smaller, quieter, slower paced town than some of the other popular Florida destinations.  And it has Casperson Beach, (my favorite) where I spent much time hunting shark teeth!  We also spent time on Venice Beach, Clearwater Beach, and visited St. Pete Beach. 

There ought to be a weight limit on who can wear Speedo's.

Pelicans were the wildlife of abundance this year.  They would float around on the water, gracefully lift off, soar over the water until they spotted a fish, then tuck their wings and dive bomb into the water and come up with a fish in their mouth.  Sometimes there would be a group of 3 - 8 pelicans practicing synchronized diving into a school of fish. They are much more graceful than they would appear to be.

Behold the humble pelican;  His beak can hold more than his belly can!

We enjoyed the fellowship at the Sarasota church, and ate out with Roy's and Ralph's one evening in honor of Dad and Roy's birthdays.
Speaking of eating out, I partook of some very fine food while down here.
-- Grilled Hogfish at Captain Eddies
-- Baby Back Ribs at Gold Rush
-- Chilean Sea Bass at Casey Key Fish House
-- Okeechobee Frog Legs at Captain Eddies
-- Alligator at Phillipi Creek Oyster Bar
-- BBQ Beef Brisket at Rib City
-- Crab Stuffed Salmon at Bascom's Chop House

As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.
John 21:9