W. P. Franklin Corps of Engineers Campground, Ft. Myers, FL:   Sunny, chilly, and windy today.  We spent the morning taking care of our taxes and other things on-line.  Sat outside reading for a while.  Before dinner we walked over to a ranch across the road from the entrance to our park.  They have llamas, donkeys, and miniature ponies.  They were so friendly, running over to the fence and allowed us to pet them—in fact, demanded that we pet them.  Except for the llamas.  They were a little aloof.  Supposed to get pretty chilly tonight.

Cute little donkey

Miniature ponies came running up to get petted

W. P. Franklin Corps of Engineers Campground, Ft. Myers, FL:  Drove down to Sanibel Island around noon.  We were going to take the bikes and bike the island, but nixed that when I woke up with a headache that wouldn’t quit.  Besides the wind really picked up and it was pretty blustery.  We got on the island around 1:00 and dined al fresco on the back deck at Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille.  Doc Ford is the main character in the novels by Randy Wayne White (say that fast three times).  Randy is a well known author here in Florida and his stories center around various locales in southern Florida—but mostly in Sanibel.  In fact, he used to sell fish from this very building, as he used to run fishing charters out of Tarpon Bay Marina, just up the road from what is now the restaurant.  The food was very good.  I had coconut-encrusted, pan-seared yellow tail snapper served over rice pilaf with a medley of julienne vegetables.  Washed down with an Island Mojito—rum, mint, lime juice, sugar and soda water.  Mike had a pork chop with cheese grits, which had the consistency of mashed potatoes.  After lunch we drove back on McGregor through the older section of Ft. Myers.  Stopped at a produce stand to pick up a few things just as the rain started. A couple of guys in a sailboat tied up to the pilings in the river just in front of our site.  Just in time too, as it started raining pretty good—the eagle keeping a watchful eye on them.  84 when we got to Sanibel.  73 as the front came through.

Eagle was back this morning--crows didn't like it.

Doc Ford's Rum Bar & Grille--Sanibel Island

Coconut-encrusted, pan seared yellow tail snapper, served on a bed of rice pilaf and julienne vegetables

Ft. Myers is called the City of Palms--McGregor Blvd. is lined on both sides with Royal Palms

Lake Manatee State Park, Bradenton, FL, to W. P. Franklin Corps of Engineers Campground, Ft. Myers, FL:  Left Lake Manatee this morning under clear blue skies.  Only about a 2 hour drive to Ft. Myers.  We were all ensconced by 12:00.  My brother, Ron, and his wife, Jan, came over and I made some chili.  We sat around outside enjoying this beautiful day.  They left shortly after dinner.  Ron gets up at the crack of dawn to go into work.  While we were sitting outside later the eagle came back to his favorite perch in the tree across the river from us.  He’s been here every year we stay here.  A really pretty park on the Caloosahatchee River surrounded by really nice cattle and horse ranches and some really nice homes.  Mid-80s today.

Our resident eagle

Beautiful, isn't he?

Our pretty site right on the river.

People in this really nice boat came by to check out the eagle.

Lake Manatee State Park, Bradenton, FL:  Another really nice day today.  After lunch we went back to the Gamble Plantation to take the tour.  Construction of this Greek revival style mansion was started in 1843.  At one time Gamble owned 3500 acres.  His was the largest sugar mill in the area.  He owned 180 slaves.  Everything was done by the slaves—including the building of the mansion.  After the tour we came back and relaxed reading for a while.  Another cold front is supposed to come through tomorrow and bring the temperatures down quite a bit.  Hopefully Ft. Myers won’t be too bad.  And we’ll be in the Keys in just a few days.  Low 80s today.  More left-over turkey tonight for dinner.

Gamble Mansion & Plantation
Oldest antebellum plantation in south Florida

Lake Manatee State Park, Bradenton, FL:  We went out for breakfast this morning and then did the laundry and picked up a few groceries.  An apt activity for Black Friday.  Some pretty nasty shenanigans taking place in some of the stores.  One woman used pepper spray in order to get the item she wanted.  Unbelievable!   What a great way to get in the holiday spirit!  Low 80s today. 

Let's hear it for "Shop Small Saturday"--promoting small businesses.

Lake Manatee State Park, Bradenton, FL:  This morning dawned bright and sunny with a little chill in the air.  Watched the Thanksgiving Day parade and put the turkey breast in the oven around 1:00.  While the turkey was baking away we enjoyed a couple of cocktails.  Watched the football game between the undefeated Packers and the 7-3 Detroit Lions.  I was rooting for the Packers and Mike was for the Lions.  Good game.  Packers won.  Our dinner was delicious and we stuffed ourselves.  Upper 70s today.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Lake Manatee State Park, Bradenton, FL:  Really cloudy this morning—harbinger of things to come.  But it was still really warm.  It was so humid the mirrors all fogged up.  We’re not complaining though.  It was sure better than the chilly marine layer out along the California coast.  We decided to drive down to Sarasota taking Rt. 41 instead of I-75.  First mistake.  Lots of traffic lights and slow going.  Wanted to have lunch in old town Sarasota and walk around some.  Followed the first sign we saw for old town and then never saw another sign.  So we ended up at a Longhorn Steakhouse just before I-75.  Turned out to be a better decision since the sky was looking pretty stormy to the north.  Mike had pork chops and I had a really nice grilled chicken salad with strawberries, grapes, mandarin oranges, candied almonds, feta cheese, and all topped off with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing. Really good.  After lunch we dodged rain drops back to the truck and got on I-75 heading back to our pretty park.  The traffic on 75 was very heavy.  We were glad to get back to our park which is 9 miles east of I-75 and really out in the country.  Got ensconced inside with the book I’m reading—“As time Goes By”—which starts where the movie, “Casablanca”, ended.  A very interesting read.  My brother-in-law, Dan, let me borrow it.  80s before the rain.  70s after.

The beautiful Ringling Estate--Sarasota, FL