Sanibel Sunset Scenes Renewed

Have you ever wanted a lighthouse of your very own?  Well, here's your chance to own a replica of the Sanibel Lighthouse.  Seven hundred tickets are on sale at Bailey's General Store at $10.00 each.  A portion of the proceeds will go to refurbishing the Lighthouse.

Or....you could purchase a post card....and

send the Sanibel Lighthouse home, where it would be waiting when you return from vacation.

      

This evening we could see pink clouds from our deck, so we hurried back out to spoil island B of the Sanibel Causeway.The sun had just set, as we arrived.  Here are the sunset scenes from today.

This is the view as I looked toward the Sanibel Lighthouse, from the first bridge.

As we pulled over to park, I looked across the street to see

our friend Tink, who we had left only a couple of hours before.

She had gone to Gulfside City Park, to walk on the beach and search

for seashells. 

She was surprised to see us, when I yelled to her.  She brought her shell finds over to show us.  She had several tiny juvenile Horse conchs, a few small Nutmegs and Apple murex, three medium size Banded tulips and a few other things.  Not a bad booty. :)

She had started on her way home, saw the beautiful clouds and had to pull over to take some pictures.  If you check her website tomorrow, you might get a look at those photos and also see her shelling treasures.

Now from the other side of the island, left to right.

I love the changing colors.

In case you wonder; I had to aim high in the picture below to hide some ladie's head.  Why is it that everytime the sun sets and people get their cameras out, somebody looks over at you, then walks right out in front of you and stands there or drives over and parks their car in front of you?  I'm thinking if I can see the view from where I am (not in someone elses way), why can't they?  Is it just me, or does that seem rude to you?  It would be different if they were already there, fishing or something.  But really, that lady kept turning around looking back at us and just kept pacing back and forth until it was dark.  Another couple walked right past us and did the exact same thing, after seeing three of us there with cameras aimed right where they were going.  At least they had a camera, the lady didn't, but I'm sure she enjoyed the view.  Although she wasn't smiling. :) 

It was a beautiful evening, the wind was blowing and the air was cool, and no matter what I said, nothing could spoil that view. :)

Monday Taste Test

Today was sunny, breezy and 75 degrees. It was also Presidents Day, which made it possible for a friend, Ms Tink to come to the island on a shopping spree. She said she was out to help stimulate the economy, but I think she simply needed some palm trees, sunshine and the island breeze.

When she arrived, we decided to have lunch somewhere we hadn't been. We picked the Twilight Cafe on West Gulf Drive. I had not been there yet because I heard that it was mostly gourmet type foods and a little pricey. WRONG!! You must keep in mind that I was raised as a country girl, and I prefer meat and potatoes without much of anything piled on top of it. :-) My food was going to be prepared by an award winning chef.....I didn't know if I would like it.

The menu had a large variety of foods, it offered something for every one's taste. One of us simply had a side order of two pancakes, which they happily provided. Another chose a salad of greens topped with a large piece of blackened salmon, which she said was excellent. I had a cheese burger slider, fries, and a salad of greens with the house dressing that is to die for! To drink, I had iced tea, which I laughingly say, would have been better with a slice of lemon which was missing. It's not bad when that is the only thing you would change about your lunch order. :-)

The service was excellent as well as the food. The cafe has a very nice atmosphere; depending upon the occasion, I think you could say it is cozy, as well as romantic. The price for the three of us today, was around $30. In my opinion, this place could easily become a favorite!








Cozy area to sit, if there is a wait.

Maybe a drink at the bar, if there is a wait?
I love the deco! (My photos don't do it justice.)








This was just the right amount of food for me. :-)



Cute painting on the door.

Loved this little bench!

A perfectly cute rug in the entry way.



This evening I drove over the causeway to do grocery shopping. Those two for one sales were calling me. :-)

The water looked a little choppy, but I was able to see a couple of dolphin swimming. There were lots of gulls flying around on the air currents along side the traffic. On the first island there was a man trying to take a photo and gulls were flying all around him. There was a large group of people enjoying a picnic.

Just before getting to the next island, I noticed a couple of kite surfers. When on the highest point of the last bridge, I happened to see the sun in my rear view mirror. After coming off the causeway, I made a left turn on a street that would take me back toward the water so I could see the sun going down.

This area is Punta Rassa, which is only four and a half square miles and a little over two of that is water. Punta Rassa was an important cattle town in the 1800's, and was the point where cattle were taken by ship to Cuba. The Sanibel Resort and Spa (which isn't in Sanibel, they say Sanibel Harbour....confusing, isn't it?) is in this area along with an area of private condominiums, and homes. The Caloosahatchee River runs on the north side of Punta Rassa. This is some interesting, history trivia, if you're interested.

After taking a couple photos of the late evening sun, I headed back past the parking area for the Punta Rassa Boat Ramp. It was then that I noticed lots of new palm trees planted along the approach to the toll plaza, and on each side of the causeway. I had been wondering when the planned landscaping would be finished.

Back onto McGregor once again, then Summerlin Road to San Carlos and a stop at Publix and a WinnDixie to take care of that grocery shopping! Yes, I almost forgot what mission I was on. :-)

Tranquil Sanibel Thursday

This was a perfect day for a bike ride. The route today was wonderful and completely different than the one I went on a couple of days ago, except it was a long one too. But, this ride was totally tranquil.

Near the end of Bailey Road there is a very lightly traveled street called Bay Drive. A large part of the Drive is lined on one side by the Bay Drive Preserve and on the other side, the Dunes Preserve Tract G. There are also many beautiful homes along the bay shore and on a canal.

It's a nice shady ride.

There are places to peek out and see the bay.
The water was very clear.

Groups of pelicans feeding.

View of the causeway.

Days like today, make me appreciate the efforts that have and still are put forth by many, to protect our tropical environment. I truly enjoyed looking at the plant life, mangroves, and trees, while I wondered what the name of some of them were. I watched as the brown pelicans dove for fish, gulped them down, then rested as they bobbed up and down on the waves; felt bad for startling a little marsh bunny and for making a tiny lizard scurry across the road for fear of being run over; saw osprey and sea gulls fly overhead, listened to a doves call and other bird sounds.





Oranges nearly ripe.

The Bay Drive Preserve sign bears the names of the donors. The first portion of 7.30acres was given for conservation land in 1976 by Harvey and LaVerne Gigstad. Another portion of 2.30 acres was donated by Robert L. and Ruth E. Dormer, in 1986. To see where the preserves are located, there is a very good map on the SCCF website. You can click on the area you want to see to make it larger. The Dunes Preserve Tract G, consisting of 4.28 acres on the opposite side of the road, was donated by the Mariner Corp in 1984.

This preserve is between Bay Drive and the Bay.

When I got back to Bailey Road, I rode to the end of it and parked the bike. I walked a little on the beach. I found a few pink tellins and one purplish tagleus.

The first pink tellin I found had the tip broken off. :-( But, I was lucky to find any, because I had seen four other people walk over this area ahead of me.





. I helped a tiny starfish back into the water.


There was a fishing boat very close to the shore with a couple of men fishing, one of them caught a fish and released it, as gulls and terns flew around them.

You can see where rough water from the hurricanes washed out a part of this street along the bay, and it is now closed.



Just a few minutes later, I noticed that a fisherman standing on shore had caught a Royal Tern in his line. The boat captain yelled instructions to him, how to untangle it, but he was having quite a problem holding the bird still and get it loose at the same time. Someone had to help him because the line was wrapped around the bird’s neck several times, and it was biting his fingers as he worked with it. In a just a short time the bird was set free.




The next part of the ride was all the way around Sand Castle Road. In one of the lakes by the Dunes Golf Course, an alligator was floating in the water.


Then to put a proper finish to my afternoon; just as I rode into the driveway and got off my bike, I was startled by something flying over me. As I looked up, I saw the underside of an Eagle going over and watched it land right here, in a tree.

I think the only things I left out, were the two times I nearly fell over; but I think I’ll spare you the details of those mishaps. :-)