lot of photos of anna maria island

this is a book I made for my mom after my dad died and she was getting closer to leaving the island.  she made eight copies so she could give them to her friends.  I think it really gives a feel for the island- it is a special place that has mostly escaped the big development of the Florida coasts and still holds a sense of going back in time to a beach resort area of decades ago- I hope you enjoy the photos. 

Click here to view this photo book larger

lobster surprise

no- not another post about our wildlife.  last night we decided at the last minute to go out for dinner.  my mother was a big fan of the Anna Maria Oyster Bar and especially of their lobster bisque.  so we decided to go there and surprise! it was lobster night!

the lobsters were five bucks off and they had two specials - lobster stuffed with crab meat and lobstercargot (like escargot but with lobster chunks instead.)  Phil ordered the stuffed and we shared a "cargot" and each got a lobster bisque (we still think it is the best in the country.) I had the sauteed shrimp and scallops and we were happy campers.

this is a wall painting in the ladies room. it is of the home of the original Anna Maria Oyster Bar - it has been around a long time.  the current one has a couple of locations but we have always gone to the one on Cortez just off the island's south bridge.

and here is my own photo of the pier from my photo book of Anna Maria which I have posted in the above post:

so things stay the same even as they change....

I know I know

I promised that there would be fewer wildlife photos but today we had a couple of visitors that all got up close and personal - so I can't help myself

our Anhinga showing his beautiful plumage

a white great egret visiting on the rail of the deck and a "close up" photo - although he was so close I didn't want to scare him and took this through the glass

a group of Ibis (curved beaks)- these were across the river and so the telephoto wasn't that stable - hence the lack of sharp focus.

and finally our littlest visitor and first reptile- sunning himself by the drain pipe. 

so the days at River Cottage each show their differences as we let them unfold.

later this week we have plans with CBGB and then with St. Pete friends so I know there will actually be photos of more than just our wildlife but just to appease those who visit the blog seeking adventure travel pics- here is one of a barber shop that I really like taken in India.

trip to gamble

no not that kind of gambling- this was an afternoon tour to the Gamble Plantation.  the other day Phil was telling me all about Joudeh P. Benjamin - the "Confederate's Jew" who was the secretary of war and then secretary of state for the confederacy.  this home is now the Joudeh Benjamin memorial. 

I have to say I am not sure how it is we get to have a designated memorial to a traitor to the United States who was helped to escape to England where he made a lucrative career as a barrister.  I guess the extradition laws were lenient back then.

so we did the tour of the museum and then walked to the Patten House (the later home built on the property) and then toured the Gamble Plantation home.

the Gamble home-

at its low point -

bedroom where Benjamin waited for his ship out to England- it over looks the Manatee River.

from the kitchen -

the Patten house

we rounded out the day by heading to the outlet mall so Phil could shop at the Columbia outlet before heading home and out later this evening to the Sign of the Mermaid- where they have award winning pies!

by now

you might be sick of the photos of wildlife - so I promise some variety in my upcoming posts...

full morning

we have had lots of new sightings this morning- a white pelican and several gallinules and a white heron.

now I am really wishing I had thought to bring my SLR but here are a few photos: