Land Yacht Safari Blog

Uncle Tommy visits....

August 30, 2011, Tuesday.....Ray's brother Tommy was ready for a road trip....almost always we are ready for a road trip...especially if it means going away with the Airstream.....Tommy settled in on Treasure Island and we set up at Fort DeSoto Campground..... .....fairly constant rain was the weather situation....but it really didn't matter....we get more than plenty of sun and rainy days are a favorite change of pace.....here at the Ka Tiki they had their rain flaps tied down.....and Ray was the designated driver.....  ....sunset from our campsite..... 

we had a great visit.....hope to meet at another camping spot soon....

448th Post.....Rainbow Springs....

August 20, 2011...Just north of us you run into Spring Country....and it is delightful....water is The Source....and in Florida, the legislators are trying to lessen regulations on polluting our water treasure....it is such backassward thinking.....tea party thinking.....as I said....backassward.....  .....in the winter, Manatees use the Springs to stay warm......in the summer, we use them to keep cool....and to feed our souls..... .....our souls are hungry.....and thirsty...... 
.....and sometimes during mindful soul feeding, I run into interesting and handsome men....I like that.....  
...... I do.....

Having a Mother Cardinal use the cat's water dish as a bathtub is risky.....

    

Friday, August 5, 2011....ok....here I am again....at home....but in June at Geiger Key close to Key West.....a great place....water,kayaks, snorkel and fins, rod and reel, a tiki hut, Airstream, on-site bar with live music, son, husband, granddog and our Hannah....really close to the ideal and still be in this country.....
Father's Day at the Keys....Ray's request.....wonderful......
great to get to spend some time with our son and the pups..... 
 
the water was really clean....kayaking is something we have just started....I love it.....
No Name Pub .....off the charts pizza....the Keys are still special to us......and everything turned out fine for the Mother Cardinal I was just watching out my window....at least for today.....

Bletilla Orchids....Ground Orchids.....

Tuesday, May 17, 2011....Full Moon.... ....just became aware of these babies while doing a garden tour here recently.....
this is a shot looking straight down with too much flash at Tangerine and Lambert's Pride bromeliads from Tropiflora.... ....a yellow ground orchid....

tomorrow a shot of the new fence J and Ray are building......

Untitled.....or Back in the Saddle.....

Well, today is May 3, 2011....a Tuesday....let me see if I can remember how to use this.....
......awwww.....Hannah, Jackson and Jedi......
....birthday guy on a camping trip........ 

Tank, on a recent beach trip.......
Hannah and Terrie check out a new self-service dog wash set up.....Terrie liked it....

David...Mirror Mirror....Bath Time......

September 10, 2010....Friday.....our nephew, David from the Pensacola area just returned from Russia, after a six week course at the University of Moscow....and he loved it.....this opportunity gave him his final credits to graduate from FSU in International Relations and Political Science....Congratulations, David....we were able to visit with David in Pensacola recently....he taught us about his music interests....like Neko Case....I had not ever heard of her before but now we are aware of her, we find out she is opening for Bob Dylan at some performance....David plays the guitar well and really enjoyed talking music with Ray....we are excited to see what he does next...we are in your corner, David..... .......remember in November we replaced our entire roof?....well, not too long ago we noticed a blemished area on the mirror that grew....the mirror is over the mantle....the chimney is on top of that wall....Ray called the roofing contractor....he sent out one of his crew....and they determined water had leaked in behind the mirror (that had been there since 1924) because the flashing around the chimney was not secure after they put on the new roof....the contractor paid for everything from painting the ceiling to removing the mirror...repairing the wall behind the mirror and replacing the mirror....we were very pleased with his response....if you need a roof replaced, call me or email me and I will refer you to this contractor...... ...........before and after for the mirror episode.... .......we posted this note on the new sealed in wall behind the new mirror for someone to find someday....... ........beautiful and bright new mirror....and then I asked Tom, the glass and mirror company owner how he wound up in such a specialty business....he said he took a job with a mirror company in Michigan back when he was a young man when he needed to supplement his income from playing keyboard in several bands....he sat down at our piano and gave a 15 minute concert....rock to Bach....you don't ever know who is going to be at your house....thank you, Tom.....
......tomorrow we are off for a small camping trip a few days......Ray gave the Airstream a bath....if you were going to camp host for a summer or part of a summer and wanted to explore a new area, where would it be and why?.... 
 
 
 

Cole and Grace .....Beach and Music 2010......

July 29, 2010....Thursday....I know what the date is today because it is my little sister, Lisa's, birthday....tomorrow it is Megan's birthday, Robin's birthday and the next day is Nealon's birthday.....Happy Birthday to all of you...and much love.....our great nephew, Cole and our great niece, Grace came to visit us....they arrived with their "gran", Carol....Ray's sister.....Cole has been taking guitar lessons....he plays an electric lead guitar....what a thrill to listen to him and to see how much he has progressed since October when we last saw him..... ......and Grace used the electronic keyboard and an acoustic guitar to play along....she also is a singer.....what fun....and it did sound so good..... ......they even let me play the autoharp with them...... ......Grace was a natural with the microphone....... ....and with the paints.....very bright children.... ........Cole used a skim board of Dee's....Dee taught him enough that Cole then tutored Nick from New Jersey..... .......we were all so happy Dee was able to spend some time with us at the beach....even though he did pull a few muscles....he had not skim boarded in about 25 years but now plans to go out weekly for the exercise......yippee.....Cole and Grace just love Dee..... .......and us and we love them and enjoyed their visit to Florida......and thank you Carol for bringing them to share with us....oh, boy....Hannah misses them..... ....and looking at the entire album, I see Carol must have been on vacation....we didn't get a single photo of her.....she had a great time....see all of you again soon......

 
 
  
 
 
 
 

Hands Across the Sand......

July 14, 2010....Wednesday.....we rode the city bus to the island to be part of a demonstration that took place all over the world....holding hands to end our dependence on oil....and to say Forever No More Fouling of Our Own Nest....No More Drilling For Oil....Not Now Not Ever.....shame on the greedy monster BP and all the others just like it....shame on their corner cutting.....shame on the killing of our mighty Gulf of Mexico....Our Mother....shame on killing the workers.... .......holding hands......in grief..... ......about 350 participants....... ........nothing, really,........just a stand in the sand....... .......


 

Aunt Karin's Birthday for our 5 year olds......Hannah, Tank and Jackson.....

Monday, June 14, 2010......Aunt Karin can throw a birthday party....a pup party is her specialty....first there was the trip to the Island for us and the birthday pups...... .......there is one park in the area where dogs on leash are allowed............these photos are on the Gulf side....the park is on the intercoastal waterway side but is a nice place to take them for a walk and a little swim...... ...... we went to an intercoastal cafe where dogs are welcomed....the park trip and cafe were our contributions to the celebration.....and then the major party....this year we were not able to have all four dogs together to celebrate...several weeks ago, Tank tore the CCL (ACL in humans) tendon in one of his back legs while running out for a ball....and he is unable to rough house with the other pups....surgery has been recommended but our son has decided to wait awhile and see how Tank does...he is a little better but not good enough to play as he usually does.....we will see....Aunt Karin ordered Tank and Hannah a memory foam bed....it is due to be delivered today....she also bought them all more toys than the royals at Buckingham Palace have....and made them each a chicken and rice dinner and a pup birthday cake of cornbread, turkey bacon and cheese....it has been a real celebration....Jedi was also included because the big dog's 5th birthday was Jedi's 9 month birthday....and of course, he believes he is a big dog too.... .......Hannah was partied out and picked her cute birthday monkey as her baby to sleep with.....Thank You, Aunt Karin.....you are a way generous party girl.....
 
  
 

Short Sail.....and New Course for Robin.....Congratulations, Captain.....

June 6, 2010.....Sunday.....lyrics in one of Ray's newer songs mention "sitting on my front porch in my wicker rocking chair".....well, well.....last night at 11:30, the temperature on that same front porch was 88 degrees....earlier in the day....92 degrees....this is a screened porch with a screen door...so it all is fully open....and it is Hot....but we are not complaining (yet).....one way to cool off is to go out and sail on Passages with our friends, Captains J and Robin....it was lovely.......
.....here Ray tries out the water and holds a rope tethered to Passages.....Shark bait but cooler..... ........this is a fabulous sailing home.......

.....in their element in Tampa Bay....the Captains are radiant.....
.........the guests were not sea sick so the Captains were extra happy......
.....Robin is Captain of her own ship come tomorrow.....she is leaving her position as Director of College Counseling for a popular private school to open her own business doing college counseling.....if you have a child in high school who needs a veteran to groom them for acceptance to a college or university no matter how select and competitive....Robin is your life line....for 25 years, she has developed world wide networks of contacts and expertise....she is the Best...Robin is the most enthusiastic and dedicated professional I have ever known....your child cannot miss under Robin's guidance (phone, Skype, internet, in-person visits)....comment to me and I will direct you privately to Robin back through your email address.....Congratulations on your impressive career, Robin dear.....you are now set for smooth sailing in the private sector !!!!!