February 2021 Largo Florida

ten thousand islands national wildlife refuge

sunshine skyway bridge

spoonbills at Myaaka

walking the beach at sunrise

28 February 2021 Sunday - Largo Florida

Morning walk to post office and library. Returned video entitled The Poisoner's Handbook, based on book of same name, which I had read earlier. Quite interesting history of the beginnings of forensic science and the office of the medical examiner in New York in the early twentieth century.

27 February 2021 Saturday - Largo Florida

Warmer day for walk to local shops to get hair washed by Kayla at Great Clips...too difficult for me to do with right arm in sling.

26 February 2021 Friday - Largo Florida

Morning walk at Walsingham Park then time spent attending Rootstech Connect 2021

25 February 2021 Thursday - Largo Florida

First morning walk after surgery in the neighborhood then Sara removed the big padded bandage from right shoulder and replaced with smaller bandaids on the four holes of the arthroscopy. After a bit of snooze, spent time attending Rootstech Connect 2021 as virtual. This is normally held in Salt Lake City and is the biggest genealogy conference in the world! Over half million have signed up online and have found that I have almost 40000 cousins attending (this is all based on correctness of data in familysearch)

22 February 2021 Monday - Largo Florida

Plan for right shoulder rotator cuff repair so out of commission for a bit!

21 February 2021 Sunday - Largo Florida

Morning stocking up at Whole Foods before I cannot drive for a bit.

20 February 2021 Saturday - Largo Florida

All day annual genealogy seminar with the local Pinellas County group but quite different this year in that we did not meet at the library but stayed home for all zoom sessions. I missed seeing all my friends who I usually see every year at this event!

19 February 2021 Friday - Largo Florida

Morning walk on a very windy and foggy beach and then rain for remainder of day.

18 February 2021 Thursday - Largo Florida

Walk to dentist for teeth cleaning then visit to mum's ALF to pay for her hair appointment and deliver goodies since I cannot drive after Monday.

17 February 2021 Wednesday - Largo Florida

Morning coffee at the clubhouse.

16 February 2021 Tuesday - Largo Florida

Morning walk at Walsingham Park then stocking up at Target and Publix and getting drugs at CVS.

15 February 2021 Monday - Largo Florida

Morning walk in the neighborhood then washed my very dirty van!

14 February 2021 Sunday - Largo Florida

Happy Valentines Day!

13 February 2021 Saturday - Chokoloskee Island Florida

Morning drive north via Everglades City and Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Hike on Marsh Trail where I saw heaps of birds on the water and in the trees, quite enjoyed the white pelicans, known for their nine foot wingspan!

12 February 2021 Friday - Chokoloskee Island Florida

Another wonderful day! Morning walk to Havana Cafe for shrimp and grits, yummy, but too much to eat in one sitting so took some home. I think that I have walked almost every street on the island (except the one that had sign no trespassing and barking dogs) but today found one that I had missed and it dead-ended at a cemetery, how wonderful for me! I wandered around and enjoyed the peaceful setting. When I returned to the cottage, I found that one of the owner's family is buried there and then he told me about another cemetery for the Lopez family. I have walked by it several times but did not realize there was a cemetery on the knoll overlooking the Havana Cafe! Spent afternoon watching the fisherpeople come in to clean fish and the pelicans enjoy the entrails.

11 February 2021 Thursday - Chokoloskee Island Florida

Morning walkabout around the island, delicious Rena breakfast in outdoor garden at Havana Cuban Cafe...fried eggs on refried black beans topped with onions (gave the jalapeno peppers a miss) and served with tortillas cooked by Carlos and delicious Cuban coffee (cortadito), home in time before midday thunderstorm. Returned to Havana Cafe for fresh stone crabs, the specialty of this area (Stone Crab Capital of the world), but heaps of work getting out all of the meat, and expensive. They are served cold with mustard sauce and drawn butter. Only the claws of the stone crab are harvested; the crab is returned to the Gulf of Mexico alive where it regenerates a new claw, up to three years to reach legal size of 2 3/4 inches.

10 February 2021 Wednesday - Chokoloskee Island Florida (pronounced Chukaluskee)

Wonderful walk on Royal Palms Hammock Trail at Collier Seminole State Park, also home of the last Bay City Walking Dredge that was used to construct the Tamiami Trail. Visit to Everglades City museum and learned of history of building of Tamiami Trail by Baron Collier. Afternoon visit to historic Smallwood Store and Museum, chat with Gary about the history of the Smallwood family who first owned most of the property on this island. Chokoloskee means "deserted shanty" in Seminole and is still considered as Florida's last frontier. Normally the place is very busy in February due to the annual Everglades Seafood Festival, which was cancelled for this year.

8 February 2021 Monday

So happy not to be in Juneau where the temps have dipped below zero!

7 February 2021 Sunday - Largo Florida
Plans for travels potentially dampened a bit by thunderstorms and tornado watch and wind but had no encounters! Made it safely across the Sunshine Skyway bridge south to Myaaka River State Park with wonderful forest walk, although a bit muddy from the rains. I thought the height of the Canopy Walk would not work for me but all was well. You climb up one tower and walk across a very secured canopy walk and then at the other tower you climb more stairs to be above the hammock, just beautiful! And so many birds, quite excited to see a "bowl" of roseate spoonbills, although most were snuggled up with their "spoons" tucked up in the feathers.  Almost hit two sandhill cranes crossing the highway when I left the park. And a few deer enjoying the woods.

6 February 2021 Saturday - Largo Florida
Morning walk on the beach, overcast and cool with colorful sunrise.

5 February 2021 Friday - Largo Florida
Morning walk on the beach, clear and starting to warm up.

4 February 2021 Thursday - Largo Florida
Morning walk at Lake Seminole then haircut appointment. Stocking up at Earthfare then afternoon doing research on how our land lease amount is calculated.

3 February 2021 Wednesday - Largo Florida
Morning visit with mum at the assisted living facility then doctor appointment with nurse practioner for my pcp clearance for right shoulder surgery.

2 February 2021 Tuesday - Largo Florida
Morning walk Walsingham Park then a bit of housecleaning.

1 February 2021 Monday - Largo Florida
Cold, windy, overcast day for oil change on the van. Because I have received no return telephone calls from doctor for two weeks, I decided to just visit their office and book surgery with them directly. I did find that the booking person had been out with covid, quite encouraging?