February 15-17, 2018 Bonita Springs, Florida

83 degrees and sunny. We drove to Punta Gorda to have lunch with my some kind of cousin Betsy and her husband HR. They are staying a month just north of Tampa in their RV. We met halfway. It was great to see them.

We got there a bit early so we walked along the waterfront. John with Ponce de Leon in the waterfront park. We had a nice lunch at Hurricane Charley's right on the waterfront. Betsy's mother is my mother's cousin, not sure how we are related. We had a good time catching up

John and I then went to downtown historic Bonita Springs to check it out. Bonita Springs city seal which says Gateway to the Gulf, a mural of the waterfront park downtown, the flag says small town charm- Big bright future, a sculpture in the riverfront park called a Slice of Heaven, the sign for Everglades Wonder Garden. The gardens was opened in 1936 as a refuge for injured animals. It now home to a collection of native birds, turtles and alligators.Also has a botanical garden. A tricolored heron on the river. We picked up maps of places to boat, including the river in riverfront park. Sunset over the lake at the RV park. 

Today I  sent these baskets to my sister to sell in the Death Valley art show. Today was 83 degrees and sunny so we went to the beach. There was tons of traffic to get here and very little parking. We lucked out and nabbed a parking spot from someone who was leaving in this fancy residential area. John on the beach.

It was more crowded farther down the beach. The water was nice, beautiful white sand with lots of shells. This snowy egret landed right in front of me. His plumey feathers are blowing in the breeze. These guys were hunted almost to extinction when the women in Europe were wearing hats with their feathers on them. 

John with his 100% sunblock on sunbathing. We stopped at the Momentum Brewery on the way home. John with his Knee High IPA.

  

Another sunny 83 degree day. We paddled up the Imperial river through Bonita Springs. John a tiny dot by the huge tree. Welcome to the City of Bonita Springs canoe and kayak trail.  Turtles hanging out off someones dock, alligator sunbathing and a great blue heron.

The heron poised by the riverside. John paddling by, the heron is the blur in the middle left of picture,he was flying off.

Cypress knees by the riverside, more knees and a green heron.

John silhouetted on the river. Sunset from camp.

Continuation of the sunset.