Moving On

These last days were moving days and Theresa and I were busy trying to keep up with the action.We were fortunate to divest ourselves from all the stuff we collected over the last ten years. We thought it would be sad to close the door on such a wonderful place but another door opened at the same time.

Our fond memories will be in our minds eye forever and the friends we shared time and events with have enriched our lives. As we watched the men carry out Theresa's beautiful mint green leather couches she did react by establishing her right to new ones when we furnish our new home. This evening as we prepared supper compliments of our real estate agent we realized that things are just that - things.Memories are real.

Our van is overweight , more than full and groaning under the strain of all the goodies we have decided to take home. You could not even attempt to stuff another golf ball in that van. We will travel home more slowly this year savoring the sights along the way . We may not pass by this way for some time so we will take advantage of this opportunity to fill up our minds with pictures we have seen many times but not like this.

The weather is getting very hot, like nineties and it is time to return to home and family so here we come filled with great hopes of a wonderful summer.

Staging

Daughter Darlene is a professional stager. Theresa and I are staging our house for sale and we are taking the course by experience. Every day (day 1 ) we begin by trying to hide the personal items which might give prospective buyers that real people actually lived here..

Shoes; we have 20 pair, actually Theresa has 20 pair. How do you hide that many shoes? There are many items that show that we have some interest in life that have to be unseen. Furniture becomes sterile but perfectly placed to show no one actually uses it .

The pool is so clean and none of the toys that make swimming in the water so enjoyable have to be out of sight. Actually the pool looks like it is a fixture ready for a picture. The garden area is so devoid of shovels and instruments of agriculture that one would wonder how all the vegetables grew without weeds and look so good.

Selling a loved property is so emotional that when you take the real items out of the equation I would wonder why anyone would want to buy it. If that is what it takes to sell .....so be it.

Pensive Mood

There are times in our lives when we have to come to grip with issues that are life changing. At this time we are at that stage - or at least I am that. Life gives us an opportunity to expand our horizons but at a cost. Should we make choices that are for our benefit or should we consider the bigger picture and see life as a community venture and contemplate the whole family?

We have been fortunate to have lived in Florida for ten years in a beautiful home and with close friends and activities which would be the envy of many. Our 95 year old mother is in a lodge which also would be the envy of many but she is missing the most important part of her life. She misses we who are living the good life, and feels alone despite the fact that she has family close by.

We will have to return to Oakville and have Doris come back into the fold and share her remaining years with the people that really count. This is not a easy decision as we will have to sell our home here and return to the winter weather which we have escaped for so many years.

This stage in our life will have its rewards as we will be able to share the remaining years that Doris will have here on earth. I have a clear picture of the years ahead and realize that there is always a social benefit from doing the proper thing. We are anxiously looking forward to our new adventure.

Eagles 3, Owls 2

During the last nine years we have been watching several pair of eagles nesting and raising their young. One pair has just hatched their seventieth young ones and the other pair have been having some trouble with establishing their territory.

This pair of eagles built a nest in a beautiful tree and had success in hatching two chicks. The next year the nest took was taken over by a pair of Great Horned Owls. The following year it was eagles again  and this year the owls were there to raise their two chicks. Owls are notorious for being lazy and avoiding the work of building a nest. They steal a ready made nest from eagles or other large birds.

We are always surprised that eagles will give up their nest to owls, but they do. This year it appears to be a good year for the nesting birds but there are some problems with water levels for wading birds. When we keep score for that second nest we have it: Eagles 3 and Owls 2.

Little Visitor

Today we were cleaning up and as I vacuumed the pool Theresa saw a small creature on our screen. I recognized it as a chameleon and approached it so as not to panic the little creature. It moved off the screen to the white support  and it turned a definite whitish color. It is quite amazing how they are capable of turning colour to match the environment. Some people do that when they enter certain professional jobs. They say whatever is necessary to keep their standing with the group. They finally get found out when they have to walk over tartan.

Life is like that - not black or white but rather, a fine mixture of all colours. And real people are able to cope as the chameleon does.

Surprise

Our farmers market has more to offer than food. Yesterday while we were walking through the market area we saw a waving arm  and immediately recognized it as a former educator that I have not seen for 20 years. They are wintering here in Cape Coral and we linked up as we entered the market.

We were made aware that they were here but were unable to contact them because we were all having visitors and very busy. We plan to get together for a game of golf and a social evening in the near future.

In the ten minutes or so we were able to share so much of the blank spots during the last years. When we meet again there will be much to talk about and I look forward to that time.

Damage Repaired

Our screened lanai over our pool is now intact once more. After two separate incidents leaving our pool screened enclosure violated we are safe again from the invasion of insects or any foreign body while swimming.

The latest large hole was in need of professional help and that is what we got. Three men came from the re-screening company called Gene, Gene the Screening Machine and in a matter of 20 minutes completed their task. Two watched while this young man climbed on top of the cage and without any safety support worked magic in replacing the whole section of screen. He walked on the two inch supports and did his work without fear.

The job was one small task but they do all work. Gene has been doing this for 35 years and has a great reputation.Good workmanship demands a good price but it was worth it.

Busy Season For The Birds

The next few months are busy ones for the birds in Florida. Ownership for a good nesting space is fought over by the Florida Bird named Mocking Bird. These little birds fill the air from sunrise to sunset during the nesting period. We usually have two nests in our trees. Since they are very territorial their nests are on different sides of the house. They  have many different songs and imitate the songs of other birds.

At the golf course where there are great ponds for water birds we see numerous evidence of the mating game with Wood Storks, pelicans,ducks, Ibis and egrets all using the same space to carry out their ritual courting dances.In a way it is like spring as new life comes into focus and trees join in with fresh leaves and flowers.

The weather is very predictable with temperatures nearly the same every day and the dry season has begun in full force. With the dry season comes the fire season and warnings are numerous about safety.We are fortunate to have so many state parks and preserves available for the public. Most are free and well used. Care was taken to make land available for the preservation of special species of wildlife and vegetation.

It is interesting that in a state with so much water care must be taken to conserve water. Strict restrictions are in force to command respect for these rules. I received a warning because I had a sprinkler on at 1.15 am. I was unaware of it being used but I will be more careful from now on. A stiff fine would result in a second offence.

Today we are travelling a ways to meet with friends for lunch and it is a treat to observe the birds that inhibit the area where we go.

Making Adjustments

Every time Theresa and I change homes for the different seasons I find myself taking a few days to get myself tuned in to my new environment. It would be easier if our homes were quite similar but they are not and everything seems to be in a different place. Even the dishes and cooking utensils are located in a place quite opposite to our home in Oakville.

With the weather here breaking records nearly every day with a heat wave we find the change to be pleasant but it could be a little more moderate. Our paper delivery comes at the same time, 5  am but here it is tossed somewhere on the driveway but at home it is placed near the front door. Our mail here is delivered to a mailbox across the road and comes every day but Sunday. We like the services that the mail person offers and when we go home it is delivered to Canada free for the six months we are home free.To have our mail delivered from Canada to the USA costs about $160.

Some of the main issues that capture the news media are surprising. In all the years I have been coming to Florida I never saw such a fuss over GUNS. Discussions about arming teachers, permitting everyone to carry a concealed weapon and every other twist connected to the gun issue is overpowering. Talk shows on the radio, huge adds in the paper and headlines in nearly every paper gives you the feeling that it is not safe to live in the USA.

We feel quite the contrary and never feel unsafe. As a matter of fact Cape Coral ranks high in the safety issue and ranks in the very top for cities our size in Florida and America. I do see and hear much about guns and feelings run very high so it is a good idea to stay out of the discussion about Amendment #2.Gun sales have jumped through the roof since there is a movement to change the gun laws in America. Even minor changes cause strong resistance. We in Canada had a good gun registry in place but our copy cat government is looking more like the USA regarding gun control. Both here in the USA and Canada the vast majority wish reasonable gun control legislation but a minority ,led by the NRA in the USA and some red necks from the west in Canada  hold the country in a vice like grip because of the rich lobby from gun and ammunition manufacturing plants  both here and in the USA.

Something nice before I close this blog is the fact that this year we are going to have some visitors from home and we are looking forward to sharing time with these friends.

Back In Florida

After a beautiful month of shared time with my family and friends it is good to be back here to put my house in order. I don't mean the house but the yard. Much can happen in a month here and as I drove up to our home I could see major growth in the flowers and bushes. The weeds did not take a holiday but seemed to take advantage of my not being there to keep them in check.

Our pool looks great as the neighbour's took good care of it as they always do.My garden looks a little shabby but actually I was surprised at the condition because the weather was not the greatest. On arrival the weatherman announced that this day broke all existing records as the temperature jumped to 89 degrees. The old record for that day was 85.

What were we to do with these conditions? What everyone does ... pour a cold drink and relax.  Order in a pizza ans relax. Relax was the operative word as we were a little tired from he early starting time of our departure and the flight itself.

Today we will make up for the resting and get all the little thigs completed to make our home and garden acceptable.

Missing My Garden

When we come to Florida we rush to get the garden planted so we can reap the benefits of fresh vegetables. This year we planted the garden around the last week of October and everything grew very well because of the perfect weather. Cool nights with hot days is a good combination for growth.

We were going to settle for a pot garden but as usual I couldn't see a empty space in the back yard.We planted three kinds of tomatoes, cantaloupe, carrots, two kinds of beans, two kinds of lettuce, Swiss chard and beets. Everything will do well while we are away but the beans will be ready next week and we are eating the lettuce.

Because we have a watering system  the garden should survive the drought like conditions during December, January and February. In spite of that I will worry the whole time I am home.

Snow Flakes and Sunshine

Theresa and I are enjoying some of the best weather Florida can offer because traditionally November and early December are the very best. However we are in touch with our kids and they report a different story about the weather in Oakville. We are about to go home for a number of weeks and wish to have nice snow and sunshine every day we are home.

The weather here is ideal for our way of life and we have cool evenings and hot  days. Not really hot but around 80 degrees. The warm weather seems to push my arthritis on to the back burner and we are able to enjoy our activities of biking, swimming and now the gym.

When we arrive home we try to get in the correct mode to enjoy the winter. We have always been outdoor people and look forward to a good snowfall some real winter temperatures.

Looking after our garden and trees would be a summer chore but here  with their winter the climate is perfect to carry on as if it were summer.At any rate we will be heading home on the 13th and prepared to meet whatever weather mother nature provides.

We often say we now have summer all year long but in fact sometimes the weather can be warmer in Ontario than parts of Florida.

The World We Live In

We sometimes take for granted the wonderful opportunity of living in a clean, safe environment.Our life here in Florida is basically living outdoors. Every morning we open our house to the outside world. With sliding doors and a covered lanai we begin our day sitting in fresh air and it only gets better as the day moves along.

Since there are no smokestack industries in the area we never feel the effects of pollution. I do experience the pollution at home and my eyes and nose give evidence of the cause.As we bike along uncrowded back roads and along waterways we are treated to sightings of birds of every description. One of the common and most beautiful exhibitions of birds is capturing wood storks in flight. Often we will see large numbers of these large birds performing their ritual dancing in the sky.

These birds are excellent flying machines and achieve very high flight patterns. Sometimes they fly with the vultures who dot our skies every day. Along our shores wading birds dart in and out among the waves and gain their meal of sea creatures. The sea grapes in abundance grow in profusion in the sandy soil and provide food and shelter to many birds.

Palm trees have a profound effect on the landscape as the number and variety of these trees spell out a tropical world.People who live here yearlong take this world for granted but the visitors and snowbirds appreciate the unique and wonderful environment we share with mother nature and her beauty.

An Ordinary Day In Paradise

Some years ago Cape Coral and surrounding area was called Paradise because of its tropical climate, fine beaches and palm trees everywhere. For the last number of years Theresa and I have been enjoying our time here.

There is another side of life here and it is the maintenance of your property. You get excited about all the beautiful trees and flowers so you plant, plant and plant some more. You are amazed at the speed that everything grows and when you go home for six months you never know what to expect when you return.

The last two days were maintenance days. Mowing the lawn on a ride on mower takes one and a half hours. Trimming and cutting those areas where the big mower will not do is another hour. Pruning the bananas and white bird of paradise takes some time and the leaves have to be placed by the road for pickup. Weeding the garden is a on going chore as the weeds can quickly get out of hand. I prefer no weeds at all and try to keep it that way.

The pool required the weekly cleanup and this time there was a major vacuum job as we had a green one day problem. This required testing and a visit to the pool store for chlorine, salt and acid. Besides costing a lot you have to make sure everything is done properly. Watering the lawn and garden is easy as we have a sprinkler system but everything takes time.

Sounds like a pile of work but it must be done in a timely manner so your place presents the proper curb side picture. I am fortunate as I have a willing partner which makes the work feel like fun.Theresa often jokes about out dates looking after our home in Paradise.

We never work more than a few hours so the rest of time is sheer pleasure. We love our time here but miss our friends and family.

Privacy Trees and Golf

A very few years ago Theresa and I planted some small {1 gallon} trees in the hope they would grow and give us some privacy. Well they did grow and grow and now I am faced with a big task every six months to keep them under control. They do their job very well and along with the sea grapes make a nice separation between our home and the road. Already we have put out 8 barrels of cuttings and several piles of branches.

In our back yard we have the same situation where the White Bird of Paradise grows so quickly that on our return we have a massive cutting. The city picks up this garden waste every week and turns it into mulch used for the landscaping in the city.

I like the work involved but feel guilty cutting away beautiful branches and sometimes flowers. It could be very easy to find yourself overgrown if this task is not completed every six months at least. Our gang played golf yesterday and I was amazed at the improvement in the look of the course after their fall cleanup. Palms had their dead branches cut, all the grassy sections were trimmed preparing for a tournament and the greens were perfect. People at the golf course were doing what Theresa and I were doing but on a much larger scale.

November, the Perfect Month in Florida

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN NOVEMBER 3, 2012

For all the times I have been coming to Florida I always feel that November is the perfect month. The days are hot and we have many evenings and nights that you are able to open the windows and have a good sleep. This year so far is no exception. We have 80 degree days and 60 degrees nights, perfect.

The seeds I planted two weeks ago are now plants. The beans and tomatoes are doing well and the other vegetables are fine. It feels like our spring in Ontario and I am able to experience that feeling of procreation all over again.

Most people here in Florida close their pools and go into that winter mode but Theresa and I swim every day during the winter because the water is warm but the air is cool. We have a big towel ready when we come out and that is it. Some days people around us think we are rather unusual but we don't mind.

Tomorrow we are going to lay golf again and the course will be almost free of people because of the cool weather. From now to February the courses are trying to get customers and are waiting for the snowbirds who make the economy really get into action. Everywhere we go around the city we hear about the snowbirds. Some people complain because we drive too slowly but remember we are older.

The locals realize that we put millions of dollars into their economy so they put up with us. Actually the locals are friendly and try to understand us and in many times feel we add much to their economy.

Theresa and I love to explore the area we live in and are amazed at the diversity of the area and what it offers to people from the north. When we have friends visiting this area we are pleased to help them experience the beauty of the south.