Sunday, December 31, 2006

Merrymaking

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PLEASE, DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE!

Wishing you a fun (and safe) St. Sylvester! BTW - have you made your New Year's resolution yet?

"I made no resolutions for the New Year. The habit of making plans, of criticizing, sanctioning and molding my life, is too much of a daily event for me." ~Anaïs Nin

Saturday, December 30, 2006

Fete

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Bar al fresco at Bennigan's, a local hang-out. Let the year-end revelry commence!

"People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas." ~Author Unknown

Friday, December 29, 2006

Primary colors

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Looking for a New Year's Eve venue? I have not eaten at The Dock at Crayton Cove in Old Naples, but their bold colors look appetising to me.

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If you don't care for seafood, right across the street is the Bleu Provence known for their cuisine gourmande.

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To make room for dessert, you might want to stroll over to Tin City and indulge in some homemade ice-cream. Bon Appétit!

Thursday, December 28, 2006

Lion's Den

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Would you be brave enough to enter this store, knowing your Bible?

Fear not; Danieli is a lovely boutique with a "collection of gifts and furnishings seldom seen" (according to their brochure) at the Village on Venetian Bay in Naples.

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Splash!

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My outdoor poinsettia plant after a rainstorm, which arrived in Naples on Christmas Day. Not exactly a White Christmas, but something out of the ordinary and therefore, memorable.

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Quiz Tuesday part 4

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Third Street South, Naples.

Since most of you are still on (well deserved!) holidays and the rest of you are just recuperating from the Christmas festivities, today's quiz is none too taxing;-):

What is odd about this picture?

Monday, December 25, 2006

Merry Christmas!

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Happiness is a warm puppy...and a slightly tipsy Santa;-)

"There's nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child." Erma Bombeck.

So to the child inside us: "God bless us, every one!" Charles Dickens

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Ho, ho, ho!

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"O! You better watch out! You better not cry, better not pout, I'm telling you why, Santa Claus is coming to town!"

Have you made out your list yet? If not, here are some Christmas gift suggestions:

"To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect." Oren Arnold.

Speaking of lovely gifts - yesterday I received my reward gift from Ruth for solving her puzzle. It is a clever Russian-inspired pin, with a Christmas motif. Thanks Ruth, I love it!

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Joy to the world!

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These strolling carolers in Dickens costumes were spreading Christmas cheer inside a clothing boutique at the Promenade (the photo was taken through the glass door).

"Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love." Hamilton Wright Mabie.

Friday, December 22, 2006

Sentinels

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This photo reminds me of one of my favorite holiday movies "The March of the Wooden Soldiers" (original title: "Babes in Toyland") with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. In it, Stan and Ollie who work for a toymaker, instead of building 600 one-foot wooden soldiers as per order, mistakenly build 100 six-foot soldiers. Fun and mayhem ensues, only to end in a "happily ever after" (this is Hollywood, after all)!

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Troika

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This is the only kind of Snowman we can build in Florida:-(

"What is the difference between a snowman and a snowwoman? Snowballs!" Soupy Sales.

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Lost

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Has Rudolph been guiding Santa's sleigh without his GPS again?

"I stopped believing in Santa Claus when my mother took me to see him in a department store, and he asked for my autograph." Shirley Temple

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Quiz Tuesday part 3

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Holiday lawn decoration in my community.

Since I completely stumped you last Tuesday ;-), here is an easy quiz for today: What is Mickey doing in this photo?

Monday, December 18, 2006

'Tis the season

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Tree trimming downtown Naples. I know it looks a bit odd - the blooming flowers, the swaying palm trees, the short-sleeved clad pedestrians, but I try to remember:
"Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas." Calvin Coolidge

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Sunday treat

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Free ice-cream samples at the Promenade of Bonita Bay. My favorite Ben & Jerry's flavor is coffee heath bar crunch - what's yours?

Saturday, December 16, 2006

Loch Ness Monster?

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No, it's a Great Blue Heron in a cove of Big Hickory Island.

Friday, December 15, 2006

Take a walk on the wild side

Meet my other neighbors, just doing their thing...

alligator on the prowl

lizard on the wall
snake in the grass
turtle on the move
bobcat in the bushes
Florida panther in the tree

(I took all those pictures on my walks through the community recently, except for the panther photo - I was too busy running for my life!)

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Oasis

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Waterfall pool at the Hyatt Regency hotel at Coconut Point in Estero.

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Pretty in pink

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Wading birds in my community - roseate spoonbills and wood storks.

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Quiz Tuesday part deux

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How many figures in this photo are actually alive? (Bonita Springs art festival)
Update: The answer is: NONE. All of them are "plastic people", even the cop. For more info, please visit here.
Thanks all for playing along...

Monday, December 11, 2006

Let's do brunch

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Café & Bar Lurcat is one of the best American fare restaurants downtown Naples.

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Lazy Sunday

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"A Sunday well-spent brings a week of content." an old proverb.

Saturday, December 9, 2006

Drifting apart

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Irreconcilable differences. (Britney and Kevin, perhaps?)

Friday, December 8, 2006

Vacation home

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One of the residences of distinction in the 'hood. For more homes, please go here.

Thursday, December 7, 2006

Solitude

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A respite between holiday shopping at the Promenade of Bonita Bay.

Wednesday, December 6, 2006

Lookout

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Pelicans on Estero Bay.

Tuesday, December 5, 2006

Quiz Tuesday

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Why am I in this driveway? (Clue - can you see my ears and tail?)

Monday, December 4, 2006

Back to work

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Groundskeeping on the golf course.

Sunday, December 3, 2006

Yellow

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Allamanda flower.
*
Peace offering to those of you who are annoyed with me for posting summery pictures. I will try to do better...not!

Saturday, December 2, 2006

Chill out!

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Dedicated to all of you in colder climes. Enjoy the week-end!

Friday, December 1, 2006

Theme day

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Walking on water...(Naples beach at low tide).

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Private

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The entrance to The Colony, a gated community which predominate in Naples.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Exhale

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In your opinion, do Americans go overboard restricting smoking even in the open areas?

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Red

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Double vision. ( bougainvillea at the canoe park)

Monday, November 27, 2006

Triptych




2 gates and a window (homes in my neighborhood).
Pls. click to enlarge.

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Heaven bound

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The Wood Stork is on the endangered species list.

Saturday, November 25, 2006

Whimsical commerce

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“… [The river] is my world, and I don't want any other. What it hasn't got is not worth having, and what it doesn't know is not worth knowing…” said the Rat. (The wind in the willows by Kenneth Grahame)

Friday, November 24, 2006

Storefront

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Going to pot.

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Freedom

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Let's Give Thanks for that today! (great blue heron, snowy egret, anhinga)

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Par 4

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Can't we all just get along? (golfer vs gator)