Quirky

This fellow would not give up his seat for me...What happened to chivalry?

And this place opted out of the "Third in Bloom" competition. I don't blame them - exactly what kind of gardening would go with ''Bad Ass Coffee"?

Flowery welcome

Man, it's a jungle out there!

My favorite gift boutique, A Mano, was one of the entrants in the "Third in Bloom" competition, where storefronts are decorated with container gardens.

You like?

Canine oasis

John Craig Clothier, downtown Naples, consistently wins top honors for their "timeless menswear for the sophisticated man".


I would like to bestow on them one more - my own Animal Lover award.
See that doggie water dish in front of the entrance?
From what I could see, it was very much appreciated on a hot, sunny day.
A lot of happy tail wagging...And I don't mean me ;-)

The town is jumpin'

There's been a lot going on downtown Naples lately. Like the "Third in Bloom" festival, where the Garden Club judges the best decorated merchant' windows on Third Street South. I will show you some of them this week.

Also, the ever popular Naples Art Festival on Fifth Ave South.

All you need is some comfortable walking shoes and a bottle of water. Baby, it's hot out there!

Just another day...

Big Hickory Island beach

Sunday, 6 April

Naples air temperature 89°F/31°C

Gulf of Mexico water temperature 81°F/27°C

Nuff said.

Fiery end

Photo taken through the screen of my lanai

"After a day of cloud and wind and rain

Sometimes the setting sun breaks out again,

and touching all the darksome woods with light,

Smiles on the fields until they laugh and sing,

Then like a ruby from the horizon's ring,

Drops down into the night."

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

More blooms

This post is dedicated to Tog of Coral Gables for 2 reasons:

1. He keeps me on my toes. Every so often he emails me privately and basically points out "YOU IGNORANT GIRL, YOU GOT THE WRONG PLANT NAME AGAIN", but in a very nice way ;-)

I've lived in SW Florida for only a few years and am still learning about its fauna and flora, so his guidance is very appreciated.

2. He saved the life of the orchid above. Last year, after it bloomed and reverted to its dead stick stage, Tog advised me to tie it up to a tree and forget it. Well, guess what - six months later the orchid is on my patio, happy and thankful for a second chance...

And this showy Spider Lily is blooming in my garden...at least I think it's a Spider Lily. Tog?

Neapolitan Spring

If you take a look at the CDPB portal you will notice it right away: Spring has sprung! We are regailed with splendid photos of apple blossoms, cherry trees, redbuds and tulips.

Since South Florida enjoys summerlike weather all year long, it is a bit of a challenge to find some legitimate signs of Spring. But I did! This African Tulip tree is in bloom right now...

and the Tabebuia chrysantha (not a Yellow Poinciana!) beckons under its shady canopy.

more tomorrow...

Lost and Found

You can always tell whenever small children have paid a visit to the Canoe Park. There are (not so subtle) reminders scattered all around. Like these rose colored sunglasses left behind on top of a canoe...

or this highly fashionable picture book, forgotten on a bench.

Were we ever that careless about our possessions as kids? Don't think so. I did not have much...but what I had, I cared about. Maybe that's the secret.

Naples own

"You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time."
Abraham Lincoln (attributed)16th president of US (1809 - 1865)

Most of you guessed my April Fool's joke in yesterday's post : it was one of the famous fountains from the Gardens of Versailles, France. Bravo Olivier, you were the first to identify it!

It's not like Naples lacks in that department - this fountain from the Third Street South even has some horses - but it does not pack the same punch, does it?

Theme day - water

Combining the love of horses and fountains, this is my take on today's theme: water.

Now all you have to do is figure out the April Fool's Day element to this post ;-)

***
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Big Al

I wanted you to experience Al up close and personal. This image was obviously zoomed in...

...however, this was the distance between us.

Fearless or foolish? You decide ;-)