Week Two in Bradenton

On Wednesday morning (March 9th), we went back to the high school to play some more pickleball.  This time the courts were filled with kids during gym class.  But that didn't stop us!  Bonnie asked the gym teacher how much longer the kids would be using the courts and he moved the kids to a different court so we could play.  How nice was that!

Later that afternoon, we drove to Nokomis Beach so we could watch the sunset and the Drum Circle.

Chuck walked up to the North Jetty and got this picture of a dolphin in the canal.

As the drums started beating, the crowds got bigger and bigger -- a lot bigger than in the fall when we had previously seen the Drum Circle.

As the sun began to set, hundreds of pictures began to be taken.

We took a few too!

While the guys watched the entertainment at the Drum Circle,

the girls enjoyed reading their books.  :)

On Thursday, we met Ernie & Noela at the beginning trailhead parking lot and went for a bike ride down the Cape Haze Trail.

An eagle!

We rode all the way to Placida where we enjoyed a delicious lupper on the deck of The Fishery Restaurant.

The restaurant and nearby area was the setting for some of the scenes in the movie "Out of Time" starring Denzel Washington.  With this sunken boat offshore, it looks like it could be the setting for a lot of movies.

We explored the very small town of Placida and then walked out on the fishing pier.

There were some of the biggest lizards we have ever seen along the path and on the rocks near the pier.

As we walked back to our bikes, we could hear the drums from a miniature drum circle going on at the Fishery Restaurant.  Bonnie showed us all how to hula-hoop before getting back on our bikes and riding back to the trailhead where we began our beautiful day.

Friday was a day of pickleball and shuffleboard.  We began the morning by stopping at a pond in a business development where Ken had spotted his favorite birds -- the Roseate Spoonbill.

There were 5 roseates when we stopped and Ken was very happy with some of the pictures he got:

We got there just in time.  The roseates stayed for only about 10 minutes and then they were off to somewhere else.

We drove to the pickleball courts and played for a couple of hours.  Despite the winds, we had a very good time and played some good games.  When we got back to the campground, we met Cindy and John and Ken and Bonnie at the shuffleboard courts and played several rounds of shuffleboard.

On Saturday, we went back to Manatee Beach and enjoyed another relaxing day at the beach.  The unlimited free coffee refills at the nearby cafe makes this one of my favorite beaches!  :)

On Saturday evening, the campground was having a Karoke show and Cindy performed "I'm Just a Girl Who Can't Say No" from the musical "Oklahoma."  She is so talented!

After church on Sunday, the six of us played some more rounds of shuffleboard that afternoon and then like most evenings, we got together for some fun games of 5 Crowns, Up the River and SkipBo.

On Monday, all six of us went back to Manatee Beach for another beautiful day at the beach.

You can tell spring is just around the corner because the demographics of the beach crowds have changed from snowbirds to Spring Break birds.  :)

On Tuesday, we drove back down to Manasota Beach where we were joined by Ernie and Noela.  It was a very foggy day at the beach!

We left early afternoon and went to Farlows for one last delicious meal together with Ernie and Noela.

What a special three weeks it has been first in Venice and then here in Bradenton.  We have been blessed with such wonderful friends and great times to spend with them.  Ernie & Noela and Cindy & John, we look forward to seeing you down the road again!  :)