TWO DAYS IN REVERSE ORDER


2010 Jan. 16, Saturday.
We had a relaxing morning, reading and listening to some CD’s, except Linda did the laundry again. This time she had better luck with availability of washers and dryers. After lunch, we went to walk several miles at Six Mile Cypress Slough, one of our favorite places. We didn’t see many songbirds because of the time of day, but did see a bunch of yellow-rumped warblers, a red-bellied woodpecker, and a carolina wren. There weren’t as many water birds out as usual, but we did see a wood stork, three black-crowned night herons, many white ibis, one glossy ibis, and a great blue heron. As usual, we saw lots of turtles, and some of them are huge - three feet or more in diameter. The alligator in the big pond was out on the man-made platform. The weather was warm and humid, and thank goodness there was a nice breeze. On the way back, we stopped at Sun Harvest (large market for citrus) to get a free sample of juice and a soft-serve cone. Linda got key lime, and I got a vanilla-orange mix. Home for supper.

WEATHER: High of 80 today, the first time to 80 for a long while. Low tonight of 66, a high number for a low! A week ago, 66 would have felt good for a high. Supposed to rain tonight.

FL NEWS: The manatees are on the move - a mass migration is under way on the Orange and Caloosahatchee rivers in Lee County, prompting boaters to take to the waters to see the hundreds of manatees heading downriver to feeding grounds. More than 500 manatees have congregated near the warm-water discharge of the Florida Power & Light power plant. The two week long cold snap pushed them to get to the warm water. Manatees do not fare well in prolonged water temperatures less than 68 degrees, and cold stress has caused the deaths of at least three in the last few days. Now that the waters have warmed and the food supply is nearly non-existent, they need to get to the bays to get food. The sea cows eat certain grasses and have nearly decimated them all along the rivers. Conservation officers and those from other agencies want people to know they will be out en masse for the next several days enforcing manatee speed zones. A ticket for speeding through a manatee zone is $88. Boat strikes are a major contributer to manatee deaths. Many of the manatees seen in the rivers have propeller scars on their bodies.

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2010 Jan. 15, Friday.
This morning we took our break at the bookstore at Gulf Coast mall, I worked on the computer, and then we had lunch at Red Robin. They have good hamburgers, but it was so noisy it was a relief to get outside again. On the way back, we stopped for groceries. We had a good snack at 4:00, because we will skip supper. We went to the Sands for a party at 6:00 where we ate some very nice snacks and has some good wine. They are renting a unit at Stoneybrook where Ahearns own and are staying right next door to them. It was fun to see Ahearns, Haltermans, and Mrs. Hall from back home, as well some people we met last year. We always have some good discussions. Home before 9:00, and kind of tired, so early bedtime.

WEATHER: High today 79 (WOW) with rain tonight. Low last night was 55. I hope this change is here to stay. The forecast for the next week show highs from 71 to 79 (no 80’s yet!), and lows from 55 to 64, with no more rain after Sunday morning, except a 30% chance on Thursday.

FL NEWS: Last year, the Florida Energy Association poured $234,000 into its legislative push to have the state legislature lift a 20-year ban on offshore drilling. At present, the House is taking up the issue, but those supporting lifting the ban are scaling back. The opposition is building momentum, and a panel will hold a series of meetings over the next few months studying everything from oil spills to oil revenue and job creation. The president of the state Senate refused to take up a last-minute House proposal last year, and he continues to hold his foot firmly on the brake. He said he will wait for reports from four commissions and committees before putting the issue on the chamber’s agenda. Several state institutes and organizations are conducting symposiums, panels, and other events to discuss the issue. One Florida businessman who opposes drilling will hold a forum soon, and he says he had trouble recruiting drilling supporters to participate. He said, “I don’t think they wanted to face all of those beach businesses.”