Day 29 0n Captiva

Sunday morning is Farmer's Market time in Sanibel.  Al and I left around 9 to shop for the week's produce. Lucky enough to get parking at the library.  We purchased tomatoes...the best....okra, lemons, limes. lettuce, and more at the produce stand.  One of the busiest booths here.....one man said "the line reached Captiva".  We also had to buy more fresh made guacamole and mozzarella cheese. Al selected some flowers from the floral booth.

 

 Me on the left waiting for Mozzarella.

 

 I decided we should eat at the Deli on Palm Ridge but they close on Sunday so we went to the nearest place a few doors from the deli which was Rosie's (formerly Hungry Heron in past years). Not the best choice.....even though the food was not bad, the restaurant was a bit run down and did not seem to be well managed and maintained. The hostess seemed to be frazzled but the restaurant was not busy.  I ordered tuna salad sandwich with fries which was oversized and good but the sandwich was grilled which I did not care for or expect on a salad sandwich.  Al had Blackened Bleu Cheese Burger seasoned steak burger, bleu cheese, bacon with lettuce & tomato with onion rings which he said was very good.

We stopped at Ding Darling and checked out the gift shop and took a short walk on the Indigo Trail out to the Education Boardwalk near the school.  I took photos of an Osprey having lunch and a Yellow-crowned Night Heron from the observation deck.

We also spotted  a Roseate Spoonbill, Ibis, Anhinga, and Tri-colored Herons. There were tracks of an alligator crawling through the mud below the bridge.

 

We did a quick drive through the refuge but did not see anything out of the usual.  Most birds were inactive including the White Pelicans all curled up on the sand barriers.  I did take photos of an ibis and immature night heron as we leaving the trail.

By the time we arrived back at the cottage, clouds moved in and stayed the rest of the day.  Time was spent reading and relaxing.
I served Shrimp Linguini ( frozen dinner) with tossed salad of lettuce and veggies for the evening meal.

Day 22 on Captiva

Our Sunday routine includes a trip to the Farmer's Market in Sanibel.  We arrived about 9:00 and parked underneath the library...best spot to park. The market was crowed with locals and tourist.  We bought some okra and corn with our usual produce as well as some guacamole at Dynasty Quacamole booth. Very good quac!

After our market shopping, we went to Sanibel Café for breakfast where we had 20 minute wait for a booth.  They have done some remodeling since last year but mostly the same place and  menu.

Al had lox and bagel with onion, tomatoes, capers and cream cheese.  I had  scrambled eggs, grilled Parmesan tomatoes, and wheat toast.  After eating we checked out some of the shops...Al bought a blue short sleeve woven shirt at Brown Bag.  Stopped at Bailey's for a piece of grouper and some ground beef and other groceries.  Then back to the beach for the sunny afternoon.

Al pan fried the grouper for dinner and we served with lemon butter sauce, green beans and tomatoes with basil.  Dessert was Tiramisu from Bailey's bakery.

Day 1 on Captiva

Today we were up around 7 and enjoyed coffee and pastries on the porch which overlooks the pool.  It looked to be a bit cloudy but warm day.  Around 10, we drove into Sanibel to shop at the Farmer's Market, one of our fave Sunday things to do.  The Market was very crowded and busy and had more vendors than in previous years.  We bought tomatoes, red peppers,  jalapenos, Brussel sprouts, mushrooms, lettuce, radishes, mozzarella cheese, lemon, limes, strawberries, basil plant and fresh flowers. 

 

After gathering all those great fresh food, we went back to the cottage for lunch of sandwiches and chips and iced tea on the porch.  By the time we drove back, the mist/fog had burned away.  We did a quick walk over to the beach to check out the access path.  Nothing much happening. We enjoyed sitting by the pool and watching the eagles at the nest in the tree on the neighbor's property.  Had gin and tonics here before dinner on the porch. 

For dinner, Al grilled a steak and potato quarters but had trouble getting the grill hot.  Served with mushrooms and salad of arugula, tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese with balsamic vinaigrette.

Day 30 on Captiva

The day began early with our weekly trip to the Farmers Market for our fix of more tomatoes and other produce items.  Al bought me a beautiful flower bouquet.  The market was even busier than the past few weeks with more tourists than locals this Sunday. 

 

We had breakfast at one of our favorite spots, Sanibel Café with unique  table arrangements of Fossilized Seashells under glass.   Below is the table where we sat. 

We were lucky  to be seated almost at once on this busy Sunday morning.

I had Eggs Benedict served with Grilled Parmesan Tomatoes and Al had Lox and Bagel Platter.  We made a brief stop at Bailey's for some provisions and headed back to the beach  with sunny skies.   I finished another book NAKED GREED by Stuart Woods.  An easy read but a lot of violence and sex.

 

Tonight I prepared Steamed Mussels with a light Italian sauce of Roma Tomatoes, scallions, garlic, basil, and wine.   This was served over pasta with Arugula salad and Italian Bread.  Dessert was Tiramisu from Bailey's Bakery. 

 

Al tried a new to him California wine -Edna Valley Vineyard Merlot 2013.   The wine is described as "aromas of cocoa powder, anise and black cherry, complemented by hints of leather and humidor. Fine tannins and a bright acidity create a rich, balanced mouth  feel."   Or another review says "The palate offers a complex combination of flavors—mocha, espresso, blackberry and anise."

 

Day 23 on Captiva

We stayed with our Sunday routine of going to the Farmer's Market early for tomatoes and fresh produce including some okra today.  We also purchased Scallops and Pompano at the seafood booth.  We then headed home for a lunch of Steak with Provolone sandwich for Al and a Salad with steak for me which I made with last night's leftover meat.
We spent the afternoon  at the beach and came in about 4 for Very Berry Drinks made by Al, the bartender.  He serves many roles here in Captiva.  As mentioned before this drink is made with Tito's Vodka, Lemonade, and Muddled Blueberries.

For dinner, Al the grill master  expertly prepared Scallops on the grill and I served with rice and a green salad.  We ended with Key Lime pie.

Sorry, no photos today.

Valentine's Day on Captiva Part One

What a lovely Valentine's Day that we had!  We had a fun filled day with a lot of activity beginning with an exchange of cards with coffee and pastries.  Our exchange of cards continued throughout the day.   We went to the Farmer's Market about 9:00 to purchased produce including more of those delicious Florida tomatoes and a lovely bouquet of red roses.  The market was very busy....guess the holiday and beautiful day brought everyone out.  From there we went to Art and Craft Fair at the Sanibel Community Center  and checked out the over 100 artists with booths.

 

We headed back to the house for lunch and then off to the beach.  The weather today was perfect for enjoying the sun and surf.  This was our best day so far to be on the beach.  The Willets were there along with a Marbled Godwit.  

 

A Pair of Willets celebrating Valentine's together.

 

I saw a dolphin jump up in the air just as we were about to leave.  His body was totally out of the water.   We walked over to the bayside and were very surprised by 2 or 3 Dolphins swimming and feeding there.   One Dolphin surfaced just feet from the dock where we sat.

 One of the dolphins made a big splash when he dived in to feed.

 

I captured this dolphin swimming in the bay with the brown pelicans......sorry, it is a bit jerky.

If you are seeing this in an email   you must go to my blog and  click on the video to view.

 

Valentine's Day to continue in Part Two.

 

Day 9 on Captiva

We debated on going to the Farmer's Market this morning because of the wind and cool weather but finally decided to go after coffee and pastries.  Everyone was bundled up in jackets, parkas, and sweatshirts and the vendors were holding on to their tents to keep them from blowing away.   Parking was limited because the parking lot near the Schoolhouse Theater used by a lot  of the  patrons was mostly flooded and roped off.

We did buy a lot of produce including tomatoes, red peppers, jalapeno peppers, lettuce, fruit, and more,  even some okra. 

 

  We then went for breakfast at Jerry's Café,  a popular spot with the locals.   Al ordered Cake & Eggs with sausage patties. I had Half Classic Benedict with fruit.

 This was not a good day for the beach even though it was sunny and bright.  Al tried to sit out at the beach but the 40 mile per hour winds prevented that.  I made some fresh salsa with ingredients from the Market and served it with warm chips for our Pre-Super Bowl drinks.  Al made Kim's Berry Delight with Strawberries, Lemonade, and Vodka which were a hit  with our Salsa and Chips.

 For Super Bowl Dinner, Al grilled Rib-eye Steak and Potato Wedges.  I sautéed mushrooms, onions, and red peppers and made arugula salad with my special vinaigrette dressing.  Dinner was delicious!  The grill master done well!!
 



We watched the Super Bowl 50 between the Broncos and Panthers which resulted in a win for Broncos 24-Panthers 10.
Happy that Peyton Manning won the game!

Day 2 0n Captiva

This is our home for the next six weeks on Captiva Island.  

 

Today was a late start to our day...no getting up at 5:30.   After coffee and muffins, we went to the Farmer's Market in Sanibel for fresh produce and fresh Mozzarella cheese.  It was pretty much the same vendors and layout as last year.   We also purchased cut flowers, a basil plant and some bear claws in addition to produce.

 

We headed to the Sanibel Café for brunch and  were ahead of the Sunday crowd and did not have to wait for a table.    As usual,  Al had Smoked salmon and bagel with cream cheese, served with tomatoes, red onions and capers. I had the Shrimp Salad served over Romaine lettuce with  melon, fruit, and a  walnut muffin.  Very good food and service.  By the time we left,  there was a line of  customers waiting for tables.

We decided to take a drive through Ding Darling even though it is now about noon.   The highlight of the drive was seeing a Dunlin up close as he walked along the shore line .

"The Dunlin is a familiar shorebird around the world. The winter dunlin is basically grey above and white below.  Medium-sized sandpiper. Moderately short neck. Moderately long, drooping bill. Moderately long, blackish legs. Slightly hunched appearance."

Other sights on the drive:

White Pelicans

 Roseate Spoonbills

 

Island of White Pelicans

 

We spent a restful afternoon doing not much of anything.  It was too cool to sit on the beach,

 Al made us a new drink for happy hour made with Vodka and muddled Blueberries, calling it Kim's Berry Delight.  Very Refreshing! 

 

For dinner, Al was to grill steaks but the outdoor grill would not heat up enough, so he cooked inside with potato wedges and we served with Arugula Salad.   It was not one of our better meals as the steak was a bit overdone for our liking.   Glasses of wine did make it better! 

 

Day 37 on Captiva

Edited to add beach photos.

Sun just beginning to show at 7:45am.

Sunday morning means a trip to the Farmers' Market....the last one for this trip.  But first we took in a beautiful sunrise over the bay as we drank our coffee sitting on the dock on the bay.  Sounds like a song.....

 

 

 

Then off to the Farmers' Market for tomatoes, avocado, lettuce, mushrooms, etc and some seafood from the Fish Booth.  Also bought our weekly bouquet of flowers.

Flowers from Farmers' Market

 After the Farmers' Market we had breakfast at Sanibel Café.  Al had the Lox and Bagel Platter and I had a grilled croissant with scrambled eggs, ham, tomatoes and Havarti cheese.  We made a quick stop at Jerry's for some groceries and wine. We made a quick drive through DDWR on the drive home and got some good shots of a dancing Reddish Egret, Blue Heron and Yellow -crowned Night Heron.

 Again we spent some time on the beach with a large number of willets and dolphins swimming by.

For dinner Al grilled some great large scallops which we enjoyed with lemon orzo and an arugula salad with strawberries and a lemon vinaigrette.  Notice his great grill marks on the scallops in the photo below.