Ft. Myers Beach Birds (and other creatures)

We completed the trip to Fort Myers on Sunday, and on Monday we headed out to Bowditch Point Park on Ft. Myers Beach. It was warm enough to swim, and there were almost as many birds as people there.

We're still working on identifying this one, a sandpiper or willet or plover.




This Snowy Egret did a quick dance while I was watching. We later learned that this is a normal part of its minnow hunting technique.

More Snowy Egrets below.

A Reddish Egret.

Not birds -- left to right (cousin) Marge, CL, and Jack.

A gopher tortoise. It's about a foot and a half long - just the shell, longer with the head out.

On to Florida

By the time we ate a huge brunch, packed the car, filled the gas tank and stopped for some frozen custard at Rita's, it was afternoon before we left. First stop -- document our entry into Georgia:

It was around 7:00 p.m. when we finally got to the FL state line. We pulled into the official State of Florida Visitor's Center to be welcomed, but that happens only between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Newton Grove, NC to Anderson SC

As we left Benson (Meadow, actually, but that's too small to exist on anyone's map, even Garmin's), we noticed that land that had previously been tobacco is now cotton. A definite improvement.

We had to stop at the SC border for a couple photo ops for Mr. Toad:

I had previously tried South Caroline BBQ but over time had forgotten how bad it actually is. They start with good pork and then turn it goose shit green with a mustard sauce. Disgusting.

Finally our next destination -- my cousin Claire and her husband Bob. They live on the edge of Lake Hartwell.
It has for the past few years been very low due to the prolonged drought in the southeast, but the recent rains have brought it back to full pool, and it is very beautiful.

Bob and Claire took us to their favorite restaurant, whose name was almost spelled correctly.

Our visit to Anderson was very enjoyable. The location is beautiful, and Bob and Claire are perfect hosts.

South to Benson and Newton Grove, NC

On Thursday morning, after a wonderful stay with John and Bev, we embarked on the next stage of the journey. Mr. Toad had been in NC before, in June and July, but we hadn't actually documented it, so we stopped at the border.

Mandatory stop on the way down -- the best NC barbecue.

In NC, we visited CL's cousins (left to right) Eddie, JP, and Mike

and (again left to right) Dwen (Mike's wife) and Zella.

I'm sure CL will want to add a bunch of stuff here.

Lexington, VA

On Wednesday, we went to Lexington to visit CL's brother, George, and to have lunch with friend Carolyn Jean, but, alas, both events went undocumented.

I did, however, manage to photograph our visit our visit to Rockbridge Vineyard, one of the oldest wineries in the state of Virginia.

Richmond

If it's Tuesday, we must be in Richmond.

While there we had lunch at a restaurant with a daily special of "Barnyard Burger." It included ground beef, ham, bacon, cheese, and a fried egg. Never one to back down to a challenge, John ordered and inhaled one.

After that light lunch, we stopped by Bev's for ice cream.

Across the street was a store of a type I'd never seen. In our family, we've been getting them the traditional way and haven't returned one yet.

What's a visit to John's without lamb?

Monticello

On Monday we toured Monticello (no pictures allowed inside the building itself).

Then we visited Blenheim Vineyards, owned my Dave Matthews (who wasn't there).

Next stop was to visit (neice) Jocelyne in Crozet, VA.

Last stop was at Crozet Pizza, where they make some of the best pizza we've ever had.

Virginia Wineries

On Sunday we first went to Sweely Estate Winery, where (nephew) Jeffrey and Emily will be getting married next fall.

Jo, this picture's for you.

Then we went to Sharp Rock, where we had a picnic lunch.

And we finished up with Castle Gruen, which is so tiny that even Garmin can't find it.