31/365 view from the 30th floor

30/365 from Chicago's stained glass museum at Navy Pier

29/365 now that's a burger!

We had dinner with our nephew, Brandon, who is a first year law student at Loyola Law School in Chicago. Brandon chose the restaurant - Tavern In the Park - and this is what he ordered. Ever seen a burger that big? I haven't!

28/365 view from the IP370

27/365 show time

26/365 what a building!

This is a view of the Aqua apartment building from our hotel. What an awesome structure! You can read about it here.

25/365 not quite ready to roll

I'm finally getting caught up on the past week's photo uploads. First we were frantically getting ready for our trip to Chicago, then we got to Chicago and my photo program wasn't working and I didn't have time to deal with it. Anyway, we were there at the Strictly Sail boat show as Island Packet dealers attempting to sell sailboats. This is what the boat looked like when we arrived on Tuesday - lots of work to do before the show started on Thursday. All the photos I took in Chicago were done on my iPhone because I didn't want to bother with a camera.

24/365 getting their zzzzzs

23/365 happy birthday, Chuck!

22/365 going out on patrol

Wayne ready to go out on patrol with the Coast Guard Auxilliary.

21/365 back where she belongs

20/365 Happy Birthday, Mom!

Had a nice day with Mom and her sister, Peggie, celebrating Mom's 79th birthday. I made Mom's favorite brunch and dinner for her, the two of them did a little shopping, and we spent the better part of the day playing cards.

19/365 Fun time in Fort Myers

Mom (on top) and Auntie Peg are here to visit and celebrate Mom's birthday. I called cousin Jan to see if she wanted to meet us for lunch, so we went to newly-renovated downtown Fort Myers for food and some fun.

18/365 Beer and a burger after pickleball

17/365 Mah Jongg

Janice is teaching Debbie and me how to play Mah Jongg. I actually won and took a photo of my winning hand, but accidentally took a video instead of a still shot.

16/365 Shadow

While out for my evening walk, I remembered that I hadn't taken a photo yet today, so I whipped out my iPhone and took a picture of my shadow cast by the street light.

15/365 Sensory deprivation

Plein Air Artists at Punta Gorda Farmer's Market

As I strolled through the downtown art fair and the farmer's market this morning, soaking up the fresh air and sunshine, basking in the scents, sights, and sounds around me, it occurred to me that the worst part of winter up north is not always the cold and snow, but the sensory deprivation of being cooped up.

14/365 Lap Dog

13/365 Boat fenders

12/365 Steps to nowhere

We use these steps to get on the boat when the tide is high; they look kind of strange sitting there with no boat.

11/365 My orange tree

10/365 Unobstructed View

Wayne had to bring the boat over to Gasparilla Marina to have some bottom work done on her. I forget what a nice view we have when the Lena Bea isn't there to obstruct it, because usually when the boat is away from the dock, so am I.

9/365 Critter in dead coontie palm

8/365 Emma catching some rays

7/365 Garrett and Armand's Big Adventure

Our nephew, Garrett (on the right), and his friend, Armand drove down from Minnesota and arrived last night (or should I say, this morning) at 1:15 a.m. They spent the night with us and drove down to Fort Myers this morning to get everything squared away in preparation for their first semester at Edison College, which starts Monday. Garrett registered for classes yesterday and I think Armand probably accomplished that today. I'm expecting them back tonight unless they miraculously found a place to live today. For their sake (especially), I hope they were successful. We are really excited for them as they begin this new chapter of their lives.

6/365 Just a little boat project

It doesn't matter what kind of boat project Wayne has going on - it always seems to involve tearing the entire boat apart and taking everything out. Which is not an issue unless I need to get in there for something. Actually, it's usually much worse than this.

5/365 Sixty Feet Up

From time to time Wayne has to go to the top of the sailboat mast to make a repair - definitely not his favorite thing to do. He sits in a sling-type affair and I hoist him up using an electric winch. His safety is literally in my hands and he doesn't come down until I'm ready to let him down. Such a feeling of power! He went up today and no, I didn't ask him to look down and say "cheese" for the camera.

4/365 Pickleball

Wayne and I LOVE to play pickleball and try to play twice a week. What's pickleball? It is played with a whiffle-type ball and sort of an oversized ping-pong paddle on a badminton court with the net lowered to 34 inches at the center. It's an easy game for beginners to learn, but can develop into a quick, fast-paced, competitive game for experienced players.

3/365 Emma's Nemesis

Na-na-na-na-na-na, you can't get me!

The squirrels love to climb on our pool cage and tease Emma; they know she can't get them so they're not quick to scurry away. Drives our poor dog absolutely nuts!

2/365 My New Shoes

I am SO excited about my new shoes! They even came with a DVD and claim to "burn more calories, strengthen the back, firm calf and buttock muscles, tone and firm thigh muscles, increase cardiovascular health, improve posture, reduce stress on knee and ankle joints, and relieve muscle tension and fatigue." Besides that, they're pretty. Who'd a thunk shoes could do so much? Why, they should just call them "Miracle Shoes." Heck, I'm going to rip up my list of New Years resolutions and just wear these shoes all year!

1/365 Decorated Sailboat

I went for a walk tonight and came across this scene. Didn't have my camera with me, but my trusty iPhone camera did the job just fine. Punta Gorda has an annual lighted boat parade through the canals and people go all out decorating their boats. You can check it out here.

2011 Brings a New Endeavor

Happy New Year and welcome to my new blog! I have taken on the daunting challenge of taking a photo every day this year and posting it online - sort of a photo diary. Mary D. did a 365 photo blog a couple years ago and decided to do another one for 2011. She encouraged me and others to join her on her sojourn, and when Tracy said she'd do it if I did, I signed up. The camaraderie, encouragement, and support we photo bloggers will share should make it a delightful experience. The challenge excites me - I look forward to growing in my photography, learning from others, and seeing my world in a whole new way. I hope you'll join me as I share my world in 2011 through my lens.