Paradise found

One week after our move to Siesta Key we have determined this is our ideal location. The bike riding is superb along Midnight Pass Road, and while I go 6 miles to the bridge and back - De Anne (naturally) covers the entire island, about 20 to 25 miles depending on the route. While I relax she drops her kayak into Midnight Pass, conveniently located in our back yard. She heads out into Little Sarasota Bay or just meanders through the mangrove channels south of us.

For the past 20 years on Sundays at sunset an ever-changing group gathers on Siesta Beach to beat their drums. We rode the free trolley up to the beach, packing our chairs and necessary fluids.

The crowd grew, dancing (sort of) began along with other games and I was thoroughly enjoying the ladies dancing when De Anne announced departure time was nigh. I was surprised. Usually I am the first to give up. Asking why (on the way to the the trolley stop) she explained it was hard on her ears. She was an accomplished violinist once and played in the Philharmonic orchestra. An hour of amateur drum beating was all her musically trained ears could handle.

The healing pyramid in the center of the circle. That's my best guess.

She did several costume changes:

Here is a young woman who has obviously used a hula hoop before (be gentle with film criticism - it's my first phone video):

Closer to home is Turtle Beach which may lack some of the beauty of Siesta Beach a few miles up the Key but is quite adequate for De Anne's beach walk needs and benefits from proximity. 

Island scenes

Just sitting on the porch provides enough entertainment watching the non-stop comings and goings of sailboats, power boats, commercial shrimpers, and the Coast Guard, but we do manage to get out and about the island.

 Next to our dock an osprey spent a leisurely afternoon shredding a fish and fending off the occasional crow or sea gull. He started calling (in the high pitched, irritating tone) to another osprey who came over briefly to check out his possible nesting site. It must have been sub-par - or maybe he was, because after a few minutes she left even though he called plaintively after her.

We walked our bikes to the top of the bridge for this view of the harbor. Yes, it is a pirate ship - every tourist port in Florida has one.

Loading up the bikes we headed to Lover's Key state park, because we needed more exercise than riding on pavement gave. Sand, the perfect surface for a strenuous ride. I was fooled at first by the smooth, hard-packed sand. That disappeared a mile or so into the wilderness where soft sand was the norm.

Sharing the path:

OK, I admit it was scenic:

Our wandering ways end on Friday. We have rented a furnished 2 bedroom condo for the next year. It is on the southern end of Siesta Key with everything necessary for De Anne's amusement. Small gated community with pool and a boat dock on Blind Pass and a few steps from beautiful Turtle beach.