From San Antonio to Fruitport... short visit home

April 24th --- Fruitport Michigan .... Home

Weather report tonight said Rain with snow showers tonight and tomorrow... but the snow should not stick.

It is April 24th and there is still snow in the forecast. There is something to be said for living on a boat that is south of the Mason Dixon line. 

I will admit that is was a treat to see Daffodils in bloom along the roadside  I hope that while I am here the tight buds in our yard will bloom.

Cool Hand is getting fitted out with a new shaft, new three blade fixed propeller and line cutters, as well as having her bottom painted. We believe she should be ready to put in the water by 5/5 and right now we plan to be heading south by 5/4

Right now I am catching up with friends in the area, going to my favorite knitting shop http://www.theneedlesmith.com/, book stores, coffee shops and other local favorites, espcially getting a Grape freeze from Miss Lisa's.

Flowers in Jennie's apartment courtyard

We stopped in Harker Heights Tx. to visit the Summerfords, long time
friends. We were treated to and excellent dinner, and good company 

It rained all day Tuesday as we traversed Arkansas, Missouri, Indiana, and Illinois.

Lake Michigan from the Pere Marquette, Muskegon

I miss green on trees. They are thick with buds, but no leaves
yet.

The tracks in the sand were huge.... Didn't see what made them
Kind-of  glad 

Sun setting on Grand haven Pier

it is  cold here - but these two people were camping
in the grand haven state park

Lots of lotus pods littering the beach

Day ended with a big full moon

I

What's Happening..... 4/15 to 4/20

Monday April 15th was moving day. With help from Ed, Tom eased Cool Hand out of our slip and moved her to the end of C dock in Moss Marina early in the morning.  Around 3 PM Tom moved Cool Hand to Olsen Marina where we are having work done on her.

Cool Hand Shuddering her way to her
new  home.

On our way into our slip on March 15th we picked up a rope that  broke
our prop. The blades should be facing in the same direction. Olsen Marina pulled
Cool Hand out and remove the prop and sent it out to Max Prop in Washington State.
We have the first estimate to fix it.... $1400 and we still have not solved the problem of
having a line cutter.   I think we we will be getting a new prop.... Updates to follow

Cool Hand after her power washing

So.... we have about two weeks on dry land
What to do??
Take a road trip.
We decided to go to the Houston / Galveston area to visit
marinas and find our home base for August, September and October.

This is a Agave Parryl Plant outside
a Days Inn in Beaumont Tx.

We have decided that we are going to stay
at the Waterford Harbor Marina in Clear Lake 

Lots of sailboats in this marina

While we were on our road trip I finished
the two market bags for Jennie and Meggie

One of the reasons I haven't updated the blog is..
Jennie was having a dress fitting this weekend.
We did it!  We surprised her and Tom and I were able to be a
part of the process. 

This will be our Hurricane Hideaway  for the season 

We are in San Antonio for a short visit with Jennie then we will head north for a short stay in Michigan, then back to Fort Myers and a fixed boat. ...  

Last page Naples Gardens, flowers, lizards and Butterflies

The Naples Botanical Gardens has an excellent web sight that list events and even what is in bloom. The grounds have numerous caretakers and volunteers to answer questions as well as specific guided tours .http://www.naplesgarden.org/

If you come south this is well worth a stop.

African Iris

Pua Keni Keni 

Tropical Water Lily    Key Largo

The lubber is surely the most distinctive grasshopper species in the southeastern United States. It is well known both for its size and its unique coloration. The wings offer little help with mobility for they are rarely more than half the length of the abdomen. This species is incapable of flight and can jump only short distances. Mostly the lubber is quite clumsy and slow in movement and travels by walking and crawling feebly over the substrate

Japanese Honeysuckle

Eggplant (Tree)?

Climbing Oleander

Tom and I took the long trail around the Preserve ... That was where
the Alligator warning signs were posted.. The trustees of this
land are allowing the natural vegetation to flourish but as with all
wild areas other species find their way in
I spotted a cactus in bloom. 

Queen
Milkweed Butterfly

White Peaco

Julia Butterfly

I love the toes on this lizard
This wraps up the Gardens.