The Londoner Bed and Breakfast

I'm so behind!  I'm just now posting about a weekend getaway we took in August to Bradenton and Sarasota (south of Tampa Bay).  We left the 5th wheel behind at the RV park, and Maggie went to the kennel, so we could stay at a bed and breakfast, in Bradenton, owned by a delightful British lady named Jenny.

During the heat of the summer they offer special rates!

If it hadn't been so hot I could have spent some pleasant hours reading on the front porch.

I couldn't wait to see the house!

Here's the front door and stairs leading to the guest rooms.

The living room was stocked with reading material - from Great Britain, of course.

Then Jenny led us up the stairs to ...

.... our room, where Hubby made himself right at home.

Each room is named after a London subway station.  We had the Victoria Suite with a sitting room and 'en suite bathroom.

There was only one other couple staying here so I was able to take pictures of some of the other guest rooms.  This one is on the second floor too, but they had to go across the landing to their bathroom.

These are two more suites on the third floor.

The next morning we enjoyed a delicious breakfast in the dining room.  Sorry I didn't get any food pictures.  I was too busy eating!  (Those chairs at the table by the windows look like mine at home in Arizona!)

The Londoner doubles as a tea room by day so, naturally, one morning we had fresh lavender scones and homemade lemon curd with our, oh so, British tea.

During our time in Bradenton/Sarasota we visited museums, went shopping, saw manatees, and toured a plantation.  I'll share about all those in posts to come!

 

Memories of Pigeon Key

When Ceekay from thinkinofhome.blogspot.com visited me in the spring we made a road trip to Key West and I spotted an island in the middle of the Seven Mile Bridge.  I wondered what that island was and did a little a research on it when I got back to Juno Beach.  I found out it was Pigeon Key, a camp for Henry Flagler's workers when they were building the Overseas Railroad at the turn of the 20th century.

So when Hubby and I went to Key West for his birthday I had to visit this island!  If it looks familiar to you it's because last season's Amazing Race TV show ended on the island.  Our tour guide spent a week assisting the show's producers to get everything set up.

There are only two ways on and off the island - a boat from Knight's Key (part of Marathon) or hiking several miles over the Historic Seven Mile Bridge.  We opted for the boat ride.

Passing underneath the new bridge, it doesn't take long to reach the island.  That's the old bridge in the background.

Here's the dock where the boat stopped to let us off and that's the guest house where, for a substantial donation, you can spend a week on an island.  It's my dream!

Flagler spared no expense to take care of his workers and built several bunkhouses and a dining hall and kitchen to feed them.  Lobster was usual fare!

He even built them a swimming pool!  One of the Florida Universities opened up a  part of it while doing some marine experiments.  The Pigeon Key Foundation is hoping to restore it to it's former glory.

At one time the bunkhouses housed as many as 400 men.  Today, this one is used as a classroom for students who come to the island to learn about marine science.

This view out one of the classroom doors is phenomenal!

They were working on the bridge to the right when they set up their work camp in 1908.  The bridge we use today is on the left.

You can arrive on the island by foot if you come over the bridge.

However, you can only walk from the island to Knight's Key.  The bridge in the other direction has some holes in it!

Did you know that Pigeon Key has no  mosquitos?  Of course, it doesn't have any fresh water either.  It has to be piped in from the mainland.

We really enjoyed our short visit to Pigeon Key.  I plan to be back for a longer one!



My Own Florida Treasures

I've done a little shopping since I've been here in Florida so I thought I'd show a few of my recent purchases.  However, I can't show the things I've purchased for gifts.  Too many of my friends and loved ones look at my blog and I want them to be surprised!

One thing I've enjoyed about this state is the fresh fruit and vegetable stands you can find everywhere.  I made these purchases at a Farmer's Market in Fort Myers.  That's homemade soap at the bottom of the picture.

I bought this painting at a huge Flea Market in  Fort Myers.  I think is it perfect for my Arizona home but it's taken up residence behind my sofa in the 5th wheel right now.

I found  this old dairy can at an antiques mall in Punta Gorda.  I plan to take it home and do a flower arrangement of some sort in it.

When we were in Key West, for Hubby's birthday, he bought me this silver Key West Love Bracelet.  You can only find them at two jewelry stores in Key West.  It's jewelry and a souvenir in one! 

At another Flea Market in Brandenton Hubby purchased this gold alligator necklace for me.  I'm a lucky girl!

Much less expensive were these little seashell bracelets I purchased a one of the many souvenir shops I've visited.

I found this little brass frog at that antiques mall in Fort Myers.  Ceekay from thinkinofhome.bogspot.com showed me how to really use these frogs.  The picture is of my two grandsons.

At another antiques mall (I don't remember where) I found three sets of these glass doorknobs.  I'm hoping Hubby can make them work on some doors at home in Arizona!

This weekend there was an antiques show at the Palm Beach County Fairgrounds and I bought this matted photo of Flagler's Overseas Railroad.  Here, the train is crossing the 7-mile bridge.

I really, really, really wanted this one!  I think it would look perfect in my living room at home but I have no way of getting it all the way to Arizona.  Plus - where would it stay until I could  take it home anyway?!  But it was such a good deal!

It even had a matching chair.......sigh.

These are just a few of the things I've purchased for myself since coming to Florida.  Tomorrow we'll be without a home for a few days while our refrigerator is being repaired.  Maggie's heading to her kennel and we're heading to a hotel.  I hope it won't be too long!



Henry Ford's Winter Retreat in Fort Myers

Right next door to Thomas Edison's winter retreat, Seminole Lodge, is Henry Ford's winter home called The Mangoes - due to the many mango trees on the property.

Henry Ford first came to Fort Myers in 1914 at the invitation of his close friend Thomas Edison.  He purchased the property in 1916 for $20,000.

You can pose with a statue of Henry Ford at the back of the house.  He's a little bit taller than I am!

An avenue of palm trees lead from the house to the Caloosahatchee River.

The living room was used, on occasion, for one of Ford's favorite pastimes - square dancing.

The living room leads to the dining room and the stairs to the second floor family bedrooms and study.  (Unfortunately, we couldn't see the second floor.)

I loved the window seat at one end of the dining room.

The modern 20th century kitchen.

There are three bedrooms on the ground floor.  This one belonged to the maid.

Ford's secretary slept here and, perhaps, did a little work too.

Ford's guests were made comfortable in this room.

The last time Henry Ford enjoyed this spacious veranda was in 1934.  He finally sold the property in 1945 to a local Fort Myers resident.

We finished up our tour in the museum and this 1916 Model-T Touring Car.

Next week I'll show you some our shopping excursions and the purchases I made while in Fort Myers.