The Winter Solstice!

Today is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, which is famous for being celebrated by modern day Druids, especially at Stonehenge, the grounds of which are open to visitors only on the winter and summer solstices. I have heard rumors that South Florida is a Druid hotspot and was hoping to celebrate the solstice down there to find out for sure, but unfortunately had to return to Denver for eye surgery. I recently read on the internet that the ancient Druids were really into human sacrifices. They would burn people in large wickerwork images, crucify them in temples, or pierce them with arrows, and then examine the victim's innards or death struggles to divine the future. I can see why modern-day Druids admire them so much. Probably all Trump supporters. If I had come across any South Florida Druids celebrating the solstice, which I imagine would look a lot like the scene in the photograph above, I would have liked to ask them if they, too, were into human sacrifices, and if in Florida it involved alligators and giant pythons. But sadly, I didn't get the chance. Perhaps next year.

Camino Ghosts

I just finished reading Camino Ghosts, John Grisham's third book in the series, which takes place on a thinly disguised Amelia Island, located just to the north of Jacksonville, Florida. The two main characters are Bruce Cable, owner of a very successful bookstore on the island, and Mercer Mann, a bestselling author who owns a cottage on the beach that she inherited, along with her sister, from her grandmother, who was a local legend. The first book in the series, Camino Island, centered around Cable's purchasing of a stolen collection of original F. Scott Fitzgerald manuscripts, and the hiring by the FBI of Mercer Mann to find proof of this. In the end, all turned out happily ever after for all concerned. In the second book, Camino Winds, Cable's reputation has been cleaned up by Grisham and the plot centers around a murder during a very dangerous hurricane. In Camino Ghosts, Cable, the leader of the literary crowd on Camino Island, suggests to Mercer that she write a non-fiction book about a woman named Lovely, who used to live on nearby Dark Isle, which was settled by runaway slaves, and is now threatened by unscrupulous developers. The story focuses on the fight to save the island and make it an historic site. I liked the book, although the storyline is not nearly as dramatic as the first two books. However, it definitely makes me want to visit Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach, the island's Victorian-era main town. One of these days...

Things Are Looking Up!

And not just because Santa, seen in the photograph above, has arrived at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center here in Denver from the North Pole. Today is the first day I have been able to look up after having eye surgery last week. Which means, of course, I am finally able to drive my car again. One of my first stops while doing my many errands today was Cherry Creek. And seeing Santa makes me remember how when I was a kid back in Chicago, every department store had their own Santa, each one claiming to be the one and only Santa Claus. Of course, with the advent of shopping centers, there wound up being only one Santa per mall, usually placed in the center court. But the big question is whether the real Santa back then was at Marshall Field's Department Store or Carson Pierre Scott and Company? The only way to find out is to ask the man down there. I'm sure he'll remember which one he was at. And if not, he is no doubt a FRAUD!

Nostalgia Time!

I am getting nostalgic about Florida again, and so today I am featuring a photograph taken of my mother Mary, my grandmother Louise, and myself at the Sun Castle Club and Motor Hotel in Pompano Beach, Florida, back in 1963. It was during the month of August, rates were cheap (something like $8.00 per person per day), and breakfast and lunch were provided. And it was right on the beach. What could be better? Paradise found!

Thoughts About The St. Lucie River

The condo my sister Susan and I own in Stuart, Florida is a short walk away from the South Fork of the St. Lucie River, as seen from the pier of our condo complex. It is a really pretty river, but is plagued by discharges instigated by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to lower the level of Lake Okeechobee, which is surrounded by a series of levees. This Lake Okeechobee water has been polluted by the many sugar plantations that let pesticides flow into the lake, and in addition to this, fresh water mixing with salt water also causes problems. Years ago, an algae bloom formed all along the banks of the St. Lucie, bringing national attention to the problem, with promises of solutions, but those solutions have not yet happened. Recently, the Army Corp of Engineers announced that they will begin discharges once again to lower the lake, which has been met by protests from environmental groups. Will it help? I hope so. God forbid that Florida politicians make wealthy sugar plantation owners clean up their act.

The December Issue Of Chicago Magazine

I just finished reading the December issue of Chicago magazine, and it has a lot of good articles in it this month. In the "312" section is a piece about how Mayor Brandon Johnson's approval rating has dropped to 25%, and how he could learn from how Mayor Richard J. Daley and his son, Richard M. were able to retain power and popularity for a combined 43 years. Another article discusses Chicago's $1 billion budget shortfall for 2025 and how it got there. There is an article about a really nice, 3-story, 3,000 square foot 19th Century Old Town Row House on the market for just under 1.5 million (which would be a tremendous bargain here in Denver). And in the "Backroom" section, there is an interview with respected Chicago newsman Bob Sirott, who back when I lived in Chicago was a well-known rock and roll DJ. All in all, a really interesting issue.

A Boogie Board Flashback!

Ned, the manager of my condo building here in Denver, came up to our unit the other day to check out the repairs being done in the kitchen after a leak was discovered behind the wall there. He asked about our time in Stuart, Florida, and Susan told him how much she loved it there, and how much she loves walking down to the St. Lucie River to sit and watch the boats pass by and to go to Stuart Beach each day. She also mentioned how disappointed she was that I threw away her boogie board, which she used to float out in the ocean on. Of course, that was 15 years ago, when we began renting the condo out after our mother Mary died, but some people have long memories. I have offered to buy her a new one at Walmart and help launch her out to sea, but she keeps putting me off. In any case, I took the photograph above of Susan and my mother Mary at Stuart Beach back in August of 1996, just before Susan started another one of her boogie board adventures.

The December Mutt Of The Month

I took the above photograph of the December Mutt of the Month as I was walking along the pier at the Sunset Bay Marina, along the South Fork of the St. Lucie River in Stuart, Florida. I suspect it is a watchdog guarding that sailboat. If I had tried to board it, I am sure it would have launched itself off the boat and torn me to shreds.  Fortunately, I didn't try. I had to bike home and make dinner. You have to have your priorities, after all.

Missing The Monterey Yacht And Country Club's Christmas Party

My sister Susan and I were planning to attend the Monterey Yacht and Country Club's annual Christmas party, held each year at the yacht club, just a short walk from our Stuart, Florida condo. Unfortunately, we had to leave Stuart early so I could have eye surgery in Denver, and so we missed it for the 48th year in a row. And I have heard that it is quite lively. If you have ever seen the Christmas party scene in The Apartment, a 1960 comedy-drama starring Jack Lemon and Shirley MacLaine, it is said that the Monterey party is just like that. Perhaps next year. And by the way, the photograph above shows my sister Susan walking home after we sat on the pier along the St. Lucie River on a pleasant sunny afternoon in Florida. As you can see, there are no boats, since the developer was never allowed to dredge, but that did not discourage the condo residents. "No boats? No problem. We have a yacht club. We can have parties there!"

It's The Christmas Season! Time To Celebrate!

And what better way to celebrate than hanging out at the airport, waiting for your flight to (hopefully) take off? I took the photograph above at the Orlando International Airport after my sister Susan and I were looking for a restaurant to eat at after going through the security checkpoint on our way to catch our flight to Denver. The only sit-down restaurant was On The Border, a Mexican Restaurant. I found that mildly disappointing, since after going through airport screening, I really wanted a couple of nice IPAs, and most Mexican restaurants serve only Mexican beers. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that On the border serves Wicked Weed Pernicious IPA, made by Wicked Weed Brewing in Ashville, North Carolina, which is really, really good. Ashville, as everyone knows, was hit hard by Hurricane Helene, but I looked it up on the internet, and that brewery survived the storm, and is still open 7 days a week. Good news for beer drinkers.

Watching A Sailor's Return Sunset - Was It Only One Week Ago?

How different a week makes. Exactly one week ago my sister Susan and I were watching the sunset from the outdoor bar at the Sailor's Return Restaurant along the St. Lucie River in Stuart, Florida, and today I am recovering from eye surgery in Denver. No complaints - I am very happy to have insurance that will cover the operation, and a chance to head back to Stuart at a later date. And by the way, if you happen to live anywhere within a couple of thousand miles of Stuart, the outdoor bar at the Sailor's Return is a great place to hang out. It is right next to the Sunset Bay Marina, and last week I noticed that two very nice-looking yachts were for sale and docked right next to the bar's outdoor patio. You could have a drink or two and buy your own yacht in a single visit. What could be more perfect?

Experiencing Eye Surgery At the Kaiser Permanente Franklin Medical Offices

I had to come back to Denver from Stuart, Florida for eye surgery at the Kaiser Permanente Franklin Medical Offices, located in the City Park neighborhood, just east of downtown Denver, and seen in the background of the above self-portrait (it is much more beautiful in the spring, of course). I learned during my appointment with the doctor that I will have to spend an entire week looking down, only being able to look up for 10 minutes each hour. The doctor seems very nice and very professional, but sometimes I have to wonder about these various instructions. Could it be possible that all the doctors and nurses there get together for happy hour every Friday and tell each other what crazy things they actually got their patients to do that week? Just kidding, of course, but still...

The Joy Of Flying - Same Old Same Old...

My sister Susan and I flew home to Denver from Orlando Saturday night. Neither of us has flown on a plane since 2019, and that particular flight wound up being diverted from Houston, where we were to change planes, to Dallas, where we wound up having to stay the night, not getting another flight until the following evening. And I have to report that things have changed little over the past 5 1/2 years. This time, our flight was supposed to take off at 9:15 in the evening. It all started out well, everyone boarding the aircraft and taking their seats. And just when it was time to take off, we were informed the plane was now out of service, and we had to leave the plane and sit down in the waiting area across the aisle and wait to board plane number 2. We arrived in Denver over an hour late, and deplaned right on the tarmac, as far away from where we were supposed to be picked up by an Uber as you could get. It said on my phone that we needed to get to the pickup area by 1:19, which we were not going to do. I was able to call the driver, thank goodness, a very kind man who said he would wait for us, no problem. The problem is that these days flying is more often a nightmare than a joy. Surprise! Who would have thunk it?

Goodbye To Stuart - For Now

My sister Susan and I had hoped to stay in Stuart, Florida through Christmas, but due to unforeseen circumstances, we have to head back to Denver. And so, goodbye to sunsets at the Sunset Bay Marina, as seen in the photograph above, as well as sunny skies and 75-degree temperatures in mid-December. At least for now. But on the bright side, we will be able to visit the Denver Christkindl Market, held every year at Civic Center Park, which is a lot of fun to visit even if it does get cold as hell there after sunset. And who doesn't love a white Christmas, at least if you don't have to drive through all that snow? So, it is time to look on the bright side. I am definitely looking forward to flying back to Denver. I haven't flown anywhere since 2018, and I hear that airline travel is more fun than ever these days. At least that is what the airlines say. Would they lie?

Pearl Harbor Day...

Today is the 83rd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, by the Japanese back in 1941, an attack which killed 2,403 Americans and resulted in the United States entering World War II. It also resulted in my father Nelson being drafted in 1943 at the age of 34 into the army and being sent to Okinawa, where I believe the photograph above was taken. He was a dentist and fought both teeth and typhoons before coming home in 1947. Fortunately, the fighting was about over on Okinawa by the time he arrived, and since he was not crazy about being a dentist, being on Okinawa was kind of like a break from the office for him. Believe it or not, he told me the experience was very much like the television show MASH. Hot Lips on Okinawa? Back when I was a kid, Pearl Harbor Day was a big deal, but it seems to get a lot less press these days. Events like September 11th, which killed 2,996 people and happened much more recently, have attracted more attention from the media when such anniversaries roll around. Horrible events keep on coming, after all, and probably always will. And by the way, in the photograph above my father is sitting in the back row, third from the right. I'd recognize him anywhere.

OK. OK. I Admit It. Yes Virgina, Manatees Do Exist...

It got down to 45 degrees here on the Treasure Coast a few nights ago, and as everyone knows, when it gets cold, manatees supposedly head to waters near the power plants to get warm. And so, I thought I would give it one more try to spot one and stopped by Manatee Lagoon in West Palm Beach yesterday afternoon.  I did not really believe I would see a manatee, but it turns out I saw not one, but at least eight or more manatees swimming in the waters right below the Florida Power and Light Power Plant, as seen in the photograph on the left. I believe it is called a herd of manatees, also known as sea cows. I don't know what I was expecting, but it appears manatees do not poke their heads up out of the water so you can take a portrait of them. They usually just stick their nose into the air and then submerge again. And so how do you take a good photograph of one? Good question.

The answer, I believe, is to take photographs of them under the water. And I think this could have been done yesterday if Manatee Lagoon had more foresight before they built their center. If they had put in a lower level that went below the waterline and featured a wall of glass windows featuring views below the surface of the lagoon, I might have taken a really great photograph. As it was, I took something like 154 photos of the damn things, and the best I could come up with was the manatee in the photograph on the right. It is a bit blurry, taken from a distance with a point and shoot camera, but at least I caught it with its eye open, and it is indeed proof positive that manatees do exist. And I hold Manatee Lagoon personally responsible for this less than overwhelming photograph. I would ask them for a free lifetime pass to their educational center as compensation if it wasn't already free.

The Manatees Are Late In Arriving - Don't They Check The Calendar Anymore?

The official website of Manatee Lagoon, located in West Palm Beach, Florida and dedicated to educating the public about manatees, states that manatee season is November 15th through March 31st. I have visited this educational center and checked the waterways a number of times since mid-November and have not seen a single manatee. This center, seen in the photograph above, is operated by Florida Power and Light, which has a power plant just to the north. Manatees crave warm water during the winter and are attracted to power plants because they warm the nearby waters. But the manatees are NOT showing up. What's the deal with that? I think this educational center should start rounding up these creatures and put them where they belong - the waters of Manatee Lagoon. If the manatees will not pay attention to the calendar, it is only right that this action be taken. After all, how hard could it be to capture and move a few dozen or so 1,200-pound sea cows? No problem at all, in my opinion.

Exactly Ten Weeks Until Spring Training!

Roger Dean Stadium, located in the Abacoa neighborhood of Jupiter, Florida, and seen in the background of the above photo, is pretty quiet now, but in exactly ten weeks spring training begins, and things will pick up pretty quickly. Pitchers and catchers report on Wednesday, February 12th (Lincoln's birthday, I might add), and the rest of the team reports the following Sunday. At Roger Dean Stadium, the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins play their spring training games. Down in West Palm Beach, the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros will be working out, and the New York Mets play up in Port St. Lucie. Unfortunately, my South Side heroes, the Chicago White Sox, the Colorado Rockies, my adopted hometown team, and even those hapless North Siders, the Chicago Cubs, all train in Arizona. Which is a shame. The White Sox, as loyal fans will remember, set a Major League record last year for most losses in a season, which was quite an achievement. I can't wait to see what they will do next season. Only time will tell. As for the Rockies, everyone in Colorado knows what they will do next year (finish last, as usual). The Cubs, of course, will always be the Cubs. Give their fans hope early in the season and crush their spirits at the end. The White Sox will never do that. Consistency has its value.

As Wild As It Gets

Having been down in Stuart, Florida for three weeks, I was hoping to have seen some exotic animals by now. There are supposed to be alligators, manatees, panthers, and even bears in the southern part of Florida. And it was recently reported on the local television news that Port St. Lucie (more specifically the Tradition neighborhood) is overrun with wild boars, even threatening young children in their backyards. But to date, the most exotic animals I have come across are the pelicans seen in the photograph on the left. And even they were nowhere to be found during the summer - they have only recently started to fly south for the winter. It is the same story as in Colorado. I have never seen a bear, a fox, a moose, or a mountain lion in the wild the entire time I have lived in Colorado.  And I am beginning to suspect that all those moose sightings in the state are just made up to attract tourists.

There are, of course, all kinds of squirrels about, but they are no different from the ones in Colorado. Both the squirrels in Denver's Washington Park and the ones at Stuart Beach look exactly the same, and are all after one thing - a handout, such as the squirrel in the photograph on the right. Stuart Beach has the Seaside Cafe located on the boardwalk, and the place is filled with people eating. And so, both the birds and the squirrels are always out and about looking for crumbs. I have even seen a few rats, too, but they are not as photogenic as the birds and squirrels. And I have to ponder - how do you get rid of rats at the seashore and not harm all the other animals as well? But not too much pondering - time to head out to Lake Okeechobee, home of the most alligators in Florida, to take a few closeups of them in their native habitat. What could go wrong?  

Marking The End Of Hurricane Season In Key West!

This past Saturday, November 30th, marked the end of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, and down in Key West, they have a special way of celebrating that important event. To the sound of conch shells being blown, Paul Menta and Jai Somers, the leaders of the Florida Keys' ceremonial Conch Republic administration, doused hurricane flags with rum and set them on fire, with an applauding crowd looking on, as seen in the photograph above. I really love Key West, although the last time I visited it was back in 1979, when my father Nelson, mother Mary, sister Susan, and I drove down there from Stuart, Florida for a few days. I had never heard of this particular annual ceremony until I saw a story about it on the local television news, but I do know that it is only one of many such celebrations in that quirky city. I have often considered attending Hemingway Days there in July (I want to see the Running of the Hemingways in person), but the cost of a motel in Key West is astronomical, and it is, after all, a 5-hour drive from Stuart. Perhaps I'll wait until relations thaw with Cuba to the point that they restart the overnight ferry from Key West to Havana. You used to be able to drive your car onto the ferry, stay in a stateroom overnight, and drive off the next morning in Havana. That way I could catch the Running of the Hemingways, and afterwards head to the ferry, avoiding the price of a motel room. A cheapskate's dream come true. And I would get to see Cuba, too. Perfect! I am sure with Trump as president, that will happen very soon.

It's December 1st! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

It's December, time for the snow to start flying, and in fact, this weekend lake-effect snowstorms have been hitting the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and towns along Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, with Watertown, New York expecting 4 to 6 feet. In Buffalo, they are expecting 2 feet of snow, and the Buffalo Bills are asking fans to help shovel out Highmark Stadium before tonight's Bills game with the San Francisco 49ers. In Colorado, they have had a lot of snow in the mountains, but not much in Denver as of yet. Here in Stuart, Florida, we don't expect a white Christmas. In fact, over the past 48 years, I am aware of snow flurries around here exactly twice - once on our dog Irma when my mother Mary brought her inside after a walk, and once when I was down visiting my mother in December. And, of course, both times those flurries melted as soon as they hit the ground. When I was a kid, I used to love when it snowed, especially when it snowed so much that school was canceled. I took the photograph above out the window of my bedroom back in 1962 when we lived in the South Side Brainerd neighborhood of Chicago. The older I got, however, the less I liked the snow, especially when I had to drive in it. Back when I lived in a studio apartment in Forest Park, just to the west of Chicago, I remember one year there was so much snow on the sides of the road it was like driving through a canyon. You had to park your car in the thankfully plowed schoolyard each night and walk home. I suspect there is little chance of that happening here this year.

Attending Stuart Florida's 25th Annual Christmas On Main Street

My sister Susan and I attended the 25th Annual Christmas on Main Street (aka The Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony) in downtown Stuart, Florida last night, and I must say, it looked like the entire town was in attendance. We headed down Osceola Street, the main drag, as seen in the photograph on the left, and the closer we got to Riverwalk Plaza, where the tree lighting would take place, the more crowded it got. It got so hectic on the sidewalk that a person next to us decided to grab hold of the front of Susan's walker and guide her through the maze to the plaza. 

Once we got there, I took the photograph of Susan on the right, next to a group of weirdly dressed people having their photo taken. I am not sure if those were supposed to be Christmas outfits or not, but what's the difference? As long as everyone is having fun, no problem. The parking lot next to the plaza was filled with various booths featuring arts and crafts, face painting, food and beverages, and other assorted things, but since there were so many people, we decided to just move toward the back, near the river, and wait for the tree to be lighted. 

We wound up sitting right behind Rick and Alli, who provided holiday music during the evening. As you can see from the photo, they were performing right in front of the St. Lucie River. There was a breeze coming off the water that Susan felt was pretty chilly. Amazingly - barely 2 weeks in Florida - she gets chilly in 70-degree temperatures. Go figure. Happily, Susan brought along her sweater and toughed it out. And as usual, they stretched out the lighting of the tree as long as they could, finally turning on the lights around 6:30. 

And of course, since the highlight of the evening was the lighting of the tree, I needed to get a photograph of it and was able to get the snapshot on the right of Santa and Mrs. Claus posing in front of the tree. There was a line a mile long to see Santa and have a photograph taken with him, and so I was damn lucky to get just the two of them, no doubt down in Stuart for the weekend from the North Pole. After the tree lighting, nobody appeared to be leaving, and so once again we fought the crowds to get back to the car. One of the festival people saw us fighting our way upstream and ran interference for us. And I must say, everyone here is very friendly and helpful. We both had a great time and are planning on attending the Christmas parade this coming Friday and the Christmas Boat Parade a week later. Time to start celebrating the holidays Florida style.

Biking Past Benihana of Stuart

I went for a bike ride to Stuart Beach a few days ago, and I decided to stop on the way back and take a photograph of the Benihana Japanese Restaurant as I was passing by. This restaurant is located on the banks of the St. Lucie River, with a beautiful garden along the water, and has a great view of the river from the dining room, especially nice when the sun is setting over the river. I dined there only once, back in the late 70s or early 80s, with my mother Mary and father Nelson. My mother had coupons for the place, which is why we decided to go, since that restaurant is usually quite pricey. Everyone sits at communal hibachi grill tables, and the chef puts on quite a show. As I recall, it was quite a fun experience. It reminds me of a story I read in the Stuart News about the place. A guard at Witham Field, the local airport in Stuart, was at this post early one evening and saw a driverless Cadillac pass by the entrance onto the field. He chased after it in his car and pulled it over, finding 4 elderly ladies, who explained that they had coupons for Benihana and were trying to find the place. And so, he personally led them there in his car, getting them off the runway. It made me laugh at the time, but these days, when driving around in strange locations, especially after dark, I now realize I would be quite capable of doing the same thing.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone out there has a wonderful time getting together with friends and family on this special day. My sister Susan and I are spending the holidays here in Stuart, Florida, and so, unfortunately, will miss the Mile High United Way Turkey Trot at Washington Park up in Denver this year. Not that either of us has actually participated in that event, but I do like to take photographs of large numbers of people running around dressed up as turkeys. Who wouldn't? Of course, it will be 30 degrees in Denver about the time those turkeys start to trot, while in Stuart we are expecting sunny skies and a high of 82, but I guess I'll just have to deal with that. In any case, in honor of Thanksgiving, I am featuring a photograph that I took years ago of my late mother Mary, late brother-in-law George, and sister Susan preparing dinner at Susan and George's townhouse up in Fort Collins, Colorado. And from their expressions, it looks like it was serious business. Granted, it probably wasn't taken on Thanksgiving, but it was still a family get-together, and that's what counts, right? Enjoy the holiday, everyone, wherever you are. 

Stuart By Bike

I have been doing a lot of biking down here in Stuart, Florida lately. It is a really compact city, very bike friendly, and wherever you go, there is water. And it is all about the water here. The St. Lucie and Indian Rivers crisscross the area, and along the ocean, the beaches are free of high-rises and have lots of public access. Plus, there are boardwalks along the St. Lucie River in the downtown area of Stuart that take full advantage of the riverfront, such as the one in Shepard Park, as seen in the photograph on the left. And being a 10- or 15-minute bike ride from downtown, I definitely make sure I visit those boardwalks often.

And virtually everywhere you go, there are boats of all kinds, moored in the river, docked in marinas like Sunset Bay Marina, as seen in the photograph on the right, or even berthed at private docks behind people's houses. Being on a bike makes it easy to stop wherever you want and admire the view. The other day at Sunset Bay I walked past slips where huge yachts were moored, as well as more modest vessels, too, such a well-worn houseboat that made me think of Travis McGee and the Busted Flush.

Stuart was first settled in the late 19th century and incorporated as a town in 1914, and there are still a lot of homes from that era located along the water near the downtown area. Many of them are still homes, while some have been turned into B&Bs or small businesses. And behind those houses there is always a view of the water. No wonder USA Today named Stuart the best coastal small town in America.

I took the photograph on the right of Krueger Creek as I was crossing the bridge on East Ocean Avenue that connects one waterfront neighborhood to another. I am always jealous when I see people who have private boat docks behind their homes, which is a pretty common thing in Stuart. Away from the downtown area, I have noticed that along the waterfront, the homes tend to be fairly new mansions, while their neighbors' homes, away from the water, are older and more modest. After all, why not splurge, buy an older house on the water, and tear it down if you are going to put up a multi-million-dollar mansion? Speaking of which, I saw in the Stuart News yesterday that the Palm City waterfront home of the late billionaire Wayne Huizenga is for sale for a mere 45 million dollars. It sits on 17 acres, with 800 feet of St. Lucie River frontage, which seems just up my alley. Palm City is located right across the bridge from my sister Susan and my condo, but when I looked at the map, that estate seems to be located in a remote part of that city, and so I will take a pass on making an offer. Plus, it would be a long bike ride from there to downtown Stuart, and so forget it. Location, location, location, right?

Meanwhile, Back At Dear Old DU...

Although I am currently in Stuart, Florida, I still keep up with what is happening back in Denver, and there was an article in the Denver Post yesterday about the University of Denver's budget problems. I worked almost 30 years at the DU Bookstore before the university outsourced it, and I still care about the place. And evidently the university is in crisis. They have an 11-million-dollar deficit and are currently laying off staff and cutting back expenses trying to deal with it. Plus, they have raised tuition to $61,434, compared with the national average tuition cost of $47,999.  The chancellor blames the crisis on the decline in the number of college age students, as well as recent questions about the value of a college education. When told that the University of Colorado and Colorado State University, unlike DU, are experiencing an increase in enrollment, the chancellor says that isolation during Covid has made students prefer larger rather than smaller schools like DU these days.

As you can imagine, faculty and students are not happy about the situation and have issued a statement of no confidence in the administration. They feel that solving the problem by raising prices and cutting services is not a great idea.  Which is kind of what they did when they outsourced the DU Bookstore to Follett Higher Education Group back in 2012. Faculty, staff, and students were asked whether the bookstore should be outsourced back then, and overwhelmingly said no. But the university did it anyway. As far as I am concerned, there is only one solution. Bring back Dan Ritchie as chancellor. Ritchie served as chancellor of the University of Denver from 1989 to 2005, saved it from a major financial crisis, and started a major building program through donations from himself and many of his wealthy friends. He made DU into a thriving institution once again. Plus, he thought the bookstore should be there to serve the students, faculty, and staff, not just be a profit center, and refused to outsource the store. Although he is now 92 years old, I have complete confidence he can turn things around. Sign him up now!

 

Rock'n Riverwalk Sundays

Sundays are a busy time in downtown Stuart. The "Market on Main" takes place in Flagler Park, along the St. Lucie River, from 9:00 until 2:00, and Rock'n Riverwalk, a weekly concert series, takes place from 1:00 until 4:00. The Market on Main features fresh produce, like most farmer's markets, but also has a lot of arts and crafts, and is a great place to both browse and people-watch. Rock'n Riverwalk takes place nearby at a stage on the river, with seating rising from the stage up to the plaza above, as seen in the photograph on the left. I rode my bike from my sister Susan and my condo to downtown Stuart around 4:00, but the band was still playing and there was a good crowd filling the seats. There were also a lot of people hanging out on the restaurant patios, enjoying the late afternoon weather. 

There were a lot of people standing behind the seating area, but I was able to squeeze in and take the photograph on the right of The Brass Evolution performing for the crowd, who seemed to be really into the music. And no - I have never heard of The Brass Evolution, but they sounded pretty good, and did not seem like they were about to end the concert even though it was well past 4:00 P.M. Perhaps they were getting paid by the hour. In any case, it is nice to see downtown Stuart is so popular these days. I did notice that a lot of people were actually wearing jackets as it was getting close to sunset, even though it felt perfectly pleasant to me. A lot of thin blood down here these days. Goes with the territory, I guess.

Brightline Update! The Future Is BRIGHT!

The last blog post I wrote about a Brightline Railway Station being built in Stuart, newly elected anti-growth city commissioners had voted to rescind the agreement they made with that company (which operates a high-speed train between Miami and the Orlando airport), throwing the project into doubt. However, Martin County commissioners recently unanimously voted to go forward with that station, committing $15 million of the $45 million needed to build it at the same spot in downtown Stuart as originally planned, a site owned by the county. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? In my opinion, neither. And will it even really happen? If the train stops in Stuart, people will use it, but not in any great numbers. It won't be like Manhattan whenever it arrives or departs. I doubt people will even notice any increase in traffic. And if no station is built, people will get here the same way they always have. The main issue will still be the same - keeping people from trying to beat the train at railroad crossings. Brightline trains travel at 80 miles per hour between Miami and West Palm Beach and can go up to 125 miles per hour further north. And many people do not seem to realize just how fast that is, with fatal consequences. In any case, the station will be built in Stuart, Fort Pierce, or Vero Beach no matter what, and so it is not the area's most dramatic news story of all time. That one is certainly what happened to all those peacocks that used to wander around Rio and Jensen Beach. What really did happen to them, anyway? If they do still exist, hopefully they will stay away from those damn railroad tracks.

Make Stuart Florida Great Again!

This past week the Make America Great Again Bus was parked in downtown Stuart, Florida, just across the street from Maria's Cafe. And what was it doing there? The election is over, Trump won, what more is there to do? Perhaps those MAGAs were so enthralled with the breakfasts at Maria's that they decided to hang out here in Stuart all week - breakfast in the morning, Stuart Beach in the afternoon, dinner and cocktails at Hutchinson Shores in the evening. Or perhaps they were inviting people into the bus to look at displays describing what Trump will be doing over the next 4 years, from rounding up 20 million illegal immigrants to jailing Trump's political enemies, including, but not limited to, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Barack and Michelle Obama and Adam Schiff. Revenge for their stealing of the 2020 election and belonging to a cult that abuses children and drinks their blood. The mind boggles at the possibilities. It will definitely be an interesting four years. As the ancient Chinese curse goes, "May you live in interesting times."

Wild Boars! Are They Taking Over Port St. Lucie, Florida?

I saw a disturbing report on the local television news that wild boars are becoming a problem in Port St. Lucie, Florida. People in the Tradition neighborhood of that city are reporting wild boars weighing up to 200 pounds are hanging out in their backyards and acting in a menacing way when approached. Port St. Lucie is the 6th largest city in Florida, which is really an amazing thing. Port St Lucie has no downtown, and consists entirely of suburban style subdivisions, which stretch from the north fork of the St. Lucie River all the way into the desolate Central Florida wilderness. It is hard to believe, but West Palm Beach, with its downtown, high-rise condos, and office towers is a much smaller city. The Port St. Lucie neighborhood farthest to the west is Tradition, the town square of which can be seen in the photograph on the left, and from which 70 wild boars have been removed over the past two years.

Tradition is a master-planned community with a small-town feel, and I must say, it is a very impressive community. It has 500 acres of lakes and 300 acres of parks and nature areas, which makes for a beautiful community. But just to west are wetlands, lakes, and swamps, home to wild boars, alligators and giant pythons. Like bears occasionally following streams down from the mountains into the Denver metropolitan area, these wild animals often wander into Port St. Lucie. After all, they were there first. Children in Tradition are afraid to go out into their backyards these days, and I can't say I blame them. Florida Fish and Wildlife has warned that it is mating season for wild boars, and that can make them particularly aggressive if you happen to cross paths with them.

Port St. Lucie has grown into such a large urban area because, for many years, it was very affordable for people either moving to Florida or relocating within the state. Homes with large backyards for growing families, as well as apartments or condos for seniors on a fixed income, were within reach. Of course, with the cost of housing exploding since the pandemic, it has gone from affordable to "more affordable," according to the city manager. Personally, I think much of Port St. Lucie is pretty ugly, but it does have its nice areas, such as the older neighborhoods close to Stuart and, of course, Tradition, which has a really nice town square that is the location for various community events, including 4th of July fireworks, a Thanksgiving turkey trot, as well as many other types of festivals. Although if you are there after nightfall, I suggest you keep an eye out for those damn boars.

Tiger Tiger, Burning Bright, On the Fairways Of The Night

Yesterday I drove past Blowing Rocks Preserve, located on the south end of Jupiter Island, Florida, and decided to stop and take the path through a mangrove forest to the beach, where those famous rock formations begin, as seen in the photograph above. It was an impulsive visit, and so not the best time for photos. This park is famous for its limestone shoreline, the largest along the Atlantic. At high tide, during rough seas, the waves crash against those rocks, producing plumes of saltwater 50 feet up in the air. This, unfortunately, was not such a day, and so I walked back to the car, and realized I was just a few miles south of world-famous golfer Tiger Woods mansion. And I thought it would be nice to stop there on the way home, and see how he is doing these days, after suffering injuries in a bad car wreck several years ago. Tiger lives at 462 South Beach Road on Jupiter Island, Florida, but when I drove past, that address was not there, almost as if Tiger did not want drop-in visitors. How disappointing. After doing some research on the internet when I got home, I learned that the property also includes 466 South Beach Road, as well as 467 South Beach Road (which is along the ocean). I am almost sure I saw 466 South Beach when I drove by yesterday, and so I will definitely stop by and say "Hey" the next time I am down that way (perhaps during a storm when Blowing Rocks is at its most dramatic and beautiful).  What could possibly go wrong?

Another Sign Of Aging?

This past summer when my sister Susan and I were down at our condo in Stuart, Florida (love that summer humidity!), I read in the Stuart News that the most popular waterfront bar on the Treasure Coast (made up of Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin Counties) was Square Grouper Tiki Bar in Fort Pierce. Just for fun, I decided to check the place out, and even though I found it on a map, I could not locate it while driving through Fort Pierce until the day before I left. It turns out it is actually located in Jetty Park, and you have to drive into the park to find it. It took me 7 weeks to figure that out. I still haven't gone into the place, although I did take the photograph on the left of the entrance to it a few days ago.

Another place I could not find at all last summer was Villa Del Sol, a condominium complex along the ocean in Jensen Beach - just to the north of Stuart - that was in the news a lot back then. There is a new law in Florida that requires all buildings over 30 years old and 3 stories or higher to be inspected for structural defects, and have those problems resolved in a timely manner. This was adopted after the collapse of a high-rise condo building in Sunset, Florida, which killed close to 100 people. After an inspection at Villa Del Sol, three of the complex's building were deemed unsafe due to cracks in the foundation and disintegrating rebar, and the tenants were forced to evacuate. The cost to repair the problem is around 6 million, spread among 73 residences, or about $83,000 per unit. I wanted to look at the complex to figure out exactly where it was, but could never find it, even though I drove past the location dozens of times. When we got back to Stuart this month, the first time I drove past Villa Del Sol I saw the sign and the driveway and took the photograph on the right. What is the deal with that? Is it old age finally setting in, early Alzheimer's (although not really that early), or just plain stupidity. In any case, if I was an owner there, I would be pretty damn mad. For me, it would mean having to take out a mortgage and start making monthly payments, which I assume most of those owners will have to do, which is not good if you are on a fixed income. And I would definitely hate to be a member of that condo complex's HOA. Talk about stressful meetings.

Lunch At Shucker's

My sister Susan, seen in the photograph above, and I had lunch at Shucker's on the Beach, my favorite restaurant along the ocean here in the Stuart, Florida area. I have been coming to this restaurant for many years. It is in a beautiful location, right on the beach, has a great outdoor patio, good food, and is very reasonably priced. A hamburger with fries or chicken sandwich is $12.95, compared to an average price of $17 back in Denver. And even then, in Denver, the only view you usually get is of a street like East Evans Avenue, which is not quite as wonderful as a view of the beach and the ocean (sorry Denver). In any case, back in 2004 there were two Category 3 hurricanes, the eyes of which both passed directly over Stuart. There was a lot of damage, especially along the ocean, and Shucker's was severely damaged. It took several years for it to reopen, but reopen it did, and today it is better than ever. I definitely recommend it the next time you are in Stuart, or even relatively close (less than 2,000 miles). Just do it, as the Nike commercials always say.

One Hell Of A Deal. I Think

I noticed when my sister Susan and I came down to Stuart, Florida this past summer after renting our condo out for 15 years that groceries were more expensive here. The go-to grocery store in Stuart has always been Publix, and that's where we did our shopping. Back in Denver, it is King Soopers, which is part of Kroger, a national chain. Publix, on the other hand, is more of a regional operation. Which means more buying power and a lot more store brands for Kroger, which probably explains the higher prices. But I am having to revise my opinion after buying a 11.6-pound Thanksgiving turkey yesterday from Publix for $5.68.  Yes! That is not a typo. It cost $5.68. I have never in my life paid that little for a turkey. I am not sure how to explain it. Of course, it is frozen and still wrapped in plastic, waiting to be defrosted before the holiday, and so I suppose it could turn out to be a roadkill, still covered in feathers. That would be sad, since I would have to make Susan pull out all those feathers, which would make her very surly, but that would still not change the fact that it is a tremendous bargain. Good going Publix!

Even if Publix is more expensive than Kroger, I still have a warm feeling for the store. Every time I would come down to Stuart to visit my mother Mary, we would head to Publix every day for one thing or another. Mostly it would be to the downtown Publix, located just a mile away, where I took the photograph on the right of my mother back in 2007. We would run into her neighbors there, and she would talk with employees who had been working there for years. And at Christmas, Publix would have, and probably still has, heartwarming ads wishing everyone Happy Holidays, such as the one with the doves, which you can see by clicking on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1foZ_szc3hI. After watching that commercial, how can you not love Publix, even if it is owned by a big Trump supporter and donor.

Dodging A Bullet. For Now...

Three days ago, Tropical Storm Sara was expected to become a major hurricane, and after brushing past Honduras, Belize, and Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, turn to the northeast and cross Central Florida, duplicating the path of Hurricane Wilma back in 2005. That hurricane caused massive damage in Florida, including some damage to my mother Mary's condo, which my sister Susan and I inherited and are currently living in part of the year. However, thankfully, instead of skirting the coast, Sara came much closer to the shore and made landfall yesterday along the Honduras/Costa Rican border, and after crossing the Yucatan Peninsula, is expected to dissipate. The remnants will still hit Central Florida, but it will only be thunderstorms by then, which is great news for Florida, although sadly, Honduras is currently experiencing catastrophic flooding. And that is the problem with Florida and so many other places in similar circumstances - during hurricane season, from June 1st through November 30th, the threat of a major hurricane is always there, and due to climate change, they are getting stronger every year. That has convinced me we need to get hurricane shutters for the condo this coming spring. It is expensive, but even a dedicated cheapskate like me knows it is well past time. I took the photograph above, by the way, yesterday afternoon along the beach in Jupiter, Florida, which is located to the south of Stuart. As you can see, the surf is pretty strong, and there are warnings about dangerous rip currents, but as long as you stay out of the water, you are okay. Not that there aren't a lot of people who will ignore those warnings, of course. After all, over half the country voted for Trump. What does that tell you?

Meanwhile, Up In Ocala...

On the drive down to Stuart, Florida from Denver, my sister Susan and I had dinner with our friends Ana Silvia and Joe at Southern Pig and Cattle in Ocala, Florida, where they moved to from Denver in 2016.  Ana Silvia and Joe owned two condos in Denver, living in one and renting out the other, but wanted to buy a house, which in Denver they could not afford. Ana Silvia had a friend in Ocala, and eventually they decided to buy a home there. I last visited them there back in 2016 when I was down in Stuart working on our condo, which was the year Trump was first elected president, and now, 8 years later, on my next visit, Trump has been elected again. I really can't blame them for this political disaster, of course, but it does seem like quite a coincidence. In any case, the photograph above shows Ana Silvia and Joe on the left and Susan on the right at Southern Pig and Cattle, which has locations only in Ocala and Stuart, Florida. Still another coincidence. Hmm.