Boating with Sunset Delight: 2019: Key West Garden Tour

2/15/2019 - 2/24/2019

After our family left at the beginning of February, Clark became sick reaching a temperature of 103 degrees. Two days later I fell ill with whatever Clark had. It took us a long time to get our health back to normal. Fortunately, we recovered in time to enjoy a visit from our Michigan friends who traveled to Marathon to see us and enjoy the warmer weather here in the south.

Leading up to their visit, we did have time to enjoy some activities around the marina.

Watching an iguana swim for a swim platform on a
neighboring boat. They love to sunbathe on there.

My hair is getting longer, so I decided to be playful
and put it up in pigtails. Clark loved it!

February 19th the marina had a big birthday party for Mia Wilson who turned 8! Mia is a very special little girl with a wonderful family. They are on America's Great Loop for the second time around. Mia is an amazing girl with an amazing history due to her heart condition.

Mia and her mom, Wendy, admiring Mia's big cake!

Group shot of the birthday party attendees.

Devon (Faro Blanco Staff Member) came to the party
and brought her new baby girl only a few days old!

Mia's sister, Ella, with Devon's baby - Cora Cay

Sunset at Faro Blanco Marina

Finally, on the 22nd of February, our friends from Michigan, Jim and Jo Ann, came to visit. They rented a place in Islamorada and drove to Marathon for the day. We enjoyed lunch at Burdine's and a some time at the pool.

Ev, Clark, Jim and Jo Ann
at Burdines Restaurant

The next day Jim and Jo Ann ("Namaste Too") picked us up in Marathon to take us with them to Key West to meet up with Jeanne and Kenny Beach ("Daybreak") and check out the garden tour.

Jim, Ev, and Clark at Bucktooth Rooster where we
stopped for lunch on our way to Key West.

The garden tour was hosted by the Key West Garden Club and consisted of four home gardens. We got a late start and the tour closed at 3:00, but with some persistence from Clark we managed to see all four homes.

We started the tour at 51 Front Street, Truman Annex. It is truly hard to believe that this is someone's backyard! We learned all sorts of palm tree trivia including reproduction of some species that have male and female trees!

Waiting for tour to begin.

We spent more time than we should have at the first house and rushed to the next one hoping to get in at least one more before the 3:00 deadline. To get to the houses on Staples Avenue and Harris Avenue, we had to drive a few blocks - it was way too far to walk. Jeanne and Kenny got an Uber and the rest of us went in the rental car to meet there.

Our next stop was 1802 Harris Avenue. The gentleman who lived here had banana trees and orchids as well as numerous varieties of palm trees and flowers. We wondered how he got to the bananas to harvest them, and he explained the process to us.

Fortunately, the last three houses were very close to each other. We arrived at the third house at 2026 Staples Avenue just a couple of minutes before 3:00, and they let us in for a look around. All of the houses we visited had a pool or pond of some sort to add pizzazz to their gardens. The woman that owned this property is an artist and had many interesting displays of her work in the garden. She liked to work with metal.

Fish pond

Backyard pool

Chain heart created by home owner.

By the time we finished touring this property, it was after 3:00. The rest of us decided we had seen all there was to see. Clark, however, who does not like to leave anything partially complete, decided that he had to ask if we could tour the fourth, and final, property. With his persistence and the kindness of the home owner, we were allowed in to 2110 Staples Avenue.

The tour guide had to get permission from the homeowner to walk us through the property as the dogs were out in the yard.

Golden Retriever Dog leading us through the gardens

Notes like this adorned one wall of the garden.

After we completed the tour, we drove back to find parking near the marina. This time all six of us piled into the rental car. Pretending he was a piece of luggage, Kenny climbed into the back of the van for the quick ride back. Based on his description of the ride to the houses, it would seem that riding in the "trunk" was perhaps the safer option.

We enjoyed a pleasant cocktail hour on Kenny's boat and then walked to the Conch Republic Seafood Company restaurant for a lovely dinner.

Water near marina teaming with Tarpon fish and Pelicans

Group Picture ...
Ev, Clark - Sunset Delight
Jeanne, Kenny - Daybreak
Jim, Jo Ann - Namaste Too

The next day, February 24th, we had two events planned. At 8:00 a.m., Sandy from "L'attitude Adjustment", drove Clark and me to Kmart so we could take the bus to Islamorada for the annual boater's flea market. We were the only two people on the bus, including the bus driver, that were not speaking Spanish the whole trip. Everyone was extremely friendly but we had no clue what they talked about!

Giant Lobster near the site of the Islamorada Flea Market

"Welcme to Marathon"
Road Sign on Rte 1

After we bought some goodies there, Jim and Jo Ann picked us up and drove us back to Marathon. We stopped at Publix along the way to buy food for the evening's AGLCA Sunset Celebration.

After some time in the marina pool, we headed over to the party to see who we might know there. We saw folks we met on the loop, Jill and Kevin, from "Chasing 80" as well as Monica and Rich from, when we met them, "Moni Jean" (they have since purchased a different boat and given it a different name).

We arrived at the Sunset Celebration in time to hear the Boat market report from Curtis Stokes. He did not give a very favorable view of the boating marketplace at this time.