The giant Fleamasters Fleamarket located in Ft. Myers with over 900 vendors, is sure to have a little something for everyone! Fleamasters is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday year round. It is easy to find on S.R. 82 1-1/4 miles west of I-75, (exit 138), Ft. Myers, FL. There is plenty of entertainment and lots to see and do. This Sunday, March 14, from 12pm – 2pm at the Fleasmasters Music Hall, you can dance to the music of the 30’s and 40’s. This is the sound of the Big Band Era So stop on over and see what’s happening!

Shown is local florist Beth Trout from Floral Artistry located on Palm Ridge Road on Sanibel. Beth is preparing the arrangements for a wedding at the Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center in Fort Myers. Floral Artistry has sent many arrangements to guests staying at Ocean’s Reach and their work always brightens our day.

So the next time you need some floral cheer, remember Beth and Floral Artistry!

The Bald cypress is truly a majestic tree. It is the tallest tree east of the Rockies, and will grow to be 150 feet tall and more than 6 feet in diameter. The leaves of the Bald Cypress are flat and grow on each side of the horizontal branchlets, which the Bald Cypress looses in the winter season, thus the origination of the name, Bald Cypress.

There is another Cypress called the Pond Cypress and is similar but does not grow as tall and has a leaf that is slightly different. The interesting thing is that these two varieties of trees can interbreed which causes many varied characteristics to show on the newly derived tree.

The Bald Cypress is a fast growing tree with thin tight bark and the Pond Cypress is a slow growing tree with shaggy bark. The Bald Cypress also grows in areas with flowing water while the Pond Cypress prefers to grow in still or slow moving water.

Both Cypress species are well known for their “knees” and their large buttressed trunks. It is believed that Cypress trees have been present in Southwest Florida for over 5000 years and some of the trees seen today are over 500 years old.

It is known that just about a hundred years ago, Native Americans created enormous dugout canoes from these huge trees. These canoes were large enough to carry 20 to 30 men at a time and transport them across the Straits of Florida to trade with Cuba.

Today the harvesting of Cypress trees is used for two specific industries, lumber and landscaping mulch. Thetrees are also very beneficial to wildlife, recreation, wastewater recycling, flood control and groundwater recharging.

So the next time you spot a Cypress tree, think about how important they are to us and to our ecological system. Be sure and visit the Six Mile Cypress Slough (pronounced “slew”) Preserve in Ft. Myers to learn more.

Today we are going to explore one of Lee County’s wonderful parks!

In my opinion, one of the best parks in Lee County is Lakes Regional Park, which is located across the street (north side) from Lowes at the corner of US 41 and Gladiolus.

If you have ever been tempted to stop in, DO! Whatever is your fancy, you will find it at Lakes Park: bicycling, paddling on the lake, walking trails, birding, playground and water activities, a 15 minute long miniature train ride, and beautiful picnic areas. There are on-site bike rentals to use on the 2.5 mile Heart Healthy paths, and boat rentals to use on the 158 acres of freshwater quarry lakes. The lake is abundant with all sorts of fish and wildlife, including American Alligators. And it is beautiful. The park has a nice, new entrance and in the summer there are many musical concerts. Also on Fridays, the Lakes Park Farmers Market is open from 9am to 1pm, which opened in January.

I am off now for a long walk on the trails and then I will enjoy sitting on one of the many park benches overlooking the large lakes. Come on over and enjoy the day!

How about a special gift to send to a friend back home. The Sanibel-Captiva Nature Wall Calendar comes shrink wrapped and ready for gift giving and mailing. Attach your label and drop it in our mail box for daily pick up.

A monthly reminder of the wildlife and natural beauty to be enjoyed on Sanibel-Captiva–whether you are near or afar. Truly a work of art, featuring many famous photographers, that over the years have become collectors items. Start your collection today!

The calendar retails for $13.95 and is sold throughout Southwest Florida in book stores, gift shops and other retailers including Ocean’s Reach. Mail orders send $13.95 (plus $2 shipping and handling) to: Sanibel-Captiva Nature Calendar, P.O. Box 356, Sanibel Island, FL 33957. For the custom-printed Blind Pass Tide edition (available in the fall), send $16.95 (plus $2 shipping and handling) to the above address.

Meet our Camino del Mar neighbors, Mike and Annelle Rigsby, who dropped by to share review copies of “Amazing Rubber Band Cars” and “Escape to the Everglades” among other titles they have authored.

Sanibel is their full time residence and offers them uninterrupted, inspirational time for conceptualizing and creating new engineering projects and mystery novels. Catch up with them at www.floridaauthors.com and www.misterengineer.com

Say hello to the Snowy Plover! This beautiful Snowy Plover was captured on film by Stan Rubin.  Did you know that Snowy Plovers are found along the West Coast from Washington State to Baja, California and along the Gulf Coast from Florida to the Yucatan Peninsula. Their preferred habitats include sandy coastal beaches and shallow alkaline lakes. They are also on the endangered species list as a result of predators like animals, larger birds, humans, construction along the beach areas, and even kite flying. The reason for this is that they build their nests on the sandy beaches and when anyone is near they leave their nests to draw attention away from the eggs or young. This allows the eggs to get too cold to hatch and the process must start all over again. So if possible keep an eye open for the beautiful Snowy Plover.

The Estero River Outfitters

As I left the Koreshan Unity Settlement, I traveled north and pulled into the Estero River Outfitters. The rental company is on the east side of US 41. Every weekend they have races and rides. The proprietor is noted to have the best selection of paddling equipment, kayaks and canoes of any company in the area. I am looking forward to getting my paddling companions, Sam, Bill and Drew, to spend a Sunday afternoon paddling the river. Just another day trip from Ocean’s Reach on beautiful Sanibel Island.

Another excursion with Andy. See you next Sunday!

The Great Egret is the symbol for the National Audubon Society and was almost extinct as a result of the beautiful feathers they produced. These feathers were in such demand for ladies hats that the population of these birds plunged almost 95%. Thanks to the legal protection status over the last century, their numbers are increasing, and they are becoming a fairly common sight on Sanibel.

A beacon in the night from our faithful Sanibel Lighthouse. It is one of the few working lighthouses in the country, and was first lit in 1884. In 1972 the U. S. Coast Guard announced it was going to close the lighthouse, and the residents of the surrounding areas pled with them to not abandon it. In 1982 the City of Sanibel assumed control of the property with the exception of the tower which is still maintained by the Coast Guard.

This is a Sanibel-destination must! Accessible by car, foot or bicycle, it is located on the east end of Sanibel Island.