Florida Trippin'

[Scovie]

Lot's of pictures to go thru...

Did you know that when you order a Bloody Mary in Minnesota, it comes with a beer? who knew?
The waitress said it was a "palette cleanser".

We saw a lot of wildlife there, some rare, and some not so rare...

Here's the VERY RARE Central Florida 'Swamp Ape'.

LadySic made some Pickled Eggs for us, two weeks before we got there.
The very first pickled egg I ever had and it was incredible! Thanks LS, wish we could have eaten more of them! LOL

LadySic's AWESOME Biscuits and gravy and eggs that were about 10 minutes old, (fresh!)

Pre-Funkin at the hotel in Sarasota, getting ready for CJ's Birthday dinner at Darwin's.
The pool was right outside our Patio. Earlier that day we were swimming in the Gulf of Mexico.
I'm here to tell you, THAT should be on everybody's bucket list. Bathwater, I tell ya! Bath water!!!!!!

A flower Arrangement was waiting at our table that had may different kinds of peppers in it.
The card said "Happy Birthday CJ, from your Hot Pepper Family". Anyone know anything about this?

Back at the hotel, The Wheebz and CJ gettin down dancin. Still can't figure out why we were told multiple times to "keep it down"
I said, "we're workin on it, can't you see we're gettin down?"

Here's the Pepper arrangement back at the hotel... Of course we tasted almost every single pepper! duh! LOL

More to come y'all!...

 

[LanMan]

Seeing the pickld eggs made me want some. Those look gooooooooooood

 

[Scovie]

They were LanMan. They had some heat too.

There was more "Red-Barnin'" goin on than the Great Waldo Pepper.

The party at FD's house was EPIC, (and I hate that word). This picture shows just how I remember it...
All blurry when bear showed up.

 

[sicman]

i was never there all of you are liars

 

[frydad4]

Me neither.

My liver is SOOOOOOOO pissed at me. Still.
Get over it, Organ!

 

[Scovie]

I'm wondering if I was really there, or was it all a night vision.

 

[pileiton]

I was there as a flea on Bear, that guy.
True story.

 

[sicman]

it all seems like a blur,,what a shame!!!! yall better come visit me again. frys you better come up here. wheebz is so close if he doesnt come here im going to rape him! and bear if you dont come visit me im going to take up hunting again

 

[Scovie]

Down by the market close to FD's house was this marina.
Check out my new boat...

Went to lunch at a little 'ol place known as Alabama Jacks. Another Bucket list item.
Out in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the swamp, where the Manatees roam, ( we didn't get to see one).
Conch Fritters a must, CJ ordered them, I had the Crab Cakes and Sum had to have Grilled Flipper... so sad, LOL

 

[Lawrence]

Nice Menu, but Grilled Dolphin? Would any sane person order that?
I quite fancy the small seafood sampler... that would do me nicely as a starter.

 

[Scovie]

Hahahahahah It's actually grilled Mahi Mahi.


Some cool memorabilia, and license plates that people have brought...

Heading back home along the Columbia river.

 

[SumOfMyBits]

I ordered the tuna safe Dolphin.

(For peeps who don't know, Dolphin, aka Mahi-mahi, aka dorado, are delicious. It's not REALLY Flipper.)

 

[Scovie]

Yes it was! Take it Back! YOU ATE FLIPPER!!!!!!! jajajajajajajajajajajjajajajajajajjajaja

 

[geeme]

Fair warning - Just don't look it up on Wikipedia.....

 

[SumOfMyBits]

Dolphin waffles, Manatee steaks, and Bald Eagle eggs = breakfast

 

[Scovie]

mmmmmmmmmmmm all smothered in SoFlo Man Gravy!

 

[salsalady]

while throwing alka-seltzers to seagulls...

 

[wheebz]

god i love bald eagles for breakfast

 

[Scovie]

Beer Butt Bald Eagle Benedict Breakfast

It's good mood food

 

[Chile Juju]

WOW! Just WOW!!!!! I must still be in that Florida Time Warp - where hours fly by like seconds!!!! This is my 1st chance to log on since we've been back!!!!

I want to give a gigantic THANK YOU to my FloFriends, for the most amazing time of my life!!!! You all showed us so many incredible things, and so much fun, that I actually started taking notes!!!! Good thing too - because I spent most of the trip with my MIND BLOWN! I actually lost my voice from laughing so much!!!!!

Despite the raucous pics, we got to spend lots of time visiting (tho not nearly long enough!), and I can't say what an honor it was to have you all share your lives with us. And thanks for the recipes!!! I came home with enough recipes to start a cookbook!!! My countertop is full of ingredients for a weekend-full of cooking already!!!!

Thanks for so many fabulous memories and stories to tell! I love you all to pieces, and look forward to seeing you again! (just a note: Milk Thistle is great for tired livers! hahaha). And a HUGE thanks to all of you that were there with us in spirit, and brave enough to answer your phones! haha It was fun having your juju with us during our adventures!!!!!!!! XOXOXO!