Downward Conch

One of the things to try in the Keys is Conch. There are advertisements for Conch Fritters on virtually every menu in the keys. My husband and I had never tried them, so when they were offered on a seafood platter we were excited. Let me tell you, they are a workout for your jaws! They are extremely chewy, tough and the flavor was, well just not there for us. Maybe it was the people cooking the conch, but we will never try it again. Now Calamari, that's a whole different story!

Downward Conch Acrylic on canvas 4 x 4

Cruise to Nowhere

While Chris and I were in the keys a couple of years ago, we took a "Danger" cruise. This trip promised to have us kayaking, lunch, sailing and snorkling. The cruise itself involved more motoring than sailing. There simply was very little wind to push this rather large sailboat in the water. Being optimistic, the people running the cruise threw all the sheets to the wind, hoping to catch a breeze. We ended up using the motor so we could get in all the activities planned. Once we got to the Island, they gave us a crash course in kayaking before we hit the water. Chris and I were both experienced paddlers, so we were some of the first to get in the water. We paddled through the mangrove area of the island after passing over the seagrass beds complete with sea cucumbers and hundreds of fish.

Our trip ended with us getting in the water to snorkel at the Grecian Rocks. The grecian Rocks were a disappointment compared to the reef off of John Pennecamp. I highly recommend the reef there, it is the largest reef in the United States.

While traveling back, we had a wonderful lunch provided by the crew. I shot multiple pictures while on board and this painting is one of them. I love the feeling you get when looking at this painting hence the name, Cruise to Nowhere. I really enjoy a good hard sail and miss our sailboat Mariah. We have friends willing to take us, but it is never enough!

Cruise to Nowhere, Acrylic on Canvas 18 x 36

Living the Key West Life

We had heard about the chickens at Key West Florida. Nothing prepares you for seeing them everywhere~on the road, in the graveyard, on the sidewalk. We even witnessed a group of chickens~Hens and Roosters having a grand old time scratching at a snake that had very stupidly crossed their path. Needless to say, the snake did not survive the encounter. I don't think I have ever witnessed so much dust, clucking, and crowing! This rooster posed for a me while I snapped picture after picture. He eyeballed me sideways and once he realized I had nothing to give to him, he turned his back! We are planning another trip to Key West in 2010 with friends who have never been. We took our bikes the first time and had a great time because there were no problems parking~you just have to be very wary of the cars that don't like to yield!