Birds of a feather...again!

This title is a repeat from last year, but with some different thoughts attached, perhaps.  In one of the mangrove 'swamps' in the campground, we have a variety of the waders that are so exciting to see when we come south.

In addition to the birds that make their home in and around the mangrove pools, this land-based hermit crab drags the abandoned shell that is its home. ( Not too different from us now!)  The accommodations in the campground are varied.

I wanted to show some of the places in the campground, and spots we enjoy in addition to the actual campsites.  (There are both rustic sites like ours for dry camping, and then the electric side where campers have larger motor homes and hook-ups for water, electric and sewer.)

Entrance to the office and store

Foreground is where most cards are played - bridge, poker,etc.
Background is the shuffle board court.

Motel rooms on the canal where the boats await the next fishing day.

Suites above the office/store connected by a walking bridge to the pool.

The pool and the sundeck ( where we do water aerobics each morning.)

Laundry - very reasonable but sometimes crowded.

The main point of this post is to give a sense of place where the the gregarious birds and the quiet loner hermit crab live and survive together.  To this place, each year, comes an amazing group of people who live and survive and add to each others' daily experience.  This is by far the most social group of people I have been around, yet a group that accepts the individual choices made by the members of the community.  It is not difficult to spend time alone walking the nature path, or exploring the beach in the neighboring state park.  Yet, one also has the opportunity to enjoy an event like the occasion we shared on Saturday night.  A couple who are from Hungary, make all their traditional dishes - appetizers, main dishes, soups, desserts and vermouth.  The they invite the WHOLE campground for dinner.  I am including some photos and hope you can get the flavor.

The hostess in the background

The host in all the colors

The line of tables laden with all the specialties of the 'house'

The small screen house where she prepares it all HERSELF1

The happy group waiting for the feast! (Usually over 150)

The evening ends with a campfire and music




Latona and I have been blessed with a community of happy, caring energetic people here at Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge.  We are part of the 'birds'.  It also reminds us daily of the blessing of the larger community that we share with you...our friends and family.