As a beach comber, I have developed a pretty good eye for shells. Even off the beach I can spot them a mile away. While looking at a home for sale with a friend I caught the color of something beachy through a severely overgrown avocado tree that screened of the neighbor's yard. As I stuck my head through to the other side to take a closer look I was greeted with a friendly "Hey there". (So much for privacy on your carport) Sitting outside enjoying an afternoon beverage were a husband & wife snowbird couple who live in Englewood six months of the year and Canada the other six months. They are heading back home after Easter.
The fruit of their daily beach walk labors was displayed on every table surface of their carport. They kindly let me examine their shelling treasures more closely. After chit chatting for a few minutes the lady runs inside to get a pretty shell that she couldn't identify. Yup, I saw this one coming. She walks out with a pretty cream-colored, brown-speckled shell. "It's called a junonia & only 1 out of a 1,000 shellers find one" I said as nicely as I could muster. "No, I've never found one" I answered flatly to the inevitable follow-up question. "But, that's awesome that you found one". She was nice enough to tell me exactly where she found it. I am planning a kayak trip to scout the area to see if she missed one.
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Sea glass, sharks teeth, angel wing, flat scallop, brain coral & a big bowl of calico scallops - these snowbirds have had a productive winter season. |
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Nicely displayed. |
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Row after row... |
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Sharks teeth served Englewood -style. But wait, there's more! |
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We save the best for last -The Pièce de résistance. |
You're so funny, Karen...poking your head into someone's carport and discovering a junonia!!! Fun people you met!
ReplyDeleteWowee Zowee! When I grow up, I want to be a snowbird! What a great way to spend the winter!
ReplyDeleteI wanna be a snowbird too!! I can't think of a better way to spend half the year than at the beach shelling or shark tooth hunting!! You do meet some interesting folks.
ReplyDeleteLOL - I can just picture you poking your head over there! I bet it was hard to smile through your teeth at their Junonia.
ReplyDeleteThey found some really great shells!
ReplyDeleteI saw a couple of urchins on the table, too!
So cool! This is making me want to take a drive to the beach to look for shells - etc.
ReplyDeleteoh my love this post... hubby and I can't wait to move to FL... great shells.. wow!
ReplyDeleteI wanna be a snowbird ;-))) Funny story, Karen... and what a huge bowl of sharks teeth!
ReplyDeleteThanks so for the shirt, I love it. You will find one this year Im sure. We just need a tropical storm.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it just hilarious how tourists & snowbirds seem to find them? augh! I mean, wow, congrats- lol!
ReplyDeleteI've never seen a shark's tooth so that is very amazing and is that coral? I'm not sure I am id ing that every time. But oh, how I love the wonderful variety you find there! And that really is a great story for us amateurs! There's hope!
ReplyDeleteThat Junonia seems BIG! Is it larger than most?
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