This hotel in Vero Beach is so dramatic at night, with its avenue of illuminated palms and purple lighting, and by day it's the whitest, blandest-looking building you could imagine. You'd never know it was even the same place.
Sue and I were up early yesterday morning as usual. She went walking while I drove across the Indian River to find some coffee at Dunkin' Donuts. I joined her later in what we've been calling "downtown" Vero Beach, though whether or not the locals use that term I have no idea. We went to breakfast at a place called the Lemon Tree, though we could never remember the name so we amused ourselves by coming up with various alternatives: Lemon Cake, Lemon Bar, Lemon Seed, Lemonade's, Don Lemon's and Jack Lemmon's.
We spotted this little lizard in the boardwalk outside the Ocean Grill. At first I thought it was stuck, but no -- it was just surveying its domain. It popped out and skittered across the wood with no problem. Sue and I agreed it's a lizard unlike any other we'd seen and we puzzled over what type it could be. It's bigger and plumper than the anoles we usually see running around.
According to Google it's a northern curly-tailed lizard (Leiocephalus carinatus), a Caribbean native that was intentionally released in the Palm Beach County area in the 1940s to control pests on sugar cane.
We checked out of our motel and got on the road about 11 a.m. and I drove us back across the center of Florida, on a more southerly route this time through Ft. Pierce, Okeechobee County and Sebring. That part of the state is largely empty, at least of human development, though of course there are owls and panthers and hawks and bobcats and who knows what else skulking around in the woods and swamps.
This flag-waving barber shop was somewhere outside Ft. Pierce. Maybe Miami is the barber's nickname?
We rolled into Anna Maria around 3 p.m., by which time Sue's husband John and dog Finnegan were here. We ate carry-out pasta last night and today I'm off to visit Dave's parents at their retirement home in Bradenton.
How lovely to have spent such quality time with your old friend Sue when Florida's heat was tolerable. I am surprised that you didn't nip into Miami's Barber Shop for a trim and blow dry.
ReplyDeleteOn our way back from a visit to the family cabin in Arkansas, we often stop to eat at a place called "The Peach Tree" which I just now had to stop and google it because I can never seem to remember the name and always come up with variations like you did with the "Lemon Tree."
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice trip. Your names for the Lemon Tree (which should be so easy to remember) would be what SG would do. At least there’s no confederate flag at Miami’s Barber Shop. (I don’t know what the lower right one is.) I was going to tell you to say “hi” to Pogo, but that was Okefenokee. Oh well.
ReplyDeleteThis all sounds like a really good adventure. I love that little lizard, I would love to see one 'in the wild'. :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a good life sue has: husband and dog, plus a friend to take a trip with. She's definitely on a good thing there.
ReplyDeleteThose lizards are taking over in Roseland. They can get quite large. Yet one more invasive species.
ReplyDeleteI love downtown Vero. Did you see the park with the airplane in it? We used to play on that when we were children.
I like The Jack Lemon.
ReplyDeleteAnd Florida businesses really do know how to do their lighting!
Adventuring vicariously through you.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you are really having a terrific time, Steve. How nice to have a good friend like Sue to travel with.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very busy visit this time around.
ReplyDeleteI love the dramatic lights at the hotel. It seems very "Florida" to me. That's a great looking lizard too. I do enjoy seeing them.
ReplyDeleteGiant chickens are a thing here. They have holiday ones too. A. giant 'mummy' chicken, or a black one with a chicken skeleton, or one with a Santa theme. My question: what in the actual hell do you do with a 5 ft tall decorated chicken when it is not Christmas or Halloween?
ReplyDeleteI googled images of vintage art glass owls and got this: https://share.google/images/5Id6H1HGE2dOH4vb6
Am I close?
Yes! Very close! Mine is a little rounder with blue at the top rather than black, and slightly simpler eyes.
DeleteI love all those lemon names - ha!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute lizard! I've never seen this area of Florida; it seems like a step back into the past.
ReplyDeleteThe only time we might see bright lights fully illuminating a building is Christmas. FL is a different world in so many ways.
ReplyDeleteYour photo of lizard made me think it was a newborn allegator. An imported, curious, chunky lizard seems okay and harmless. In MA we have salamanders that look similar, but they live underneath rocks and are seen only when the rock is moved.
Enjoy your travels.
That's a new-to-me lizard. It's cute!
ReplyDeleteYou're having quite the road trip! I'm so glad you are able to be here long enough to spend good time with people. Means a lot -- to you and to them.
ReplyDeleteIt’s all very atmospheric
ReplyDeleteI couldn’t cope with the humidity
Jack Lemmon's is a great name. Hope you have a good visit with Dave's parents.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
It's good to get out and take in all the scenery
ReplyDeleteNice trips you are taking while there, tut tut, forgetting the name Lemon Tree.
ReplyDelete