July 4, 2010 | Solo with Others

Charlotte Harbor Freedom Swim Organizer Michael Haymans Shouts Out Instructions for 2010 Swim

Neither rain nor gray skies kept hundreds of patriotic swimmers away from the 19th Annual Charlotte Harbor Freedom Swim today. They swam with colorful foam noodles, inner tubes shaped like turtles, swimming fins, and homemade floating devices contraptions. Organizer Michael Haymans shouted out instructions around 8:55 a.m. including asking the crowd whether they were up for the swim.

The Charlotte Harbor Freedom Swim is not a race and is gloriously unorganized. Other than using common sense, there aren’t any other rules. For those wanting to exercise the right to experience “freedom” literally, they were instructed to swim to the sailboat with the red, white and blue sail to have their swim trunks run up the mast. Dozens of other boaters in kayaks, pontoon boats and motorized craft patrolled the water to offer support to the swimmers.
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June 6, 2010 | Solo Adventures

Blueberries!

Feels as though I’m always on the go because I don’t want to miss out on all the cools things of life which is why I spent this morning at English Lake Farm in Fort Ogden, Fla., picking blueberries and peaches. I was inspired for the outing by fellow travel writer and blogger, Lucy Tobias. I read her “Saturday Mornings with Lucy” e-newsletter which highlighted her her Saturday morning experience of picking blueberries. (more…)

March 18, 2010 | Fuzzies, Gadgets & Stuff

If you haven’t heard of Norman Love Confections, you’re so twentieth century. Based in Fort Myers, Fla., Love creates little pieces of sinfully delicious art primarily in the form of chocolates and truffles which are distributed across the country in fine food boutiques and establishments. While in Punta Gorda, Fla., this evening, I popped into Swiss Chocolate+ (403 Sullivan Street) for Swiss-style hot chocolate to keep me warm during the third-Thursday Gallery Walk. (more…)

March 4, 2010 | Disclosure, Solo Adventures

Handprint Merlot, Meeker Winery

“Blah, blah, blah.” When attending wine tasting and visiting wineries, that’s pretty much what I hear. “Blah, blah, blah.”

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of sampling wine and touring vineyards and wineries. I plan vacations around touring wineries. It’s just after about five years trying to learn about wine, I still don’t taste the “hint of pear” or “bold black cherry.”

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October 31, 2009 | Solo with Others

Paranormal Researcher Erin Broemel Reads a Headstone

We’re having unseasonably warm temperatures here in Southwest Florida, in fact, Punta Gorda, Fla., had the nation’s high on Thursday (I think it was 92 degrees). Getting into the Halloween spirit while melting is a little difficult but nothing says spooktacular holiday like a good ole’ fashion ghost tour through a cemetery, which is what I did yesterday with my friends Lindsey and Jim. We joined Punta Gorda-based Danse Macabre Productions for a Fright Night Tour in Indian Springs Cemetery.

The tour began at 5 p.m., not a traditional time for a spooky tour, but was dictated by County permitting. Indian Springs Cemetery is believed to be the second oldest in Charlotte County with burials dating back to the 1800s. A small section called Babyland is easily identified by the angel headstones. It’s where infants are buried.

Our guide was Erin Broemel, a paranormal researcher and former investigator (and journalist by trade), who’s been studying the “other side” for more than 15 years. Her family has spent the past 25 years studying Charlotte County’s paranormal scene so the stories she told were either based on paranormal activity or historical research.

Babyland in Indian Springs Cemetery, Punta Gorda, Fla.

Although the sun couldn’t be any more brighter (or hotter) she encouraged us to keep our eyes open. Despite the witching hour being between midnight and 3 a.m., she encouraged us to keep an eye open for little “shadow people” running from headstone to headstone or from tree to tree. She said most activity, at this cemetery anyway, is during daylight hours. Little shadow people are spirits appearing as dark figments about the half the size a human because it’s very energy draining to manifest into a full-size person. Looking at my photos, don’t think I captured any shadow people, only that of my own shadow!

Broemel’s stories were entertaining, historical and some were plain right creepy. This was a special Halloween tour and a ghost tour of downtown Punta Gorda is offered every Saturday night for $10 per adult. Other tours are offered throughout the year, check out my article “Historic Ghost Tours of Punta Gorda, Florida” for additional information. Perhaps the folks will be interested in a tour when they come to visit this spring.

Looking for more Halloween-esque things to do? Be sure to check out my life blog, Quirk Kitsch Girl, to see the Gone Rogue Island scare crow.