July 28, 2010 | Snapshots

Family visited last week, my brother and his two kids from New York. It was a bit rainy due to Tropical Storm Bonnie heading our way (which later fizzled out) but they still enjoyed the great outdoors of Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands. Following a shallow water wading trip with the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center, it was off to Harpoon Harry’s at Fishermen’s Village for lunch and fossilized shark’s teeth collection at Stump Pass Beach State Park.  Check out all we found in about 30 minutes.

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July 10, 2010 | Solo Adventures

Driftwood at Blackrock Beach, Big Talbot Island State Park

So much to share about this weekend but little time. While it’s fresh on my mind, want to share my impressions about a place called Blackrock Beach (or Black Rock Beach, or beach at the end of Black Rock Trail or Dead Tree Beach) in Big Talbot Island State Park, Florida. It’s fantastical yet, eerie.

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June 23, 2010 | Snapshots

Guess what. There STILL is no oil on local beaches. This photograph was taken on Siesta Key Beach,  June 20, 2010. Enjoy! (more…)

June 14, 2010 | Solo with Others

You can’t call yourself a Floridian if you haven’t scalloped before. No, not “scalping” but the act of collecting scallops. This is one of the coolest – figuratively and literally – activities I have done and had the chance to do it last year in Citrus County, Fla. (You know, Homosassa Springs and Crystal River.) (more…)

May 26, 2010 | Snapshots

Media frenzy is causing quite a stir in Florida lately. Tourism is our livelihood and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill is casting a dark cloud of negative attention over the Sunshine State. Vacationers are rethinking their vacation plans because of the “what if” scenario. “What if there is oil on the beach when I visit?” (more…)

January 6, 2010 | Snapshots

Everglades Footprints, March 2008

Having just finished a 4,000+ word essay on living in the Everglades to be considered for an antholgoy about living and working in national parks, I’m in a mellow, national park mood. Photo was taken at Eco Pond at Flamingo. Enjoy

November 8, 2009 | Solo Adventures

“Well, you have the kayaks until 5 o’clock …to get out of here turn left at the exit…have fun!” These were the departing words of Lewis, a guide with Tarpon Bay Explorers as he paddled away leaving our small group somewhere in the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge.  That somewhere was the end of the Commodore Creek Canoe Trail which is Mother Nature’s version of a watery cul-de-sac surrounded by crawling mangrove trees yet sans houses with basketball hoops and other tokens of civilization. The Commodore Creek Trail is a 2.5 mile non-loop and it was only 10:30 a.m. (more…)

November 4, 2009 | Solo Adventures

Last year I ventured out to Fort Myers Beach for the American Sandsculpting Championship and was truly wowed by the sandy masterpieces sculpted by sand artists. Somewhere I have video (but guess I didn’t get around to making a flick out of it!) but check out some of last year’s sand sculptures. (more…)

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.