More Ardastra Gardens

All kinds of tropical fruits.

Exotic Flowers

And cute critters.

Fill In The Blank

I got a huge kick out of these guys.

What do you think he was saying?
I think:

Happy Birthday and Dragobete Day

AND....

Romania's equivalent of Valentine's Day

It's Friday

AND....
There're several blogster buds whose birthdays I don't have.  Feel free to leave yours in the comment section.

Messi The Puma

I loved this one. Thanks, Rye.

Ardastra Gardens

Please join me in a stroll through Ardastra Gardens.

Isn't he a beauty?

This is one tenacious plant.

This guy was showing off for us.

We'll continue our walk next week.

A Garden in February

The Christmas Rose is considering a dual identity as an Easter Rose.

Oh my cod, the tulips have popped up.

Imagine my surprise when the money tree planted in the backyard bloomed in time to give a branch to the HH for Valentine's Day. (Yes, I am joking.  That is one plant I haven't been able to lay my hands on. Heh.)

All gone.

It's Friday...

Flamingos

The Caribbean Flamingos were one of the many highlights of Ardastra Gardens.  Notice how brilliant the flamingos' color is? Their color comes from the carotenoids in their diet.  The garden adds carotenoid supplements to bring out their striking color.
A baby flamingo is white or gray. It takes three to five years for these unique birds to reach maturity. In the wilds, they can live to be anywhere between twenty and forty.  In captivity, if lucky, they might live to be seventy. A greater flamingo lived to the age of eighty-three in a zoo in Australia.
They are monogamous creatures. After the flamingo wedding they stay faithful to their mate.

This crew had a human 'drill sergeant' that herded them into the arena and marched them around in a circle where they would stop before each group of folks that were seated.  When they stopped in front of us we were to applaud to reinforce their behavior.

Aren't they amazing?

Cruising Under A Full Moon

Courtesy of V.Tups

EMBARKATION: Due to weather, the ship was late in arriving and we were late in embarking AND a cap fell off my tooth.

(First full day and) SECOND NIGHT :

We were at sea watching the dive-in movie on the upper deck when an announcement came over the speaker that a passenger needed to be medevacked off the ship. Imagine a black night in the middle of the ocean and a helicopter landing on a ship.  It took them awhile but they finally got the job done. Kudos to the pilot.

SECOND FULL DAY:

We were waiting for debarkation when the announcement was made that due to the choppy sea we wouldn't be stopping at the first port of call but going on to Nassau where we arrived that night. Passengers were allowed off the ship but we weren't comfortable roaming around alone in a city we didn't know so we stayed on board ship.

THIRD FULL DAY:
HH wakes up with a raspy throat AND..
We take the Ardastra Gardens and City Tour.  Best day ever. I got to mark one off my bucket list: feeding birds from my hand.

Bad hair, no makeup day.

More pics of the gardens tomorrow.

FOURTH FULL DAY
We take a tour in a glass bottom boat, another bucket list item, though unfortunately I need the bucket.  We were packed in like sardines, the waves were high and choppy, and the way this boat was setup if you were seated on one side of it, you had to get up and walk to the other side and cluster around the 'glass bottom' to see the bottom of the ocean. Many of us suffered from motion sickness. I spent a good portion of the time with my head hung over the side, heaving. The captain of the boat did stop and feed the sharks which would have been fun to watch if I hadn't been sick.

DEBARKATION:

The HH has gone downhill. When we stop for the night I can hear his breath whistling in and out while he sleeps.  The next day we get back to town early in the p.m. and head straight for urgent care where he is diagnosed with acute bronchitis and sinusitis.  And then, finally, home.

Has anyone else been on a glass bottom boat? If so, what was your experience?

The Weekend Starts Now

I'm back! More about vacay adventures Monday. Hope you have been well. I'm anxious to hear what you've been up to while I was gone.

AND....

Minder is on sale for .99 today. 

I love word searches and for grins and giggles made my own. If you'd like it or would like to post it help yourself.

On the eve of her eighteenth birthday, Aurora Valente goes through disturbing changes. She purrs and craves raw meat. Most alarming of all, she’s taken to chasing wildlife. 

Her aunt gives her a beautiful, antique choker and tells her a story about a shape-shifting Minder princess and the beast that hunts the Minder’s descendants. To Aurora it’s only a story...till later that night when her world takes a turn into terror.

 Excerpt:

                 A movement along the edge of the cliff caught my attention. A small rabbit nibbled at a tuft of clover growing between the rocks. I came to attention like a pointer. My nose quivered, my mouth watered. I twitched my butt.

            Without thought, I bolted out of the house after the rabbit. My blood raced. I breathed in short, sharp pants. I could hear the creature’s heart pound and smell his warm vibrant flesh.

            He took three frightened leaps and disappeared into the forest. I skidded to a stop, trembling so hard my teeth rattled. What’s wrong with me? I wanted to take a bite out of a poor, defenseless little bunny.  I pursed my lips and screwed up my face. Gross didn’t begin to cover it.  

            This is way past PMSing.  Tears welled up and spilled down my cheeks.  

            I turn eighteen tomorrow. Surely, there’s no connection.

            A sharp wind blew off the water. My eyes closed. I stood perfectly still, except for shudders that racked my achy body as fear and revulsion washed over me like the loud pounding waves below.

AND....
A big thanks to J.Q.Rose, author of Terror on Sunshine Boulevard for hosting me Wednesday.