Posted by  Penny L. Carnathan,  on 10/17  at  10:15 AM

Ha! If I were to get my hands on Rusty, I’d keep him, Janice. Y’all can draw straws for one of these very colorful iguanas instead.
  Janna, those little pots really stand out against all the white and they’re different than the other pottery here, which is that bright, primitive Mexican looking stuff.

Posted by  Iluvpumpkins,  on 10/16  at  03:51 PM

Penny, Next field trip snatch and grab that rusty fish. I love rusty things. We could draw straws to see who gets it. Thanks for sharing your vacation. Janice

Posted by  Janna,  on 10/15  at  01:48 PM

I like the rusty fish, too - but am a little partial to the round, colorful “may be fish” planters. Penny, thanks for taking us on yet another vacation! That fruit and spice park sounds very cool - hope you can make it there. I’ve never heard of aptenia, either - you’ll have to let us know all about it! Hope you’re having a great time…

Posted by  Penny L. Carnathan,  on 10/14  at  09:20 PM

Too funny Chip!! I was thinking it must be some cool little shop here in the Keys. Of COURSE JoAnn’s and Michael’s will no longer have it.
  Kim, I’ll bring you an iguana instead.

Posted by  Chip,  on 10/14  at  07:14 PM

I have the very same fish it is a candle lantern . and we got it at Joann’s about ten years ago! I think Michel’s had them also but it has been so long I have no Idea if they would still have them. I was collecting candle lanterns for a while and the fish is the sole survivor. it is made of heavy steel not cheap tin like the others It did look cool at night with all of the candle lanterns lit up in the garden!..“Chip”

Posted by  Penny L. Carnathan,  on 10/14  at  04:29 PM

Ha, Kim! Just saw your fish comment. It’s too darned hot here to run!
I’ll try to find out where it came from, though.

Posted by  Penny L. Carnathan,  on 10/14  at  04:24 PM

Wow, I visited the web site and the Fruit and Spice Park looks really interesting. It’s 37 acres. The site says “The Park’s tropical climate can be found nowhere else in the continental U.S. and hosts over 500 varieties of fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, and nuts.”
  If I get there, Chip, I’ll find you a Barbados cherry. (Just visited 3 nurseries - the first two had half dead plants. A lot of places here are either closed or going out of business. The 3rd was good. I got an Aptenia—never heard of it.)

Posted by  Kim Franke-Folstad,  on 10/14  at  03:48 PM

Oh, my gosh—go back right now, grab that rusty fish and run. Then BRING IT HOME TO ME!

Posted by  Chip,  on 10/14  at  03:11 PM

Penny if you do get to the rare fruit and spice park bring a Barbados Cherry for me[I want the seed!] if one is on the ground that is I do not want you to get into any trouble take a plastic groc. bag in with you to carry what you find! one tiny Barbados cherry has more vit.C than 12 orange’s you will see!>>.Chip”...

Posted by  Penny L. Carnathan,  on 10/14  at  12:32 PM

We just spent the morning driving around Key West (too hot to get out of the car!) and you’re right, Susan, the vegetation is much, much nicer. (I’ve been many times but was too busy paying attention to kids to take in the scenery.)
  I do believe they have a lot of tamarind trees, which Kim thinks just might be the perfect tree for my yard. They’re beautiful.
  Chip, thanks for the heads-up on the rare fruit and spice park. We passed many big nurseries and I was chomping at the bit to stop, but I knew my poor husband was anxious to get to water. Maybe I can coax him to stop on the way back. (Many of those nurseries had big signs up: “No Hay Trabajo” (There is no work) Very sad.

Posted by  Susan Gillespie,  on 10/14  at  09:14 AM

Key West is an island——unless the anodes can swim how are they going to get there? My Dad used to lament the absence of different bird species. He thought they sprayed the island for mosquitoes too often and they would die off or leave. Maybe it affects the anodes as well.

I agree with you about the rusted fish. I love it. And you have to concede that the water there is beautiful.

Posted by  Susan Gillespie,  on 10/14  at  09:13 AM

Ah! Key West. My family had a guest house down there for many years and I used to love going for vacations, but, like you, never wanted to live there. Too remote, no malls and very few single straight men. Pass. But I know what you mean about the gravel. On Key West they tend to their vegetation a little better because of tourists but they all have such a lackadaisical and whimsical attitude about yard art. Perhaps because there are so many artists down there or because there are as many bars as there are churches. Drunk artists can make funny art.

Posted by  Chip,  on 10/13  at  08:30 PM

Oh Penny! you went all the way down to the key’s and you passed right by the most unusual park in all of Florida. The rare fruit and spice park in Homestead. I am not sure if it is state or county run but if you go all that way it is a must see. and this may sound strange but they have armed police there just to keep folk’s from taking fruit off the tree’s what’s on the ground is fair game. If you want to go it would be wise to wait until it cool’s a bit I will not spoil all of the different thing’s they have there except one Jack fruit it has basket ball sized fruit! no joke but check it out
..“Chip”..