There’s nothing like bare feet on the beach, so take your shoes off and go with me for a stroll….
We didn’t have a whole lot of time for the beach this time around, but did manage to spend a couple of hours walking and shelling. I had forgotten how pretty the sand is in the Clearwater area and wow, has that area changed since I’ve been down there too. Me and my girlfriends from college used to head over to Clearwater many Saturdays for some beach time and I was pleasantly surprised at how it’s grown and how pretty the whole area is now.
White sand. We needed to do some walking after eating all week. We did manage to go walking twice around Kim’s beautiful lake in Lakeland that I shared with you a couple weeks ago. Cuban sandwiches, grouper sandwiches, strawberry shortcake and lots of cookies later, I need the exercise. Thanks to one of my blog readers, Laura in Clearwater, who told me about Frenchy’s on the beach for grouper sandwiches. We didn’t have a lot of time to do much restaurant hopping, but we stopped by 2 days for grouper sandwiches at Frenchy’s before we hit the jazz festival. Oh my gosh were they great!! We also had a wonderful steak dinner in Lakeland one night at the Texas Cattle restaurant…one of the best steaks I’ve ever had.
After reading about Honeymoon Island, we decided to check it out and it is a beautiful state park, a nice spot to spend some time. Not being on the main drag, it’s very peaceful and uncrowded and of course, no hotels around.
We took a ferry over to Caladesi Island from Honeymoon Island, a pretty place with sugar white sands, perfect for shelling for a couple of hours. That’s always been a fun thing for me to do. I love walking along looking for shells to add to the collection.
There’s nothing prettier than sand and shells and there’s nothing better than walking on the beach. Talk about peaceful, forgetting your troubles and enjoying the moment, the beach is the place to go for that.
Long stretches of pretty beach and green/blue water.
There was a nice display of all the shells in this area. I managed to pick up 11 different varieties, so it was fun matching them up to their names.
And me with my cup of shells.
One cluster of shells on the sand.
Nothing mor relaxing than the sounds and sights of the beach.
I caught a largebird in flight.
Love these sea oats.
Boardwalk to the beach looks inviting.
Boat marina…we noticed that lots of folks dock their boats here and enjoy the day. What a life that would be!
This is my seashell finds for the day. I was happy! I just love all the colors found in seashells.
More boats
Traveling by ferry, these are mangrove trees. They have the most interesting root system, very thick.
A pelican and another bird sharing a piling. They were fun to watch. So I hope you enjoyed strolling the beach with me, even if you are still stuck in cold weather. Just close your eyes and pretend for a minute you are enjoying some warm white sand between your toes.We have a real beach vacation coming up in May, just a few weeks from now and will be going back to Seagrove Beach, Florida, for a week where we went last year. I can’t wait! We both love the beach and enjoy just chilling out and doing nothing but relax in the surf, sand, and sunshine.
Oh, Oh…..I can feel the sand between my toes! What a wonderful excursion for you and Hubby. When I come out of the woods……I go to the beach 🙂 Rosie
Honeymoon Island has been a long favorite of ours. We go there at least twice a year. I love the simplicity of the island. Well, the shelling is great too.
I felt like I was walking on the sand beside you. Thanks for the pictures of your relaxing time. I love the shells – so different from those here on the Pacific Coast. ~Adrienne~
I haven’t been to Clearwater in so long! Thanks for the tour! You found some really great shells, too. I like to look for sea glass and have what I thought was an impressive collection of it. Then I discovered you can BUY sea glass at a craft store. Kind of stole the mystery of it away from me. lol
Texas Cattle Company does have a wonderful steak. If you go on Monday nights they have an unadvertised all you can eat sirloin steak special. The first order they bring you is the size of a roast hanging off the plate and I have never asked for a second order.
I love just sitting and looking at and listening to the ocean. In some ways the ocean, in its vastness, reminds me that I am just a flicker in the world. And, at the same time, it reminds me that it is merely a reach across to a world of others just like us.
oooooh, what pretty pictures you took!! Thanks for coming by my blog and commenting on my beach pictures. To answer your question, my pictures are of St. Pete Beach. I live in St. Petersburg. Clearwater Beach is only about a 10-15 minute drive north of St. Pete Beach if you follow the coastline road. Thanks for sharing your adventure with us! xoxo ~ Joy J.
Wow that looks so relaxing! My mother-in-law lives in Florida. She likes it but can’t stand “the critters”. She had a frog come out of her faucet and into her glass. Since then she has been jumpy.
Thanks for sharing the pic’s. Makes me want to go to the beach.
Oh, I can’t wait to go to the beach this year. It wont get here soon enough.
Hi Rhoda, lovely trip to the beach, I love your shell collection a friend of mine brought me sand dollars once and I put them in my garden but they mysteriously disappeared. Probably my grandkids (LOL) Deb
I am so jealous! Beautiful pictures!
Wow, looks like you had fun! I can’t believe all those beautiful shells! We never have shells like that here on the West Coast, I guess the water’s just too rough.
how wonderful! i like to go bare foot all the time 🙂
Looks divine, Rhoda. We have a house rented at Rosemary Beach the second week of June, and I’m really looking forward to it, too.
It looks so beautiful there! i wish I was there now. My sister is close to clearwater beach. When i visit her, we usually try to go to the beach.
Ohhhhhhh I love the pictures, I can hardly wait for the beach. I could walk and look for shells all day, like your husband, mine is the same, he loves it also.
Tracy
The beach looks so inviting! Wish we were there! Susie
Hi Rhoda…I wish I could go shell hunting on a Florida beach. What beautiful shells, you found!
Pat
Hi Rhoda,
Loved seeing your pretty pictures of the beach! Just wondering what the name of the musician(s)are or the CD that is playing on your blog site. I love it! Thanks so much, Angie P.S. I e-mailed you last year about your condo for your Seagrove vacation. I still love reading your blog!
Hi, Angie, If you scroll to the bottom you can see all those artists & song titles in the playlist! Glad you like them, they were great musicians. Tomorrow will be Jazz Fest post!
Rhoda