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Egg Shell Casings

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I'm fascinated by egg shell casings. For the longest time, I had no idea what I was looking at. Was it seaweed? Was it a sea sponge? Nope. They were egg casings. Hundreds of shells come from these eggs. My favorite is the horse conch (far left) -- the national shell of Florida. The egg casing resembles a little trumpet, just like the shell. And the prettiest is the banded tulip egg casing; they look like tiny bouquets of flowers -- just like the delicate shells they produce. The apple murex took me the longest to figure out because I thought it was a sea sponge for the longest time. Finally, I investigated it further and was surprised that it was an apple murex egg casing.  The egg casing that is most common is the lightning whelk (far right). Sometimes I find them as long as three feet. Can you imagine how many eggs it produces? Each capsule contains approximately 0-99 eggs and most strings contain 40 to 160 capsules. So what should you do when you find one washed up on shore? If
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National Seashell Day - June 21, 2022

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How appropriate that National Seashell Day falls on the first day of summer. Let the fun begin! We're definitely making up for last summer when red tide hit Anna Maria Island and dead fish lined the shores. It was awful. I call it the summer that wasn't. So, this year we are in our glory. We've found so many sand dollars, we started an Etsy Shop ( Florida Sand Dollars US ).  And yesterday, while my hubby, Mark, was diving for sand dollars, I was combing the beach for shells and I found two of my favorites: a baby's ear and a bay scallop in my favorite color -- terracotta. The water temp was 90 degrees and it was so calm and clear.  Living where others vacation can sometimes be a blessing and a curse. Traffic is now going to start picking up as the official start of summer begins, but we always find ways around that problem by timing our trips to the beach.  It's also time for the mama turtles to start laying their eggs, so a lot is going on. If you're fortunate
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Shell Seeker!

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If you come to our home , you'll be greeted with shells as soon as you step in the door. You would be hard put to find a space where there isn't a bowl or jar of shells. As long as I can remember, I've collected shells. But since we've moved 38 times in 46 years, I've had to let all of them go. Except when we moved to the States after ten years in Ecuador , I brought home a Lightning Whelk from Ballenita on the coast of Ecuador.  If you're a sheller, Anna Maria Island is a seashell paradise and I can't believe the treasures I've found, including a Junonia, Scotch Bonnets and Lion's Paw . But some of of my favorites are the alphabet cones, banded tulips, lightning whelks and pear whelks. And who can resist, scallop shells. My favorite color is the burnt orange, so I have an entire jar filled with them.  And who can forget the almighty sand dollar. We often go to Whitney Beach where we can find as many was 120 sand dollars in two hours or just a han
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Live Where You Vacation!

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When people ask where we're going on vacation this summer, we say, "Why? We live where we vacation." I heard this would be a problem when we first moved here two years ago. It's true! We don't want to leave this place -- even for vacation.  Here are a few reasons why we live where we vacation:  1. White sandy beaches that stay cool, not hot -- all year long. And the shelling is amazing.  2. Fresh seafood and great eateries. Some of our favorite restaurants are: The Waterfront , The Beach House , Swordfish Grill , and Whitney's Cafe (over the bridge on LBK).  3. Gorgeous Sunsets. 4. Great shopping (Pine Street and Bridge Street).  5. Flora, Fauna and Wildlife. And did I mention fishing?! 6. Family Friendly. Our grandkids love coming down to visit for all the beaches and area attractions.  7. Live music -- almost everywhere, especially on Anna Maria Pier, Bridge Street and Whitney's Cafe.   8. Excursions by boat.  9. Local art and galleries.  10. Beach Marke
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Back Alley Treasures

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One of my favorite coffee places on Anna Maria Island is  Back Alley Treasures  on Bridge Street. It has a gift store, a variety of drinks, including my favorite Chai Tea Latte, and it has outdoor seating in the alley. You can't go wrong here and the owners are super friendly and helpful. I like my chai with oat milk and they always have it on hand.  In the morning on your way to the beach, stop by for your favorite hot or cold beverage and you'll be set for the day. Don't forget to ask for your frequent flyer card to be stamped. After ten heart punches, you get a free drink.  It's also my favorite place to pick up a gift. They have jewelry, photos, paintings, and other treasures, so be sure to look around while you're there. Enjoy! Until next time... Back Alley Treasures 108 Historic Bridge St. Bradenton Beach, FL 34217
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The Best Key Lime Pie

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The best key lime pie is not on Anna Maria Island ; I'm sorry to disappoint you. The best is found just over the bridge from AMI on Longboat Key at Whitney's Cafe . It used to be a gas station -- that was an iconic landmark for the folks on Longboat Key -- and refurbished into one of the trendiest cafes on the island with indoor and outdoor seating. It has since changed management and the new owners developed the best key lime pie -- ever! Its triple layers feed three people, so just ask for three forks! It has a yummy graham cracker crust, luscious key lime filling, topped with whipping cream and white chocolate shavings. Life is short, so eat dessert first! On the weekends, Whitney's Cafe serves brunch and has live music outside, which is a great place to bring guests when they visit. And right across the street, of course, is our favorite beach -- Whitney. There's plenty of parking at the restaurant and it even has an outdoor shower to wash the sand off before you
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Fall on AMI

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People ask me all the time, "When is the best time to visit Anna Maria Island ?" Fall, of course! Today is the first day of fall and the temps have dropped into the high 80's! Smile. The water is warm and calm; the tourists have gone; the snowbirds aren't back yet and so we have the island to ourselves. Now until the second week of October we can reclaim our space and enjoy the beach without the crowds.  Our favorite beach is actually just over the bridge from Coquina Beach; it's Whitney Beach on Longboat Key . There are many public beaches on Longboat Key and I'll be discussing all of them in future posts, but this one is our favorite because of the shelling, no crowds (ever) and it's basically like a deserted "island." This summer it underwent beach restoration, which actually made it bigger and longer. No more Beer Can Island . Its peninsula now looks like Bean Point on AMI ; you can see sunrise and sunset. The other half of the island rem
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