Recently, our relatives visited from Denmark. The first week was spent at our house; the second week, we all recharged with a trip to Florida! It was not easy to sync so many schedules – six adults and three kids from two countries! What a fantastic week! Disney World is thrilling, but there was one particular day that has us still beaming. How often do you get to cross something off your “bucket list”? We couldn’t imagine traveling from Connecticut to Florida, and not visiting someone very special!
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I’d never heard of Clearwater. What a very cool place to visit! I enjoyed your story and pics of Winter and sunny Florida.
Thank you, MaryJane! We hadn’t heard of Clearwater before, either, until we saw the movie about Winter. We really enjoyed the day and would love to visit again. Much love to you! -Nicole
I’m so glad you were able to visit dolphins in an aquarium instead of a performance venue. Animals, mammals, birds, etc., are ours to protect and care for. I hope your sweet daughter does become a veterinarian or marine biologist. One more person saving these beautiful creatures can certainly help maintain their existence on our planet. The Monterey Bay Aquarium in California protects and rehabilitates sea otters among other species and my birthday gift last year was an adoption certificate for Repo, a sea otter who is now living healthy at the Aquarium. I also hope another trip to Florida is in your future!
Hi Adrienne! What a neat birthday gift you received last year! Clearwater Beach is definitely somewhere we want to visit again, and it was such a treat to visit the aquarium. My daughter still has on the wrist band from her admission ticket…she refuses to take it off. It’s a wonderful place. Thanks for reading and commenting. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I live in Pensacola , Florida. You just gave me a wonderful reason to take an in-state vacation to Clear water. Thanks for the inspiration, once again. BTW- I have not started scrap booking yet. I’m still going through my baking phase and sewing phase. Still waiting for that scrap booking bug to bite me and take that class, lol.
Hi Tina! Wow is Florida a beautiful state. It’s been twenty years since I was there last, but always have loved going. It was my first visit to Clearwater. If you go visit Clearwater and Winter, let me know. I know you will enjoy it! The baking bug is biting at me recently, too. This week is Pumpkin Spice Bread. Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
It’s nice to see your photos and that your family enjoyed the day here in the county where I live! I’m in Seminole, close to Redington Beach. CMA is about 10 miles from my house and Winter has made it famous. 🙂 Next time you get to Clearwater Beach, you should do a dolphin boat tour. The dolphins like to play and jump up in the waves that the boat makes. Really a lot of fun! Oh, another thing, our gulf water temperature is like warm bath water in summer and so calm. I grew up in MD and we would go to the beach where the water was freezing cold in mid July! And waves to knock you down. Yes, I prefer the Gulf!
Hi Cindy. I really enjoyed my trip to your neck of the woods. The people at CMA who do rescues like Winter are amazing. I read on their website that they do rescues 24 hours…whenever an animal needs them.
I grew up in Houston and we always went to Galveston for beach trips. Miss that warm water (and weather) for sure! The Long Island Sound here is beautiful but can be quite cold. Thanks for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
All the photos were really interesting and I really was particularly interested in the marine aquarium. I live right near the Pacific Ocean, so I’m really interested in those things. I’m glad you could spend some time with your relatives. Love and hugs from the ocean shores of California, Heather 🙂
Hi Heather! Thank you. We saw and did a lot while in Florida, but the Marine Aquarium was our favorite. Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Oh Nicole,
I wish we had known. I live the next town up from Clearwater. I can literally walk to Clearwater and the aquarium! These are the sights I see all the time and love driving by the water on my way to work every day.
Winter’s story is amazing and my grandgirls "adopted" Hope and the otter this year when they came to visit. So glad you liked it. Clearwater is hoping to build a whole new aquarium soon.
Good news!! There will be a Dolphin Tale 2 released in Fall 2014 I think, with the original cast. I believe they will be telling Hope’s story. We are all pretty excited about all of the actors coming again. We have lots of great restaurants and shops in my town of Dunedin so they are here almost every day when they are filming.
Rod and I love living here and being so close to the water and birds. He does lots of fishing and we really enjoy the beach. Maybe you could come again next year and we could meet up then. So glad you enjoyed our neck of the woods (well, beach really.) Hugs to you all, Joey
Hi Joey! I wished I would have known you were so close, too! I had tried to reach you before we left, but missed you, I suppose. I am sure we will be back…we love it there! Can’t wait for Dolphin Tale 2! So sad to hear that Panama passed on 9/25. Big hugs, Nicole