Tuesday
I heard about a shop that also sold lattes but it wasn't open when we arrived. It would have been nice to sit and have a hot coffee. Hungry, we walked down the road to Annie's Cafe. It's a funky little place with a nice outdoor dining area except for one thing...it's freezing cold inside and out. Our waitress said they were unused to such bitter cold and didn't have the equipment to warm the place up. All of the diners, and it was packed, were wearing coats. The food was very good. I hope to return at a warmer time of year.
The shop that was closed earlier was now open. They said they operate on island time. They had an espresso machine but were new at using it so the results were so-so. It was an art gallery/gift shop, so I bought a nice print set in the night-time, of a pelican. It now hangs in my granddaughter's room.
Our next stop was Shell Mound Park in the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge. It's located on the edge of the Gulf and is supposed to be a kayaking paradise. The trails and the boardwalk took us through beautiful areas. It was slightly warmer when we were in the woods. The park was part of an area where the salt marshes dominate before the mangroves begin south of Cedar Key.
You can walk around a shell mound created by the prehistoric inhabitants. The mound is comprised of oyster shells, five-acres worth, and 28 feet tall. The archaeologists believe it took the people 3,500 years to shuck that many oysters. The park was a lovely area where the salt marshes dominate before the mangroves begin south of Cedar Key.
The drive through the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge was lovely. There are usually a lot of alligators there, but not when it is so cold. The swamps were surprisingly beautiful. I finally saw cypress trees there. They are able to tolerate the flooded conditions by growing "knees" that grow out of the base and into the air.
Pelicans
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