Our First Drum Circle

It's been a very busy week. Three days of pickleball, laundry, and Thursday was the Appreciation Dinner and Dance (and St. Patrick's Day celebration) at the park.  The park provided burgers and hot dogs, potato salad, baked beans, cupcake, and beer or soda.

It was a very hot day which did not make the dining comfortable.

 Our table where most of us wore green.

 Mark eating outside where it was much cooler.

Another group photo of our table.

On Friday 15 of us went to Rum Bay for lunch.  To get there, we drove about an hour, parked the cars, then we got on a boat that took us to an island at the Rum Bay restaurant.  The food was great.

 The guys posing for us.

On the boat ride we saw an osprey nest with mamma and 4 babies - the babies were hiding.

 The dolphins were mating all around us.

Waiting to order lunch.  Fish tacos were fabulous.

 After lunch we were able to walk the private beach for 30 minutes.  The beach was deserted.

A beach group photo

 The gigantic birds with very large wingspans.

Millions of shells.

A dolphin playing in our wake on the way back.  Pam took this picture.

We got back to the park in time for some people to take naps or go to the pool before we had another happy hour at Sally and Lee's.  We incorporated the bulletin folding since that was the only time we had to get them done.   

 Anita and Ann roasting weenies.

This afternoon we all headed to Nokomis Beach for the drumming the sun down gathering.  Hundreds of people gather five or six rows deep in a gigantic circle to listen to at least 60 drummers on their bongos beating loudly for at least 3 hours before sunset.  People get out in the circle to dance, hula hoop, belly dance, or whatever they choose.  Great people-watching.

 This guy was quite entertaining in his leather shirt.

Yes, I hula hooped.  First time in over 45 years.  

 A shot of the crowd a half hour before sunset.

 Early in the afternoon.

 Pam and Dennis hooping.  Dennis was very good at it.

 We even got Mark out there.  

One young guy playing with fire.

We've all realized our winters are coming to an end in the next couple weeks, so we are trying to cram in everything we didn't get to.  This makes for an insane week.  Hopefully we'll save some things for next year when we are here longer.