A couple of years ago for Christmas, I wished to give my husband a special present. I was having trouble fitting his clothes in the closets and the bureaus in the bedroom because of my clothes, so I decided to purchase for him an armoire for his office, the old fashioned type where you can hang shirts and also with drawers. We both love art deco so I bid on an original 1930's art deco armoire on ebay and I won it at a great price. Before I bid on it, I had called shippers and they gave me a price of $250.00 for shipping it from New York to me in Florida. The seller lived in Queens. It had belonged to his grandmother. Well, after I won it, the shipper gave me a different story. The price of $250.00 was for shipping business to business. To go pick up something from a residential neighbor... 08/19/2008

With the real estate market slow and stagnant in many areas of the country, the Jack White Land Co. has recently been using a new marketing tool to create interest in hopes of boosting sales.  Instead of usual open houses, which often don't result in sales, Jack, Kelly and Drew White are hosting art shows.  One recent show, featuring the work of Lesley Giles, an English-born painter, brought the artist sales and extra buyer leads for the Whites.  This concept, of course, will highlight the lcoal town and local artists, which would be interesting to prospective buyers and new residents.  An Onen House usually involves an empty house.  How about an empty house with paintings displayed throughout the house and the Artist present? I am an artist.  I find the above idea innovative and exciti... 08/19/2008

I woke up this morning and the power is still on  A great sign.  It's past eight o'clock, and it's dark and raining, but the powers is still on.  Good going, Fay. Fay came ashore at Cape Romano just south of Marco Island, about 55 miles south of Fort Myers Beach.  It never reached hurricane status.  Fay is expected to continue in a north-northeasterly direction throughout Tuesday, passing near Orlando, and entering the Atlantic as a tropical depression off Florida's northeastern coast early Wednesday.  So, goodbye, Faye, and thanks for the rain. 08/19/2008

The last 24 hours Floridians were watching anxiously at a tropical Storm growing in strength towards Cuba                    Steve Lyons, the man to watch and the qualified hurricane expert   It makes me mad, not that weather broadcaster are correctly warning Floridians about Fay which "may" turn into a category one, but did you notice how sad they are when Fay was starting to be "disorganized"  ( a strong sign for us Floridians that we will just see tropical storms and probably no winds over 70 miles an hour at most. There is only one guy I follow. Steve Lyons Hurricane Expert at the Weather Channel:                       http://www.weather.com/aboutus/television/ocms/lyons.html  the real "hurricane expert". he did say that chances of getting a hurricane category one is very slim.Sure ... 08/18/2008

Tonight on Fort Myers Beach, as the pot roast is slowly cooking in the oven and as I look upon my empty yard (The chairs and tables have been put away from Fay's uncertain ways) and as the Weather Channel drones on and on, I remember Hurricane Charlie.  A different scenario.  Charlie caused us to leave our home.  Fay is just promising some much needed rain and perhaps a great find of sea shells tomorrow on the Beach,  After Charlie (2004) passed us by, I wrote a poem called in memory of him, called The Unfriendly Tourist.  Perhaps Fay will end up being The Friendly Tourist. The Unfriendly Tourist Red Carnations thrive in my garden The sunflowers brushed rudely aside The bouigainvilleas bush beaten to a pulp The vileness of an unhappy tourist Should not be  underestimated; Hemingway punc... 08/18/2008

      Waterside at Bay Beach  is located towards the South End of Fort Myers Beach, also known as Estero Island.  This beautiful Fort Myers Beach gated community along the back Bay or Estero Bay offers of course pools,tennis courts and the only golf course available in Fort Myers Beach, sauna and steam room, guest units, conference rooms.Number of units per building ranging from 54 to 58.                                                                             above:Estero Bay, Fort Myers Beach                                    Waterside These luxury buildings were build starting 1997 up to 2006.It is luxury life at its very best in one of the Premier Communities of Lee County with also dock purchase available smack on the Bay Bay which of course leads directly to the Gulf Of mexico... 08/17/2008

This is a great site I discovered a few years ago after a several months of fitness walking evolved into my interest in running.  Since I have always been somewhat of a numbers nut tracking my time and mileage was important to me so while searching for a better way to figure out my distance I stumbled into America's Running Routes. Last week while on vacation in Fort Myers Beach was the first time I used the site to select a route.  On the west coast of Florida the sun doesn't rise as early as I'm accustom to in New England so I was up early waiting for dawn so I could begin my first run on the sand. Since I was staying towards the northern end of the island I estimated the journey to the starting point of the mapped route and back would be about 7 miles which was what my training plan ... 08/17/2008

I'm hardly a gourmet.  My wife will confirm this fact.  She's a good cook. But, I can manage to turn out a summer dinner once in awhile.  This is for people who aren't cooks.  Below is the perfect dinner for a hot evening on Fort Myers Beach in Summer.  I believe that it will taste good outside of Fort Myers Beach, as well. Easy Summer Dinner for People Who Aren't Cooks: At market, buy sirloin hamburger patties already molded into patties and corn on the cob, mushrooms already sliced and French hamubrger rolls. Once home, start up Charcoal Grill.  Take off green from Corn and wash.  Then wrap each cob in aluminium foil.  Place cobs dirctly on the coal, but on the edges of the coal.  Back in house, put a little butter into a pan and then sliced mushrooms.  Turn them over from time to tim... 08/15/2008

A house, of course, looks nice, more inviting with lush landscaping, but part of the pleasure in a new home may also be to plan some of your own gardens and then watch it grow.  When we purchased our home on Fort Myers Beach years ago, we had extensive landscaping in front, but not so in the back.  My husband's idea was was buy fully grown tees and bushes for our back border.  But, I wanted smaller bushes and trees and flowers. My husband said that these would take forever to grow (he didn't quite realize the power of the rainy season), and and I told him that he was right, that it would take awhile for the landscaping to fill out, but watching it grow year after year would be exciting.  My husband doesn't write poems often, but he wrote one to me after our "gardening" conversation.   I... 08/09/2008

On a Saturday morning here on an overcast summer's day on Fort Myers Beach, I delve into the national news.  What is going on in our country?  It's been a common complaint, the tabloid news and the serious news being blended in the last few years.  Do I care about the latest mess Brittany Spears has gotten herslelf into?  A definite NO.  No interest whatsoever.  Do I care that John Edwards had an affair at a time when his wife was ill and needed him?  Not really, but badly done, John.  Do I care that a little girl in the Orlando area cannot be found and her mother went out to nightclubs while her daughter was missing(before being arrested, that is) and then smiling in Court.  Yes.  The mother makes me sick.  If my dog was lost, I would be out looking and worrying, not out partying.  Nev... 08/09/2008

Two boaters from Pennsylvania named Mike and David were visiting Fort Myers Beach three years ago. The weather was superb, the fish plentiful, the sun warm, and the fun endless. They thought Fort Myers beach was pretty cool. After three weeks here on the beach they wound up with an idea.  They bought property at the end of Delmar, built four luxury homes, complete with elevators, three bedrooms, two car garages, and balconies for enjoying the breeze, and then they furnished them ready to move into with everything a vacationer would want. Then they built a pool, rebuilt the commercial docks, and they called their piece of paradise "Dock of the Bay". Mike and David could not stay here in Fort Myers all year round; they still had businesses to run up North. They figured most of their frien... 08/07/2008

He's a grandfather.  He's a a wealty man.  Now he is after finding oil in his back yard.  Herb . The former cattleman, farmer and owner of a garbage business is now retired, able to count the dollar signs brought in by three oil wells. Herb Geving worked his whole life, but says oil changed his life. Now he doesn't work at all, just goes to his mailbox for the checks. Stanley, North Dakota, may not seem like the most likely place to find oil.  But oil was found, lots of it.  It's located in the Northwest area of North Dakota, about 50 miles from the Canadian border. But the town booming, all thanks to rich oil deposits sitting deep below the surface.  AS for the real estate, the values of risen dramatically.  The oil boom has resulted in good paying jobs, raised real estate values and n... 08/06/2008

Fort Myers Beach is located in Lee County, southwest Florida. It is a lively independent city of some 10,000 residents who enjoy its 7 miles of white beaches, many gulf access canals which flow into the back Bay or Estero Bay and is close enough to Fort Myers and Cape Coral if you want more that city feeling.Its colorful history goes as far back as 4000 years ago with the proud Calusa Indians who dominated southwest Florida, the coming of the Spanish Conquistadors, to the pirates of the XIX century, the Utopian Koreshan society, its traditional shrimp fishing to its present day with the renovation of its downtown area and its colorful shops and restaurants, Fort Myers Beach is a "moveable feast" (part of title borrowed from E.Hemingway's short biographical novel " A Moveable Feast".    ... 08/05/2008

Private Studio Vacation Cottage Available on Fort Myers Beach, Florida. Tropically decorated. Glimpses of bay and boats from deck. Walk to seven mile white sand beach as well as shops and stores, restaurants, grocery. Washer and Dryer, Cable TV, full kitchen, tropical gardens. Cottage stocked with linens, dishes, pots, pans, books, lounge chairs. Large yard with tropical gardens. RATES: 2008 December 14-December December 31 $400/Weekly plus cleaning fee 2009 January through April $425/Weekly plus cleaning fee or $1,500/Monthly Respond via E-Mail to: KarenENichols@aol.com or call 239-849-3064. View From the Cottage 08/04/2008

Possibly, scientists believe, and explain it this way: Some strains of algae contain high concentrations of oil when compared to other biofuel sources. The specific strains are isolated and then harvested in large quantifies in pond systems or bioreactors. The oil is then extracted, processed and refined into fuel that has the potential for a variety of uses.  Evidently, this source of energy will also have a low impact upon the environment. The challenge will be to mass produce the stuff and also to prevent contamination of the algae by bacteria and viruses. An interesting possibility.  I've never thought of putting a pond in our yard here on Fort Myers Beach.  Because of our hot weather, a pond always struck me as a haven for mosquitos, etc, but I may have to reconsider. 07/31/2008

   The fight is on. Which is best? Concrete CBS or frame homes? Of course I am talking about the best possible Florida frame home and these would be with a concrete slab and pilings. The more expensive ones may even have concrete exterior walls and partition walls up to the 2 floor and then the traditional floor joists and high tech beams or even steel beams.                         Many of my clients looking for homes in Fort Myers and Lee County in general prefer CBS homes. They think they are stronger against winds, less risk of attracting termites, are less maintenance and use less AC. New technology has permitted to build frame homes which can withstand 130 miles and hour winds and yes it is true that the strongest high condos are made of concrete and expansion joints. Frame homes ... 07/29/2008

   Just finished on the annual " Parade  of Homes " ! Owner will include one of the hot " SMART " cars with the purchase of this home !  Wouldn't this put a smile on her face ! Gorgeous 3/2 direct Gulf front home. Totally decorator furnished home.  I will be hosting this  listing on Tueday starting at  9:30 AM .  If you have been looking for a move-in ready beach front this is it.   If you are on Fort Myers Beach  stop in and and say " HI".  This beautiful home is a real charmer with light. bright beachy colors and decorator upgrades. Furnished and ready for you to move in !  Just reduced $100k to $1,495,000 .   Call me direct for additional details on ownership opportunities. Bill Gillhespy   239   699-7128   Just bring your flip flops !           07/28/2008

We've lived on this street on Fort Myers Beach for almost 10 years.  I first met Kathy six years ago or so, when Kathy was six years of age.  Her mom was having some problems and so she came to live with her Grandma.  Her Grandma was a woman in her 40's, my neighbor directly across the street.   Kathy was named after her Grandma, my neighbor, Katherine.  There's a rental duplex near our home and at the time that Kathy came to Katherine and Mike, there lived on the top floor of that duplex a young couple and their young son, Korvin Dee.  Korvin Dee was only five at the time,  a year younger than Kathy, and they became fast friends. Kathy stayed with Katherine and her Grandpa, Mike for over a year. Then, Kathy's mom had got her life togther and Kathy went home to Texas.  But, every summer... 07/27/2008

  The history of Fort Myers Beach history cannot be separated from the influence of the Koreshan Unity, a rather odd religious group which was started by a Dr Cyrus Teed. On one side very prolific and successful and on the other self serving and highly eccentric.. He first settled in Fort Myers Beach with his family in 1893 after purchasing large acreages on the main land and in Fort Myers Beach, specially around now famed Mound key, which was build by the Calusa Indians some 4000 years before.                                          The Koreshan State Park in Estero, Lee County                       How odd where they? They believed that the earth was a hollow sphere, which was not very unlighted in the XIX century. Some where not allowed to marry and stay celibat. Okay, I am not sign... 07/26/2008

   We're gearing up for a hot summer weekend on Fort Myers Beach, Florida. I have a couple of appointments tomorrow morning and early afternoon, but after that, I'm free to enjoy the weekend with my family.  What is there to do on a summer's day and night on Fort Myers Beach? If one cares to venture out of their air conditioning shelter, on Saturday night, July 26th, there will be a benefit at the ChannelMark for local resident, Andy Hallam, who was injured in a serious motorcycle accident.  The benefit will feature live enteratainment, a silent auction, a dance contact and a pulled pork BBQ dinner and a motorcycle buddy ride.  The last event strikes me as a bit ironic. Also, on Saturday, There's an Estuary Kayak Tour in Estero Bay with GAEA Guides, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, leaves from... 07/25/2008