Niles Road, Summerland

I wanted some peace and quiet that evening at home so I figured a little run outdoors might put the little tyke down for the night. I was right.

I drove to the end of Niles Road on Summerland and parked the car in between the vehicles and boat trailers of people out hunting lobster on mini season...

 The old wooden bridge to nowhere is still standing in the channel.

 I took this picture in 2008 and you'll notice no wooden ladder on the end of the bridge:

Nowadays someone has built the structure on the end of the bridge that you see below:

Cheyenne liked this spot too, at low tide:

That ladder makes climbing up easier I suppose but I managed in the past just using the spikes hammered into the uprights. I'm tough.

I walked the bridge in 2008 and I have no idea why they ever built such a robust structure as there is no sign of habitation or even a road at the north end. I shall go back one day with Rusty and see what we can find:

It was hot, we rested in the shade.

 And so home...

I miss Cheyenne still but I am glad Rusty is in my life.

Bridge Jumping

Therese was visiting and wanted to go on a  walk with my very photogenic dog. So Rusty and I agreed: Sugarloaf Key was the spot. 

We parked at the entrance to The Loop Road and were delighted to see some poor soul got a parking ticket for a violation. I've never seen that before in this spot...suddenly it all feels rather hard core.

We walked over the bridge which was rather heavily populated by youngsters enjoying not being in school and we found some serenity at the edge of the Straits of Florida:

Rusty wandered the rocky foreshore a bit and we stared at the wasteland wondering who comes to the Keys to sit on a  beach?

It reminded me of the Netflix show called "Bloodline" which was recently renewed for a third no doubt excellent season and it will continue to be shot in the Upper Keys.

There's only so much you can do with some salt water, a bunch of rocks and some tufted mangroves so we...

...headed inland and wandered round the rather picturesque quarry:

Back at the jumping bridge, as it's known, the action had not abated.  Testosterone filled the air, and I was glad I am just an old guy walking my dog.

Therese and I watched hopefully as the youngsters lined up to win the fair maiden's hand. Or something. I like watching the peer pressure drive the youngsters over the parapet; I've seen it before.

This is a popular spot and rightly so...

Off he goes...

All is well.

The idyll of growing up in the Keys.

 Cheyenne liked it here too.

Never too late to have a childhood. 

Primary Colors In The Village

Rusty's urban training program continues apace and he is getting better at coping with the noises and sudden alarums on city streets. I am told by people who have been watching his progress that he is gaining visibly in confidence and self assurance. He carries himself well, apparently. 

I took him for an afternoon stroll through Bahama Village and he was a champ. I started to notice the bright colors I was surrounded by...on all the buildings. Island color! The VFW on Emma Street:

 The wall of the Douglass Gym named for Frederick Douglass the noted abolitionist:

 Mustard yellow suits some people, I prefer lemon yellow but that's neither here nor there.

I like the colors even if the homes can be a bit run down.

 This old place I must have photographed half a million times, I exaggerate, but it still stands at the corner of Olivia Street at Emma. I can't get over the shutters every time I pass. 

 Your basic Key West white.  A  street scene like this is a healthy reminder that Key West does not look like the rest of the Keys.

 Oh, and there's bougainvillea  too.

The Conch Cottage concept is alive and well in Bahama Village, often refurbished as a mark of advancing gentrification: 

 But not everything has been modernized:

 Even the cars look brighter under an almost-tropical Key West  sun.

At first I though the sign below read: "No Dogs Allowed" which didn't seem right. Maybe they aren't allowed either, who knows. I'm one of those people who isn't terribly interested in you if you don't like Rusty. 

Even the public housing has  got a bright coat of blue paint:

 We took a good look round did Rusty and I. Honestly he was feeling the heat as much as I was. It seems to have a been a hot summer so far.

 Nice colors, I say.

 Watching the world go by and resting as a hot dog should:

Angela Street

This used to be a local business, on the 500 block of Angela Street:

Rexall had been Consolidated Electric Supply and the old signage came to light as the renovation of the building got underway.

The huge AME  Church on Whitehead Street came into view as I strolled down Angela Street toward Bahama Village but funnily enough the entire structure got masked by a modest poinciana tree. It's all in the perspective:

Moving across Whitehead toward Mickens Lane I saw a balcony worthy of fair Juliet. She wasn't there.

"Unauthorized vehicles will be..." We will never know what their designated fate might be. Repainted? Scrapped? Sold at auction? I know the hardware store has a crappy nasty plastic replacement ready to uglify the building.

Happiness is a scooter on a  sunny day:

Heading toward Chapman Lane:

And there's the other end of Chapman at Petronia, and I took the picture to play with the light on the side of the RV:

Mr Chapman appears to be back in his old home after much noise about his being thrown out of the home he had owned for much of his life. His tricycle was there at least ready for his evening illuminated, musical ride down Duval.

Old homes:

New rentals:

It won't ever stop will it? Building, change, more and more, world without end.