A Really Beautiful Bird Around Southwest Florida.

 Pileated woodpeckers, the largest woodpeckers in North America, hammer their heads into trees with a force of 15 mph, 20 times a second. So, how do their heads not turn to mush?

Thick muscles, sponge-like bones, and a third eyelid keep bird brains intact. For more information, go to: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/pileated_woodpecker/id/nc

 This is a MUST SEE IN FORT MYERS

Did you notice I didn’t say that it makes me want to buy a boat. It takes a long time to learn these waterways, that’s why I leave it to the charter captains. So what are you waiting for? Let’s go fishing

What:  
Builders Care, the nonprofit arm of the Lee Building Industry Association (BIA), is hosting a raffle for a chance to win tickets to the 2012 Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla. All funds raised will help local homeowners in need with emergency home repairs. The package includes two tickets to the Outback Bowl game on Monday, Jan. 2 at 1 p.m. when the Michigan State Spartans take on the Georgia Bulldogs at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. In addition, the winner receives a two-night stay at Hampton Inn Tampa, $100 worth of entertainment and travel and $100 of game gear.

Tickets are available for a suggested minimum donation of $20 at Shoeless Joe’s at Crowne Plaza at 13051 Bell Tower Dr., Fort Myers, Fla., or at the Lee BIA Builders Care   office at 10501 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy., Suite 104, Fort Myers, Fla. Tickets and more    information also available online at www.WINOutbackBowltix.com.

When:
Sunday, Dec. 18 at 6:30 p.m.
Magic Benton will do the honors of selecting the winning raffle ticket for the 2012 Outback Bowl package including two tickets to the Outback Bowl game on Monday, Jan. 2 at 1 p.m. when the Michigan State Spartans take on the Georgia Bulldogs at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. In addition, the winner receives a two-night stay at Hampton Inn Tampa, $100 worth of entertainment and travel and $100 of game gear.

Where:    
Shoeless Joe’s at Crowne Plaza
13051 Bell Tower Dr.
Fort Myers, FL 33912

YES, THIS IS HOW WE SPENT OUR THANKSGIVING AFTER SOME GREAT FOOD…………..AHHH.

Event Still Ongoing Through November 27th

 The World Championship of Sand Sculpting is underway and the winners for this solo division competition have been announced!

PHOTOS ATTACHED OF EACH, ADDITIONAL HIGH-RES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

The Sculptor’s Choice Award is one of the most prized, as it’s an award given by the sculptor’s peers. It signifies distinct creativity and skill demonstration.

Charlie Beaulieu, event director and a World Championship winner twelve times over, commented “This is the best venue the World Championship event has ever been held at. The sculptures are amazing which makes the judging very difficult.”

This is the first time the World Championship of Sand Sculpting event has ever been held in Florida. From today until the 27th, master sculptors will be on-site to create additional exhibition art, and answer questions about the masterpieces.. Guests will also enjoy a myriad of other activities including live music daily.

Event hours are as follows: Monday-Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For a more detailed schedule of activities and event information, please visit: http://www.worldchampionshipofsandsculpting.com/fmb/world_championship_of_sand_sculpting_ft_myers_beach_event_schedule.htm

Today, Tuesday, November 22nd, The Beach Arts Cooperative will host The Orpheus Players’ performance of an original play, “Sisters of the Sea” on a stage set in the sand behind the Holiday Inn. The opening reception starts at 6:00 p.m. followed by the performance at 7:00 p.m. $30 ticket price includes two drinks. For ticket information, please call 239-463-4461 or visit: http://www.beachartscooperative.org/

Discounted World Championship of Sand Sculpting event tickets are available for purchase at Costco in Fort Myers, Naples or Estero, any 7-11 store in Lee or Collier County and all Pinchers Crab Shack locations while supplies last.

Tickets at the event are just $6 for adults, $5 for children 5 to 17 years old and those 4 and under are free. For more information on the event, please visit: http://www.worldchampionshipofsandsculpting.com.

A designated portion of the event proceeds will be donated to the “Eliminate Project” sponsored by Kiwanis International and UNICEF. For specific details about this cause, please visit: http://sites.kiwanis.org/Kiwanis/en/theELIMINATEproject/home.aspx.

LOCATION & TRANSPORTATION
The World Championship of Sand Sculpting will be held at the Holiday Inn located at 6890 Estero Boulevard on Fort Myers beach. Attendees are encouraged to arrive from the south in order to avoid traffic congestion. Event directors have coordinated a revolving bus system to transport attendees from the Lover’s Key parking area to the site. Parking is also available in the Publix shopping center at Bonita Beach Road and U.S. 41 where the Lee County beach “Trollee” will pick up attendees. CLICK BELOW TO SEE MORE: 

“Sanibel Turtle Garden,” an acrylic on wood painting by artist Teri Causey, has been selected as the poster image for the Annual Sanibel Masters Art Festival, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on FRIDAY Nov. 25 and SATURDAY the 26th at the Sanibel Community House. The festival features 75 terrific artists. The proceeds from the event benefit the programs at the Sanibel Community House and BIG ARTS, a home for all the arts.  Admission is free, but donations are accepted at the gates. As a special treat, the BIG ARTS Chorus will perform a preview of their holiday concert at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 26.  For more information, visit boulderbrookproductions.net or facebook.com/boulderbrookart.

Regarding this years poster art: The festival hs used a similar type of underwater sea turtle image for the past three years, and this year when we saw the vibrant colors of Teri’s painting, we immediately selected it. The color palette of the painting offered us a chance to freshen up the design. The new colors are so varied from the past that it allowed us to create a similar poster but something that really looks new and fresh. Sanibel Island has a fondness for turtles and we like to keep the poster for this event from changing too much, so that it is recognizable each year.  Many guests have started a Sanibel Masters Art Festival poster collection. Signed posters will be available for the first 50 visitors to Teri’s booth.

ALSO CHECK OUT THIS EXCITING NEWS:

She’s a baker, artist and former Bubble Room restaurant owner. And, now she’s an author.

Katie Gardenia, one of the most prominent Sanibel-Captiva area residents, recently released “A Bubble Moment,” a combination cookbook and coffee table book sure to delight residents and visitors to the area. She will sign her book, and sell her fabric sculpture and fiber art pieces, during the Sanibel Masters Art Festival being held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 25 and 26 at the Sanibel Community House.

For years, Gardenia owned the whimsical Bubble Room restaurant on Captiva Island. It was famous for serving the biggest slices of homemade cake, with wedges that looked as if they were designed for an art gallery. In her book, she shares al her recipes including red velvet cake, bubble bread, and orange crunch cake. But, she emphasizes, it’s more than a cookbook. The four-color, hardcover, 117-page book chronicles the history of the Bubble Room building, the people who came in and out of its door, the people who helped create it, long and tall stories, local color, her original recipes, old photos, and page after page of handmade collages. As the reader travels through the story, they will come upon handmade paper pages that have “secret envelopes” that were artfully hand stamped, chalk colored, that are waiting unveil more information.