Fisherman's Village, Punta Gorda

While visiting my Sister, Pat Boehme, in south Florida over the Thanksgiving Holiday, we decided to hit some stores in Punta Gorda for Black Friday. Pat drove us to Fisherman's Village which is a series of shops that line an old dock. The stores were all decked out with Christmas decorations. It was way too early for me to consider sketching Santa or Reindeer. I walked the length of the dock, looking in all the shop windows without much interest. I decided to sit outside behind the shops and enjoy the view of all the boats. Later this month there will be a nautical parade where boats are decorated to the hilt with Christmas lights. Stringing lights from masts certainly would make for simple Christmas tree shapes.

One of the boats motored out from its moorings while I sketched. A man was behind the wheel shouting out orders and a woman was on the bow coiling up some ropes. She was in a bikini. The warm beautiful day made it difficult to imagine that Christmas was right around the corner.

Land Sales Office

My sister Pat Boehme took Terry and I to a Punta Gorda Historic Park. Terry wanted to go here because she learned that there was a large Eagles nest in one of the tall pine trees. I saw the huge eagles nest but there were no eagles inside. So, while Pat and Terry sat in lawn chairs waiting for the eagle to return, I wandered off and did this sketch of the Trabue Land Sales office which was built in 1886. This is the oldest building in Punta Gorda. The small tin roofed building now houses a gift shop with photography and jewelry for sale. The woman who cares for the shop is a member of the Audubon Society so she was aware of the eagles comings and goings.

When I finished my sketch, I wandered back over to where Terry and Pat were watching the nest. Pat's son David was there now. Terry suggested that Pat, David and I make a sandwich run while she continued her vigil. We took Pat's car to Publix to get Deli sandwiches. When we got back Terry was still seated, calmly watching the nest. Right after the first bite of my sandwich I saw an eagle fly over my head. I shouted and pointed, being less than subtle as a bird watcher. Terry had borrowed some binoculars from the gift shop and she watched the eagle land on the nest and rip into the fish he had in his talons. I wondered if he was thankful for his meal. I'm not sure I had felt humblingly thankful of my Moose Lodge meal. The eagle jumped out onto a branch and paused for a moment eying the small group of people picnicking under his tree. Then he spread his immense wings and gracefully took flight. He disappeared over a distant band of pine trees, gone as quickly as he had appeared.

Terry wanted to see him again. As she settled back into her lawn chair, I agreed with Pat that rain looked imminent. We dropped David off at his trailer and then went back to Pat's home. On the drive back it did start to rain. Terry did not return to Pat's home for many hours. She took shelter in the gift shop when it poured out. She had a long talk with the proprietress who was also a member of Audubon. Terry never saw the eagle again that day but she got advice on where she could see some wild Parrots so she followed that tip to another bay front park. She ended up seeing 7 wild parrots in some palm trees.

Punta Gorda Railroad Station

After our Thanksgiving dinner, Pat drove us to Punta Gorda to see the sights. Our first stop was this Historic Punta Gorda Railroad station. The rear of the station is devoted to an antiques shop and the waiting areas up front house a Railroad museum. Terry and Pat shopped while I sketched. What caught my eye imediately were the separated "Whites" and "Colored" entrances to the station. An antiques dealer was telling Terry that in the 1970's his school was one of the first in the area to allow full integration. When the building was restored, these signs were kept in place to remind museum goers of this regions recent history of segregation.

The building was first erected in 1928. The main purpose of the railway was to ship fish to Northern markets. It also functioned as a passenger train. This is the only station remaining built by the Atlantic Coast line that features the Spanish Mission style which would make more sense in California. In 1971 the depot was closed. In 1998 volunteers began to restore the building. In August of 2004 the building was badly damaged by hurricane Charlie, but it was once again restored. The depot is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

When my sketch was done, I went back to the antique shop to find Terry and Pat. Terry had been on a shopping spree. She had bought some antique plates, an Emerald colored ring for Pat and oddly a German Concertina or accordion. Now I can honestly say, momma's got a squeeze box.