Feb. 14, 2014  Happy Valentine’s Day!  It’s another very busy, fun filled day in The Keys.  Because we have been coming here for so many years we have established “traditions”.  It would not be a visit to the Keys without trying to see a Key Deer … or two or three. I’ll bet it took four or five years before I saw my first one.  I’ll never forget the first time I saw one.   My Grandson, Rowan, was with us.  As we were going  over to No Name Key, we prepared Rowan telling him we were going to try,  but might not see one.  We didn’t want him  to be disappointed. He must have thought we were fooling with him.  We saw a lot.  Rowan was our lucky charm!

Today as we were driving along very slowly we spotted our first, then second.  The second has this beautiful rack.  Cousin Nancy and David got out of the car to take pictures.  They got so close they could almost have pet him. The deer are just so darn cute.  They have free rein of the area.  You never know when you’ll see one, but the only place you know you might is No Name Key.

The No Name Pub is on No Name Key in Big Pine, Florida.  I know that sounds confusing. It’s even more confusing trying to find the Pub. It’s a hole in the wall restaurant that is housed in a building with lots of Key history.  It’s in a residential area and if it wasn’t for the tons of cars parked up and down the street chances are pretty good you’d drive right by. The food is good, but the schtick is all the dollar bills stapled to the walls and ceilings.  It’s a decor designed by the patrons. Put your dollar out on your table and the waitress will bring you over a marker and a stapler.  You personalize your dollar and try to find a spot to staple it.  Then it’s fun to come back the next year and try to find your dollar.

Tonight E T saw her first Keys sunset. She liked it:)

The weather here is still cool for The Keys. We are still using heat at night and wearing sweatshirts.  The wind is a bit calmer, but still pretty strong.  I just feel very, very lucky to be up north.