First day in a while that it was not raining early in the morning. Hillary and her family left today....we will miss our granddaughter who was so well behaved. It was great seeing her experience things for the first time like the aquarium, butterfly conservatory, the ocean and the splash pad. She definitely took it all in. She loves to read books with anyone that will read to her. Our kids really are the hope for the future. All the more reason I rode to support the Youth Services Programs of the Sandpoint Rotary Club. My original goal was to raise $10,000 and we have surpassed that and I am hoping that we will raise $15,000. You can still donate by going to www.ridewithmel.com and simply make a tax deductible donation. 100% of what you donate will be used for Rotary's Youth Services Programs.
Interesting sunrise today...lots of great clouds. Does anyone beside me see a white bird flying above the sun in the second picture above? Maybe I just was seeing birds after a lone seagull "photobombed" my next picture. During my long morning walks along the beach I love to look for different cloud images....sort of makes me feel like a kid again!!!
There are so many incredible restored buildings in Key West, all with history and a story. The Key West Armory pictured above was originally built between 1901 and 1903 to support military training and readiness of local military reserves. In 1877, the "Key West Rifles", a voluntary military company, organized with 80 members. It was not very professional, and after a fire in 1886 destroyed all of its equipment, it ceased to exist. In 1888, a 32-member company named the "Island City Guards" was organized, which would eventually became part of the Florida National Guard.
The Armory was described as “an unusual wood-frame building” and was one of the few armories built in the South after the Civil War. The building, an Italianate-style of architecture incorporating an arched entrance, twin, six-sided pointed turrets, a tall parapet as well as towers and cupolas. The Armory was built for the descendants of the Key West Rifles and the Island City Guards. It housed these troops and their armament. It served as a training center in WWI and WWII and in 2006, became home to the Studios of Key West, an artist community that offers professional workshops and creative spaces for artists. What a transformation....arms to art!