I am afraid of dogs. Big, little, fluffy, noisy or quiet, they are pretty much all the same to me. You might be surprised to find out I grew up in a home with German Shepherds, nice ones at that.
You can imagine how enthused I was when my brother’s family announced they had the perfect gift for him – a visit to a wolf sanctuary. Located in Naples, Florida of all places. But I have to admit – it was the most perfect experience gift for my brother – ever.
So, my husband and I went. I admit I was nervous.
It was actually much more interesting than I ever could imagine. The Shy Wolf Sanctuary is located in a residential, rural area near Naples and houses 69+ animals including an amazing number of wolves, wolf-dogs and other wildlife in large, well-maintained shelters. The setting is lush, even after losing canopy from a recent hurricane, and staff works hard to provide stimulation and enrichment for the animals. It’s an all-volunteer operation and they depend on contributions. My brother’s wife and kids had donated so we could have a private tour and some one-on-one time with a few of the animals.
First off, who knew wolf-dogs were legal in Florida? How crazy is that? Naïve pet-owners can end up in a real pickle since there is no way of knowing how the animal will eventually react. Some with a higher percentage of wolf can be more dog-like in temperament, others quite the opposite.
As we learned more and saw more of the animals I could feel my anxiety level dropping.
Proof – I actually “pet” Mohan, a wolf-dog!
We had our special time with the very large wolf-dogs Mohan and Dancer, and I did touch one of them – lol. Otherwise, I was content to watch the rest of my family cavort, get licked, and nuzzle with them.
I loved seeing the bobcat, Bob Leo, and the beautiful, majestic Florida panther, Cimarron. I do love cats, of any size.
These are all rescued animals (since 1993!) and I was so impressed with the volunteers. Our expert guide Jeremy is a tech wizard during the week and rescue-maven on the weekends. He was amazing.
My favorite part was definitely when all the wolves started howling; then the five resident coyotes joined in. BTW, coyotes do everything they can to stay away from wolves.
You can’t just walk into the Sanctuary, visits are limited. If you are interested you need to set-up an appointment (and make a contribution) well in advance, but it’s worth it. It’s a great cause and a great service to South Florida. You can contribute at many levels and ways, including $49 to feed a wolf for a month or $588 for a year. It’s a Florida 501c3, is licensed and has high ratings. Check out their website and read more about their mission and details about each animal: https://shywolfsanctuary.org/
Wolf trivia: Real wolves don’t have blue eyes – only amber.
I just got back from an annual trip with some of my great NC girlfriends. This year we went to The Cloister at Sea Island, Georgia. We were so lucky with the weather – we ventured farther north than usual and had braced ourselves for some chilly temps, but were pleasantly surprised with warm, breezy days. Even the rain gave us a break and held off until our last evening. This is the low-country and you are in and around marshes making it even more humid than my home in Miami, and I was glad to be visiting in the winter months.
The Cloister is a beautiful resort and I was surprised to learn it had been completely re-built and reopened in 2006 after being torn down in 2003. Expansion has continued with more facilities and rooms added as recently as 2016, with the resort now offering 267+ rooms. Never intended to be anything more than a temporary facility when the Addison Mizner 46-room resort opened in 1928, the now greatly expanded hotel was re-designed to create the same cozy feel and friendly spirit of the original. The style is Southern-elegant yet comfortable, with furnishings like you would find in the homes of your Southern friends (at least the ones with good taste-lol). Presidents from Calvin Coolidge to Eisenhower have visited the resort and now it was time for our gang of ten.
Even the gals who had visited many times enjoyed the historic tour we took with resident historian Wheeler Bryon (that really is his name). We all enjoyed Wheeler’s terrific sense of humor as well as the interesting info he shared as we toured Georgia’s Golden Isles, including Sea Island and a stop at the Fort Frederica National Monument. The Fort was a British stronghold dating from 1736, built to battle the Spanish for control in the New World.
After a wonderful wild (local) shrimp lunch in quaint St. Simons at Iguana’s, most of our group hit the cute shops and I headed over to check out the picturesque 1872 St. Simons Lighthouse and Keepers Cottage. BTW – later I heard there was supposed to be free ice cream at Iguanas – how did we miss that?
Once I got overlooking for cats, I learned about “Tabby” construction, consisting of crushed and heated oyster shells. The material was used in early slave cabins and the Fort and is still used in many area houses.
I loved the way the area’s beautiful homes were numbered in the order they were built and was surprised to find out neither The Cloister or the homes are on the historic register. Owners can build in a variety of styles but somehow it all comes together. The idyllic scene is not marred by mailboxes since everyone gets mail at the Post Office. Maybe it’s the majestic live oaks dripping with Spanish Moss, or the winding narrow streets through the residential areas, or just the friendliness of everyone you meet – but it instantly felt very comfortable here.
Later, I made a point of seeing the famous Avenue of the Oaks near the Sea Island Lodge and golf courses. I can see why it’s a favorite spot for brides to pose for pictures. At the Lodge, the Colt & Alison restaurant served up a wonderful farewell dinner for the group and I enjoyed having a Caesar salad made the proper way – at the table. During pre-dinner cocktails, we enjoyed a brief sight and sounds of the bagpiper playing while walking on the greens. He must’ve had the same weather app we did since he made it under cover just in time before the skies opened up.
As a group, we did plenty of eating, drinking, card-playing, a little golf, a little spa, and a whole lot of talking. It was poetic the Monday edition of the WSJ had a feature about the importance of friendship. Quoting from an interview with Lydia Denworth author of the book “Friendship” the article focused on the scientific benefits of having friends and she describes it as a “key to survival.” She explained a study at Harvard concluded the “best predictor of your health and happiness at 80 was not your wealth or professional success. It was your relationships at 50.”
I’ll drink to that!
Depoe Bay, Oregon
We had the most wonderful experience at the Whale Cove Inn. From the first moment we entered our beautiful suite we were enchanted by the picturesque view. The second time we entered our suite we were mesmerized by whales in the harbor.
The facility is lovely, perfectly maintained, and beautifully decorated. GM Sarah was delightful, personable and provided excellent information and direction. Our suite was on the top floor with a harbor view from the bed. I suggest calling ahead & discussing which of the 8 suites is available and would be preferred; staff were extremely helpful.
Our two-room suite was well-appointed and we felt quite at home. Both rooms had up-to-date TVs with a good range of stations, bedding was comfy, and the shower was good. We had ice, and feather pillows, plenty of plugs, a make-up mirror and lots of room to spread out. The public areas are also lovely, but we were content to retreat into our own world.
I was not, however, bold enough to venture the cool temps and get into the private tub on our balcony. Instead, I wrapped up in a blanket, had a glass of good red wine, sat on the terrace, and looked for whales. A Gray Whale was hanging out in the cove and as it rolled to feed, kept showing one side of its tail fluke, known as “sharking.” Perfect.
Breakfast was served in the dining room buffet-style and included pastries, fruit, cereals, quiche, hard-boiled eggs, bacon, etc. You could also request eggs to order, which my husband did. A daily newspaper of choice is delivered to your room. The dining room is operated in the evenings by an independent entity, serving very good, high-end dinners. The menu is fairly limited and does change. We had a fish dish and pheasant. Both were served beautifully and were very good. Portions were generous without being overwhelming.
Even though we live on the water, the view here was really special; not to mention the harbor seals, bald eagle, and gray whales. On our final morning, it was as if the whales knew, and one came in the harbor to wish us more good travels.
It was magical perfection and I loved it.
Traveling by train is one of the great pleasures of Europe. If you’re over 50, or just like to save time, you may want to consider a hotel close to the station. It’s easy and less stressful. Quite often the hotel staff will meet you and take your luggage, or even transport you a short trip to your home-away-from-home. This post reviews six convenient, elegant hotels in Cologne, Nuremberg, Stuttgart, Munich, Prague, and Budapest.
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