Karen Nichols

Every year, we strive to grow a perfect pumpkin in the garden to celebrate the warm autumn days and the Halloween holiday. This year, we are extremely proud of our efforts.

Meanwhile, on Fort Myers Beach, the 1st Annual Fort Myers Beach Art and Pumpkin Festival is taking place at Bay Walk Place on San Carlos Blvd between 3rd Street and the Harbor on Fort Myers Beach, Florida, Oct. 24-Oct. 25, 2009. Festival hours are: Sat., Oct. 24 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m and Sun., Oct. 25, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Bay Walk Group, which includes the Yucatan Beach Stand Bar & Grill, Smokin' Oyster Brewery, Snug Harbor Restaurant, Matanzas Inn and Restaurant, and Shipwreck Treasures expects 6,000 Festival goers to enjoy a memorable experience with a special display of sand artists in the Shipwreck Pirate Photo Area, a contest for "Picasso's of pumpkin carvers" sculpting and shaping pumpkins, a stage in Pumpkin Village (Snug Harbor area) with contests and live entertainment for the whole family, harvest-inspired Art & Crafts, the tastiest pumpkin foods/drinks on the planet, entertainment at each of the Bay Walk Group establishments, and the never-ending search for the Great Pumpkin waiting to be chosen from the rustic pumpkin patch. Unfortunately, my pupmpkin is not quite ready for picking, needs another couple of days. Photos below:

. . . . . a Tropical Beach Wedding. November is a bit of a secret in Florida. It's one of the best times to live here. The weather is simply wonderful, bright, sunny days with temps reaching the high 70's or low 80's and sultry evening. And, we're not yet crowded with visitors from cold northern places. November is a time for us locals to enjoy our beaches and the beauty of the tropics. It's also the time for a tropical wedding on the beach at sunset. I've presided over such an event on Fort Myers Beach, Florida. I specialize in the "Romantic Ceremony." Just as the sun begins its descent into the greenish ocean and the colors of the rainbow appear for decoration, I begin the ceremony with a poem that brings together a timeless ritual with timeless beauty:

Light the first light of evening
In which we rest and, for small reason, think
The world imagined is the ultimate good.

This is, therefore, the intensest rendezvous.
It is in that thought that we collect ourselves,
Out of all the indifferences, into one thing:

Within a single thing, a single shawl
Wrapped tightly round us, since we are poor, a warmth,
A light, a power, the miraculous influence.

Here, now, we forget each other and ourselves.
We feel the obscurity of an order, a whole,
A knowledge, that which arranged the rendezvous.

To book a wedding ceremony on Fort Myers Beach at sunset, call 239-849-3064 or email: Bythesearentals@aol.com. Optional plans include weekend or weekly rental of beach place.

I'm not one of those fascinated by the lives of celebrities. I'm far too busy, and in any case, celebrities make me yawn. I'm far more interested in the goings on of the people involved in my own life and what is happening on Fort Myers Beach, Florida. Still, once in awhile, a headline will capture my attention. So, David Letterman goes on his show and announces that someone is trying to extort money from him by threatening to reveal that good old Dave has had affairs with female staff members. The media was quick to point out that good old Dave was not married at the time. He was living with his current wife at the time, however. And how totally embarrassed she must be. I learned a of lot from the media blitz that is still following this story. I learned of the criteria of good old Dave to work on his show. And that is an old Hollywood criteria. The Technology keeps improving, but the games remain the same.

Good Old Dave

I met him once at a party, Senator Ted Kennedy, that is. In hyannisPort. It was a party for him in the 1980's to mark his 25the year anniversary in the Senate. I was invited by someone who had been actually invited to the party . . in a way.

I was 19, 20 maybe. I had heard about the party the week before and decided it would be fun to go. I had been down to Hyannis many weekends and had friends there, but no one who knew the Kennedys. Still, I figured that I was sure to meet someone that weekend who had been invited. At the time, I was attending college and working part time as a legal secretary. I flew out of my law office in Salem that Friday afternoon, my suitcases already in the car and began the two hour drive. I checked into that little motel on Main street and hurried over to Harry's Bar and Grill. The Kennedy's went there sometimes, I had been told, though never when I was around for the weekends. Still,I was friends with the owners of Harry's, Eddie and Dana, and the town was overflowing for the party. I was certain to meet some invited guest, some male in need of a date for the party.

After an evening of investigation and flirting, I finally met someone going to the party . . . the caterer. He liked me a lot and agreed to take me. We had it all planned. I would go in his catering truck and then disappear into the crowd and be a guest. It worked. I sat with a group of people and explained that my date was late. I was so excited to go to the party, to the "compound." There was a large large tent set up with bars on all sides. A buffet filled with shrimp and lobster, etc. And lots of people and an orchestra and then a "roast." I had a great time. After the roast, I spied him standing talking to some people and I went up to him and said, "Hi, Ted." he turned away from his friends and looked at me, squinting at me, trying to recognize me, but, of course he didn't know me. Then he held out his hand. I did likewise. He didn't shake it, simply held it a moment and smiled into my eyes. Later in the evening, his daughter, Kara, passed me and said "Nice dress." I had only taken hours to prepare. For that 20 year old young woman, it was a thrilling evening. I wish now that I had been older, more mature, for this party, as I would have conversed with him more, discussed issues, life, philosophy. But, then again, had I been older, more mature, I probably wouldn't have crashed the party in the first place. There were no camera phones then, so I have no photos to mark that occasion, just the ones in mind.

So, thank you, Caterer. I don't remember your name. You were too busy cleaning up to drive me back to the motel. I hitched a ride with some other guests and drove home the next day and never saw you again. But, thank you.

And, rest in peace, sweet Prince, from Fort Myers Beach, Florida

My Tribute to Farah Fawcett

Model: Karen Nichols of Fort Myers Beach, Florida

Photographer: Lloyd Nichols

Rest in peace, sweet Angel.