After 20 years of beach-combing Aly finally found the coveted Junonia. She was with her son who had  flown down for the week from New York City. Aly was shelling at beach access #5 on Sanibel when she saw the top of what she thought was a piece of a Junonia. (she has collected 9 pieces of Junonia through the years and was looking forward to number 10) Much to her surprise after digging the “piece” up, it was a whole Junonia! She was so thrilled to actually have the whole shell. It was a memorable day for her for many reasons. Having her son with her made the experience absolutely perfect.

The table of shells are the other shells she found at beach access 5 on the same day.

What a day!

 Congratulations Aly!

Well, fellow shelling friends this will be my last post as guest blogger.

I have enjoyed reporting to you all about the discoveries of the week.

You never know what is just past the far horizon.

Thanks for all the insightful comments and good luck in your next shelling experience.

Capt. Brian

Hi there!  Captain Brian here delivering a message from Pam.

 “Thanks Capt Brian! We are just getting home from our secret vacation spot but here’s a photo of our vacation shells. I’m doing a contest on the iLoveShelling facebook page and there were some great guesses but I’ll give yall a chance to guess where we are here too in case you don’t do facebook.  This is the first photo………”

and now the second photo….

We sure had such good luck shelling so we’re passing on the luck with a chance to win a few of our vacation shells! It will take a little while to recuperate so Captain Brian will still take care of yall until then”

A wagon full of shells – WOW!

Tulips and one True Tulip

A table of shells.

Olives

Colorful Scallops

2 Pieces of Lions Paw on 2 Separate Days – BIG WOW!

Look at all the Horse Conchs.

Color Your World With Scallops – Tray 1

Tray 2

Tray 3

Tray 4

Basket of Fighting Conchs

Look at these Buttercups!

Simply Beautiful!

Minis!

Tools of the TRADE

After the SUPER MOON, I heard that my friend Alison had collected A LOT of really good shells.  It was not until I talked to her a week later when I realized by the tone of her voice that I really needed to go look at these shells.  WOW!  She shelled for four days after the Super Moon on Beach Access 5 & 6.  All the shells in these photos were collected during these four days of fabulous shelling.

Howdy!! Captain Brian here to share some news.  Hot off the Press!  The Sanibel Shell Fair announced the theme for the 76th Annual Shell Fair in 2013 will be “COLOR YOUR WORLD WITH SHELLS”.   In the spirit of the Sanibel Shell Fair, I dug through the shells on my back porch and arranged some of my favorite shells of color.  For you miniature shellers out there, the Sanibel Shell Fair has added a “new” scientific class for miniature shells.  In this category, the maximum shell size for miniatures cannot be longer than 1 inch.  So, it’s time to get out those tweezers out and get the minis!

On a Nature Note – One of my favorite trees, the Royal Poinciana,  is in bloom now.  I just had to stop and snap a few pictures today of this flowering tree in bloom.  If you are on the islands now until late June, you can catch a first hand look at this magnificent tree of color.