Hello from Mexico Beach, Florida! We arrived on Sat. Jan 22 to visit with our friends Carol Ann and Dave. The rv park, El Governor, is just across the road from the beach and our friends are within a few minutes walk. The temps are still very cold at night...one night was well below freezing...but the sun warms things up quickly in the mornings.
It was hard to leave Charleston and the friends we had met at the rv park in Mt Pleasant. The stay had been relaxing, fun(we managed to get one more day on the beach to fly our kites), the people very welcoming and the camp setting has many things to offer.
We drove from Charleston to KIngsland ,Georgia on Friday,Jan 21...from 10am ish to about 3:45pm ...it was good to stop for the night at a Good Sam park called Country Oaks. Then on Sat we departed about 9:30 am and drove into Florida with sunshine and slightly warmer temps. We arrived at Mexico Beach about 3:45 pm but gained an hour...we are now in the Central time zone.
Our friends have been wonderful. Making us so welcome and showing us around...sharing their knowledge from the many years that they have visited here.
My first morning walking the beach with Dave, I saw 9 Loons!!! I was so happy and thought the loons are so smart to winter here. The second morning walking the beach, we saw a Dolphin!! Wow...seeing one in the wild was so amazing! I did go to touch the water and it was cold to me.
On Tues it rained so Peter & I went into Panama City to shop at some stores that were recommended by our friends. We then had a lovely dinner and evening with our friends.
Wed, our friends drove us out to St. Joseph Penninsula State Park (www.FloridaStateParks.org/stjoseph) to show us the beautiful huge huge beach that is there where the waves come straight across the Gulf of Mexico! The wind was strong and the sun was bright. We flew some kites there and explored the beach. I was so excited because I haven't been close to oceans very much and to be so close to the Gulf waters was great fun. Our friends were telling us of the changes that they had noticed since they first visited this area and pointing out many types of birds as we drove around. They also took us to a ferry stop for St Vincent Island (http://www.stvincentisland.com/) and there we saw a pod of about 9 Dolphins feeding!!! Wow...so neat to watch them...the sunlight on the fins and the water was soft and golden. We saw Egrets, a fox, herons,loons and a few other birds as we drove around.Our friends have been sharing their knowledge of the history of the area as well. It was a great day with a fab home cooked dinner at the end of it!! I went to bed quite early last night probably due to all the excitement and fresh air!
There may be warmer temps on the weekend. Oh Mexico Beach is known for their sunsets so we have to stop and catch a few of those too.
The adventure continues...
Sunshine & Laughter
Anne
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Jan 17/11
Hello there.
We have done a self-guided walking tour of a very small part of downtown Charleston. The houses and history of them are amazing...Many of the houses face sideways (to me) to the street with long verandas running down the sides on the main floor and second floor. One street we looked at was narrow and so were the lots for the houses but there was such detail in the iron gates and the address plates. We caught glimpses of rear gardens and saw some raised steps on the edge of sidewalks...so worn down...they were steps for people entering and exiting carriages. The day we did this tour...the sun was out and warmish...the colors were vibrant and the air had that ocean softness I enjoy to feel on my face.
We wandered about downtown and found a kite store called Kites Fly'N Hi...wonderful store and owner. There were many different types of kites to see.MY husband says it was the best equipped kite store he has every seen. We enjoyed talking to the owner about flying and Festivals. We also bought some very nifty kites! With those bundles of kites we headed back to the car and returned to the RV camp.
We did go again to the Isle of Palms beach to fly the kites...the wind was very strong so we didn't use the new kites. The sand was streaming across the waved patterned beachsand...I took some pics of Peter flying a kite and of some wind surfers out on the water...they were doing the most delightful moves and looked so at home on the water. But the weather was very cold and windy so we didn't last too long.
There was a very bad storm in this area with ice and snow further inland. People were advised to stay off the roads and even though we do have snow tires on the car ...we stayed in. It was very cold for a few days...so domestic tasks were done and the continued repacking of items to utilize this space.
One day we did go to the Boone Plantation to tour it. It was cold outside and most of the places to see were outside!! I forgot to put my warm wooly sweater in the car so most of the pictures Peter took are of me striding ahead to the next stop. Very cold to me due to the damp cold. It is a very old plantation with a very long driveway leading to the house which has ancient live oaks all down the sides of this drive. Some of these trees are 200 plus years old and the views are so beautiful. We again took pictures. We toured the slave quarters which had displays of local history and US history. Then we toured the main house which was heated...sigh. We saw about 2 other people visiting...it was too cold to be out for long.
It was great to go to the dock house and see the river. We learned that the owners would use the river and not the roads which were mostly paths to get to market or Charleston.
The cold temps continued for a few days with some records being broken. We are warm in the rv thankfully.
We have been to a few campfires in camp. As the sun sets the air gets cold ...the fire is warm and the smoke is thick....the people are great and the stories flow.
Yesterday was sunny and warm! We went to a different beach and flew our new kites in a light wind!!!I had so much fun. It was true playing about because my kite is a box kite and can be maneuvered to drop and float freely and tumble...so I was dashing about tugging and then letting the line go slack. Such a joy to truly play and to have the sun shining and the salt air to breathe and the waves sounding behind me. Every so often I would stop and let the kite ride as I turned to look at the ocean...drink in the waves and birds and also watch Peter fly his kite. We took pics which I will put up soon.
The afternoon went by so quickly...my happiness just let me bouce about with a smile on my face. I must play more often!!
We have done a self-guided walking tour of a very small part of downtown Charleston. The houses and history of them are amazing...Many of the houses face sideways (to me) to the street with long verandas running down the sides on the main floor and second floor. One street we looked at was narrow and so were the lots for the houses but there was such detail in the iron gates and the address plates. We caught glimpses of rear gardens and saw some raised steps on the edge of sidewalks...so worn down...they were steps for people entering and exiting carriages. The day we did this tour...the sun was out and warmish...the colors were vibrant and the air had that ocean softness I enjoy to feel on my face.
We wandered about downtown and found a kite store called Kites Fly'N Hi...wonderful store and owner. There were many different types of kites to see.MY husband says it was the best equipped kite store he has every seen. We enjoyed talking to the owner about flying and Festivals. We also bought some very nifty kites! With those bundles of kites we headed back to the car and returned to the RV camp.
There was a very bad storm in this area with ice and snow further inland. People were advised to stay off the roads and even though we do have snow tires on the car ...we stayed in. It was very cold for a few days...so domestic tasks were done and the continued repacking of items to utilize this space.
It was great to go to the dock house and see the river. We learned that the owners would use the river and not the roads which were mostly paths to get to market or Charleston.
The cold temps continued for a few days with some records being broken. We are warm in the rv thankfully.
We have been to a few campfires in camp. As the sun sets the air gets cold ...the fire is warm and the smoke is thick....the people are great and the stories flow.
The afternoon went by so quickly...my happiness just let me bouce about with a smile on my face. I must play more often!!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Pictures from Charleston and Isle of Palms
Sunsine & Laughter
Anne
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Jan 1, 2011
New Year's Day here at the Mt. Pleasant/Charleston KOA. We had a wonderful evening at a bon fire last night...listening to each other's stories. I asked some questions about the area and how warm does it get for the alligators to awaken! There was talk of kiting and we were given directions for a less populated beach where we could fly and try out new moves.There was talk of the weather and hockey (especially the Cdn Juniors playing a World series). The bon fire was lovely and the coals were so bright as night got established.The staff here stopped by for a short while as they went about greeting people and doing the many and various things that keep this campground working well. It was good to talk with some of them and to listen to their stories. I know so little about the ocean having grown up near Lake Superior...so I was delighted when someone gave me two dried star fish. They are so beautiful and delicate. An article in the local paper did state that the cold temperatures were causing some marine animals a very difficult time. We talked some more but then people headed off to their own sites. It wasn't late time wise but it felt well into the evening. We had dinner and watched some fireworks from around the world being shown on tv. I caught up on emails from distant friends...thought of family celebrating around the world...sending out warm wishes. I didn't last too long into the evening...even with the fireworks popping off in the neighbourhood here I managed to get to sleep soon.
It is much warmer this morning than it has been...cloudy skies with the sun trying to break through. We are hoping to fly kites this afternoon. Yesterday my husband attached a long windmill twirler to our boat hook and I got to spin it a bit in the wind gusts. Am excited to see it flying high on my kite string!
The sun is getting stronger!
Wishing everyone a fine first day in 2011!
Sunshine
Anne
It is much warmer this morning than it has been...cloudy skies with the sun trying to break through. We are hoping to fly kites this afternoon. Yesterday my husband attached a long windmill twirler to our boat hook and I got to spin it a bit in the wind gusts. Am excited to see it flying high on my kite string!
Wishing everyone a fine first day in 2011!
Sunshine
Anne
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)