Touring the Gulf Coast

Yesterday's adventures began with Marty and Howard setting off for the beach for some early morning fishing.  Marty didn't catch anything, but Howard tells me that one guy was lucky enough to grab a fish.

Obviously, he didn't stick around long enough to pose with his prize.

After enjoying a lovely breakfast together, we set off on another Naturewalk adventure.  This community features some beautiful amenities, and it is surrounded by forest imbedded with trails that offer a beautiful walk.  So we headed out on foot to explore the surrounds. 

There is a lap pool which is heated for year round enjoyment.

(We weren't quite sure if this guy was just beginning his morning exercise or finished with his laps.)  

And another pool for families to enjoy, and there is a hot tub in the corner as well. 

Outside the recreation area, we began our stroll through the Naturewalk community.  

 We saw cat tails already finished with their blooms.

A Yaupon Holly

and more beautiful butterflies.

And these Muhly grasses which adorn much of this community.  

We then ventured out of the community onto a trail that runs through the forest. 

Look closely, and you'll see the arrows on the tree marking the path, although I do believe that we headed the opposite direction at this point.

Here you see the one millionth tree planted as part of the preservation of Point Washington State Forest.  Not quite sure who did the counting, but if they went to the trouble to make a sign, then I can only suppose there is some record of that achievement. 

Later in the day,  we decided to make a trip to Eglin to see the United States Air Force Armament Museum.    It surely wasn't hard to spot with so many airplanes out on the grounds on display. 

At one point, Eglin was the largest air base in the free world.  

The inside was fascinating, budding with military history, 

with special tributes to men of the 96th BG,during World War II.

There was a P-47 Thunderbolt

P-51 Mustang

complete with flyer

There was even an A-10 Warthog trainer  where I spotted this guy 

Here you see the "Fat Man" which was the nuclear bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki, resulting in Japan's surrender. 

I was amazed at the size of it.

Another fascinating display was a secret POW escape map that was actually printed on the back of bicycle playing cards.  It gave details of where a POW should and should not travel once free from the camp. 

There were no details stating how successful this venture was.  

The second floor featured some interesting aviation history, and went into some depth of World War I, II, Korea

all the way to present day.

Outside there stands a memorial to Purple Heart Recipients.

As you can see, there was certainly quite a bit to see, and before we knew it, the announcement came over the loudspeaker that we had 15 minutes to clear out.

So we hopped into the car and headed to Grayton Beach to the Craft Bar for dinner.    Lovely ending to a lovey day.

Back on the Blog at Naturewalk

Gallivanting again......and it feels wonderful!  Let's face it....blogs have been few and far between as of late.  But no worries, Marty and I are once again out and about,  sharing our time with special friends who invited us to enjoy their "getaway" home with them near Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.

We arrived on Saturday afternoon and were delighted to see two friendly, familiar faces waving at us as walked through the terminal.

Their house is lovely and very comfortable, and these two wasted no time diving right into relaxation.

We managed to catch the tail end of the sunset from the rooftop of the restaurant where we had dinner.

The weather is fabulous, although I will admit that I wasn't expecting a low of 51 degrees on Saturday night.  And apparently I wasn't alone in my surprise.  That was confirmed when the priest began Mass yesterday by asking who in the congregation was responsible for bringing the unseasonably cold weather on Saturday night. 

My initial reaction was to kind of shrink down and pretend to be invisible when I suddenly realized that there was no way he would know that we had just arrived, and I'm sure he was just joking....right?

The day warmed up nicely, and in late afternoon we headed out on the Naturewalk trail to explore the area a bit.

We hadn't gone far when we noticed a swarm of butterflies just off the path.

And a beautiful Monarch perched on these flowers. 

Soon we were viewing the beautiful blue of the Gulf Coast.

The water is extremely clear, so clear, in fact, that it would be impossible not to n notice the unwelcome creatures floating about. 

although I will admit that this blob would be a bit more tricky to spot in the water.

which offered a reasonable excuse to stay out of the water. 

Our walk was quite pleasant and not lacking in interesting scenery.

Beautiful houses along the coast.

Unusual and elaborate sand structures 

And it wouldn't be the beach without some sort of sea birds scrutinizing us.

We made our way up from the coast, where I managed to take a photo of the local post office. 

I've been told that this is the most photographed post office in the world, although I can't say that I know just how one can substantiate that claim.  But it certainly seemed appropriate to continue the trend. 

On the way back to the guest house, I noticed this lovely tree hosting a beautiful blooming orchid, standing in the front yard of a house along the way.

I zoomed in for a closer look. 

How's that for a beauty?  

The rest of the day was spent relaxing around the house , making for another delightful evening.

We couldn't ask for more entertaining and welcoming hosts, that for sure.

Let me finish with one of Marty's famous selfies, taken during our walk along the Gulf yesterday afternoon.

He certainly hasn't lost his touch!

A Truly Glorious Day

Today was a celebration so glorious that my husband commented afterwards that he ranked this day as one of the best days of his life.  And, I must say that I heartily agree.

But we can't have been alone in that opinion, as friends and family came to join us, some driving very long distances, to fill four church pews to witness this special event.

And, that's because  today's celebration featured these two little ladies, who hold a very special place in the hearts of so many!

I haven't said much about these two precious granddaughters of ours, but they arrived 10 weeks early, and it's hard to even imagine how small and fragile they were when they first entered the world.  Most of the people sitting in church today were praying for these two from day one, and I think we all realize how very lucky we all are to be able to see them so healthy and happy.

And, so today, these little loves entered the church community as we all witnessed their baptism, but not before their daddy was baptized first.  How special was that?

Soon it was Leona's turn:

Baby switch

Followed by Iris:

And here's the happy family at the end of the event. 

Gramma G made those beautiful dresses and headbands,  but those cuties would look adorable in just about anything, don't you think?

There was a lovely celebration at the house which involved some delicious cake!  

And we managed to get a four generation photo.  How special is this?

Yes, it was truly a glorious day, and Marty and I realize how very blessed we are.  So, here you see Gramma and PapPapG, joyfully holding our very entertaining granddaughters.  

Although it certainly does look like Leona is ready to call it a day! 

Amusing Day at Knoebels

Saturday was the annual company picnic at Knoebels Amusement Park,  and, although it was quite steamy, even in this wooden haven known for its comfortable temperatures, Marty and I decided to take a break from household duties and spend a couple of hours at the park.

Along the way, which we've traveled numerous times, I spotted this Minersville Memorial which I had never noticed in the past.

Unfortunately, it is located at a very busy intersection, which doesn't make it too practical for getting a closer look.  On the way back home, I spotted several more monuments devoted to the miners who would have been a vital part of this town many years ago.  I'm sure there is quite a history lesson there, but not one that I'll be sharing with you today.  (But you never know when we might be gallivanting by for a closer look!)

Soon we were in the park, seeking out rides that were relatively calm as we have both decided that anything that goes in a circle at high speed is definitely out of the question for both of us.

So we started out on a  ski lift, which was definitely calm and offered quite a view of the park on the way back down,

and the height didn't even bother me!

From there, we decided to try a hand at the boats, 

where Marty proclaimed that I was to do the driving. The wait was painfully long, in the bright sun, which made it feel like 100 degrees, but, finally, we were at the launch and ready to board. 

The boat had a mind of its own, despite my attempts at steering it.  Note my calm demeanor.  Someone would have you thinking that I was headed towards Niagara Falls!

From there we walked to  the old-fashioned cars where, once again, I was to sit in the driver's seat.  Sorry, no photos.  Just like on the highway, we ended up stuck behind a traffic jam and it took us a while to actually exit the ride.  But, at this point we were sitting in the shade, with a lovely breeze, so we weren't dismayed by our lack of movement, and the kid behind me refrained from running into the back of our car, which was much appreciated!

We headed past the statue of liberty

and found ourselves at the log jammer, which certainly looked refreshing. 

We ended up in a log with two young girls in the back, as each log was required to have 4 people, if at all possible.  We got wet, screamed, and got wet again, just enough to dampen the heat a bit.  When we exited the ride, I was amused to see the parents of the girls who had ridden with us.  They were obviously much younger than us, each holding a backpack, and enthusiastically asking their daughters  how the ride went.  I couldn't help but wonder what those girls thought about riding with two people who could easily have been their grandparents, when their own mother and father were standing on the sidelines.  Perhaps we're not that old after all!  Ok, so maybe we are.  

We traveled through the haunted mansion, which is always good for a scream or two, and decided to take a ride on the ferris wheel.

The breeze felt marvelous, and the top offered some interesting views. A roller coaster in the distance.

And the Galleon, designed to assure that one gets more than just a bit wet. 

It's a short ride, but packs a powerful punch.  Not on our agenda, that's for sure!  I didn't think to bring any spare underwear and I didn't feel like waddling out of the park. 

Now it was time for Marty's all time favorite ride, the carousel.  He loves reaching out and grabbing the rings as we circle around.

Look at that excitement after grabbing his first ring!

And his enthusiasm continued to abound as he managed to grab more than a fingerful of the circular rings!

It seems like nothing can beat the Knoebels Carousel.  

Well, at least that's what Marty will tell you!  I do believe that he is already counting the days until next summer's trip for another repeat adventure!  Guess you'll just have to stay posted.