We spent our last week for this winter at Gulf State Park doing more of the things we love to do there – hiking, biking, walking on the beach, meeting new folks (including two really nice couples from Canada), and watching the eagles. We also worked a couple more puzzles in the evenings.
Last walk on the beach
Eagle at Lake Shelby Nest
Eagles at Gopher Tortoise Trail nest
Hawk we saw near Gopher Tortoise Trail while we were watching the eagles
Easy puzzle
Not as easy
We ended our visit on January 1st with a park sponsored First Day Hike, then headed back northward to prepare for our next big adventure – without an RV. Stay tuned, but it may be a while before we are able to post again.
We hope you and your family have had a wonderful Christmas season. We pray that in the middle of all the hustle and bustle you have taken time to remember what is really important. And it’s not just that it’s Jesus’ birthday. We are celebrating the Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace coming to earth. It’s the beginning of The Story, the fulfillment of prophecy. If you have been too busy, this evening would be a great time to sit down, take a deep breath and maybe pick up your Bible and read the Christmas story again.
We have spent our “vacation time” resting, reading, catching up on some work, working puzzles and watching Christmas movies. There have been lots of beach walks, and bike rides, eagle sightings and lots of good food. Most importantly God has blessed us by allowing us to spend this time listening to Advent devotions and enjoying the beauty He created here.
Our campsite this year
This heron has been a daily visitor to our campsite
We have taken several walks on the beach even though some days have been quite cool.
For most of last week the purple flags were out at the beach meaning that venomous sea life was present. They really weren’t needed because it was too cold to get in the water.
The pier is open again so we can walk on it any time. Since we are staying in the park, we don’t have to pay to walk it.
We see sharks every time we walk on the pier.
We attended a park presentation on raptors and got to see Archimedes the screech owl.
Of course, we have made several trips to the eagle nests. Yesterday we finally caught both of them on the nest at the same time.
On one of our hikes we stopped to watch this osprey eating a fish.
These grilled steaks fed us for a couple of days.
One day we took the afternoon to make Aunt Inez’s Tea Cake cookies.
We made them bite-sized this time because they are easier to eat on travel days. They probably will not survive another whole week to our next travel day.
Believe it or not, we actually worked our Advent puzzle the way it was intended – one small section at a time. We have really enjoyed it.
We tried a new recipe for for breakfast today – cinnamon rolls baked with eggnog.
Our traditional Christmas dinner of snow crab legs
As we have the last few years we took the time to watch our favorite Christmas movie again.
After a wonderful Thanksgiving with family in South Carolina, we drove to Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama to spend the month of December. We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you will have a wonderful Christmas. Cherish your family. Take time to share your love with family, friends, and people you don’t even know. We continue to ask for your prayers for our family members who are fighting serious health problems. We learned Friday of another cousin with possible cancer. That makes four. We know God is still healing and He is in control.
We really enjoyed this year’s Thanksgiving with family. And the smoked turkey.
December is a good time to be here. The weather is usually really nice although we have had a few cold (by our standards) days. And there are fewer people here than in the other winter months.
One of the first things we do when we get to the park is go pick up a pound or so of steamed shrimp and eat it immediately.
So far we have made it to the beach all but one day.
Since we arrived we have seen the Blue Angels practicing, the bald eagles, many other birds and this one gator who decided to brave the cool weather today.
The park has many miles of trails for us to hike and bike.
Earlier this year we bought a 1000 piece Advent puzzle. Inside the box are 24 small boxes, each containing a few pieces. We are supposed to only work one section of the puzzle for each day in Advent. So far we have held to that.
As part of our Christmas decorating we maintain a decades long tradition started by Max’s mother of filling the little mugs with Raisinets. And we like Raisinets.
Sorry for the long absence. We have been busy, just haven’t told you about it yet. In addition to regular RV maintenance and repair, we spent one week in Alabama for our annual medical appointments.
While in Alabama we attended a hilarious production of “Exit the Body” by the Covered Bridge Players in Oneonta.
We have continued to clean up trees in South Carolina.
Moving large pecan log
It took about half a day to get this cedar stump out of the ground
One of our debris piles by the road
The day before we headed back to Alabama for our annual medical appointments, the state contractor came by and picked up one load of debris. The rest is still there.
We spent a few days with our friends from 1 Strange Adventure at our favorite RV Resort, Talona Ridge. We always enjoy our time at Talona in Elijay, GA. The trees were not at peek but it was still a very nice and relaxing visit.
We enjoyed getting together with our RV friends and learning about solar power.
Potlucks are always fun
Sunrise at Talona Ridge during the men’s Bible Study
We visited the RiverBanks Zoo in Columbia, SC.
Sea lion checking out Anne
We got to watch them feed the sea lions.
Galapagos Giant Tortoise
Still cute but not like seeing them in the wild.
This tiger got up and posed when we walked by.
A komodo dragon is not something you want to run into if you are afraid of lizards. This one is about 6′ long.
And we spent part of a day at the Pioneer Days in Lincolnton, GA.
The owner of this tractor was also born in 1929.
The sawmill demonstration was very interesting.
We hope you all have a great Thanksgiving week. Be careful out on the roads and just remember to be thankful everyday for we are all truly blessed.
RVing With a Purpose 