Quite a Find ~ The Forgotten Coast

LuAnn

We had no more than a few short days at St. George Island State Park, one of those producing a “frognado” (thanks to my friend Beth for providing me that title) after an afternoon downpour, and another so foggy that exploring was out of the question, although we did attempt to give it a go.  Cabin fever was settling in and thankfully our final day brought sunshine so a walk on the beach seemed the perfect medicine.

Miles of beach to ourselves
Miles of beach to ourselves

St. George Island is a 22-mile barrier island nestled between Apalachicola Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.  Part of Florida’s Forgotten Coast, a large stretch of undeveloped, serene coastline in the Panhandle, it resembles a long finger jutting out into the sea, no more than one mile across at its widest.

St. George Island State Park occupies the far eastern end of the island, with 9 miles of sugary white-sand beach and dunes to explore.  Stretching our legs on the beach, a brisk wind in our faces, and lungs deeply filled with salty sea air was just the ticket to shake off the cloak of lethargy after several rainy days.  If you long for some solitude, a symphony of wind and surf, with visions of a lovely little pond and a majestic heron hanging out in the surrounding trees, this could be the place to settle for a few weeks.

Placid little pond near dawn
Don’t even think about getting any closer!

Had we the time and weather permitted, we could have spent an entire day exploring the lovely little town of Apalachicola, nationally acclaimed for both its history and its seafood.  Given Mother Nature’s temperament, we had to content ourselves with sampling the local steamed oysters and blackened grouper at the bayside restaurant Up the Creek Raw Bar in Apalachicola, which was wrapped in fog.  Except for the lapping of water along the shore you would never know the bay sat beyond this shroud of white.

The shallow waters of Apalachicola Bay are some of the cleanest and most productive in the country, supplying more than 90% of Florida’s oysters and 10% of the nation’s supply.  They are recognized as some of the best tasting oysters by some of the finest chefs in the country and we had to agree they were pretty fabulous.  Many times these sleepy little coastal towns are some of the best finds.

A walk down to the bay on our last evening left us with yet another fond memory, our first lovely sunset since arriving in Florida.

Cool blue bayside
Tranquility touching the shore at sunset
Sentinel silhouettes line the bay at sunset

Perhaps the tides have turned, weather-wise at least. 🙂

It’s Raining Frogs!!! ~ St. George Island, FL

LuAnn

We are snuggled into St. George Island State Park, and although fog and rain have been plentiful, the sun has yet to make an appearance.  Rumor has it that we may see this golden orb sometime tomorrow, which would be wonderful as we hit the road on Monday.

Is there a problem Penny?
Is there a problem Penny?

Peering through raindrops cascading down the window, I noticed our neighbor taking photos of the inside of her electrical box.  The rain had stopped so we decided to see if she was having a problem.  No problem at all; quite the contrary.

It seemed to be raining tree frogs!

Raining tree frogs!
Raining tree frogs!

Penny was snapping photos of these adorable little guys who were hopping all over her electrical box.  I decided to join in on the fun.

I’ve got my eye on you!
Peek-a-boo!
A closer look perhaps?
Gotcha!
My little prince. 🙂

I adore frogs so imagine my delight when I caught this little cutie coming closer to have a better look.  All at once, a flash of green as he sailed from the electrical box onto my sleeve and from there into my hood.   For a moment I thought I had found my little prince, but sadly he decided to move on.  A bright spot in a very rainy day! 🙂

The Emerald Coast ~ Destin, FL

LuAnn

In the heart of Florida’s Emerald Coast, a 100-mile swath of coastline along the Gulf of Mexico, sits Henderson Beach State Park in Destin, a place we have called home for the past several days.  It is a great park with a rolling boardwalk cascading down to the beach, sugary white-sand beaches, and emerald-green waters.  Like most of the country, we have been touched by the wintery hand of Mother Nature.  I must admit it has left me a bit lethargic, cold rainy days with only a solo anemic sunset.

I do not attempt to compare our winter chill with that of many other parts of the country but even the locals don’t expect temps in the 30’s and low 40’s here, dipping into the 20’s at night.  For me it is more about the lack of sunshine than anything else.

Sole wintery attempt at a sunset over the Emerald Coast
Sole wintery attempt at a sunset over the Emerald Coast

On our final day in Destin the sun made her debut for a few hours, with rumor of temps reaching 50°, a day full of promise.  Although I had braved the stiff breezes along the beach earlier this week, today I almost skipped down the well-maintained boardwalk, anxious to see the sun shimmering like diamonds tossed upon the surface of an emerald sea.

Destin is a beach community so early winter is probably not the best time to visit, unless you need some serious retail therapy, then come on down as they have a wonderful upscale outlet mall.  And if you are very lucky, as we happened to be, you might find yourself parked just a few miles down the road from others who have also been bitten by the travel bug.

Golden glow on a stormy night
Green canopy covers the walkway to the beach
Long walk to the sea
The power of sand and surf
A lovely inn sits on white silky sand

We feel fortunate for the ability to spend time with friends Janie and John, two full-time RVers whom we met over two years ago, the very first couple we shared drinks and a campfire with shortly after beginning our adventure of exploring this beautiful country while rolling our home down the road.  Since the weather has not cooperated, it gave us time to catch up on each others lives, share a few laughs, sample some nice wines at two different wine tastings, enjoy a dinner at an Irish pub, and allowed me to dazzle them a bit with my cooking skills. 😉

Enjoying dinner with Janie & John at a local Irish pub
Enjoying dinner with Janie & John at a local Irish pub

Although we have not seen much of the quintessential Florida winter weather yet, I know that will come.  As I stand looking out over this beautiful emerald sea, I know that life is full of these breathtaking, fleeting moments, never to be recreated in exactly the same manner.  We can let them pass us by because of indifference or apathy, or we can choose to be alive in this very moment, savoring all the uniqueness that Mother Nature gifts us…our choice.  I choose to bundle up and enjoy these sunny winter days.  I know, easy for me to say; I am spending the winter in Florida, where I am certain to capture more than my share of balmy, sunny days.

Hope everyone is staying warm and savoring the moment!

Happy New Year!

LuAnn

We have headed down the road once again, continuing our quest to see this beautiful country we call home.  We are snuggled into a comfortable site in the panhandle of Florida at Blackwater River State Park.  Although this is known as the Sunshine State, it seems the sun will be quite elusive for the next several days.  No worries, as we are toasty within our little home on wheels, and feel blessed to be able to live this RV lifestyle.

Soon the final chapter of 2013 will be written, a year for us that included both great joy and challenges.  Although we may not have had a “typical” year, we experienced much that provided valuable introspection and memories to last a lifetime.

In 2014 I look forward to reconnecting with the blogging community.  Too often this year I felt the need to step away from blogging to deal with more pressing life issues. I look forward once again to having my life enriched with your stunning photography, suggestions for books to provide me hours of reading pleasure, travel destinations to dream upon, inspiring words that nurture my soul, technology to enhance our lives and great food suggestions.

Although we will soon close out 2013, we pick up a brand-new book entitled 2014, a book never opened, filled only with blank pages.  What will you imprint on these pages in the upcoming year?  Whatever your plans, I hope you live your dream each and every day and share your passion with the world.  The Buddha said “the secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate problems, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.”  

My wish for everyone is for abundant good health, both mind and body.  I am not one to make resolutions that I may ultimately break, but this upcoming year I plan to see more sunrises and sunsets, standing in the delicious silence of early morning and basking in the warmth of a glowing setting sun.

Happy New Year everyone!  May you experience hope, great joy, and much lightness and love in the upcoming year.

Happy Holidays!

LuAnn

We have survived our arduous commitment with Amazon and can now look forward to getting back to a “normal” schedule.  In a couple of days we will head to Indiana to spend time with family during the holidays.  We hope you all are surrounded by the love of family and friends during this very blessed season,  and experience deep joy and inner peace.

I am most grateful to all of you who have followed along this year and supported us during some challenging times.   Over the past several weeks of working long days I have missed your blogs, your eloquent writing, stunning photography, and beautiful artistry.  I look forward to catching up on your lives and returning to writing after the first of the year, from a much warmer, sunnier location. 🙂

Happy holidays to you and your family!