Beach Angel turns 12

We Today is our oldest Beach Angel "Lexi's" birthday.  They grow up so fast.  we looked back on some pictures and videos from vacations past they are filled with many great memories of our time on Sanibel/Captiva.

We made a little video to celebrate Lexi's special day.     

We also made up a little display box to safely store Taylor's rare shell find she has told everybody about her shell.  I have no doubt she will have this shell for years to come.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

In the Blink of an Eye

Image
It's been a rough week this week.  While I generally keep my blog on the lighter side.  My words come from my head, but my desire to write comes from my heart.  My heart this week has felt both pain and Joy some of which I'll share with you today. On Monday Nov. 20th I'm on the mends from a rough couple of days on what looks like could be a precursory strike from a future Kidney Stone.  Spent a couple of days on pain meds, telling myself I'm not going to the ER.  Carol's been battling the crud and been coughing a lot for the past week.  We get a visit from Kristine, our daughter (technically Daughter-in law) but we adopted here years ago when she moved down here from Oregon to carve out a life with our son Ryan.  In her selfless manner, she's here to deliver a spare nebulizer to her Missouri mom, who's been fighting the crud.  Why? Because that's just who she is. She didn't visit for long, and we shared a few passing comments about her not wanting...
Read more

Beach Angel turns 10

So today is Lexi birthday!  For her birthday she was given the present of a perfect beach morning. Calmest water we've seen all week.  The sky was filled with sunshine and the ocean was full of  sailboats, paddle boaters, Parasails, pelicans, people and even a manatee.  It was just like when you have a bad round of golf somewhere during the round you hit a great shot and its enough to make you want to come back and do it again.  Today was that good shot! Around 1:00 the sky opened up and we made a hasty retreat to the house but it was ok because Lexi dinner of choice for her birthday was where else but Cheeburger Cheeburger.  This little 60# is going to tackle the monster burger.  She determined to get her picture on the wall.  I don't classify Lexi as a big eater but to all of our astonishment she polished that thing off.  She challenged Don to take on the one pounder and he didn't disappoint.  So early dinner and back to...
Read more

Some Beach

Image
Posting a little later today sitting out on the lania listening to the thunder roll and having a glass of Liquid Lubrication. Strawberry/Plum wine 2008.  (It was a very good year).   As you regulars on the forum know I enjoy making homemade wine.  This one was actually made by a friend of mine.  His name is Gil.  He's the one that introduced me to the art of winemaking.  Strawberry Plum 2008   Gil is best described as one of those country boys that can survive. He's does it all from making his own deer sausage to turning various fruits into liquid lubrication he makes some good stuff!  The first time I saw him making deer sausage I was a bit perplexed he was using the camper on the back of his old Ford pickup as a smoker.  I thought the darn truck was on fire when I first saw it.  Some of the best deer sausage I ever ate. Before I get to todays agenda I should back up a bit to dinner last night....
Read more

Merica Road Trippin Chapter 4 Heaven's Peak

Image
This trip only came about because of a suggestion from my co-pilot.  While Yellowstone was mentioned in our initial conversation, I didn't want to fight July crowds in Yellowstone.  We plotted out this path instead.  I'm so glad that we did, Glacier National Park is an amazing place.  This was technically just a road trip, we were basically just passing through the area while making our way back home from Oregon.  Our path exploring this area would take us along the Going-To-The-Sun Road.  It's a 52-mile route that takes you West to East through the park. I would consider going back sometime.  The raw, undeveloped beauty of this area, leaves one without words to describe the impression it has left in my memory.  Coming from a guy who has spent most of his vacations at the beach, you know I was impressed. The views are jaw dropping.   We were up early and at the West Glacier entrance before 6:00a.m.  We made a reservation and purchas...
Read more

American Icon (Part 2)

Image
 If you read part 1 of American Icon, have you figured out who, or what, is the American Icon?  I gave you some hints. I started off with a picture of my 66.  There were other hints as well. Like the flag video when they passed by it on the highway. Maybe the comment about eight generations of Styling, Engineering, Technology and Muscle.    I'm talking about the Corvette.  Bowling Green is where Corvettes are born. We were fortunate enough to get to tour the Corvette Assembly plant. Stingray ZO6 The corvette is now in its eighth generation with the C8.  This car is radically different from other corvettes because of the redesign placement of the engine and advancements in handling.  GM closed the assembly plant to tours back in 2024, but recently have opened it back up for limited visits. I'm of course a car guy, so a trip like this is right up my alley.  I wasn't too sure how much my co-pilot would enjoy it.   The assembly plant wa...
Read more

Branson by the Ocean a.k.a. Gulf Shores Alabama

Image
So today reality sets in and its back to the daily grind.  I still haven't told you about our last day at Gulf Shores, Alabama so here goes. We left St. George Island around 11:00 a.m. on Thursday.  Next stop, Orange Beach and Gulf Shores Alabama. We drove along the coast most of the way.  Lots of swamp logging going on in this area and somewhat unfortunate to see so many closed businesses and abandoned buildings scattered along the coast line. It was a different story when we got into Orange Beach/Gulf Shores.  I compare it to a place we have in the southern part of Missouri called Branson.  Lots of people, lots of cars, and a bunch of tourist type attractions.  So to me Gulf Shores was Branson by the Ocean. It has a higher density of people and high rise accommodations than my heart desires but we have never been here and now we know.      The slogan for Gulf shores is "Small Town, Big Beach"  The beach was wi...
Read more

A Special Shell

Image
Yesterday evening we had one on the lowest tide we were able to catch this week.   I walked the surf at the shoreline to see if there were any shells. I was able to find a few but the shells have not been plentiful this week.  We actually collected more at Barefoot Beach the other day than we have here all week. As I was walking along I began remembering some of the times on the beach with the Beach Angels.  The younger one "Taylor" taught me a life's lesson that I would like to share with you. Taylor especially when she was smaller was always amazed with collecting rocks.  It was nothing to dump out a pocketful of rocks that she had collected from around PaPa's Koi pond or in NaNa's garden.  They were nothing special they were just rocks. Naturally when we began bringing Taylor to Captiva where the beach is full of shells as far as the eye can see. She did what most of us do down here she began collecting shells. Taylor's shells were crac...
Read more

Here's Your Sign

Image
 So today, my family and I got some terrible news, a close friend of ours passed away overnight.  Our family is of course devastated by this.   My blog has generally been about trips and experiences down life's highway.  Mostly about the good times and trips we have spent with family.  Occasionally I'll share a few life lessons I've learned along the way.   I'm typically not an outspoken person, but the blog allows me to convey what comes from my heart, and my heart is compelled to share this one with you. Let's start off with a little about faith and me.  My parents sent me to church.  We didn't go as a family unit.  I went with a neighbor.  Dad was typically not feeling well on Sunday mornings after spending most of his day and night on Saturday at the local bar.  I know he believed in god, but there were also demons that chased him through life. In his later years the alcohol and smoking took a toll on his body, he'd sp...
Read more

Tuesday's addition chasing the sunrise

Image
So Tuesday we spent on the beach.  The nice thing about being right on the beach is you seem to spend much more time on it.  We have logged quite a few hours on beach time this week.  Since we only see it once a year the more time soaking up the sun and the surf the better. On Tuesday morning we got out early Carol wanted to see if she could get some pictures of the sunrise.  We are not on the best part of the island for sunrise or sunset pictures we are spoiled from spending so much time on Captiva where sunset especially, is worshiped. One beach Angel (Taylor) was up for the task the other Beach Angel (Lexi) did one of her favorite things SLEEP! When we hit the beach like a kid and a mud puddle I'm drawn to the water and automatically go into treasure hunting mode.  I looked up and Carol and Taylor are gone.  They were on a mission to find that sunrise and it was some where down the beach around the bend. A quick check of my pockets, ...
Read more

Finding your "Happy Place"

So it's been two years since I've been to my "Happy Place".  Now don't get me wrong it's not that I'm an unhappy guy.  I have a good life and a great family.  There are many things that make me happy.  Anything from a giggle to a hug from any of my five granddaughters makes me happy.  A cruise in my 66 with the top down and the deep rumble coming from the side-pipes makes me happy.  Sitting on the porch and hearing nothing but the call of a mourning dove in the morning or a bull frog breaking the evening quiet these all make me happy. However; when it comes to going to my "Happy Place" there really only one place that does it for me and that place is Captiva/Sanibel.  It's been two years since we've been here so this trip will be like catching up with an old friend. For those of you that know what it's like to find your "Happy Place" congratulations.  For those of you who don't the best way I can describe it is like ...
Read more