Road trip, day 3

Firecracker flower/plant. I'd never seen these growing.

After a night in Tallahassee, Florida, home of the Blue Angels, we continued our drive through Florida. The northern part of the state is rolling hills and lots and lots of trees. We decided to leave hwy 75 and take some secondary roads to see more of the countryside. Unfortunately, we only saw more trees. Still, it was interesting.

We decided to spend the night in Gainsville, FL. Stayed in a lovely motel -- took a walk around the area to work the travel kinks out of our legs. There was a shopping center next to the motel with several places of education -- City College, a beauty college, and a computer school.

There was also a Home Depot and Sweetie found the snail/slug bait that he had been looking for so he bought a large bottle of it. We looked at the plants in HD and then walked back to the motel and dined on apples and blueberry muffins that were in our travel snacks. We find that we are going to bed early while on this trip.

Tomorrow we plan to have lunch with Sweetie's nephew, who lives near Orlando.

Road trip, day 2

After Hurricane Katrina wood carvers made art from the ruins. The storm surge brought in salty water and killed many of the old oaks that grew along the coast. The tree trunks were carved into a variety of items. We loved these eagles.

beautiful, empty, white beaches.

We left Slidell and headed for the Mississippi coast. Stopped for gas and I was encouraged to sample a local delicacy, boiled peanuts. OK, I'm game. Hummmm, they are soft (clerk said perhaps they have been boiling too long.) Chew, chew -- soft boiled peanuts taste a little like black-eyed peas. I love black-eyed peas but I don't like boiled peanuts. Must be an acquired taste!

We drove along the coast -- Pass Christian and Gulfport. These town were hard hit by Katrina. Robin Roberts did a lot of interviews from this area -- she is from Pass Christian.
Beautiful white sand beaches! Empty white sand beaches -- must be off season. Lovely old homes on shore side of the road -- huge old oaks. Passed the "Dixie White House," so called because Woodrow Wilson visited it frequently. I Googled this name and found an article that said the "Dixie White House" was razed following Hurricane Camille in 1969. Well, folks, there is a house standing today that is described by a historical marker as being the "Dixie White House." Wonder what the real story is!

From Mississippi we entered Alabama. Only 66 miles of this state touch the Gulf. We decided to avoid the big-city traffic of the Mobile area and took a side trip to Dauphin Island and from there a ferry across Mobile Bay. Had we gone the other way we would have passed under a river by driving through the George Wallace Tunnel, then emerging in Florida. We spent the second night in Tallahassee, the capital of Florida.

Road Trip!

a pirogue (swamp boat)

Greetings from Louisiana --traveled from home to Slidell, this first day, then stopped to spend a night -- Louisiana is a state with lots of water! Bridges, causeways, etc., all over the place. Stopped at the visitor center for the Atchafalaya Swamp near Butte La Rose, LA --(they are supposed to evacuate that little town due to the water from the Mississippi that has been diverted to this swampy area -- the pontoon bridge into the town was already closed and there were police/emergency vehicles everywhere to prevent people from entering the danger area.)

The swamp visitor center was very interesting. Years ago, while visiting New Orleans for business, my Sweetie and I took a boat tour of the swamp, and we really enjoyed it. There were some people from France on the boat and our guide spoke Cajun-style French and they communicated quite well.

Hello Blog Buddies,

I have something to share -- something that may make you think. It did me.

An acquaintance has been seeking intercessory prayer, first for his wife, and also for himself and his two children. Here is the situation...wife went to hospital for a rather routine surgery. After surgery, when she came out of the anesthesia, she had lost her memories of the past 18 years. Doesn't know him -- doesn't know the children. Doesn't remember being married or being a mother.

The hubby reports that she is now out of the hospital and back at home, trying to regain her memory and "trying to fall in love with him again."

Think about it. . .if this happened to you or your spouse, would you fall in love again? How much have you changed since you met your spouse? Would you still be as appealing to your spouse now as you were those many years ago? Would they still be as appealing to you?

After we are married for a long period of time I think we probably change -- perhaps by maturing, perhaps by developing different interests. How have you changed since you were first married? How has your spouse changed? Do you look the same? Does your spouse look the same?

Just wanted to give you something to think about.

Amaryllis -- I've had these plants for about 40 years!

We've been having some cool weather -- as low as high 50's and low 60's at night -- low to mid 80's during the days. I've been loving it!...have the a/c off and windows open. Lovely, lovely weather.

A friend from Seattle, who hasn't seen a summer here, is complaining that it is so hot outside. We just laugh and tell her "she hasn't seen anything yet!"

"God will get you through times with no money better than money will get you through times without God"

The strawberries -- yum, yum.

My flowers -- still looking good more than a week later!

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers in blogland! It has been a lovely day -- I've eaten out... not once, not twice, but THREE times today! Plus, I have absolutely gorged myself on the dipped strawberries that my oldest daughter sent. They are from a place called Shari's Berries and they are really luscious! Now, strawberries are "free" on the WW diet but the chocolate (brown and white) isn't, but who is on a diet? Evidently not me!!

I have some wonderful cards, beautiful flowers, and some great phone calls. It was a nice day and we needed one after yesterday. I'll tell you about Sat. later -- don't want to spoil today!

Hope all of you are having a wonderful time today!

Mother's Day!

Yes, I know it is early yet, but Sunday is the day! In honor, I am posting this wonderful picture of my Mom and me amidst the bluebonnets! Mom worries that her hair is blowing but to me it has a carefree look -- who cares about the hair not being perfect! My Mom will be 89 years old on the 27th.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, MOM.

Sea Center Texas

Tuesday some of the Sr. Adults from church went down to Lake Jackson to tour Sea Center Texas. This is a salt-water fish hatchery. It was rather interesting and different from the fresh water hatcheries that I've visited in the past.


First room -- several exhibits -- "touch tanks", an aquarium,
and a gift shop.

These large tanks are spawning tanks -- the fish inside (viewable through small windows) are "tricked" into spawning, even if it is out of season, and the eggs then pass through an opening and end up in a side tank that is open on top so that the eggs can be skimmed off every day. Then the eggs are put into special hatchery tanks to begin their growth into fingerlings. The different types of fish are kept in separate tanks, both inside and outside.

A Purple Martin.

Some of our group viewing the wetlands.

A child touching a spider crab in the "touch tank."

A wetlands resident

We had a guide who explained the entire process to us. One thing we heard was very interesting. He said that fish prefer to eat something that will fill their mouth. Therefore, you should always bait your hook with the size bait that would fit your target fish. A tiny minnow, for instance, would not work for a large mouth fish. I never knew bait size made a difference. Of course, I'm not much of a fisherman! Too boring for me.