Life at Sebastian

The fish haven't been biting for awhile BUT you know me, I don't let that stop me from enjoying life. My newest endeavor or craziness ( that's what T calls it) is a recumbent trike. I love it. My commitment to myself was to ride everyday it isn't raining. I've had the trike 9 days and I've been on it all but one day. I'm up to 5.5 miles a day and plan to go on a serious 14 mile trek before the end on January. Call me crazy.

I think I told you that the park puts on a free concert every month. Well this month's band was "Highway 1".  They played some country, some rock and roll.  Not near as good as last month, but hey, it's a free concert!

Anyway I thought I would post a few pics of the birds we have in the area and sunrise and of course my new toy. 

December day on the beach at Vero Beach, FL

Wood Stork (one ugly bird!)

Weather here today is in the low 80's. 

Seagull

Seagulls resting in the sun.

Sunrise on A1A

Puffer fish

recumbent trike

Fishing at Sebastian ! Wow What a Fish!

Caught the biggest fish I've ever caught at Sebastian Inlet State Park.  Eighteen inches.  It made 4 large filets and friends help us enjoy it.

I think we are finally getting settled here, making new friends, relaxing and enjoying the area.

I'm off to Phoenix tomorrow for a few days.  Can't wait to see my friends.

Thanksgiving at Sebastian Inlet was beautiful!

The volunteers and the rangers had a Thanksgiving potluck on Wednesday and there was so much food and lots of good fellowship.  The people here are a great bunch.  On Thanksgiving day, we were off (not working) so we spent the day sitting by an outdoor fire.  The sun was shining but the weather was cool.  Some of the other volunteers stopped by and enjoyed some food with us.

I GIVE THANKS FOR ALL THE GREAT FRIENDS WHO TOUCHED BASE IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER!  I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Sebastian Inlet State Park- Atlantic & Gulf Coasts in a day.

We've been at Sebastian a little over two weeks and we are beginning to learn our way around and get to know some of the other volunteers. Our job here isn't near as fun as it was at Huntington, but the work is easy. We work 2 1/2 days then we are off 4, cleaning shower houses and campsites. The park is situated between the intercostal waterway and the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River.   Beautiful clear waters and the fishing is supposed to be good. I'll let you know once I try my hand at it.

The first Sunday and Monday in Florida I spent at my friend Angie's in Lakeland. She needed a friend to take her for eye surgery and it gave us a chance to visit. So in a matter of two days I was both on the Atlantic and the Gulf coasts. This past weekend T & I went over to Lakeland again.  T helped Angie with fixing and installing things in her new home.

Also we drove over to Odessa, FL, where I test drove a few recumbent trikes and ordered one.  I'm sure those of you who know me aren't shocked.  I'm into something new.  A recumbent trike is a three wheel trike/bike with two wheels in the front and one in the back.  You sit in a mesh (hammock) type seat.  I plan to ride daily once it arrives and can hardly wait.  When it arrives I'll be sure to take pictures and post them.

The night of the full moon, the park hosted an outdoor concert with the Country Classics Band. The music was great! There was a steel guitar and the man playing it could really make it sing.  They played for four hours.  We had a great time and found out that the park hosts a concert every month on the night of the full moon.  Next month they will have a "Jimmy Buffett band".  We are looking forward to it.

I went fishing today and I caught three flounder.  One was too small and one got away, but the one I kept was enough for dinner.  I brought it home, and fried it up.  I was excited to think I caught dinner and I was only out a few hours.  

Walt Disney World- What a Week!

We left Huntington Beach on Thursday, after spending an afternoon and evening with Elliott & Leslie, friends we made while at Kartchner Caverns.  It was great seeing them again.  We traveled just a few hours south to Yemassee, SC, where we stayed at The Oaks at Pointe South RV park.  It worked fine for an overnight stay, but not much more.  We then headed to Jacksonville, FL and stayed at the Fleetwood RV and Mobile Home park.  Again okay for an overnight.  We chose there because it was close to my cousin Bobby.  It just so happened that his dad, step mom and sisters were in town for the Florida Georgia football game.  We got to see them all and enjoy a “low country boil” while we were at it.  For those of you not familiar with “low country boil”, it’s shrimp, potatoes, corn on the cob and sausage boiled in water with Old Bay seasoning. We all pigged out while catching up on the happenings in each other’s lives. 

Saturday was our day to arrive at Disney World.  To say the least the week started with a bump and ended with a bump.  It rained most of the way from Jacksonville to Orlando, but the drive wasn’t bad.  As I was exiting the freeway toward Disney World I was rear-ended. Now it was pouring down rain.  I pulled off the road as does the other driver, we inspect the cars as best we can with the rain coming down hard, exchange info and go on our way.  I was soaked to the bone.  That was the first bump.

T & I got settled into the campsite at Fort Wilderness, Disney’s campground and later that evening we pickup Brian, Kelly and Sammy at the airport.  That’s when the fun began.  Sammy stayed with T & I the entire week while Brian and Kelly had some alone time at a hotel.  The Fort Wilderness park is huge with so much to do.  There’s a boat dock for renting canoes and kayaks, fishing gear, catching the ferry to The Magic Kingdom, several play grounds, a couple of swimming pools and so much more.

Sammy's 1st Kayak ride

T & Glo making memories

Kelly, Sammy, Brian beginning memories.

Sammy meeting Minnie

We spent four days out of five at the various Disney parks.  I don’t think we could have done much more.  T & I had to give in to the fact that our bodies aren’t what they used to be.  On Tuesday we rented a wheel chair so I could take a brake every now and then. My hip was bothering me.  Wednesday, T’s foot was bothering him, so we rented a chair for him.  We took Thursday off from the parks and on Friday we all went to one last park to take in a few rides.  In the afternoon we all went back to the Magic Kingdom, where T and I had a bite to eat and sat people watching until Brian, Kelly and Sammy were ready to head back.  Damn it’s hell getting old!

Sammy getting Mickey's autograph

Splash Mountain

Having fun on the dinosaur ride

Today we left Orlando headed to our next “assignment”, “home for three months”.  As I’m driving toward the freeway, I AM REAR-ENED AGAIN!!!!  Can you believe it?  The second bump. Fortunately, no one was hurt, though the guy who hit me this time was a real jerk.  We exchanged info and I called my insurance company AGAIN.

What could I do, but "make lemonade".  I took a break, found a Starbucks, bought a chai latte and calmed myself.  Right after that Molly threw up in the car seat.  It got all over her and the seat.  I pulled off again to find a place where I could buy something to clean her up with and again I was on my way.

We arrived at Sebastian Inlet State Park around two this afternoon, and I spent the afternoon, just sitting.  I had a double whammy day, with the bump and coming down off a wonderful week with Brian, Kelly and Sammy.   

We don’t go to “work” until Tuesday.  That gives us a little time  to familiarize ourselves with the area.  

Sebastian is quite different from Huntington!  The park itself isn’t near as nice, but the area is beautiful!  Water, water everywhere.  The park sits on the Inter-coastal waterway.  I’ll add pictures in the next few days.

Wrap Up of Our Stay At Huntington

It's amazing how fast time flies when you are having fun.  It's been almost two months since we arrived here at Huntington and now it's time to go.  I've loved being close to family and friends, though I didn't see either as much as I would have liked.

From here we head to Orlando for a week at Disney World with Brian and family.  Then on to Sebastian Inlet State Park at Vero Beach, FL.  We'll be hosting there until the end of January 2014.  That is a completely new area for us, so we will be adventuring out a lot.  Stay tuned.

Atalaya Entrance

View of road leaving Atalaya

View of Atalaya from the Ocean side

While here we made new friends and visited old ones.  Rather than detail things I'm just going to post a few pics of the new friends and the places and things we saw while here.

The doc at our friends home in Shallotte, NC

Murphy - at SC Sweet Potato Pageant

Jackie & Jerry from Pomaria, SC

Judy & Phil from Prosperity, SC

Mario & Suzannae & Daphne from Quebec

Benny, Emma & Josslyn

Just relaxing at Huntington

Having fun at Huntington

Huntington Beach State Park- Murrells Inlet, SC

We’ve been here 15 days.  When we left Carolina Beach, we drove straight to Huntington, got our rig setup and then immediately began training, such as it was.  We met with the gal who was hosting at Atalaya (pronounced At a lie ya) and she reviewed how we were to close the  “Welcome Wagon” at the end of the day.  On Sunday, we met with her both in the morning and in the evening to go over the process.  On Monday we were the new hosts at Atalaya.  What a great gig this is!  We work 3 days on and 3 days off.  T and I are responsible for covering the welcome wagon, but we don’t both need to be there at the same time.  So T opens in the morning at 9:00 a.m.  and I come on at 1:00 p.m. to relieve him and close at 5:00 p.m.  We welcome people to Atalaya, sell tickets and tell people about Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington as well as a little history about the house.  We both LOVE what we are doing and this is the easiest job we’ve had so far.

Just to give you a little history of Atalaya.  The home was built in the early thirties by Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington.  The architecture is unique as it was built in the Spanish Moorish style and completely out of bricks.  Archer was the son of Collis Huntington, one of the big four who built the Trans Continental Railroad.  Anna was a world famous sculptor.  They purchased 4 plantations in the area.  Anna was diagnosed with TB in 1927 and they needed a place with a warmer climate to winter in. They used Atalaya as a winter home off and on until 1947.  I could go on and on about these two magnificent people!  Though wealthy they lived a relatively simple life.  Amazingly Anna lived to be 97.

They donated land and helped to create Brookgreen Gardens in South Carolina, a public sculpture garden in which to display the figurative sculpture works of American sculptors, including many pieces by Anna Hyatt Huntington. A portion of Brookgreen Gardens are a nature reserve, and another section is leased to the state for Huntington Beach State Park. The gardens, historic plantation sites, and their adjacent residence 'Atalaya Castle' are a National Historic Landmark, and on the National Register of Historic Places. ^[2]

While here I’ve tried my hand at surf fishing.  Actually all I did was cast a lot.  The ocean is within walking distance and at night when we are sitting outside we can hear the surf.  The park is beautiful, there is wildlife abundant. The sun shines and there is almost always a breeze from the ocean.  The people here are great to work with.  What’s not to like about Huntington Beach State Park!

I will be adding pictures of Atalaya and I hope to get a picture of the sun rising over the ocean, but alas I have to get up early and remember to take a tripod along with my camera.  Keep your fingers crossed.  I may just get a good shot.  In the meantime here are a few shots of things here at Huntington.

Alligators basking in the sun

Marsh @ Huntington Beach State Park

Egret enjoying the water.

I met my friend Cindy, who has been fishing all her life, at Holden Beach, NC for a day of fishing this past Thursday.  She taught me how to throw a net and catch bait fish as well as a few things about surf fishing.  We fished all  morning and into the afternoon. Caught a good batch of Blue fish and one Mackerel.  I brought the blue home and had a fish fry.  What a thrill for me to have caught enough fish for dinner and to be able to have friends over to share.  I know you'll think I'm making it up when you see the picture below which shows only one fish, but believe me I really did catch dinner.

Carolina Beach Update

Did you feel the earth rock yesterday? I finally got T to go kayaking with me! We went on a sunset tour. What a beautiful time of day to be on the water. We were on the Cape Fear river. Had a chance to see a pelican and an egret up close and personal. The most wonderful thing was that T enjoyed it!  Some of you know I've been trying to get him to go kayaking since last summer. He enjoyed it enough to want to do it again. Alleluia!

The people here at Carolina Beach are friendly.  The merchants appreciate your business and show it. One peculiarity of Carolina Beach is the smell of the water. It smells like sulfur. To say the least we don't drink it. Sometimes the smell is so bad that it's hard to take a shower.

I've been working full time at the marina here, since Aug 15.  Yes, full time. The park had a person quit on them with no notice and they needed help for a couple of weeks. So they hired me. Forty hours a week is a bit tiring but I'm loving the interaction. I get to meet and greet all kinds of boaters and fishermen and fisherwomen. I'm learning a lot about how to fish in salt water. I get to go out and help boaters with fuel and I see all kinds of boats from big yachts to tiny John boats. While at work I have this amazing view of the Cape Fear river and the inlet. What's not to like?!

I'm all about new adventures and meeting new people. Keep following me.. You never know what I'll be doing next.

Carolina Beach

We spent 4 days in Myrtle Beach visiting family before heading to Carolina Beach.  When we got ready to leave my car would not start.  My thoughts were, "Okay.  So I'll just be a little later than T getting to Carolina Beach." That wasn't the case.  I ended up spending most of the day in Myrtle Beach getting the car checked out, but thanks to my brother, Danny, I was able to have the use of a car while the car was being fixed.  I got to Carolina beach around 6pm.  Not too bad all things considered.

Carolina Beach

We've been at Carolina Beach since July 25.  What do we think of Carolina Beach?  It is like being in a time warp. Carolina Beach is part of what is called Paradise Island which consist of two towns, Carolina Beach and Kure (curry) Beach. The beach area and the boardwalk are like Myrtle Beach was when we were growing up.  Carolina Beach is a family oriented beach and a small town.  The people are friendly and you don't feel like they are all about getting your money.  Things are relatively inexpensive.  On Sunday nights they have free "movies in the park", showing family movies.  The typical movie refreshments are available and are cheap.  $2 for popcorn, $1 for a coke.  Amazing!

Kure Beach

Kure Beach is wonderful.  There are seven miles of beach away from crowds; you can walk along one of the few undeveloped stretches of shoreline on the southeast coast.  Incredibly peaceful place to go for a stroll, wade in the ocean, see the wildlife and just relax under the sun.



















We've ventured out a few times to surrounding towns.  Went to Southport, a quaint little town that has often been the setting for some of Nicholas Sparks books and movies.  Unfortunately the day we went we forgot the camera.  The temperature was 90 degrees and the humidity was 88%, making the heat index 107.  We didn't stay long, though I did take the opportunity to visit the local graveyard.  I know many of you think I'm crazy, but what can I say.  I love to visit graveyards.

We also spent an afternoon in Wilmington.  A beautiful place.  Lots of history and magnificent old homes.  We also got over to Wrightsville Beach.  Wrightsville is more modernized and up-to-date.  Quite beautiful.  In both instances I forgot the camera.

While here at Carolina Beach State Park, I got to lead a few nature hikes and introduce people to carnivorous plants such as pitcher plants and venus fly traps.  I learned that venus flytraps are only found naturally in a 70 mile radius of Wilmington.  When you see these plants in other areas, they are transplants.  Our duties consists of taking care of shower houses, cleaning campsites, helping with garbage cleanup and for the last two weeks we are here I will be working at the Marina store.

We will be here at Carolina Beach State Park until August 31st, at which time we'll move down to Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet for a new adventure.

Fort Sumter

So we arrived in the US on the 16th, late.  Picked up the camper on the 17th and checked into the RV park at Charleston AFB.  It was WONDERFUL sleeping in our bed.  Traveling is grand and seeing all the sites is something we love, but how sweet it is to be "home" in one's bed.  Got a great night's sleep.

We took a boat tour to Fort Sumter, something we had not done in years.  So much history.  The boat tour allowed us to see Charleston from the water and take in the site of a couple of famous churches.

Fort Sumter

T enjoying Fort Sumter

St Michael's Church

St. Phillip's Episcopal Church

Sherwood Forest

We left Thomas and family in Carmine Superiore, Italy on the 12th of July and flew back to Birmingham, UK.  Thomas had suggested that we take a few days to rest and relax before heading back to the US.

Our trip back to Birmingham was uneventful and Thomas' suggestion was just what we needed.  I KNOW!  I KNOW!  Those of you reading this are saying, "How can anyone need R&R after such a wonderful 8 days.  If you have been reading this blog you would know.  We walked and walked every day.  I bet we put 50 miles or more on our feet over that period of time.  So we spent the first day back just vegging out at Thomas' home.  Now when we left Birmingham it was a cool 68 degrees.  Not so when we got back.  The temps ran in the 80's and they don't have A/C.  They don't typically need it.  

We drove into Kenilworth one evening to dine at Queen's Castle Restaurant/pub and went out and about for a short distance.  Driving on the left side of the road can be a bit of a challenge.

On the 14th we went to Nottingham and Sherwood Forest.  T had said he wanted to "meet Robin Hood".  Now here we are two Americans with very little experience driving on the left side and having no idea where we are going.  We set the GPS to Nottingham, figuring that would take us to "Robin Hood".  Well Nottingham is just another city.  Don't get me wrong, it has it's charm.  We just weren't interested in seeing another city.  We wanted the forest.  So after driving around Nottingham a bit and realizing this isn't what we wanted to see, we set the GPS to find Sherwood Forest and that it did.  What great day we had!  Only wished we had had Molly with us.  She would have loved the forest.

I'm just going to post a few of the pictures I took.  I think you'll get the sense of how magnificent it is.

The Major Oak
This great tree, weighing 23 tons, with a waistline of 33 feet is over 1150 years old.

ITALY - Carmine Superiore - Living in a REAL medieval village!

Sunday morning we were up early for a trek to the train station to catch a train from Venice to Melon. We had a layover and then a train to a town whose name I don't remember.  We then caught a taxi to Valano, bought groceries and were dropped off at the base of the mountain. 

Now when I say mountain, I mean mountain.  We were were going to spend a week in this medieval village. 

Carmine Superiore is a beautifully preserved village of medieval origin a short distance from Cannobio. It can be reached only on foot, via a pleasant path from the hamlet of Carmine Inferiore below it on the lakeside road.

The village, perched on a rocky spur high above the western shore of Lake Maggiore, comprises a handful of stone houses clustered round the church of St Gotthard (14th century), from where there is a stunning view over the lake and the mountains of Lombardy.

Now when they say "reached only on foot" they aren't joking.  It felt like we were walking/hiking straight up the hill.  Everyone of us were caring our backpacks, bedding and groceries.  What an adventure!

Carmine Superiore

The Hills Von Trap then trekked up the hill to the village of Carmine Superiore. We were quite a sight. carrying our back packs, luggage and 6 bags of groceries.  What a beautiful place. It was like going back in time, literally.

Carmine Superiore Village

San Gottardo Church in the village
Built between 1332 and 1401, San Gottardo is a treasure-house of valuable art works dating from the 15^th and 16^th centuries. The frescoes in the interior as well as those on the outside walls are mostly the work of the Maestro di Carzoneso, and in common with all the churches adhering to the Ambrosian tradition, depict scenes from the Bible. 

Thomas was told the key was hidden in the wall. We were all looking and feeling along the walls trying to find the key. After about 30 minutes a key was found. Then we had to determine which door did it fit. Once inside we had to find the key to the other place and turn on the electricity. The larger place had electricity, but not the place where we were to sleep.  So here we were in this 1000 year old building, with walls 2 feet thick with incredible views and no electric and thus no warm water for a shower. Talk about going back in time!

Everyone feeling the walls for the hidden key.

This is not a place where typical tourist go.  You have to know someone in order to rent the home.  The home we rented belongs to the nephews of a German woman who had passed away. It had all her belongings, books old photo albums, and such in the "attic".  What fun we had exploring.  The girls, Sara and I.  We found so many interesting things about the past.  Most of which was written in either German or Italian, but still it was fun and fascinating. 

We spent the first evening visiting with the German neighbors. Sharing wine, food and conversation. I turned in early so I could have outdoor lighting to shower by and of course the water was cold. In my mind I could image being back in time. It is hard to describe what it feels like being in a place like this. Hopefully the pictures will transport you there.


Now when at Carmine Superiore you look around and see signs showing distances, distances in minutes to the next little village. Here you walk everywhere. Good hardy people live in this area.


Day 2 we hiked down the hill "30 minutes" and around the curve and then back up. All in all it took 2 hours.  The people who put up the signage obviously walk faster than we do or are much younger.

T enjoying coffee on the ledge.

Day 3 we have electricity !

Living in a medieval village without electricity was a bit more medieval than we had planned on. 

Day 4, The day was great! T and I left around 8 am and hiked down to Cannero, only a short "50 minute" walk.  NOT.. It  took us about 1 1/2 hours to get there, but oh what a hike it was.  Hiking along old Roman roads viewing the lake and old stone homes along the way.  WOW!!   Once we got to Cannero, we found a little place to have coffee and sit along the lake and just relax and regain our strength.  We wandered about the town a bit found the "mini market", bought some wine, bread and cheese and headed back up the hill. All in all it wasn't a bad hike only gone 5 hours. Walking in nature here is amazing. The old and new stone houses. People living on the hills and having to walk up everyday. Such a different way of life.

Cannero Rievera

Path to Cannero

Family time outside the church

That evening a storm came in and we lost power. We burst out laughing!  The power was only off briefly.

Day 5

Sara and I hiked down to Cannero to get bread milk and a few other items. While in Cannero she and I visited an old church and a grotto.  What another amazing day!

Church of San Giorgio Martire- Cannero Italy

Grotto behind the church

Out last night was wonderful. We gathered with the other people living here out on the open area outside the church. Children sang and performed in various languages: Italian, German and English. Lots a fun and laughter was had by all. 

To say the least this week was memorable. Sheep wandering through the streets. Hiking through the woods and to the nearby town for groceries, sleeping on a bed that felt like a brick, no electricity for 3 out of 5 days, watching the children play, meeting the neighbors, attempting to speak in various languages. We won't soon forget the time we had. Our evenings here in Carmine were so relaxing.  Though life here on the mountain can be hard, I think I could visit here for a week every year and reconnect with myself and nature.

1 last photo with the grand children