Wrapping It Up in Gulf Shores for Now

                       

The time in the gulf area really flew by!!  They say time flies when you're having fun and it sure did for us!!        

As we got closer to our departure time we decided to do a few last drive throughs some of our favorite places.
 
Foley, Alabama
We noticed that Foley had really gotten in the Christmas spirit with decorating their town.  Downtown Foley is a sweet place and our favorite stop there would have to be Stacey's Rexall Drug and Olde Tyme Soda Fountain.  No we didn't get sick....we got hungry!!  They have delicious ice cream and quaint little tables and chairs to sit at and enjoy the many flavors of ice cream and other foods.   But most of all they have a model train that runs around the inside perimeter of the building!!  We were introduced to Stacey's in 2010 by Darrell and Judy Patterson and enjoyed ice cream with them then and enjoyed it once again this trip!!        

After getting our tummies full we decided to stroll the downtown sidewalks and enjoy the festive Christmas decorations.  Come along and stroll with us!!          

                   

Fairhope, Alabama
Without a doubt our favorite city in Alabama!!  So quaint and charming!!  We tried to make as many sunsets as possible on the pier in Fairhope and on this night we noticed that many of the streets were about to be blocked off.  What is happening??  I got on my trusty iPhone and googled "what's happening in Fairhope today?"  and it told me they were having the annual grand lighting of the trees!!  What luck!!  So we not only got to see one last sunset from the pier, the beautiful fountain but also the gorgeous trees lining the downtown streets of Fairhope!!  Come along and enjoy the sunset, fountain and beautiful Christmas decorations with us!!!
           

The Beach at Gulf Shores
The beach is a place I grew up on!!  I was born in Daytona Beach, Florida and remember so many family outings on the beach there.  The beach in Gulf Shores is just as spectacular but I must say the sand at Gulf Shores is incredible!!  So white, thick and clean!!  I had to take another walk on this beautiful beach!!  I was so excited to see our Blue Heron friend was still hanging around at this particular place on the beach and got to visit with him pretty up close and personal!!
       

We made a stop by Billy's Seafood in Bon Secour to pick up some fresh shrimp right off the boat.  Well, not exactly but pretty close....the boats were docked right outside the area where we purchased our jumbo shrimp!!  Boy I can't wait to eat those guys!!          

               

    

This pretty wraps up our gulf area visit for this trip!!  We really love this area and plan to return very soon!!                      

A house near Rainbow Plantation decorated for Christmas

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!  We all have so much to be thankful for!!

River Boat Ride

Gerri and I have so much enjoyed all the things we have done and places we have been while at the Escapees Park...Rainbow Plantation in lower Alabama.  We have been on the go every day and taken it all in.  At a Sunday ice cream social at the clubhouse, a gentleman named Jay announced that he would give boat rides along the Fish or Magnolia River for a minimum fee.  The monies from this boat ride would all be given to the Memorial Gardens at Rainbow.  So for Jay, that means he is donating his time and costs for fuel etc. at his own expense.  Jay has been coming to Rainbow every year for at least 8 year if not longer.  He was a fishing guide in Illinois before he fully retired and now he spends a lot of his time on the river fishing and just boating in the river.                      

We came out of the boat ramp area into the river

Gerri and I decided it would be fun to go on this boat ride so we booked up an afternoon slot and the boating trip ended up being a 2 hour outing along the river.        

I would like to share with you in pictures some of our boat ride.  We ended up going into some back water river and seeing some really neat sites and pelicans and other water fowl.

       As we went further into back chanel waters, we were able to capture some water fowl in their natural habitat.  

           

     

This Comorant is a little blurred but still a fun capture

As we floated along, Jay noticed an Osprey way up in a tree, so he turned his motor off and set the trolling motor on and we kind of coasted toward the tree where the Osprey was.  I got my zoom lens out and tried to capture him on camera.

Notice the fish he has his talons around

   After we were able to get some pretty good pics, we moved on down the water and came across some other interesting scenery.
   

An old falling apart boat dock as a result of a previous hurricane

According to Jay, a man had been building this boat and just stopped and the remains lie in the water

For some of the people living on the river, the mailman has a very fun route delivering the mail.  I don't think this mailman uses the traditional mail truck. 

     As we got back into the river toward the bay area, we noticed several pelicans.

           

Our afternoon boat ride took us into backwater channels and it was so peaceful and quiet as the only way to some of the waters was by boat only.  We greatly enjoyed our 2 hour ride/float and were very grateful to Jay for taking his time to give us such a wonderful experience.

Sunsets at Mobile Bay

               

One thing Gerri and I have enjoyed during our stay here is to go to the pier in Fairhope and enjoy the sunsets.  A lot of folks in the area congregate at the pier to watch and enjoy them…it seems to be the gathering place in the late afternoon.

Rather than being a bit wordy, we just wanted to share several of the pics with you.              

In the parking area at the pier there is a fountain surrounded by a lot of roses, many still in full bloom.                       

The leaves here are not quite at peak, but still many are starting to fall.  As we watched the sunset and reflected on the fall season, we so realized the order in which God created this universe.  There may be a lot of chaos in the world, but when you see the sunset at the end of the day and realize the seasons of the year, you know God is in control and He has established order in this world.                     

Sunset a couple days later

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.  Ecclesiastes 3:1

Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time.

Ecclesiastes 3:11