Change of Scenery

 

Time for a getaway!!   Mike and I decided that we needed a change of scenery so we decided to head south.  After all that’s the direction most folks are taking about now.

Some of you might remember that Mike and I spent the winter of 2010 at Rainbow Plantation.  This is the Escapees park located in Summerdale, Alabama.  We loved our time spent at this awesome park and met some of the most wonderful people!!  We haven’t been back to this area since that winter so we decided now was a good time.  So Thursday morning we set our sights for Fairhope, Alabama.  Fairhope is located just a few miles west of Summerdale.  We love Fairhope!!  It is such a quaint town and has a really interesting history.  Check out our blog entry January 11, 2010 for some of the facts about this unique place. 

                 

                 

                 

                 

                 

                 

Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay at Rainbow this time since we don’t have a rig yet, so we found a rather nice motel in Fairhope….Key West Inn. 

We also haven’t seen Darrell and Judy Patterson since we left Rainbow Plantation and really wanted to see them before they left to do their Amazon gig.   So as soon as we got settled we drove over to Rainbow where Darrell and Judy have a lot in the ERPU section.  Darrell and Judy prepared a wonderful meal of hamburgers, salad and deviled eggs followed by a yummy raspberry squares dessert.  We enjoyed talking and catching up on what we’ve all been up to since our last visit.  Good food, great conversation and lots of laughs!!

We made plans to get together again on Friday for some more good eating and lively conversation.  Mike and I also plan to revisit some of our favorite places while we are in this area. 

Colors of Fall

It was such an incredibly beautiful day, so Gerri & I went for a drive and a walk to enjoy the crispness in the air as well as the array of the colors in the trees.  Instead of having a wordy blog today, I would just like to share some of the pics of what we saw.

          

         

         

        

        

        

          

          

We hope everyone had and has a great weekend and enjoy the beauty God has given us as He paints His creation in beautiful colors.

Remembrance

 

A year ago today our RV and blogging world lost two very special friends; Bruce & Margie, in a senseless accident.

                     

Many of you got to meet them and many of us were looking forward to meeting them.  We very much miss you!  Margie was so good about making comments on blogs and so interested in the events that we each encountered.  It still seems incomprehensible that they are gone, but we have definitely not forgotten them.

To their family, our thoughts are with you and may you have peace knowing their love.

Fall is in the Air

                 

                 

There is no doubt that fall is my all time favorite season of the year.  It is the time when you have enjoyed all the sunshine, warm temps and humid weather you can possibly stand.  Just when you think you can’t stand another day….low and behold you feel the tinge of cool crispness in the air.

            

In the south you feel it first with the lack of high humidity!  You can actually “see” the crispness in the air.  No more hazy lazy days of summer.  Suddenly the sky is a clear blue and you begin to see signs of fall.

           

          

         

There are colors that we naturally associate with fall.  The oranges, yellows, browns, greens come to mind first.  What does nature say to us?  Well that is what Gerri and I set out to explore….camera in hand of course!!   This is what we saw!!

         

         

         

         

         

         

“Delicious autumn!  My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird, I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” George Eliot

         

Our Golden Cody

                  

Sue (Big Dawg and Freeway) was writing in her blog the other day about all the Tuckers that have made their appearances on the blogs lately.  It seems there are now three Tuckers.   Two of those Tuckers happen to be Golden Retrievers.  All pets are special and all have certain qualities that make them who they are.  Goldens are no exception.  They are people pleasers all their lives. 

                 

Our Cody came to be a part of our family some 12 years ago.  In dog years that makes him pretty elderly.  Does he know he’s elderly??  Nope!!  His little heart and mind will forever remain a young Golden. 

                

He didn’t always live inside.  He once owned a huge backyard with his lovely mate….Jessie.  They were inseparable and where you saw one you saw the other.  Jessie loved to fetch anything and Cody loved to stand and look at you like “now why did you go and throw that?”  They remained together until Jessie passed away.  He laid beside her body all night and refused to leave her even after we buried her in the backyard.  He loved her completely and totally.  That is the love of a Golden.  He loves us the same way. 

               

He came to live inside when we moved into the motor home to full-time.  Mike and I were both a little concerned.  He had never been housebroken, what would he do??  Well, I’m happy to say he did GREAT!!  His desire to please was so strong that he quickly learned that during his walks on the leash were the times he did his business.  He loves to walk with Mike on the leash.  He begins to smile and shake his big body whenever its time for a walk.  He loves to walk!!  He does not love to swim…nope!  Unlike Sue and Doug’s Tucker and Sam and Donna’s Riggs, he would rather walk along the edge of the water and splash a bit but no swimming.  Perhaps this is due in part from a lack of exposure when he was younger but remember, he’s not much on retrieving either!!  His love and devotion to his family is heartwarming and we love him in return.

Age is taking its toll on our Golden Boy!

               

His muzzle is now growing whiter and his hearing is failing.  He has to be looking at you for him to know what you want him to do.  We have to make sure we are with him wherever he goes….even in the backyard.   At night he still sleeps beside our bed….there is no room on the bed because our other loves are there, Casey and Nick, our Shih Tzus.  

               

Cody is special…..he’s a Golden!!  

                                          

9/11/2001

 

                     

May we always remember those whose lives were lost and the lives that were given and their families.  We will never forget!

Hummer Wars

                    

Hummingbird wars!!  Yes, we have been the host home for some truly territorial wars lately.  We have the best seat in the house….literally!  We are able to view four hummingbird feeders from our sunroom.  The other feeder can be viewed from the dining room. 

              

              

It seems arial hummingbird combat is pretty high right now and most likely will continue until the middle of September.  At this time they will begin to realize that migration is about to begin.  They will need all the food they have been eating to be stored as energy for this long journey to Mexico and South America.  They don’t need to be wasting all their energy dive bombing each other.  At this time they will begin to settle down and feed more peacefully with each other.  A few weeks after this occurs most all of these fascinating birds will be gone until late March when they will once again ready themselves for another migration. 

              

              

              

              

 

Needless to say these little birds are very territorial.  We have been especially fascinated by one little Ruby-throated Hummingbird that seems to enjoy sitting on top of the pole the feeder is attached to.  He sits on the very top and stands guard over the feeder.  Whenever another hummer attempts to eat from the feeder he dive bombs and chases that hummer off.  Every now and then he allows a particular hummer to eat from the feeder and at times he sips from the sweet nectar himself….perks of the job. 

                   

Do we know this is a male?  No, actually both the male and/or the female can defend a feeder (after breeding season is over).  In fact, several different hummers may take turns defending the feeder during a day.   It does appear that this particular hummer really likes to perch on top so he can observe his domain a little better. 

At times we have observed as many as 15 Hummingbirds flying around on the patio waiting turns to sip from the feeders.  They do chase each other off but they continue to swarm waiting turns to slip in for some food.  Even as it is pouring rain, he still sits on the pole and guards his food…. Nature at its best!!