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Published: December 23rd 2013
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Christmas week still finds us in Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, AL. We have had some of the nicest weather ever during this month. Most days are sunny and warm enough for us - high 60's and low 70's. The park has a great Backcountry Bike Trail that has a complex of 6 trails totaling 11 paved miles. We can bike it, in combination with the bike trail on the main road, to get to restaurants and shopping and the beach. We've put on a lot of miles going to Wal-Mart, Publix and the Pancake House.
While we travel Ron is always on the lookout for nurseries that sell trees to make into bonsai . He found a nice Japanese Cedar called a 'Black Dragon' that he has shaped and wired into our Christmas tree. Many of the folks in this park go all out for Christmas. The big decorations that have the fans inside are a favorite, as are trimmed and lighted palm trees and flamingos. It still seems strange for the Holiday to be just a few days away . Traveling like this seems to meld together days and weeks and holidays and seasons.
alligator
can you see his head there behind the grasses. He was near the bike trail. We took a ride to Pensacola, Florida last week, to walk around the historic old part of the city. There is an archeological dig going on right in the middle of the city where they are uncovering the foundations of early forts. These were used to protect the area by the British , Spanish and the American forces starting in the mid 1700's.
Quilting folks - there is a shop here called Fabric By the Pound. But they do have 100's of bolts of quilt fabric that is sold by the yard. Great prices, but I'm only working on needle turn appliqué this trip ( see pictures). I was going to do a series of Quilt Blocks of the Month from a book I found - and then misplaced. So, instead, the designs are now inspired by clip art and our travels. The first block I did was a flying pig - this is what we felt our chances were of ever being able to travel like this in our retirement.
New stuff - a legless lizard and a sea bean. On a walk, Dave almost stepped on the lizard. Ron got
Black Dragon
It took some work, but it became a perfect little Christmas tree so excited he had to bring the creature right over to show me. Why does he think I want to touch and hold these things?????? The discovery of a sea bean on the beach has sent us back to look for more. The bean is actually a seed from a tree that grows in South America. It floats in the ocean until it lands in a place where it can start to grow. It is a beautiful shiny object and is used by some people to make jewelry. We'll look for more and start making our Christmas gifts for next year.
Included in this post are some pictures from the Gulf Shores
Zoo which is tucked away just a few blocks from the ocean on Highway 59. There are 500 animals - many birds, and a surprising number of big cats. It is a perfect little zoo that allows visitors to feed some of the animals.
We wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and the Happiest of New Years.
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JanisP
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Beans
Hey I sent you that bean; glad you got it before Christmas! I didn't know how long it would take, going by sea like that. And Ron....a legless lizard is called a SNAKE.