2012 | The Year In Sunsets

We were blessed to have a trip in October to Destin, Florida. Instead of it being a day trip, it lasted for several days, and we really enjoyed it. Taking photos from the high rise balcony was fun -- particularly the sunrises and the sunsets. The one above I titled "Pink and Blue Sunset."

When I saw the a video that Newsocracy put on YouTube, I thought this would be a very good way to close out 2012.

2012 | The Year In Sunsets

A Happy 2013 to you all!

Last Friday the TV weather man told us that the average temperature during November had been 3 degrees below normal. I’m not surprised since we had a few mornings where the lows were in the mid to high 30’s and highs only in the mid 50’s. I’m happy to see that things have changed during the first few days of December.

The past two days the highs have been in the low 70’s and the predicted high for today is 76° with lots of sunshine. Just the way it should be down here in Lower South Alabama. /wds

OFFICIAL NOTICE FROM THIS BLOGGER

Recently we've discovered that many of the videos on our travel blog posts no longer play. When one realizes that Blogger is a free way to blog and that frequently YouTube videos cease to work for whatever reason, let us announce that we will not likely go back and try to get them to work.

Blogging, itself, really takes too much of our time anyway. We certainly do not have the time to try to make those that no longer work viewable. Most of all of this is beyond our control anyway. :( :((

Northern Maine Armchair Travel

Thanks to Alvey Pelletier in Maine and his Facebook friend, Doris Perreault Pelletier, we have this 5.36 minute-video to enjoy. The beautiful scenes are accompanied by Amazing Grace background music created by Brian Mosher specifically for their use in this YouTube video.
Northern Maine Scenes-Amazing Grace

These pictures and many DVDs can be viewed at Paul Cyr Photography

Missed it in 2005

As time has gone by, we've realized we should have seen Monument Valley. The photo we use for this blog is one of our favorites, but it was taken on a trip before we got into blogging. The trip we took out west was so good, we decided we'd love to RV fulltime if we just had something bigger than our Dutchmen travel trailer.

We'd planned to go into fulltiming in 2006, but it had to be postponed for health reasons. Ever since we left in our Airstream Land Yacht in the spring of 2007, we've felt like we were on a perpetual vacation. Now, we're settled in Lower Alabama, but we still love getting out and seeing the sights.

This video tells you what we missed on the day we bypassed Monument Valley on October 5, 2005, because we were in such a hurry to get to the Grand Canyon.

Monument Valley Sunrise to Moonrise 4.5 min.

BLUE MOON

BLUE MOON, a photo by Photojet84 on Flickr.

We have not traveled to the moon, but we know who has and honor his memory.

Home of Claude Monet

Ever since I visited the Waverly Mansion near Columbus, Mississippi, I have known I loved to visit old homes. Today was the first time I knew this much about the home of the painter, Claude Monet, when I received a powerpoint attached to an email. At that point I thought of numerous people who would probably enjoy viewing it.

As luck would have it, I found the same show on YouTube and made an immediate decision that if I ever did travel to France, this would be a place I would want to visit.

Australia

You must know that we've never been to Australia, but we know people who have visited there. Seems like our bro-in-law has visited there twice and had rave reviews about those visits.

Well, I found enough today to decide to include this post as armchair travel.

Here's the diary of a family who appears to have traveled lots and their description opened my eyes to things I had never considered. Can you imagine a kankaroo on a beach? See their comments at:
Diamond Head, Crowdy Bay National Park: Beach Kangaroos.

Our Trip to Branson, Missouri

We've been RVing since 2004, but this blog did not begin until April of 2007. We were reminded of a very enjoyable vacation we took before we even had an RV. It took place in 2001 in Branson, Missouri.

Branson is known for their many theaters and live shows to enjoy. We took in at least three of those shows, and I've found some photos from that trip to share.
Branson 2001

We did look much younger back then. After all, eleven years does make a difference.

While in Branson, we also spent a day at an amuzement park -- Silver Dollar City.

The most spectacular and most expensive show we saw was a dance show similar to River Dance. If you ever have a chance to see such a show, you'll never forget it.



Apparently Branson will be celebrating their 100th year next month.

My Favorite Handel Music

This piece keeps going soft and rebounds several times.



Handel 'Largo' - The London Symphony Orchestra

Don't Let Me Miss The Glory

Haven't done any traveling lately, but just driving down the road one can see glory in the sky. In the photo above while traveling on Highway 98 from Magnolia Springs, Alabama, to where we live west of there in the country, this photo opportunity presented itself. The darker cloud looks like a great big alligator to me, but we've often seen a sky that was just plain pretty, which makes us exclaim, "would you look at that."

This video of Gordon Mote with many accompanying photographs has the message of the song as well as photographs to illustrate the many facets of the Glory of God, our Creator.

How Great Thou Art

Today would have been Golda Leno Lockhart Ellington's 97th birthday, and this blog post, which contains one of her favorite hymns, is dedicated to her. She liked to travel as long as she was able to do so, but she probably liked being with family more.

Spring Break of 2012

Not much needs to be written for this post. It was just a beautiful day to walk on the beach with a temperature of 80 degrees. Plenty of people were enjoying it on March 16th. This was the public beach in Gulf Shores, Alabama. The video on Flickr did not work that well for me. Maybe this will work better.

Coastal Choral Snowbird Serenade

WHEN? Saturday · February 25

WHERE? First Baptist Church of Gulf Shores, Alabama

WHAT? Coastal Chorale

This afternoon's Snowbird Serenade performance featured many familiar songs along with several others I had not heard, and all were beautifully done.

The last song performed was "The Phantom of the Opera Medley" for which the scene was set at the beginning of the concert when all the members had on masquerade masks.

Perhaps you can get a feel for it by watching this video:
The Phantom of the Opera

I always enjoy seeing this group perform. This time, my friend, Roger, went with me, and it was his first time to attend one of their performances.

An Affair To Forget

This post is really about Mae Dean but certainly affected both of our lives for nine days of hospitalization and is still affecting both of our lives. The closest happening I can think of that is similar is a very bad dream. But, dreams are not real. At the time, they seem real, but eventually one wakes up and realizes it was only a dream.

Here's the story line. You have made plans to have a routine colonoscopy procedure just because you cannot come up with enough information from the one you had several years ago. You cannot remember the doctor's name who performed the procedure and only remember very little details as to the results of it. Some people really get "up tight" when they have to have one or are told they should have one, but that was not how I felt about it. I guess I thought it was a necessary evil as one ages. They told me I should have another one in 10 years. With that being all I recalled, my primary physician and I agreed that it would be good to just go ahead and have one for the record.

On Monday, January 9, I went in to have this done. They put you out while it is in progress and when you wake up, it's over. This went according to plan, but, at some point, early in the procedure, something went wrong. A surgeon was called in to make sure things were handled in the safest way possible, so when I awoke, I was in a hospital room. Apparently I had even been in ICU for a time. Here's where this is not my experience alone but one shared with WD. I would not want to change places with him because, although both of us were helpless to control the outcome (and still are), I would not envy anyone who found themselves in a situation over which they had no control and just wait. We waited for 9 days before the doctors were satisfied to discharge me from the hospital.

I do understand they were waiting for certain things to occur before they discharged me. It was very apparent they were covering all possible bases as to things that might need attention and could cause problems.

Other than one person who was a nurse or what I'll call a nurse assistant, I find no fault with any of the hospital employees.

Even though I have titled this "An Affair To Forget," I will never forget it and have determined it is not wise to call any medical procedure "routine."

Light Show @ Texas Church

WHEN? Tuesday · December 8

WHERE? White's Chapel United Methodist Church in Southlake, Texas

WHAT? Holiday Light Show

My sister referred me to this show taking place through Christmas Eve. I have friends and relatives in Texas who may have the chance to see it in person because Southlake is a suburb of Dallas and Fort Worth and considered part of the Metroplex. For us, it looked like something to share via "armchair travel" on this blog. Not only may you find the YouTube video a very entertaining experience, you may even want to look at information on the church's website about this event.
Celebrate the Light 3-D Christmas Spectacular

Final Coastal Choral Performance of 2011

WHEN? Sunday · December 4

WHERE? Spirit Center at Foley United Methodist Church

WHAT? Coastal Chorale Christmas concert

Reviews:

"Fabulous ... unbelievably good."
- maedeans

"In a class with Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians and The Ray Conniff Singers. They sing with a masterful blend of their voices."
- The Perpetual Vacationers

"Still wonderful entertainment - and still some funny stuff like "Chopsticks Theme and Variations" - like everything else, the price had to increase from $10 to $15"
- MDS

This afternoon's Christmas performance featured some familiar Christmas songs along with several others we had never heard, and all were beautifully done.

If you missed this last performance, never fear, they will perform again in February of 2012:
SNOWBIRD SERENADE

"The Music of the Night"

Thursday, February 23, 2012 - 7:30 pm
Friday, February 24, 2012 - 7:30 pm
Saturday, February 25, 2012 - 3:00 pm
Saturday, February 25, 2012 - 7:30 pm
Sunday, February 26, 2012 - 3:00 pm

(Serenade performances at First Baptist Church, Gulf Shores)

Their first number was an oldie from the 50's. Maybe this video will put you in the Christmas spirit. BTW, Santa Claus was there...

Fourth Annual Oyster Cookoff

WHEN? Saturday · November 5

WHERE? Gulf Shores, Alabama

We attended last year's Oyster Cookoff at The Hangout ,but the milder temperatures this year made it more enjoyable.

We knew the "lay of the land" which was about the same as it was last year outside The Hangout in the Beer Garden with teams set up in booths cooking oysters to vie for honors with judges. When we arrived, we found some friends at about the same table in the garden. An event for entertaining all ages, it was a good chance to "people watch."

The three categories for the competition were: Oyster Rockefeller, Cajun Oysters, and Chief's Choice Raw. I had a couple of the first two categories but left before the final competition began. Recorded music was played until around 1:45 when The Rantmakers, a band from Nashville, Tennessee, began performing live on the stage. They were very good. I had hoped to show you a video of one of their songs, but I did not punch the right buttons on my camera. I did manage to get a photo of one of the band member's bare feet, which was sort of like Jimmy Buffett's concerts. I love anything that laidback and could not resist including such a photo.

Check out our photos on Flickr at:

Fourth Annual Oyster Cookoff at The Hangout

National Aviation Museum

WHEN? Wednesday · November 2

WHERE? Pensacola, Florida ·

WHY? Practice by Blue Angels

Ever since we've been living in Lower Alabama, we've been meaning to visit the Aviation Museum in Pensacola again. Today we combined that with also seeing the Blue Angels practice behind the museum.

We can now tell you that this was just as enjoyable as the air shows put on annually at the Pensacola Beach without all the traffic congestion. We will tell you that the air shows at the beach include other air planes as well as the Blue Angels. In that respect, they are special. We are considering going to an actual air show at the museum later this year to see how that is from the standpoint of the close visibility.

It is just about impossible to take photos of the Blue Angels because by the time one hears them they are already gone because of their speed. That is why we started taking videos instead. Even those are the typical amateur non-award-winning variety, but they do prove we were there :)


National Aviation Museum and Blue Angels Practice.

40th Annual Shrimp Festival

WHEN? Thursday - Sunday · October 13-16

WHERE? Gulf Shores, Alabama · find us on the map

WHY? 40th Annual National Shrimp Festival

This blog post must begin with our disappointment in this year's festival. It has to do with economics. We are retired and on a fixed income. With the price of everything going up, we will probably not attend anymore Shrimp Festivals.

It sounds good that there is no admission to the event, but the best way to attend is to catch a shuttle, so we parked in Bruno's parking lot in Gulf Shores. Then, our first surprise came. The price was $2 a person; last year it was $1 a person.

We had specifically arrived near lunch time to seek out the same meal we had eaten last year. We did not really find it, but one booth had what they called a Paella Dinner for $15 (for one person). Last year a similar meal that was better than this one was $8. We shared the one meal while listening to J.B. Melody on the East Stage.

Anything we saw to possibly purchase had higher prices. One jewelry booth told me they were paying more for what they were selling. So that is what it is about -- inflationary prices across the board.

To see the few photos we took, visit 40th Shrimp Festival of 2009 on Flickr.

As we write this, three more days are left to attend this annual festival in Gulf Shores.