Happy New Year's Eve from Panama City

we've had a beautiful, warm week here in Panama City.  It's much more of a "beach community" than Pensacola was, and there are alot more people - but then it is a holiday week.  The Beaches here at St. Andrews are simply stunning

You know - there's always one family that feeds the seagulls!

The beach is littered with fragments of the largest sand dollars we have ever seen!  Would like to find an unbroken one!

We have views of the "bay" from our campsite, but the area around the Park is a beautifully preserved palmetto and pine sand dune with walking and biking trails all around.  

There is a small lake with an island in the center - filled with nesting Blue Heron, Great White Heron, Egrets, Ibis, etc.  It's hard to photograph.  

Last evening we stopped by on our way back from Sunset, and discovered the lake has another inhabitant:

Yes! it's real!

.

Sunsets are as spectacular as we had heard....

we have to say bye for now ..... it's time to head back to the beach for the last sunset of 2011 !  We hope that the New Year brings every happiness, health, and prosperity.  Best wishes & love

Anita & Fred

Our Christmas Tree

and, in case you were wondering - Yes, we do have a tree.  Happy Holidays to all.

Love, anita & fred

Christmas Eve & Christmas Day

Hope Santa was good to everyone!  Our present was a beautiful day spent at the beach yesterday:

Never knew the beaches were SO WHITE! I also expected to be able to see oil rigs in the distance, but not so.  We paid a visit to Fort Pickens on the Gulf Shores National Park.... amazingly unspoiled and isolated..... and beautiful.
And Fred got his official Lifetime Old Fart (senior citizen) Park Pass.

We're adjusting very well to life in under 300 square feet (I think it's actually more like 240 square feet, but who's counting???)

Sometimes it's very cluttered and cramped, but it's working, and far more comfortable than camping!!!

visiting Old Pensacola

It's very quiet here this time of the year.  There is a sizable population, but the volume of folks out and around seems surprisingly light.  Old Pensacola is a mix of Spanish & French architecture

But, the most important landmark was spotted as we were driving past Veterans' Park:

The night before Xmas Eve we drove over to Gulf Breeze to see the ZooLights display.  The Zoo is a very small community effort - actually an expanded petting Zoo, with the now popular light displays.  This zoo opens after dark for best viewing.  Really, it was more like a Christmas Haunted House!  Kids squealing in the dark, animals goosing you through the bars in the hope of a treat;  I walked into 2 gigantic turkeys perched on a railing, and barely avoided a blood curdling scream myself.  The event was mobbed, and the zoo made a ton of money - which may be required for therapy for the poor confused inhabitants

More to follow soon.  Love to all

Pensacola's Big Lagoon State Park

Merry Christmas - Happy Holidays to all.  The ham dinner is over, and we're settling down to a quite afternoon. (Yes, we can cook in our RV kitchen - it's all there, just lots smaller).
  It's a pleasant 58degrees, but the sky is overcast & rain is threatening.
We have more photos to share - it's our first visit to the Gulf States, and it's been a wonderful introduction.  First our campground (Big Lagoon State Park) is on the intercoastal waterway, not the Gulf itself, but it's a preserved jungle of palmettos, pines, live oaks and bayous:

everything is connected by very civilized boardwalks - a great idea, since I wouldn't want to bushwhack through this stuff

 We have a lovely big lagoon (hence the name of the park), with a beautiful white sand beach..... there's just one small problem:

and, yes, there is an alligator!  we saw him on our first night here, but not since

 The park beach is safe for swimming, but let's face it, 60degrees is lovely, but it's not swimming weather.

It is great for an early morning walk with a cup of coffee!

Christmas Eve

We're still in Pensacola - enjoying the warmer weather.  But tonight our thoughts are with all of you as your families prepare for the arrival of Santa..... So from our "home" to yours we wish you all the blessings of the season - and the very best for the New Year.

love, anita & fred

off to Pensacola

we're packed up, and head to Pensacola.... and will be spending Christmas there.

more details will follow!

FDR's Little White House, and Warm Springs

The Little White House was tiny! tiny furniture, tiny beds,  low ceilings, small pine paneled rooms.  Considering that both FDR and Eleanor were fairly large people I was amazed at the scale of everything.  Very rustic, but very charming.

the grounds were beautiful - and the walk of the States was interesting (a stone & flag from each state)

But the part I loved the most was the small collection of walking sticks that had been sent to FDR from all over the country and world.  This collection only contained 100+ canes

 I found this bulldog!!

heading to pine mountain & warm springs

our next stop was 2 nights at the FDR State Park near the warm springs georgia.  who knew that georgia had "mountains" !

 No angry birds at this campground, but we had some scary squirrels - one had chewed this den into a tree right next to the picnic table!  I guess it provided the best ringside seats.

farewell to georgia

We had 3 beautiful days in the Athens area.  One day we went into the town to hunt the famous Georgia Bulldogs.  Unfortunately our mission was less than successful.  Cute town, but no bulldogs - except for this sorry example

please note the pink & green flowers painted all over him.  Very sad

We were also  sorry to leave our angry Cardinal behind... but it was time to leave before he either did serious bodily harm to his feathered body or to our shiny chevy.  Our last morning we drank coffee to the sounds of his beating on our windshield.

for Barbara

And, one last post - for Barbara.....she'll know why!

angry birds

We're camping at Fort Yargo State Park outside of Athens.... on a lovely lake with a compound of Yurts that can be rented by the night.  They look really comfortable, and have terrific water views.  Our campsite is set back a bit - surrounded by tall pines.  Unfortunately our campsite comes with an angry Cardinal who seems to have serious issues with our truck - especially the mirrors, chrome bumpers, hitch, wipers, or anything shiny.  We now have plastic bags flapping from every projecting object.  He has left the upper portion of the truck alone for now, but is suspiciously hopping around under the truck.  I think he's searching for the fuel line.

arriving in Georgia

We arrived in Georgia on the 15th....and spotted this from the highway

I hope it's a peach.

Danny Tester's big birthday

The 10th was also Danny's 65th Birthday, and we managed to time our visit to share the day with all the Testers

I'm playing with this photo - and now can't find the original...

Jimmy, Jeanne, Amye, David, Joy (and Chuck was just out of this shot)