Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

We have lake side property

Saturday March 29, 2014
St George Island State Park
Eastpoint, FLorida

 

 

We are side lined by the rain.

 

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The rains started Thursday, the night of the party, after we got home.  It rained all Thursday night and then all of Friday  and into Friday night. Friday the rains were at times torrential or at least that’s how it sounded on the roof and looked out the window.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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It’s a wrap!

 

David worked on the camera problem for 3 days and finally threw in the towel.  A very unusual thing for him to do but it just didn’t seem to be worth the time it was taking.  I’ve ordered a new camera to be delivered on Monday so until then, pictures are few and far between. 

 

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After over 24 hours the rain finally stops for good and the sun actually comes out.

 

 

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On Saturday the rain finally stopped about 1:00 so we ventured out to find that we now have lake front property.  Well  lake side actually.   Not sure you can see the water over the mats and under the kayaks.  The trees are reflecting in the water.  It’s about 4” or so deep.  My kayak can float but David’s is upside down.  Luckily the water did not come clear up to the door.  The duckies come out for a turn around the pond.

 

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Duckies swim, we go for a walk to see where else all this rain went.

 

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While they are swimming, we walk down to the beach to see how things are after the storm.  On the way we stop by the ponds and see this guy in one of the far off trees on the other side.  I think he’s a cattle egret – Page? Eric?  Judy?  I love his light caramel coloring.   No cattle around here and he seems to be alone.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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There is also a couple of Pied Billed Grebes and one female bufflehead on the pond.  Everybody looks pretty happy with all this water.  It really is wonderful having the pond habitat, the gulf beach habitat and the wetlands habitat all right here within walking distance.

 

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If wishes were horses then………….

All day Friday was pretty heavy wind and rain.  I wish I had gotten off my duff and put on my rain gear to go out and see the storm at its height over the gulf.  I used to do this all the time when I lived a block from the water in Virginia Beach. 

 

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The waves are stronger than usual and so is the wind but the sun is brightly shining and folks are out.  The red flags are flying warning people to stay out of the water but the kids are playing in the shallows.  So we head down the beach toward the farthest tip knowing we will be walking into the wind on our return.

 

 

 

 

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What a day this is, so fresh and clean, crisp and clear.

 

 

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It’s a beautiful blue sky puffy cloud day.  The dunes look gorgeous against the sky.

All along the beach there are sections roped off with signs asking that you not go beyond them due to the nesting birds.  These are put up when a nesting site is documented.  I love this and appreciate the parks for their efforts at giving other creatures a chance at a normal life.

 

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David turns back before I do. 

 

He gives me his camera but I simply cannot see in these LCD only screens so most of my pictures do not turn out and get tossed.

 

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I walk about another half an hour after he leaves and I can clearly see the end of the island when I stop to turn around and check the power of the wind at my back. 

It’s been a very pleasant walk down the beach and very different without a camera I can use easily.  There were one or two things, especially an unusual bird that I wish I could have gotten a picture of since I couldn’t identify it by memory once I got back.   But the picture I took sure that I was pointing right at the posing bird showed no bird at all when I got it back to my laptop.  Very frustrating.  I don’t know how you guys with LCD only cameras do it.

Anyway, now when I turn around I realize the wind is much stronger than I thought.   15-18 mph is my guess.   So even though I really really really wanted to see the water crossing along the front edge of the island, and it isn’t that far away, clearly visible; I think better of adding any more distance to what I have to walk back.   And I’m very glad I did.   I was leaning into the wind to make my way. 

 

 

The winds convince me to change my course at the very end.

 

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I walk off the beach at the public beach area perhaps 1/8 mile before the campground road to get out the strongest forces of the wind and walk up the road. 

On both sides of the road are lakes in front of and behind the dunes.  I wonder how long it will take the sands to absorb this water.

The entire walk was 6.75 miles so I did over 3 walking into the wind.  I am tired when I get back but it was wonderful to be out on such a lovely day at this fabulous natural beach.

 

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Thanks to Carrie for a GREAT play by play these last few days.

Saturday evening Carrie and I do a partial chat/play by play of the game between my original hometown basketball team, the Dayton Flyers and the Florida State Gators from nearby Gainesville.   Here on the island we can pick up all the networks from Tallahassee but one.  And of course that’s the one carrying the game.   I probably should have gone to a local sports bar and been the only one in the entire state cheering for Dayton.  The Flyers are the only Cinderella team left in the Elite Eight and at a #11 ranking they have made an amazing run.   They do a pretty good show fighting all the way to the end but the final score is 52/62 Florida. 

I had no idea that two times I root for would be in the NCAA or I would have made sure my late March was in a more TV accessible area. But who can know that 11 months in advance which is when you have to make reservations if you want to be in Florida in the winter.

Many thanks to my basketball loving and playing daughter for her great written play by play of the Dayton and UVa Games for her mother without TV. 

24 comments:

  1. The Coolpix I bought two years ago to take hiking (that I no longer use) had the hated LCD screen, and you are right you can't see a darn thing in it. The amount of water on your site is amazing. We got the storms down here on Saturday, black as night out and a tornado warning posted. Wasn't too bad though thank goodness. Can't wait to see what camera you picked!

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  2. Ahhhh, suspense is in the air. Which camera did Sherry choose. Was it behind door one? Or was it behind door two? Wait! there's third door.....oh my, will we ever find out which one is the winner????

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  3. I can't believe David couldn't fix the camera. That has to be the first thing EVER that he couldn't fix! :-)

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  4. From your title I thought you moved to a site with a view of a lake, not that the lake came to you!
    Too bad most electronic gadgets are disposable these days. I'm also curious as to which camera you chose.

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  5. I give David a big "A" for trying and giving it 3 days, about 2-1/2 days longer than I would have. I would never be able to do without an optical viewfinder. I just wish I had the patience to learn how to use a DSLR, but point and shoot has always worked for me, at least basically.

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  6. Cattle egret I believe ... in breeding plumage.

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  7. Got a good laugh at the duckies out for a swim..... I can hear them now.... Free at last....Free at last.....God almighty, I'm free at last!!

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  8. Beautiful photos, Sherry.

    Did you get sandblasted by the wind at the end of your walk?

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  9. We had a similar heavy rain when we were there and I just couldn't believe how flooded the campground was!!! Just glad you only wound up with the pond and nothing more. I'm with you on the LCD screen...give me a viewfinder;o)) You must have really done a job on the camera if David can't fix it:o))

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  10. Yes, Cattle Egret. Go to the head of the class, Sherry. Pooh didn't get to float with his duck buddies?

    We were car camping at an Airstream rally this weekend. (Don't have ours yet.) It was quite a deluge Friday night. I hope rain won't sound as loud in our someday trailer as it did pounding the roof of our old Volvo wagon. Luckily for us, most of the rain soaked into the ground so that we did not float away.

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  11. We got a ton of rain too. I am hoping Lazy Days left the breeze outside to wash off the dust.

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  12. I hope whatever camera you ended up buying fits the bill perfectly. I really like my Nikon D3000. I find I have some sort of something on the lens, or inside the camera. It's on all my pictures, but I can't see where it's coming from :-( I'll need to take it to a camera shop for a thorough cleaning someday.

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  13. We got the same rain as we traveled on Friday but finally got north of it by the time we got to Decatur AL. Sorry David couldn't get your camera fixed, hope your new one gets there soon.

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  14. I always love reflection photos but they aren't suppose to be in a pond by your door!

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  15. David had lots more patience than I have. I would have brought a hammer out much sooner.

    Nice to see your duckies making good use of your "lake". How do you keep them from swimming off on you?

    Good call on staying out of that sports bar during the game, you certainly would have taken your life in your hands if you went there! :cD

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  16. I love a good invigorating wind but 3 miles into a strong one - whew! Perhaps Carrie should look into commentator work during the season :-). Glad you made it through the storm okay and as usual had a wonderful experience in the aftermath.

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  17. I'm really surprised David couldn't fix the camera. I was sure he would. I'm anxious to see which camera you ordered too. I hope you will like it. I'm with you on the LCD viewfinder, especially when you have a strong zoom lens. You really need to be able to see and the viewfinder allows you to adjust it for your particular vision.

    I was glad Erin said that was an egret in breeding plumage. I've often seen them and wondered.

    Be careful walking in thunderstorms here in Florida....the lightning capitol of the world. Lots of people get struck and killed.

    Beautiful beach shots, but I'll bet the wind made it pretty chilly.

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  18. I like an invigorating walk in the wind too--but probably not three miles. It's funny now to think that some of our favorite times at the Oregon Coast were on stormy winter weekends. I think Florida winters have spoiled me.

    The lake outside your door would have been a challenge with our dogs although they would think it was great. Your duckies are much better suited for those conditions.

    Looking forward to hearing about your new camera. I have to have a viewfinder too.

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  19. I also have a small point and shoot. Bought it for those times when I didn't want to lug around the heavy big Canon. I've found I hardly ever use it because it doesn't have a viewfinder. :(

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  20. Well at least your rain stayed rain - ours turned to snow. Got close to an inch before it stopped. Today is nice though. I'll be playing golf - silly game but I love it.

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  21. Good for David for trying to bring your camera back to life. Most people wouldn't even try. What kind did you choose? Your game with Carrie sounds like fun. I'm someone who doesn't know a football from a baseball so the play by play would be lost on me. I got myself a pair of slip-on rain boots to go with my full body rain suit so I could let Lizzie and Jack do their favorite thing--play in the water. Now, Jack still enjoys it but when the two of them were young it was a sight to behold - they were in hogs heaven in south Georgia and northern Florida rains.

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  22. Well? me and my little ol iPhone camera do okay ... certainly not win any awards pictures but it's quick and easy and convenient and easy peasy...

    LOVE the duckies... HAHAaaa...out for a swim... y'kill me

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  23. Nice try, Dad! I like my camera...never seem to have an issue with the screen-maybe it's my young eyes - lol. That flooding. Wow! Lots of water and wind...you truly braved the elements!

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  24. Hahaha the duckies paddling around your "pond" -- hilarious!! So glad the rain finally stopped -- for a while there, we thought we were going to have to build an ark!

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