To Florida and Back

Yesterday was a day of water. The Atlantic and Mobile Bay, to be precise. With a box full of snacks and plans to stop at the famous Flora Bama spot that straddles the state lines, we were away.

Driving past Flora Bama (gotta go to come back)

A brief beach stop in Florida! Sea oats.

We never saw sandpipers, but they had been there

Time for lunch. We headed back to the (in)famous Flora Bama. It was almost empty so we started wandering around. It is a very rambling building, having been added on to over the years.

Bra-o-rama

No one here to fill up all those beer can recycling bins

If there was a band, this is where they'd have been

At first we thought the graffiti was sort of fun. Then we started reading it. It was enough for Jane and me to not use the bathroom...it was too late for Robin. We'd disinfect her later.

There was a beautiful old tree with the sun setting over the water. We stopped and waited while a couple finished photographing the same thing. They offered to take a photo of the three of us. I'm not sure why I am slightly defying gravity.

Another beach stop in the little burg of Foley.

I don't know what's going on with this woman, and I didn't ask either.

 Time to head back home. There were a couple more places Jane wanted to stop.

I love this sign. If we could figure this out on Culebra we could avoid the whole ferry thing.

A whimsical clock tower.

We'd stopped here yesterday but really just missed the sunset. Colder and cloudless, we'd try again.

The bay is full of these purple martin houses for mosquito control

Yesterday was D-Day, in case you forgot. 

Seagulls in the light stream

I don't know who went out in the water to put the snowman there, but he was certainly interested in everything going on.

Jane said there was one more place to check out before heading home. The 165 year old Grand Marriott hotel is on the bay, with some beautiful grounds and a pier. But if you keep walking, there is a sidewalk that goes behind (or in front, depending on your point of view) some wonderful old, old homes. One side is the home side, the other is the boat house side, so the sidewalk basically goes through their backyards. No one was out there but us. It was amazing.

Grounds of the Marriott

Boat houses down the bay

It's hard to capture the massive size of these oaks but massive they were. 

The wires are actually inserted into various limbs to hold them strong.

This boat house was too enticing. We had to go out there. We did.

There was a wet bar and a fish cleaning station. There was a loft (we didn't go up there). It was the perfect boat house. 

This old picket fence was in front of a lot that was for sale, not the home you can see in the photo

Just in case you want to buy it.

My chair was already there, how could I resist?

I'm supposed to say this is Robin's house. "This is Robin's house."

We turned back, into the longest sunset I've seen in quite awhile.

Great weather vane

In front of the Marriott. As we left, I called out to the guy who greeted guests, 'Have an excellent night!' He called back, 'And you too, my lady.' Jane says - 'It's the South, MJ.' Indeed it is.

One of Jane's chickens (ironically, she has Black Stars, the same kind I had), just jumped up next to me. It must be time to do something farmeretta-ish.

Have a multifaceted Monday. Do something mesmerizing.