Savaaaaaaannah, GA

One of Savannah's lovely, history squares and parks.  The fountain pictured here in Forsyth Park was ordered from a catalog in 1858.    I don't think it was Amazon.

We are in lovely Savannah, rich in history, beauty and humidity.  We took a trolley tour (aka bus that is disguised as a trolley) around the city, twice.  The second round was because we needed, not wanted, ice cream from a famous shop, Leopold's.  It was worth it to hear the city history twice just to get my lemon custard and orange blossom ice cream.

The homes around Savannah's square were exquisite even though many of them have been made into businesses.

We walked down by the Savannah Riverfront where there is a statue named "The Waving Girl".  The story goes that she would go down to the river each day and each night, with her beloved collies, waiting for a sailor she had fallen in love with.  He never returned.  She did this for 44 years until her death.
She needed to get a hobby…..

Paul and George's favorite place on the river.

Jekyll Island GA

We planned to meet friends, George and Laurie Owens at Jekyll Island.  We met them at an invaluable seminar, RV Dreams, about how to live full time in an RV. They have been full-time for awhile and we just clicked.   It was good to meet up with them.
(Laurie took many of these photos because I was too  lazy to carry the good camera and she is a great photographer!  Laurie, I owe you a mint julep!)

Driftwood Beach

George being a taskmaster

Bridge over the Brunswick River

One of three flat tires in 24 hours.  Thank goodness Paul knows how to fix them.  

A suspicious looking group of tourists.

Historic building, one of many, on Jekyll.

So beautiful 

Horton tabby House.  Tabby is a mixture of sea shells, lime and sand used for building in the 1700's.  The wall were over a foot thick.  I wonder what the R value was?

Happy us!

Great people!  Laurie and George Owens.  Laurie has a blog, "Owens on the Road" and she is a much better blogger  (and photographer) than I am.  

Tourists

Fishing pier

Handsome guys Laurie and I picked up

Miles and miles of bike trails.

One of many views of the savannas near Jekyll

Yum!  Shrimp salad for me...

Latitude's restaurant 

Such an interesting place.  I would love for the grand kids to see this place.  All types of turtles rescued with injuries anywhere from shark bites, to fishing line entanglement, to car running over the carapace.

We could watch surgery on the turtles.  I haven't been retired long enough to forget Tegaderm and Hemovacs!  Yes, they use them on turtles!

Flat number two

WHAT!!!!  No kissing!

Dixie, aka Reba, the horse (inside joke)

Interdenominational church built in early 1900 by J.P. Morgan.

Lunch at the club.  Cheeseburger and Plantation Punch.  I could feel the punch on the 7 mile ride home!

A bunch of tourists

Ginormous snapdragons!

Brunswick GA was a major ship building port during WWII

An old boat, but still in service.  I love the sea side!

Next stop, Savannah GA and meeting up with Laurie and George again.  Till next time, my friends.

Gaffney South Carolina

Paul signed us both up for Freightliner Chassis Training Classes.  I about croaked when I heard that he signed me up too.  My reasons for almost croaking were -

   1.  I don't know what a chassis is.
   2.  I don't care what a chassis is.
   3.  There were outlet malls within 3 miles of the Freightliner place.
   4.  I didn't know what to wear to chassis school.

I bucked up and went to school and I liked it!  (I wore cute little capris and a darling Buckle shirt on the first day.  On the second day I didn't care what I wore, after understanding Freighliner dress code.  Say….. Carhart)  
 I didn't understand some of the course content but I learned what is could nag Paul about.  Like, "when was the last time you checked the DEF tank level?"  "Paul, I believe the TAG tire on the passenger side needs air because it is below 90 pounds per square inch." "Paul, when was the last time you checked the water/fuel separator?"  Paul, when was the last time we did a regeneration on the DPF (diesel particulate filter?"  He has regretted signing me up for the course.  

When we were done with chassis school, we had a few days to explore before heading to Jekyll Island.  We went to Cowpens Battlefield Historic Park.  It was interesting to read about this Revolutionary Battle that was key to winning the war.  We were allowed to take the doggies on the battlefield loop and it was a lovely, somber walk.  Over 200 British soldiers and 22 colonial and militia soldiers lost their lives under Captain Daniel Morgan on the US side.  (Isn't Captain Morgan rum?)
This country is so rich on history!

Cowpens, named after the field where cows were taken to graze before the war.  

Yes, thats a giant peach in the background.  We are in the south, ya know.

Anchor Down Resort

We had heard of a beautiful new RV resort not far from Sevierville, Anchor Down.  Off we went and the resort was absolutely breathtaking!  We had a view over Douglas Lake and as a backdrop, many of the Smoky Mountains.

Our "home" for a week.  

Our view.  We had just finished burning 6 months of papers that we normally would have shred, if we had a shredder.  It is much more fun to have a campfire and burn them.  

Running the doggies, with a spectacular view.

December thru mid April Where has the time gone?

I can't believe that the last post was mid December!  Lets catch up….
We traveled from Red Bay Alabama to Ginnys home south of Jacksonville.  It is so nice to catch up with the Gar-Murphy family!  We have had few Christmas mornings with them and that was a treat.  Sophie loves to work the "Big Dog"  Keurig that they have so she fixed coffee for us all and there were sweet rolls for a breakfast.  Ginny is such a great cook that I think we gained weight while there.
We had a blast visiting St Augustine and taking the Christmas train.  I learned a new Christmas song that will now be Christmas tradition…."Dominic the Italian Donkey Christmas song".  I learned that Ginny and I do terrific Donkey hee haw sounds from the back of the Christmas train!

Ginny and me

Alex and Devil Dog Willow

Ana and Sophie

Gar-Muphy Family

I have never taken a photo of Joe where he isn't acting goofy!
We were on top of the very windy St Augustine lighthouse.

The view

Downtown St Augustine

Bowling…Alex won by a landslide!

Ganst'a Granpop

After leaving Jacksonville, we left for a resort in the Cape Canaveral area,Tthe Great Outdoors (TGO).  Last year we met some peeps there who became good friends.  We really, really enjoy the company of Sandy and Jerry, Linda and Ron.  It is so good to laugh like kids again, and having fun time with great people!

I have gotten really lazy taking photos and only carry my phone to do so.  Phone x photos = not so good pics!

Fun with Friends from TGO

After TGO, we went to the Homasassa area to see Pauls sister and two of his nieces and family.  We had a great time visiting them.  I so enjoyed niece Paula's boys.  Evan is cute as a button and Michael is a kind and brilliant young man.  We will swing by there next year and get an airboat ride in!

Pauls sister, nieces and GREAT nephews.

River boat for sale.  Paul wanted to buy this beauty……
over my dead body.

We saw so many manatees.  Paul actually accidentally ran over one (with kayak, not car!) and I hit one with my paddle.  No harm done though.

Having lunch on the river.

Down to south Tampa we went,  to see our beloved Kathy B and Bob, Susan (Kathys sister) plus some friends we met there last visit.  We stayed at a quaint RV park with the nicest people!  Although the RVs were close together, it didn't matter because the park karma was fantastic!

We have so much fun with Bob and Kathy.  I went to Memoirs Club that Kathy leads, to experience the writings of the club members.  Such talent!  Being there with so many writers of obvious talent was humbling.  I wish they could write this blog for me!

One day, Paul helped Bob with the contruction of a den box for a grizzly bear at Elmira's Wildlife Sanctuary.  Bob puts in many, many hours at the sanctuary making sure the cages are up to snuff and that the animals have what they need.  The sanctuary is a lovely place supported by donations and volunteers only.  Way to go Bob!

We went to a glass art show with stunning pieces made by the club members.  susan is one of the instructors at the club.  Again, what talent!

Paul had his 69th Birthday while in Tampa so a group of us went out to dinner then to Bunker Hill Winery for an orb tour .  Many people ( including me being open to the idea) believe that orbs are spirit energies that can be seen.  We saw many and it is believed that on the property there was a battle fought as well as indiana inhabitants…..could this be the spirits of the past?  The people that bought the winery did not know of the orbs or apparent spirit energies but became convinced after awhile that the land was a special place with special energies.  We saw something turn cheap flashlights off and on without human intervention and I experienced weird stuff happening to my camera that I can't explain.  It was a wonderful evening, mysteries and all!

Thank you Kath, Deb and Bob for more great memories.  We love you bunches!

Bob and Stanley the Grizzly

Orbs

Orbs

Paul and friend at Bunker Hill

Birthday Boy and Deb to the left.

From Tampa, we went back to TGO for a month, enjoying the beautiful weather and the wildlife of the area.

We are not sure how this Rv is moving with all the stuff on board.  They were going 45 in a 70mph zone.  Can't imagine what the inside looks like.

My Valentine orchid from Paul.

At TGO we were on water and the gators would swim by.  This one was about 8 feet long.

These palm nut blossoms were beautiful until you saw what they did to the motorhome.  Yellow pollen everywhere.

Florida has the neatest cloud formations.

This was at a mall.  Paul asked her for a date but she didn't reply.

Our friends put orange cones on everything when we got ready to leave TGO.  They will NEVER let Paul forget that he put a minor scape on the coach.!  Thats alright, payback is sweet!

We signed up for a seminar/rally in Sevierville, TN so we slowly drove toward the Smokies.  It was a beautiful drive with ice still on the small rock waterfalls yet daffodils and red bud trees in bloom.  Our site in Sevierville was right on the Pigeon River and the coach was under a huge pear tree in full bloom.  Beautiful but we had petals on the coach three weeks later!  As we pulled away from the campground, we left a trail of white things blowing off behind us.

While in Sevierville the Mattox clan stopped by for a visit.  It was soooo good to see them again and get hugs and kisses.  We spent time in Gatlinberg together and went to BassPro nearby.  We had a great time, although I was a little under the weather.

Campground pear trees

Pear tree blossoms

Olivia at BassPro

Sara, Olivia, Sam

Sara and moose 

This vehicle pulled up next to us at a stoplight in Sevierville. 

While in the smokies we went to a historic valley called Cades Cove.  A stunning place to visit.  Then on to a beautiful new campground we heard of, Anchor Down.

Walking toward an historic log cabin in Cades Cove.

Cades Cove Baptist Church

A historic guy I met.