History and a very big yard/garden

We're settled in and enjoying our new situation. It involves the beautiful Orman House - built in 1838 - and the attached botanical gardens.  Some work in the house and a LOT of work in the gardens. Trimming, edging, weeding, mowing, etc. plenty to do. Monday we start scraping and painting 38 very tall lampposts. Sound like fun?

Our campsite. 

View from our campsite!  Water tower and city trucks. Esthetically ugly. However the Ospreys on top of the tower are really fun to watch. 

Chapman Botanical Gardens.  We take care of this area - and some cleaning in the house. Both are really, really big!

New adventure

Today is our last day on the island. Tomorrow we move to the Orman House in Apalachicola.  Sad and exciting.  I'll miss the sound of the Gulf and our awesome campsite. 

A few memories:

Old bridge makes a great fishing pier. 

Great blue herons on our ponds. One morning there were 9 birds spaced equal distances from one another. 

My backyard. 

Nice hike

Party in the parking lot. 

View of Dog Island from the eastern point of St George. 

East point

70 degrees and blue skies. 

What a beautiful island experience. 

I'll always remember Oyster Radio. 100.5 fm

In awe

Toured homes on St George island yesterday.   I am still in a stunned state of mind. Such opulence, comfort, beauty, etc.  The homes were all on the Gulf except for two which were on the bayside.  The pieces of art were varied and, I'm sure, valuable. The beds were so full of pillows at all the houses, how could one utilize all of them. I'd dump them on the floor and use my own soft little single pillow. All houses had wood floors.  A lot of them were rentals - $8500 per week in the high season. Some $6500 in low season. Half the island is the Plantation, a great, luxurious, first class plus gated community. Several areas were gated inside the gated community. Hank Williams Jr. as well as 2 other country western singers have homes there. Several other famous people rent homes.  The homes in the Plantation started at $1 million and up from there.   One owner was from New York and another was a contracted from Atlanta. I was disappointed that decorators went through the homes and made changes.   Some really looked like no one lived there.  Definitely magazine quality. 

Like I previously stated - I am awestruck!

Doggy tumor and Wakulla Springs

KT had a tumor - in fact, a toe - removed. While he was at the vet, we had a date day. Breakfast out and a visit to Wakulla State Park. We have free entrance to all state parks. We went on two consecutive boat rides. Our friend, Tiffany, took us on the second one.  We LOVED it. Zillions of birds, turtles, and alligators.  Beautiful clear water over the springs. Our lunch at the beautiful lodge was excellent. Perfect day. (I can't believe I didn't take a picture of the lodge). The spring under the lodge is 12 stories deep. Kind is aweinspiring. 

Picked up a groggy KT  and headed home. 

Minus a toe, but doing just fine.  Waiting for the biopsy, but I'm confident he is fine. 

Happy man

Sid got a great oyster fix at a raw bar at Indian Pass.  It was a rickety old building, very much "old Florida".   Bears forage in their trash containers. We didn't see any, but the trash was dragged all over.  You write your order on a piece of paper, then hand it to the cook. You get your own beverages and keep a tally on a sheet of paper at your table. When finished you take it to the cashier.  Never been in a place like that. 

Excited!

New job in March - Oman House in Apalachicola. It's a mansion and botanical garden.  George Oman was a cotton baron in the mid 1800's.   The house overlooked the river at one point, but now there are commercial fishing buildings and boats along the shore.  It is well restored with many of the original furnishings donated by family members.  We'll be working in the gardens and I'll also work inside the house working with visitors and whatever else needs doing.  It will be so dang cool.  Nice campsite and access to a washer and drier.  One of the important aspects of camping. 

St George Island uses an abandoned bridge to the mainland as a fishing pier. 

Oyster Cookoff

Great time in Apalachicola at the oyster fest. I had a hot dog.  Said had fried clams. It was fun. Families and dogs and kids and old and young.  Very happy relaxed atmosphere. Sat with some boaters who did the Indiana Ohio River part of the loop.  They used to sail - now power.  Sounds like so many people at MYC. 

Couple of big storms passed through.  Couple of tornadoes to the west and east of us.  Where in the heck do you go for shelter on an island where buildings are on stilts ready for hurricanes?  Our screen house was upside down, but still tethered to the 4/4 post. Surprised it didn't tear.  We had really big hail. The Airstream in the volunteer village received a couple of dents. Dang!