Sunday, May 26, 2013

Port "A"

One of my favorite ends to a vacation, day trips, and even everyday random pics is downloading the pics off of my device and reliving the memories via my pictures. I confess, sometimes I am so lost in capturing the moment that I miss the "moment". When I download them off my device and sneak that private peek into my memories I feel like I am living that moment in real time.

Once again our bi-yearly trip to Port Aransas Texas was successful. This year the Island Hotel where we stay in Port A had a special going on so I splurged and got us a suite instead of  our usual simple 2- bed room. I was glad I did. With Toby's new dietary issues it allowed us to prepare meals in our room instead of hunting around a little beach town for gluten-free options. It also gave us a lot more room to "spread out"....and our own personal rooms and balcony which was nice too.

The ocean was a little more infested with seaweed than what I would venture farther than a few feet into...



After attempting to face my fears on the boogie board of what unidentified sea creatures might be lurking in all that seaweed....and failing miserably at it..... I decided to take a walk along the beach taking random photos. After a while I bored of taking pictures of the ocean so I turned the camera on myself. What a sight eh????



I also spotted this lone camper on the beach and loved the simplicity of it. If I didn't have a child still living with me I could easily see myself living like this. No high maintenance gal here.....


At least the seaweed didn't seem to bother either one of these two fish.....



We checked out Winton's Island Candy store and stocked up on treats.......


The jetties at IB Magee Beach Park.....





Watching the dolphins swim in the ship channel from the observation tower at Roberts Point Park....


The Island Ferries
The Observation Tower

The Texas Marine Science Institute was an interesting place well worth the visit....







The seaweed was even worse the next day. It was so bad that Skye said her legs were getting tangled in it so she opted for a walk along the beach with me and playing in the sand while Toby battled the seaweed.....






Another thing I love about the Island Hotel is there is a beach neighborhood with sidewalks right next door where I can easily take Bo for his morning and evening walks. I love walking the neighborhood and looking at all the pretty colored houses mentally taking notes of landscape designs that I could apply to my own home.....


You can also cut through the local cemetery into the neighborhood.....


Right across the street is also the The Port Aransas Nature Preserve. The boardwalk/path connects a few miles of different observation towers around the island. The preserve is not pet friendly and Skye balked at the idea of having to walk more than a few feet for nothing but viewing wildlife so her and Bo stayed behind in the hotel.

Bo guarding the balcony....


I was secretly glad Toby and I got to take some time out just the two of us.

We only walked a couple of miles of the boardwalk before the sun started to set. While sitting out on the balcony the night before I had heard coyotes and I certainly didn't want to get stuck out there in the dark in their "territory".....





Also right across the street from the hotel was Sharkey's Beach Club. Every night we sat on the balcony watching the people come in and out of the club contemplating what it was like on the inside. Toby suggested we walk over there and have a drink on our last night there.  The inside of the club was more impressive and a lot larger than I imagined it to be from the outside. We stayed long enough to have a drink and shoot a game of pool. It was fun.

Usually I'm ready to get home after a few days at the beach but this time I was oddly sad to be leaving.  I told Toby if I were ever to run away from home Port A is where he can find me. There is nothing at all fancy about Port A but I like the simplicity and small town feel of the island.

On the way home we stopped by Goliad State Park. We didn't stay long enough to see everything the park had to offer but we did walk the nature trail and check out the museum....









Wonderful memories were made to look back on. ♥♥♥


Sunday, May 19, 2013

It's Easier Fly

I would say there hasn't been much going on lately, but in essence there has been more going on than I can wrap my thoughts (and fears) around. I hate being vague...matter of fact I abhor when people are vague (attention seeking) but at this moment I'm still trying to digest it all myself.

I will say change is on the way for our tiny threesome family once again. Whether that change is is going to be positive or negative is left to nothing but chance. Life is a journey. Once again,  we are putting it out there and seeing what happens. If it doesn't go as we planned then we will quickly find the lesson, regroup, and move forward. That's all I can say right now.....

In other news, while working in the yard I spotted this Texas Spiny Lizard on the fence. There has been an abundance of these lizards in our yard this year.....


The mutt. I love this damn dog. This is how he sleeps. He also loves for me to groom him with the vacuum cleaner nozzle and massage his arms. I would have never known that I could love a monster like him as much as I do....


Mother's Day I was searching for a picture of my mother and I. I never found one but I did find my old elementary school diary. Not sure where all the scribble came from.....


My only other siblings...my two brothers Buddy and David always had a love/hate relationship. How did I get sucked into this one?....


My message to my brother Buddy....


Pretty dead bird outside of a local shopping center. No, 'round these parts nobody looked at me strange that I was taking a picture of a dead bird....


Bo again. The only man that expects me to get my ass up and run every morning. He's the reason I am not fat, sick, and nearly dead. Thank you Bo....


Skye. Her daddy's eyes and her mommy's personality.....


Vacation in two days. I need it.....