A DAY AT THE ISLAND BEACH

Caleb and family brought us to another island-

this one they call Shark Tooth Island! 

It was much smaller than the other island we explored 

but there were cedar trees in the center of the island 

and a lot of trees have become beach wood where trees have fallen as the beach has eroded.

Eli chipped away at some of the branches and the cedar smell was released--such a good smell!

There was a good variety of shells and shark's teeth!

Bill found his very first shark's tooth!!! 

Cassandra found a prehistoric horse tooth fossil and that was very exciting!  (a museum quality tooth btw at 2 1/2" x 1 1/2") 

But Eli found the fossil of the lifetime--an Allosaurus claw!!!  It was amazing to think of the journey this piece of history has taken!  There is a local museum where Cassandra and Eli will take their finds for authentication!

And another family first happened---Ella has officially passed me by in height and in the four months since I last saw her!!!!  (She is hoping to be as tall as her Aunt Marsel who is 6' !)

 

A CHRISTMAS TRIP

We left very early on Friday morning to head up to Fernandina beach to meet at our son's for a Christmas gathering!  The guys did a lot of fishing on Friday while my daughter-in-law, Cassandra, and I did a lot of food prep not only for dinner

but for the feasting on Saturday that would be our Christmas!

We also celebrated two more birthdays!

And a good time was had by all!

The drive home was pretty smooth--the sunset was breath-taking!  This is over the St Johns River at Doctor's Inlet.

 

A BAPTISM IN FERNANDINA BEACH

My progres on the sock knitting during the drive today;  I am making a pair of very large men's socks!

Here is my youngest son's family-his daughter was baptized yesterday!

Here is all of the family-parents, grandparents, siblings , aunts and uncles who suppported her!

After church we went to the DownUnder Restaurant for a big lunch!  The kids liked throwing rocks at the water!

After our goodbyes, Bill and I went for a quick visit to the beach to see the ocean-on the boardwalk,

 we looked over at a gopher tortoise!

My first sight of the ocean in way too many months!!!  

It is such a beautiful, restful view!

I'll leave you with your own few seconds of ocean...

 

A MISTY VISIT

When we first arrived at our Fernandino Beach family, we had lunch and then took a walk at a nearby park that borders the Intercoastal waterway.

It was beautiful despite the brisk temperatures 

and very drilling wind!

The kids briefly enjoyed the playground--I enjoyed the paved walkway (much easier for me to walk along!)

and then on the other side of the playground, 

I discovered a Little Library!  It was all kid's books 

but I found one to read to the kids at bedtime!

A small berry but not so striking without the snowy backdrop!

I enjoyed spotting this majestic Hickory tree;  our farm in NY had so many of these in the back woods!

There were these Laurel Oaks infested with a bug that results in the large growths on the sides of the tree. 

 Not quite a burl but similar.

Unfortunately, this is the end result of the bug infestation!

A very large tree that is quite dead.

I was interested in how they might turn on the lathe! lol

The kids ran circles around us but we had a wonderful time.

Yes, rough-housing with Grandpa is part of the package!

 

WEEKEND RECAP!

Saturday we headed toward Fernandina Beach early in the morning and ran into a T-storm but went over the river....

and through the woods....

to a beautiful resort

right next to the beach dunes.

Here is the whole family for a Father's Day gathering;  Cassandra's parents, Caleb and Matthew and grands!

After eating we all headed over the boardwalk to the beach.

Now, I will share a bucket list activity of mine-to stand on a surf board in the ocean.  (I left the surfing part out long ago!)  Caleb helped me get to this position...

but my inner balance is greatly impaired and I did this several times before..

I managed a victory pose!  I smiled all day!

 

A PERFECT DAY!

We began our day yesterday with a Christmas time! 

 So nice to spend time together!

Late morning, we went to a great ice cream store

 and everyone picked their favorite flavor; 

 I had a Dole Whip (no milk) and it was fantastic!

Onto the boardwalk from the parking area to the beach! 

 It was the longest walk I enjoyed all week!

Within minutes we saw this group head by--Ella, who is enamored of all things 'horse' was mesmerized!

Caleb and Cassandra enjoyed some down time, too.

The pleasure of playing with seagulls never fails to please.

Ella had quite a following-in air and on the ground!

Eli was happy to build a wall 

and dig trenches for the waves to destroy!

After a delicious beef stew when back to their home, we did a bit of target practice--but this is not a gun; 

 it is a CO2 powered AirJavelin!

  It shoots arrows! 

 No kickback and it was so much fun! 

 I was pleased to see I could hit

 right where I called out each time!  

Goodbyes are always tough 

but we had a beautiful sunset all the way home!