On the actual date of our golden wedding anniversary, in mid-May, we asked a neighbor
to take our photo in the backyard, before we dined out at P. F. Chang's and then did a bit of hiking.

Our children and grandchildren had long been planning a special celebration for us during early June.
We were told what time to be ready, that dinner would be served; and we were instructed
not to ask any questions!  (All of these photos were taken by our family and friends.)

We did our best to honor their request, and at the appointed time last weekend, friends picked us up
and drove us to a nearby city to a beautiful facility that we didn't even know existed!

During the afternoon, before we arrived, our family decorated the tables,
displayed my lace wedding dress, and got everything ready.

They set up a very pretty corner for photos.

~ cake and cupcakes ~
The cake featured wrens (my favorite bird) and ferns, which I love.

The tables and centerpieces were absolutely lovely!

Golden chargers waited to be topped by our dinner plates.  They knew I would really like
the gold-toned napkins with goldfinches ~ and that cashews and dark chocolate are favorites of ours.
Our daughters-in-law brought their pretty silverware from home ~ gorgeous place settings!

Each centerpiece consisted of three antique books topped with a candle and a nest with eggs.
The books were resting on pages from hymnals, with ferns tucked in here and there.
I collect antique books ~ and Thornton Burgess is my favorite children's author.
That particular stack of books was on our table.  Every detail was meaningful to us.

~ our grandsons ~
Burke, Brandon, Kurt, Jordan (in front)
The children took several family pictures before we arrived.

~ granddaughters ~
Madelyn, Bronté, Andrea, Valerie (in front)

~ Kurt & Madelyn ~

~ Mark & Angela ~

~ Lynn & Lynette ~

~ Ryan & Cheryl ~

~ Mark giving the grandchildren last-minute instructions ~

At the appointed time, we walked past this display of thousands of little crosses in the lobby.

Things were a bit of a "blur" to us about then ~
We walked in to applause from our grandchildren ~ so dear of them!
It is always fun when they rush to give us a hug ~ we never get tired of it ~

We were treated with special flowers.

Family signed the register before other guests arrived.

They asked us to pose for pictures ~ and more pictures.  They made us laugh a lot ~

~ with our children ~

~ with our grandchildren ~

~ our family ~
Family is a tremendous blessing from the Lord.

We greeted our guests ~ brothers, sisters, other relatives, a few friends.
We were delighted and surprised these special friends from California could join us;
we had not known they would still be in the area ~ so happy they could be there!

~ one of our favorite parts of the evening ~
All three of our sons gave speeches during the evening.  They made us laugh and they also
made our eyes leak a little ~ we were humbled by their expressed love and heartfelt appreciation.
Mark spoke of so many things they had learned from us when they were young ~ be encouraged, parents ~
many valuable life lessons you teach your children actually stick with them ~ and are passed on!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ryan then told of how we met, about our dating years, our wedding day and honeymoon to Mammoth Cave,
My Old Kentucky Home and Lincoln's boyhood home.  He talked about their dad's first cars,
our jobs through the years, our family trips and more of their childhood memories.

~ Bronté and Andrea waiting to serve the meal ~
Before dinner, we all sang a verse of "Blessed Be the Tie that Binds" ~ a song that was sung at our wedding,
in my parents' wedding and also in each of our children's weddings ~ very precious to us.
The best man from our wedding party offered grace for the meal.

Our grandchildren did all the serving of the catered meal.  The first course
included rolls and a delicious spinach salad with fruit, pecans and feta cheese.

Coffee, tea, lemonade and water were served by our granddaughters throughout the evening.

Cheerful birdsong was played through the sound system during our meal ~ almost like we were out in nature.
I loved it!

Many of the best bird and nature photos that I have taken through the years,
plus pictures of us in our younger years ~ baby pics, dating, graduation, wedding
and old family photos ~ all were playing in a slideshow on the wall all evening.
The children thought of everything, it seemed like.

Grandchildren then served the main course ~ stuffed chicken breasts,
redskin potatoes, corn and asparagus (my favorite vegetable).

Our dinner plates and napkins were removed, and our youngest grandsons brought us fresh napkins.
As Brandon laid mine down, he whispered, "Grandma, these napkins were my idea!" ~ so sweet ~

We were offered three choices from a dessert tray ~ chocolate or vanilla cake, or a mocha cupcake.
Each plate included a fruit kabob which held a strawberry, melon, kiwi, pineapple and a blueberry.
Everything was absolutely scrumptious!

~ listening to Lynn's speech ~
During dessert, Lynn introduced each guest and grandchild ~ he related how each has been involved
in our lives, shared special traits and talents of each person, and of course, made us laugh a lot.
We so appreciated every single guest sharing the evening with us ~ their presence perfected the night.
After dessert and Lynn's speech, our children and grandchildren surrounded us
and prayed a special blessing upon us ~ we shed a few more grateful tears ~

We posed for a few more pictures.

~ now and back then ~
My sister, Marg, was my maid of honor ~ Clayton's friend, Maurice, was best man.

In the meantime, some of our grandchildren folded mailers in the lobby ~ part of the facility's outreach.

After we left with friends who were spending the night with us,
it was time for a lot of cleanup and a little horsing around, looks like ~

~ Andrea and our gorgeous daughters-in-love ~ Lynette, Angela and Cheryl ~

The whole evening was amazing, beautiful, unforgettable ~ until we lose our memories, that is! 
Our family did an extraordinary job planning it all and surprising us with such a lovely event.
We cannot even come up with adequate words to thank them or to tell them how much we appreciate their thoughtfulness.
God was glorified throughout the evening and we praise Him for His grace and mercy and many blessings.
I could hardly sleep afterwards ~ I just wanted to smile all night with the wonderful memories.
It seems impossible that fifty years have passed since our wedding day ~ time has moved so swiftly.
May God continue to guide and guard us all through our remaining years ~ for without Him, we can do nothing.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
One of our sons quoted this verse in his speech that night:
"... a threefold cord is not quickly broken."
Ecclesiastes 4:12
tGbtG

Bronté graduated in mid-May ~ on a Friday evening.
Her cords were for National Honor Society and Music Achievement;
Bronté is a gifted flutist and we have greatly enjoyed her concerts over the years.

~ with her family before the ceremony ~

She had a good friend braid her hair in a lovely way
that would accommodate her commencement cap.

She decorated her mortarboard ~ very fitting saying for her ~ we love her laugh!

Immediate family celebrated with her at their home afterward.

~ sundae bar ~

The sundaes were quite delicious!

The next afternoon, a supper reception was held for her
and four of her friends who also graduated this year.

They served a taco bar, fruit kabobs, cupcake bar and five flavors of homemade ice cream.
Each graduate got to choose one of the ice cream flavors ~ she chose coffee mocha.

Andrea graduated at the beginning of June.
She was in National Honor Society and earned a Music Achievement medal;
Andrea performed in several choir groups during her school years;
we loved listening to her sing and enjoyed watching her perform in multiple plays.

~ with her parents ~

I adored her sky-high red shoes!

Her reception was held a week later.

Vanilla soft-serve was served at the ice cream bar.

~ Bronté and Andrea ~ 2018 graduates!
We dearly love these two young ladies ~ congratulations, girlies!
May God bless your future with His choicest blessings,
and may He guide and protect you through all your days.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"To every thing there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under the heaven."
Ecclesiastes 3:1
tGbtG
(5-6 of the pictures were taken by friends or other family)

Fifty years ago this afternoon, after a chilly, misty morning, we vowed, "I do!" to each other
on the front lawn of my parents' home, with shafts of sunshine streaming through the clouds.

 

~ anniversary flowers from my amazing husband ~
We are so thankful to the Father for blessing us with these many years together . . .

. . . faithful to guide us through both beautiful and stormy days . . .

. . . and we are especially grateful for His precious gifts of our children and grandchildren.
He is so very good ~ all the time!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him,
and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth;
and with my song will I praise Him."
Psalms 28:7
tGbtG

One recent Saturday morning, before we attended a family breakfast, we briefly stopped at Celery Bog,
to see if anything exciting was happening.  It was a gorgeous spring morning for a walk to the bog,
a favorite place of mine.  The sun had just risen; there was a soft breeze, birds were singing ~ perfect!

~ mute swans basking in the sunrise ~

I think I spot a little blue heron in the background?

~ blue-winged teals ~
The shady spots made for darkened photos, but it was still fun to spot these beauties.

We saw many American coots at the bog that morning.

Tree swallows were extremely excited and busy near the only spot we found mosquitoes.

Redbud trees were simply bursting with rosy magenta brilliance.

Clayton enjoyed watching the swans take off and land;
they made all kinds of noise and spent a lot of energy doing so ~

~ pair of mallards ~

~ hubby walking back towards the car ~ looking forward to breakfast ~
I wished we could have stayed longer ~ but that is the normal for me when we are birdwatching ~

~ Carolina wren ~
This lovely posed awhile for me one day last week ~ they usually do not sit still that long.

~ house wren ~
Just this morning, I was excited to see a house wren using my "Welcome Fwrens" wren house.
It is the first year I have hung it outside.  I think the pair has been busy with their nest-building;
notice the little sticks protruding from the eave of the house ~

Wrens are my very favorite birds ~ just loved those turned-up tails!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust . . ."
Psalms 143:8
tGbtG

Just a few more final photos from our stay on Jekyll Island.  We just loved that the beach
rarely has very many people on it ~ just vast reaches of sand, water and sky.

~ another sunset at The Wharf ~

On the way back from church on Sunday, we noticed many people walking way out into the ocean.
What in the world!?

We stopped to see what was going on ~ there was such a low tide, that the local sandbar had appeared.

So, we walked on the "bottom of the ocean" for a while, until we got a bit nervous about the returning tide.

There were signs warning to be aware, because the incoming tide comes in a rush sometimes.

It was so interesting to see ~ always something new to see at the ocean, it seems.

Back at the motel, one of the island cats was sunbathing beneath a car.

On Monday morning, the beach was fogged in ~ still beautiful, though.

We drove to the Visitor's Center to browse the gift shop.  I walked out to the wildlife viewing station
and was rewarded by seeing a faraway flock of American avocets ~ a first sighting for me.
There were also dunlins, willets, dowitchers, etc. in a flock in front of them.

We crossed the foot bridge at the pier and walked the north beach for awhile.

~ lighthouse on St. Simon's Island ~

~ restored boardwalk at Glory Beach on Jekyll Island ~
The hurricane demolished much of the original boardwalk at Glory Beach, near the south end.

This leaning palm tree was not there before the hurricane ~ so interesting.

~ sunset at the pier on our last evening on Jekyll for this time ~

On Tuesday morning, we finally managed to catch a sunrise at Driftwood Beach.

After finishing loading our car for the trip home, we stopped at the Jekyll Island Club beach access and walked
on the bike trail along the ocean for nearly an hour.  It was so beautiful that morning ~ waves crashing, gulls swooping,
a soft breeze.  It is always hard to leave ~ because who knows if we will ever get to return?

Like this sign from one of our motel vans says ~ it is a happy place for us.

As we drove across the bridge, one of the island's eagles was perched on a power pole.

Farewell ~ till next time!  It was fabulous!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
". . . farewell.  Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace;
and the God of love and peace shall be with you."
II Corinthians 13:11
tGbtG

Back to our winter trip:  On February 16, our island friends picked us up at 6:30 a.m.
We then rode to the town of St. Mary's and boarded the ferry for a 45-minute ride to Cumberland Island.

The original dock at St. Mary's was destroyed by the hurricane.

~ Robert and Jane aboard the ferry ~

~ debarking onto Cumberland Island ~
We had booked tickets for the 6-hour island tour in a 15-passenger van.
I had not done any research and I do not know what I expected exactly,
but it certainly was not the wild and woolly wilderness that we encountered!
The only vehicles on the island are four-wheelers, a few government vehicles or the tour vans.
There is not a single trash container available for tourists ~ everyone is to pack off any trash they have.
Nothing is sold to tourists on the island either ~ not even bottled water.

Seriously, if I had not known better, I would have thought we were in the wilds of Africa.
They told us the very narrow, deeply-rutted dirt road had not been improved for 300 years ~ I believe it!
Cumberland Island is about 18 miles long, with only one north-south road that is v.e.r.y bumpy!
The history of the island includes such names as James Oglethorpe, Nathanael Greene, Robert Stafford
and the Carnegie's on the list of founders, plantation owners and landowners of the past.

~ Stafford Plantation ~
This home was built by the Carnegie's for one of their children.
The original plantation home and buildings are no longer standing, except for several chimneys from the slave quarters.

Many wild horses freely roam Cumberland ~ they are left alone by all ~ visitors are warned to stay away from them.

After a long while, we saw a sign that said we were now entering wilderness ~ really?
I thought we were already in one!  It took us two hours to travel at 10 mph to the north end of the island.
It was quite a bouncy ride, to say the least.
The vegetation from the maritime forest literally brushed the sides of the van much of the time.

We crossed several tidal creeks ~ most were at low tide that day.

A pair of hooded mergansers swam in the shallow water.

At one outlook, we could clearly see Jekyll Island.

Sparkling white sand beaches encircle Cumberland Island.

We finally reached the isolated settlement at the north end.
Only one person lives there ~ Carolyn, who has lived on the island for 46 years and rarely leaves.
Nobody is allowed to encroach on her privacy, but if tourists
see her out and about, she often visits with them and allows photos.
We were fortunate to meet up with her at Plum Orchard, wearing her trademark pigtails;
she was gathering duckweed from the pond for baby ducks that were being raised by her chickens. 

I was absolutely stunned to learn that the very tiny African Baptist church at the settlement
is where John F. Kennedy Jr. and Caroline Bessette were married!
We were allowed to go inside and our guide told us all about the famous wedding.

The couple chose the extremely isolated location to escape the paparazzi.  And they were successful.
News reporters did not arrive until a day later, and were shocked when they learned the tiny church
they were seeking would take a very, very long hike through a wilderness filled with snakes, wild pigs and bobcats,
to name a few of the inhabitants.  A few lady reporters were even wearing high heels, the guide said;
it did not take long for all the reporters to re-board the ferry and leave the island.

Most of the guests did not even know they were attending a wedding ~ just thought they were going to a party.
We were told how it took so long for the guests to all arrive at the little church, that it was nearly dark
before the ceremony began ~ and since there was no electricity, and candles were not allowed because
of fire hazard, flashlights were used to illuminate the ceremony!  It is such a tiny, simple structure,
but the tale of the secret and illustrious wedding lends it a lot of romantic history.
Carolyn watched it all take place from her yard.

~ large live oak tree on the island ~

~ wood stork ~

Our next stop, on the way back, was at Plum Orchard ~ a Georgian Revival mansion built in 1898.
This home was built by Lucy Carnegie for her son, George, near the site of the original Plum Orchard tabby house ruins,
which is not open to the public.  I would encourage you to read the historical novel,
Plum Orchard, by June Hall McCash, to learn more about the plantation-era history of the island.
It is a fascinating story and I am currently enjoying the well-written book for the second time.
The mansion is hidden on the western edge of Cumberland, down another curving road, amidst the maritime forest.

We enjoyed a lengthy, informative tour of the huge mansion.

We enjoyed our lunch on this gorgeous, ornate porch at one end of Plum Orchard ~ with a soft breeze blowing;
some of our group ate beneath the moss-draped live oaks on the lawn ~ just lovely!

~ view from between two of the porch's pillars ~

~ inside the main entrance ~

~ beautiful Tiffany tortoise-shell lamp ~
The inside of this lamp looked like oyster shells ~ several Tiffany lamps grace the home.

Interesting period apparel filled spaces of the closet shelves.

We resumed our bumpy, bouncy tour back south.

The next stop was at the Greene-Miller Cemetery.

~ original grave of Robert E. Lee's father ~
His remains were later removed and reburied at Lexington with his son and family.
Two servants of the Carnegie family are buried outside the walls as they were not Greene-Miller relatives.

~ armadillo ~
I was pretty excited to see this fellow as I had never seen one before.  Many live on the island.
We also saw a bobcat far ahead of us on the road, but I was unable to get a photo.

Our last stop was at Dungeness ~ the ruins of a mansion with so much history.
The first Dungeness was a hunting lodge built by James Oglethorpe in 1736; the next, a tabby house,
was built by the widow of Nathanael Greene.  The British occupied the island during the War of 1812
and used it as their headquarters.  In 1818, Robert E. Lee's father died in that house.

Thomas Carnegie (brother to industrialist Andrew) began a new mansion on the site in the 1880's;
it was completed after his death.  His widow, Lucy, lived at Dungeness and built other estate homes
on Cumberland for her children, including the current Plum Orchard.  The family left Dungeness in 1925.
In 1959, the fabulous mansion was allegedly destroyed by arson.

The National Park Service maintains the ruins now ~ so that we can all enjoy the site.

~ the pergola/colonnaded walkway ~
The Carnegie Dungeness complex included over 20 buildings which housed a heated pool, a squash court, etc.

After about a half-hour roaming the grounds of Dungeness, we rode through the stone gate back toward the ferry.
What an amazing day!  I never even knew the place existed ~ it was a fabulous day of discovery for us.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"And when it was day, they knew not the land:
but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which
they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship."
Acts 27:39
tGbtG

Going to take a break from our winter wandering photos ~ there are more to come,
but first, I want to post photos from last week, when we traveled to Holmes County, OH.
It had snowed a lot the night before and I snapped this photo on the way, just a few miles north of us.

I am just going to post images without much description ~ Amish country is just so picturesque.
Our favorite thing to do in that area is to just drive up, down and around on the hilly, curving country roads.
It is imperative to drive slowly, because of all the buggies, bicycles and walkers on the winding roads.
One never knows what might be over the crest of the next hill ~ so important to drive cautiously.

~ children playing at recess ~

~ 17 homemade pies delivered for a restaurant's daily supply ~
They told us that at their busiest season, they can use 50 pies in one day!

~ baked oatmeal with fruit for our breakfast one morning ~
It was absolutely delicious!

~ house built upon a rock, literally ~ a very BIG rock! ~

We had lunch at this roadside café in Winesburg.

~ about 1/3 of the items offered one morning at a breakfast buffet ~
There were foods such as tomato gravy, krepples (liverwurst made with caramel),
fried mush, and around 15 desserts ~ for breakfast, mind you!  Oh my ~

~ ring-necked duck ~
We have been to Holmes County many, many times, but I had never done any birding
in that area before.  So, twice last week, we drove to the Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Refuge
in the northeast part of the county, extending into Wayne County.  It was so fun!

~ lesser scaups ~
It was the first time I had ever sighted scaups ~ always a thrill for me to see a new-to-me bird.

~ trumpeter swans ~

~ northern shovelers ~

~ mallards ~

~ blue-winged teal ~

~ pied-billed grebe ~

~ eastern bluebird ~
This little beauty hovered in front of our windshield for a bit ~ perhaps he saw his reflection?

He was so gorgeous!

~ horned grebe ~
This little guy, in breeding plumage, was swimming and diving right next to our car at the marsh.

He was my very favorite bird to photograph that day ~ what a charmer!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him."
Proverbs 16:7
tGbtG

On Thursday, the 15th ~ we all got up early to catch the sunrise;
for once, there was no fog ~ gorgeous morning.
Our friend walked four miles along the beach; Clayton joined him for part of his hike.
His wife and I sauntered through the surf and looked for shells ~ she found several to take home.

We took our friends back to the chapel to show her the stained glass windows;
she is a quilter and I knew the windows would enthrall and inspire her.

Then we took them on the island's red-train tour.  It is an hour-long tour
and weaves throughout the historical section of Jekyll,
where the Jekyll Island millionaires once lived during their winters.

~ Crane Cottage ~

~ du Bignon Cottage ~
We were able to tour the inside of this home.

~ Moss Cottage ~

~ Mistletoe Cottage ~
I especially enjoyed touring this home.

One reason I loved it ~ bird wallpaper on the sunroom ceiling! 

After the tour, we simply had to show them Driftwood Beach ~

~ large shell-encrusted rock ~

It was so fun to share our beloved Jekyll Island with them.

That night, we dined at The Wharf ~ we arrived just at sunset.

~ Sidney-Lanier bridge ~

~ my favorite photo of the whole trip ~
The sunset just left me in awe of our God's majesty.

~ another amazing day's end ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Now when the sun was setting, . . . he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them."
Luke 4:40
tGbtG

On the morning of the 12th, we first hiked back past the old amphitheatre,
to an inland pond where many birds fish and roost.

~ female hooded merganser ~

There were many yellow-crowned night herons;
a juvenile is on lower left and an American coot on the right.

We next hiked the Crane Road path again to get a clear look at the eagle's nest without fog.

~ adult bald eagle ~
We photographed this one near the bridge to the island.

On the old bridge, which is no longer in use, birds drop clam shells to break them open.

~ viewing the marina from the old bridge ~

As we drove from the bridge, we received a call from our friends,
asking if we would like to join them for lunch on the porch of the Jekyll Island Club.
Well, of course we would! 

The club was once owned by several millionaires ~ such an interesting history.

After lunch, we roamed the inside of the club and took a few pictures.
It is a wonderful place to dine for special occasions.

Anyone is permitted to play old-fashioned croquet on the front lawn;
however, everyone who plays is required to wear all white.

Clayton and I returned to our motel and headed out the boardwalk to the beach.

~ willets and sanderlings ~

~ a flock of red-breasted mergansers ~

~ jellyfish ~
They are interesting to see, but one sure doesn't want to touch them, as they sting!

The next morning, we braved the mist, wind and fog ~ was hoping for a sunrise,
but it was not going to be possible in those conditions, we knew.

The tide was high too, so we just watched the crazy waves at the north pier for awhile.

Later, we visited the all-faith chapel that was once used by the club members back in the day.
It was built in 1904.

The gorgeous stained glass windows are lit only by natural light from the outdoors.

It is said that Joseph is not really missing from the scene, as it seems;
they say you can see his face in her hair ~ and his robe just right of her.  Hmmm.

The window at the back of the sanctuary is a Tiffany, signed in the lower right corner.

We finished the day at Red Bug Pizza.

On Valentine's Day, Clayton found a little flower shop on the island ~

We walked the beach for over an hour ~ such interesting sand patterns.

Another beach walker gave us some whelks she found and did not want.

A couple from home stopped in for a couple days on the island;
six of us had a wonderful meal at the Driftwood Bistro,
then enjoyed visiting around the motel's gas fire pit.
Another wonderful day.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"...they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings as eagles;
they shall run, and not be weary;
and they shall walk, and not faint."
Isaiah 40:31
tGbtG

February 8 ~ We drove to the park near the south end of the island and walked the beach for over an hour.
It was quite windy, but we still enjoyed seeing the "new" tree skeletons placed there by the hurricane.

We walked to the southern tip where only the ship mast from the Mary Ann,
a shrimp boat which sank in 1996, remains above the sand ~ the rest of the boat is totally buried.

The mast looks as if it is 500 years old ~ interesting how it has weathered.

We next drove to the marina, just because.

It sits next to the bridge which crosses onto the island;
the old bridge is underneath it ~ used for fishing and birdwatching now.

After lunch, we visited Horton Pond to see how many alligators and turtles
were trying to catch some rays together that day.

The turtles supply meals for the gators sometimes, but these seemed unafraid.

The next morning, we walked out the boardwalk to glimpse the beach.
It was misting rain, so we did not stay ~ nobody else was out there either,
except for a flock of dunlins, feeding in the surf.

Live oak trees in the small maritime forest line the boardwalk.

We went back to the park at the south end to walk to the observatory.

Oyster beds hug the coast there ~ but because of the cold day,
I missed seeing the oystercatchers ~ I should have gone back
on a nice day, but I forgot until I saw someone else's photos. 

 

That night, we ate at our favorite restaurant ~ Driftwood Bistro.
The island is famous for their shrimp and grits
and that is what I chose ~ oh my ~ sooooo good!

On Saturday morning, as we drove to breakfast with friends, pea-soup fog blanketed the island.

We could not see the ocean at all as we drove along the beach.

Fog has its own kind of beauty, I think.

At 10:00, we went on a booked nature walk; Clayton and friend, Robert, watched a film while waiting for it to begin.

The walk took us down the Crane Road Path.

~ resurrection ferns ~
When it is dry, they are brown and look dead.
As soon as it rains, they "resurrect" into greenness.

Two types of palms are common in the woods of the island ~ saw palmettos and cabbage palms.

In the distance, we could see an eagle's nest.

~ anhinga ~

After the tour, Robert and Jane rode with us over the Sidney-Lanier bridge towards
the Harris Neck Wildlife Refuge, about an hour north.  As we drove, the fog lifted and melted away.

At the refuge, we saw more alligators than anything else ~ many, many gators of all sizes.

~ wood storks and a yellow-rumped warbler ~
We also saw great egrets, common gallinule, black-crowned night herons and tri-colored herons.

At the end of the four-mile drive through the refuge, was a slave cemetery,
left from when the area held cotton plantations.  Parts of it are still used today.

~ aged 103 years when he died in 1882 ~
I love old cemeteries ~ but slave cemeteries especially tug at my heart;
so many of the stones have simple, but lovingly hand-carved epitaphs.

Back near the highway, we stopped at this tiny church,
which has been deeded to Jesus Christ ~ so precious.

On the way back to Jekyll Island, we stopped for supper at Mudcat Charlie's along the Altamaha River.
As we again crossed the tall bridge and turned onto the causeway, the sun was setting on our wonderful day.

On Sunday, we attended a little church on the island with our friends ~ they had a fellowship meal
after the service with a Valentine theme.  The food was amazing ~ those southern cooks!

~ sanderlings ~
After lunch, we did some beach walking to burn off some of those delicious calories.

~ back at Driftwood Beach again ~

There are endless photo ops on that beach.  At different times of the tide,
each old hulk has a different perspective or reflection.

That night, we just had a hot bowl of soup, which tasted perfect, since it was threatening rain.

~ oyster shell light fixture at the retaurant ~ 
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life:
he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live."
John 11:25
tGbtG