Day 3 - Taking It All In

 
Today we didn't do too much. After lunch we drove out to Paris Island (Marine Base), across to Port Royal and on to Lady's Island and Saint Helena Island. It really wasn't very far - about 15 miles. It is hard to tell where the island ends and the water begins. River, ocean, and land all ooze into each other.

I am enchanted with the area. The sea and the wilderness are ruler here. Humans are only interlopers. Every inch that is not maintained is quickly overgrown and reclaimed. There are homes of every quality and size. It certainly isn't a subdivision. Instead each home is nestled into a small clearing of wilderness. Like south Texas, there aren't many lawns. You just pick which plants to let grow and which plants to dig up.

I had to get a book of local plants and birds. I didn't realize that the kids were accustomed to me naming every plant and most birds. I didn't know I could identify most of our local fauna. It had just become a habit. So now I am learning a whole new vocabulary. So far we have identified the following: Lobolly pine, Longleaf pine, magnolia, and red oak. We also saw a snowy egret, small turtles, and a little tiny frog. The frog was happily hopping around in the puddle in front of the hotel.

Today we avoided the usual afternoon thunderstorm. Apparently these deluges are a nearly daily occurence. While they are wonderful for little frogs, they are also wonderful for mosquitos. As I expected, I am covered in bites and as most of you know I really swell where ever I am bit.

We did stop at two bookstores today. At one we met an author from Charleston named Nicole Seitz. She was doing a book signing so while I got a signed book Peter got to talk publishing. She is really nice and so friendly. She was promoting her third book and I can't wait to read it. We also picked up the kind of local books that we can't get in Boise.

We are hoping to just rest tomorrow. Jost is not adjusting to the change in weather. Of course he insisted on wearing jeans and a ball cap today. I think he learned his lesson. Anyway, I want to draw and read and Peter wants to read and write. We are all a little overwhelmed.

Day 2 - On to Beaufort

 
We spent this morning in St. Augustine. We didn't get to see as much as we had hoped because we slept so late. Plus the kids had a hard time with the heat & humidity. Personally I think it feels great.

We did get to go to the Fountain of Youth. It was actually more interesting than I thought it would be. We sampled the water - tasted like Fowler water - and learned about the early history of the area. We really enjoyed walking around the area. It is all just so beautiful. We saw some real monks while passing the nearby mission.

By that point we were ready for some rest. We had lunch at this little hole in the wall pizza place. We knew it was good because the Goodwrench guys were eating there. As you can see from the pictures, the slices were huge! Jost actually managed to finish his!
This afternoon we drove up to Beaufort. We still haven't seen a hill that wasn't man-made. Other than that we are really enjoying the scenery. Every plant and tree is new to us.

In the parking lot at Walmart we saw a sign that said "DO NOT FEED THE ALLIGATORS." We had a good laugh at it, but Kade wasn't sure she wanted to get out of the car. I guess that's the way it goes around here.

 
Saint Augustine Basilica

Day 1 - JET LAG

Whew! We had quite a day. On Wednesday we lunched in Boise, had dinner in Seattle and breakfast this morning in Orlando. It was wonderful to see the sun set over Puget sound and rise over the swamps of Florida. The actual flight time was only 5 hours, but the physical time change was 9 hours. Needless to say we are beat. Kade was the only one who slept well on the plane.

Apparently things move slower here. It took almost 2 hours to get our luggage, our rental car, and figure out how to exit the parking garage! We were so glad to find a Cracker Barrel for breakfast. But it looked funny with palm trees out front!

Afterward, we drove up to Saint Augustine, Florida. We stopped along the way at a park but a sudden thunderstorm dampened our enthusiasm. Then we drove up to a nearby beach. We couldn't believe how warm the water was. And the sand was so soft. Of course the kids were soaked in about two seconds. But that's what vacations are for.

When we finally made it to our hotel we were desperate for showers. We hadn't changed in 24 hours. We had slept in our clothes, been soaked by rain, and splashed by the ocean. Whew! Peter and I fell asleep for a bit and it was so refreshing.

Tonight we went to a Spanish restaurant. Peter had a fish dish called marluza with a Russian style sauce. It was delicate and delicious. I had a Cuban dish which included an empanada, roast pork, boliche, plantains, and yucca. Delish!! Of course the kids ordered plain old grilled cheese and chicken strips. Party poopers! But at least Kade tasted my plantain and yucca - she didn't like the texture of either. Jost said his was new because the crust was different.

Afterward we wandered around down town until we were tired again. Kade said every time she went forward, the world went backwards. That's jet lag for you! She is already curled up and sound asleep. I hope the rest of us follow soon.