1890 Days

I decided to camp Friday night in McIntosh in the church parking lot, so I could be there early Saturday to help with the 1890 Day Festival. The police block off the roads early in the morning and it's almost impossible to get there Saturday morning.

McIntosh Christian Church, early Saturday morning. The congregation was established in 1898, the building was completed in 1904.
Putting up the signs for Gospel Face Painting that I would help with. My friends, Marge and Dick, who are Child Evangelists, organize this event every year during the Festival.

Marge, putting a pumpkin on the steps.

Many families took group photos on the church steps during the day.
That's an old picture of my grandson, still being used on the door.
Marge tells Bible stories in the sanctuary.
Face painting is in the Fellowship Hall. Here are some early birds.

Gospel magic is fun for young and old alike.

I love to see a child telling the story of Jesus to another child. Marge and Dick also lead a Good News Bible Club after school in the community. Many children come back to help.
Taking a break to walk around town. The weather was great, and the crowds filled the streets.

Vendors were peddling their wares, typical and unusual.

Many pooches were out enjoying the festivities as well.

Joselyn looks over some FL Gator attire.

Another view of the crowds.

I've never bought one, but love these carved faces/vases.

Hand made yard furniture was a popular place to rest in the shade.

Lots of local "flavor."

Keeping with the 1890 theme...dressing in period clothing.

Don't know how the vendors made out with their sales, but we had over 400 come through for face painting. Hope you enjoyed.

Corn Maze & Canoeing/Kayaking with Grandkids

My Beautiful Family

Left to Right: Grandson Ben, son-in-law Rich, daughter Heather, Granddaughters Rebecca & Ashley, Grandson Brandon (with his mouth wide open), & daughter Jennifer. Jen's husband Tony had to work & couldn't come. On Saturday we went to Coon Hollow Corn Maze:

Entrance to the corn maze

Ashley leading the way.

Rebecca punching the map while Ben & Ashley look on

Ben with his dad

Brandon & Ashley doing the obstacle course

About the farm

All aboard! (for a veerrry bumpy ride)

Ben on the haystack

Ashley & Rebecca on top of the haystack

On Sunday after church, Jennifer, Ashley and I went to Silver River to canoe & kayak. Ashley was my caddy, pulling my inflatable kayak down the River Trail.

They rented a canoe.

Taking a picture of some wood ducks.

Cruising by the Ibis twins

Looking for gators

Little blue heron

Green Heron

Neat little boat

Anhinga

Fly by

Oh, and the Rhesus Monkeys were down by the river today.

These are an invasive species...brought in years ago to film the Tarzan movies at the Springs. Some escaped and did what monkeys do. There are two camps of opinions....those that would like to have them removed, and those that want to protect them where they are.
Which camp do you suppose he's in? He was hanging out under the monkeys.

Canoeing on the Silver River: Click to watch the video.

On the Road Home

I reluctantly bid farewell to Birdie at beautiful Potter's Creek and headed out on TX Hwy 21, a very scenic drive.

How Texas-like to find this coyote skull hanging on a barbed wire fence at a picnic area.
If it wasn't 11 a.m., I would have spent the night at the next rest area. I did pause for lunch here.

Spending the night is permitted in TX rest areas.

I learned a little history... They wanted to make Fort Tenoxtitlan (meaning "prickly pear place") the capital of Texas. Good thing they didn't...Austin is easier to pronounce.

Another view of East Texas

I took these photos at another rest area (rested often). I found out a lot about the Osage Orange after my RV women friends identified it for me. Planted as hedgerows, the wood is good for making bows (as in bows and arrows).
The grapefruit-sized fruit will make you vomit if you eat it, but it repels mosquitos like DEET & people put it in and around their houses to keep the spiders & other bugs away. Also called horse apples, kids use them for baseballs.
My campsite at Magnolia Ridge, a Corps of Engineers campground in East Texas.

Of, why didn't I bring my inflatable kayak?

God reminds us twice every day in colors of red,

of His great love for us and the blood that He shed.

Louisiana sunrise:

Crossing the Mississippi River

A mini get-together with friends Sharlotte & Jim in Baton Rouge.

After spending the night at Big Biloxi National Forest campground in MI, I traveled I-10 East. Sun shining on the water at Mobile Bay (or similar water....I forget exactly).

Welcome to the Sunshine State! Pensacola, FL Welcome Center...Pensacola, home of the Blue Angels

Ok, I'm dragging my feet now. Stopped for the night at a State Park in the panhandle.

View from my site. There's a kayak carry-down path. Oh yeah, I didn't bring my kayak.

But wait...they rent kayaks!

Nope, too windy for me. I'm not a white-water kayaker.

So, I took a hike instead. I miss my dog, Roe.

There are a few more State Parks to check out along the coast....then I suppose I'll go home.