Images from the Beachin' Birthday

Mermaids  killer shoes!

 5" cork  heels in sand takes muscle.

                                 If orange and blue does it mean this is a Gator crab?

                                               I love a good stormy beach

                                      The storm washed up hundreds of jellyfish

                                       Morning light before the storm hit this beach

                                   This storm canceled our deep sea fishing trip


                           

                                              Part of the beach renourishment  initiative

                                              Morning light and flight

                                       Tropical storm Lee was approaching the Gulf

                                               Some days I feel this weathered too!

                                                         Beach rhythm

                                                   Those clouds were moving , so was the surf.

                                                       Dusk at the jetty

                                                 Mermaid at the jetty

                                                          Sea Oats are protected

                                  We spent a day idling under a cheery blue umbrella

                                                    God bless America

I ran from this storm.
In sand.
With the camera.
Hoping I would not get skewered by a fierce bolt of lightening.
Going out on the day I came in.
This was the world at 9:09 am.
I wish I could find a program which would upload these pictures better.
The contrast, the sparkle, the power are amazing in the camera. Not so much here.
I used a new program which is suppose to do the translations from Nikons to  this windows live mail program but I am not satisfied.

I enjoyed being on this beach.
(Thank you Mermaid, this was an awesome birthday celebration.)
We drove through a late night arriving around 1:30 in the morning.
We wanted to be there ... to wake up at the beach. It was worth it.
I love a morning beach.
A morning enjoying the companionship of my lovely daughter at the beach  is even better.
Priceless.
We were content to just be. To walk a beach. To people watch. To swim. To laze about.

We chatted briefly with a family on the beach with two new babies.
Less than a month old new cousins. The babies came to the beach in laundry baskets. This creative solution provided them with a safe place to rest,  easy  transport, good ventilation.  It made me think of Mermaid's first year and our trips to the beach. How quick the journey from there to here, where she is taking me to the beach. I will never tire of going to the beach with this awesome child of mine.

Our first evening there we went on an evening dolphin cruise along the Perdido inlet. The
vessel is a largish commercial pontoon boat with a bar and facilities and an assortment of
folks.  We opted to spend most of the journey outside on the deck not inside with the screaming babies and the noisy  head.  The captain was  good to his word and found us a nice family of dolphins , including a new born, for us to observe. The big males were fearless, coming up alongside the boat and giving us the eye. Warning us of consequences if we messed with their families. Even if there had been no dolphins it would have been a delightful evening cruise. I admire island or beach style architecture with playful colors and deep porches. There were plenty of stellar examples for me to enjoy.

We didn't have any great food. ( Sorry Eggy, no great food photos)
Mermaid was ill with a sinus  infection so she couldn't really taste anything.
I am a food bore because of the restrictions. We did have some good seafood though.
We also had some drinkees  from an island born barkeep who thought if he made mine stiff enough he could persuade   me to karaoake. He should be glad he lost the bet or he would have lost patrons.

While we were in Orange Beach, tropical storm Lee was making his approach into the Gulf. We were hundreds of miles away at the extreme northern end of the Gulf of Mexico but the storm created 8 foot seas, canceling our deep sea fishing  charter. The captain told Mermaid we could not possibly be as disappointed as he.  He warned we wouldn't actually want to be out in those rough seas in his size boat. Mermaid asked him, " Isn't that why they make dramamine?"  He said no but would she come on by , he'd like to meet a girl with spunk.  Right. Bring your mother too.

                                                    Thank you Mermaid!