What
a fabulous Christmas gift to ourselves...a week on the beach at Gulf
Shores, Alabama!
The house we rented, a gulf front cottage called Beach Music,
sits on the Fort Morgan end of the peninsula. It was nicely equipped
with wide windows, big screen TV, satellite, a fireplace, and wi-fi.
No one stayed in the houses around us until the last two days.
It
was chilly when we arrived, and we had one night in the lower 30's.
So what? We put on hoodies and jackets, and walked the beach anyway.
Most days were fine, from the upper 50's to 70. Sunsets were bright
and colorful; the stars were amazing. December is
perfect here, since there are no crowds and rates are at their lowest.
Shopping was fun, and the seafood was mouth-watering. We ate at our
favorite places, Mikee's and DeSoto's.
The
Blue Angels are based just down the road in Pensacola, and we've seen them practicing
several times when we visited Gulf Shores. This trip, we only saw
one of them, but he gave us a private air show that made our day! We
were walking the beach, no one else in sight. He flew low toward
Mobile Bay and wagged his wing a little as he passed us, very close
to the beach. Then, he came zooming back and just as he got to us, turned
on the smoke and did a loop in his F-18. Couldn't get the phone
camera up quickly enough for that one! Then he moved out further
over the gulf and went through some other maneuvers. We did
get a few shots of those.
The
beach is my happy place, rain or shine. I must have seagoing ancestors, because
since the first time I saw the beach, I have been drawn to the rhythmic sound
of the waves and the breathtaking beauty of the sea and sky.
I am renewed and
relaxed, with a sense of peace and happiness. And that is what I wish for you this Christmas.
