The SOUTH

Ahhhh! We got out of the snow by MD - spent "hours" trying to get around Washington DC - finally ended up in NC to visit with Victoria (Vicky Helgestad) and John - 78F!!!!! YES!!!! So nice to finally have warm weather. This is why we go SOUTH!!

Also spent an evening with Dennis and Sheila Lein in SC. Isn't it nice to have cousins wherever we want to go? THANK YOU guys for the great meals along the way! We'll try to stay longer the next time we come through your area.

We spent 3 nights at Brunswick GA, the Golden Isles is how they advertise themselves. Did some bird-watching AND went out to one of the sea islands to see the Sapelo light station and learn some pre-Revolutionary War history there and on St. Simons Island at Brunswick.

The first crops grown on the sea islands were rice and sugar cane. In GA, at least, cotton was NOT king until much later. The marshes had dikes to keep the sea water out because rice can't take the salt content. On St. Simons Island we explored the remains of Fort Frederica, the most southern British stronghold against the Spanish. The military town was laid out by James Oglethorpe after he had platted the town of Savannah! He had a plantation on the Island and this was his favorite place to live. There was a battle on the island in which the British prevailed, so the Spanish gave up the idea of coming further north. When the fort wasn't needed anymore, the whole town closed up since its purpose was to support the military. Today the population of the island is at the southern end with only a few homes near the old Fort. The sunset is the way we say good-by to Georgia.

Because of the expense of diesel fuel we decided NOT to visit Jan and Chuck Acton this fall. We know they are doing well and are in their own house now, so that's the news we wanted to hear! Instead we turned west at Jacksonville and camped for a week at Tyndall AFB on the Gulf Coast. I know Linda is going to be tired of the bird photos, but I thought they turned out pretty good! They were taken at state parks both east and west of the AFB. The waves were pretty rough at the jetty one day, but it makes a pretty picture.

Now we are moving to our winter campground in AL. Should be there Monday, November 14. Will also pick up our mail - 1st time to get any since the last week of September. We'll need the whole day to go through all of it and we only get 1st class mail!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all of you!