Foto Friday . . . vacation part V, That's a Wrap

"No matter what happens, travel gives you a story to tell."

- Jewish Proverb

Yes, yes it does.

If you have followed our vacation travels, you know that it rained most of the way there,

(we drove), it rained a lot when we got there, we were restricted by double red flags on the beach for many days, and I had a little trouble with frustration from expectations. But the sun eventually came out, and the

double red flags lifted, and I got over my frustrations.

We enjoyed the turquoise blue surf and white sand beaches, some beautiful gardens with ancient (600 yr old) oak trees and a turn of the century mansion, and even traveled to see the Florida State Capitol and Old City Cemetery in Tallahassee.

On our last day, and a vacation to Destin wouldn't be complete without it, we ventured over to have lunch at Fudpucker's and then to the Wharf at sunset. And we packed all of this fun into just five days, which is why...

"No man needs a vacation so much as the person who just had one."

- Elbert Hubbard

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This was our last view of the beach . . .

. . . . before heading out on our last day. We had gotten up early and gone to the Eden Garden State Park, here, and after walking around in the heat we needed a reprieve and some food. So, it was off to Fudpucker's for some food and fun.

And well, the best part about Fudpucker's is Gator Beach....yep almost one hundred of them! They sell special bait food that you can feed them, and you can have your picture taken holding one. Oh, you know I waited my turn to hold one . . . what an amazing creature! A prehistoric creature, virtually unchanged for the last 150 million years. I wasn't so much interested in having my picture taken as I was just getting my hands on one. I mean, how often does one get to hold and really look at an animal like this. Oh my, how soft . . . I did mention amazing didn't I? 

{ Summer Daze - Project Alicia }

After spending a few relaxing hours over at gator beach and a little lunch we ventured over to the Wharf to check out the chartered boats coming back into dock and their catches of the day. The docks were bustling with people just getting back from a day of fishing and waiting for their captain to clean and fillet their catch.

And check out "This Sale" on the gas pump, OUCH!

They weren't the only ones waiting . . . 

And then out of the blue, a rainbow just appeared!

{ Photograph life - water }

And then the evening came to a close . . . for Photo Art Friday our theme

is light. I chose this silhouette I took at sunset and used French Kiss texture Ancient Urban, Pixel Dust Photo Art texture Orange Foam Overlay, and Kim Klassen texture Be Still. I went back and forth feeling like it needed one more thing, another element, but every time I added something it didn't feel right.  

And finally for Flower Art Friday, a Gerbera Daisy with French Kiss Rosy Script and Kim Klassen Peony.

The background on this image started out black....

Oh, almost forgot, I did stop someone and ask them to take our picture...sad but I can't remember when we were all in the same picture together. We were pretty much all melted by the end of the day!!

"If we would only give, just once, the same amount of reflection to what we want to get

out of life that we give the question of what to do with two weeks' vacation, we

would be startled at our false standards and the aimless procession of our busy days."

- Dorothy Canfeild Fisher

I think we should live each day like a vacation day, relaxed (after of course you dump the expectations),

ready to explore what is right in front of us, and willing to share the story of it. And the best thing . . . there is no packing required in that!

Have a wonderful weekend, and thank you for letting me share with you!!

Love, Kim

XO

** P.S. - stop on over at my collaborative blog today, Focusing On Life, where we are sharing ** 

some fun facts about ourselves only you have to guess who they go to - AND there is a prize for the most guesses!!

           

Foto Friday . . . vacation part IV

"A vacation trip is one-third pleasure, fondly remembered,

and two-thirds aggravation, entirely forgotten."

- Robert Brault

Okay, we can't be the only family that has been met with vacation aggravation. Or should I say

vacation expectations, in which course I am sooo guilty!! It had been so long since we as a family

went on vacation that it led, for me, to many expectations. Yeah, expectations just spell danger for me, and

aggravation for my family. I guess that's why I do better with spontaneous exploration...

it's all a surprise, there is no room for disappointment and everybody's happy. Win, win.

So, one day we decided that since Tallahassee was only 2 hours away and we are on a quest to visit all

the state capitols, that we would take a little road trip (we only have about 40 to go). Welcome to the Florida Historic Capitol Museum. Yep, this building is what is left of the original structure completed in 1845 and then expanded on several times through the years, with the addition of the dome, several wings and the House and Senate Chambers. In the 1970's when they built the Florida State Capitol Complex they had decided to demolish this historic building but the Floridians saved and renovated it.  They had settled on restoring it back to its 1902 appearance and I guess somewhere along the line of additions it lost its dome. But lucky for them when they were tearing down walls they found all the original glass that had been in the dome in the walls and were at least able to match the colors along with the help of pictures to restore the design as close to the original as possible. Remember that show "If Walls Could Talk"? Makes me wonder what else is hiding in all our historic places, well just old places in general.

I'm pretty sure this was the House Chambers.

The office attached to the Governor's office...

And the Governor's office....

And what's a vacation without the character cutouts.

Parentals on the left, and kids on the right.

{ Photograph life foto Friday - eyes }

And we sure did have fun in the Senate, deciding on some important familial things like where to eat afterward!

{ Project Alicia - summer daze }

Oh and that nice blue sky in the very first photo, was no longer blue but gray and with storm clouds and thunder when we came out. Yes, we were about to get yet more rain and so we decided to just drive on back. This might be where some of that frustration set it. It's hard to see so much history and be thwarted by a thunderstorm, again. But as we were driving away I spied this cemetery and was able to hop out and capture a few shots before the rain came. Oh, how I really wanted to get inside...but it was all fenced off and I had to actually shoot through it. I probably could've stayed here for the rest of the day shooting. All the Spanish moss lined trees and the thunder really added to that spooky feeling, and not that I like spooky, but there were just so many photo ops.  It's the oldest public cemetery in Tallahassee, also segregated, where slaves and planters, governors and store clerks, veterans of war and victims of yellow fever are all buried.

 { Old City Cemetery }

  { French kiss stonebrush and Pixel Dust Art craquelure }

[Photo Art Friday, Shoot.Edit.Submit]

And last but not least my submission to Flower Art Friday . . . and Photo Friday.

If you want to know how I got this shot you can go here.

 { Kim Klassen texture Peony and Happy heart }

"When we put down ideas of what life should be like,

we are free to wholeheartedly say yes to our life as it is."

-Tara Brach

That is so true, isn't it. And for me, I should have exchanged the word life for vacation. Maybe

I'll make that into a t-shirt for next time, lol! Why is it that you finally get in vacation mode and it's the last day. . . that's next week!

Have a wonderful weekend - I'm hoping for a little sunshine as it has been raining alllll week!

Love, Kim

XO

   

 

 

Foto Friday . . . vacation part III, The Wedding Tree

"A vacation is having nothing to do
and all day to do it in."

- Robert Orben

I don't know about you, but one of the things I like to do whether on vacation or not is to explore.

 Since the beach flags were still red and it was overcast, we decided to do just that. My google search

found the Eden Garden State Park and it was only $4 per car, my kind of place! I mean who wants

to go shopping when you can traverse a place like this with ancient oak trees and a mansion?

The Eden Garden State Park is tucked away on the shore of Tucker Bayou and part of the estate that was owned by a lumber mill family, the Wesley's. At every turn there are these incredible live oaks with Spanish moss and resurrection fern. The fern grows right on the tree in the bark and stays dormant until there is a rain and it comes to life.

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And just as we started out, before we got to those trees, a corn snake crossed our path. I'm definitely

not an expert of snakes, but I know a corn snake when I see one . . . I used to own one, only he was much

more handsome and colorful than this one.

And here she is, the turn-of-a-century plantation house. It was built in 1895 by William Henry Wesley with all the elaborate Victorian trimmings, that is until Lois Maxon bought it in 1963 and restored it in the Antebellum style. I mentioned earlier ancient oaks, how about 600 years old ancient? That would be the tree on the left and what they endearingly call "The Wedding" tree because of all the weddings that have been held under it. We all put our hands on this tree, and you could just feel it's energy.

The windows even have the original glass that gives a bit of a wavy reflection.

After all the renovations she filled the house with a very expensive collection of Louis XVI furniture, which is the second largest in the U.S. The needlework on this chair was exquisite!

This was one of the upstairs bedrooms . . .

And a reflection of the flag on the front of the house from the upstairs wrap around porch....

{Photograph life - patriotic}

I forget how many acres there were, we didn't get to it all,  but what we did see was magical.

We took some sandwiches and snacks with us and ate at a picnic table on the edge of the bayou.

There were a few beggar squirrels who enjoyed a some Cheetos, and this one cracked us up at how he would go up the tree and hang upside down while he ate.

One of the formal rose gardens, which wasn't in great bloom. There was also a secret garden, in fact it was so secret . . . we couldn't find it!

. . . but, there were these beautiful hydrangea's to make up for it.

{Flower Art Friday, Photo Art Friday}

I love finding little gems like this on vacation, or well anytime. What about you, what's your favorite part

of a vacation? Do you like to explore?

Hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July! I'm so excited, I can hardly contain myself . . . a friend is driving down from Dallas for a short get away and I can't wait to see her. It's been 4 years . . .Whoo hoo!

Have a wonderful weekend! 

Love, Kim

XO

P.S. Next vacation stop, either the wharf, or the gators . . .hmmm

   

    

Foto Friday . . . vacation, part II

"We hit the sunny beaches where we occupy ourselves

keeping the sun off our skin, the salt water off our bodies,

and the sand out of our belongings."

- Erma Bombeck

Now is that an oxymoron or what? But oh so true!

And as if when on the beach, you can accomplish any of that.

Well, except to say only on the rainy or double red flag days. And to be fair, it is the gulf
coast and it rains, and storms and then an hour later the sun is back out. But on this trip, the weather was
a bit confused and to say the least I'm really glad we weren't there as tropical storm Debby came in.

This day was a bit overcast and there was only one red flag which is why there were still not many in the water. It's hard to tell from the 14th floor, but when we got down to the beach those waves were a lot
stronger than they looked and there were still rip tides.

Which is why you then have to come up with plan "B", digging holes, enormous holes. My husband

asked him if there was any significance to his hole digging and he said ever since he watched an episode of friends where they all went on vacation together and Joey did nothing but dig holes . . . well, he now digs holes on vacation. He was out there everyday, digging a hole . . .

And this is what he found, not quite the treasure one hopes for, 16 rusty folding chairs. Kinda

makes you go hmmm. . . .What's the story behind this and how on earth did all those come out of that hole?

It was much deeper, they filled part of it back in.

I can't remember if I had mentioned it before, but I thought it had been 7 or 8 years since our last vacation.

Can't believe I actually found this, but almost to the month it has been 9 years! Oh my, where does the time go? My little football boy was six in this picture . . .

. . . . And here he is, about to turn 15 next month! I think I'm gonna cry . . .

He still has that same happy smile though!

{ Project Alicia - summer daze }

And when it's sunny and there is a yellow flag, there will be people!

{ Pixel Dust Art painterly and craquelure, and Kim Klassen Oh My textures }

Photo Art Friday (painting), Shoot.Edit.Submit, and Photograph life

{ Pixel Dust textures, age it, splendor in the grass and soft light overlay }

And my rainy day, stuck in Cornelius {Flower Art Friday} submission...

{ Texture from French Kiss - rosy script }

I have no idea how many parts I will have to this vacation OR if you want to see any more parts, but

there is still a Wedding Tree, our visit to the Wharf, and the restaurant with live alligators etc.

In fact, I still haven't even gotten through all the photos....

Before we left I finally got a new phone with an actual working camera on it as I have been wanting

to play on instagram and lucky for me Android just came out with an app. So while we were there, and with a little help from my daughter (because I'm a little challenged in the technical department) she set me up on instagram. I'm hooked addicted to it. So If you would like to follow some of my everyday findings and life stuff, or where Gumby might turn up next you can find me at: kimatpickingpoppies or click on the button on the sidebar at the top and it will take you straight to my profile on followgram and you can follow from there.

Have a wonderful weekend my friends,

Love, Kim

XO