What I have been up to this past week Part 2

( Lamp I forgot yesterday)

Good Morning Dear Hearts,

~~~

Hope this new day finds you well and happy.

I just rec'd a text from my son, so that always

makes me happy, he is on his way to the next

lean to and it is cold and rainy again. Bless his

heart!! He has now hiked 224.8 miles. I relate

that to driving from Homestead Fl. down to

Key West, Fl. and back, cause that is 200 miles,

and that is flat land, he has had mudpits, hills and

mountains to climb, log bridges and damns to cross,

and streams and rivers to forge. I can't even

begin to imagine what that must be like.

It used to take us 6 hrs. to drive from homestead to

Keywest and back and it seemed like a long time.

We lived in Homestead way back when we

were only married a few years, and I worked

part time as a Lutheran church Secretary typing

bulletins on a manual typewriter that had

keys that stuck all the time. (anybody

remember those dinosaur typewriters???) ha

Makes me laugh to myself when I think about it!!

I have lots more pics to show you of our

beach get away!!

This was the Sunrise I saw off the back patio

What a glorious sight and gift for our first Sunday there.

I love to get up early when we are at the beach

and sit outside in the quiet with the Lord.

No one is up or stirring yet and you have the whole

place to yourself.

This is part of the pool area.

The tall part is where the restrooms are

located, and you can see another condo

across the road.

We found that if we went out to the pool about

8:30 or so and about 5:30p.m. we could have the

pool all to ourselves, so that was our schedule

and it was great. Eventually people would start

to come in the morning but we were usually

ready to go in and have breakfast by then.

We walked out this gate to the pool, cause we

are the first unit by the pool, and it is great

cause we can look out the window and see

how busy the pool is, and we can also sit

out on the patio as well.

This was the view from the back sliding doors

Where the grass starts you can see just the

edge of the patio area where we ate breakfast

a few mornings. The sand gnats were pretty

bad if the wind wasn't blowing or we would

have sat there every morning.

This is a little bridge that lead to the beach at

the other end of the condo. We could see it

from our patio and had to walk across it at

least once just for the experience.

That is where I took the shot of the

Seagrape leaves you will see later on.

This was a shot just as the sun was rising

but the sun was too strong to take it

straight on, there were no clouds to cover it.

This was as close to the sun as I could get

at that moment. It is amazing how the

sky changes from minute to minute.

I just love it!!

These are some Florida wildflowers growing

on the beach, I think possibly the hurricane

might have brought in some seeds with it,

cause there are also black eyed Susans

growing everywhere too, and none of that

was there the last time, and there also

were no sand dunes, but there is now.

Small tho they are!!

This was a shot straight out the back door,

on one of the dismal days, but usually the

storms passed pretty quickly. That structure

is for a tent. There were 3 up, and people just

take the canvas in and put it back up the next

day, and no one messes with them.

How cool is that!! I thought the surf might

wash them away. That was one thing that

was really strange to us .........

we have never seen the East coast beach be

this calm before, we did not see one whitecap

accept for when it rained one afternoon, but

once it was over that was it calm as could be.

Looks more like the West coast of Florida.

Hubby does really enjoy playing inthe waves,

but oh well, not this time, but I don't think

he really cared.

This lil dove showed up one morning while

we were having breakfast looking for water.

We felt like we were on touched by an Angel

when he flew off making his lil cooing noise.

So neat!!



Heres one of the dunes with the black eyed Susans.

Caught these cute lil sandpipers.

I get the biggest kick out of how they run so fast.

I kept trying to get closer to get a better

shot but they ran faster than I could walk.

You would think their lil legs would fall off! ha

This was just a view up the beach.



This is the condo we stayed in!

from this view we are on the 1st floor

on the right side. It is called Ponce

Inlet Club South and it is one Ponce

Inlet in case anyone might be coming

to Florida and be interested in staying

there. We met a lot of really nice

people, most of them were from Georgia

and quite a few of them were Christian

people. So that was neat too.

The mgr. of the place is a young lady

I would say in her late 20's, and

she does an awesome job, and is

friendly and helpful as can be.

another beach view.

another beach view.





I just love looking at the sand patterns the

water makes. Each one is so unique.

God is just so amazingly creative

with all that He does!!

Awesome Really!!

Here are more patterns

And some more patterns.

We walked on the beach every morning

and every evening. It was fun getting our

exercise this week!!

We found this neat sandcastle some

children made (I guess)

Thought it was neat how they added

the wildflowers and shells.

Here's another shot.



Here's a pretty shot of all the wildflowers

on the beach, shot this off the lil bridge.

another shot of condo, you can see the bridge

from this end and how it empties onto the

beach. We saw a bride and groom having

their pics taken right near there on the

Friday before we left and all of a sudden

it started pouring, so the bride and groom

were soaked cause she couldn't run fast

in her long dress. In fact, he ran off

and left her, guess he didn't realize she

couldn't run fast and then realized

and turned around and came back

to get her, but they were both

just soaked, I felt so bad for them.

Hope they at least got some nice

pics before they got all wet!!

Some beautiful Hibiscus flowers.

These were shots right before the sun

came up I believe. One morning we were

walking the beach as the sun came up.

It was wonderful!!

Took this at the same time, this could be

when the sun was going down as well,

Not sure, but I think I took some one

of our last days just before dawn.



These are of sunset.

These were all taken in the same day,

could not resist taking them the sky was

just ablaze with His glory!!

Makes me think of the ole saying:

Pink in the morning

sailors take warning.

Pink in the evening

a sailors delight!

(I think that is how it goes)

We saw the most glorious sunrises and sunsets.

They would have been worth the whole trip!!

These last shots were all of sunrise

Can you see the tiny boat out there,

it was a kayaker!

When we weren't on the beach or in the pool,

we were watching HGTV or Animal planet,

eating, reading, talking, praying or napping.

We had some great talks and came up with

a lot of great ideas spiritually, for my blog,

and for rearranging things in the house.

And Bonnie we started getting some ideas

for our bucket list. We think maybe when

we retire we would like to rent our house

to someone we can trust for a few months

of so and rent a place at the beach.

I also remembered I have always wanted

to take a trip in an RV, so if our son doesn't

get to finish his Appalachian trail experience

and goes again, we might follow him in an

RV one day. He told us about another family

that did that!! That would be neat!!

If the Lord tarries............

~~~

Hope you enjoyed your trip to the beach

and were inspired by all that natural beauty,

You know it inspires my heart,

there is nothing like it to boost your faith.

~~~

Have a Really Great Day!!

~

Thanks for stopping by,

~

Loves and Hugs, Nellie

What I have been up to the past week!!

Hello Sweet Friends,

~

It is good to be back with you,

and I hope you are all doing quite well.

Promised yesterday to tell you what I have been

up to in the past week.

~

We were away on vacation at a Condo on the beach,

and a great vacation it was I must say.

It was relaxing, refreshing, rejuvenating, replenishing,

inspiring, restful, just the Best............

If I had to rate it on a scale of 1-10, I would give it a 12!!

Really!! We had such a good time!!

~

It has been 5 years since we were there last and it

has really been 5 years since we had a real vacation,

and we realized while we were there...........

it has been 20 years since my honey and I have

gotten away together for an entire week.

So what else can I say, it truly was bliss!!

~~

I know how you all love pics so I have included

plenty especially for all you gals who love

Coastal cottage decorating.

~

Today is inside the condo shots,

tomorrow will be the outside beauty shots.

This cute little sign greeted us as we walked in the door.

Our vacation was all of that and more..........

This was hanging on the wall across from the kitchen,

it is really a lovely oil painting. I am not that into

tropical birds, but I really loved this for some reason,

it was hanging on a green wall, you can see a lil bit

of it beside the picture, and it just looked perfect

hanging there

This is the kitchen wall border. I didn't wind up

getting a shot of the kitchen cause we had stuff

all over the place and didn't make for too pretty

a picture, and the kitchen was pretty much all

white, so not that exciting accept for the border really.

This cute lil metal piece was hanging over

the breakfast bar, between the kitchen

and dining area.

Here is the dining area.

Thought this was a cute centerpiece

with a very laidback beachy feel.


They had leather sofas this time,

last time it was a tropical print cotton cushions

on a bamboo style sofa, more colorful, but

think this is more practical, and it had

palm tree throw pillows. I really took the

pic to try and get the plant in the conch

shell. My love of conch shells come from

living in KeyWest. One summer I found

a ton of them, and was gonna mail them

home to Pensacola, I had already left and my dad

was gonna to mail them to me until he noticed

they were not smelling too good.

I didn't know that they had lil conchs

living in them, the things for which "Conch

fritters" get their name.

(Well, I was only 8 or 9 years old)

So needless to say,

the package never came!!

Poor lil conch's!!

I might need theraphy over that guilt!! ha

I thought these Turtles were adorable,

they are coasters! I just loved them!

and I am not really into Turtles either!


This was one of the lamps in the

Living area, one on each side

of the sofa. I loved that the

lampshade was green and gold.

Quite nice looking, wish I could

have gotten a better shot.

the living area was sort of small

and hard to get a good shot of it.

Just realized somehow I lost the shot

of hubby laying on the sofa enjoying

himself! Oh Well, if I go back for it

this will never get posted today.

Maybe the Lord knew he wouldn't

want to be in my blog today!! ha

This is the bedspread, mainly took this shot

for myself, cause these are pretty much the

colors I want to use in the bathroom we are

working on. We went to Lowe's Sat.

and Sun. and got all the tile we need to

finish the shower, so hopefully, we will

commence working on it this week sometime.

We are very excited to finish it!

~

Oh Yea!! for those who have been asking about

my son, thank you, for your concern and interest.

We spoke with him yesterday, he surprised us

and called, he was on top of a mountain and had

good reception. He and Joey are doing well.

They had an unplanned stay in another town

for 2 days because of the weather conditions.

It has done nothing but rain, he has gotten

caught in 2 thunderstorms with hale.

He was going up the side of a mountain

both times, the first time the hale was

about the size of a quarter or bigger and

another camper yelled to him from a

forestry tower so they were able to take

refuge there until the storm passed.

The second time fortunately the hale was

not as big. They are suppose to have more

thunderstorms all this week. He texted today

and said he had a 13 mile hike, but it was

a beautiful day, so we are praying it stayed

that way cause he has some pretty rugged

terrain today, mountains and fording a river.

He and Joey have both lost weight, so they

are probably even skinnier than they look

since the camera adds about 10 pds.

Joey looks like a happy camper, and our son

looks much happier in the 2nd set of pics

he just sent. I was truly happy to see that!!

In the beginning he was sore all the time

from the weight of the backpack and

the hiking of course, plus he had hurt

his knee, so I think he must have been

in quite a bit of pain. I asked him if he

took anything and he said he had something

but he didn't take it, it was just all part

of the hiking experience. He really

cracks me up!! I am wondering if he

is practicing for a marathon position in

the olympics and isn't sharing that

quite yet!! ha!

Well, I will finish my tour of the condo.

We are in the bedroom now, as

you can see.


Oh pooh, I just lost another pic.

It was of a cute lil fish lamp.

Maybe I can remember and throw

it in tomorrow.

Isn't this the sweetest looking lil manatee.

It had a frame and all but I

just cropped it to get a closeup

of the manatee. I forget you

can expand these pics once you

post them. Duh!!


Thought this was a pretty little shell dish

on the dresser.

This was another pic in the bedroom

of starfish. Pretty colors!!

This was the master bathroom vanity.

Love the egret and the palm tree lamp.

Wasn't the best shots cause of the mirror.

Much prettier in person.

They seemed to really like mirrors,

they were all over the place.

They had two mirrow closet doors

right as you enter the bathroom,

and one you see above but it wraps

around the end. Then there was

a big one over the sofa in the living

room as well, and then a mirror

over the dressers in each room as well.

This was an oil painting in the hall

on the way into the master bedroom.

I had to crop it some unfortunately,

cause I had a big flash in the middle

of the pic.

This was the guest bedroom that we had

hoped that my son and/ or daughter would

be staying in. You know where our son is,

and our daughter wanted to come but they

don't allow pets and she was not able to find

anyone so that was that!!

Guess the Lord knew we needed a vacation

all by ourselves, Father really does know Best!!

Picture in the guest bedroom, created

my very own sunrise as you can see.

There is a light house right up

from where we were staying

and I wanted to get a shot of it

up close but forgot.

You will see it in the background

of a pic tomorrow.

This was another pretty oil painting in the

guest bedroom. Had a nice frame but

had to crop it cause couldn't get it all in

where it looked nice.

~~~

Hope you have enjoyed my little tour!!

We sure enjoyed the change of scenery

and whoever owns it did a very nice job

of making it homey!! It was sure a blessing

to us, and we hope....Lord willing, we

will be able to go back again before another

5 years passes!

~~~

Well, Sweet Friends,

See ya Tomorrow

and Have a Wonderful Evening!!

We have to mow our lawn tonight.

Vacations Over, It is back to the real

world!! But we are ready...........

~~~

(This little metal pc. was in the guest bathroom)

~~~

Loves and Hugs, Nellie

Have a Refreshing Sunday

Hello Sweet Friends,

It is good to be back, I have missed you this week.

Will explain my break tomorrow but I leave you

with these words from scripture.

~~~

~~~

~~~

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge him,

and He will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3 :5 & 6

~

Hope your day is truly refreshing,

~

Love & Blessings, Nellie

~

~

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA

~

AND MAY GOD CONTINUE TO SHED HIS GRACE ON THEE

~

AND

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HAPPY 4TH OF JULY TO EACH OF YOU!

~

See you tomorrow,

Blessings and Hugs, Nellie