Wednesday, July 31, 2013

...Topsail Island...Day Six...

...thar she blows...there are actually dolphins out there...we could see them from the deck early in the morning...and I have about 100 photos like this...their appearance above water is too fleeting...I should have taken a video and captured a frame or two...
...we visited the Shark Attack...which is a touristy beach store...
...where they have henna tattoos...so Scout got one and followed the instructions...and washed it off...and we were so disappointed...it didn't look like it 'took'...
...but you don't have to wait long for the realistic looking tattoo to appear...
...a little musical note he's hoping will last until Band Camp next week...
...another pyramid appeared on the beach...
...and we just spent most of the day relaxing and looking at this...
...and we finally made it to the ice-cream truck on the back street...he came by every evening playing the ice cream truck music...but this is the only time that we made it from the beach to the back of the house in time...

...it was another perfect day...

~Have a lovely day!

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

...Topsail Island...Day Five...

...another puzzle was completed...well...almost...I think this one is only missing 2 pieces...
...and another one started...
...and some games were played late into the night...
...we woke to slightly overcast skies...but we know enough about beaches to know that sunscreen is definitely still needed...
...the tide came in...
...and filled the mote as planned...
...the waves were pretty calm...
...and the sun was partly obscured...
...so it seemed like a good time for a nice long walk...
...heading south from the house this time...the naval exercise is still ongoing...
...there are lots of turtle nests marked off like this...There is actually a Sea Turtle Hospital on the island...and we had intended to visit it...but they said that due to the number of 'patients' they were not accepting visitors...so that was kind of a bummer...
...a lone seagull...
...another nest tucked into the dunes...
...pretty dunes...
...a rather large crab hole...
...a keep off the dunes sign...
...the sky was clearing as we head back north...
...a seagull takeoff...does anybody read Jonathan Livingston anymore?...
...and the sand baffles right before our little row of houses...

...thanks for walking with me...

~Have a lovely day!

Monday, July 29, 2013

...Topsail Island...Day Four...

...another day dawned clear and perfect...
...there was some sort of large naval vessel off shore...I only brought my point-and-shoot camera so I couldn't get any good photos...there were little ships that came out of it to the rear...and there were lots of helicopters flying around...fun to watch...
...a new puzzle was started...
...the bird watching was great...
...I loved seeing the blackbirds act like sandpipers...
...you could see plenty of birds from the deck...but next time I must remember to bring some binoculars...
...there were water balloons in the pool...
...some pyramids appeared on the beach...
...some beach cornhole was played...you really had to gauge your throw based on the wind direction...
...and enjoying the evening sitting on the sound-side deck...
...another gorgeous sunset...

~Have a lovely day!

Saturday, July 27, 2013

...Topsail Island...Day Three...

...all of these photos are from day three...
...by day 3 the first puzzle had been completed...it's only missing 4 pieces...HA!
...there was fun by the pool...
...and fun at the beach...can you believe how crowded it is...NOT...
...this same squadron of 5 pelicans were on patrol up and down the beach...
...I don't know how many times I looked up and saw them flying in formation up and down the beach...
...our little group enjoying some fun in the waves...
...and walks on the beach...
...our little red house in the middle seen from the water's edge...
...long walks up the nearly empty beach...
...to the pier nearly a mile away from the house...
...another day well spent...

~Have a lovely day!

Friday, July 26, 2013

...Topsail Island...Day Two...

...after a good night's sleep in a pretty comfortable king-sized bed...we got up early enough to see the shrimp boats still at work in front of the house...
...we all gathered for Church by the poolside...it was a little bit too noisy and windy at the beach...
...but then we all went down to the water's edge to have Holy Communion on the beach...it was AWESOME!...and something the kids will probably remember their whole lives...
...then there was more beach play...and after huge sandwich lunch buffet...the youth piled back into the vans for the ride home to West Virginia...the 2013 Mission Trip is officially over...
...but our little family will be staying at the beach for the rest of the week...

~Have a lovely day!