Surfer Boys

Just a day at the beach.

It could be any old day really,

but this day happens to be in Gulf Shores, AL.

This was the day that my Uncle Matt was showing me how to make a sandcastle. 

A group of boys arrived a few minutes after we got set up in our spot and they started surfing right by us.

The waves weren't big at all, so they were mostly working on their form.  (That's what they said)

They could have been beginners for all I knew, but they were a lot of fun to watch.

I never got their names, but they were all buddies from the local area and a few of them were going to the University of Alabama this fall.

At some point after the pelican sand sculpture was finished, the boy in the red 3 shirt asked if I would take their picture.  Four of them had remembered to bring their team shirts and they wanted a photo together.

Of course I said yes!

While I had them all together, I had them strike this pose.  (I added in the boy who had forgotten his shirt.)  I noticed all afternoon that while waiting for the next wave, they would lean on their boards.  I liked the pose, so I had them recreate it.

Then they asked if I would take another one of them looking all bad a$$.

They were such nice boys that they really can't pull off the look, but I didn't tell them that!

I emailed one of them the photos the next day and he was thrilled with them.

What fun.

Hope you have a great day!
Kristin

POTD - Foley Flowers

POTD - Foley Flowers

©2011 Kristin Corlett

The two or three block area of Foley, Alabama that looks to be its original town center has some very pretty hanging flower baskets.  I thought these two looked especially brilliant when paired with the bright blue and yellow of the auto parts store.  I don't know if it's Route 59 or State Road 59, but 59 is a very very busy road and it goes right through the heart of old Foley.  The flowering baskets, the old store fronts and the Magnolia Hotel are just a few of the wonderful things to see in Foley. 

Enjoy!
Kristin

POTD - Rest Area

POTD - Rest Area

©2011 Kristin Corlett

This is my favorite rest area in Alabama.

On the back roads from Gulf Shores, AL to I-10 in Florida is this port-a-potty storage place.  I've always wanted a photo of it, but I've always been alone in my car and on a two lane road, it's very hard to do my drive-by photography trick.  My husband had come with me, so I was able to take the photos as a passenger this time.  I know it's funny that I was so excited about getting a port-a-potty shot, but I really was!  So this is indeed my favorite rest area in Alabama.

Enjoy!
Kristin

This earthen mound

My dear friend Dust Bunny, took me to this interesting site when we were toodling around Alabama together one day.

Now about that bunny. She took her blog offline so no one could read, so they couldn't comment, so she wouldn't get overloaded with wonderful comments that would pressure her to be online when she felt like she didn't have enough time for her family during a busy time of year for her.

I thought it was just me that she was ignoring.

...because it's all about me.

It's always all about me, all the time.

I hope she comes back soon, I miss her.


So back to this interesting site.

At the end of a little winding road in a sleepy neighborhood there is this little hill, or a mound as they call it on the historical marker.

Doesn't it look like something that should be marked, historically?

I would have never guessed.



Let's read the plaque, shall we?

This earthen mound was part of a redoubt* constructed by the 1st Division, U.S. Colored Troops in April, 1865.  The regiment saw considerable action against Confederate warships protecting the Blakely River.  These earthworks have been preserved as a gift from the Fuller family to the Archaeological Conservancy in 2006.

redoubt -- A temporary or supplementary fortification, typically square or polygonal and without flanking defenses.  (definition from Google)

I do find it interesting that it was a fortification from Colored Troops in the South, but it seems quite funny to have a little hill in a neighborhood cul de sac be something historically significant.  Significant enough that it gets a marker.

Thanks Dust Bunny for showing this to me.

Now come back and start blogging, darn it.  We miss you!!

Have a great day!
Kristin

POTD - Reaching Out

POTD - Reaching Out

©2011 Kristin Corlett

The Magnolia Cemetery in Mobile Alabama (blogged here) had a lot of beautiful cemetery stones and statues.  I think that I could have wandered around there for a week and not see everything.  This little boy statue was not depicted as an angel with wings, as so many statues are, but I'm sure the family thought of the little boy that they lost as an angel in heaven.  It's beautiful, sad, heartbreaking and lovely all wrapped up in a carved stone statue.

Kristin

Discovering Mobile

While in Alabama I took an afternoon and went to visit my friend Jennifer.  She blogs under the name Dust Bunny Hostage, but unfortunately she hasn't blogged much lately. I fell in love with her blog a few years ago and I wait with bated breath for each word she writes! 

I look forward to seeing her in person, too!  We are never are at a loss for words or laughter.  I'm so fortunate that she lives fairly close to Gulf Shores.

Jennifer suggested that she could take me to Mobile, AL and I jumped at the chance.  I've been wanting to see that big town across the bay, but have just never gone.  Thanks Jennifer for taking me!!

The very first place she took me were to some vintage signs! Love the vintage Music store sign. 

Goodness knows that I love old signs.  She said that she has been wanting to get photos of these signs for quite some time so I was happy to be invited!!

One of Jennifer's favorite birds is the Blue Bird, so she's been eying this sign for quite some time.  I loved it, too!

The store is no longer open, but I liked this shot of the sign in the reflection of the locked front door.

I think the hanger has been refurbished but the rest of the sign and the building are perfectly vintage.

I spotted a sign to the Magnolia Cemetery so we discovered this gorgeous place together!  It was established in 1836 and is Mobile's second oldest cemetery.  I guess we'll have to find the oldest one next time.

It is a giant cemetery with beautiful old trees, flowering azaleas (not year round of course, but they were certainly flowering when I visited!) and some really beautiful headstones and statuary.

I'm going to have a whole post on the cemetery at some point, so here's just a nugget.  What a lovely angel for a little boy.

Somewhere during our travels through Mobile we stopped at a Krispy Kreme and had a doughnut.  This kept my tummy from rumbling while we drove around and looked at all of the lovely houses.  We found an open house so we just had to stop and take a look.  I love yellow houses with white trim and green shutters.  I do!  The white picket fence just seals the deal.  It's a adorable!

The teeny little house was just 950 square feet with 2 bedrooms but it had a garage and a nice yard and the owners had completely renovated and updated the place.  It was great.   Jennifer really liked these little planters hanging from the fence and I did, too! 

One of our last stops before going back to her place was to get a view of Mobile from across the bay.

We had a wonderful day together and got a lot of personal friend time in, too.  Thanks so much Jennifer!  Let's do it again real soon :)

Have a great day!
Kristin

**I got a facebook message that said "[My husband] said the oldest cemetery is Church Street Cemetery behind the library downtown." 

Cool!!

POTD - Candlelight

POTD - Candlelight

©2010 Kristin Corlett

This was by far my favorite motel sign that I saw this trip.  You can find the Candlelight Motel on Hwy 231 - Ozark, Alabama.  I saw this sign on Flickr and it was at night.  Now I need to go by here at night!  I have to admit, I'm not sure when that's going to happen.

Enjoy!
Kristin

POTD - Peace

POTD - Peace

A section of the gate to the Prince of Peach cemetery in Elberta, AL.  I like the way peace curves along the archway. 

Enjoy!
Kristin

POTD - 90º

POTD - 90º

When my Mom and I went to the beach in Gulf Shores, Alabama it was very very windy.  The gulf was rough, the red flags were out, warning beach goers not to get into the water, and the American flag was at a steady 90º to the flagpole.   It was the official spring break week in Gulf Shores, so a blimp was even seen in the sky. 

Enjoy!
Kristin

POTD - Thread

Photo of the Day (POTD) - Thread

It's been about six weeks since I've posted a photo of the day.  I kept thinking that I'd start up again tomorrow, but tomorrow never got here.  I finally decided, yesterday, that I'd start up again on April Fools Day.  No joke though, photo of the day is back.

I'm going to start off showing the Ball jar full of antique spools of thread that Jennifer gave me (and another jar to Leigh) when we met up a few weeks back.  I hadn't gotten a photo of it the other day when I spoke of the gift, but I finally remembered when we had a nice sunny day and I could set the jar in the window.

Thanks again Jennifer!

Happy POTD!

Happy April First :)

Kristin