day 31

Our last day here on the Gulf called for a trip to the fish market.

We purchased shrimp, flounder and crab to take home with us.

From there we enjoyed fish and chips on the deck beside the water.

Life is good.

~b

sea creatures

Paint classes here at the resort have been a great way to meet people and learn a new hobby.

I suppose a new hobby isn't what I need but I have really enjoyed it.  

Today we did an octopus. I believe blue is our instructors favorite color.

There have been two art instructors here...I was so disappointed to miss the other classes.

May you always have shells in your pockets and sand between your toes.

~b

The Strand

Galveston is full of beautiful old architecture with a history. It isn't hard to picture this town as it was in it's earliest days.

 Built in 1895 as two individual but connected structures, these buildings complemented Galveston’s Strand Avenue, known at the time as the “Wall Street of the Southwest.”

“Ball, Hutchings & Co. was established in 1854 with George Ball, John H. Hutchings, and John Sealy as partners. As bankers and dealers in wholesale dry goods, the firm was the first of its kind in Texas and its influence was felt throughout the state. In 1858, the assets and liabilities of the Samuel May Williams’ Commercial and Agricultural Bank, the only chartered bank in Texas prior to the Civil War, were taken over by Ball, Hutchings & Co.”

“When the Federal blockade closed the port of Galveston during the Civil War, the firm moved to Houston for the duration of the war and from there carried on trade in cotton as a means to help the Confederacy. 

                         Yesterday we shopped on Strand Avenue which is full of unique shops.

I always like to pick up something from our trips for the granddaughters. It may be an excuse to shop? 

~b 

Spoonbills

The Roseate Spoonbill is my favorite bird down here along the Gulf. 

They are so exotic.

What luck to come around a curve and spot a small flock of them in the ditch.

Thank you Mr. b for always turning around for my pictures.

~b

fog

 We woke up to fog this morning.

When the sun comes out it will be humid and hot.

Just the typical tropical weather that makes coastal living

 so interesting to us landlubbers.

We are on day 27 of our month here.

Which is what the saying "All good things must come to an end" refers to.

~b

biking

 

Biking on the beach has been one of our favorite things to do here. 

You couldn't ask for a more scenic ride.

~b

gulf food

 One of my favorite soups to make and eat at home is cream of vegetable.

Here on the gulf I add a little fish and Old Bay seasoning to make it a fish chowder.

Key Lime pie follows a fish meal perfectly.

The key limes down here are the real thing!

There is nothing easier to make than Key Lime pie. It doesn't require any fancy gadgets, although I wouldn't mind a small hand juicer. Just three ingredients plus a store bought graham cracker crust and Cool Whip makes this pretty simple to put together in my camper kitchen. I'll definitely be adding a recipe for it in my camper recipe book.

I wish I would have known this 40 years ago.

~b

 Thursday's ocean offerings include...

A watercolor whale I painted in a class today...

Wildflowers growing in the sand...

And another cache of seashells.

~b

Morning beach session...

 

~b is for beach

 Happy Spring!

The Indian Paintbrushes have been blooming in Texas ditches for over a month.

These, bluebonnets and more. I think it must always be spring in Texas.

When we get back we will have a South Dakota spring...

which is very different than Texas.

We will have daffodils, tulips, lilacs, asparagus and best of all rhubarb.

I love getting two springs.

~b

fishing

The pelicans have been fishing in the canal behind our camper.

It's funny the way they nose dive and bomb into the water 

after they have spotted the fish they want.

 We really enjoy bird watching down here on the gulf.

~b

Texas birds

 I think this great-tailed grackle was doing a commercial for Hunt Brothers Pizza when I spotted it.

This bird is different from the grackles we have in South Dakota.

They are really loud and always begging for food.

I miss them when we leave here 

and they always bring a smile to my face when we return.

~b

you choose

 There's beach living and there's canal living here on the gulf.

I'm not fussy...I would take either.

~b

sail away

 It's been windy and wild here the last couple of days.

We love the waves on these days.

We each made a sailboat on craft day.

Craft days here are an opportunity to be creative 

when we are so far from our workshops at home.

~b

fish and chips

It seems seagulls like fish and chips too.

Our waitress insisted we take a to go box to feed the birds.

~b

crawfish

 Day 11 - Today we tried the crawfish boil here at the resort.

Totally NOT worth it. I hate getting my hands in my food.

All that work for a nibble.

Nope this girl is sticking with shrimp.

Let the birds have the crawfish!

      

~b

sea turtle

Yesterday I took a watercolor class here at the resort.

It was alot of fun and now I may need a watercolor set.

~b

ships out on the ocean

The Galveston shipping lanes were busy yesterday.

It looks like a slow process getting all the ships in.

 We enjoy watching them. I think Mr. b could sit here all day.

When we were done here we ventured down to the docks to buy fresh caught fish.

We also enjoyed a huge meal of numerous kinds of fish and chips at Joe's Crab Shack.

Life is good at the beach.

~b

for the birds

The Spoonbills and White Ibis are nesting close by our campground.

We always have to stop and admire them.

It's day seven here, a week already...

78 degrees and very muggy.

~b

six days

An older model camper with a bike on the back...

that's my idea of beach living.

I'm slightly jealous of the campers down on the beach here.

We are close in ours but parking on the beach overnight 

is even closer to my idea of heaven.

~b

Day 4 and 5

A few more South Padre pics.

 

Our days go by quickly down here. Every day is a gift.

~b

shells

 Day Three...

Walks on the beach never gets old.  

I finished my prayer shawl today. It's an easy knit in a shell pattern.

~b

beach bums

March

31 days of beach living....

31 pictures.

it doesn't get much better than this.

-sunscreen

-sunglasses

-hat

-camera

-beach bag to carry it all

-beach chair

Life is good!   ~b