Videos of camping at Grayton Beach SP

This 1st video shows how we set up camp.  It may be a bit boring but I just want you to see how simple and fun it is to camp. And cheap too!

This 2nd video shows you the area around the camping site. This includes the Dune Lake, the Nature Trail, and the beach area.  Very nice. Believe me, we enjoyed it.
So sorry about the sounds on the video.  I first recorded comments while recording. The sound came way too low, so I recorded a new narration but I couldn't get rid of the old one.  Don't know how. lol

Camping at Grayton Beach SP

It's been a while since we've done a State Park camping. We've been enjoying our primitive camping trips. It's hard to beat the quiet and serenity of those settings.

This time we went back to a State Park. Oh yes, it was nice to have electricity and water at the site. The bathrooms with hot showers were nice too...but you have neighbors. These neighbors were not the owls and the singing birds. I shouldn't complain.

The weather was perfect. The beach with its white Florida sand was beautiful. The nature walk was peaceful and pleasant. And we saw 16 new birds out of about 34 different birds seen on the weekend, not counting the ones we couldn't identify.


We've extended our camping weekend by one extra day because it was so nice. Beside the birds, we got the chance to see a lot of Monarch Butterflies hanging out for a while on their migratory path to Mexico or further south.

A side benefit of camping at the beach in a State Park is that you get to enjoy a beautiful beach that is not crowded at all. And Grayton Beach SP has a Dune Lake as well. One of the only two dune lakes in the world. The other one is in South Africa.

On our way home, we were really having a hard time deciding which type of camping we like best; primitive camping or State Park camping. I guess we like them both.

So...they want to learn Judo

I just got back from the Tae Kwon Do school where I taught...Judo!!! Full circle.  I started martial arts with Judo.  After a little more than 10 years, I took a break, then started learning Tae Kwon Do.  I'm preparing to take my test for my black belt 3rd Dan this month.

I was happy to be officially promoted "Assistant Instructor" two months ago even though I've been assisting for about a year now.  My promotion came with a little surprise.  I'm assigned a group of teenage black belt kids with the mission of teaching them Judo takedown techniques.  Boy! was I happy!!!  I love Judo...and these kids remind me of myself learning Judo as a teenager.  We're having fun.

Aikido, Judo, or Jiu Jitsu are a very nice complement to a Korean style martial art like TaeKwonDo.  Like Karate or Kung Fu, TaeKwonDo is excellent for an attack or defense with an opponent by striking versus a grappling.  Your legs are longer and stronger than your arms for kicking.  The judo moves come in handy when a person tries to grab you.  That could put the karate or tae kwon do practitioner at a slight disadvantage (being grabbed).  That's the reason it's excellent to combine both styles of martial arts.  That's also why you now see "mixed martial arts" schools today.  Of course, you instinctively mix it yourself when you know both formats (striking arts and grappling arts). 

Just for your information, Karate, Judo, Jujutsu and Aikido are of Japanese origins, while Taekwondo is of Korean origin and Kun fu is of China. 

Well, I don't expect to ever be in a fight outside of martial arts tournaments, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared.  I practice as a sport so I can stay in decent shape and also to compete in tournaments.  But who knows, maybe I will just help a "lil' ol' lady" being attacked by some bullies one day. 

P.S. Unlike my usual posts, I talked a lot about myself in this one.  As you may have noticed if you read my blog, I usually don't do that .  So, you'll forgive me this time.

Camping at Oconee National Forest

We went camping last week end.  Was fun as usual.  But more importantly, serene, peaceful, quiet... no one around, just nature with its unique sounds. 
Oh yes! we saw new birds.  This post really shows you the basic items we use to set up our site.  We try to make ourselves a little bit comfortable.  But nothing beats your own bed at home or your own bathroom.  We settle for little inconveniences to enjoy the peace of the woods, the forest and nature at its best.

What is your passion?

We went for some birdwatching this week-end.  Twice!  Debbie and I. 

Yes, we saw some new birds.  And yes! we were excited like kids.  It's always fun to see new birds. These birds are not "new".  We just haven't seen and identified them before.  We now have some favorite birds that we're always happy to see again and again; such as the Summer Tanager, the Pileated Woodpecker, the Indigo Bunting...the Yellow Warbler... you get the idea.

Among some of our "new birds" are the American Redstart, the Prothonotary Warbler, the Hooded Warbler, and the Shiny Cowbird.  All of them are pretty.  Very pretty.

Then something interesting happens.  You see a new bird for the first time.  The bird gets nice and lets you see him (or her) real good.  Almost like saying "people don't see me often, so since you found me, I let you look".  You're happy, excited. Then you look in all your bird books and you can't find the bird!!!  This is the second time this has happened to us.  In the same area.  The huge Oconee National Forest.  I'm going to start naming birds: "Yellow-headed Coquerel Oriole" (Debbie and I have seen that bird!), "Coquerel Tanager" (we saw that one too!!!).  What if I write them in the library books and return them.  Mass circulation.  Oh, maybe we did see some "new birds".  I mean...like no one else has documented.  Hum.

As you can see, we're passionate about birds.  What's your passion?  Good for you!  Enjoy it!

A week in the Ozarks

Finally, a week vacation in the Ozarks, Arkansas.
We spent this pleasant week with two of our favorite people, Connie and Duane.

Did you know Arkansas has beautiful forests, mountains, rivers, caverns, nice people, wildlife? Now you know. It has all that and more.

We stayed near a Lake (Greer's Lake) and this lake has a mountain in the middle of it. To get that breathtaking view, you take a ferry or rent a boat, then climb the mountain. Only half a mile steep climb but lots of fun. The view is worth the climb.

The resort where we stayed was in a very natural setting. We even saw a bear crossing the road in front of our car! A black bear.  His name is Charlie.  Duane named him.  Every time we go out, we keep our eyes out for Charlie but we never saw Charlie again. He is afraid of people.

The deer in the area are not afraid of people. They'll say Hi! to you and even show you their fawns and does. The snakes were not afraid either. When we tried to cool off in a natural rock pool, the snakes just joined in happily, coming out of the rocks. Except we were not too happy with their company. They looked like a bunch of juvenile water moccasins to me. Hum, nice but no thank you. I bet they wondered why we had to leave so quickly.  Sure, they just wanted to "play". Little vampires! Debbie said they were creepy.

I have an assignment for you. Go see the Blanchard Springs Caverns before you die. I can't describe it. Let's just say it's Grand. You go in and you go...WOW!!! If you don't see it before you die, don't worry, I think that's gonna be one of the wonders that will be in heaven anyhow. It's still nice to see here for your first glimpse.
These pictures you're looking at are not lying. Everybody was happy.

Debbie and I saw our first Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher. This bird is beautiful and graceful with its long scissor tailed. It's on our bird-to-see list.

Additional pictures from the trip are on the top right corner of this page.

Did I say we played Rook? Connie won the most. Debbie won the first put-put golf game and Duane won the second one.  We stayed at a golf resort with 2 golf courses...but the place is known for it's award winning put put golf course.  Imagine that!
We just got back a week ago but I'm almost ready for the next trip. I forgot how nice vacations are.

Sugar Loaf Mountain. Top