COLD!!

Yes, it is cold all over the country.   Here is it is just chilly but I have had a sore throat for two days so I feel chilled all the time.  (But up in Indiana can you believe a    - 20 for Monday.   Oh my gosh!)

It was sunny - YES!  I said  sunny  today so we went for a drive up to Fort Pickens today.

Because there was no wind, it felt more like 65 degrees!   It was a wonderful feeling.  A quick stop at Sidelines for lunch.   Sidelines has great food - a sport's bar on the beach - and is always busy even with locals.

The sea oats along the road have a brown look this time of year rather than the greenish summer look.  But they are doing their job - holding down the sand from blowing away.

Since Dad was driving, I could concentrate on taking pictures.

We drove through the Fort Pickens Campgrounds.  We always do because camping is in our blood.  But so is comfort and convenience.   This would be too small for me.

Ah, there we go.  A little bit more to my liking, I think.  Yes, and it has Direct TV cable.   

People are walking, riding bikes, fishing, and sailing.  The land across the sound here is the Navy Aviation Base.   I was born on that base.......a few years ago.

For those that are interested, the small grocery store for the camping area is opened again and has new siding put on the building.   Looks nice!  

Pine trees grow really fast (this is why in woodworking, pine is a cheaper wood to buy).  It is good to see some new ones growing up because the hurricanes in the last 15 years have damaged much of the island.  But most of that damage is not noticeable today.

These beautiful old live oaks live through the hurricanes and more are over 100 years old.   They are all over the campground and the city of Pensacola.  

There I am trying to climb a tree!   (And if you believe that, I have a 3 mile bridge I would like to sell you.)

Up north they have snow plows and here we have sand plows.  I love the look of ridges in the sand from the wind.

And here is the star of this blog, the Gulf of Mexico!   I love her beauty, power, and the way her colors change.  But anyone that does not respect her is in for great danger. 

Many thanks to the Mom and Dad taxi service for the drive down to Fort Pickens.  It was a beautiful day of sun and salt!

And my last picture is the weather for Monticello, In.  I am not going to tease because it is going to be down right dangerously cold.    Notice the temperature for Monday and Sunday night.  And with the wind chill they are saying below -30.  Please take care everyone up there and hunker down!  

Take care all!  Oh, and Happy 2014!!!