Ocean Isle Beach Trip--January 2015

The SUNSET from our balcony the day we got there,  1/25/15

Hello Friends,   First of all --let me welcome all of you to FEBRUARY.  Let's make this entire month a month filled with LOVE.   I added new quotes on my right sidebar of my blog--so check it out for many quotes about LOVE.  I think you will enjoy them!!!!!

George and I just got home the end of last week from several days at Ocean Isle Beach in North Carolina... Most of you know (if you have followed my blog for several years) that there are two places we absolutely love.  These two places are the Islander Inn at Ocean Isle Beach,  North Carolina, and Mt. Nebo in Arkansas... We go to Mt. Nebo once a year and we go to Ocean Isle twice a year.  However,  this year,  our December trip to Ocean Isle got cancelled due to my knee problem.

After taking care of me for two months (while I sat on my backside doing nothing except hurting) ---I knew that George definitely needed a vacation after my knee surgery.  (Actually,  I needed that vacation also!)  SO---we went this past week and had a marvelous time.

Some of you may also remember that George took me to Ocean Isle Beach after my gallbladder surgery last May...  That (as was this past week) was 'Just what the Doctor Ordered'.... Hopefully,  I have had my LAST surgery for a long long time... ha

Today I will share 11 photos from this latest trip ---and will show 11 more on Thursday... Hope you enjoy this latest trip of ours!!!!!! Be sure to click on the photos for enlargements.

Dockside Seafood Restaurant,  Calabash,  North Carolina

Not only do George and I enjoy the beach/waves/sky, etc.---but we also LOVE LOVE LOVE the seafood from Dockside at Calabash.  The plate contains our two favorites,  fried scallops and fried shrimp... They also have the BEST hushpuppies in the entire world.....  This year though we were smart!  We took an extra cooler and some containers ---so that we could take some of that wonderful seafood home with us for more meals!!!!!  YUM...

Us on the Beach,  1/26/15

There were almost NO people around while we were there at the beach --so most days we had the beach all to ourselves.  However,  we met a lady who was also walking on the beach that morning and she offered to take our picture together.   You can see our inn where we stayed (Islander Inn) behind us.

SUNBEAMS on 1/26/15

This picture shows you how different one day can be from another.   We wanted to see a sunrise (1/26) ---but it was VERY cloudy.   We didn't get any rain (until about 5 p.m --and even that wasn't much) ---but when we went outside to see if we would see a sunset (like we had seen the night before) ----God gave us SUNBEAMS instead.... I love sunsets --but I also love clouds and sunbeams...  Isn't this a neat photo?????  Wow---thanks be to God.

On 1/26 ---we did get to walk on the beach despite the weather.

I love clouds ---and we had them only on one day when we were there (1/26).. The waves were also stronger that day ---which made for some great pictures... Speaking of waves,  we love to leave the door to our room open at nights -so that we can sleep while listening to the waves... VERY peaceful!!!!

The Beginning of a gorgeous day ---1/27/15

On the VERY early morning of 1/27,  we stood on our balcony to see what the sunrise would provide for us.  Even though there were still lots of clouds around,  we loved all of the colors which this one gave us... Wow----again I say,  Thanks be to God.

Walking on the beach on 1/27/15

As you can see,  the beach looked very different on this day compared to the day before.  The clouds were disappearing and the waves were fairly calm.   Look at all of the shells!!!!!!!

One of George's Creative Photos

I know that George will share his terrific photos on his blogs ---but I just had to share one that I love.  He was standing behind one of the palm trees at the Islander Inn  at sunset.... Don't you just love this one?  I certainly do.

Betsy is SO happy to be there!!!!

On 1/27,  we enjoyed walking on the beach.  You would be proud of me that week.  I was really exercising the 'bum leg'....  We took walks on the beach every day --and most of the time,  twice a day.  I also made myself take the stairs (instead of the elevator) most all week --since going up and down steps is good exercise for my knee... I did fairly well!!!!

A gorgeous sunset on 1/28/15

After seeing the Sunbeams the night before,  we enjoyed gorgeous sunsets (with almost no clouds) both on 1/27 and 1/28.

The beginning of another gorgeous day on 1/29/15

We were leaving that morning --and didn't have time to wait to actually see the sun pop up.  BUT---we did enjoy seeing the sky at sunrise just before that sun rose.

Hope you enjoyed these photos from our trip.  I will share another group on Thursday,  Feb. 5.   Please stop back by then!!!  AND--don't forget to check out my quotes this month on the right sidebar.  Thanks!!!

I also have a short blog post on my Photo Blog (click HERE)...  Check it out if you have time.   And---if you want more information on the Islander Inn in Ocean Isle Beach,  NC--click HERE.

Hugs,

Emoticons

Catching Up ---Christmas and Beyond

Two Bloggers meet:  Ruth and Betsy together AT LAST!

Sorry I have been missing in action lately---but wanted to share some pictures from our month with you today.  Despite my knee problems and knee surgery (Jan. 8),  we did have a great Christmas and so far,  January has been good also. 

The picture above was taken on December 29, 2014 at the Cracker Barrel Restaurant in Nashville,  Tennessee.  Ruth Heibert  (Ruth's Photo Blog) and friend Gwen came to Nashville to attend a special Gospel Music Convention.  SO---since we are only 2.5 hours from there,  George and I  drove over to Nashville,  picked them up at their hotel and took those two Canadian ladies to the Cracker Barrel for a good ole' southern dinner..... They both enjoyed Chicken and Dumplings for the first time ---and CORNBREAD.    (Can you imagine ANYONE going through life without cornbread????? ha ha ha)

I have met LOTS of bloggers (and I love all of you) --but Ruth and I have been very special friends for many years ---back when we both started blogging... To say that finally getting to meet her was special is an understatement.  She is EXTREMELY special to both George and me.  We love her so much---and are already thinking about when we will meet again. Thanks, Ruth,  for coming to Tennessee!!!!!!  Come back SOON.

Landon (college),  Avery--age 16,  Bay Lee (college) and Brooke (graduating from high school in June)

The next day,  December 30,  George and I drove to Chattanooga to meet up with two of my three sons and their families...   Seeing these adorable grandchildren just made Christmas for this Grammy!!!!!  Aren't they beautiful --including Bay Lee's tiny little doggie!!  Landon and Avery are Jeff's children and Bay Lee and Brooke are Mark's children.  We were SO glad to see them and spend the day with them.

George with his little girl (Kelly) and her hubby (Chuck)

That same week (on January 2)---George and I drove back to Nashville to celebrate Christmas,  New Year's AND Kelly's Birthday (Jan.1) with them.  It was a cold and dreary day ---but we had a great time,  having a delicious lunch/dinner at the Dan McGuinness Irish Pub in West Nashville.  George and I both enjoyed Shepherd's Pie --which we hadn't had in a long time... It was a great day!

George enjoying his new camera lens,  a Tamron lens, 16 to 300mm

After all of the other trips we had after Christmas,  Christmas Day was spent at home with just the two of us enjoying one another.  I went 'away' from tradition this year (yipes) and we had a delicious Honey Ham (instead of turkey),  some scalloped potatoes,  green beans,  sliced tomatoes, baby carrots, pickles and cranberry relish.  For dessert,  we enjoyed some Dutch Apple Pie with vanilla ice cream on top... YUM...  (Since we still had turkey left-over from Thanksgiving,  we decided that ham would be a nice change.  And it was ---although I struggle with changing traditions... ha)

I gave George this nice lens ----but somehow,  his bride has already taken it away from him... He 'wants' me to use it so that I won't have to change lens so often... If I like it,  I may just have to buy another one for his birthday for HIM.... ha ha

Willow Figurine named HERO

George gave me lots of really nice things for Christmas ---and this was definitely one of my favorites.  Since I collect WILLOW Angels/Figurines,  I was thrilled to get this one (which I had never seen before).   Reminded me of a widow of a United States Military man killed in action.. Makes me cry!!!!  OH how I appreciate our Armed Forces and what they do for us...  Isn't HERO a gorgeous figurine?

Three new ornaments on our Christmas Tree this year depicting our 2014 trips

Besides many day trips and short trips in 2014,  George and I took 8 longer trips.  Six of them are on the ornament on the left:  Strasburg,  VA and the Shenandoahs;  West Virginia (Cass Railroad) for our anniversary;  Maggie Valley NC and the Blue Ridge Pkwy with friends;  Mt. Nebo, Arkansas with friends;  Blowing Rock, NC  for my birthday;  and Hocking Hills,  Ohio for George's birthday.   The ornament in the middle was from our trip to  Texas to visit 2 sons/families in Sept.   AND the one on the right is from our beach trip in May to Ocean Isle,  NC.  That cute ornament made me laugh since Santa is dressed up with his beach attire.  We had planned to go back to Ocean Isle the first of December --but my 'bum knee' cancelled that trip temporarily. 

Mama Says:  "Now Sweeties,  SMILE for the camera!"

I just had to include this funny picture of sons Jeff and Mark on December 30 in Chattanooga...  That was such a fantastic day together as a crazy family ---which we are... My sons were in RARE form telling stories about their childhoods and lives... I've never laughed so hard in my life.  Of course,  I told a few stories myself that day!!!!!! 

Two crazy people on Christmas Morning at our home!!!!!  

After looking at this photo,  you will know where those two funny guys in the picture above this one get their craziness.... Do you think their Nutty Mama had anything to do with it????????? (Don't answer that!  ha ha)

Speaking of a Nutty Mama,  I was barely standing and not doing much walking on Christmas morning... But---how could anyone keep a crippled girl from dancing on Christmas?   (I do think that George was there to catch me if I fell!!!!! ha)

A very happy Mom and her Three Sons  (on January14, 2015)

This is a picture that I will cherish forever... I seldom get to see all three of my sons together ---but did on January 14  (which was only 6 days after my knee surgery).  From left to right:  Mark--45;  Me--old woman;  Jeff--43;  and Bert (called Tre)--51.

What brings families together more than anything else?  FUNERALS.....  My sons' wonderful Grandmother died and her funeral was that day in Knoxville,  TN.  Laura Wilhite (age 99) was loved by all,  including me (since she was my ex-mother-in-law) and my sons and grandchildren.

Even though I was still re-cooping after surgery,  I cleaned up and we went to the funeral... I did great that day --but really felt the pain the following day... BUT--it was worth it and I am very glad I went.  Just having my sons with me for a few hours was worth everything.

Hope all of you had a very Merry Christmas.

Finally,  I want to wish each of you a Happy 2015.... I INTEND to have a great one.  I apologize for being away from blogging for so long. To look at all of these pictures,  you'd think I was doing GREAT... Truth be told ---it has not been easy for me.  I will do an entire blog about my knee/surgery/recovery, etc.  sometime  AFTER I am totally well and back to myself again... But--just know that I am okay and am gradually getting better and better.  Thanks be to God.

I will try to be back to blogging again sometime the first week or two in  February.  In the meantime,  be sure to check out my January quotes on my sidebar.  There are some good ones...

Thanks for all of the comments/emails/Facebook comments/messages/texts,  etc... George has even had people asking about me on his blog.  That is SO sweet that so many people care.  God Bless You ALL.  I have so many wonderful friends.

Hugs,

Emoticons