Spring was Sprung ...

Spring was Sprung in Tennessee and South Carolina!

As we travelled South, though it was still quite chilly,

we enjoyed experiencing Spring in fast forward mode ...

Who knew there was a beautiful Wildlife Sanctuary in the midst of Knoxville, TN?

We hiked the slightly muddy trails of Ijams Nature Center - so refreshing!

St. James Island County Park was a great place to camp with our

friends and travel out from there to see a plantation and

some of the historic sights in Charleston, SC.

Well worth the time to see Middleton Place.
Insights into this once rich and famous plantation which produced rice,
a wealth producing crop developed by the African Slaves,
was overgrown and neglected following the Civil War,
and now gives a wonderful historical tour of it's working farm and beautiful gardens!

Historical Charleston!

Beautiful and unique homes ... so interesting to learn about why the single homes were built
very long and narrow with beautiful verandas. This was for protection and
more efficient ventilation.

The city's Live Oak Trees are so magnificent!

Sweet Grass Baskets at Charleston's Market Square

We missed seeing Savannah this time round but are determined
to go back some day to visit that city and it's surrounding State Parks.

Jekyll Island State Park is near there and we did a windy and cool day trip to the park.

On the nearly deserted beaches, we collected hands full of the
prettiest tiny sand dollars.

There is an amazing sea turtle hospital,
Georgia Sea Turtle Center,
 and I'm so glad we got to see this.

Jekyll Island State Park is worth a revisit
and would be a great place to camp someday.













On to Crooked River State Park in Southern Georgia.
Crooked River was lovely and we enjoyed the wildlife and scenery there.
Our travel mates are amazing naturalists and we learned to really enjoy
the birds and the many surrounding nature trails.

We were thrilled to see a large flock of Cedar Wax Wings,
beautiful dragon flies, lush palmettos, and a resident gator!

Following Crooked River SP we went our separate ways for a few days
while heading further South and into Florida.

I have two brothers and sisters-in-law who winter in the New Smyrna Beach
area on the East Coast of Florida and we paid them an overnight visit.
It was so nice to see where they hang out for several months each year
and to be treated to a delicious dinner out and a lovingly made and equally as delicious
morning send-off breakfast.

Discovered that one of my brothers and I really like oysters!
The rest of the group declined - all the more for us.

Yep, those are homemade butter tarts on the breakfast buffet. Thanks Bonnie!

Excellent bacon and eggs from the grill by Floyd!

We were treated royally.
Breakfast hosted by Floyd and Pat.
Orv and Bonnie also helped to make this happen.














So thankful for my family and so glad we took this opportunity to check in on them at 
Sugar Mill Ruins Travel Park!













One more stop at Ochlockonee River State Park in Sopchoppy, Florida
That is a mouthful ... but fun to say.

We enjoyed a beautiful trail walk and captured the first photo 
of the elusive Cardinals.

The trail was right behind our camp site.
Later that evening we had torrential rain and strong winds
but stayed dry and cozy in our wee home on wheels
 at Ochlockonee (pronounced Oak-la-konee I think)!

Are you still here?

Thanks for bearing with me on this long post!

Next stop ... joining our friends at St. Andrew's State Park and

Grayton Beach State Park near Panama City and Destin

for our last two weeks of this trip.

Till next time ...... praying for Humboldt Saskatchewan during this weekend's tragic crash and loss of so many young lives!