Sanibel Island, Florida - a shelling vacation

Sanibel and Captiva islands are located just off the coast of Ft Meyers, Florida and a great place to enjoy the beach - especially if you like to find seashells.   There are many places to stay on the islands (hotels, condos, private homes) and public beaches available if you want to come over for the day.  In order to enjoy the island you must take the Sanibel Causeway bridge and pay a $6.00 toll.  Once on the island be prepared to pay for parking ($2/hr) and during peak times - the lots can be full.  Stop by the visitor center when you arrive and they will be glad to give you maps, information about places to stay, restaurants, shops, things to do, shelling and more!

Lighthouse beach on a weekend in October

Most people come to Sanibel for a relaxing vacation - walking on the beach, bird watching, reading, shelling, fishing, swimming and biking.  There is a 'laid back' type of attitude here with a small town feel.  Regulations prohibit new construction over 2 stories so no mega malls or huge resorts are here.  What IS here are 15 miles of beaches, 22 miles of bike paths, 230 kinds of birds and 250 types of shells and NO stoplights!  Public access to the beaches have paid parking, restrooms and some have showers and picnic areas.  There are a few rules to using the beaches: pets must be leashed and cleaned up after (no pets on Captiva beaches allowed), alcoholic beverages prohibited Nov-May, no open fires and no collecting of live shells.  Bring your own food, drinks, sunscreen, umbrellas, toys etc.  There are no vendors on the beach but many stores close by in case you forgot something.

One of the public fishing piers - lots of birds looking for an easy meal

Shelling is the main reason people come to Sanibel.  Tide charts are available so you can get out when the tides are the lowest and the shelling in the best.  Bring your bucket or bag and get ready to do the 'Sanibel Stoop' (walking bent over looking at the shells).  The island has some of the best shelling in the world because of it's unique east-west orientation as a barrier island.  One of our favorite places to shell was the lighthouse beach.  The Point Ybel Lighthouse was built in 1884 and an easy landmark to orient yourself to the layout of the island.  We rented a condo just a mile from the lighthouse and biked there most mornings.

Sanibel is a great place to enjoy a relaxing vacation or visit for the day to find some shells.  The USA Today lists Sanibel and Captiva as one of the 10 great places for families to escape the snow!  More information about the areas can be found on www.sanibel-captiva.org and they also have live online chat to help you with information about the area.

Nuts! (Pecans in Georgia)

It's hard to drive through Georgia and not notice all the billboards advertising pecans and other treats.  We have stopped at a number of different places on our trips and have settled on the Ellis Brothers groves as our favorite.  Just a short drive off I 75 you will find their retail store set right among the pecan trees.  It is a few miles from the highway, but well worth the drive.  These people know their pecans!  Many different varieties are there for you to sample (shell your own - or try them already shelled). 

You can purchase nuts in the shell, shelled, chocolate covered, salted, candied and more.  They have other kinds of nuts and candies, fresh fruit, jellies, sauces, an ice cream counter and a small gift area.  There is a window into the factory area where you can watch workers making these great pecan items and you can sample all the items for sale! 

It's a nice place to stop if you are in the area.  There are picnic tables under the pecan trees and they encourage you to exercise your pet amongst the trees.  Rest rooms and cold drinks are available in the store.  A cotton field across the street is interesting to young and old alike (interesting to see how your T-shirt starts out!).  Whether you need snacks for the road - or gifts for friends and family, you will find it here at Ellis Brothers.
www.werenuts.com

Bazinga.

Nick is fixing our blog.  So here is a sloth astronaut.

Digging for Treasures in North Carolina

5315 Bryson City Road, Franklin, North Carolina

What a thrill it is to find a gemstone!  We have dug geodes in Missouri, quartz crystals in Arkansas and wanted to try our luck at gemstones in Franklin, North Carolina.  We heard about the Cowee Gift Shop and Mason Mountain Mine from some friendly folks at a craft fair (thanks Moberlys!) and decided to stop by on our way to Florida. 

The mine has been open since 1965 and is said to be one of the most visited gem mines in Macon County, NC.  The Johnson family does a great job making everyone from novice to expert have a good time and learn something too!  No need to have special tools or equipment, they provide all you will need:  shovel, dolly, bucket, small trowel, screen and even a ziploc bag for your finds.  There is plenty of parking, picnic tables, restrooms and expert help to get you started and identify your finds.

The native material is trucked in from up the mountain - you dig in the pile

Brian at the mine site explained all of our options.  You can dig your own buckets of native material, buy already dug buckets or buy 'enriched' buckets that have added gems from other areas.  Families enjoyed the enriched buckets while we were there.  The kids get so excited finding gems and even arrowheads!   (Adults enjoyed this activity too)  Groups can share a bucket - Brian will give each person his own trowel and screen.  We have seen this kind of activity at other places (amusement parks, museums and campgrounds) but these buckets are definitely worth the cost.  Lots of fun and they guarantee at least a few pounds of stones to keep.  We opted to dig for 1/2 day in the native material which costs $20/pp.  It was after noon when we arrived and they close about 4:30 - so it was plenty of time for us to try our luck. 

Plenty of room at the sluice for everyone

After picking through our screens for about an hour with the first bucket, it became evident that we needed more help trying to decide what was a 'keeper'.  Brian gave us a couple of example stones to look at and compare to what we were finding.  Rhodolite, sapphire and ruby are what you will find - plus emerald, kyanite and probably more!  Once we started processing more material our finds were more frequent.  Brian identified some of stones for us and told us what was 'leverite' (as in leverite here, it's not a gemstone)! 

Now we know what to look for!

You may want rubber gloves if you have manicured nails.  The dirt is red and stains so wear old clothing and shoes.  Expect to get wet - the sluice can splash and even your shoes can get dripped on.  There is a covered area on the sluice to get out of the rain or sunshine and plenty of room for everyone.  If you plan on spending the day bring your lunch, it is a bit of a drive to a town for snacks & drinks.

A Rhodolite that Dennis found

At the end of the day we took our finds to the gift shop where Tom and Ginger Johnson helped us sort our finds.   Dennis found a couple nice pieces of Rhodolite - one we left with Tom to be faceted into a stone for jewelry.  We also had some sapphires and rubies.  You can have your stones finished by Tom and mailed to your home.  The cost is based on the finished carat weight.  The gift shop also has finished pieces, minerals, rocks and fossils from other areas plus lapidary equipment.  If you buy your lapidary equipment there Tom will give you a lesson before you take it home - great way for a beginner to learn how to cab or facet stones.

The sapphire and rhodolite in front of Tim are what we had Tom finish for us

We are already planning our next trip to the mine.  Franklin, North Carolina isn't far from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg and camping/fishing areas.  Check out their website www.tjrocks.fatcow.com  and they are on facebook too, Cowee Gift Shop & Mason Mountain Mine.

Finished stones - 6.44 ct lavender star sapphire and 2.70 ct Rhodolite

Wings Over Whiteman Airshow - Knob Noster, Missouri

We were so happy to see this airshow return to Whiteman Air force Base this past May after being 'on hold' for a number of years.  This weekend event is free and a great way to spend a day learning about aircraft, watching precision flying and meeting a lot of great folks in our military and civilian air corps.

Kids photo op in a mini Stealth

A few tips when attending an airshow - read the fliers to know what is allowed to bring with you.  There are security checks and if you are informed ahead of time it will save you a trip back to your vehicle!  For this show there was plenty of parking on site - but outside the fenced perimeter.  There were free trams to take you into the show area after you cleared security and got a wristband.  We recommend bringing folding (umbrella type) chairs, a hat, sunscreen and a camera.  Coolers were not allowed but you could bring water bottles if they were clear plastic.  There were plenty of areas of food and drink sales to keep you fed and hydrated while at the show.

Great view of the flights no matter where you sat

This was the first time they have allowed private aircraft to fly in (with prior approval and registration) and there was a big area of those planes to view.  We enjoyed walking around and into the many different types of aircraft at the show.  The pilots and owners are happy to answer questions and tell you about their crafts.  Some have donation jars to help with the cost of upkeep and fuel to get to these events.

There were other displays  from Veteran's groups, colleges, armed services, businesses and more.  Included in this event was a kids area with a climbing wall, bounce house, other inflatable climbing/sliding areas and face painting to keep the kids happy.  A car show was also on site so there was something for everyone to enjoy!

WWII field unit set up

Custom motorcycle to honor the Stealth program

The flying craft part of this airshow goes on continually for both days.  We had a schedule of the approximate order - but bear in mind that weather can change this.  It was very windy the day we attended and the parachute jump by the Golden Knights was postponed. 

Bleacher seating was available along the runways, but no shade.  Some open hangars were used for shade so having your own chair makes it easy to take a break from the sun. 

This is a free event - no admission or parking fees, but remember to bring some cash for snacks, drinks and donations.  Many different Air Force squads also sell merchandise for their groups - Tshirts, dog tags, patches and more.

What a great day and of course you get up close to the Stealth bombers as they are based at Whiteman.

Tiny Tim with one of the Stealth pilots

Copper Run Distillery - an Ozark gem!

An inviting place to sit and relax

A short drive off of highway 65 between Springfield and Branson, Missouri you is where you will find the Copper Run distillery.  They have only been open a few years, but already are a favorite with locals and visitors.  Small batch spirits - and the Ozark's first legal moonshine distillery!

A small rack of barrels and one copper boiler make up the process

When you stop in they are happy to show you the operation which is downstairs from the bar and tasting room.  It's like having a private tour of the process.  Up close and personal, Jim Blansit along with his family, will answer all your questions and explain what is happening on the day you visit.

Make sure to taste their wares and try one of their signature cocktails

Make sure to try their moonshine and other spirits. (Tours and tasting are free!)  You can get s drink to enjoy at the bar made of old barrels or sit on the porch of the building which was built with old beams and materials from a 105 year old barn.  You are welcome to bring your own snacks and live music is enjoyed on the weekends. 

Award winning spirits

Check out their website at www.copperrundistillery.com and like them on facebook. 

New Orleans - The French Quarter

Music Legends Park

We stopped for a few hours in New Orleans to get a feel for the area.  This was our first visit to Louisiana and unfortunately time was limited.  The thing everyone thinks about when you mention 'New Orleans' is Bourbon Street and the French Quarter.  We chose this area as our destination for exploration and found it easily due to the signage on the highway and our GPS.  Finding the French Quarter is easy...parking is not.  After circling around the narrow, one-way streets, we opted to pay to park in a hotel garage close to Jackson Square.

Jackson Square with the statue of Andrew Jackson and the St Louis Cathedral

Our limited time gave us incentive to move along.  We didn't 'shop' or relax in the many bars and restaurants in this area, that will have to be done at another time.  First stop was Jackson Square.  There were many artists selling their wares along the fence and a few street bands.  ESPN had a large area with a stage as the Sugar Bowl was going to be played at the Superdome that weekend. 

St Louis Cathedral was beautiful!  Right on Jackson Square and open to the public, we took some time to explore the architecture and art.  There was a wedding rehearsal going on at the time - it was interesting to listen in that there are NO restrooms available, even to the wedding party!  (This is an ongoing theme in the French Quarter, use the facilities if they are available where you are.)

The main altar in St Louis Cathedral

Looking backward, toward the entrance doors

We focused our wanderings on Royal and Bourbon streets.  Royal has a lot of the art galleries, antiques shops and a few B&Bs.  Bourbon street has more bars, restaurants and interesting street performers.  There were police present on foot and in mobile units.  We were not in this area late and were told it gets more crowded as the evening progresses. 

Interesting tiny EMS vehicle

Wow - fun to look, but we weren't buying!

The architecture and history make this a very interesting place to visit - the street acts, drunks, trannies and hookers also make this a very interesting place!  Signs are posted all over to 'watch your valuables'.  We had no problems, but again we weren't there when it was very crowded.

The ironwork and architecture are great!

Ironwork balconies on Bourbon Street

Lafitte's Blacksmith Bar - supposed to be the oldest in the US and haunted!

New Orleans and Louisiana have so much more to offer - we will be back with more time to explore.  We would love to take a cemetery tour, visit some museums and more.