“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the
things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.So throw off the bowlines.Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch
the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ~ H. Jackson Brown
Jr.
One of my blogger buddies Kim from Snugharborbay blogged about geocaching and I really got interested in it. Geocaching is a scavenger hunt of sorts. You are given clues and with the help of a GPS, you find these items and log your finds. A lot of the clues are fairly vague and you have to use your imagination and detective skills to find them. Part of the custom is to exchange a prize for one of equal or greater value. I did a few of these a few years ago, and Jess and I have decided to try it again when we get together. I felt like since I am Shelllady, I should have something shell related to bring to the treasure hunts so I attempted to make some shell 'critters'. Some I am more pleased with than others, but I am staying true to my theme and fellow cachers will know that Shelllady was there!
Owls
Mice!
Fish!
And Pigs....These are my least favorite!
I came up to the Blueridge Mountains to spend a couple of days with Jess, and we did a little geocaching! It was so much fun, but it got very, very hot today so we called it quits but had a great time exploring and figuring out clues!
We went on the Huckleberry trail...
Jess and Geodog Gwen!
There is a Geocache in this area, we did not find it, but will probably go back, we suspect it is around (or under) this bridge....it was so hot, we quit!!
Putting the Geocache back in it's hiding spot...
Here is an example of a small geocache, hanging in a tree!
I really enjoy doing this but am very reluctant to do it alone since many times it involves going on trails or in the woods....! But it is such a blast!! We picked up a 'travel bug' that we found out originated in California! He will be going with us from Cache to Cache for a little while, maybe even on our next trip to Florida!!
I truly love this, check it out!! You may too! Kim from Snugharborbay has found over 2000! I have only found 18! I need to get busy!
"Remember that you can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf." ~Unknown
We realized today that if we were staying as we used to, we would be packing up already!! I truly believe that one has to take 2 weeks to truly relax....one week to unwind, then the next week to really enjoy it!! The pelicans have been around in large groups, I guess the fishing must be pretty good out there...it's fun to watch the seagulls stand on the pelican's back while they swim around catching their evening snacks...I can't seem to capture a picture of it to share with you, but I will continue to try!
I found out the job I want when I retire! I want this guy's job....drive down the beach all day and visit with everyone...all day...everyday!! I think I could handle it!! Although I have seen some of these Sanibel cops have to wrestle a gator on the beach!
As I said before, shelling hasn't been great, especially since the crab pot spot quit producing, Brad went out to try it, but soon moved on down the beach to find another digging place that would soon be called the new 'sweet spot' or 'honey hole'. He found a tidal pool to the east about half a mile or so, but wasn't sure that was going to be as productive. Jess went down to join him and picked an alphabet cone out of his spot. So maybe it will turn out to be a good one.
Jimmy, Daddy and I decided to stay in this time, just for some relaxation. I decided to go find a geocache that showed to be about half a mile from here and took my Dad along for the walk. It lead us down a bike path across a small bridge and along a pond to a cemetery of people who had been buried there for many, many years. It seemed to be a family plot, but there was one buried there who was an unknown that was found at the lighthouse. We used the gps to get closeby and Daddy found a ziplock bag with a small box in it in a palm tree...it was empty! That seemed strange to me, but I went ahead and put in a new log, and a little prize, but decided to look at the hints on the gps to make sure it was the right one....turns out it wasn't! I removed the stuff and found the right one nearby. I'm not sure what that was for, but it was a nice evening walk and a little adventure for me and my Dad.
For all of those out there that are not as fortunate as I am this week...here is a novice's video to share the sights and sounds of the gulf! Enjoy!
Bragging may not bring happiness, but no man having caught a large fish goes home through an alley. ~Author Unknown
My Dad, Jess and I went down to NC fishing yesterday and what a great day it was!! Jess is fairly new at bass fishing with an artificial worm, it takes some practice if you want to be successful, and I must say, she is a quick study!! She put the first one in the boat.....although he was too small to pass the limit, it is always a lot of fun!
My Dad was the first to catch a 'keeper' that weighed in at 2-1/2 pounds!
We had good activity most of the day, we all had strikes, I caught 2 what were just over the limit and My Dad caught another one that weighed in at about 1-1/2 pounds. My Dad and I each lost 'the big one'....you know how it is, stands up on his tail, shows you that big ol' bucket mouth and throws the bait back at you!!
My Dad also did some white perch fishing and caught a couple and he and Jess did some breaming also, which added to our collection. It was getting fairly late and we had already marked the point on the shore where we would stop and Jess still didn't have a Bass in the boat. Daddy had 3, and I had 2 and I really wanted to see Jess go home with one since she gets to come so seldom!! When all of a sudden there arose such a clatter....and I looked over and Jess' rod was bent and she was hung in a big ol' log.....but she told us that there was fish on also!! She kept the line tight and before long her line slipped just enough to pull the bass out of the water and up along side the log!! He was beautiful and obviously the 'biggun' for the day!! We motored over to it (which seemed like an eterntiy) and I got the net under him! She had gotten him hung perfectly with the hook!! He weighed in at 3-1/2 pounds!!! She (and we) were so happy!! She danced all over the boat!! We took lots of pics and sent them back via phones to our hubbies!!
We really had a great time, and we would have even if we hadn't caught any fish....but this just made it perfect for all of us!
I took a few other pics of our day....We saw this mama goose on her nest, the water was so high, I hope she didn't get her eggs wet, but she barley moved when we got close in hopes that we wouldn't bother her.
We saw some more cypress knee statues, although most of them were underwater!
Does anyone else see a duck?
We saw several of these little guys, I should have taken a video of him, he walks along bouncing his back end up and down....he was so cute! I'm going to have to look him up and find out what he is called! Next time I'll get a video to show you....he looks like he has the colorings of a sandpiper!!
Well we had a great day in North Carolina, I wish we could take Jess with us more often! We plan on going over to my parents today and eating some of those fish with a good old fashioned fish fry this afternoon!!
...more on geocaching!
I ordered me a portable gps and worked and gathering all the information about Sanibel geocache locations so we are ready when we get down there....I thought it would be cute to make things out of shells to put into those caches....how appropriate is that?? I thought they were so cute, I may give some out here...what do you think?
Mice!
Piggies
Upclose Mice
I made this guy, and Jess liked him so much she made one for herself!!
Jess' owl.
Obviously I need to cleanup the glue, and add some little eyes to the piggies, and whiskers to the mice, but I think they turned out well! Don't you??
