5-17-21 on our way to Reunion, Florida!

 The day was finally here!  We're off on another road trip. 

Ken and I got a relatively early start.  I was able to load up the car the night before and we hit the road around 9.  Made our way to our Dallas Costco and got gas after stopping at our Dallas McDonalds for a couple breakfast sandwiches.  Then we were off on our 7.5 hour drive. 

 Seems the pictures loaded in reverse, so this is nearer to Orlando, and going back in time to Georgia.

But it didn't take long for the clouds to fill the sky with ever changing gorgeous vistas!  They stayed with us the whole drive.

Made the drive quite interesting with the ever changing clouds!

Even some wildflowers here and there.

and funny looking trees.

but the clouds stole the show!

Even when they weren't billowy they were still interesting.

sometimes the sites along the road were interesting, too, like here in Northern Florida at a crane convention.

and a random plane or 2

back to billowing clouds

unbelievable that the clouds lasted the whole way there!

Took about 2.5 hours to get from the Florida border to Orlando.  And about 4.5 hours to get from Dallas - the Florida border.

Earlier---back in Georgia, near the border.  We have stopped here a couple times years ago to get pecans and check for peaches.

a few miles prior--- Tifton, Ga.

Near Perry, where we use to live---lots and lots of orchards.  This is a pecan orchard.  A couple years ago I didn't know what kind of orchard this was.

Also just outside of Perry----a new solar field going up.  it's going to be a huge one!

Also in our old home town or Perry----the Ga. national fair grounds.

 The drive actually didn't seem bad.  Nice having something (like clouds) to take my mind of the monotony for so long!  By the time we got checked in (getting them to combine our Wyndham reservation with Angie's Worldmark reservation so we don't have to move in 3 days), got moved into the 3 bedroom condo, and I went to Publix to get supplies and sandwiches from the deli for dinner---it was after 9.  Overall, a good start to our 8 night vacation.

2021--Feb. 25-March 1 long weekend trip to Lake Marion, SC with the Hicks kids

 Angie's been itching to go somewhere.  So she hit the Wyndham site looking for a 3 bedroom place for us all to go to.  Started out looking for Florida, but nothing was available at short notice.  So she started checking other places within driving distance.  Ended up finding a 3 bedroom accessible unit at Lake Marion in South Carolina, so she booked it.  It was even half points since it was within 60 days.  

So the trip took on the goal of Ken teaching Layla to fish.  Afterall, Lake Marion is the largest lake in SC so there must be lots of fish!!!  Right????

So on Thurs. the 25th, we all waited until about noon, then headed out.  It was about a 5 hour drive.  We actually arrived at the resort within minutes of Angie and Josh and Layla.  

It was a fun 3 days and 4 nights.  I guess the drive there and back wasn't too bad, either.  We got there in time to order pizza for dinner, then settle in for the night.  The next 3 days they found places to fish.  Also found some playgrounds for Layla.  Angie also found a drive through wildlife refuge that we drove through 2 days.  Even the weather cooperated with 2 days in the 80s!  So nice to have some warm weather again.  I'm so ready for winter to be over.

The fishing was disappointing.  But the visiting was great.  I think we all had a great time!  

2-25-2021 drive to Santee, NC

2-26-21 Lake Marion State Park 

2-27-21  Santee National Wildlife Refuge and Taw Caw park

2-28-21 Taw Caw park and Santee National Wildlife Refuge drive, again 

Wyndham Lake Marion

3-1-21 we loaded up and had to be out of the condo by 10 am.  Had a nice drive back to Dallas, Ga.  The end to another nice long weekend trip with the Hicks' kids.

2-28-21 Taw Caw Park; Santee National Wildlife Refuge Drive

 We decided to head back to Taw Caw and try some fishing (and playing on the playground for Layla).  It was a nice park.

I went farther along the boardwalk to see if there was a good place to fish.  Found 2 really nice fishing piers about 1/2 mile down the boardwalk.

the first one had a couple fishing off it, so I continued on

this one was at the end of the boardwalk and noone was here, so we decided to give it a try.

It was pretty---even though we still didn't get any bites.

More of Lake Marion

heading back down the boardwalk

a picnic area that probably isn't used much!

some of the wetlands here.

no fish, but lots of turtles.

heading down the boardwalk again

When we were done there, we decided to head back to the wildlife drive since we were so close.  It was another beautiful 80 degree day.

a view of Lake Marion from the shore line within  the wildlife refuge.

a BIG lake---with no fish in it

Guess the alligators are eating turtles

This time we actually saw some bigger birds---like this great white egret

views of the marsh

more great egrets at a distance.

more turtles.

At a stop to check out the "cute little alligator", this guy made an appearance

so pretty!

the cute little alligator was still here.

so neat seeing some color starting to appear.  Spring is on it's way!!!!

Layla joined us for awhile again

love how green the water was here.

back at the condo, the kids went down to the dock to see if they could catch a fish  for Layla here.  Ken and I watched from the lanai.  On their way there, Layla apparently fell in a hole.  Angie said it was like little Jessica falling in the hole years ago.

Layla recovered pretty quickly

she kept waving at us.

this is when they started getting lots and lots of bites---mosquito bites!

the sun was beginning to set.

they decided they fed the mosquitos long enough

back at the condo we had taco salad for dinner and started packing up for our check out tomorrow morning.