A Long Time To Go

Here We Go Again

Phil is securing our new grill for the winter ahead.
The lemon yellow leaves of the birch tree from my office window almost tumbled to the ground before I got a photo.
This year the beautiful maple is not as red as other years, but still a bright orange.
The Hydrangea by our garage blooms white in Summer turning rose pink in Fall.
The pond very near our home in Golden Valley. Peaceful and beautiful.

We packed up the Suburban and were on our way to Pompano Beach, Florida about a week ago.  It may take us another  week to get there. That is our plan….traveling the country roads visiting the small towns and seeing the roadside sights. We will be in Florida for 6 months, but will fly home in December for a few days. Our winter will be spent in a condo, but with our vehicle with us, we will likely wander around Florida, the Panhandle, the Carolinas, etc. 

As I write this, we are in Port Charlotte, Florida. We will arrive in Pompano Beach tomorrow afternoon. We have stayed at this Day’s Inn Motel in past years and it is very nice. The pool is wonderful, clean and warm enough. As we were swimming last evening, dark clouds came over us and the rain drops were as large as quarters.  It had been a long time since we had been swimming in the rain and it was fun. 

We had rain most of our first two days on he road. Just didn’t matter at all.

Leaving Minnesota….Our first night’s stay on the road was along the The Great River Road, which follows the Mississippi River. This motel marked its driveway with blue bottles hung on small tree branches. Different, yes, but it certainly did the trick. It was a good night’s sleep in The View Motel overlooking the Mississippi River.

Phil and I both agree that traveling the back roads is our way to travel. Can’t hardly wipe the smile off Phil’s face!!
This amazing sight is The Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama. It sits on 400 acres of beautiful countryside with white fences lining the miles of road leading to this sight.
Mother Angelica, founder of EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network) was inspired to construct the Shrine. It is intended to inspire visitors to model the honorable and courageous behavior of historic saints and knights.

Also located nearby is the work of Brother Joseph Zoetti, a monk, who took bits of stone, colored glass, marbles and such things using them to build fabulous images of historic buildings and other landmarks in the world.  It is hard to believe he could do such amazing work with “throw-away” things.

Not many photos of either of these places, the Shrine and the Grotto, as my camera battery was low.

Which way should we go…..forward, right, left, back, up…????

We were surprised to see the condition of homes in Selby, Alabama. Some were abandoned and some were lived in, but in poor condition.

And some were lovely homes.
Many homes needed paint.
Many needed repairs.
Which home is yours? (chirp, chirp)
More country roads we love to travel.
In Alabama and the northern part of the Florida Panhandle, we saw many fields of white. COTTON…..growing in the USA…..just what we want to see!
Sharp thorns on each cluster of cotton.
To realize the cotton was once all picked by hand….today, they have machines.
I took this photo for my siblings as when we lived on the farm in Northern Minnesota, our mother would add bits of pork fat to fried potatoes. Not good for us, but delicious!
We had been to the Naval air Station in prior years, but loved hearing and seeing it all again.
Our tour guide was from Minnesota. Was a teacher in Anoka some years ago. Very nice man and a great guide. Flew naval planes in Vietnam.
Our beautiful flag.

Phil has gone to the pool so this blog will end for this time…..I am going to the pool too. But I will be sending other blogs to you as we spend our winter away from home. 

Be well and happy.

Anne & Phil

alongtime03@gmail.com