Everyday Living

A Beautiful Day on 30A

~ Travel

“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭12:25‬ 

It’s Memorial Day, and what better way to kick off the summer than at the beach?  Butch and I got a head start last week…we just returned last Friday from three days on the Emerald Coast!  It was Butch’s annual business trip, and I managed to squeeze in a little rest and relaxation (and shopping)!  If you’ve never been, (and I highly recommend that you do), the Emerald Coast is approximately a 100 mile stretch located in the panhandle of Florida and some of our gorgeous Alabama beaches also embrace the name!  

As young newlyweds, it was nothing for us to drive the six hours to get to the beach, if only for a weekend.  I absolutely loved all the spontaneous trips to the Emerald Coast…such great memories!  We still love making the trip, just in a different way now…business for him and leisure for me!  I still love viewing the emerald green waters of the Gulf, but mainly from a balcony…I don’t have to worry with the sand that way!  Of course, we love all the fresh seafood and the fine dining found along Highway 30A, as well as the scenic 28 mile drive!  The highway hugs the Gulf of Mexico coastline and is a major tourist attraction for many reasons…the beauty of the sugar-white sand beaches, the mix of hot Caribbean colors and pastels that define cottages in the communities along the highway, and the paradise feel in all of the places along the way!  

Last year I took you on a tour of the charming homes behind the white picket fences in Seaside…do you remember all of that color?!  Today I thought we might check out the interior of a family’s vacation home in Watercolor on 30A.  Butch and I took a drive through this newer community and found it to be as lovely as Seaside and Rosemary Beach…it was a beautiful day on 30A!

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The Emerald Coast…some of the most beautiful beaches anywhere!


Seaside was established in 1981 on Highway 30A!READ MORE

In Our Own Backyard

~ Outdoors, Travel

“How great are your works, O Lord!  Your thoughts are very deep!”
Psalm 92:5

Isn’t it true that we overlook things right in front of our eyes?  We can be surrounded by something our whole lives and never really give it a second thought!  Noccalula Falls is one of the most visited attractions in Alabama…and it is right here in our Appalachian foothills!  The waterfall leaves you awe-struck as the waters roar over a 90 foot drop, and the scenery that surrounds it absolutely takes your breath away!  People travel from all over to spend the day inside the park taking in the sights, riding the train from place to place, or even hiking to the ravine underneath the water.  And one thing you will always find is a photographer, whether professional or amateur, trying to catch that perfect shot of those majestic falls!

But there is so much history behind the place that sits right here in our own backyard.  Lace up your walking shoes and let’s take a stroll around Noccalula Falls!


Every shot is a picturesque moment!  Notice the rainbow!


Noccalula Falls is named after the Cherokee girl, Noccalula, who was the daughter of a Cherokee Chief.  She had fallen in love with a brave man who wasn’t suitable for marriage in her father’s eyes, because he didn’t possess the worldly goods that he wanted for his daughter.  So he took matters in his own hands and arranged her marriage to a wealthy chief of a powerful rival tribe.  Story goes that she was unhappy about the forthcoming marriage and jumped to her death near where this statue stands in honor of her.


This beautiful wedding chapel sits at the entrance of The Black Creek Trail, a 2.9 mile trail that runs along side the water…ideal for hiking, walking and running!  I attended a wedding here and the inside is so very rustic and quaint, as you can imagine!READ MORE

(The Ruins Of) A Castle Far, Far Away

~ Travel

“We love because he first loved us”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭4:19‬ ‭

Let’s travel today, what do you say?!  Butch and I took a trip to the British Isles, and you may remember going with us to the well known Liverpool, England, (even checking out the music scene here),  Edinburgh, Scotland and Dublin, Ireland.  But we visited a few lesser known cities such as Newcastle and Portland!  And boy, were we in for a beautiful surprise as our ship docked in Portland Harbour, England!   We had booked a tour to a castle that we knew nothing about…we just decided to take our chances.  I have often heard people say, “if you have seen one castle or church, you have seen them all.”  I couldn’t disagree more!  They are all unique with their own history and beauty!  I had read that all that remained of Corfe Castle were ruins…and that just made me want to go even more….I don’t know why, but I love a ‘good ruin”!  It turned out to be one of our favorite stops among the four countries that we visited and oh-so-intriguing!  Come along as we take you to medieval hilltop ruins, a quaint English village, and a lovely man-made harbour.  Why not enjoy a “spot of tea” as we travel!


The dramatic ruins of Corfe Castle stand on a natural steep hill.


The first castle building was probably built of wood.  In the latter half of the 11th century, William the Conqueror rebuilt the Castle in stone. The chalk of the hill Corfe Castle was built on was an unsuitable building material, so Purbeck limestone quarried a few miles away was used.READ MORE