Lazy Summer Days

It is 80 degrees. There are readers who say "lucky you," but frankly it don't feel right. Yet, what does? I am not going on a political rant, although I am surprised I have resisted this long. Rather just some observations as an excuse for a blog post. "It's about time," sez you. Well, the weather has been questionable for travel and the wifi at the park has been unreliable. There has also been a strange lack of planning shopping trips and such which has wasted time. We retired people say "So what."

So, coming back from a shopping trip our route took us by the institution pictured below. It is what it says it is and not a lawyer's office. The entrance that Denise is heading toward does give some hint of the prices on the treasures to take home from Gulf Shores, Alabama

One of the first things that has become apparent is the tax situation. Denise had a co-worker who retired at about the same that she did. The woman was native Alabamian and the family home was available so it was Sweet Home Alabama. She also noted that state-employee pensions, including out of state pensions, are not taxed in Alabama. Good deal? No. The sales tax here and it includes groceries is 10%. Simple arithmetic and figuring Ohio sales tax at 7% we would be worse off in that particular item after we spent 500 bucks. OK, a little political. A progressive income tax is more equitable than a regressive flat tax for the VAST majority of people. When it is the opposite, where is the government for the people?

Observation number 2 for today. If the contract is fulfilled, the RV park's wifi should be fed via fiber optic lines in the next ten days. The current system seems to be having its problems and the management, understandably, does not want to spend anything on it. Please note "IF." The contracting company has not been in contact with the park. Prep work has been done. Utility routes have been located and flags and spray paint adorn nearby by roads and grass. The concern is that the management has had other projects that local tradesmen and companies want but then forget. In Canton I can call a company or person and they will apologize if they cannot respond within two hours. The manager tells me this is pattern often repeated. As we look for places to relocate we read glowing words from local governments but you never really see the little things as they are left unsaid, "Make sure you have oil lamps as it will take a month to get an electrician."

On the other hand, the local people, one-on-one, are great. I have had nice conversations about boats, fishing, farming, history, etc. I expected a lot more rebel flags and such but there may be more in Ohio. Lots of churches but no one is knocking on the door. It is politically Republican here but fewer yards signs than I saw in Canton. I think Baldwin county is not representative of all of Alabama. This is a tourist area and growing in that regard. Do not give people a reason to not spend money.

artsy-fartsy photograph (required)

Back to the Bay at Fairhope

We do a lot of our shopping in Fairhope as the stores are nicer and afterwards, or beforewards, you can take some time at the Bay. Fairhope considers the park and the pier as a "Town Square." It is a comfortable place. The wide spot that looks like the end of pier is a restaurant and it is only the halfway point.

This is looking across Mobile Bay at what are, I think, shipyards to the south of the city downtown.

This fellow kept diving but finally allowed a snapshot. I got frustrated later on the day not being able to ID what kind of duck it was. Many times I fished with them on northern lakes. I egret to admit this old coot is getting to be a bit of a loon.

Its all happening at the Zoo.. . .

Pleasant 70 degree day seemed appropriate for a visit to the zoo. Alabama Gulf Coat Zoo (http://www.alabamagulfcoastzoo.com/) is right in the heart of Gulf Shores. To be truthful, yes, even if truth is out of fashion, we had our doubts, as almost all zoos can be a guilt trip. My photos do not included caged animals as I find it depressing and the images in my opinion are worthless. This place has a lot of cages, they try their best but. . .

This African tortoise was a bit standoffish

but then said good morning.

The admission person suggest a 2 buck cup of feed. The animals you are allowed to feed surprisingly seem to recognize the container.

This zoo is a rescue facility (about which see their website). The fellow below is a "rescue" gator. I have heard rescue animals make the best pets but socialization for some requires patience and understanding.

This character just walked out of his hut and demanded to be photographed.

This lady said "Take your stupid picture." That is a rough translation from the Australian.

Finally, this duck along with two chums followed us through the final quarter of the zoo mostly because Denise fed them. One duck held back and seemed uninterested in food. I tried and he took the food from my hand which the others would not do. Then he got up and showed he had a broken wing. Later a brown pelican came to us at a fence and stuck his bill through for  a handout. He had a broken wing. You have to balance the good and the bad I suppose.

Farragut damned the torpedos and apparently disregarded the Fort.

You are looking across the entrance to Mobile Bay from the top of a wall enclosing Fort Morgan. The vessels that plowed these waters included European as well as American warships, commercial shipping, and the odd pirate looking for commercial shipping.

As a barrier to unwanted vessels there were forts constructed. The last of these was Fort Morgan, a contemporary of Fort Pickens shown in a previous post.

The arched casements and even a battery of "hidden" guns (late 19th century) dominate the fort's interior as is the case at Fort Pickens.

Fort Morgan is a State of Alabama park and apparently does not have the resources to do the things the National Park Service can, such as display a wide range of artillery. Below is a 32 pound gun on a Barbette carriage. I do not remember an example of this at Fort Pickens.

Also there is a 155mm gun of World War One vintage. Two of these were installed in World War Two and apparently were the last active artillery at the fort.

If military instillations don't provide enough of a lesson in human silliness than the photo below shows one of many rigs that decorate the Bay. I have to believe that the number of these marvels foretells another environmental disaster. What is the next plateau above obscenely rich?

This Heron seemed to hint that he would be happy if people would go away.

From the Beach to the Restaurant

Back to the beach on a sunny 70ish day and one of my new friends was there. I think this is the same guy who I photographed previously although they all look alike. They seem to spend all their time dodging waves and poking in the sand for whatever. Unique among the shore birds this critter will stop for your photo and when you look for him again he will be about a foot from your feet looking at you.

Denise having finished collect seashells, we passed through Gulf Shores at lunch time (perfect planning) and stopped at our new favorite Fish River Grill #3. (http://fishrivergrill.com) For complete disclosure, #2 is in Foley and #1 is in Fairhope. We have been to the one in Foley and it supports the claim that the menu is the same at all locations.

I am selective about endorsements/recommendations unless paid gobs of money. In this case however, if you are in Baldwin County Alabama, you could do worse. A ten buck lunch gets you a non-heart smart sandwich (burger or whatever) with fries. In addition, you get a small (4 oz,) cup of "swamp soup" (chicken base with collards, beans and ham) and a piece of cake for dessert. In the past it has been a lemon cake but yesterday it was pecan. It brags it is the place locals eat. This may be a rare case of truth in advertising. A tad more expensive than the sandwiches is a good seafood menu. We had the shrimp once (on special) and we were not disappointed.

Weather Cleared, Left Harbor, so to speak.

We avoided mixing with holiday shoppers and travelers and then winter (south Alabama style) arrived. Reverting to our northern genetics, we "denned up" until the wind, rain, and cold moved on. OK, there is cold and there is cold and 40/25 degrees is balmy in Wyoming but for wind and rain this area bows to no one.

We HAD to do some shopping in Florida so we combined that with a visit to Fort Pickens, the sentinel of Pensacola Harbor. The fort, finished in 1832, is a brick pentagon in outline but the overall military post presents a timeline of seacoast artillery and coastal defense through World War Two. As the fort is six miles from the Park gatehouse, you drive along the open coast of white sand and get some understanding of what isolation must have been like.

The original fort walls enclose "tunnels" like these which housed everything. There are deeper branches for gunpowder and such.

Thanks to wonderful events like the Civil War which spurred improvements in weapons that made brick forts obsolete, Fort Pickens saw changes such as detached artillery positions and defensive engineering construction.

This six inch gun was placed in 1976 to show what was supposed to have been in 1946, a job not completed.

Floribama

Our travels have provided a lot of "lessons." One being, trying to find the "typical" geographical area or region is a waste of time, as are your preconceived notions about local/regional culture. Our case study for today class is the State of Floribama. Treating the area as unique is not without a reason. Historically it was West Florida, one time Spanish, one time British, and unofficially, perhaps, a colony of the Republic of Barataria. This was a bay in Louisiana used by privateers/pirates, most famous the Lafite brothers.

The Alabama portion is, for sake of argument, bounded by Mobile Bay in the west, the Gulf of Mexico in the South, Interstate 10 to the North and the Florida border to the East. WAIT! you say. What about Mobile? I will weasel and reserve judgment but for everyday life Eastern Shore people (and you see vehicle decals and such to this effect) don't need to go to Mobile. It appears that they are more likely to go east to Pensacola for shopping.

The area delineated above is Baldwin County which is rather diverse. It is certainly a tourist/vacation destination. The Gulf Coast of Alabama is much the same as Florida and Mississippi, continuous condos and beach houses. The coast of the bay is mostly residential with some park/refuge lands and commercial fishing. The town/city of Gulf Shores is concentrated "beach" business. The Bay has a mix of fishing towns, Bon Secour, and quaint artsy-fartsy places like Fairhope and Daphne. Of note is Magnolia Springs which maintains much of its turn-of-the-century "feel."  The town of Foley and others north along highway 59 are "working" towns established by the railroads and everyday commerce.

Magnolia Farms RV Park, where we are, was part of a FEMA trailer park established due to Hurricane Katrina. Before that it was probably a cotton field, if the cotton fields that surround it are a hint. The snowbird flock dominate the population and most of the rigs with Alabama plates are northern escapees. I imagine many of the people in the area are incomers as southern dialect is not all that usual. It is similar to retiree/snowbird areas in Florida.

So why here? Weather of course. Also we had covered most of Seacoast Georgia and Northeast Florida and needed some new quests. These will be posted here as they happen. We took a break for the holidays to let those with "vacations" deal with the traffic. Another major draw is FRESH SEAFOOD. There are many outlets of just off the boat (they swear) fish and shrimp.

The photos should confirm that I have not mastered the use of the MACRO setting on my camera. Yet, I thought I would tease you with flower photos taken in December 28th. I nearly neglected to include "the flower" taken the same day.

(edit 1/12/17) The fenced in area behind Denise is the "dog park" and NOT as suggested by a correspondent an area for a cage fight as much as I love to watch two attractive women beat the **** out of each other. Can anyone tell me why anyone thinks that is "entertaining?"