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Loving Savannah, GA
Ft. McAllister State Park is our home for the next week. It’s about 25 minutes from Savannah. Marshes flank the entryway to the park. The park is spacious, and we prefer to be with nature as much as possible. The trees covered with moss are much like Florida. Seeing the deer outside our RV is one of the best sights. They move along slowly. Often, the group is in families with children not far from their parents. The birds are plentiful, and each morning, we awake to their songs.
It’s been many years since we last visited Savannah, before Forest Gump’s bench was in a museum and still resided in the square. We arrived early and benefited from being in the historic district before the crowds. The magnificent homes stand tall and proud and surround the courtyard squares. Each house has the opulent façade of an era of years ago. Some still have gas lamps burning. It stirs my imagination about what it may have been like to live during that time. A time when dinner tables were elegantly adorned with china and crystal and soirees were a commonplace weekend event. The architecture is outstanding. Wrap-around porches, brick facades, detailed woodwork, and each home is beckoning a welcome to visit.
The Cathedral Basidia of St. John the Baptist is a must regardless of religious affiliation. The inside is more beautiful than the outside, with stained glass, a marble altar, and sturdy wooden pews. It is just stunning and left me in awe.
The city market has numerous little shops to explore and wander through. There are numerous art galleries throughout the city. This is not surprising as the School for Arts and Design is located in Savannah. The Riverfront has restaurants and shops, and one can watch the boats as they pass by. A benefit of Savannah is its beauty can be experienced on foot as most of the sights are within walking distance. There are numerous streets made of ballast rocks. When the ships came to Savannah to secure goods, the vessel needed the stones to weigh them down. They left the stones behind to fill their hulls with the purchased goods. The rocks were then repurposed as pavers to make the streets.
The next day, we visited Tybee Beach. Unfortunately, we were disappointed with our visit. There isn’t much there unless you want to spend the day at the beach. They had few stores. There were several eateries and bars, but most of the island is vacation rentals. No matter where you park, you must pay a parking fee of $3.50 an hour, strictly enforced. Thankfully, we brought our bikes and explored the surrounding area as it would not have been enjoyable on foot.
Email: movebeyondordinary@gmail.com
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Harvest Hosts – Christ the Messiah Church – Jacksonville, Fl & Four Arches Farm – Pembroke, GA
We arrived at the church, and David gave us warm greetings. As we were setting up, the Pastor dropped by to welcome us and wanted to let us know if we needed anything to let him know. They were genuine when they said they were happy to have us there for the night. The church had a bible garden and our spot for the night was under the oak trees.
The next stop was at the farm. Our stay for the next two nights was under mighty old oaks with Spanish moss dripping from their limbs. It was very peaceful. The farm was home to sheep, chickens, pigs, cats, guinea fowls, and alpacas. We learned some exciting tidbits during our stay. The first tidbit – chicken eggs are not only brown and white. They are all colors depending on the type of chicken who laid them. I bought a dozen eggs laid that morning. These eggs would keep outside the refrigerator for three weeks as they have a natural coating protecting the eggs. The host told us if you purchase farm-fresh eggs from the store, they must be kept in the refrigerator because the USDA requires all eggs to be washed before selling, which destroys the natural coating.
Growing up in the city, I am unaccustomed to farm animals, and I don’t happen to be a fan of any animal. As we toured the farm, we learned about tidbit two – it was advised not to get too close to the alpacas as they tend to spit on you. At that point, I moved several feet from the fence and let Mitch continue videoing the animals. However, I will say they produce the softest wool from their hair.
As a final note – Did you know that guinea fowls and chickens eat ticks and bugs? Not a bad set of birds to have around. Both were free-roaming, and we were amazed they never left the farm. But then again, they know where to find their next meal.
Email: movebeyondordinary@gmail.com
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St. Lucie South Locks & Dam COE Campground – Stuart, Florida
Living in the Tampa area for 39 years, we are accustomed to seeing lizards cross our paths. However, walking the campground, the colorful body of the African Redhead Agama was not so familiar to us. We were surprised by their size compared to our lizards, and the campground host said they are an invasive species.
As we stated before, this year’s journey will have many stops to visit family and friends. This stay was our first stop visiting family for Easter. The campground only has nine RV sites, so it’s intimate and quiet. We could see the tranquil waterway from our site. We saw numerous boats passing through the locks, with the U.S. Coastguard vessel being the largest.
Downtown Stuart has many quaint shops and eateries, making it a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. If you love relaxing by the water and watching the sun sparkle on its surface, this is the place to be. It is a paradise for those who boat, fish, and want to catch some rays on the beach.
The roads are bike-friendly, with the majority of roads offering bike lanes. Each Saturday, one can also visit the flea market or the farmer’s market every Sunday along the boardwalk in Stuart.
We had a wonderful time with Mitch’s sister and brother, and we will get together again when we stop in New York this summer.
Email: movebeyondordinary@gmail.com
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South Ortona COE Campground – Moore Haven, FL
Beautiful sunsets to end a perfect day. We visited this campground for the second time. It’s secluded, and our site was right on the water. The big difference this time was the locks were open to the public. Covid had closed the facility for viewing on the last visit. It is fascinating to watch the boats entering and leaving the locks.
We arrived late Thursday, and Friday morning, Mitch drove me to the Ft. Meyers Airport. I was meeting my daughter in Houston to shop for her wedding dress. It was a wonderful girl’s weekend, and she did say, “Yes, to the dress!”. While I was away, Mitch went kayaking on a uniquely named waterway – Fisheating Creek. Maybe it had something to do with the numerous alligators he saw along the way.
Upon my return on Monday, we decided to spend some time in the quaint town of Ft. Meyers, which was about 45 minutes away from the campground. The downtown area was about 4 or 5 blocks of shops, restaurants, and people enjoying the day. After lunch, a trip to Sanibel Island, offering 26 miles of bike paths.
Mitch enjoys this campground due to the number of boats waiting to enter and exit the locks to continue their journey. Some were not just boats but yachts. One wonders whether it’s their home or just on vacation. Mitch’s first choice for retirement was sailing around the world in a catamaran until I put the kibosh on that line of thinking. Sailing for days on end, surrounded by water until you get to the next port, is not my definition of exploration. Full-time RVing was a much better choice.
Email: movebeyondordinary@gmail.com
Instagram: move beyond ordinary