Texas Winter Sunset

Odd day today in that we were all home and it isn't a holiday.  It is not unusual for me to be at home on a Friday, as my job allows extreme flexibility on the last day of the week.  Stephanie and Sadie, on the other hand, we're home due to extreme absences predicted due to the funeral of a student at the school.  A sad situation all around but it did give us a chance to slow down and enjoy a Texas Winter sunset.

The weather today was in the low 70s and the chickens enjoyed the day out of the run.  It was a nice slow day before the bustle of the holiday season gets into full swing.

Just before sundown a rainbow appeared to remind us of God's promise.  A beautiful December day!

Our Halloween Jellystone outing!

Halloween is a fun time of year, but living in rural Texas the opportunities are limited to do the trick or treat thing.  Fall festivals at local churches are nice, but sometimes I feel bad that the traditional trick or treat just doesn't typically happen.  

This year, however, we looked into alternatives.  Jellystone Park campgrounds are known for their activities and special events so this year we reserved spots at the Whispering Pines location in Tyler.  This was our first Jellystone, and we loved it!

We arrived late since it was a work day, but the drive was not bad.  The office called to let us know that they would be closed by the time we arrived but out information packet was near the office door.  It took a bit of doing to park the camper, but the wide sites helped out somewhat.  

First off, Jellystone Parks certainly qualifies as a resort.  Cabins and campsites abound.  And so many activities!

Ceremics!

Mini Golf!

Jumping Pillow!

Lazer Tag!

Trick or Treating and Costumes!

Campfire sitting!

We had a great time at this park.  Because we arrived late and the checkout is 11 am, our activities were limited to Saturday this time.  Next time, we will work in an extra day.  In the end everyone was exhausted but happy!  Even Fergus!

Key West

 The trip to the Keys was awesome! And even now, I am ready for a return adventure to the southernmost area of the United States.

In this video, we traveled further down Highway 1A, took the trip to Dry Tortugas National Park and Fort Jefferson, and explored the town of Key West a bit.  The production of this video was a bit rough in that I lost footage from my cell phone when it drowned at the Fort.  Stephanie, however, had some good still photography that proved helpful.  For more detail, check out the earlier blog post, and enjoy this visual journey to the southernmost Keys and a brief look at what they have to offer.

Ford Family Wandering - Our Visit to the Sherman Celtic Festival, 2021

This past weekend we went to the Sherman Celtic Festival and Highland Games!  Stephanie set up her booth with her Lilla Rose, and Sadie and I explored the festival. 

If you haven't been to a Celtic/Scottish Festival, there are some good ones and you are missing out!

I am still learning editing techniques as well, so with each video I am trying for a better product than the last.

Anyway, here we go!

Journey to the Keys; Marathon (video)

Certainly one of the most memorable events of the trip was deep sea fishing for Mahi Mahi in the Atlantic out of Islamorada.  We chartered the Kay K IV with Capt. Don and Mate Dave.  They were awesome!  The weather was less than desirable, though, and the swells caused seasickness among our group.  

In the end, though, we caught 18 Mahi, and made some memories.  Check out the blog several posts back for more details.  I do love Marathon and Islamorada! 

Journey to the Keys, Day 6 (St. Pete to Marathon)

 The trip to the Keys is certainly one that we will remember, and for no less reason than the stops we made along the way.  The trip from St. Pete to Marathon took us through the Big Cypress Preserve and parts of the Everglades, as detailed in an earlier post made in real-time.  We also visited Robert is Here Fruitstand and experienced some uniquely tropical fruit.  The Kent mangos and the mamey sapotes were delights that we cannot get at home.

Even now, as I was reviewing the film clips and compiling this video, my heart still leaps a bit when I see the baby blue wall that marks Highway 1 where it enters the island chain.  It is about 2 hours from Key Largo in the north and Key West in the south.   Marathon is a sizable town about halfway down.

As noted before, these videos are my attempt at a new hobby but also a chance to make use of the videos and pictures that we took along the way.  Hopefully, this will inspire you to find your way to South Florida to experience 

Trip to the Keys - Day 3 through 5 (Biloxi to St. Petersburg, Florida) - (Video)

This summer we traveled to the Florida Keys, which if you keep up with this Blog you already know.  It was a fantastic trip and it is my intention to make that trip again.

Another hobby I have been developing is videography, and I have been working through several video editing programs trying to figure out what is best for me.  

So here is the second video from our epic road trip to the Keys.  This one finds our travel from Biloxi, Mississippi to St. Petersburg, Florida, with so awesome stops along the way.

Enjoy!