On Christmas Day, while walking on the snow-white sandy
beach in 80 degree weather - we came upon these two snowmen who were lounging
in the warm sunshine. Did they really
think they could lie out in the Florida sun and not melt? Did they also mistake the sand for
snow? Didn’t they ever listen to
“Frosty the Snowman”? What was to
become of them?
On one of our exploration ventures we found a road that took
us out on a guardian peninsula that protects the harbor and all the moored
vessels in the bay. Mansions line the
narrow roadway but at the end of it is a long narrow sandy public beach dotted
with scrub and clumps of sea oats and a heron that thought he was invisible as
long as he stood perfectly still. The opposite
side of the beach is the gulf and a tall white dune of sand separates the
two. From this vantage point you could
see all the elbow-to-elbow vessels backed into narrow berths with their sterns
up against the long wooden boardwalk.
On one end of the boardwalk was the multi layer shopping area with the
normal tourist tee shirt shops, a mammoth resort, and a handful of restaurants
and bars. A lighthouse, a pirate ship,
zip line towers and palm trees strung with lights complete the collection.
We returned to the Harbor Walk Village side of the bay as
the sun was setting and the lights on the docks were starting to slowly
illuminate the pathways. We came across this beautifully preserved and painted
tree and had to read the large historic sign posted near it. It had once been a
40-foot Magnolia tree that was over 100 yrs old. In honor of Captain Leonard Destin, it has been preserved and
carved with all kinds of sea life.
Double click and see how many creatures you can find. See the swimmer with his long black
flippers? The eagle? The other side also has a large sea turtle
and sailfish!
Reminiscent of the Christmas Parade, the local pirate ship
and tourist ferryboat were still decorated for the holidays and their
multicolored lights danced on the now dark waters below as they quietly rested
at their mooring.
Pleasure boats were returning to harbor and seabirds where
heading for their roosts as the sun settled into the clouds on the far horizon
on the distant side of the silhouetted bridge that connects the Oskaloosa
barrier island to Destin.
The Christmas Season is in full glory at the Bass Pro Shop and the adjoining modern mall that surrounds it like a village! Topiary reindeer line the streets, music fills the air and the highlight of it all is the tall, wonderfully decorated Christmas tree in the center square! A colorful child sized train chugged from one end of the mall area to the other, carrying its small sized passengers as it traveled along.
OH, by the way – H has instructed me to assure you all that
he has rescued the melting snowmen and they are being iced down so they will
survive to spend another Christmas Holiday with us!!! COOL!!
We’re hoping your Christmas was blessed and your
expectations were fulfilled.
