Jekyll Island, GA

We're here!  Yea!!!! finally here for 10 days with nothing to do but relaxing our toes in the sand.  All four of us need this break.  We've come to Jekyll Island, Ga every year for the past 35 years.  I guess you would say it's a home away from home.

I love the smell of the salty air.

The island has a beautiful driftwood beach.  A fantastic place for seashells, driftwood and family photos.

Here are a few photos from the historic district referred to as the "Millionaire's Village."  It is named this because from the 1890's until the 1940's the island used to be owned by the wealthiest men in America...Rockefeller, J.P. Morgan, Pulitzer, Crane, Goodyear, and these are the homes they built to vacation in.  They have since been converted to upscale hotels and luxury restaurants for all of us to enjoy .

It's an amazing place and I'm glad we're finally here.  This is the hotel we eat lunch in every year...we think it's amazing that it's called Crane "cottage"!!  We love to sit out on this veranda and have a long afternoon lunch.

As you might guess from the photos, there are not a lot of people visiting the island.  It's very quiet and serene.

 The old Horton House, built in 1736, is in ruins now, but so neat to see.  The island has many historical sites like this one.

It is a small island with many sites.
 

My Boys getting us a drink so we can sit on the pier and listen to a band.  Wish it was the Beach Boys.  Have a great Hump day and I'll talk to you again on Friday.

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Juicy Ripe Strawberries

Look what I just made.....

I almost let the strawberry season pass by without making my run of strawberry jam for the year...whew, that was close.  My family loves strawberry jam and we love to visit our local fruit stand..Strawberry Hill USA.  Here are some of the photos from this year's visit.

They have a fun, old-fashioned cafe and homemade ice cream parlor.  Don't you just love the hand-made tin man and airplanes hanging from the ceiling?  I may have to try one of these for myself.  It would make a cute scarecrow.

Across the street from the ice-cream parlor is the fruit stand.  See all the goodies?

Whenever I make my jam, I always like to make one of my homemade Zucchini Breads and put it and a jar of jam in a small basket to give to friends who really don't have time to make these things themselves.

There's nothing better than toasted zucchini bread with a spread of strawberry jam.  Here's my bread recipe:

In one bowl mix:
3 C shredded Zucchini
1 2/3 C sugar
4 eggs
2/3 C oil

In another bowl mix:
3 C flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 c nuts

Hand mix both of these bowls together and bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.  Let cool 15 minutes.   This makes 2 loaves.

Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend.

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Okefenokee Swamp

 If you are ever in Georgia, you need to try and visit a wildlife refuge called Okefenokee Swamp.   It is a place of natural beauty and full of various wildlife.  

As you make your way to the gate you are greeted by a beautiful drive through acres and acres of pine trees.  I imagined walking around through these trees, but the thousands of alligators living there stopped that thought process.  There is a guest center with videos, lots of information to see and wonderful displays of different animals that live in the area.  Then... you take a tour guided boat ride through the swamp.

Once the tour is over, which is a long tour and you love every minute of it, you can go a park down the road which has a wooden walkway through it where you can see even more nature, lots of animals and beautiful swamps.  This walkway is heaven.  It puts you close up to the swamps.

When you have finished your walk, there is another path yet to take.  It is a dirt road you walk that leads to an old homestead showing you how people used to live in this area.  It is a day full of fascinations and I would recommend everyone to go see this. 

Enjoy!
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