While Half of Our Family Was Running Round the Country....

...those of us left at home due to a respiratory sickness took a day at the beach with the Stricklens, who sweetly let us join them at the Gulf. Hey--it's not as adventurous as the Atlantic, but it's the beach! :) :) :-D

These pictures were taken with my phone camera, so the quality isn't that great, but the travellers had the real camera. :)

First adventure: catching jellyfish.

We caught 3 I think, one smaller than this one, and one quite a bit larger.

"WOW!"

"What happens if I touch it?"

"NO! Don't!"

"It looks squishy...."

"Is it good to eat?"

(OK-one of those wasn't exactly said, but it sounded good...)

:-)

Emmy REALLY loved the beach!

Still the jellyfish...... :)

I love the ocean! What a wonderfully powerful and

beautiful creation the Lord gave us when

He created it! (Well, them, actually...)

Looking for sand fleas. They were comical little creatures!

And SOOO many of them!!

Hmmmm....It appears there is an object 'twixt my camera and the sun....

"Aye Aye, Sir!"

Actually, they were shielding the sun from their eyes. :-P

Adorable Cousins

They loved being there together!

Yep--I love the ocean :)

Sorry folks! You'll have to put up with me. :)

Still looking for those fascinating little things

Mary the knowledgeable ladybug....er, I mean...bug lady
:-P

Uncle Chris joins us in the water. :)

He claimed he was attacked by a "Bellyfish"

My incredibly beautiful mother, and the darling of the family

(Hmmm...I WONDER who that could be???)

Uncle Chris of course put on a comedy show for us!

:D

"You talking to me?"

Looking out to sea

Sweet girl

Rose and me

Mama and Aunt Molly

Cal and I

Abigail

Mary and me

(hmmm...that sounds like it could be a song...)

That evening we had a nice meal, but as you can tell, the lighting was too dark for too many pictures. :'( Too bad....I know y'all were just DYING to see the plates of food and glasses of tea... ;-)

The next morning Uncle Chris brought out the rods and bait and I got my first chance to fish with shrimp. I enjoyed it. Never done that before. :) But, we swiftly ran out of bait and had to resort to using any artifical bait we could find. At the time, we didn't know we could use those interesting little sand fleas!

"OH NO! IT'S GOT ME!!!!!"

"Daddy? You OK???"

OK--so I had to add a little excitement to the picture. :)

Sister and brother

Uncle Chris and I were the official baiters...he has

plenty of business for now!

CJ intently fishing.

Uncle Chris was also the official casting crew

Abby in her most comfortable state--barefoot. :)

Rosie caught the first fish of the day--with Uncle Chris' help.

He was also the official reel in man.

Rose with her first fish.

Into the bait

Cal trying her hand at it

Uncle Chris with Mary's two.

Yep, two on the same hook at the same time!

Talk about greedy.... :)

(He was also the official hook reclaimer)

Markie and her catch.

Just for the record, I did catch fish, I just don't have any pictures of it. :) So did Margaret, Cal, Mary, Abby, and CJ. How many fish pictures can one person take?? :)

Thank you Stricklens for the nice time you gave these poor outcasts! :) :) :)

Isn't it pretty!

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

--Psalm 19:1