The Wedding of Sean and Jacklyn ~~ #TwoPetersInAPod

December 18, 2022 dawned bright and chilly but warmed up later in the day, and turned out to be a perfect day. We were looking at the weather all week as it showed rain and low 60's but by afternoon it was in the high 60's and sunny. Jacklyn and Sean rented The Barn at Lone Oak Acres in Parrish, Florida, a beautiful wooded area with an outside bar, fire pit, and a huge barn where the reception was held. 

ICE ~~ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Kissimmee, Florida

Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, Florida hosts the ICE, a frozen winter wonderland of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The very first ICE! experience was presented more than two decades ago, in 2001, at Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tenn. ICE! at Gaylord Palms Resort debuted in 2003. This year our daughter bought tickets for them and us to see the Grinch brought to life with colored ice. The drive up to Kissimmee from their house was a long 1-1/2 hours, then hauling all of our winter clothes into the hotel, and then standing in line for 45 minutes before actually getting into the show. The temperature inside the area was kept at 9 degrees, so we bundled up to withstand that temperature.

Uncle Sandy's Macaw Bird Park, Pensacola, Florida

We went to visit Uncle Sandy's Macaw Bird Park, a sanctuary for macaws, parrots and parakeets that have been surrendered, their owners died, or were found somewhere. 

Who is Uncle Sandy? Was he a real person? Yes, he was. The founder, Sandy Carl Kirkconnell, the son of a Honduran man and an American woman, grew up on a little island off the coast of Honduras where macaws and other majestic birds flew free. He fell in love with the creatures, and opening a free-flight organization during retirement was his dream.

Indian & Sea Museum, Orange Beach, Alabama

Thursday, November 10 we drove down to Orange Beach, Alabama, a 33 mile drive one way. We did not even get to see the beach as we went to the Indian & Sea Museum, then a small inland beach called Orange Beach Waterfront Park. This was not much of a beach as there was construction there. It looks like they were installing a new pier out to a gazebo. It was getting chilly so we decided not to stay. We took a longer way back because coming down we paid $2.75 just to cross a bridge into Orange Beach. 

Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum. Biloxi, Mississippi

The Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum was established in 1986 to preserve and interpret the maritime history and heritage of Biloxi and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. It accomplishes this mission through an array of exhibits on shrimping, oystering, recreational fishing, wetlands, managing marine resources, charter boats, marine blacksmithing, wooden boat building, net-making, catboats/Biloxi skiff, shrimp peeling machine and numerous historic photographs and objects. In August 2005, the Museum was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Nine years later, a newly constructed museum opened to the public.

Infinity Science Center, Pearlington, Mississippi

The Infinity Science Center is located at Exit 2 off of I-10 in Mississippi, right next to the Welcome Center. It's only open Thursday through Sunday, and we decided to head there on Friday to check it out. 

Prehistoric Park, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

We stopped at Cajun Palms RV Park in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana on our way east. Connected to the park is a prehistoric park that it seems they run because that is how the website is listed. We heard lots of dinosaurs roaring all afternoon on Sunday. On Monday morning Lucy and I took our walk to check out the dinosaurs. There is a golf cart trail at the end of the road that turns into a concrete road and then a greenway to get to the concrete trail where the dinosaurs are located. 

Styx River RV Resort, Robertsdale, Alabama

Styx River Resort is one of the resorts of Ocean Canyon Properties, and is our "home base resort." The park is off of I-10 at Hwy 64, east of Mobile, north of Robertsdale off Waterworld Road, and not too far from Pensacola, Florida, and like the name says, is on the Styx River.  

Abita Springs RV Resort, Abita Springs, Louisiana

Abita Springs RV Resort is the third resort we have visited that is part of Ocean Canyon Resorts.  The City of Abita Springs is located north of Covington, Louisiana and hosts the Abita Brewery, the Abita Cafe, the Abita Mystery House, and many other museums in the area. They also have the Tammany Trace, a bike and walking trail that heads to Covington.  Historic Abita Springs has a tourist park, called the Pitcher Plant trail. One section goes to Covington, and then another section travels south all the way to Lake Pontchartrain.

Tres Rios RV Resort, Glen Rose, Texas

Located in historic Glen Rose, Texas, Tres Rios RV Park is a part of the Ocean Canyon resort system. Tres Rios is our favorite park and we come back here every winter. There is a group of us who also come back to Tres every winter and we all spend a few months together playing cards, billiards, having pot luck dinners, and enjoying each other's company.

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Mountain Lakes RV Resort, Langston, Alabama

Mountain Lakes RV Resort is part of Ocean Canyon Resorts. It is located on the shores of Guntersville Lake, a huge lake with boating and fishing. There are three fishing piers, and pavilions for picnics. They offer hundreds of sites, both 30amp and 50amp, rental cabins, lake homes, and condos. There is also a game room, fitness center, tennis courts, basketball court, mini golf, an outdoor swimming pool and an indoor heated swimming pool. There is a huge clubhouse with lots of activities. They have a small fenced pet area with a playground next to it. 

Branson Ridge RV Resort, Branson, Missouri

Branson Ridge RV Resort is another resort that is part of Ocean Canyon Resorts. Branson Ridge is located one mile from Branson's Silver Dollar City, not far from Missouri's Ozark Mountain High Road. This quiet, peaceful resort is a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of the "Show Capital of the World." Yet, it still offers access to entertainment, shopping and activities of Branson and Table Rock Lake, all just minutes away.