Monday, December 30, 2013

Padre Island

Padre Beach looking south
 In November, 2013 I took a trip to Texas to visit my good friend, Marlis. Due to technical difficulties, it has taken me a while to post these photos. These are images of Padre Island National Seashore which is south of Corpus Christi where we stayed for a few days. Padre is 70 miles long, and there is no road. So you drive on the beach. It's a bird refuge. The sandhill cranes were just arriving for the winter. Corpus is a nice place to winter so there's lots of Texas snow birds come there. It is always humid. Summers can be unbearably hot.  Camping is permitted on the beach on Padre. And the Gulf of Mexico is blue. Good place to go for winter vacation in your RV to play a little music, eat good seafood, listen to the sea.

Beach looking north


In Corpus we took a look at the harbor. Lots of vanes for the big windmills come into Corpus. There were unloading one the day we were there. One vane is as long as the ship.  Great sea walk along the north shore. Missed the aquarium.  Laid back town.  And as everywhere in the state, friendly Texans abound.
Lots of shore birds and a crane

Crane on top of sand dune



 When the weather is windy and cloudy at the beach, sit and watch the waves and the birds with a box of dried okra at hand.
Marlis at the visitors center


Pelicans overhead on a cloudy day

Beach vegetation at Padre

View of Corpus Christi from Omni Hotel

Waves on a cloudy day at Padre

Two old broads enjoying a night on the town in Corpus

Fountains in the street

Marlis with her favorite drink

Container ship coming into the harbor

Sunset from the room balcony looking east over the bay

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Merry Christmas!

A spontaneous Christmas  tree in the field  near Crane, Oregon
From all of us to all of you, have a wonderful holiday.