2025 Christmas Letter/Journal

 Dear 

Hope this year has been kind to you.

We spent fourteen days on a Carnival Cruise from January 18 to 30. We visited Grand Turk, Aruba, Curacao, Ocho Rios, and the Grand Caymans.

In February (16-22), we went on a seven-day bus tour to San Antonio, Texas, with the Club & Diamond Tours. We had a guide the whole time we were there. We visited the Witte Museum, the San Antonio missions, the LBJ Ranch, watched an IMAX movie about Freedom, and then visited the Alamo. 

It was around 30 degrees when we took the River Cruise along the River Walk in San Antonio. 

We stopped to shop at Magnolia Market in Waco, Texas. 

On March 14, we took an all-day bus trip to Scottsboro with Backroads Tours  LLC. 

In April (7-11), we took a five-day bus trip to the Ark Encounter and the Creation Museum, with the Club and Diamond Tours. 

At the Cincinnati Museum, we watched an IMAX movie about National Parks and toured the museum. We were supposed to take a riverboat cruise along the Ohio River, but it had rained so much that the trip was cancelled. 

We saw houses, land, and trailer trucks covered in water. 

From April 27 to May 3, we took a seven-day bus trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina with Travel Lady, Lawrenceburg, TN. 

We visited Mount Airy, home of Andy Griffith. 

We did the Wild Horse Adventure tour. We visited several lighthouses, the Graveyard of the Atlantic, Wright Brothers National Park, the Village of Mantle, and Festival Park Living History Museum. 

On May 9, we did a mystery bus trip with Backroads Tours LLC.

On June 21, we took a bus trip to Nashville for a Dinner cruise on the Andrew Jackson Showboat with Backroads Tours LLC. 

In July (12-20), we took a nine-day bus tour to Cape Cod & Martha's Vineyard with the Club and Diamond Tours. 

We visited Martha's Vineyard, Hyannis, Sandwich, toured the Outer Cape, Provincetown, Chatham, JFK Museum, and the Foxwood Casino in Rhode Island. 

One of our members had a UTI infection and had to spend several days in the Hospital, and they had to fly home. 

Another member fell inside her room, and she had deadbolted her door. She could not get up, so we had to call the fire and police departments.

She was taken to the hospital, but later joined us. 

We had another couple who were not happy with the trip, so they flew home. It was still a good trip.

In August, (2-10) we flew to Denver, Colorado, and then took a guided bus to ride several trains with the Travel Lady from Lawrenceburg, TN. 

We rode the Georgetown Loop and the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, with lunch in between. 

We rode the Pikes Peak COG RR.

We were going to ride the Durango & Silverton RR, but there was an accident on the Million Dollar Highway. A couple with a child in the backseat went over the edge. The road was closed the whole day. A helicopter was called to get the car. Both adults were killed instantly, but the child survived. 

We had already started up the mountain on the Million Dollar Highway. We had a great driver; he turned the bus around, and we went back down the hill.

We saw a forest fire, and everyone kept getting alerts, but we were heading away from it. 

We stayed in a hotel that had a winery and orchard around it.

We stayed in the Durango Hotel, which was like a museum. 

We stayed at the Cliff House, a hotel within walking distance of downtown Manitou. We visited Garden of the Gods, Mesa Verde, and Manco, CO. We toured several towns and museums. 

On August 23, we took a bus tour to North Georgia Junkbox Review. We were entertained with a musical. Backroads Tours LLC.

In September (3-15), we took a thirteen-day trip to the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas. We spent three nights at the Flamingo Hotel, with Bean/Smith Travels & Diamond Tours.

We visited the William Clinton museum in Little Rock, AR. We visited the Route 66 Museum in Clinton, OK, and the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and Boulder City, AZ.

We visit Grand Canyon National Park, the Route 66 Museum in Kingman, AZ, the Mohave Museum, the Petrified Forest National Park, and the Quarter Horse Hall of Fame Museum in Amarillo, TX. We visit the Fort Smith Historic Site in Fort Smith, Arkansas. 

We stayed in ten different hotels. 

October 13-19, we flew to New York and spent one night there. There we ate dinner and walked the streets of NY.

We boarded the NCL Getaway for a seven-day cruise.  

A deadly storm slammed the East Coast with winds, waves, and floodwaters. Waves pounded beaches, and storm surge flooded coastal roads. So, the ports in New York were closed. We sat in port for two days, missing several of our excursions. 

We did visit Bar Harbor, Maine; Saint John Bay, New Brunswick; and Halifax, Nova Scotia.

On our return trip to New York, we took a bus tour of New York, where we saw 59th Street, Columbus Circle, Lincoln Square, Central Park, 49th Street, Times Square, the Garment District, 34th Street, Penn Station, Macy's, Trump Tower, the Apple Store, Rockerfellow Center, Hershey's, and the University of NY. We stopped to tour the Grand Central Terminal and go up to the Summit.

The Summit is a three-level multi-sensory art immersion. 

The first level was on the 91st observation floor. (All Glass)

The second level is on the 92 observation, where you are standing on a glass-bottomed ledge that extends 1,000 feet over Madison Ave. 

The third level is on the 93-observation floor with an open-air terrace.

From October 30 to November 5, we took a bus trip to Washington, D.C. with the Club and Diamond Tours. 

We visited the Lincoln Memorial, the Roosevelt Memorial, the MLK Memorial, the WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam Memorials, and saw the Capitol, the White House, and the Lincoln Monument. We took a trolley through Arlington Cemetery. We visited the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

Nov 19-21, we took a bus tour of the Biltmore House Museum and stayed on-site. 

We toured the grounds, the house, and Antler Hill Village with Backroads Tours LLC.

We stopped at the Bush Bean Museum and Restaurant in Danville, TN.

We visited Sweetwater Farms in Philadelphia, TN.

Dec 5-7, we took a bus tour to Eufaula with Backroads Tours LLC. 

We enjoyed dinner, lunch, and hors d'oeuvres with entertainment at the Shorter Mansion.

We toured eight homes, including the Shorter Mansion. 

We visited the movie town of Spectra and Wetumpka.

This was our last cruise and bus trip for the year. 

I have already planned cruises for February, March, and October. 

A trip to Greece to follow the Footsteps of Paul in April. If the Lord's willing and we have good health. 

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 

Dauphin Island Environment Marine

Energy from the Sands of Time

ExxonMobil, one of many oil companies operating in Alabama waters, operates the platform east of Dauphin Island. These platforms extract natural gas (methane), a clean-burning petroleum product. The platform lies in 11 feet of water, with drilling operations to depths of over 20,000 feet. Once natural gas is found and brought to the surface, it is transferred via an underwater pipeline to processing plants on the mainland. 

These photographs demonstrate the porous quality of millions-of-year-old sandstone. Ten percent of the sandstone's volume is natural gas compressed within it. 

Pores to a pressure between 10,000 and 20,000 pounds per square inch. 

The natural gas field found within Mobile Bay and the Alabama Water is the largest field discovered in the continental United States. Concerned citizens, scientists, and state regulators worked with the oil companies to implement an environmentally safe, clean operation with a zero-discharge policy. This policy prohibits discharging drilling fluids, petroleum products, and treated sewage from the platform into state waters. Instead, these materials are offloaded and taken to the mainland for proper disposal. 

Mr. Sand and his friends Part II

The grains accumulate and form dunes. Even as they grow, they move as the wind blows them. 

As the dunes shift and grow, they stabilize once dune grasses, like sea oats, start sprouting. The plant's roots help anchor it, encouraging further dune growth. And the more due growth, the more plant growth- a friendly relationship.

These stabilized dunes attract even more plants, like wax myrtle, yucca, and, eventually, the majestic live oak. 

These rooting plants add moisture and shelter, promoting even more plant colonization. 

More and more animals are attracted to plant growth, from plant-eating insects to insect-eating beach mice to owls, hawks, and raccoons.

Thriving with plant life, a dune will continue to grow. 

But the bigger it gets, the more exposed it becomes to aeolian (wind) and marine (water) forces, like erosion. 

Mr. Sand and his friends, Park III

During autumn and winter storms, sand is blown offshore. Someday, it will be returned to shore to build new dunes. 

So, as the seasons change, do the dunes. With gentle wind and waves, sand heaps onshore in the spring, forming new dunes. In the summer, sea oats and plants help them grow. In the stormy winter, the dunes erode (wear down).

Susceptible to strong onshore winds, Mr. Sand and his friends tend to move inland, covering everything in their path. 

We must help Mr. Sand and his friends by not walking or driving on the dunes. Many places have boardwalks built over the dunes and plants to protect them. 

Sand fences, like boardwalks, are another way of protecting dunes. They serve as obstacles, allowing grains to collect and form new dunes. Planting grasses like sea oats can also help in exposed areas and along pathways. 

These conservation practices can only help if we cooperate. Mr. Sand and his friends, along with the forces of nature, form dunes and beaches for you to enjoy. 

Let's take care of them in the future. 

Mr. Sand and his friends Part I

Come, let Mr. Sand guide you through the life of a dune. Learn how to protect the sand dunes, Mr. Sand, and his friends who live with him. 

Once upon a time, about 250 million years ago, bedrock was formed. The hot, molten rock formed granite and gave rise to the Appalachian Mountains. As the granite and other rocks eroded from the mountains, they formed grains of sand. This sand washed down to the Gulf of Mexico and was deposited on beaches and dunes that are now underwater. 

Waves and currents washed Mr. Sand away from these old deposits, and he and his friends moved onto the beaches we see now. 

The more Mr. Sand and his friends wash along the beach, the more they wear down. They become rounder and more uniform in size and texture. 

Away from the mainland, underwater mountains of sand grow grain by grain, becoming "offshore bars." Some can grow so much that they emerge above sea level and become "barrier islands." 

Dry grains of sand are susceptible to wind, drifting until the wind speed drops.

Once Mr. Sand and his friends land, they collect on the "lee," or sheltered side of obstacles along their flight path.

Marine Debris: A Silent Killer

Marine Debris Timeline

What is marine debris?

Marine debris refers to trash that litters our coasts and oceans.

It includes all the objects found in marine and coastal environments that do not naturally occur there. Marine debris is not only a hazard to ships, divers, and beachgoers but also creates a serious threat to our precious marine life. 

Marine debris consists of articles made by people and deliberately discarded or accidentally lost. In most cases, it results from careless handling or disposal of solid waste items, including liquid waste containers; it can also result from materials lost at sea in bad weather, such as fishing gear and cargo.

Marine debris consists mainly of non-biodegradable waste made of persistent materials, such as plastic, polystyrene, metals, and glass, from a wide variety of sources.

(thrown or lost into the sea): brought indirectly to the sea with rivers, sewage, stormwater, or winds, which are left by people on beaches and shores. 

Where is marine debris found:

. Marine debris is found everywhere worldwide, in marine and coastal environments.

Marine debris can be blown around and is found floating on the water's surface. Almost 90% of floating marine debris is plastic. 

. Marine debris is mixed in the water column, from the surface to the bottom of the ocean.

Marine debris is found on the seabed. As much as 70% of all marine debris sinks to the bottom of the seabed, both in shallow coastal areas and deeper parts of the ocean. 

Marine debris is found lying on beaches and shores. 

How does marine debris harm wildlife?

. Entanglement 

Everyday items like fishing lines, strapping bands, and six-pack rings can impede the movement of marine animals. Once entangled, animals have trouble eating, breathing, or swimming, all of which can be fatal. Plastics take hundreds of years to break down and may continue to trap and kill animals year after year. Smaller marine creatures get trapped inside plastic and glass containers, slowly dying. 

Ingestion

Birds, fish, and mammals often mistake plastic for food. Some birds even feed it to their young. With plastic filling their stomachs, animals experience a false sense of fullness and may die of starvation. Sea turtles mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, a favorite food. Due to its durability, buoyancy, and ability to absorb and concentrate oceanic toxins, plastic is especially harmful to marine life. 

Other threats to wildlife 

The seabed is smothered, toxic substances accumulate and disperse, environmental changes are caused by invasive species, and habitat disturbances are caused by mechanical cleaning of marine debris. 

How does marine debris harm people?

Contamination of the beaches and harbors creates health hazards to people.

Marine debris also endangers the safety and livelihood of fishermen and recreational boaters. Nets and monofilament fishing lines obstruct propellers, and plastic sheeting and bags block cooling intakes. 

Where am I?

Dauphin Island is at the junction of Mobile Bay, the Mississippi Sound, and the Gulf of Mexico. It is the easternmost in a series of changing barrier islands that form the southern boundary of the Mississippi Sound. 

Mobile Bay is 53 kilometers (35 mi) long, 16 kilometers (10 mi) wide, and averages 3 meters (10ft) deep. It is a drowned river valley that was once deeper and extended farther north. About 6,000 years ago, the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta formed as Mobile Bay widened and deepened. Mobile Bay has the seventh-largest river discharge in North America (219 to 13,977 cubic meters per second or 5 to 322 billion gallons per day) and is the third-largest in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Most ocean waters that enter the Gulf of Mexico come through the Yucatan Channel between Mexico and Cuba. 

These waters form circular currents that flow across the continental shelf and mix with freshwater from the land. The water exits the Gulf of Mexico through the Straits of Florida between Florida and Cuba. 

Life in a Salt Marsh

A real partnership 

Black needle rush and smooth cordgrass are grass-like plants of Coastal Alabama salt marshes. They provide oxygen to organisms living below the salt marsh surface and serve as a refuge for many animals. 

Decomposing plant matter in an environment without oxygen produces the "rotten egg" odor familiar to marshes. However, Cordgrass and Needlerush root systems are spongy and porous, allowing oxygen into the waterlogged soil. This will enable organisms below the marsh surface to survive. 

Fiddler Crab (Uca  spp) 

Fiddler Crabs and other small mud crabs burrow into the marsh surface, feeding on the plant matter. Their aquatic larval stages contribute significantly to the food chain.

Smooth Cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora)

Smooth Cordgrass for Cordgrass along the edge of the open water, below the average high tide line. Cordgrass has flattened leaves and a light green color. 

Black Needlerush (Juncus roemerianus)

The Black Needlerush comprises the largest vegetated zone of Alabama's salt marshes and is near and above the average high tide line. 

Needlerush leaves are round with pointed tips. 

Marsh Periwinkle (Littorina irrorata)

The Marsh Periwinkle is a small snail that inhabits shallow bays, ponds, and tidal marshes. It is often seen climbing Spartina stalks to feed on algae and avoid predators. 

Ribbed Mussel (Geukensia demissa)

The Ribbed Mussel attaches to mature plants at the mud surface and hardens the marsh, helping it resist erosion. These mussels filter a gallon of seawater an hour for food, fertilize the marsh with their waste, and are food for crabs, birds, and mammals. 

1974 ~ Summer Savannah, Georgia

One of our family trips was a trip to Savannah, Georgia. My sister's husband was stationed at Fort Stewart.

The trip took about 9 hours. We only stopped to eat and to use the restroom.

The boys played with their toy soldiers and Hot Wheels cars on the ride.

After the long ride, the kids were ready to get out and visit their cousins.

When we arrived, my sister had dinner ready. We ate and sat back to watch some TV while the kids played outside.

We spent the next day on a public beach that faced the Daufuskie Island Resort in South Carolina. 

It was a beautiful day, a bit windy, overcast, and hot.

The kids enjoyed building sand castles and darting in and out of the Atlantic Ocean.

The kids stopped long enough to grab a bite of the picnic lunch that we had brought.

The sun was hiding its face behind the clouds but sending out those hot rays.

We forgot to use sunscreen, and we all got blistered.

That night, we rubbed everyone down with white vinegar. The white vinegar was soothing to the sunburn, and at least we could get a good night's sleep.

The next day, we rode to the Military Base and to Historic Downtown Savannah. 

We saw hundreds of old houses nestled under giant oaks hanging with live Spanish moss. The Spanish moss is known as "The Hostess City of the South."  

We went to the one-level Oglethorpe Mall, built in 1969 and covering 1,000,000 square feet. 

It housed Belk, JCPenney, Sears, and Macy's (formerly Maas Brothers). In 1974, this was a huge mall.

Regency Square Mall, back home, opened in 1978, so seeing a mall was a new adventure for us.

Savannah was a beautiful historic city, and the weather while we were there was very accommodating. 

We spent the next few days inside playing Rook, Hearts, & Spades.

The kids played inside and watched TV.

We had a great visit, connecting with relatives. We enjoyed the beach and visiting historic Savannah.

We said goodbye to our relatives and began our trip home.