Home Again

We're home ... and wishing we'd had more time to spend in Rockport.  Winter is so ... winter.  It's never been my favourite season and a warm interlude down south has only endeared me to more warm interludes down south.  We're already planning things to do and see next year that we didn't have time for this year.

And we had a great time with lots of memories to console us while we wait for spring here on our country mile in this corner of wintry Manitoba. For one thing, we both brought back sunburns, not usually a cause for rejoicing; but I'm wearing mine like a badge of honour, proof of time spent soaking up sunshine, far away from winter.

Here are a few more of my photo memories.

Even on a slightly cooler day, cool mainly because of the strong wind blowing off the ocean, the beach is glorious.  On this particular beach we had to watch out for:

Portugese man-o-wars, nasty jelly-fish sort of creatures that were washed up by the tide and, even dead on the beach, can release a potentially deadly toxin, if you happened to step on one or were foolish enough to try to pick one up.

Amazing bird life was everywhere and I couldn't help but think of my dear late Papa and my late uncle Hans-Willy, the two men who fostered in me an appreciation for all of God's creation (except snakes, of course). Even Papa couldn't cure me of that one.

Texas beaches turned out to be more dangerous than we thought.  Here's a creature we saw in the very shallow water of Rockport Beach on our second last day.  It turned out to be a porcupine fish, related to puffer fish and blow fish - and just as deadly.

And what's a vacation without great food?  We tried several new places but my favourite was this place, that we splurged on a little for our last evening in Rockport.  Bellino's Italian Restaurant served the best Polo Gorgonzola I've ever eaten and was a great way to celebrate the perfect winter vacation.

I can hardly wait for next February!