Fall colors in Florida and Canada

October was a whirlwind. Just as residents in the Tampa Bay area were cleaning up from the horrible mess caused by Hurricane Helene, another named storm was brewing. Barely two weeks after  Helene,  Hurricane Milton, a category 3 storm, made landfall at Siesta Key, Sarasota Wednesday night (Oct 9). Many towns and cities along the gulf coast suffered yet another blow, this time with more wind damage than storm surge. Milton made it all the way east to Orlando and Daytona Beach, sparking tornadoes that devastated many small towns inland and along the Florida east coast.

We hunkered down at home in Largo, about six miles from the nearest gulf beach. Many neighbors boarded up their windows, and we followed suit. This was our first experience with a major  storm. That evening we lost power. Howling winds tore down branches from an old tree out front and blew them over to our neighbor's yard. It was frightening, but we all survived.

Thankfully the airport opened Friday as we had a flight out to Canada for a happy occasion. The wedding day was a glorious sunny fall day, with temperatures in the 50s. Located in the tranquil countryside, the wedding venue was perfect for some rest and relaxation.

Congratulations to the new couple!

Cheers from our sweet nephews! Shared on Altered Book Lover's T for Tuesday

Lovely wedding venue and beautiful skies

After the wedding we left for Banff National Park. We were looking forward to visit Jasper National Park, but deadly fires had ravaged the park this summer, and the hotel canceled our reservations. Banff was the next choice. We've been several times, just not in the fall. It was gorgeous!

Policeman Creek Trail in Canmore 

Town of Banff

Enjoyed a picnic here until it started raining

Our last visit to Lake Louise was in February seven years ago. The Chateau Lake Louise was undergoing renovations and was opened only to registered guests. Alas, no luck for high tea! The jaw-dropping beauty of Lake Louise and the majestic mountains never fail to amaze us. Every angle seemed to be a good photo op as we meandered around the lake.

Picturesque Lake Louise

Back in town, we walked around and hiked Bow River Trail. An elk was busy munching away, oblivious to bystanders.

View of Cascade Mountain from the Cascade of Time Garden

Bow River Trail

It had snowed in the mountains the night before we went to Johnston Canyon. The trail was about 1.5 miles one way to the Upper Falls, but icy and slippery in many spots. Several in our party of 12 made it all the way. The rest of us returned to the entrance, hoping to sit and warm up in a cafe. Unfortunately, most cafes in the park had already closed for the season. We drove back to Banff town to get our caffeine fix.

Hiking to the lower falls

The gateway to Banff is Calgary, so we got to see some relatives. A huge thank you to Yvonne and Trevor for arranging the get-together and treating us to a sumptuous dim sum lunch! And to our gracious hosts Stephanie and Jonathan; the sushi/sashimi dinner and birthday cake were fabulous. Sweet endings to our getaway!

We left Banff in the nick of time. It snowed the very next day. No doubt snow is beautiful, but what a mess for traveling. We know. We used to live and work in Boston many years ago.

Back in sunny Florida, the cleanup continues. The county and the garbage companies were overwhelmed by all the down trees and debris. Yesterday,  I happened to drive by some of our favorite beaches. Construction trucks and crew are still digging sand or mud from homes and parking lots, trash and debris still lining the streets in Pass-A-Grille, Treasure Island and Madeira Beach. It will take some time and effort to restore America's favorite beaches.

This used to be a beautiful beach! (pink Don Cesar hotel in the distance)

Debris and flooded stuff from the home waiting to be picked up

sand blown into street and parking lots in Treasure Island, St Pete 

These two back to back monster hurricanes created so much chaos and  destruction. It is very sad. But we have hope and people are resilient. It will take some time, but the beaches will be restored and lives will return to normal soon. Y'all come visit!

This post is shared on Skywatch Friday and Through My Lens.

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Exploring Panama City Beach and Pensacola, Florida, part 2

One of the absolute highlights of our week in Panama City Beach was the thrilling opportunity to see the Blue Angels in action! We woke up bright and early and made the nearly three-hour drive to Naval Air Station Pensacola to catch one of their practice sessions.

We were fortunate to have great weather that morning. The Blue Angels wowed us with their signature  aerobatic maneuvers, executed with stunning precision and split-second accuracy. For those unfamiliar, the Blue Angels are "the Navy's flight demonstration squadron of the United States Navy." You can read more about them on Wikipedia here.

After the airshow, we cooled off inside the Naval Aviation Museum, exploring its impressive collection of historical aircraft. The amazing Navy veteran Lieutenant Cash Barber, who celebrated his 100th birthday in May, was regaling visitors with stories of life in the navy and flying the amphibious aircraft, the "Catalina" during World War II. Truly inspiring.

We stopped at the Pensacola Light around the corner for a picnic. Just as we were finishing lunch, it started to rain. Alas, no visit to the lighthouse. Or the Gulf Islands National Seashore, much to our disappointment.

Entrance to Pensacola Light

The next few days found us back in Panama City Beach, soaking up the sun and dipping our toes in the warm, clear waters of the Gulf. Thoughts of buying some gear to scoop up the blue crabs we spotted scuttling along the shore definitely crossed our minds — maybe next time!

We enjoyed the glorious sunsets. A perfect ending to our vacation.

sunset at Schooners Restaurant 

sunset at SpringHill Suites, near the PCB Pier

Have you ever been to Pensacola or Panama City Beach, or seen the Blue Angels in action? We'd love to hear about your experience — share your stories or tips in the comments below!

This post is shared on Skywatch Friday, Image-in-ing Through My Lens and Little Things Thursday.

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Exploring Panama City Beach and Pensacola, Florida

We're thrilled to visit Panama City Beach and Pensacola next month! We cruised the Florida Panhandle some years back but didn't have time to explore the area. We only saw Pensacola from our anchorage at Fort Mac Rae. 

Our family got a timeshare at Marriott's Legends Edge for a week in September, so we'll have plenty of time to linger and enjoy the sugary white sand beaches that dot the Emerald Coast (aka the Redneck Riviera that stretches from Panama City to Pensacola,) as well as the Gulf Island National Seashore. We're determined to visit Pensacola and see the Blue Angels in practice at the Naval Aviation Museum. 

We had anchored off Shell Island, across Saint Andrew Bay from Panama City, and marveled at the sparkling waters, the wildlife and the shelling. This time I hope to round up the gang and rent a pontoon boat to explore the seven miles of undeveloped paradise. Bring snorkeling gear, hats and lots of sunscreen, you all!

Shell Island

Pensacola Light

Pier at Panama City Beach

Sunset at PCB

Getting excited. Care to share some of your favorite beaches in this neck of the woods? 

This post is shared on Skywatch Friday.

  

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Fall colors at Foster Falls, Tracy City, TN

Cold nights and warm sunny days last week did the trick to coax the trees to show its fall colors. 

We took our annual leaf peeping pilgrimage to Foster Falls this past Sunday. The foliage didn't take our breath away, but there were some trees with striking vibrant colors.

Apparently Foster Falls is a premier destination for rock climbing in the Southern U.S. On this lovely Sunday, three groups of rock climbers were in action. We sat and watch them for a while. It was the perfect stop to admire the view and rest, before the uphill hike to the top of the falls. We were at the halfway point on the moderate 2 mile climbers loop trail.

admiring the rock climbers' skills

Looking at Foster Falls from the top

Viewing platform across the falls

Entrance to Foster Falls Park

Check out falls and rock climbers in action in this video

This post is shared on Skywatch Friday and My Corner of the World.

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