We had long planned to do a whole family vacation after school let out in May 2026.
We went and stayed in Panama City Beach, Florida as we have numerous times. We broke drive down into two days instead of one ten hour day's drive. We stopped in Clanton, Alabama and stayed in the campers at Yellowhammer RV Park. It is so so. The south including our area had been in the grip of a drought. I'd been praying for rain. Well the Lord heard and sent plenty of rain! Our area got five inches over the course of the week. The beach and the places where we traveled also got rain, but not enough to ruin the trip. The surf was very churned up and murky with red flags out the first couple days.
My original plan was to visit Pine Log WMA to hunt for pitcher plants, orchids and wildlife.
I also wanted to revisit Morrison Spring, Ponce de Leon Spring, and Cypress Spring. I usually like to hit up a day of shopping. Try some thrift stores for bargains.
I was facing surgery June 8th so I wanted to have a good time. I'll just go ahead and say it up front. The vacation trip this year did not shake out how I had imagined. It went awry for a number of reasons.
I am bored out of my mind with Panama City Beach and need to go elsewhere.
I need to be more realistic and not have such high expectations.
Kenny and I need a vacation that is JUST US.
I had a tooth shatter while at the beach. I had to line up oral surgery to get the tooth out ASAP once we got home.
I got the worst sunburn I've ever had this trip despite having applied plenty of sunscreen. I cannot tell you when I had a sunburn prior to this.
I still like the beach and the Florida panhandle, but I need to pick a different spot. I'm thinking Pensacola, Gulf Breeze area. It will put me nearer the stuff I want to experience. Different springs. A different set of beaches. Numerous new attractions and history. Numerous places I can hike and experience pitcher plant bogs and orchids I so crave. We provide so much childcare to our grandkids that we need a trip that is restful for us and does not involve more of the same.
It was a let down. Not every vacation is going to be perfect, and this one was not.
It had its good moments, but it was still disappointing. It is just how things went. I think the biggest factors were my expectations vs. reality and I was a lot more anxious about upcoming surgery than I'd allowed myself to admit.
Pine Log WMA
We visited Pine Log WMA last October and saw many pretty wildflowers and sights. We tried it this May to see what might be different. I'm glad we did. I got to see a cottonmouth moccasin for the first time in years. I also finally found pitcher plants and they were in bloom. We saw the majority of it, but there is more if we ever go back. The side on the east is the bigger and better of the two in my opinion.
Above: long stretch of sandy/red dirt road at Pine Log
Below: a blooming passionflower
Below: butterfly pea bloom
Below: humble little bidens bloom. We saw these in Fall and they bloom in Florida pretty much year round.
above and below: blooms of new to me Dwarf Papaw
Below: some sort of meadow beauty in bloom
above: looking out across the pine savanna.
Below: One of the St John's worts in bloom
Below: orange milkwort bloom
Below: Maryland Meadowbeauty
Below: more sandy road on the east side of the WMA
Below: a prettier look at the pine savanna
Below: a cottonmouth moccasin crossing the road. A lady coming the opposite direction to pass us was in a car. We watched in horror thinking the snake was going to be run over, but she straddled it with her vehicle thankfully. Mr. Cottonmouth was highly pissed off and struck at the tire of her car. It didn't hurt the car and it didn't hurt the snake. We saw him alive and unharmed crawling off the road afterwards. I was very wary walking around after that sighting.
above: Yippee! I finally found a yellow pitcher plant. It is in bloom!
Below: I could not get in front of the plant to get a good photo thanks to the briars and swampy ground.
Below: I found a few more pitcher plants and got this front view photo.
Below: another blooming member of the St. John's wort family. I love the coppery shade of this one, and its spikey leaves.
Below: Goldencrest was in bloom. It was also blooming in October.
Below: this Florida wildflower is a new one for me. Blackroot. Pterocaulon pycnostachyum
Below: a very blurry image of Yucca or Rock Lily in bloom. When I see these in the wild I tend to think old home site, but I don't know if that is truly the case here.
Panama City Beach
Below are a few shots of the ocean. I did get in and swim a couple days. It was not as fun. We had rough surf and red flags. Hard to stand in the surf. No shells either. We did learn after getting home that the parking lot for the public beach here at M.B. Miller County Pier Park has been charging for parking since 2024. We got two tickets that amounted to $24. We were completely unaware and the rest of the family was in the same boat. The signs are tiny and you have to download an app and pay online with a credit card. I did some reading up on the topic and apparently the system has its definite flaws. It sometimes charges people and issues a citation even when they have already paid to park. Sounds like they've got some kinks to work out.
Art and Creativity
I try to fit in some time for painting, drawing, reading, learning or some craft while we are on vacation. I had a friend ask me to paint a picture of him. I got the painting of Jonboy and Paul and the moonshine still finished. I also painted a picture for my grandson Gabriel.
above: Sunset over the Plott Balsams for Gabe
Below: Painting of Jonboy Lynn and Paul Gamble and the still Jonboy inherited from his grandfather. I used acrylic on canvas. I also used acrylic metal paint pen for the first time. It worked well.
We had rain one day and went thrifting. I have never got done so fast. Didn't have any luck in that department really. We went to a store called Pieces on the Beach and I found some vintage look post cards. I used it to make a box for hair barretts and jewelry to keep in the camper. It matches the pieces I bought at Cumberland Mountain General store.
Above and below: decoupaged jewelry box made with the post cards I found.
Below: The following three photos are of the shop Pieces at the Beach.
One of the highlights of our trip was a stop over at Noccalula Falls Campground & Park. Kenny and I don't like to drive the full ten hours in a day. We can and have done it, but it is miserable for me and him. It hurts his knees and back. I can't stand the confinement in the vehicle for that long. We invited Gabe & Mia to go with us, but only Gabriel took us up on it. Kenny originally said we were going to simply pull over in a Love's Truck Stop and stay. I was NOT for that. I talked him into trying Noccalula Falls Campground instead. We are so happy for that decision. It will be worth a second trip.
It was one of the highlights of our trip. The campground was brand new. It was immaculate. The pool and playground were right by our camper. We went swimming soon as we got there. As per usual Gabe made friends with several children and they played, and played and played. One little girl asked him if he liked her for a girlfriend? He sweetly and wisely said "I like you for a friend. I'm only ten years old. I don't need a girlfriend." Despite how nice he was about it she had embarrassed herself so she left. A shame really, but he understood. I told him to just keep on being kind to people no matter.
Below: Looking toward the pool from our campsite
Above: the tree is a fountain in the pool
above and below: Looking around at this bluebird day
After we got showered up from the pool and got dressed we decided to go out to dinner and see Noccalula Falls . It was very close to our camper. Gabe got all dressed up in his new shorts and Hurley Hawaiian print shirt. He is a handsome little man.
Below: Grandson Gabe age 10. He's a sharp dressed man!
We planned to try a new to us pizza place from the recommendations given by the campground office.
We arrived in downtown Gadsden to find the place had some loitering going on and was a little too sketchy for our liking. We went to Longhorn Steak House instead. We were all too hungry to take a chance on a miserable dining experience. The pizza place was too murdery looking for me.
Below: Top of Noccalula Falls in the evening light
Below: bridge over the river just above the brink of the falls
Below: statue of Indian maiden Noccalula getting ready to jump off the falls to her death a weepin' and a pinin' for love. Nope. Not worth it.
Above: a better look at Noccalula Falls from the canyon rim.
Above: Looking down the gorge below the falls
Above: Gadsden Alabama is actually quite nice. The people are very friendly.
Below is a video of Noccalula Falls
We enjoyed seeing the falls and the pretty views in the evening light. We decided in the morning we'd visit the park and take a train ride and see the sights!
We got breakfast done pretty swiftly the next morning and got over to the park as soon as it opened. We had to ask someone where to get tickets for the train. The nice lady directed us up the road a few hundred feet to a gift shop and visitor center. Admission for unlimited train rides and all attractions was only $24 for all three of us! Quite a bargain in today's economy.
The gift shop ladies were super sweet. They had all the cool, trendy toys and gadgets that folks like today. We didn't get anything this trip, but perhaps another time. We went out to the platform and were the first persons today to ride the train. We were the ONLY three passengers.
The engineer toured us around and it was very cool. They have a pioneer village, a petting zoo and animal habitats, a botanical garden, a covered bridge and a hiking trail that takes you to the bottom of the falls. Being somewhat limited for time today we focused on the pioneer village and animals.
Above: Gabe climbs around on an arch rock
Below: the train at the platform
Below: Gabe swinging
Below: a better look at the arch rock
Below is a video of the train ride. I have been shocked at how many views it has gotten. I think this stuff is new enough that many folks weren't aware it existed. I knew of the falls, but the campground and much of the other stuff is new.
The train ride was very pretty and fun. We are fans of trains and railroad history. It gave us a good overview of what we wanted to see and where it was all located. We also had a map of the place we got from the visitor center.
Once we finished our train ride we disembarked and walked toward the pioneer village. It was pretty neat, but not as good as Museum of Appalachia. I'd like to take Gabe and the grandkids there. I think they are old enough to appreciate it now.
We moved on to the more tempting attraction for us.. the animal habitats and petting zoo.
They had kangaroos, monkeys, goats, cows, a Scottish highland bull, pigs, iguanas, alligators, bearded dragons, snakes, donkeys, llamas, and an artic fox!
Above: the black baby goat was keen to be petting. It loved Gabe. You could just barely feel the nubs of their tiny horns growing in.
Below: cute white baby goat. They were so soft and so funny!
Below: Nanny goat must put up with the antics of her stunt man baby goat. He has jumped up on her back.
Below is a quick video clip of the baby goat jumping on mom's back.
Below: Scottish Highland bull
Below: llama in profile
We petted animals and did a lot of laughing at goats. We finally headed back toward the parking area. The day was growing hot and humid. We had four or five hours of driving to make it home so we didn't tarry. We still managed to fit in some exercise and enjoyment before that drive home.
It really helped break up the trip by doing it in two days. The trip home went by rather fast.
We were home before late and were so glad to see the kitties. Our friend and neighbor Teresa was checking on them for us. She's the best. The time with just Gabriel was also a much needed thing for all of us. Kids are competitive when they are together seeking attention. All in all a good vacation, but any future beach trips I want to try Gulf Breeze or Pensacola. Maybe I'll see UFO's at Gulf Breeze.
It would put me close to Weeks Bay Pitcher Plant Bog, Black River WMA and Yellow River Marsh WMA all of which are great places to botanize for carnivorous plants and orchids. I'd also be close to several springs I've not visited yet like Pitt and Sylvan Spring and Williford Spring.
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Thanks for reading and commenting. I enjoy hearing from those who read & make use of my blog. I have made some wonderful friendships through emails from readers. I respond to all comments and emails. I appreciate folks reaching out to let me know when my blog entries are not functioning correctly or if the situation somewhere has changed. Many Blessings to you! Dana 🐝
Milkwort at Pine Log WMA
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for reading and commenting. I enjoy hearing from those who read & make use of my blog. I have made some wonderful friendships through emails from readers. I respond to all comments and emails. I appreciate folks reaching out to let me know when my blog entries are not functioning correctly or if the situation somewhere has changed. Many Blessings to you!
Dana 🐝