This beautiful Sandhill Crane pair are hanging out in Jonathan Dickinson State Park. They graze in the grassy areas near the Loxahatchee River. I was lucky to photograph them just after days of heavy rain, which created pools of water.
I hope you enjoy my photos; I sure enjoyed taking them.
While traveling in Florida I have seen a few birds. I haven’t had much opportunity for birding, because the weather has been so rainy with high winds. The rain and wind has to end at some point!
Our second night at Fairview Riverside State Park….
The rains came in the night. All of a sudden the silence of the night interrupted with squalls of rain hitting the roof of the RV. Silence, pounding rain, silence, pounding rain, all night long. Common, these seasonal rains in the south, some violent with their arrival.
We woke to flooded roads, the river overflowing its bank. We have been at Fairview before and experienced the same seasonal rains and flooding roads.
This road leads to a second campground closer to the river. We walk this road all the time.
Not long after the rain stopped, the water receded leaving debris behind, rain drops dripped from tree leaves, and the grass remained marsh like, which deterred us from walking on it.
We were at Fairview for three nights and the sun never fully showed itself, always hiding behind gray clouds.
We still enjoyed our stay, visited with friends, ate seafood, had coffee and beignets, and shopped at our favorite grocery store for Louisiana foods to take with us.
Cafe Du Monde, New Orleans cafe known for cafe au laits, chicory coffee and beignets since 1862.
Our journey continues bringing us to a favorite place…
A place that brings smiles, makes my heart sing with happiness, and one where loved ones are waiting to embrace us in hugs. A peaceful place with lots of birds, beautiful trees and scrubs, acres of green fields, ponds, and sounds of pounding hoofs racing to relieve their curiosity over whom has come to visit.
Our favorite camping spotAn early morning visitor
There is also sadness with this visit, two hearts no longer with us. Remember Annie, the border collie and Socks the barn cat, sadly not here. I know they are here in spirit walking with us, side by side through these green fields, just as they always did.
Annie. Sweet girl we miss you so much.Socks. Pretty eyes we miss you. I miss seeing you follow my brother around like a dog.
Our view out the dining room window of the coach
Our visit is short, but memories are being created that will last forever. We will return in March with plans to stay longer.
Canada Geese enjoying the front pondAn old barn sits out in the country
My brother thinks this barn is over 100 years old. Coming to visit grandparents when I was little, from home in New Orleans, I remember seeing this barn. A left turn at the intersection where the old barn sits leads to Granddaddy’s farm. The roof has recently been repaired.
Knowing there are fun times ahead, we still leave our favorite spot with heavy hearts. With one last embrace that has to last until we return, our journey continues. On Tuesday we head east.
If you are ever traveling down Highway 49 near Alexandria, Louisiana, consider stopping at River Cities RV Park in Boyce, LA. It is new, it is nice and clean, it is convenient. Notice the security gate in and out.
River Cities RV Park, Boyce, LA (Sie 20)The only building on the property, laundry, restroom/shoewer.River Cities RV Park, Boyce, LA
After leaving Boyce, Louisiana we traveled Highway 49 to I10 heading toward Madisonville, Louisiana (all interstate travel today) .
We crossed the Atchafalaya Basin, traveling on the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge. A little information about this unique area taken from the web.
The Atchafalaya Basin, or Atchafalaya Swamp, is the largest wetland and swamp in the United States. Located in south central Louisiana, it is a combination of wetlands and river delta area where the Atchafalaya River and the Gulf of Mexico converge. The river stretches from near Simmesport in the north through parts of eight parishes to the Morgan City area in the south. The Atchafalaya is unique among Louisiana basins because it has a growing delta system with nearly stable wetlands. The basin contains about 70% forest habitat and about 30% marsh and open water. It contains the largest contiguous block of forested wetlands remaining in the lower Mississippi River valley and the largest block of floodplain forest in the United States. Best known for its iconic cypress-tupelo swamps, at 260,000 acres, this block of forest represents the largest remaining contiguous tract of coastal cypress in the US.
The Atchafalaya Basin Bridge, also known as the Louisiana Airborne Memorial Bridge, is a pair of parallel bridges in the U.S. state of Louisiana between Baton Rouge and Lafayette which carries Interstate 10 over the Atchafalaya Basin. With a total length of 96,095 feet or 18.2 miles, it is the second-longest bridge in the US and fourteenth-longest in the world by total length.
A few photos, I took, out the window of the RV….
Atchafalaya Basin
Atchafalaya Basin
After exiting the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge we crossed the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Bridge over Mississippi River in Baton Rouge, LAPort of Baton Rouge, Mississippi River in the backgroundTug Boat on the Mississippi River
We arrived this afternoon, under cloudy skies, at Fairview Riverside State Park in Madisonville, LA. We have enjoyed visiting this state park many times. Here is our site for the next three nights.
Site 41, Fairview Riverside State Parl. Madisonville, LA
The Tchefuncte River is high, flowing into the state park.
Fairview Riverside State Park, Madisonville, LA
Beautiful old, Oak Tree
Howard and I enjoyed a late lunch today at a New Orleans style restaurant here in Madisonville. Howard had a Shrimp Po-Boy and I enjoyed what is called a Southern Thing, which includes green-fried tomatoes, shrimp and coleslaw with special sauce, all on french bread (a Po-Boy). Yummy!
Southern Thing from New Orleans Hamburger and Seafood Company
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