What does, a salt dome, pepper pods and a 200 acre jungle have in common? A trip to Avery Island, Louisiana, and a good time!
The salt dome extends eight miles beneath the earth’s surface and its protruding “island” part of the formation rising above the surface is Avery Island.
The pepper pods, obtained shortly after the Civil War, are special capsicum peppers. Seeds from these capsicum peppers, grown on the Island, are exported to Central and South America, where tabasco peppers are cultivated and harvested.
The 200 acre jungle is home to the world’s most beautiful sanctuaries for the preservation and study of flora and fauna. Edward McIlhenny, son of Tabasco sauce inventor Edmund McIlhenny, was a noted naturalist and explorer and decades ago he cultivated what is today called The Jungle Gardens of Avery Island.
Live Oaks and Lazy Lagoons
It all began when Edmund McIlhenny cultivated a crop, invented a product over 125 years ago and founded a company on Avery Island.
As their current day brochure states. Much of the world knows about Tabasco pepper sauce.
McIlhenny Company Tabasco Sauce Brand Pepper Sauce!!
**I want to give credit for the information in this blog to the wonderful writers at Tabasco, I used their brochures in writing this blog.
The Tabasco Visitors Center. I love our flag and here with it are the Louisiana State Flag and the Tabasco flag.
Wednesday, April 2nd we traveled to Avery Island to visit Tabasco. We always have to be conscience of the time we are away from the coach, because of our two beautiful four-legged friends. So when we drove to Avery Island we needed to make a decision on what we wanted to see as we only had time to visit one of two tours. Did we want to tour the Jungle Gardens or take the Tabasco plant tour? It was not a tough decision.
Tabasco factory tours
We decided to toured the Jungle Gardens. What beautiful grounds they have; we could have spent the entire day hiking around admiring these gorgeous gardens and taking photos!
A meandering road through The Jungle GardensLooking for UFO’s or perhaps UFB’s.
The 200 acres of jungle gardens are home to a large collection of some 600 varieties of camellias, including some that McIlhenny developed, along with thousands of azaleas, acres of wildflowers, groves of evergreens, english hollies and wistaria vines, just to mention a few.
The 300 year old Cleveland OakHave you ever driven through a Wisteria Arch?
You can see Live Oak trees through out the gardens.
When I look at this felled tree, I have to wonder how long it lived and how long has it been since it died.
Beautiful Azaleas and lagoons are everywhere
Bees and Flowers
Wisteria Flower
A lovely white Azalea
A bee enjoying a pink Azelea
Twisted Wisteria Vines
Wisteria Arch, Wisteria was first introduced into New Orleans around 1875.
This Live Oak tree is named for Grover Cleveland. He visited the McIlhenny family and this tree around 1891. It is over 300 years old.
The jungle gardens are a birder’s paradise! We made the right decision in taking this tour.
Over one hundred years ago, Edward McIlhenny helped save a beautiful egret from extinction – the Snowy egret. In 1895 when the snowy was being hunted for its plumage, Edward, built an aviary on Avery Island, and then captured and raised eight wild snowy egrets.
For the love of this bird, it all started over 100 years ago. The beautiful Snowy Egret
After they had raised their hatches and were ready to migrate, he released them. The snowy egrets returned the next spring and every spring since.
Today this rookery is fondly called “Bird City” where some 20,000 Snowy Egrets, plus many other species of birds, return each spring to raise their young.
The RookeryAn Anhinga coupleThe Great Blue Heron enjoying The Jungle Gardens
For the love of the Great Blue Heron:
For the Love of Herons
Others also enjoy The Jungle Gardens:
A snoozing little guy!Nature’s ultimate camouflage design at workI Spy
As the time for our departure from Avery Island approached, we stopped at the Tabasco Store to look around. We enjoyed a nice cool cup of homemade ice cream, of course made with Tabasco peppers, sampled some of their flavored sauces and even purchased a few items to bring home. It was another fun day spent in Cajun Country!
The Tabasco Country Store
Side note: On our way down to New Iberia, Louisiana and then out to Avery Island we stopped for lunch at a local place called Landry’s. They serve a different daily lunch to a huge number of hard working folks! The food was delicious!
On this drive we were impressed with the oil and gas related businesses we passed. Thousands of people employed in this industry in numerous small Louisiana towns. From, large oil companies, oil service and training companies, to local support businesses like Laudry’s all employing hard working people.
We should all thank these businesses that supply our oil and gas, and the folks that work in them. It made us happy to see the booming economy in this area, to know that America is rich in oil and gas and that Louisiana is employing lots of people to work in these industries.
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We said farewell to Louisiana, for now, and drove to Beaumont, Texas!
While in Beaumont we enjoyed two full, wonderful days of birding. We met some nice folks from the Houston Audubon Society in High Island and it was a special treat meeting a fellow birder and blogger at Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge. More on meeting Judy and how we spent these exciting two days later.
We arrived this morning, April 6th, at Stephen F. Austin State Park and we will be here for several days. As I sit here typing I can even count the number of Northern Cardinals we are seeing, so many in one place!
We sadly leave family and friends in Mississippi and Louisiana….until next time our hearts remain with each of you.
Two weeks ago we visited our family in Purvis, Mississippi. We had a wonderful time and it was truly sad leaving them. They spoil us rotten while we are there.
We stay at my brother and sister-in-law’s farm. While there we also get to see my younger sister and many nieces, nephews, greats and great-greats! Love you guys and thanks for making us feel loved and welcome!
A few Mississippi photos:
Annie She loves to chase cows and run off critters at nightJapanese Magnolia (my brother loves to plant trees and blooming scrubs)Another variety of Japanese MagnoliaSing Baby Sing I saw twenty-three species, of bird this visit
Big Red, Hot Rod, Lace and Fat Mama/Lena before she foaled. All across the Front PondFront Pond, Howard and Leland going to see if the Wood Ducks were in the bog. We saw 14!
A pair of Blue-winged Teals visiting the Back PondRed Missippippi Mud -back pondTracks, probably TurkeyAnother view of the back pond
Goodbye Mississippi, we’ll be back!
After our visit in Mississippi we drove to Madisonville, Louisiana and again stayed at Fairview Riverside State Park. We stay there, because it is close to friends, who also spoil us rotten! We had a great time and hope to see yawl soon. Love you guys!
I have been posting a few photos from Fairview Riverside State Park and I have a few more to share, including my new bird sightings!
A beautiful Cypress Tree
One evening we had dinner with Howard’s brother and our sister-in-law, who drove from Hobe Sound, Florida to visit with SIL’s family in Metairie. Remember we spent time visiting with them and family in Hobe Sound. We will see all of you very soon, with all our love!
We all met at a restaurant in Covington, Louisiana. Howard and Bob’s childhood friend and his family jointed us for dinner and we had a very enjoyable time visiting.
One morning we drove the 22 mile causeway over Lake Pontchartrain traveling, as they say, from the north shore to the south shore to the city of Metairie, which is near New Orleans. We went to visit with our 82 year old cousin. Joy is her name and she is a joy to be around.
As you can see we had a busy time and again our visit has come to an end. This morning we pulled out of Fairview Riverside State Park and pointed our nose west!!!
Goodbye Madisonville, Louisiana, we’ll be back!
We are slowly making our way home to Colorado, stopping along the way where ever we want, to enjoy birding, hiking, sightseeing and some more good eats!
We are staying a few days in Duson, Louisiana (can you say the cajun pronunciation of Duson). While here we will visit a state park in Abbeville, Louisiana to see if we would like to stop there on future trips through this area. We really love the State Parks!
Tomorrow night we plan to eat dinner at a restaurant near Lafayette, while a cajun band plays their unique style of music!
We have not decided on a specific route home.
We don’t have any firm plans beyond this point, except to visit some of the national wildlife areas near Beaumont, Texas, hoping to see some migrating birds.
Big Mama (This Gator was sunning herself behind Felix’s Fish Camp)
We arrived at Meaher State Park on Sunday and have eaten our way to Tuesday. It is a good thing we are leaving Wednesday morning! However, with more southern Good Eats to look forward to, before we leave the states of Mississippi and Louisiana, I guess going on a diet will have to wait until I return home! I won’t even think about Tex-Mex as we travel across Texas!
What do all the items listed below have in common? Good Eats in Spanish Fort, Alabama!!
Two places, to enjoy a fantastic meal around the Mobile area are: Felix’s Fish Camp and The Oyster House. Both of these restaurants are located within a couple of miles from the state park.
These are the two we dined at, but there are many more to choose from. Judging by the people eating out in this area, we would say the economy is booming!
Felix’s Fish Camp (where we enjoyed a delicious lunch)Felix, when he is not in the kitchen cooking!The Original Oyster House (our day two lunch)At The Original Oyster house we enjoyed a tall glass of Southern Pecan beer from the Lazy Magnolia Brewery (located in Mississippi!
If you are ever driving west on 1-10 toward Mobile, Alabama, think about stopping for a day or two at Meaher State Park in Spanish Fort. Ask for their senior discount!
Meaher State Park is a lovely park situated in the wetlands of Mobile Bay. Lots of Bays in the area: Mobile Bay, Ducker Bay, Chacaloochee Bay, Justin’s Bay, D-Olive Bay and I am sure there must be others.
The campground has 56 new campsites all with full hookups. It has a new bathhouse with a 6 machine laundry room. All sites have blacktop pads, lots of grassy area between each site and all set in among tall pines. We are in a back-in site right on the Bay. Which bay, I guess it depends in what direction you are looking!!
If you are into touring grocery stores (which I get a big kick out of) while traveling, you will have a wonderful selection to pick from here in Spanish Fort, to include Florida’s Publix and Fresh Market!
Back Yard Gator (one of two hanging out behind our coach)A Reflection of a Happy CamperA Cloudy Day SwimmerA Broadwalk out into the Bay Do you see our camp site in the distance?Another view of our site from the boardwalk“Are you enjoying the Sunset over my Bay?” I feel like I should have given her a name!Hundreds of ducks landing in the Bay for the night!The Bay Bridge in the distance and a Fishing Pier in the park on the rightA Bay Sunset as taken from our backyard
Did you think I forgot to take any additional bird photos? Nope, just wait!
We spent a total of five nights at Rocky Bayou State Park, our first visit to this beautiful state park. The weather wasn’t the best, cloudy, cool and even cold at times. We did have a few hours, here and there, of sunshine!
Rocky Bayou State Park is located in Niceville, Florida, just over the Mid Bay Bridge from Destin and a few miles from Fort Walton Beach. Most of the RV sites, in the park, are either sand or gravel. The sites facing Rocky Bayou are the largest. We stayed in site 33, which was huge and from our front window we could see the Bayou. The park offers something for everyone: there are several very nice nature trails, birding and butterfly watching and you can rent kayaks to paddle around in the bayou. Lots to do in the park!
The only negative aspect of staying at Rocky, for some people, might be the training flights from Eglin Air Force Base and ammunition detonation, which are very loud and can be heard and felt within the park. I don’t think they train everyday, perhaps every other day!
It did take “the girls” a day or two of adjustment ! It really didn’t bother us too much. We tried not to react to the loud noise so they would stay calm. On one occasion, the noise was tremendous and unexpected and I did react with a few choice words; well that set the girls off – barking their heads off. They really don’t bark or react to things, but they reacted to my outburst this time!!
We did travel a few times over the Mid Bay Bridge to Destin, which by the way cost $3.00 each way. I have to say the beaches in Destin are beautiful. The sand is white and the landscape pristine.
I really enjoyed our walks on the beach; however, I didn’t enjoy the commercialization of the area. Way too crowded for us! Returning to the park, after being in the congestion, was truly appreciated and brought back a sense of peace.
On one of our outings over the Mid Bay Bridge we drove through Henderson State Park, which was beautiful; a must stay on a return trip. We also drove through Top Sail Preserve State Park/Gregory E, Moore RV Resort, which was in a very nice location, but we felt was too crowded for us. The cost to stay at this park is $47.00 a night plus tax!!
We enjoyed a couple of nice lunches at local restaurants, some grocery shopping at Fresh Market (what a selection of fresh fish and seafood they have) and our visit to the Air Force Museum was fabulous! Four days probably wasn’t enough time to get a feel for the area.
A few additional photos from our visit.
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The Gulf Beaches
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Sunlight on the WaterSand DunesPristine sandGulf WavesHere come the Lifeguards!All decked out!Pelicans in FlightA PierWildlife and Habitat protection areaThe Bay Side
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The Woods
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A hiking path at Rocky Bayou State ParkThis stuff covers the forest floor.Moss and Ferns
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The Park
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Boat Ramp and Pier
We enjoyed our first visit to Rocky Bayou State Park and will return! We are currently staying, a few nights, at a state park in Alabama (yes, we have finally traveled out of the state of Florida!) called Meaher State Park, which is located in Spanish Fort (near Mobile). This is our first time to stay at this state park and our first day has been wonderful!
A few scenes from our walk this morning in Rocky Bayou State Park near Niceville, Florida. The weather here has been cold, but the expected rain has been delayed!
ReflectionGreat Blue HeronStream Restoration A habitat once destroyed is coming back to life!This is what the stream currently looks likeAnother viewSheila and Howard being goofy. Standing on the bridge crossing the stream. Looking straight down into the waterGreat Egret fishing in the streamGreat EgretSee ya!A colorful mushroom growing on the forrest floorMoss covered fallen treeBlooming Water LilyBeginning to bloomGreat Blue HeronOur front yard for a few days!Our back yardOur Side View
We enjoyed our day today: an early morning walk through a beautiful forrest; a wonderful lunch at a family restaurant, which opened in 1954; and a visit to the Air Force Armament Museum.
Fighter pilots, flying overhead near the museum, truly entertained me this afternoon during their practice runs. They were flying the new F35 fighter jets! Take off, landing, take off – over and over again! Hopefully my photos came out and I will be able to share with you what they look like!
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