Resting up!

It's an overcast day on the island, but the good news is that rain should be moving out of the forecast by tomorrow. We're coming up on a very busy Mardi Gras weekend with lots of events. Time to rest up so you can enjoy all the fun:

Friday night at 8:00 p.m. is the Krewe of LaFitte illuminated parade in downtown Pensacola. It begins along Spring and Garden Streets, then proceeds down Palafox.

Saturday morning at 7:00 a.m. there will be the annual 15k Double Bridge Run on a route which takes runners across both Pensacola Bay and Santa Rosa Sound. There is also a 5k run/walk which starts in Gulf Breeze and crosses to the island.

Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. in downtown Pensacola is the Grand Mardi Gras parade. This parade also begins along Spring and Garden Streets, then proceeds down Palafox.

And my favorite, the Krewe of Wrecks parade will be held on Pensacola Beach at 2:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon. Floats will make their way down Via de Luna beginning in front of the SpringHill Suites and proceed to Casino Beach. There will be beads, doubloons, cups, mini MoonPies, and various throws for all!

Rest up and dust off your comfortable shoes, my friends, 'cause we're gonna catch some beads!

Sea Turtles & Wildlife Lighting Workshops

There will be a free Sea Turtles & Wildlife Lighting Workshop held at the Gulf Islands National Seashore Naval Live Oaks Auditorium on February 6 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This state-sponsored (FFWCC and USF&WS) workshop is being held for those who:

- Own, manage or maintain property/business near a sea turtle nesting beach,

- Offer a service that in any way involves lighting for coastal properties,

- Are interested in protecting sea turtles without compromising human safety,

- Work with turtle monitoring groups, local government, public safety.

After the workshop you may take the official sea turtle lighting exam and receive a certificate from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Homeowners are welcome to attend.

Another public lighting workshop tailored more toward homeowners will tentatively be held on March 19th at the Santa Rosa Island Authority board room. The exact format of this meeting has yet to be determined, but the sponsors are considering an "open house" with repeat presentations during the evening (5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.) in order for people to more easily fit it into their schedules.

If you are interested in attending one of these events, please RSVP to Andrew Diller, Florida Sea Grant Extension Agent at the University of Florida IFAS Extension in Cantonment. His number is (850) 475-5233. You may also e-mail him at: apdiller@ufl.edu

Pssst...tell him Barrier Island Girl sent you!

Driftwood

A rare find for me on the beach is a piece of driftwood! Tiny barnacles tell me it did indeed wash up from the deep. What a lovely find on an afternoon walk.

Kritter Krawl 2008

Despite cold weather and drizzle, the Kritter Krawl 2008 finally took place. See what you missed if you stayed at home!


I know they didn't say Quarter Krawl! I'm a second generation Kritter Krawler, y'all !


Okay, okay, I'll walk the line!


You're really nosy.


Sugar Baby found a friend.


Tiny top dawg'shund.


Oooohhh, where has that mouth been, mama?


There's a tiny little dog under all that hair.


Dad left the beads at home, but I've got attitude to pull this off!



A horse is a horse, of course...


But this one is a dilly of a filly at the Kritter Krawl.


It's lonely at the top.


The 'Max' factor.


I just luv my tutu, but the beads are beneath me. Really, my beads are beneath me, mom.


I better win something, cause I'm freezing my feathers off.


Darn it, Buster, that horse is wearing the same hat we are!


When David saw Goliath!


I trade you my Jimmy Chew's for your Dawga Karan.


Kibble! I smell Kibble. Gimme Kibble!


Gorgeous little Quigley.


Hey kid, I like your beads.


Mommy, don't let it eat me!


I just want to go home and watch Animal Planet.


I better see you all here next year at the Kritter Krawl!

Krewe of Kids goes Hollywood

After a week's delay due to bad weather, the Krewe of Kids finally get to glam it up and go Hollywood with this year's Mardi Gras theme, featuring the stars and starlets of Pensacola Beach.


The little gentleman above happily escorts a bevy of starlets which comprise the Glamour Squad!


The Glamour Squad! Razzle dazzle, look at those smiles!



Hey, I'm just here for the MoonPies!


Gosh, do we ride it or pet it?


No, this isn't a little peacock hatchling. It's a future Krewe member.

The Glamour Squad climb aboard their float.

Another future member of the Krewe of Kids.

The parade lines up with their banner!

Due to the postponement of the parade last weekend, some of the original court were unable to attend today. Luckily the court found a stand-in for the King of the Krewe and he did a fabulous job.

Another great stand-in today for Queen of the Krewe.

I'm just here for Xtreme sports, but I kinda like these starlets.

The floats go by...

Two kids and a pirate head 'float' by.

Krewe of Kids toss beads and other throws to the crowd!

And the Oscar goes to....The Glamour Squad! That's one happy little fellow.


Hmmmm...wonder who gets to take the trophy home with them?

The Krewe of Kids court lines up in the Pavilion.

The King and Queen.

Pretty princess!

All hail the Krewe of Kids!

Earth's loveliness

"My soul can find no staircase to heaven unless it be through earth's loveliness"

~~ Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475 - 1564)

Room with a view!

You know I couldn't visit a friend's condo at Portofino without taking my camera! This is a view from the 19th floor of Tower I this morning.

The north winds have died down slightly, but their effect on the surf after a couple of days is seen on the Gulf of Mexico. The waves have flattened and once again you can see the ribbons of color along the coast.

I love having a house on the island, but I do miss the view from our Portofino condo.

Kritter Krawl postponed

Today's Kritter Krawl and Krewe of Kids parade has been postponed to Saturday, January 26, due to the weather. Rain is heavy at this time and winds are between 15 - 20 mph, but gusting up to 35 mph.

Riding the waves

"...And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count.


"It's the life in your years."

~~ Abraham Lincoln