Hilton Head Island Dolphin Adventure

Last week we were at our timeshare in Hilton Head Island, SC and went on a dolphin adventure. We had two of our kids, their spouses, and 3 grandchildren (plus a friend) with us to see the dolphins.

At first we were disappointed because we would just get quick glimpses but it was so fast the kids kept missing it. We reconciled ourselves to enjoying the great views and spending real quality time together. Then it happened! Out of the blue with no warning....strand feeding!

HHI is one of the rare places on earth that dolphins go "strand feeding." They rise up in the water, push the fish in front of them onto a bank, then land on the bank themselves. This is done just before high tide so if they get stranded on the beach, the tide will come and wash them back into the water. How do they know? No one knows, but they are very intelligent. It has been documented by National Geographic and others.

Anyway, we got to see that. It was amazing. The boat captain said it was something he saw once every couple of years. The adults were screaming, the kids were screaming, cameras were everywhere--it was magnificent. Sorry I don't have any photos of it. I did get it on video but don't know if I can upload that.

What a great family experience we had--a once in a lifetime adventure. Like I said before, get off the couch and go see something miraculous with your family.

Where is John Wayne When You Need Him?

With Memorial Day facing us in a few weeks, my thoughts have been on the derogatory things we hear in the news about our country. My father fought in WWII so we would have peace and freedom. I was born soon after the war was over and the country was still celebrating our victory, as well as getting back to normalcy.

When I was in school, we learned patriotic songs and I watched John Wayne in movies portraying what is good and clean and wonderful about the USA. Where is the modern day John Wayne? Is anyone else tired of having Hollywood and politicians apologize for our country?

This country we call home is the most loving and generous of any in the world. If you don't believe it, just look to see who is first to help other countries in times of disaster. It is us, even if they are our enemies. The citizens of this country will rally around another part of the country or town or neighborhood when they need help. No one asks why or hesitates. We just do what we feel we need to do.

Our military is the same way. I am very insulted for them by the recent comments calling the returning soldiers more dangerous to our country than the terrorists. Yes, there will be a rare soldier or sailor who is adversely affected by war--that has always been the case. But the majority of our military men and women are doing a job they feel they must do. They, like my father, are trying to keep us safe and I am extremely grateful to them.

Most of them will come back to the private sector with new skills and a renewed sense of responsibility and purpose. They are valued employees and loving family members. An appreciation of this country and what we stand for is found in the deserts, mountains, and forests of battle. Love of family and God is renewed in foxholes. Gratitude for the privileges we enjoy in the US is discovered by seeing other cultures in which freedom and independence of thought and spirit are not allowed. We not only allow all these things, but we encourage and celebrate them. These are the qualities our military bring home with them.

I remember being appalled that my kids did not learn patriotic songs in school like I did. So we sang them in the car going to grandma's or to practice. It is past time for parents to fill that need. Our children hear on the news what is wrong with our country. They hear actors and singers and even teachers denigrating our country. It is our responsibility to set the record straight for our kids. Tell them what is right here. Tell them that freedom is not enjoyed by all people and that we are privieged that our ancestors fought bitterly for it. Explain that freedom does not come without a price and that occasionally it must be re-won.

We must explain to our kids that we are not perfect but we are always about what is good. Since the government is run by people, mistakes will be made. Yes, there are politicians who are in it for the power and money, but our constitution's system of checks and balances prevents them from doing too much harm. And we need to teach them that there is no better form of government anywhere in the world.

Show the children in our care how anyone can achieve greatness or riches or happiness--or all three in our country. It takes drive and hard work, but they can do whatever they dream. That is true in very few other countries. There are so many examples in our history we can use to drive home those lessons.

Let's instill pride of country into our kids rather than shame. Admonish them to vote and participate in the processes that make our country unique. Encourage them to dream about and reach for the stars. Let's teach them to be part of the solution--part of making our country even better tomorrow than is was yesterday.

Get off the Couch!

On the left is my son, Logan's Dad, and I on our bike trip through the Panama rainforest. On the right is my husband and I at Cabo, a Mayan pyramid near Cancun, Mexico (and yes, we did climb to the top).

I have seen so many wonderful places and met so many wonderful people so far in my life. I spent too many years as a coach potato and that I regret. What I don't regret are the times since then that I got lost in the woods, fell off my bike, coudn't roll my kayak and had to swim the cold rocky water, sprained my ankle hiking, being kept awake all night by the gun shooting rednecks from hell in a campground (which is actually a very funny story that I need to tell you sometime), and all the uncomfortable things that have happened to me since I got my butt off the couch.

My life is so much better now because the fantastic far outweighs the inconvenient. The North GA mountains are wonderful--so many trails to hike or bike with all skill levels. So many rivers to walk to and sit by or kayak down. Since I became active, I have met all sorts of wonderful people, like a couple of Appalacian Trail through hikers that I gave Cokes to and they wrote about in their trail logs as their first piece of trail magic. Fun interesting people like Panama Pete (referenced in a previous blog) would have been lost to me. Check out www.panamapeteadventures.com if you ever go to Panama.

Wonderful views have blessed me--such as the mountain views from the top of the Chimneys in the Smokey Mts., the incredible clear water snorkeling in Panama, the indescribable delight and excitement of my grandson the first time he saw the ocean when we took him to Hilton Head Island, something in the night sky we could only call a UFO, a deer swimming across a river as the mist was rising one early morning, and so much more that I never would have seen from the couch--or even the recliner.

You can see from my photos that I am not thin. I am not particularly strong, but I stay active and can hike to the top of a mountain or just take my dog for a walk. It is true that I go slower these days, but the point is that I still go. And I never regret it.

My children and I have had all sorts of adventures, some good and some not so good, but we had them together. It is so much fun to laugh about them and remember them when we are together. Those moments are gone too quickly and we cannot get them back.

So, give yourself a the best present you ever had. Get off your butt and go out and see the world. You don't have to go to Panama, or Timbuktu. Take a walk in a local park and be there. Smell the smells, hear the sounds, see the wonder that God has made. Do it with your kids before it is too late.