On My Way Out of Town

Monday Pic's--SGI

Mom's pelican spot.

Bonnie and Clyde Head North!!!! (And Another Mystery is Solved)

WARNING!!!! WARNING!!!!! WARNING!!!!!!!

A notice to all interested parties including law enforcement officials across the nation's Mississippi River Valley.

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow have escaped their surroundings in Saint George Island and are presumably headed north through Alabama, Kentucky, Illinois and Wisconsin. They are unarmed, but still dangerous.

Bonnie may be identified as one who mispronounces breakfast, (but not nuclear). She is often seen stealing small items from restaurants and their surroundings. Below she may be seen on the left purloining flowers from the garden outside Caroline's in Apalachicola. She has a known bladder problem and will be frequenting gas stations, fast food joints, roadsides, and waysides along the way. In an emergency she may have to barge in on unsuspecting homeowners. Bonnie also has a habitat of 'weaseling' particularly on bets (see below).

Bonnie may be seen below with her stolen items.

Clyde is the cool-headed one of this fearsome gang, plotting itineraries, finding lost items, packing their getaway vehicle to the gills, and also doubles as the getaway driver.

Three days ago one of the two keys to Sea Wings disappeared. We all spent some time going through everything we own more than once in an effort to find the key. Failing that Bonnie made a bet with her son as to when it would turn up. The bet was that they would find the missing key among their belongings.

Pictured below, Clyde finds the key under the driver's seat of the getaway car. Molly, errr Bonnie weasels her way out of the bet by claiming that the bet was 'when we get home.'

Interact with this dangerous pair at your own peril.

Dolphins Say Goodbye to Ann

For the past two days, maybe three we have tried in vain to view dolpins. Early in the week we saw them every day, sometimes in pairs (the dolphins, that is) and sometimes in herds or whatever they're called. But when we attempt to show others based on our mistaken predictions of tide or time or sun, we have struck out. We have had a spell of vicious weather--winds, howling winds, howling constant winds, and rain, lots of it. So we concluded the critters didn't much cotton to the weather either.

So today with Ann's departure, we attempted to connect with our male aquatic friends one more time. And you guessed it, they thrilled us, not only with how close they were . . .

but how acrobatic they were as well. This guy breeched completely once and was on a bucking bronco type ride all the way under both bridges and out to the bay, sending Ann off to the Tallahassee airport with misty eyes.

During a Tour of the Houses of Apalachicola, We Spotted This Distinctive Denizen

Mystery Deepens

Company came a-callin' in the form of old, dear friends from Elgin, Sara and Steve. One consequence, certainly not the most notable, was that Mom felt the need to clean up the poop from the welcome mat.

Three days later however, another deposit was made overnight, causing the Pith Investigative Group (PIG) to launch into action. Curiously the pile was made in the exact same location, was about the same size, and arrived in two piles.

During brefkist we discussed what the possibilities might be and ultimately thought that it was a big bird regurgitating berries and seeds. Further investigation as to where these seeds and berries may have originated led to a discovery around this property of just such roughage.


But PIG decided to seek expert advice from the Apalachicola Nature Center. After plowing through the comments from various staff members on which one might be the authority on excrement, the guy behind the desk offered the belief that it was a . . . . . . . .raccoon. That's right, nothing so noble as a bear, as beautiful as a mockingbird, or as exotic as a scarlet tanager. It was a raccoon. And the main thing that made him believe this is that raccoons usually do their dumping in the same location.

For the time being, we'll go with that.

Mom's Back to Normal

We had a late night visitor the other night. He/she/it left us two healthy deposits of excrement right by the front door. They were, as you may discern from the picture above, full of berries and seeds and each pile about the size of a silver dollar pancake.

We spent some time conjecturing over this phenomenon. Ann and I had seen bear signs, signs warning of bear, not warning signs of bears present, and thought that this may be evidence--late at night--berries and seeds. But the piles were not outrageously big and unless offered by a juvenile, were probably not bear.

But we certainly could not identify it. This is where Mom springs into action. We went out to lunch and Mom decided to make this poop identification her mission for the day, stopping at a friend's table during their meal to considerately inform them that I had taken a picture of poop at the doorstep and could they take a look at it to determine what it could possibly be.

All this is another way of saying that, although she still needs a pacemaker, she feels as close to normal as possible and is behaving thusly.

Oysterboat! Oysterboat! Oysterboat! (Say that fast three times!)

I've been curious about the looks of these rigs up close and had the opportunity today.


The floor where the captain operates the wheelhouse, or whatever the correct nautical terms would be.This is where it all happens; at least the gettin' out there part.

The mighty throbbing heart of the vessel.


Many an oyster has passed this way.

As always you may see these larger by clicking on them, or better yet, click here to view more and make them bigger.

Sunday Pics

3-21 Ann Arrives!

A funny thing happened at the airport this day. Well, picking Ann up at the airport was not funny, but what ensued was, at least in my twisted mind.

We were waiting at the baggage-go-round, watching a little girl watch crocodiles on the tv and who should saunter up--slink up was more like it--the whole Florida State University basketball team fresh from their humiliating defeat at the hands of our beloved Badgers.

They were easily identifiable. (1) They were tall. (2) They had backpacks identifying them, and most importantly, (3) They were unhappy.

Fortunately for me I did not have my Wisconsin Badger shirt on. If I would have known . . . I still would not have worn it. But it did occur to me briefly to shout out, "How 'Bout Dem Badgers?"

Sanity, and self-preservation prevailed.

3-19-09 Nature Day

From Old to New

What do you think this guy is waiting for . . .?

. . . a handout perhaps?

Stacked Up

Craftsmen at Work

For even more pictures from SGI09, click here.

Changing of the Guard

With the return of the bad penny and Mary and Jeff's departure (I missed them in Memphis this time), along with the current medical condition under control, Dad and I discussed the future of Southpith.

Dad suggested that we do what they used to do at the Courier on slow news days--make stuff up.  But since that is what I've been doing for years, it seemed redundant.

Instead what I thought we'd do is taunt you with pictures of food along with other pic's.

So here's what happened on Wednesday, March 18.

Pre-Brefkist; Pre-Haircut

Brefkist with Good Ole Toast

Fresh Straws

Can't you just taste them?

Up these steps pass the most well-fed oyster lovers in Appy

Post Haircut; Post Lunch

Softshell crab in the foreground and Dad's oysters in the background.

Heaven in 12 Shells

Vere was cropped out of the picture because I believe he was about to snatch my grouper. Lest you think it was all about food today, other things occurred such as a visit to Apalachicola Riverkeeper, and the groovy workout center.  But it was mostly about the food.

Ta-Ta Mary & Jeff, Who Return To Never, Never Land Today

Following all an too short stay on St. George Island, the Zehrens head back to the frozen North after five days of comparatively warm and very sunny days. We are sorry to see them go, but Mary's duties at Roberts School beckon.

Jeff enjoyed surf fishing, as one can imagine, and Mary hovered around Molly making certain she was comfortable and taking endless blood pressure measurements. Bless her for all the attention. Her mother remains grateful for her concerns.

Molly is doing quite well. Her "spells," if that is an appropriate terminology, appear to be minor and less intensive. She rests in her chair between periods of activity. She is enjoying good nights' sleep. So we are positive that we can make it though our stay here as planned.

Mary left us with gallons (it seems) of delicious vegetable soup, quite an amount of which we placed in the freezer for future use. Jeff left us with about four meals of frozen Whiting which he produced from the Gulf.

A bye-bye dinner was held last night hosted by Mary & Jeff. Now, get this: T-bone steaks prepared to a "T" on the outdoor grill, all the fresh shrimp we could handle, a delicious salad, and ice cream to top off the works. This was preceded by a "happy hour" for which Mary prepared a fantastic garlic/sour cream dip. I think we all put on some weight.

So goes the world of Saint George. It's back to normal for us with good memories of Mary & Jeff's short visit.

Molly's A Good Girl; Minds Well

We are pleased to report that your dear mother and friend is minding us well, and continues to avoid any feelings of faint-headiness. As a result, she is perky, very talkative (with Mary), and in generally good spirits. She even noted this morning that the end of our stay on Saint George Island is only about three weeks hence.

Yesterday we all went to Papa Joe's for oysters, which Molly topped off with a bowl of shrimp bisque. So, you see, life for her is more like it used to be, thanks to all the water she's drinking and rests.

We stopped at the Collins Vacation Rentals office on our way back to "Sea Wings," and our great friend there, Helen Griffin, came out to the car to see Molly, over whom she gushed and oohed and aahed, apparently much to Molly's joy. Helen was part of the Collins team that sent Molly a beautiful bouquet of flowers while she was in the hospital in Tallahassee. The flowers are here now, and still in bloom!

Jeff is at the beach teaching the fish how to bite of his bait. What patience. What perserverance.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) night the space shuttle is scheduled to take off for the space station at 9:30 pm. So long as that schedule lasts, we will walk to the beach in order to get a good view of the takeoff some 250 miles away.

No. 1 son has given me qualified permission to enter his blog so word on your mother's condition can continue. So I hope I can work this blog business. Dad

Scott left Saint George Saturday, met Mary & Jeff briefly in the airport at Memphis--passing in the night you might say. The Fondy couple arrived here Saturday night with a load of groceries acquired in Tallahassee. Molly was up and awake to greet the tired couple arrived. (They had to give up two hours of sleep, converting to Eastern Time, and then daylight savings time.)

All the water Molly is drinking keeps her awake at night, arising many times to find her way to the throne. But last night she had a good night's rest, up only twice. Now we have to hold her back. She doesn't want to mind because she feels so good.

Jeff is already fishing so we are expecting a feast of Whiting, the most commonly caught shore fish here on St. George. But this noon we're all heading for Papa Joe's for oysters.

All's well. Rest easy.

SGI Pic's (Click Pic to Enlarge)

Oystermen in the Bay

Toward Eastpoint

Looking East

In front of Mom and Dad's Place

Dog Catches Fish

Moon Over Anglers