O’Brien’s Tower of the Cliffs of Moher, in County Clare, Ireland – Photo was taken during our visit in 2013
When visiting the Cliffs of Moher I almost overlooked the structure across the way. The O’Brien’s Tower is at the highest point along the cliffs. Built as an observation tower during the Victorian age for tourists.
There is nothing more fun and relaxing than watching the rhythmic motion of the waves.
**UPDATE** THE NEXT BOW WORKSHOP IS SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 3-5, 2017
Registration is scheduled to open January 4, 2017 @ 6PM.
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It’s that time of year again. Just 3 weeks away from the Alabama – Becoming an Outdoors-Woman weekend event. Twice a year the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) sponsored event takes place at the 4-H Center near Columbiana, Ala. This year I get to go free, on a scholarship that I won at the event in March. This will be my 4th trip and each time I love it! If you want to know more please visit this LINK and start planning for March 2017. Each event is limited to about 125 like minded women who enjoy the outdoors.
Archery
Last month I had to travel for work and for this trip it was back to Eglin AFB for 10 days. That in itself isn’t bad, however what made it even better was that I was able to find a condo on the beach in Fort Walton at the right rate! Work was good and we were really productive. I could really get used to watching this view everyday. What do you think?
Mom, me (the little one) and my cousin Mike.
Growing up in the 1960’s through the 1980’s weekends and summers were spent at the lake. Nothing fancy like what we see today, but it was a cabin built by my dad and it was perfect. From what I remember it was a design and floor plan that they saw in a magazine for Jim Walter Homes. The plans were tweaked a little I think and what would have been two windows on the front turned into three very large bay windows looking out across the lake. The siding was not your normal hardie board siding, but was rough cut cedar. There were two bedrooms, bathroom, and a kitchen. The side front porch was eventually closed in and a fireplace was added. The cabin was built weekend to weekend, pay check to pay check. It wasn’t fast, but it was all theirs and they built it from the ground up as funds were available.
The siding was cedar and I do remember us repainting every couple of year. The kitchen was small with a little bar separating the den from the kitchen. At meal time I always had my favorite seat at the bar on on a Arthur Umanoff style wood slat swivel bar stool. Weekends meant fishing and evening meals usually meant fried catfish or bream with all the fixings! Going fly fishing with my Dad was always a treat. Getting up before the sun came up so that we could be down the Coosa River to our favorite fishing spots before the sun came up. Fast forward 50 years and a condo complex sits at the spot of what used to be some good fly fishing. Now all the bank cover is gone…and so are the fish.
The view from the house towards the Coosa River, before the dam was completed.
When my parents bought the property it was a 1-2 acre piece of land a good ways back from the Coosa River. Once the dam at Logan Martin was completed it all became water front property. People thought my parents and my relatives next door were a bit out there since they built retaining walls and boat houses out in the middle of a cow pasture!
Little did they know that Alabama Power had surveyed the property and they had a good idea of where the water would be once the dam was competed. The dam was completed in 1964 and the water started to rise.
We spent many a summer and/or weekend at the lake. I miss it so much that I wish we still owned the property. I still keep an eye on it from my Aunt and Uncles home next door. Maybe one day I can take custody of it once again.
Here’s my special place. I made this video when we were visiting family for the 4th of July this year.
[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQGJKFf8ShU[/embedyt]
A short six hour drive and we finally arrived at our destination.
We planned on arriving around 3pm but traffic and heavy rain delayed us about an hour. About 15 minutes out from Pisagh View Ranch my cellphone rang and they wanted to know if we’d be on time for for dinner. We gave them an update on our location and we arrived in time to eat dinner with the rest of the guests. See meals are served family style at specific times, so don’t forget to let them know you are skipping a meal or if you are arriving late. Dinner was awesome! Homemade pot roast, grilled vegetables, homemade rolls, and polenta. Stuffed, they surprised us with dessert, apple crumble with ice cream on top. After dinner we checked in to our log cabin which was built in the 1940s, complete with rocking chairs on the front porch.
The reason behind the title of this post is there are no televisions in the cabins and there is no cellphone service. WiFi is available at the main house and if you need to use the phone to make a call there is one that you can use for free.
And it was my first time back on a horse since 1982…
