Huntington Beach State Park

Welcome Back!

This time I'm highlighting the last of the photos from the Huntington Beach State Park. They include shots of tiny little crabs, small fish and some scenics of the area! The last photo shows a few crabs in the one photo..not quite sure how many are there!

Well, the weekend was a good one! I spent some time with the girlies, out shopping on Saturday, while Dad did some consulting work. On Mother's day, I took it easy..Keturah made me homemade waffles with raspberries and chocolate (yummy)! We went for a walk, got groceries and headed out for a delicious dinner at the Greek Islands when Brooke got off work. I was also gifted with some beautiful yellow roses and some Alex and Ani bracelets---I'm so spoiled! :-)

Well, another quiet week..so far, anyway! Hope to go to the gym today and Thursday and get a haircut tomorrow...that's my excitement for this week! :-)

Next time I will start highlighting my photos from the MB Zoo.

Enjoy your week!

Atalaya Castle, Pt. 5

Welcome Back!

 

This time I'm highlighting the LAST of the Atalaya Castle shots. These include the outside yard and the out-buildings. It's beautiful everywhere..especially on the day we were there!

I think I'll have some more photos of Huntington Beach State Park next time...maybe some crabs or more scenics.

Well, this week went by really fast. I had to do some errands for my Uncle's estate, some walks with my doggie and some job searching too! Today I went to an open house at one of my favourite craft stores. I got to make some awesome cards and bought some new goodies too!

Nothing planned for the weekend..maybe some shopping with the girlies and some crafting. I think we're heading out for dinner on Sunday!

Happy Mother's Day! Have a great weekend!

Atalaya Castle, Pt. 4

Welcome Back!

This week I'm still highlighting the Atalaya Castle photos. I should have the last of them later this week! It was a beautiful place to visit and I would've liked to have taken more time to explore the place even more (especially the outside), but Kevin and Zeek were waiting in the car.

Well, I volunteered at Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre on Sunday. It was a cool, windy and rainy day (it only lightly spit on us a few times). The wind was the worst though, because we then had to chase our stuff across the yard! :-) We were surprised by how many people still came out despite the weather! I'm glad they did---to keep us busy!

Not much planned for this week, waiting to see what Brooke's schedule will be like, now that she's done training. We're off to the gym today! 

Enjoy your week!

Atalaya Castle, Pt 3

Welcome Back!

This time I'm highlighting more of the Atalaya Castle shots from Myrtle Beach. Still have a few to go. Architectural shots are probably my third favourite--after wildlife and scenery ones!  I liked a few of these shots because they have palm trees in them (big ones too), which reminds me of the warmth of the sun on March Break...ahhh....I don't think I'd go anytime in the summer because of the heat, but it has always been great weather (for me) in March!

Well, our schedule is starting to get busy with Brooke's work schedule starting. She had to work today, so I had to get ready and take her to work so I could have the car, as I had to get some groceries...she works again on the early shift on Sunday, but I will gladly let her take the car! :-)

Nothing planned for Saturday, but on Sunday is the Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre's Annual Baby Shower, so Keturah and I will be volunteering all day.

More Atalaya shots next week! Enjoy your weekend!

 

Atalaya Castle, Pt. 1

Welcome Back!

This time I'm starting to highlight the photos I took of the Atalaya Castle, which is found at the Huntington Beach State Park site. There was a small admission fee and pets were not allowed, so Daddy and Zeek stayed in the car..it was a warm one that day too! Keturah and I toured it and took lots of photos. It reminds me of Boldt Castle in the 1000 Islands. It is now used for festivals, weddings and corporate events.

Here's the description from Wikipedia:

Atalaya Castle, also known as Atalaya, was the winter home of industrialist and philanthropist Archer M. Huntington and his wife, the sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington, located near the Atlantic coast in Murrells Inlet, Georgetown County, South Carolina.

Archer Huntington was a noted scholar of Spanish culture and art, and designed the residence in the Moorish Revival and Mediterranean Revival architecture styles from Spanish Andalusian coast models.

Atalaya (AH-tuh-lie-yuh) means "watchtower" in Spanish. The house is dominated by a square tower, which housed a 3,000 gallon water tank.^[3] Rising nearly 40 feet (12 m) from a covered walkway, it bisects Atalaya's inner court. The inner walls of the main courtyard were covered with creeping fig vines, Sabal palmettos, the South Carolina state tree, and other palms.
The living quarters consist of 30 rooms around three sides of the perimeter, while the studio, with its 25 foot (8 m) skylight, opens onto a small, enclosed courtyard where Anna Hyatt Huntington worked on her sculptures. Pens for animal models, including horses, dogs and bears, are situated adjacent to the open studio. The building also features hand-wrought iron grills designed by Mrs. Huntington, which cover the exteriors of windows. These and shutters were installed for protection against hurricane winds.^[3]

During World War II the Huntingtons vacated Atalaya and provided it to the Army Air Corps for use from 1942-1946.
The Huntingtons last used Atalaya as their winter home in 1947. Most of the furnishings were sent to New York City after Mr. Huntington's death in 1955. The studio equipment was moved to a new studio at Brookgreen Gardens just across U.S. Route 17, which cut through the Huntingtons' former contiguous property.

I'll have more photos of this historical site over the coming weeks!

Well, it's Friday already! We picked  Brooke up at the University on Wednesday. We had an awesome drive both ways..busy, but no stop-n-go traffic through Toronto, which is very odd! :-) We were even home in time for supper! She's been busy unpacking and we managed to do a bit of shopping yesterday.

Nothing planned for the weekend..except Brooke and a friend are going to Ottawa to visit their other friend who goes to University there. Soon, they'll all be home and hanging out together!

Enjoy your weekend! 

 

The Last of the Birds!

Welcome Back!

This time I'm highlighting the last of the birds from the Huntington Beach State Park---more herons, egrets and greater yellowlegs.

Next time I'll be highlighting some architectural photos from Atalaya (found on the Huntington Beach site). Its the former home of Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington. The Moorish-style winter home and sculpture studio was built during the Great Depression by the New York philanthropists. 

It is pretty cool and we took lots of photos!

Well, I hope you had a great weekend. Mine was quiet, but good. We went for a walk at the park on Friday and then out for sushi. Saturday was spent getting groceries and getting my snow tires removed (now it will snow again) and playing in the craft room. Sunday we had a great time visiting my sister and family and spending time with the kiddies and eating--way too much! Monday we headed out to do some shopping and for a walk at the park in Bath. Long weekends go by so fast!

Well, tomorrow Kevin and I are driving to Waterloo to pick up Brooke who will be home for the summer! There goes my car! :-)

More later this week!

 

More MB Birds

Welcome Back!

This time I'm highlighting even more of the heron and egret photos from the Huntington Beach State Park..I guess I took more than I thought...Can't believe I liked that many of the ones I took! Must have been a good lighting day, even though it was very sunny!

Well, this week did end up being very quiet...My hip and back were sore, so I stayed home and didn't move too much! Coupled with insomnia, it was a very long week!

Well, we have one Easter dinner planned for this weekend-- on Sunday, with my family. It will be sad as Brooke won't be here (she has two exams on Tuesday)...But the good news is we are heading to Waterloo to pick her up on Wednesday and move her and all her crap home! :-)

More next week! Have a great Easter weekend!