......where the heart is

The East End (taken from the lighthouse)

   When this blog was just a thought, the idea was to let people experience a life that was different from their own. To show you what it's like to live on the " forgotten coast". There have been kayak trips, the perils of storms and hurricanes, butterflies and birds, and harvesting oysters for a living. But you haven't heard much about the neighborhood I live in on St. George Island.


Sunlit houses on the Bay

    When you drive across the bridge, onto the island, you'll arrive just about in the middle. The restored lighthouse will be the first thing you see. ( I'll save the story of the lighthouse for later). You can turn left, toward the east end, where most of the rental units are, or you can turn right, to go to the residential end. They're completely different worlds, on the same island.
    The reason I decided to come to St. George Island fifteen years ago was because of the "dog friendly" policy. Dogs are welcome everywhere. Even in the restaurants.
   Since most of the rental houses are on the east end of the island, that's where I stayed. It was a different house every year, but they were   always close to the beach. With only a week to enjoy the island, every day was spent on the beach, playing with the dogs. After a few years of coming down and lounging on the beach, it was time to check out the rest of the island. What I discovered was completely different from what I had gotten used to. It was like being in a different place.



A house in "The Plantation"

   St. George island has the Gulf of Mexico on the south side and the Apalachicola Bay on the north, and it consists of different sections. The east end, where the rental houses are, also has the state park at the far end. The middle of the island is where you'll find the grocery, restaurants, beach shops,  different vendors selling seafood and produce, and the lighthouse, which is the focal point of the island. The west end is where most of the locals live. At the far west end is a gated community called "The Plantation", where you'll find houses belonging to the rich and famous. Hank Williams Jr. has had a place there for years along with Ashley Judd.
    The bay area on the west end is where I found my heart, and the island became more than a vacation place for me. The sand streets, mature trees, the beauty of the bay, and the people. There's an air of contentment that comes from knowing you don't have to pack up and leave any time soon.   No worries, no rush. Just take the days in stride, and enjoy life. This is the part of the island where I wanted to be.



Sand street on the west end

   When you have photographs, it's easy to describe what a place looks like, or tell of it's geographical location. But it's hard to explain how it feels.


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Calm on the canal

   This is only one area on a very diverse island. A little piece of paradise that has something to offer everyone. But you have to experience it yourself to know what part of the island suits you and makes you feel like you never want to leave. But, when you do leave, more than likely, you'll come back again. One visit just isn't enough.
  


Where my heart is