My Adventures of Summer 2018 all in One Blog Post...

Summer 2018

Anna Maria Island Florida, Long Boat Key Florida, SCAD, Tybee Island Georgia, Miami, Key Biscayne, Key West, Cochran, Georgia, TWAEA Virginia Beach, Outer Banks, Myrtle Beach, NAEA NLC in Charleston South Carolina and then HOME... all in one post...

So.....since I have not blogged in so long I thought I might just ease my way back in with what I did  over the summer break. I attended lots of teacher development workshops (I am pretty sure the legislators who make rules about teaching do not have to have near as may PD hours as we do. WE have to do it to keep our jobs, what are their qualifications?...just a thought. And while we are on the subject they do not even have to have a college degree for their jobs). 

Mostly I just had some relaxing time to try and get over the very long and trying past 2 years!
So here we go...
ALL of it in one post...

This is how my summer started...Loaded my Jeep with every summer thing we own and my son and headed out for Florida. This was the first time in 20+ years I had not traveled with a pet. Bear the cat died a couple years age he was 19, then Little the dog passed soon after. We think she was 14 but are not to sure since she was adopted.  This is one of the last photos taken of Big Dog. He was to old to make this trip so his grandmother came to babysit. He made it until we got home in Aug. 2018.
I loved that dog so much, he took such good care of me.

We made it to AMI! The first stop way my

 favorite restaurant on the island...the Wicked Taco.

We arrived June 15th 2018...AMI is my happy place.

This year we actually stayed at my cousin's condo on Long Boat Key, which is the island just below Anna Maria. Her place is amazing and right on the Gulf. She was on a world cruise so she allowed us to use it. Nice Right! 

The view from my second favorite restaurant on the island...The Bridge Tender

Drinks at the Bridge Tender looking out onto Sarasota Bay!

My amazing son Mason who lives just a few blocks away from paradise! He works at the Anna Maria Oyster Bar on the Pier so make sure to say hello to him when you go visit the island. 

And this is the fantastic view my son has every day at work...

The pier at Bridge Street

The sound of waves rollin in is amazing!!

The sunset  are amazing...

The welcome party at SCAD

I took a few days off from my little island vacation to attend a PD at SCAD.

I signed up for the Savannah College of art and design Summer teacher program...OMG! You have to put this on your summer todo list if you are an art teacher or even a classroom teacher. The place is absolutely fantastic. I highly recommend it!!! 5 Stars! The people are great, the classes are tough by the college professors who are all professionals in their fields. It is just such a wonderful experience. 

Savannah is a nice place to visit as well. The history is awesome. I am actually part of that history...my family came with James Oglethorpe on his ship to Savannah. They were founding members of the Georgia colony. Oglethorpw was a social reformer who hoped to resettle Britain's poor in the New World, initially focusing on those in debtors prisons. Yep that's part of my family history debtors and thieves! My family is one of only 5 families left in Georgia that still own the land that was first granted to them way back in the beginning!

That's pretty cool!

Views from around Savannah, Georgia.

SCAD has its own amazing museum!

Opening reception party was held in the SCAD museum.

Savannah, Georgia...a must see on your US road trip.

SCAD had lined up some phenomenal keynote speakers for us.

I love oversized, weird sculptures from real life things.

This very old and historic tunnel to our dorms was amazing. 

SCAD has community bikes you can use to navigate the campus, which is located in 80 beautiful buildings all over Savannah. 

This was our dorm. SCAD has great security for all it buildings.

Fashion Design

Fibers (my favorite)

My roommates and I had dinner on our own in Historic downtown Savannah...

and dessert 

Watching ships go by on the Savannah River...

Taking a ghost tour in a city with lots of history is very fun and very scary! 

The first outfits of the Girl Scouts.

My dorm room....all I need...a drawing table and a bed!

We were taken to all our classes in SCAD buses 

My first class was Design for Motion

My teacher was amazing...she walked us through the process of creating a motion video step-by-step.

I have never done motion before so it was really amazing to see my little bouncy balls come to life.

My first motion video called BUMP

My next class was pastel portraits....Okay I have never used pastels, mainly because they make my flesh crawl. I have also never drawn a serious portrait before....but I was excited to try...

So here is my final...My first portrait!

and here is my instructor's portrait...I have a ways to go...but I enjoyed the process!

more of his work...

the model taking a break.

My Super Cool portrait class with our amazing teacher!

I usually do not post photos of my food...seriously who cares what I eat...but OMG this breakfast crape was oh so good! 

At night I traveled over the Savannah river to the SCAD equestrian barns. I had always wanted to take my horse and go to school at SCAD. Can you imagine doing art and riding horses all day!!! I did not have the money or the grades at that time to go to SCAD...but I wanted to see the place I could have gone.

And it was absolutely beautiful!!! 

Next I went to the Blick store. I have only ordered on-line so going into the actual store was really awesome. And that paper wall was fantastic...I am so glad I drove to Savannah so I had my Jeep to put all that paper in that I bought.

So much pretty paper!!!!

If you go to Savannah you have to go to Paula Dean's restaurant. 

It is the best place to get some amazing southern cookin'

Yes that's me with Paula...Paper Paula

More touring around SCAD

At night they took us out to Tybee Island for a cook out.

All the teachers eating and dancing out on Tybee Island, Georgia.

My super cool roommate

It was time to say good-by to Savannah and head back to Anna Maria Island. When I got back I bought my son a new electric Tao Tao scooter....Apparently you do not need a license to drive an electric scooter!

My next stop was Miami where I pick hubby and his BFF up at the airport so they could go fishing....

While they were out fishing all day I drove to Key Biscayne. When I was 13 I had the biggest crush on Andy Gibb.  I collected all his photos and read all the teen mags about his life. I read he lived in Key Biscayne so my plan at the time was when I turned 18 I would move to there and marry Andy Gibb. 

That plan did not quite work out as I had thought it would but I finally got to visit the island he once called home. Andy passed away when I was 23 and I was heart broken. I figured there would be some kind of statue of him somewhere. I looked everywhere but I could not find it. None of the locals were able to tell me anything about him...not sure what that was all about. 

My first love...Andy Gibb!

View of Miami from Key Biscayne

Those houses out there have an amazing history...

There were no markers on Key Biscayne to tell me what they were so I just Googled "houses in Miami bay off Key Bis..." and the answer popped up. Don't we live in such a wonderful technological age! I will let you look up the history on your own or better yet go visit in person. 

This historic light house is located in a state park so you will have to pay...I think it was $10 but it is well worth it. The beach is beautiful and the light house is really cool.

There are a lot of lizards on the Key and they are SO MUCH BIGGER then the ones on Anna Maria!

Next I went to South Beach ...OMG the $$$$ there is cray cray! Some of those boats...all of those boats are bigger then my house!

It was just like in the movies...pretty people, expensive cars and lots of stars. My little Jeep was rollin' down South Beach between a Bugatti and a Ferrari! 

This really cool raised tram in downtown Miami.

The next day we all pilled into the Jeep and were on to Key West...

The ride down...

The park we stayed in on Cudjoe Key...

As you can see there was still some Hurricane Erma damage...there was actually a lot of damage in the middle keys where we stayed.

I was wondering how the raccoons got to the island? That is a long swim! Or I guess they could have walked over all the bridges.

A park and fish area. We saw this guy trying to manage 3 fishing poles at once so hubby and his BFF got out to help him. Never figured out what was on the end of that pole...some how it got away.

A really cool Mayan store...

We played a scavenger hunt game to learn about Key West. It is an app you can get on your phone and you are playing against all the people who have every played. We make it in 4 hours. It did not help that we got hungry and stopped for lunch in the middle of our game! 

The Key West directional sign was our first stop.

Not so bad, even with eating lunch we were in #2 place in the last 30 days!

Stop two.. 

There are roosters all over Key West... I mean everywhere...

Even in the restaurant we were eating at...It's part of the island's charm.

Steel Drum music is a must!

Shadow selfie...Part of an art challenge I was doing on Instagram.

Hubby's favorite shop.

The southern most point of the US. I always thought that thing was bigger?!

 Lots of super cool trees...

The Little White House...

Steven at mile marker 0

An artist living my life for me down in Key West!

We took a 4th of July cruise to see the island and the fireworks at night.

Headed for the open ocean...

On Big Pine Key they have these tiny little fully grown deer all over the place. You have to drive very slow, they are an endangered species so you do not want to hit one. They were so cute!

There are so many beautiful views everywhere you go in the Keys!

We just kept stopping everywhere to admire the beauty of it all.

And that one lone palm tree!

We went kayaking...

Saw a shipwreck

Hubby and his BFF did some fishing

more beautiful tiny islands...

The totally cool place we staying in. It had a boat dock out back...we could just get in the boat and go. It was awesome! We found it on VRBO. We actually stayed on Cudjoe Key, which is in the middle Keys so we had to drive 20 miles down to Key West or 10 miles north to the nearest grocery store. 

It was amazing!

Great place to eat in the middle Keys.

the hubby

This is me in my kayak, Chloe Noelle named after my 2 favorite students (that is if a teacher could have favorite students, which of course we don't).

I don't actually fish, I tie bate to the end of my line without a hook and feed the fish.

The Hemingway House

More chickens everywhere...

The Key Wast wall mural

Weather balloon or dark secret military blimp...you decide!

Although the road to get to the boat ramp here is called Blimp road so most likely not a very big secret.

This is what happens when the tide goes out without you...

So I took my bike down to Key West to ride the island while the boys were fishing and this happened! It was lightning right in front of my face and all around me!! It was what you might imagine of a typical tropical storm.  I tucked away in a little store front for cover.

Had to do to the Hard Rock to get over my thunder storm experience. 

Listened to some blues while I dried off.

Saw this awesome Stevie Nicks' jacket...huge fan by the way Stevie so if you want to give me a call some time we can hang out. 

It started to rain again so I climbed inside the Jeep to ride this storm out this time. The jeep has a rain cover that we put on when we take the top and doors off.  It was like camping at the equator inside there. I think that was the hottest I have every been in my entire life! 

Selfie of me trying to take in some art and culture...

I love oversized sculptures of real things!!!

more cool trees

Best place to get key lime stuff!

Yes that is me...yes I am sitting there because I am too scared to go down the slide...for so many reasons...to high, sharks, germs...so may reasons. The fact that I made it out to the float at all and then up the side is a mystery.

The coral reef where we went scuba diving.

I finally got up the nerve to slide down... Of course the boat captain yelling that they were leaving with or without me helped a lot.

The emerald green water of Key West

Other than my art room, this is my favorite place to be... on the back of a jet ski!

Another oversized sculpture but it was in a totally random place... but a guess they all are.

Yes...this is were I spent my summer!!!

Hubby and his BFF parasailing ... I was just happy riding in the boat.

Photos from my bike ride around Key West

Random thing I found on the ground that looked like a tree

Another random thing that looks like a tree

Hubby caught a SHARK!!! For-reals !!!

He cut it loose of course.

Next to art this is my favorite pass-time!

Hubby's BFF

The southern most point of the US from a water view. At that moment I was closer to Cuba than to the US mainland.

After all the water sports  we were hungry!

Leaving Key West....The ride back to Anna Maria Island through the Florida Everglades 

Back on our tiny little island and eating at the Star Fish Restaurant

At one of our favorite restaurants is The Star Fish. It in on the mainland right before you cross over onto Anna Maria Island in Cortez, Florida. The food is amazing but make sure you take cash because they do not take cards.

Anna Maria Island, Florida is my happy place.

It's like the rainbow finger of God touching my little island!

Isn't my little island beautiful!

My handsome son Mason. He works at the Anna Maria Oyster Bar on the Pier on Anna Maria Island. If you go for a vacation there please make sure you tell him his mother misses him and loves him very much!

Can't get enough of this place!

All good things must come to an end...

Headed back to the Georgia house...

Downtown Cochran Georgia...this is were my father's family is from. 

The best small town in the south.

This is the historic home my dad was born in.

The Bleckley county court house in Cochran Ga.

I have been drawing pictures of this barn since I was a little girl.

A street named after my family. My second cousin still lives on my great grandparent's 200 original land granded acres. Cool right!

My grandparent's church

The post office...

The community center

My pink house. My grandfather built this house with his own 2 hands. In 1955 he took out a $5,000 loan and now I own it. I love it so, so, so much. It was the one place through out my entire life that was a constant.

Hubby and I were off again headed home to Virginia this time.

Good bye Georgia... 

Our first stop...this beautiful rest area on the border of Georgia and North Carolina. I mean seriously neither one of us can go 100 miles with having to pee!

Hubby helping a nice lady whos kayaks had come loose along the highway. 

That's what Southerns do!

Saw this big cow at a Flee Market in South Carolina so we had to stop.

This much have been the biggest flee market in the world...

Even made it to 5th Avenue!

And Mexico... Hubby felt right at home on this isle.

Watched and artist do his thing and then it was back on the road again.

When we got home we took my mother-in-law out to my favorite little town Middleburg, Virginia.

She had been home dog sitting for weeks!

I was still on vacation so the calories do not count.

I just love this town-- Middleburg, Virginia.

My sweet mother-in-law 

While I was home for 3 days I took my family to see one of my awesome students, Kyle Prado in a play he was in-- The Greatest Showman.  He was fantastic and we all had a great time!

Then I was on the road again in search of more Professional Development hours and art workshops. I threw my back out so my fabulous Mother-in-law, Pam decided to travel along with me for support. I could not have make this trip without her. We make it a beach road trip and had a great time.

We first attended Tidewater Virginia Art Education Association's PD day at the Virginia Beach Museum of Contemporary Art. What a great group of people our hosts were! 

WE had to draw without looking....

Create a moving sculpture 

I gave mine feet and then ...

set in on my water bottle.

I believe they said this was a Dick Blick lesson. 

It was so much fun to make.

We were asked to select our favorite painting from the collection and

this was our selection.

and then we had to act our painting!

So much fun!

Saw this and fell in love with the artist! 

Love Love Love it!!!

Created a collage piece based on the days experience.

Pam had to draw what I was drawing at the same time in mirror image. It was so hard! 

Next stop the Outer Banks. I have always wanted to go there! It was much smaller than I thought it would be but it was so, so beautiful!

You can not go to the Outer Banks with out stopping at Kitty Hawk.

Orval and Wilber Wright with Amelia Earhart. I named my Jeep after her.

Moving on Down the road...to Myrtle Beach...

The full moon over Myrtle Beach. 

As we left Myrtle Beach the next day  we realized there are a lot of putt putt golf centers and pancake houses in the area! I mean a LOT!

Next was Charleston, South Carolina and the National Art Education Association Leadership Convention.

Linda Conti the president of VAEA.

For more information about this conference 

use the #naea18nlc to see photos and information from the conference.

One of the many, many cool restaurants to eat at in the area.

the Charleston Museum...where I saw...

this kid playing a video game....

There is such an interesting story behind these grass woven baskets. They sell for 100s if not 1000s of dollars and they are just beautiful.

 the Charleston Aquarium 

My favorite fish is the Seahorse...the male seahorses give birth!

Lego coral and real Dory fish

This sad friend had a broken wing so he could not be returned to the wild.
Would you rather live in captivity or die in the wild?

Turtle skeleton...who know?

 We all created pieces for the Game of Art Educations....so much fun!

Linda and Sarah creating their game board sections

My game board sections

 my game piece...

My section of the game board

Mine and Linda's game pieces hanging out in the hotel together after the workshop.

 Virginia Art Education Association was represented by president Linda Conti, vice-pres. Sarah Mays and me-the elementary division chair. Here we are working hard at the leadership conference.

Making sure to take careful and complete notes.

A quick list about me...

One of our amazing Key note speakers Tim lowery...
If you ever get a chance to hear him talk...do it!

I met the amazing Nicole Hahn from the minimatisse.blogspot.com website

Dinner with friends....

 We watched this totally amazing thunderstorm roll in....

Touring the city...

Cool restaurant in an old church

We got on the National park's boat to go out to Fort Sumter and this happened....

We saw this storm moving in behind us. Not really clear why the captain did not see it on his radar and cancel the trip but....

looking back at the dock..what dock you might say....that's right...WHAT dock!

Looking out at the fort in front of us it was clear...

until the storm over took us...

By the time we docked on the island the storm was all around us. The park rangers would not let us off the boat because they said the fort was not a save place in such a storm. So we all had to ride the storm out on the water...in a small boat....with the lightning all around us....on the boat...in the water....with big waves crashing and slamming the boat against the dock.....with all the rain....all around us for 35 mins. I was drenched from head to toe!!! We never got to get off the boat and go see the fort even after the storm had passed! As soon it had passed the boat headed back to the dock on the main land. What's up with that?

Found this great art supply store then learned there is one here in Virginia! Yeah!!

This was what was waiting for me when I returned...

I may have on on-line Zulily shopping problem!

Sadly we had to put our dog...Desante (Big Dog) to sleep when I returned from my trip. He was so old. He was just the best dog ever. He protected me and he loved his daddy. This was the last photo taken of him at the vets office.

.

This was him in much happier times cleaning his daddy's head.

Going for road trips with the whole crew to the beach.

Gathering all his balls from the back yard so daddy could mow the lawn.

RIP BIG

This was my summer 2018!