Happy Holidays 2014

As we wrap up a wonderful year, best wishes for another in 2015.
 

This year's project was clearing our property to make a park

Where we enjoy romping and playing with our dogs.

Our good friends and neighbors in the woods , Carole and Rick and Cooper, celebrate with us.

Carole cooked Christmas dinner for us and about 20 of her friends and family. 
She is always a wonderful hostess and the life of the party.
Looking forward to more fun and adventure in 2015.

Pink Camelia

December in FL
Beautiful

Hundreds of blossoms



Happy New Year

New Quad is Working Well

Hello World. Monticello FL calling.

Crane Op is Great!

Quad to the Top

WM2W & N0TW new toy

Coax coiled up - Ready for connection

Quad fed with 1/4 wave Matching Transformers

Awaiting Connections to Feedlines

Ham Radio from the Beautiful Bahamas





We visited Treasure Cay on Abaco Island, one of the northern Bahamas.



We were there where they drive on the left side of the road.  Very small villages and not much traffic though.



Beautiful secluded beaches.



Terry checking out the Caribbean Sea.



Up early to throw an antenna into a palm tree before the neighbors noticed.

We operated our station with an Icom 706 putting out 100 watts using a dipole at about 20 feet.

Marilyn's QSL card



We made about 400 radio contacts mostly on 20 meters.

 

Terry called CQ, CQ 10 meters for the 10-10 contest hundreds of times,
but the propagation was poor so we only got 71 points.

We talked to many hams who had never talked to the Bahamas before
and really wanted Terry's QSL card to confirm the contact.

Marilyn going to the beach for photos.

Beautiful

Quiet

There's a big marina.  Fishing is the thing to do.

Some of the villas are very handy to the boats.

Some very big, expensive yachts.

Going out to sea.

Treasure Cay hotel.  In addition to all the villas there was a small grocery, a liquor store, 1 shop and a bakery.

Across the road was a bar and casual restaurant on the beach.

Outside eating area at the Coco Bar.

What a beach!

Only a few houses and villas along the beach.

Terry taking a break.  The Bahamians are very friendly and talkative.

We both enjoyed the rum concoctions.  A Mango Tango and a Baha Mama.

We Added To Our Property




When our next door neighbor died, we bought his 2 acres
with huge 200 year old Live Oak trees to add to our yard.

The house was a 95 year old typical Southern shot gun style.



It was in such bad shape it had to be demolished.

The excavator tore off the porch and then started on the tin roof.

Bash it in.



Tin roof flying.



Down comes the interior framing, all but the chimney.



It makes a heck of a fire.



The original residence was a log cabin over 100 years old.



Down it comes



Next we tackled the vines and brush in the back yard.

Terry clearing the woods.

You find the strangest things dumped in the woods.



We bulldozed everything except the beautiful old oak trees.



a little more brush to burn



The bonfire is a little too big for roasting marshmellows




The view for cars driving by.  Some turned around to get a second look.

My wonderful neighbor Carole is my best friend.
She helps me emotionally as well as physically.
We cleaned up 4 of the beautiful camellia trees.

 

Here is the site where the old house stood.



The East side of the lot is ready for grass seed. 
Not a trace of the fire left.

New look from the West driveway.

View from the East drive.



Live Oaks and Camellia trees with Pecan trees and a Palm in Sally's Park.
 



After being suburbanites for 40 years, we are still getting used to
the beautiful rural Florida panhandle.
Frontage of our property from East boundary (right edge of photo) to West edge along Gilly Rd. (top of hill on left)



A walk in the yard.  En joying our world.