We spent the Fourth of July on the shore of Mobile Bay with thousands of locals and transplants alike. It was so peaceful and relaxing.
Wife, Danny, and I spread a picnic under the trees and sat back listing to an older gentleman playing an assortment of tunes on the keyboard and the alto sax at the same time. He would pound out the notes on the ivories and then jump up from his bench with the horn and blow sweet music into the air. It was wonderful.
Two hundred and sixty-six steps up the hill — yes I counted them — was the Bay Room Airbnb we have rented for the last three years, which is just about as perfect as it gets — for us anyway.
Sitting in one of the big wicker rockers on the beautiful front porch, I could see the bay as I was writing part of this on Friday morning. The night before the crowds lined the shore listening to music, enjoying fellowship and celebrating America’s birthday.
It was a diverse crowd of all colors and nationalities and everyone seemed to be getting along perfectly well. You couldn’t tell the Democrats from the Republicans and not a time did I hear anyone mention a debate or a felonious crime.
Little children, mommas and daddies, grandmas and grandpaws, and just plain old folk like Danny and me were decked out in the red, white, and blue. We even brought along a string of flashing colored lights that served as our own private fireworks show, along with American flags and a star studded picnic blanket spread with fried chicken and rolls, among other all American goodies.
The symphony put on a patriotic show on the bluff above us and at 9:00 p.m. the lights went out on the massive Fairhope Pier and bombs began bursting in air from the end of the pier way out in the bay. It was probably one of the best Fourth of July celebrations Danny and I have enjoyed in our 43 years of marriage. We’ll do it again next year.
Saturday we departed for the beach and on Sunday we woke up in the perfect little beach house right on the dunes overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. It is much less than 266 steps from our door to the water’s edge. At this writing the sky is clear blue, a Gulf breeze has my flags gently flying on their poles. Waves are crashing onto the sand and the sound is very pleasing to my ears.
Soon there will be bacon frying in the kitchen and shortly after that we’ll be frolicking on the beach like little children. I fully expect it to be much fun.
We’ve been coming to Fort Morgan, Alabama, for 20-something years. I think there were a couple of years that we might have ventured to the mountains or somewhere else for vacation, but for the bulk of the time it has been a beach house right on the beach.
I think the house we’re in now is probably the nicest one we’ve ever called our home. In the early years we stayed in a small seafoam green cottage then moved into the pink one next door as daughter, Rachel-Johanna, got older and started bringing along friends. I think one or two years we had five little girls running around the house and beach. I kind of miss those days, although it is much easier entertaining just the two of us. Our daughter, now 31, will be joining us mid-week and we look forward to her arrival.
After the pink house we moved up to a bigger, much older, home and set up housekeeping there for two or three years. By then the girls were in college and Danny and I, traveling alone, no longer needed all that space.
We happened upon a tiny little one bedroom house that was perfect. Absolutely perfect. And we vowed to finish out our days in that one. Unfortunately, hurricane Sally finished out our days for us in September 2020 and blew our favorite spot completely away just two years after it had been completely renovated. Shame!
That was four years ago and we were back in the hunt for the perfect place again. We thought we had found it in 2021 but then by chance the one we now inhabit for a week once a year popped up on Facebook and we jumped on it.
It is pretty much perfect for our needs. Big enough but not too big. Small enough but not too small. The open kitchen and living areas encompass the entire beachfront side of the house and a nice large shaded deck looks out over the dunes. In case of rain, there is another deck beneath the house but hopefully we will not have a need for it as the week continues.
So, happy summer from the beach. If you’ve never been to Fort Morgan, I highly recommend it. If you’re one for touristy attraction, this is not the place to be, but, if you are looking for sand and surf and relaxation, this is where you need to go.
