Showing posts with label Gulf County. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gulf County. Show all posts

The Big 5-0!

September 2012

To celebrate the husband's 50th birthday, we took a long weekend trip in late September to the Coast.  Gulf County, Florida, is the perfect place to celebrate a special birthday!

We loved the Old Florida style cottage The Love Shack, which is right on the beach!     


We went family boating, renting a boat slip from nearby Mexico Beach at their city docks.  We fished in St. Joseph's Bay and spent some time on the beach at the tip of St. Joseph's Peninsula, also known as Cape San Blas.  


The kids found sand dollars in the salty water!
My fisherman husband casting
Starfish washed on the shore.
Beautiful starfish!
Fishing at sunset from the beach.  Notice Cape San Blas on the horizon?


Bonfires on the beach are allowed on the Coast in Gulf County.  S'mores at the beach - YUM!


Daddy Daughter picture on the beach!
Happy Birthday, Honey!  I love you!



St. Joe Beach, Our Beach

2011

When we camped on Cape San Blas at the St. Joseph Peninsula State Park during the spring, we drove by our spot of sand on Americus Avenue.  Not sure if the kids noticed how we looked longingly at the property.  They were more excited about lunch at Toucan's in Mexico Beach and the possibility of getting an air-brushed t-shirt painted by Hippie John!



On a whim in late June, we packed the family and headed to the Coast for a quick overnighter and for some family red snapper fishing.  GREAT fishing that weekend!  With the four of us on board, we hauled in the maximum number of keepers.  Red snapper prove to be delicious and versatile in recipes.



In August, the family visited Gulf County for fun in the sun before school started.  We ran in the Port St. Joe Scallop Festival 5K, went family boating, and hung out at St. Joe Beach, our beach!





Friends from Albany, Georgia, were vacationing in the area that weekend.  With three young boys, there is never a dull moment with this family of three young boys nearby!  The Coast is a GREAT place to meet and visit with friends and family!

Salty Piece of Land

During our Florida Road Trip, we looked at lots, houses, and other salty pieces of land for sale. For quite some time, the Coast has been calling!

A lot for sale in St. Joe Beach on the corner of Cortez and Americus caught our attention.  From the front of the lot, we viewed the ocean.  Just a brief one-block jaunt down Cortez took us to St. Joe Beach.


By the end of September 2010, we were Gulf County property owners.  Back home, to celebrate the purchase, we cooked shrimp skewers, our nod to the Coast and the fabulous seafood available in the Gulf of Mexico.  We toasted the land closing with a LandShark!

Shrimp Skewers
  • 1 lb peeled shrimp; onion, cut into large pieces
  • bell pepper, cut into large pieces
  • olive oil
  • Old Bay seasoning
Thread shrimp, onion, and bell pepper onto skewer.  Season.  Grill.

Grits
  • 1 c stone ground grits
  • 3 c shrimp stock (boil water with shrimp peelings)
  • 1 c milk
  • 2 T butter
  • salt
  • pepper
Prepare grits with shrimp stock and milk.  Season with butter, salt, and pepper.

Gravy
  • 2 T butter
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 c milk
  • 1/2 c water
  • 1 c shrimp stock
  • 2-3 T flour
  • salt
  • pepper
Stir 1-2 T flour into warm shrimp stock.  Melt butter in pan with garlic; brown lightly.  Add stock/flour mixture to pan.  Add additional water if needed.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add milk.  Continue stirring until desired thickness.

Serve grilled shrimp, onions, and bell pepper over grits with gravy.  Delicious!