Stepped on a Fish, Shouted at By a Bull Frog and Poked By a Ghost!

Stepped On a Fish: (scroll down as I have 3 separate little tales with lots of photos)

Orange Beach, Gulf of Mexico

Mist, Tabs and Pip--Gulf of Mexico, Alabama 

Me--Gulf of Mexico, Alabama

Mist

Tabs, Peter and Pip--the water is warm, clear and shallow for quite a way out.

Small fish nibbling everywhere!  I must have swam for three hours straight. Yes, our pale Canadian skin is scarlet despite sunscreen :(

Pip loves the water!

Tabs, Mist and Peter, relaxing on the beach.

The castle and two of its builders--it was influenced by the Spanish Architect Gaudi ;)

A ghost crab decided to take residence in the castle (it sits just down and inward from Peter).

The best/craziest day ever. The Gulf of Mexico is so much fun. The water is warm and turquoise and the sand white. Small silver fish follow one every where in the water, taking tiny nips--it tickles. I was a way out from shore and holding Tabs in my arms for fun when I stepped down on a large living fish near my feet. It was a very slimy, unexpected feeling and I screamed as it surprised me. And the beach attendant (Andrew) had told us he'd seen a few black-tipped sharks that day. Once I realized what it was, I laughed. The ocean is so much fun, I never want to get out of the water.

Shouted at By a Bull Frog
Back home at Wolf Bay, Mist and I walked down along the dock to look for dolphins. On our way back we found a bullfrog by the edge of the pool. It got tired of us watching it and jumped right into the pool and swam into the filter. Mist left to find something to rescue it with--a branch. As I was waiting, the frog unexpectedly jumped right out of the filter and up onto the deck beside me. It opened its big mouth and started bull-frog shouting at me. It was as though it was scolding the Mist and I for bothering it and wanted us to shove off! I had to laugh, it was such a magical interaction--to be scolded by a bull frog. Though, in retrospect, perhaps it was a prince and just wanted a kiss--I might have missed my chance on that one!

The dock at Wolf Bay--view from our balcony. Dolphins can be seen feeding in the evenings. We saw a large pod on our first night. It is so quiet and relaxed here. Our condo is the only condo on the bay--the rest are private homes. Fish jump non-stop and we hear the sounds of birds, insects and jumping fish continually. 

Wolf Bay (a long bay that leads to the Gulf of Mexico)--where we are staying while in Alabama.

Poked By a Ghost
The strangest thing happened to me late afternoon. Peter and I were resting in the master bedroom of our condo. Peter was snoozing but I was awake, just lying down. I was on my stomach with my head to the side. The girls came to the patio doors of our room (via the balcony) and spoke to us through the screen door (to say it was time to go down town as we had promised to take them to the second hand book store and old fashioned soda fountain shop). I shut my eyes and ignored them, hoping Peter would wake up to their requests. Suddenly a firm, finger tapped me my shoulder. I opened my eyes, thinking that the kids had somehow, silently entered our bedroom to wake us. No one was there. Peter was at a distance (the other side of the king bed) faced away from me, still asleep. I figured it was a coincidence, an intense, strange muscle spasm in my shoulder and closed my eyes again. Within 30 seconds another poke. This time I was sure someone was in the room and I opened my eyes immediately--again, no one. There is no way to explain the definite, firm shoulder poke. Only a human-like finger could poke with that pressure. But no one was there. I bolted up and woke up Peter.  It was seriously frightening because there was absolutely no way to explain it but someone had poked me in the shoulder wanting me to get up! I decided I had to immediately get up take the children into town as they wished because someone (thing) really thought I should.

I think perhaps I picked up a ghost from the Nottoway Plantation. It must be a child ghost as it definitely sides with my children on issues. This experience has cemented my belief that some other-dimension energy poked me. I will leave you with a direct quote from my journal entry on the night I visited Nottoway mansion house with my girls. We were alone in the house, late in the evening. I sat down on the upper stairs of the staircase because I felt such a strong presence of energy at that spot. This is what I wrote:

Climbing the staircase, I reached a point where the energy was overwhelming familiar and I felt so comfortable and at home, it was as though I lived in the mansion. Each time I climbed the stairs onto the second level landing, the energy was the same. Pip sensed it too, it started at the very same stair for her. It was as though I seriously traveled back in time and felt the energy of the past home owners. The energy was so intense and overwhelming that I had to sit on the stairs for a while to figure it out. All I can say is it smelled familiar, looked familiar and felt familiar in every way--it was though I was back visiting my childhood home--feeling such comfort at all the familiar surroundings.

Nottoway grounds at night--A giant 200 year old oak tree and the graveyard in distance.

Pip and I chatting in the Entrance Hall at night.

Tabs and I in the Gentleman's Parlor in the early evening.

Me, descending the staircase (just below where I felt the intense familiar energy).

The girls and I danced in the ballroom--we had the room to ourselves!

More Crazy Dancing!

Tabs practicing her waltz steps.

My girls in the upper hall--where we sensed intense energy.