Sunday, June 27, 2010

Beach Week- Roadtrip to St. Augustine




















When we arrived in Florida, Uncle Ken gave us one of his cars, and the keys to his condo in Daytona Beach. With a map of Florida, full tank of gas, and a week to kill, we decided to roadtrip along the coast to find new beaches. We made it about 6 hours north of our original destination.

Cousin James told us about a friend in St. Augustine, who lived right on the beach. So we packed up and spent two days at his place, and woke up in the morning carrying surfboards right out the door and stepping onto the sand. I could wake up to that, every morning.
Those two days we explored the oldest city in the nation, went to the most beautiful museum I've ever been to, and made the beaches of St. Augustine our home.
It was love at first beach stroll. While the boys surfed and played sand volleyball, I walked the beaches for hours. It was so quiet and peaceful, and we made some of my favorite memories there. I have been to over 100 beaches in my 27 years, and this one was high on my list.

I came home with a gallon zip lock bag full of treasures to spread around our house, fill jars with, and to turn into wind chimes.

39 comments:

Ashley said...

I absolutely love combing the beach for treasures. I need to get down to Florida. Colin even has an uncle who has offered to put us up for free and take us deep sea fishing.

Aura said...

No more excuses, girl. Florida has some of the most beautiful beaches I've been to.
Deep sea fishing is on my list. I am dying to do it.
Get down there! And I know you hate the mugginess, so if you want to beat the terrible heat & humidity, April-May are really nice times to go.
I've been in May, August, December, and July. December was cold and cloudy, and the other months were roasting!

a little black cloud in a dress said...

I took a spontaneous trip to St. Augustine a few years ago, during winter, and I loved it. As always, beautiful pictures!

CHECKS AND SPOTS said...

Such incredible photos - given that we're in the dead of Winter here in Australia, I've got serious sunny days/beach envy!

Crystel said...

Hi Aura, I've enjoyed your beach pictures so much. Although I've never lived close to the beach, I'm drawn to the ocean, and I try to spend as much time there as possible. I just feel right when I'm there. My husband feels the same way, so it's become our dream to live close to the sand one day. Your week sounds perfect to us. I've never been to St. Augustine, but I've heard great things!

Johanna said...

I've really been enjoying your beach photos. St. Augustine looks so gorgeous.

Crissy said...

i'm somewhat new to your blog but i love it! st. a. is in my back yard. glad you loved it! :) great pics. florida sure is a dream.

p.s. i'm crissy and i run friendsfamilyandlaughter.com. since i found your blog, i've been racking my brain of how to bring your words to our site! my dear friend, who i partner w/ on the site, is so similar to you in her love of things whole, natural and simple.

Kelly @ turned UP to ELEVEN! said...

I remember visiting St. Augustine when I was younger, I believe I was 10 and I was in love with the town. I want to go back now that I'm older and will be more appreciative of the history and the beauty!

sarah {on the brightside...} said...

that beach looks like a dream! :) beautiful photos!

& btw- i am having a fun giveaway on my blog right now! head over to enter! :)
thebrightsidestudio.blogspot.com

thanks! & happy monday!

Macy said...

We had our honeymoon in St. Augustine, Florida. Isn't it beautiful? My Joey is a steel worker, and his job recently got to work on rehab-ing sections of that old, gorgeous Bridge of Lions. He felt honored to work on a piece of Florida history--and a little piece of our personal history too. We've visited once or twice since then, and I'm always dying to go back. Each time we visit, we have someone take our picture in the magical tree arched road that leads to the fountain of youth.

I'm so glad you got to see St. Augustine. :) It's a special place.


Here's my post about the Bridge of Lions:http://mdd16436.xanga.com/688762658/the-bridge-of-lions/

Here's my account of our most recent trip to St. Augustine:http://mdd16436.xanga.com/718321128/road-trip-st-augustine-fl/

MeganRose said...

stunning. And 100 beaches is quite amazing! I hope you will post pictures of your new treasures in your home. :)

Marissa Paige said...

I love all your pictures! I grew up in south Georgia and spent my summers at the beach :) I love seeing and hearing other people's perspective on something that is familiar to me!

Dani said...

So beautiful, makes me want to take a beach day :)

Jesa said...

Your blog is such an inspiration!
love!

Ariella said...

I love St. Augustine. I haven't been there in years, but your photos make me feel like taking a trip ASAP!

mama bear said...

What a great trip you had. I love these photos, the one of the little crab is amazing! Are they green eyes he has? It looks like a Disney character!! x

Chantele Cross-Jones said...

What a fab beach and great photos

Daisy Dayz Home

Steph said...

I absolutely love the saying "there is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged..." I was feeling like my life was stagnant and that I wasn't growing but then I went back to Los Angeles in April (I lived there from 2005 to 2007) and my eyes were opened to all that has altered and because of those things, it has shaped me into the wife, home owner, young career woman that I am now. Thanks for putting it in a way that I could not.

mrs boo radley said...

Amazing. I would like to visit.

daily mix LA said...

your pictures are simply stunning! did you take them?

Melissa Blake said...

those photos are really amazing!

Jodi said...

sweet aura, your photos are amazing. i love them all. exploring at the beach is a must...che has been doing a lot of that lately. you would love australian beaches...you should come visit some time. x

siniann said...

Hi sweet Aura! Greetings from Finland, it's great to be with the family! I just need to get back to computer time to time to send kisses to my boyfriend, it is hard to travel without him.

Love love love these pictures <3

Amy Seager said...

Your blog is stunning - such beautiful pictures!
Love
Aimee
x

Knitting Out Loud said...

You take amazing photographs!

Anonymous said...

I like the pictures (of you?) with the big sun hat. :) It looks like it would be on a cover of a book or something.

Anna said...

Your pictures are breathtaking.

Jaimie said...

Your photos always blow me away.

Sarah Engel said...

discovering your photos is such a treat! love this last one! i just spent 4 days on the beach and it was heavne, it's calling me back this weekend!

Shukura Li said...

Hiya i love your blog sorry to bother you but

you know how u can click into your pictures?

how did u do that

ive tried blogger help but it doesnt work

how did u do it. is there a tutorial u can recommend, ?
i would really appreciate if you could get back o me

thankyou


Shukura

Shutterbug Mama said...

I absolutely LOVE all your photograpy

Anonymous said...

wow. my favorite picture was of the one with the crab outside of his shell, but all of your pictures are amazing. everything's beautiful and so creative.

Only me said...

Hi , you have a great blogg , i love youre pictures , I never see the sea but i wish that I will see it someday and I can imagine even better from your picture how lovely is it .You are so lucky that you visit so many beaches .
my name is Cory and I`m far far away in the world ;)

Beatriz said...

Que bellos lugares, dios los bendiga!!!!

Unknown said...

I've always been terrified of the sea, ever since I fell off a boat when I was three. Your pictures remind me of why people enjoy the beach so much...I gues I'd forgotten, even though I've lived by the ocean for sixteen years. =]

nicole said...

hey! I kind of just read threw this whole first page on your blog, and honestly I love it!hehe
Your pictures and written pieces are great ! I especially enjoy what you're writting about in general!

i'm so following this blog! :D

Sarah Katie said...

oh, how i miss st. augustine. i haven't been there in probably 8 years. makes me want to shed tears for my beautiful florida beaches, oh why, oh why, do i live in iowa.

Aura said...

Crystel- For the first huge part of my teen/adult life, I thought I needed to live near the ocean. It's funny how as I've gotten older and visited those places further in decision-making trips to find "home," I've realized a lot more about me. My dream was somewhere else.
That sounds like a really long intro to tell you that I think it's so very sweet that you and your husband have found that "home" and share the same desire. It's a wonderful feeling to both want something with all your hearts, and get to work towards that goal together.
Take a trip and start looking for home.
I have a feeling you'd like St. Augustine. Good schools, quiet, private beaches, historic charm, and relatively low real estate.
Michael and I went there "looking for home" and while he wanted to put it #1 on his list, we eventually decided it wasn't for us. He later admitted it was #1 because of the surfing, and surfing alone :)

So we're still looking, but it might just be your great escape.
:)



Jodi- If I'm ever in Australia, a trip to see you would be a must. Keep that couch open.


Crissy- I would absolutely love to do something like that. Just let me know what you're looking for.


Kelly- I had tears in my eyes when we saw the slave trading quarters. At 10, that wouldn't have meant much to me. You should go back! You'd love it, now.


Macy, Macy, Macy!
I thought I had added you to my reader and I guess I hadn't, because I haven't been up to date on your dream to move.
I will read back when I have a bit more time, but for now I want to say how much I love that when I went to your link on the Bridge, a very special song to me came on. That made my night :)

Aura said...

megan r o s e- We had a lottt of family vacations to the beach when I was young. My parents took us all along the Pacific coast, to the Gulf, Atlantic, and East coast as well.
When Michael and I got married, we started heading to the Caribbean beaches, and explored the Pacific side of Mexico, too. In one 8 day trip to Puerto Vallarta, we visited 4 different beaches, all hours away from each other.

Can you tell I'm a beach girl?!


Anna- I couldn't tell what color they were! This was actually a still from a video I was putting together of little hermit.


Steph- I couldn't have said it better, myself. I always wish I had written that quote, because it's so beautiful and true.

Over the last couple years I have come to a strong understanding of my association with change, how we do it as humans, and what I find acceptable for change in myself. Sounds like you happened to do the same :)


Sini- That's so sweet that you popped in to say hello from Finland :) You are such a peach, all the time.


Shukura- What do you mean by click in the pictures?
Do you mean the writing in them? I did that in another program that is outside of Blogger.

It's a photo-editing program called Adobe Photoshop, but you can find some for free around the internet. Your computer probably has a program where you can edit your photos and add text, already.
I hope I answered the right question!




Hello Cory from far, far away in the world :) I wish I could understand your blog.




Beatriz- Gracias, querida. :)




December Roses- There are soo many things I love about the beach and could spend hours doing before I even step foot in the water. I bet if you go back, you'll find things to love, too.




Thank you every one, for your sweet messages. Thank you for reading along.