Dauphin Island and Fairhope

Thanks to the military way, Will didn't have work on Monday (which was Columbus Day), so we packed up and left for a day trip.  We zipped over to Alabama and visited Fairhope and Dauphin Island.  Total driving time was about four hours which made for a very fun and relaxing trip plus getting home in time for baths and bed.  I remembered the camera and, shockingly, I actually remembered to use it.  Give me a round of applause.  I took over 200 pictures which, for me, is unheard of.  On our way home, we hit up The Shed once more to guarantee ourselves one last plate of BBQ heaven before leaving. 

So a visit to Fairhope was on our list because it was recommended to us by a friend at my old job.  He suggested just spending some time in Fairhope because it is one of the last single tax colonies left in the United States and is therefore unique.  And now some history for ya since I didn't really know what that even meant. 

"In 1879 Henry George published Progress and Poverty in which he laid out the social and economic arguments for what he called the “single tax”. The term single tax comes from the theory held by George that if land were taxed at an amount equal to 100% of its rental value, that all other taxes could be eliminated, leaving the country with just one single tax: the tax on land.  Henry George felt that taxing land at 100% of its rental value would be both justified and beneficial. It would be justified because land is a gift of God, not a creation of man. The enhancement to land value comes from public improvements such as railroads, canals, highways, and various public works. The owner of land did not create the external factors that increased the rental value of the site, so why should he benefit from the increase in value brought about by those factors?"
(source)

I don't really grasp all that is implied with this system even though I read all on the website (I'm not anything even close to an economist) or why it necessitates a visit, but we wanted to check it out and see for ourselves.  The verdict?  We loved it.  It is totally up our living-style-alley.  We love the feel of a smaller city with a big-ish city about an hour away.  We also loved the houses and the local parks.  It definitely made the list of places we could live and love if we couldn't live near family (along with Chattanooga, TN, and Asheville, NC).

We visited one park on the beach and walked out on the pier, then had lunch at the oldest restaurant in the county: Julwin's.

Wooden benches were placed along the pier.  Each bench was engraven with what most would put on tombstones.  I had to snap a few pictures because some of them said the sweetest things about their loved ones.

Ira Ephim Brown

"May all your sunsets be spectacular."

Teresa Ann Hairrell

In loving memory of Anna Slaby Ritter 1920-2011

"God's Gravy-Maker"

It's not the food in your life that counts, it's the life in your food.

Frank A. Till

6-28-42 - 11-7-10

Gone Fishing

A fountain at the same park was a huge draw for Emerson.  It was completely rusty inside the pool so the water was pink.

After lunch, we walked through the downtown shops and found a great toy store that Emerson didn't want to leave.  He especially loved playing with the train set.  We just may have to get one for Christmas or his birthday. 

We never expected this going into parenthood, but we pretty much love parks.  They are the easiest and cheapest way to pass time and get some energy out.  In Fairhope we not only visited the beach park, but also stopped at a toddler park after lunch.  We all had a fun time here as evidenced by the following pictures.

Emerson actually held his own weight for about 4-5 seconds before dropping into Will's arms.  He loved it!

We like the beach near our home, but after visiting Dauphin Island, we really understand why people love the beach.  Dauphin Island was empty because the hurricane cleanup wasn't complete.  We were the only ones on the beach and the water was blue and the sand was white and the day was perfect and it couldn't have gotten any better.  We just might retire to Dauphin Island someday.

We found some wildlife.  I'd like to tell you that we were brave and picked up a live crab while putting our fingers in danger.  But alas, he was dead.  No courage over here.

I realize this picture is barely recognizable, but it was the best shot I got of a couple of stingrays.  They were just floatin' around and having a nice time near our toes.  What a fun sighting!

At The Shed, Emerson loved playing with the rocks and junk laying around.  He stopped playing long enough to eat a piece of bread, but then he was again enthralled with all the stuff rather than the food.

In total, we were able to knock out three more items on our Biloxi Bucket List, leaving only two more (both of which are scheduled and just standing by).  Woo to the hoo!