Some numbers are important, others unusual and occasionally they come together to form unique combinations.  Such was this special day for Natalie and Michael when they were wed at the Williams House on Amelia Island on the special date of 11/11/11.  Joined by 30 family and friends they were married on the Williams House front porch with Byron officiating on a cool but beautiful Friday afternoon.  A reception followed in the back courtyard with lot’s of nice goodies prepared by Deborah, the Williams House chef and wedding coordinator.   Georgeous seasonal flowers added fall color to the proceedings and a champagne toast to bride and groom was followed by traditional cake cutting. As usual Cinnamon was all around the Williams House entertaining children and seeking out crab cakes or other tasty morsels. Our best wishes to the bride and groom as they begin their new life together!

Natalie and Dad enter the wedding

Byron leads Natalie and Michael through their vows

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall color in centerpieces

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natalie and Michael in rose garden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wedding cake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deborah and Jami prepare the food

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wedding guests arrive at reception

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A toast for the bride and groom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cinnamon entertains

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Family portrait

July 4 parade – Fernandina Beach

The July 4th holiday yielded lots of activity on Fernandina Beach including an event with specialty vehicles, games and live band at Central Park during the early hours.  In the evening, a traditional parade with police, fireman, military and citizens was held.  Later the same day, a free concert was held down by the waterfront and fireworks followed at 9:30 pm.  It was fairly crowded on the Island with lot’s of folks enjoying the shops, restaurants, Fort Clinch (with reenac tments) and lot’s of local activities.  We were full at the Williams House and in fact July in total was one of our busier months this year.  We also had a small wedding on the Holiday weekend which we will cover later in  another blog.

military vehicles at central park

Band entertains at central park

Color guard begins parade

Cool cars in the parade

Motor scooter mama's

Pirate ship ends the parade with a bang

Byron's brother Gary at entrance to Fort Clinch

Byron’s brother Gary visited recently from Raleigh, NC and we had the opportunity to introduce him to one of our favorite local attractions, Fort Clinch, an historical Florida State Park.  Started as part of the United States coastal defense system before the civil war, it never really saw action although Union soldiers occupied the fort during the war.  It was worked on again as part of the 1930′s WPA projects as were many of these early forts.  Since then it has been worked on with volunteers and donations and is largely intact and complete.  It is usually manned by at least one soldier in period uniform who will gladly enlighten you on what life was like in the fort during the 1860′s.  On the first weekend of each month in the summer, reenactments are staged with larger numbers of soldiers joining the historic setting.  There are numerous tunnel like alley ways to and from various parts of the fort, cannons atop the walls, gun turrets, a dry moat, powder rooms, officer and enlisted quarters, jail, kitchen and blacksmith shop.  The fort is about four miles from the current Fernandina Beach historic district and sits at the northern most point of Amelia Island.  There is beach access and a fishing pier within the park as well.  Views north to the south end of Cumberland Island are available from atop the river side walls.  We always encourage guests at the Williams House to find time to visit this little piece of history and try to imagine what life was like on Amelia Island in the 1800′s.

Quarter masters office at Ft. Clinch

Bunk bed's in officer's room

View of ocean from gun port

Soldier explains gun turret workings

Cannon aimed along fort perimeter

Tunnel leading to gun turret

Ammunition storage

Gary climbs to the turret

Byron rests by the cannon

View of fishing pier and beach

Cumberland Island view

Deborah, Sue and Bob ready for departure

We recently had friends visiting from North Carolina and arranged for a river cruise to treat them to local views and history. We’ve been several times and are always impressed by learning something new on each trip, and on this particular visit, we were fortunate to get a very close up view of the wild horses, which histroically we have only seen from a distance. It was a strange day in that fires burning in the okefenokee swamp had created a smoke haze for the early part of the trip, giving the views a nostalgic old fashioned feeling.

These cruises are popular with Williams House guests since you get to see shrimp boats, Fort Clinch from the river, Old Town and the Pippi  Longstocking house, beaches, marshes, the port, the paper mill, Cumberland Island, wild horses, flying manta rays, dolphins, and in our case the Dungeness ruins.   In addition there is a history lesson on from the early days of the island to the present made interesting by your hosts on the tour.  It’s a liesurely tour with great views.  There are three cruises daily  including morning, mid day and sunset. 

Shrimp boats

Smoke from the fires blocks the sky

Captain's or Pippi Longstocking house from river

Fort Clinch

Dunes on Cumberland Island

Tree on Cumberland Island shoreline

Cumberland Island marshes

Horses walk the beach on Cumberland Island

Stallion leads the group

Returning to Fernandina