St Augustine Residency Day 6

Moses Creek Reserve

8x10 inches

acrylic on panel

Moses Creek Reserve

Moses Creek entrance

Notes From My Residency Journal

Today is my last day to explore the area. I must go home on Sunday to get back to the real world of running an art business. 

I started my day with breakfast at the Sea Oats Diner. It is a tiny little diner in the Publix market shopping center, right down the street from Chad and Sarah's Condo. Very convenient. They specialize in breakfast, and lean heavily toward pancakes, which are huge and in a variety of flavors. They also have homemade banana bread. It is always packed, so I sat at the counter. I opted for bacon and eggs and an English muffin. While I waited, I watched the staff cook at the open kitchen. It brought back all kinds of memories of my restaurant chef days. At one time I was a garde manger and pastry cook/baker and also cooked on the line when they needed more help. This restaurant is managed by an all woman staff, or at least I saw no men there, so it was an interesting kitchen. The chef wore a pink chef coat. Back in my day nothing like that was available. Glad to see more equality in restaurant kitchens now.  Though the food was fine, it wasn't plated very well. Their presentation could use a bit of help. The service was good. 

After breakfast I headed for Moses Creek Reserve. It is located on state Road 206, the way west from Crescent Beach. It is about a mile west of the drawbridge on the north side of the road. It has a lovely, well marked trail and there are more than one. For serious hikers there is one about 7 miles long.  The short one is about a mile and a half. That's the one I took. It winds through the pine woods, dotted with palmettos underneath. The trail is well maintained, making an easy stroll, though it got quite warm on this May day. Eventually you reach the tidal creek. Being a pine tree lover, I enjoyed it. It is quite different from the beach landscape. 

I have so enjoyed this residency. The condo is beautiful. It doesn't have the tacky beach condo look. It is tastefully decorated in a palm theme, with small touches here and there of the sea. There is a small bowl of shells on the kitchen counter and some nifty mirrors in a pelican theme. The original art is all palm themed. and the dining chairs have a lovely palm fabric. It is thoughtfully decorated, with class. There is a huge walk in shower in the master bathroom too. I have enjoyed every minute here and will miss it greatly. Thanks so much Chad and Sarah for this opportunity.