Last summer while vacationing in Florida, Sexy Hubby wanted to take a side trip.
A side trip to his past.
To his Christmas past.
Once upon a time, there was a family who lived in Cincinnati. To escape the cold and brutal Ohio winters, each Christmas, the father and the mother would fill the station wagon with four sons, two daughters, a cooler of food, and all the fishing poles and tackle boxes they could carry, and head south. Of course, there was a boat in tow.
This family traveled as far south as the road would take them.
Where the road ends. At the Gulf of Mexico.
At a place called Chokoloskee Island…
Chokoloskee Island is where Sexy Hubby spent the Christmases of his past, until he was 10 years old.
Instead of sledding, they spent time fishing. Instead of a fir tree, Santa left presents under a palm. Instead of snow boots, their feet went bare.
The last Christmas he remembers spending in Florida was 1972.
These first photos were taken in the winter of 1968. I know that because my mother-in-law was wise enough to document the back of every single photograph. {I secretly love that Sexy Hubby was called “Joey.” Some photos said, “Little Joey.”}
Florida Orange Grove 1968
Chokoloskee Island Winter 1968
Fast forward to the summer of 2010…
Florida sky
Sexy Hubby at Chokoloskee Island - 30+ years later
Dock at Chokoloskee Island
Pole Dancing Pelicans
One thing that Sexy Hubby repeated over and over again during this visit, “Everything looks so small.”
Isn’t it strange how our childhood memories of a place are as large as we imagine them to be?
I’m thinking we should re-establish the long-held family tradition of spending Christmas at the beach in Florida.
To escape the cold and brutal winters of southwest Montana.
Oh, that looks like a fabulous place to spend Christmas! Montana white Christmases (and white Thanksgivings) are definitely beautiful and special, but I wouldn’t mind missing one or two and experiencing sun, sand and ocean instead.
Your pictures are beautiful – love the 8th one down (or 4th one up?) with the dock and the palm trees and the stormy clouds.
Sexy Hubby and I have an ongoing line…”dreaming of Lido” – our new favorite beach in Florida.
Just out of the blue, I’ll get a text from him, saying only that.
Makes me stop, pause, and breathe a heavy sigh of longing for sand, sun and warm gulf water…
KT
The pictures are lovely. What a wonderful memory.
Thanks Denice.
Sort of wish I was there today, instead of buried under several inches of snow!
Although, it does make for a lovely WHITE Christmas!!
KT
How cool that y’all could revisit this place from his past. I’m curious why they stopped going? I personally hate travelling on Christmas (one exception was a very memorable trip to Mexico) – too much to pack!!
Well, they stopped going as they moved from Ohio to California, which is a damn good thing, otherwise I would have never met Sexy Hubby!!!