by Diana Andrews

We’ve all heard how cats have nine lives (and in the case of the Key West cats, six toes.) But what is it about cats that propel them through so many lives? Knowing their prowling, sneaky nature and reputations for curiosity, it is most likely due to repurrrrcusions of their adventurous spirits. It’s probably not the result of many a cat nap! Or is it?

Maybe these cats are on to something. Perhaps they utilize their nine lives to partake in adventuresome activities in Key West, Florida or similar vacation destinations. After all, with

parasailing

scuba diving

snorkeling

wave runner adventures

it would be hard to experience all the exhilaration these small islands offer visitors in just one trip!

And that’s just during the daytime hours. Key West nightlife has no shortage of musical events, bars and restaurants to keep you going in to the wee hours of morning. You could spend a lifetime visiting the Keys having plenty of revelry requiring high levels of energy and a sensation-seeking nature.

But all that adventure can wear a person (or cat) out.

Warm, tropical breezes

hammocks swinging beneath the shade of the trees

cool libations with their umbrella picks

ridiculous amounts of fresh caught seafood to consume

can tempt a person (or cat) to resist mustering up the energy to do much other than simply concentrating upon their eyelids. You could spend a lifetime visiting the Keys having plenty of relaxation requiring low levels of energy and a laid back nature.

Maybe just maybe, cats are able to balance the wild with the sublime as they proceed through their many lives. Maybe each life is like a Key West vacation; a balanced blend of

adventure seeking

dancing ‘til dawn followed by

peaceful afternoons languishing enough to

recoup the energy to

do it all over again tomorrow.

Or next year. Just don’t wait for your next life to live like a cat in the Keys.

by Diana Andrews

When you hear the words, “Gulf Shores, Alabama vacation” what immediately comes to mind? Perhaps

• Golden bright sunshine
• Sugar white sand beaches
• Sparkling emerald gulf waters
• Fresh-from-the-catch seafood?

Whether you’re a first time visitor or a returning guest, you’re sure to have your expectations met and, more than likely, exceeded!

Perhaps you’re the type of traveler who likes to experience the unusual activities that may not otherwise be associated with the obvious reasons why someone visits the Gulf Shores area. Such as

• Ocean Camps at Perdido Beach
• Alligator Alley
• Nighttime crab hunting
• Pristine woodland tours.

Again, first-timers and returning guests will NOT be disappointed! There are always plenty of usual and unusual things to do no matter the season. Or time of day. Or time of night!

Maybe you associate vacations with fitting in as many activities as you possibly can in the time that you have available.

Or perhaps you only want to associate Gulf Shores’ vacations with beach activities or your very own beach wedding!

With 101 Things to do at the beach and 100 days of summer to do it in, you’re sure to need to start associating Gulf Shores’ vacations with needing a vacation to recover from your vacation!

So, why not find the perfect Gulf Shores Alabama vacation deals, book two weeks instead of one, and plan to enjoy all the activities the area has to offer followed by or interspersed with plenty of relaxing days soaking in the rays.

You’ll be associating Gulf Shores vacations with fun and relaxation enough to keep you coming back for more.

By Diana Andrews

As the flurry from prom and graduation season subsides and the warmth of Spring blooms eternal, the wedding season begins to blossom. Soon-to-be blushing brides skitter around their to-do lists like busy bumble bees harvesting their nectar and pollen. While there are plenty of small details that need tending to in the final days before the big event, most brides have checked off the big-ticket items well in advance.

For many brides, finding that perfect venue and location to reflect their sense of style and personality can be a daunting task and is one that needs tending to early on in the preparation process. Whether planning your wedding in your childhood hometown or an exotic destination, imagine inviting your friends to share this special event at one of the 22 coolest places to get married in America!

From antique stores and distilleries

From high above in a tree house or underneath a bridge

From conservatories to ranches

From the ultra modern to round barns

From the simple to the sublime

Brides will discover endless opportunities to express their unique style and often times can arrange wedding packages at bed & breakfasts that include accommodations for the wedding party and guests and a great meeting place for family and friends to gather. This is a fantastic way to check off several items on that to-do list; reserve the wedding and reception venue and arrange guest and wedding night lodging all in one swoop.

Creative and inspirational wedding venues provide the setting to foster a lifetime of memories and backdrops for wedding photos that capture the day’s events for eternity. So let your imagination fly like seeds scattered into the wind, and you’re sure to discover a garden of wondrous beauty to behold forever.

by Diana Andrews

Resilient- adjective – meaning to spring back; rebounding. Synonyms – elastic, flexible, springy.

Resiliency is a trait many golfers have to have if they are going to continue to play, enjoy and maybe even make a living at playing golf. Ok, maybe just win a few bets amongst friends.

Even the seemingly unstoppable Tiger Woods has had to dig deep into his resiliency reservoir to spring back from his two year winless drought with four wins in his first seven 2013 starts!

Without this quality he may not have bounced back from his double-bogey water shot on his way to winning the 2013 Players Championship. Imagine the resiliency Sergio Garcia will need to conjure up at the HP Byron Nelson Championship just a short week after blowing his tie with Tiger for the lead when he plunked two balls in the drink for a quadruple bogey.

If the pro’s can return year after year, tourney after tourney, hole after hole, duffs shanks mis-hits and all, then there’s no reason to let a bad shot, bad day or even a bad year snap the elasticity of your game.

With so many Oak Island NC golf courses, you can take your time to tour all the local greens and find the links that play to your advantage. Then be sure and call up those pals who maybe saw a not-so-fortunate round and invite them over for a friendly game.

Golf can definitely be the avenue that strengthens your resiliency and reminds you that every day is a new day, every shot a new shot. Once you have bounced back you’ll fee rejuvenated; like you’re on top of the world and can accomplish anything.

Then, of course, you’ll duff another shot and the humbling cycle will start anew. Luckily, Oak Island is a golfer’s paradise where even the worst of shots won’t deter you from moving on to the next course.

And the next…

And the next…

So shake off those bad-shot-blues and prepare to bounce back better than ever with plenty of golf courses to make you forget the worst of shots and offer plenty of opportunities for bragging rights!

By Diana Andrews

If you’ve ever hung out around, are friends with, or just happen to overhear golfers while encapsulating their latest outings, you’ll know there are some pretty outlandish golf tales out there! Apparently, these tall tales can be traced back as far as 1938 (probably even earlier), the year of the Great Golf Marathon in which an outlandish golf wager was made.

Probably the safest bet that can be made related to golf is to say that there are some pretty outlandish golf outfits that have graced the links over the years. Everything from Rickie Fowler’s outlandish outfits to a recent story about the golfer who made the seemingly outlandish decision to remove his pants in order to play a shot out of the water can be reason to feel good about that bet!

Non-golfers may decree that it is utterly outlandish to participate in a sport where videos such as the three-legged alligator crossing a golf course can be made into its own form of spectator sport. Anyone who decides to golf in the Carolinas, for instance, should be prepared for such sightings as the alligator has made a comeback in North Carolina with the southern-most counties having the highest in the state’s population.

What wouldn’t likely be considered outlandish is the idea of taking a stay and play golf vacation NORTH of Myrtle Beach far from that concentrated alligator population to the south!

Outlandishly popular, golf is a sport that most anyone can enjoy at some level. Now that the air is warming and the greens are greening, it would be outlandish not to get out there and see where your own fodder for outlandishness will come from!