Ingrid's Corner, Texas

When in Rome!

by Ingrid

We’ve been on Galveston Island along the Texas Gulf Coast for a little over two weeks now.  We’re enjoying our stay more than we ever imagined and the time is flying by.
birding in Texas

Our time has been spent in a variety of ways.  We’ve toured downtown Galveston and taken in it’s history, we’ve taken long walks on the beach, we’ve hung out with great friends, we’ve explored the island, and I’ve communed with lots of birds.Texas birdingSince our friends have moved on, we find ourselves this fine Thanksgiving Day enjoying some quiet time …. just the two of us.  We’re faced with a dilemma.  Whatever shall we have for dinner?

Texas birding
This guy recommends the fish!

When it comes to food, Al and I have always had the attitude “When in Rome, do as the Romans“.  (you didn’t think I actually traveled to Rome, now did ya?  Although I do love Italian food)  So when in Rome….. In other words, when we travel to Boston, Massachusetts we order seafood and when we’re in Omaha, Nebraska we order steak, Chicago it’s pizza – I think you get the point.Texas Pelican

So here we are in Galveston, Texas along the Gulf Coast.  The locals, as in Mister Pelican, recommends the fish.  With such an accredited recommendation coming from a fish aficionado, hubby and I agree to have fish for our Thanksgiving dinner.Texas coastal birds

Al and I shared our first Thanksgiving together 34 years ago as co-workers.  Al was a pilot and I a flight attendant.  We found ourselves on a layover in Philadelphia over the Thanksgiving holiday. Yep, we were the lucky ones working on the holiday.  Someone had to work, so why not us?Brown pelican

It was late in the day when we landed in Philadelphia and almost everything at the airport was closed, it was Thanksgiving Day after all.  None of the crew members had eaten the better part of the day and thus were all starving.  After scouring the airport, we found one restaurant still open, but not for long as they were preparing to close.  Our only option was a Phillie Cheese Steak Sandwich…. “Five sandwiches to go, please!”

brown pelican
It just doesn’t seem to want to go down. Perhaps it’s time for a drink… help the digestive process!

brown pelican

Galveston Texas
going in for a ‘big’ gulp
brown pelican
Still doesn’t seem to want to go down!
RVing in Texas
Perhaps Dory is just a tad too large for me to swallow!

And boy were those sandwiches good.  When you’re as hungry as we were and with very few options available, we were grateful for the sustenance.  Sure it wasn’t the whole turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry kind of meal, but it was a meal none the less and we were thankful.  After all, isn’t that what Thanksgiving is all about?

Texas birdingAfter our airline years, we ventured into a business and that too included the need to work on holidays.  Thus, Al and I have never put a huge emphasis on holidays or the holiday meal.

The important thing for us has always been about making time for family and paving our own family traditions.

One of our traditions includes not eating ‘traditional’ meals but rather opting for foods we thoroughly enjoy …..  turkey and cranberries just don’t fall into the ‘favorites’ category in this household.

Back to “When in Rome, do as the Roman’s”   We’re in seafood country.  On Galveston Island we have the Gulf of Mexico on one side and the bay on the other.  In other words, we’re surrounded by sea that’s loaded with fresh fish.  So while our extended families to the north gobble down turkey we’ll be feasting on baked Flounder and bacon wrapped Shrimp with sides of mashed potatoes and green beans almondine.

Galveston Texas
Hey Miss Ingrid, watch this….
white pelican
I’ll take that fish off your hands!
Galveston Texas
a successful steal !!!
Texas birding
Yum and down she goes!

For those of you celebrating, may I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving.  Celebrating or not whatever traditions you share, may your day be filled with joy, laughter, and plenty of food.  And hopefully you won’t have a big white pelican swoop in and steal your dinner.

Galveston Texas
ruffled feathers …. justified indeed!

 

51 thoughts on “When in Rome!”

  1. Wow! What a great series of photos. Poor brownie needs to perfect his technic. 🙂 Choosing seafood in a place such as Galveston is a wise move!! Glad you are enjoying your time there!

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    1. Thank you Darla. Has Connie started a blog. I always enjoy following fellow RVer’s. We’ve explored some great places because of blog posts 🙂

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  3. Those are some amazing photos and perfect for your story line today. We did the big potluck at the RV resort yesterday and I believe that’s the last time we’ll do that. Too much hassle with everyone jockeying around trying to bring in the food and keep it hot – hard to hear with such a crowd. I really prefer finding one or two couples to share the event with, whether in a restaurant or over a campfire.

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    1. We don’t do the potluck thing anymore preferring the small group get together. I really lucked out catching the pelicans. It was really interesting to watch 🙂

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    1. Thanks Gayle …. sometimes it’s just right place, right time and I got lucky with the pelicans. We had a very enjoyable Thanksgiving and hope you did as well 🙂

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  5. Happy Thanksgiving Ingrid. Great pictorial of the birds. I also enjoyed your memories of that first Thanksgiving together. I’m with you on the food side. Turkey is instant gout for Greg – so we have avoided it for many years. We had a small ham, gluten free stuffing, red mashed potato and fruit salad. But Greg loves the traditional pumpkin pie. Glad you had a good day.

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    1. Sounds yummy. I’m gluten free for the most part as well and have to be selective on my diet choices. It was really fun capturing the photos of the pelicans and fascinating. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving 🙂

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  6. What amazing photos. I can’t believe how big that fish was and had no idea how that pelican was going to swallow it. Now I know the rest of the story.

    Happy Thanksgiving.

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    1. Thanks Marsha. I’m not sure if it’s the normal digestive process or not regarding the pelican eating fish. The brown pelican sure had to work hard at it only to have his dinner stolen.
      I’m sure you had a great time hanging with the twenty somethings for Thanksgiving 🙂

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  7. What a fun story accompanied by great photos! We also like to mix things up — keeps life interesting. Your meal sounds delicious and just perfect for your Texas coast Thanksgiving!

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    1. We had a delicious meal and a great day that ended with a walk on the beach. I’m trying to get my fill of seafood and bird sightings before returning to the desert SW. Hope you had a wonderful day as well 🙂

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  8. Happy Thanksgiving!!! amazing photos of the water birds. Hope you had a chance to get some turkey..maybe in the crockpot??

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  9. What great photos! Love these birds. They are always very entertaining. Personally, as I sit here listening to marriage related family talk about things I totally don’t agree with. .. I can’t wait to ‘fly’ by the seat of my pants for thanksgiving! Whew!

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    1. Pelicans always make me smile. We love our low key simple holidays that are drama free and snow free. Just returned from a long walk on the beach, but I did need my sweatshirt. Was that mean of me? LOL

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  10. You’re not far from my hometown – Sugar Land – if you have a chance check out Gaidos – delicious food since I can remember – last time I was in Galveston I stopped in for dinner with my brother it was as good as I remembered – Happy Thanksgiving!

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    1. We are really enjoying our time in Galveston. I noticed Sugar Land on the map the other day as we were debating our route to Port Aransas. Thanks for the tidbit on Gaidos…. I drove by it the other day. Happy Thanksgiving to you as well.

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    1. It doesn’t make sense to cook a turkey for two people and use up a lot of propane especially since Al and I aren’t fans of turkey. Thus, fish it is 🙂 Have a great day and enjoy your sons visit!

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  12. A couple of years ago we spent Thanksgiving on the Beach at Galveston Island State Park – great memory. Happy Thanksgiving.

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    1. And a Happy Thanksgiving to you as well. We’re staying just 3 miles south of the state park and thus I’m at the park regularly walking around snapping photos of birds 🙂

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  14. Your photos are absolutely breathtaking, Ingrid. What a cheeky bird, that white pelican is! Gotta feel sorry for the brown one, after all that effort. I must admit that I wouldn’t want anyone’s secondhand dinner, but then, I’m not a hungry pelican. 🙂

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    1. Thank you Sylvia. I did feel sorry for the brown pelican. He was working so hard to swallow that fish when along came a bully and easily stole it. Hope the remodel is coming along!

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    1. I wasn’t sure if the brown pelican was having trouble swallowing the fish or if that was a normal evolution as he was working on that fish for a good 10 minutes (that I saw anyway). Then the white one took it and it was immediately down. Fascinating to watch.

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  19. Ingrid, that was an amazing photo story! Wow! Poor guy tried so hard to eat that fish only to lose it to that beautiful white pelican.

    No Thanksgiving dinner happening here today:) But I will be cooking a traditional dinner next weekend since our son is flying out just so I can cook him his holiday meal.

    Happy Thanksgiving:)

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    1. Yes, the poor brown pelican worked for at least ten minutes trying to eat that fish only to have the white one steal and swallow in a few short minutes.
      Enjoy the visit with your son. We savor those kid visits, don’t we? Have a lovely day in Havesu 🙂

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  20. Wow, what a scene you were fortunate to see!

    I’m a non traditional girl myself, loving variety and experimentation over the same-old-thing any time…but I spend the holiday with a family that loves tradition. While everything else on the holiday table may be the same as we had the year before, my dishes will always be something new and a little bit different because the same-old, same-old is just boring to me!

    Here’s to shaking things up and making life interesting!

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    1. Ah, a gal after my own heart….. love shaking things up a bit. Perhaps that’s why we enjoy ever changing scenery.
      I definitely lucked out capturing those pelicans. Have a lovely Thanksgiving 🙂

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  21. Hey your bird photos are out of this world… a steal what a lucky capture… almost beyond belief… have a good Thanksgiving sorry but I do agree… you can keep the turkey…

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    1. Thanks Bulldog. I had so much fun watching these pelicans and couldn’t believe my luck. So taking a note from the pelicans, I decided that day to have fish for our Thanksgiving. Besides, roasting a turkey in the RV wouldn’t be a wise option…. uses to much propane baking for hours. Can’t wait for you to start playing around with that new camera 🙂

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  22. Ingrid!
    Terrific photo story about the pelicans… hilarious… and a great job of capturing the entire story… from beginning to “end”. And thanks for sharing your personal T-Day story… ahhh… life on the road, airports and wherever. Have a great one!
    Gene

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    1. Thanks Gene. I really lucked out stumbling upon the pelican’s. Life’s always an adventure whether on the road or in the air. Happy Thanksgiving 🙂

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  23. Wonderful post Ingrid. Those pictures couldn’t be better, what luck you had! Happy Thanksgiving to you and Al, I know you’ll enjoy the day.

    Sue

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    1. Yes Sue, I sure did get lucky encountering the pelicans when I did. We’ll be enjoying a beautiful day on the beach today. Sending you some warmth and sunshine 🙂

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