St. Joseph Peninsula State Park

We're in St. Joseph Peninsula State Park for the next two weeks, and are pleased with the campsite we were able to get. Site #75 is deep and angled in a way that offers wonderful privacy and view to the area thick with various palms and longleaf pines between us and the ocean.   (To you gardeners who are chuckling at my use of the term "leaf" in relation to a pine tree, I was surprised to find that IS the common name for Pinus palustris).  When we were here last year, it was shortly after a prescribed burn in this campground, and vegetation was still pretty black and unappealing looking, though the beach was wonderful, as always. A year later the burned area is covered with lush new growth, the only evidence of last year's burn the charred lower portions of the trunks of larger pines and palms.

The campground is unusually quiet for this time of year, only about half occupied, so very quiet and peaceful, despite the rowdiness you would expect from the 'mostly over-60' crowd of current inhabitants.  Some of our neighbors do appear to have a quirky sense of humor, judging from their vehicles and/or campers.  It's lovely seeing people display their individuality!

Note the old heater next to the old suitcases, etc. Beautifully refurbished.

Do you think this one might be from TEXAS?!?!? 

The beach here has that lovely white sand that looks like snow from a distance...and somewhat, even close up, so we're getting the visual benefit of the white stuff that Michigan is currently experiencing, without the drawbacks of the shoveling.

This area has been experiencing a red tide, so mixed with the shells on the beach are a great many starfish of differing shapes and sizes, often washed up in groups of 10 or more - like nothing we have seen here before.

A severe storm is predicted for this evening and night, with winds of 20-40 mph and 2-3" of rain.
Tonight's view over the ocean makes it clear that this weather warning is not a false one.