Mary Ann -- I love your description of the Illinois countryside! It makes me homesick! There's nothing better than getting up early in the morning to look out across that flat land.
jpbluesky... arent you near Tallahasse? You should check out St George Island. The marine life is amazing. Lots of crabs and rays right at the shore. Beautiful white beaches that you have to yourself. Graet shell hunting and fishing. Lots of porpoise there too. we vaccationed there last year. This year we are headed to Carrilon Beach just west of Panama City. St George was too secluded for my extended family!