The environmentalist. The volunteer. The nature lover. The person who has everything. The proud local. The appreciative visitor. The ecotourist. The science teacher or student.

Your gift to a friend or family member also supports Weeks Bay Foundation programs.

Many of us fit into at least one of those categories. And we know of one particular gift item that will satisfy any or all of these folks.

When you give someone a 2011 Weeks Bay ornament that commemorates the 25^th anniversary of the designation of the Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, you give much more than a simple gift to a friend or family member. You also support the natural environments of our area and beyond.

Current programs of the Weeks Bay Foundation include submerged equipment, weather stations and sampling projects to monitor water quality. And their ongoing objective is to purchase land in the Weeks Bay watershed that may be added to the National Wildlife Reserve, or be set aside with a conservation easement such as to preserve a wildlife habitat, or create a buffer to conservation lands.

You have four options for securing this decorative item that depicts a fisherman in a kayak. The best value is a combination ornament and one-year membership in the Weeks Bay Foundation for just $50. Send an ornament with a holiday card that includes your personal greeting for just $20, shipping included. Ornaments alone are $15 online, or you may purchase them in person for $12 at Fairhope Pharmacy’s Christmas ’Round the Corner or the Weeks Bay Reserve at 11401 U.S. Hwy. 98 in Fairhope (251-990-5004).

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Sailboat race. Paddle and row race. Children’s treasure hunt. Food and beverage booths. Live music. Wood boat competition with trophy prizes.

April 30 and May 1 are perfect days for the 2011 Wooden Boat Festival at Pirates Cove in Josephine, Alabama.

You’ll encounter all this and plenty more fun when you attend the 14^th Annual Wooden Boat Festival in Josephine, Alabama this weekend.

Two full days, both beginning at 10:00 a.m., bring backwater fun to the forefront for a mere $5 daily ticket or $8 two-day pass (children under 12 are free).

If you are into the music scene, you’re in for a great time. Saturday, April 30, at 11:00 a.m. is Big Daddy O and the Local Riff Raff. At 2:00 is the Lightnin’ Malcolm Band, followed by Moonshine Babies at 6:00. Sunday music includes Big Muddy at 10:00 a.m. and Rollin’ In the Hay at 2:00.

The weather forecast promises a gorgeous weekend, so come on out and enjoy the outdoors! You’ll find all the festivities around Pirates Cove just off the Intracoastal Canal (by water) at I.C.W. Marker #65 and L 30‘ 19.2 N Lo 87′ 32.0 W, or by land at the end of Co. Rd. 95 off of Co. Rd. 20, west of Foley.

Stay informed of Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area activities, vacation rental specials and more by subscribing to this Discover Alabama Beaches blog and Meyer Muse, and by following Meyer Real Estate on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace.

Any day is a good day to explore neighboring towns. But this Saturday, March 26, is an especially good day to head to Dauphin Island, Alabama.

Saturday March 26, 2011—a perfect day to enjoy neighboring Dauphin Island, Alabama.

Hitch a ride on the Mobile Bay Ferry Saturday morning, leaving from Fort Morgan at 8:45, 9:30 or 10:15.

Take the earliest ferry trip so you can stop at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab when it opens at 9:00. Spend some time admiring and learning about the many local sea creatures in the public aquarium.

Then head over to the Spring Break Gumbo Cook-Off, held on the rodeo grounds between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Not only will you get to taste as much gumbo as you can hold, but you may choose to meet Alton Brown, star of “Good Eats” and host of “Iron Chef America.” And you’ll be thoroughly entertained by music from Grayson Capps & The Lost Cause Minstrels, as well as Ryan Balthrop & Friends.

When the cook-off is over, your visit doesn’t have to be. Walk off the extra gumbo and treats during a tour of Historic Fort Gaines, completed during the Civil War. Or roam through the beautiful Audubon Bird Sanctuary, noted as one of the best U.S. places to observe “neotropical migrants.” Maybe you simply will want to relax on the beautiful white beaches. There’s no need to hurry—you can grab the final ferry back to Fort Morgan at 6:30. Check out all there is to do at the Dauphin Island website.

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My husband and I—creatures of habit—recently ventured out of our routine. We love being outdoors, but lately we’ve allowed life to get in the way of that pleasure. It was time to combine the blue sky with a new experience.

Launching our kayaks on a beautiful morning.

I have been following Kayak_Alabama on Twitter for a few months, and seeing their posts always makes me wish I was out there experiencing it instead of just reading about it. So—yes, I’m sure you’ve figured it out—I made the contact and arranged for a guided kayak tour. (I’m not into fishing, but you can arrange a kayak fishing tour as well.)

Not knowing much about our waterways, I let Chris, the main man behind Alabama Kayak Adventures, choose the spot. He pulled into Graham Creek Nature Preserve just ahead of us, with a truck bed filled with four kayaks. As he untied the colorful load, another guide, Laurel, arrived with her kayak, and photographer Michelle also joined us. Chris and Laurel are both USCG-licensed captains as well as certified Coastal Nature Guides, so I knew we were in good hands.

A welcome feeling of tranquility is inevitable when surrounded by nature.

We dragged our kayaks to the launch ramp and got a quick lesson on how to paddle (so simple!), and next thing we knew we were skimming along a beautiful, winding creek. Neither of us had been in a kayak before, and we were surprised by the stability and ease of maneuvering. With no current to negotiate, we could easily stop to study plants or wildlife, or just paddle slowly and effortlessly.

Eventually the serene creek opened up into Wolf Bay, where we glided past houses, piers and boat docks, and observed schools of fish as they darted around our kayaks. As we started our return, a pair of dolphins teased us with their intermittent presence.

Throughout the morning, the word “peaceful” kept popping into my head. Other than a small plane overhead and the brief passing of a fisherman’s boat, the only sounds were that of Mother Nature. The thick vegetation and some tall trees insulated the creek from the outside world, allowing the illusion of being miles from civilization. And the houses on the bay were set far enough back so as not to intrude on the waterway.

So different from the nearby gulf beaches, with its own amazing beauty.

While we did enjoy conversation during the 3-hour journey, there was also plenty of opportunity to soak up the stillness and focus on the natural setting. Our guides seemed to intuitively understand how special that silence is, perfectly balancing friendly chit-chat, information sharing, and leaving us to our own thoughts.

My first encounter with a kayak now makes me want one of my own, but I know that won’t happen with the crazy schedule I keep. At least now I know how enjoyable it is, and I have memories to call on when I want an escape but don’t have time for such. And best of all, I know who to contact when I can’t resist the call of the kayak any longer.

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It doesn’t matter if you know nothing about 5-Card Stud or any Poker game.

Spend Saturday, October 2, 2010 on a boat to support the Children's Miracle Network.

It doesn’t matter if you have a boat or not.

What does matter is that your participation in the Children’s Miracle Network Slo-Poker Run helps sick children.

It’s a simple price of just $40 to spend Saturday, October 2 on the water with friends and collect cards for a hand of poker, but what an impact that can make on the lives of children with illnesses and injuries. Better yet, you can help even more when you purchase multiple hands—plus it increases your odds of winning a prize. Top hand wins $750, second and third highest hands win cash (to be determined by number of entries), and the lowest hand wins $100.

But that’s not everything. Each boat registered gets a ditty bag with an official event T-shirt plus coupons good at each of the stops along the course.

At the end of the course, you can purchase one or two extra cards to enhance your hand. Or earn a free card by completing a simple land-based obstacle course, with the winners receiving dinner for two.

As for the “Slo-Poker” name, you guessed it: Speed doesn’t matter. This leisurely competition is based solely on the card game, not how quickly you complete the course. If you or your friends don’t have a boat, contact the folks at the Children’s Miracle Network Slo-Poker Run for information—they may be able to connect you with other boaters, or they can supply you with resources for discounted pontoon rentals.

Too busy to be there? That doesn’t matter as much as you might think. Purchase a hand online to be played for you via a proxy. For the sake of the children, don’t let your schedule keep you from participating.

When a child is sick, nothing else seems to matter. But anything you do to help a child in need most definitely matters.

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Like so many folks, you are drawn to local bands and solo acts. But you might hit a snag this time of year as you try to convince yourself or your friends to spend a warm, beautiful summer evening indoors. It can result in a tug of war, but SanRoc Cay has solved the problem for you.

The courtyard at SanRoc Cay will be humming with free live music through Saturday night.

SanRoc Cay’s courtyard, with its interesting architecture that includes an elegant staircase, offers a wonderful place to relax— and, on these wonderful evenings, it creates an ideal atmosphere to soak up the sounds of a variety of musicians.

The popular duo of Rick & Leanne will be turning out the tunes on Wednesday, July 28. Thursday night brings the Most Wanted Band, John Joiner takes over the entertainment on Friday evening, and Cowboy Johnson and Friends brings this week’s schedule to a close on Saturday, July 31. Bands will play from 6:30 until 9:30 p.m.

Come early. In fact, spend the day at SanRoc Cay. Admire the boats at the marina, schedule a trip with one of the charter businesses based there, get a little pampering at the day spa, shop in a number of upscale boutiques, and choose from 4 terrific restaurants to delight your tastebuds.

You’ll find SanRoc Cay on Perdido Beach Blvd. (the beach highway) in Orange Beach, west of the Perdido Pass Bridge, approximately 8 miles east of Hwy. 59.

Stay informed of local activities, vacation rental specials and more by subscribing to this Discover Alabama Beaches blog and Meyer Muse, and by following Meyer Real Estate on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace.