Island Life- The Morning Commute

By Melissa Miller (Steward Real Estate Assistant)

I have found my home, my heart, and the place where I want to establish my roots in Orange Beach, Alabama. I leave my house at 7 every morning, after putting my two older children on the bus in my neighborhood. I feel blessed that I get to drive the first ten minutes of my commute alongside the intercoastal waterway.

My three year old daughter and I love to play the game “What will we see on the water today?” On any given morning, we may see large carrier barges headed for the Gulf of Mexico, sea birds diving for their morning meal, and we have even seen a school of dolphins swimming down the canal. There is serenity in driving parallel to a body of water that offers so much to our local community. There are days where the water is so still that it reflects the billowy white clouds in the sky and the pine trees reaching up into the heavens.

We enjoy the new construction that is taking place where Hwy 180 turns towards the south; where they are building the newest restaurant attraction: the third Tacky Jacks restaurant. When President Obama came to visit the area after the oil spill, the Original restaurant is where he chose to have his taste of Orange Beach cuisine. My guess would be that the view overlooking the Gulf of Mexico helped sway his vote on where to imbibe.

We weave through the traffic where our island schools meet: Gulf Shores Middle School and Gulf Shores High School. My oldest son started at GSMS this year, and we have had a great experience thus far. My oldest son, attended Orange Beach Elementary from Kindergarten through the end of 6^th grade. My 7 year old, son is currently in his third year at OBES.

I grew up in Southern California, and was blessed that my parents were able to put me in private school for my formative years. I have been impressed at the level of education offered at the island schools; the teachers are enthusiastic about our children and their education and they go above and beyond to make sure that the children are happy and healthy in their learning endeavors.  
After navigating through the traffic at the schools, we end up going south on Hwy 59. If you have never been to the area, navigation is easy. Highway 59 runs from I-10 south and eventually runs into the beach at Gulf Shores. We have a few major roads that will carry you east and west, one of them being Ft. Morgan Road. At the end of this 22 mile road lies Fort Morgan, a great place to spend a Saturday exploring. There is a charm about this part of the drive, as well. This road is so well established that there are trees surrounding and overlapping the highway, and the further down you go, the more natural beauty you experience.

The light on Ft. Morgan road in the morning is exquisite. You see the orange hues weaving through the tree branches to touch the people walking their dogs and out for an early morning bicycle ride. One of the most compelling draws to life on the island is the sense of community. While observing people in their morning routine, you can often witness a “good morning” and a wave. Southern hospitality is epitomized on this island, where living really is good.

After leaving my 3 year old at preschool, I head North on Hwy 59, where there is often something new to see. Recently, the city of Gulf Shores has been updating their flowers on the corner of Hwy 180 and Hwy 59. Even though we have all experienced or observed the dip in the economy, there are still new construction and new businesses sprouting up around north Gulf Shores and south Foley. There are still homes for sale in Orange Beach, AL, as well as the surrounding cities.
We have all been privy to the talk of the disaster that could have occurred from the oil spill off our coasts. Right now, the biggest road block to our local economy seems to have passed, and our collective hope that we are through the worst. We are thankful that there has not been more of an impact to our wildlife and the natural beauty of this area that we call home. Once again in the face calamity, this community has banded together to assure that south Baldwin County will remain a wonderful place to live. Lucky for me, I can still enjoy my coffee in the mornings with the assurance that growth is all around me- in nature, in my children, and in the place that I call my home.  

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