Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Lithia Spring

Round and Round!   The GPS led us West, then North, and then said, “ Make a U turn as soon as possible”!  Again and again!  One time we ended up at Animal Kingdom.  The next time around we took a chance and picked the roadway to the A K Lodge.  Lo and behold there was another road that led off of that path and we escaped the Disney Maze and soon we were finally out of the traffic congestion of Orlando and onto quieter back roads to Plant City, Brandon and the peaceful Lithia Spring Hillsborough County Park.  

Camping at Lithia Spring
Lithia Springs is not the most kept up, modern campground by any means. (SPFB!) but there are some good improvements being made!  All of the NEW electrical AND water hookups are now on the right sides and closer together!  The narrow winding road is being cleared somewhat making it easier to maneuver rigs thru the thick forest/jungle.  There are now 2 pull thru sites and we parked in one of them.   Open and spacious!  No sappy, drippy pine tree above us this year!   The camp hosts are from near Ann Arbor Michigan and we’ve had a nice time catching up from last year.    Since the weather in this area has been less than perfect – so was the condition of the Spring.   A bit of green slime has built up around the shallow end but once the locals and all the kids can get back in it – I am sure it will be back to it’s gorgeous sparkling blue.   The little white nippy fish are still there!

Two weeks on the road
Four weeks on the road
Our beautiful amaryllis is just that – BEAUTIFUL!  Regal and tall and in full bloom with more buds to open!  She even has a second stem arising from her thick base, which will produce 3 or 4 more blooms.   Her double-layered pedals are pearly white with coral streaks of color emitting from a deep center of soft pale lime green.  Her bloom is 9 inches across.  As each bloom fades, there will be another opening to take its place.  I will be able to enjoy her beauty for quite awhile!    On cold, windy days, her perch is in the back corner of the condo, next to the big picture window, where she can catch all the available light rays.  When we pack down to travel she moves to the protection of the shower stall.  Unfit of her beauty, she is humbled and placed inside the empty wastebasket and secured with my 4 brand new rolls of Christmas wrapping paper standing around her pot of stems.  No broken stems for her this year!

It is the weekend and our luck for finding Flea Markets fell flat.   Just like our trip to the Pittsburgh Zoo years ago (and our exit from Disney?), the GPS took us to a small residential area in Lakeland.  No one at the carryout down the road knew anything about any flea market.  Oh well – there was another one listed for Plant City.   HA!   That one had moved and if what was left behind was any inclination as to what had been there  - - - It was creepy!   Oh well – time to buy strawberries at our favorite Brandon Farms roadside stand and make our own shortcake!    DEE-LISH!  

Mission accomplished.  Now it’s on to Ruskin and EG Simmons County Park.    More strawberries, a really big flea market AND Anna Marie’s Oyster Bar!            Come on!