A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR FAMILY & FRIENDS!
Best wishes for health and happiness in the New Year! Healing and comfort also!
The heat and humidity is still abounds as we said “Goodbye”
to all our new friends and moved out of Salt Springs and headed for Ross
Prairie Campground just south of Ocala in preparation for spending Christmas
with D&S. As usual, my sister has
decorated the inside of their home with brightly colored trees, poinsettias,
red ribbons and anything sparkly and gold!
Out front, surrounded by more poinsettias, was my favorite large white
3-piece Nativity Scene that has greeted us for the last 7 years of our spending
the holiday with them! On the front
door was a beautiful, welcoming wreath and the walkway was lined with the large
red bells that played Christmas music when you walked by! Christmas Day was enjoyed by visiting with
D’s son, daughter and son in law and caught up with the events of the last
year! After our scrumptious dinner we
came home with leftovers to enjoy!
Our time in Ocala was shorter this year but we did find the
time to go re-explore Dunnellon, the Rainbow River and Rainbow Springs State
Park. Of course, we walked the sprawling Paddock Mall, Dicks Sporting Goods and
even Hobby Lobby!!
The path leading from Ocala was much more uneventful this
year than last - with it’s multi stopping to cool off the overheated wheel
bearings! The “train” cruised on with
only a short delay for breakfast at Cracker Barrel where we thoroughly enjoyed
one of our Christmas Gift Cards!
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| Marina lights and reflections |
Trimble Park, just outside of Mt Dora, is one of our
favorites. And Mt Dora celebrates
Christmas to the fullest! We delayed
our first trip to town till after the gorgeous coral sunset had faded and the
homes along the roadway had turned on their sparkling decorations of
lights. SPFB’s for my blathering about
the millions of bright lights that adorn the large marina that we pass by each
time we go to downtown! This year they
even outdid themselves with all the boathouses covered in bright blue lights
that reflected over the ripples on the water of the small cove. From our vantage point you could see the
palm trees, standing tall and wound around with even more bright lights. HA!
Maybe we should have worn our sunglasses! As we drove by the decorated
fence, there was a big red boat parked, with a big red Santa occupying the
Captains seat. Several reindeer were in
the back seat! A nativity completed the
collection of holiday scenes.
We managed to find a parking spot on the crowded streets and
strolled the busy shopping area of downtown.
The tall Christmas tree that used to be hid in a large empty plaza has
been moved to the middle of a blocked off street so you don’t have to go far to
be amazed by this brightly lit spectacle.
The lights still dance and change with the music! Across the street is a 1920’s bungalow that
has been transformed into a gift shop.
It’s covered with lights and decorated in a gingerbread theme! Down the hill is the public marina so you
can see and hear the tree from the waterfront!
The shops that line the narrow streets are outlined with more lights and
all the small trees that dot the sidewalks are draped with even more white
lights! We really should have worn our
sunglasses!
