I’ve
tried to refrain from using “See Previous Florida Blog” but Whisper Creek RV Resort in LaBelle is
definitely a SPFB! H got us a 4 day free stay when we went to
the RV show in Tampa. And, as before we
were sent to “The Glenn” the large grassy area where most of the transient
units parked. This year the entrance to
the Glenn was planted with extremely prolific bright orange flowering
bushes. Which brings me to the point
where I need to introduce you to “Flat Stanley”. Grndau R is in the 3rd grade and her project this
winter is a “Flat Stanley’s Florida Adventure”. Each time I post a blog I also send her a report (including
pictures) about Stanley’s adventure.
Hence – Stanley and the orange flowers.
This year the park was missing a good percentage of their previous
residents and they were no longer pushing lots to sell. As last time, the folks were still very
friendly and always spoke as they passed by.
Lots of license plates from Michigan and Ohio with a strong
representation from Indiana too!
Church was held in the clubhouse!
The pianist played all the great hymns that we “older folks” enjoy so
much and the preacher spoke from the Bible!
After the service I spoke with him and his wife who just happened to be
from Indianapolis! After we played a
bit of “Where have you been in Indiana” I found out that they both attended
Lincoln Bible College - at the same
time that Brthr N Law Paul did! And
they remembered my favorite preacher/missionary/the man who married H&I –
Charles Phipps! My day was
complete! But then – Sunday evening was
an ice cream social! Then my day was
REALY complete!
Out
and about to explore, and to find a future “home” was our mission one day. Our first stop was WP Franklin Lock &
Dam campground. The day was sunny and warm – a great day to be out seeing new
things and soaking up some sun. The
water was calm above the lock/dam area and higher than it had been when we
stayed there last time. The campground
was full as usual. We had tried to get
a spot but as before – no luck. On
down the road, closer to Lake Okeechobee, was Ortona Lock & Dam. That campground was also full! We did luck out to arrive just as a
good-sized vessel was locking thru, heading east. Our last stop for the day was Moore Haven Lock & Dam – the 3rd
lock on the Calloosahatchee River that flows west from Lake Okeechobee to the
Gulf of Mexico at Ft Myers. According
to the brochures, there were several PA campgrounds there, however, the few
“campgrounds” we did see were not worth going to. Nuff said?
When
we left Ft Myers, we left the Gulf of Mexico beaches, the bustling city
traffic, fancy homes and palm lined streets.
On the way to LaBelle we drove thru Orange Groves. Each day at Whisper Creek, there were semis
piled high with oranges zooming up the road on the other side of the high
fence! Then between LaBelle and Moore
Haven over by Lake Okeechobee the orange groves changed to vast cattle
fields. Closer to the lake the fields
changed to tall waving fields of sugar cane and the seemingly ever present
clouds of distant smoke from cane fields being burned. Some fields were empty and black. Some fields looked as if they had just been
planted with onions that already needed thinning out. Some fields were tall and thick and waved in the breeze like
Pampas grass or too thick cattails! H
and I are having a “discussion” as to whether the fields are burned before or
after the cane is cut! Oh well.
