Week one John Prince

Monday morning the “train” was hooked up and the blue truck
headed east into the wind, towards the Atlantic side of the state across forty miles of sugarcane fields.  At times there was not even a palm tree in sight.  We pulled into John Prince County Park and Campground in Lake Worth and H backed into our site on the edge of Lake Osborne.   For the next two weeks, the big back window will be about 10 feet from the waters edge.  The resident neighbors are Muscovy ducks, long legged, spotted brown Limpkins and even a big green Iguana!! Check out the tree trunk!  John Prince Park is named after a well-liked county commissioner who served for 18 years back in the 1940’s.  There are almost 300 campsites and over 700 acres that include miles of paved bike trails, mulched exercise/running paths, space for soccer games and a golf course.  Lake Osborne has a parade of pleasure boats and small fishing boats that cruise by each day.  The lake connects with a myriad of channels, where lots of kayaks and canoes hang out.

Lake Osborne

 H was restless to see the ocean and inspite of the impending heavy clouds we traversed the arched bridge that crossed the Intercoastal waterway and found the Lake Worth beaches. The sandy shore was sparsely dotted with tourists and the sidewalks and benches were empty because the storm was coming across the aqua water at an increasing speed.  Even the seagulls were struggling to fly.  We made it back to the truck just as the deluge began!

Palm Beach

Early Tuesday morning the real storm hit with a vengeance – thunder, lightening and strong winds that rocked the trailer.  By 9ish it was beginning to settle and H did not want to sit around and watch it rain, so we headed south to Fort Lauderdale and an indoor flea market that H and another friend used to go to before my days in Florida began.  It is called Swap Shop and looks like a large yellow warehouse sitting in the midst of a half dozen drive in theaters!  The interior of this multi level “warehouse” has an arcade, a restaurant, a car show, and of course rows and rows of cheap jewelry, clothing and shoes.  H says it even used to have a circus!  Surrounding the main building are canopies covering long rows of produce, clothing  - - - and shoes!  The shopkeepers were struggling to keep the puddles of water in the walkways from damaging their wares.  Other small shops surrounded the outer edge of the buildings and in the parking lot were even more venders with piles of their “wares” laying on tarps or just on the wet ground.

We had noticed several areas on Fort Lauderdale and Pompano that had tree damage and palm fronds down.  It was then we heard on the news that more tornadoes had touched down in the area!   Several buildings had roofs torn off and a stable had damage and horses injured.  Are we following the tornadoes or are they following us? 

Down A1A we found the Boynton Beach Inlet parking lot.   The tide was rushing to get thru the narrow cement lined “inlet” canal as we walked up and over the bridge to the other side.  The long jetty was lined with fishermen – and hungry pelicans!   Fancy big white boats seemed in a big hurry to get thru the narrow gauntlet of cement so their wide crashing wakes threw pounding waves against the walls of the canal.   On the way back to John Prince we bent our necks and tried to peer into the fancy gates that protected the homes and castles on the other side of the tall concealing walls.  Did one of them belong to Rush?  Or Trump? – His big jet was sitting at the airport when we passed by on our trip to John Prince last Monday!

Day at the Zoo

We read online about a “Dual Discovery Pass” for BOTH the Dreher Park Zoo AND the South Florida Science Museum and Aquarium which seemed like a good deal.  Thursday we went to the zoo!  Also called the Palm Beach Zoo, this zoo is 32 acres of trees, jungle, winding streams of water and board walks lined with what looks like thick bamboo lashed together with heavy twine ropes. The animal groups are divided into continents and are set around a big circle of dancing fountains like thick spoke sections on a wheel. We sat in on a “Wild Things Show” which included an introduction and a small talk about each animal.  An Australian Dingo and an African Porcupine were just 2 of the animals. A Two Toed Sloth was hung on a horizontal pole – like a hanger in a coat rack and we all watched her creep hand over hand – ever so     s  l   o  w  l  y   to the post at the other end!  A “Wings Over Water” Show included a Macaw, a massive black and white vulture and a Harris Hawk which landed on a post about 5 feet from me!  Even tho there are no lions, no elephants and not even a giraffe – the highlight of our visit was 2 half grown grizzly bear cubs!  Remember the news report last spring or summer about a momma Grizzly out in Yellowstone that was killed?  She had 2 cubs that were rescued.  These preteen bear cubs played and splashed in the water and scraped with each other like any pair of sisters would!  I must have taken a hundred pictures in order to get a few good shots!

Friday was not going to be a good day for the beach (again) so we chose to go find the Museum/Aquarium.  Standing guard in front of the museum was a huge animated dinosaur that roared as it’s huge mouth opened and shut.  The visiting display, called “Dinosaurs Around the World” promised to turn us into globetrotting explorers, along side 13 life-size roaring, breathing, animatronic dinosaurs as we learned about the creatures that roamed the fierce plains of Africa to the once tropical beaches of Antarctica.  The aquarium was interesting but not as magnificent as the new aquarium at our own Toledo Zoo.  From the museum we ventured to downtown West Palm Beach and found an antique boat show being set up. So far there were two long docks lined with some of the most gloriously restored wooden grand ladies as you could ever find.  The vessel at the end of one dock was the

 “Honey Fitz”.  She was the presidential yacht for 5 US Presidents from Truman to Nixon.   Although each president changed her name, JFK named her “Honey Fitz” after his maternal grandfather – John Frances Fitzgerald and that name has been given back to her.

It’s been a busy week here in John Prince.  I’ll tell you about all the rest next time.  More storms are predicted but maybe we’ll make it to the beach again before we head north.

Okeechobee Torry Island

Harvesting sugar cane

Lake Okeechobee is the 2^nd largest freshwater lake in the USA – second only to the Beautiful Blue Lake Michigan.  An odd shaped circle, the lake encompasses 730 square miles, is normally 14 feet deep, and has 143 miles of earthen levees around it.  The 30 ft tall levees are rimmed with paths suitable for biking and walking and bird watching.  At the southern end of the lake is Clewiston, then South Bay where we stayed last year and Belle Glade. About 10 miles up the right side is Pahokee.  These small, OLD, agricultural towns are all surrounded by the massive sugar cane farms. As we approached the area from the west there were varying stages of cane growing as far as the eye could see. Some fields, black from being burned were plowed and ready for planting. Some fields were already a foot tall. Some cane was tall, tasseled and drying – ready to be burnt off.  In every direction, rolling black clouds rose above red-hot flames that roared across the dry field.  Huge tractors and combine style equipment were rolling down the still smoking rows and harvesting the latest sweet crop.  Flocks of egrets and ibis followed closely behind, looking for some tasty morsel that may have been uncovered.  Ashes flew everywhere – across the roads and in the towns and even out on the island.

Torry Island campground

Just west of Belle Glade and on the lake side of the tall grassy dike is Torry Island – and the city campground/park that carries the same name. The campground has been here a long time and has improved some since H used to camp here a long time ago but still needs a lot more TLC.  The water is high in the lake and with all the rain the campground is still a bit soggy – besides being surrounded by saw grass and swamp too!  Several canals have been dug to create peninsulas for campsites that allow campers to have their boats at their own site.  Our “train” backed up to one such canal but it is obvious that it had not been cleaned out in a bunch of years!  It’s full of floating weeds, tall reeds, trash and even a 4 ft gator that suns itself on the grassy edge when it is warm enough - just feet from our trailer! 

View from our back window

 Right across the canal from us is just one of the big dams that hold back the water in this expansive lake. This dam and several of the others are still holding back water while the ones that lead to the Caloosahatchee River to the west and the St Lucie canal to the east are wide open.

We’ve oohed and ahhed at several glorious sunsets while we’ve been here. We’ve also hiked a 2-mile path that led over a green steel bridge and thru the swamp to the west of this sunset. We stuck to the center of the dry, mowed path while being alert to the jungle noises that

Port Miayaka lock

kept attacking our ears – chirping & squawking birds of all kinds and other unnerving rustling noises in the tall grasses.  Snakes? Gators?  At one clearing H let out a yelp and jumped back as soon as he saw the large black gator!  Other campers have seen “her” and her 20 babies so we stayed clear of her grassy resting area.  Down the path further we came upon a pair of frolicking otters that chased each other back and forth until they saw/heard us approaching.  Even further down the path was an even larger monster of a gator!  H was ready to turn back but the big fella’ decided to slither off the path and into the dark water, allowing us to pass thru his territory –QUICKLY!

We’ve made even more new friends in our short stay on Torry Island. Janey and Bob are from Michigan and have a trailer that looks like a cousin to ours.  We rode our bikes up on the dike with them and even went out to dinner one evening.  Debi and Jeff are full timers from Ohio!  Bruce and Helen are avid birders from Goshen!

Our week is now complete.  The finishing touch was a “round the lake” trip to the town of Okeechobee on the very northern tip of the lake.  Flea Markets, a humongous fish sandwich lunch at Cowboys (again!) and stops at piers and parks all along the way filled up our Saturday.

On Sunday we’ll finish up with all the tall tales, story swapping, crafting and traveling advice and prepare to move on to Lake Worth and John Prince County Park.

WP FRANKLIN Ft Myers

SPFB!! (See Previous Florida Blogs)  WP Franklin IS our favorite park and everyone else’s too, which is the main reason it is SO difficult to get in.  29 pristine campsites on this long skinny island each face the Caloosahatchee River or the dead end channels
formed when the causeway was built.  The island connects to the opposite side of the river via a wide dam and its adjoining lock and accompanying guiding entry/exit “gates”.   Last year we were on the site #8; this year we are on site #6 which is still across from the eagle’s roosting tree. He was the first thing we (I) looked for when we pulled in and parked!  The small wading tri colored heron and all the skittish little white ibis are here too!  Florida chickens! This year we’ve seen Manatees too!   Right off the edge of our campsite!  Right where H sails his remote controlled sailboat!  Right where the little orange kayaks slide in and out of the water! 

 

Our beautiful white/coral Amaryllis is in full bloom!  Her first multi-layered bloom was at least 10 inches across!  IF the day is warm enough and IF the wind is calm enough she gets set out on either the bbq grill or on the picnic table for us and everyone going by to enjoy. 

The weather has not been very warm, except for a few days, so we’ve been putting miles on the truck. On one of those days we climbed aboard the 35c trolley and rode out across the causeway to the end of Ft Myers Beach and walked from Bowditch Beach back to “Times Square” where all the souvenir shops and restaurants are located.  It was a rare day because the temperature actually made it up to the 80-degree mark, so ice cream was called for before we returned to town on the trolley.   We’ve been to downtown Ft Myers several times to enjoy the main streets that are lined on each side, for as far as you can see, with tall regal Royal Palms.  On one trip we parked near the marina area where all the boats with faraway places of origin painted on their sterns were moored.  Next to the marina is a park and walking paths lined with inviting benches to sit and people watch. At one end of the park is an ornate fountain that features the three best friends of Edison, Ford and Firestone.  They are life sized and realistic with fish, turtles, an alligator and even an otter casually “swimming” around them in the splashing water. The high graceful bridge that crosses the wide Caloosahatchee River and leads to Cape Coral on the other side dominates the background!

It was B&C’s turn to come visit us and we went out exploring more new sites that day also!  We intended to have seafood for lunch but Bud’s GPS took us to a ”seafood” place that was no longer there.  However, there was another restaurant there and it had pictures of different types of seafood on the windows.  The parking lot was full!  So we pulled in, parked and entered the building. The interior was almost void of people but the waitress greeted us sweetly and guided us to a cloth-covered table/booth.  A pretty girl, pleasingly plump, she advised us about the menu and what each item was.  Her accent was not the normal Hispanic that we’ve been accustomed to hearing. We learned we were in a Peruvian Restaurant!  Our lunches were different but still very tasty. Mine was anyway – except for all the cilantro!  A visit to the beach park and pier in Cape Coral and a jaunt thru Ft Myers filled the afternoon and then it was time for B&C to head back to their home.

On another day, H was restless so we drove out onto Ft Myers Beach and followed the busy road from the northern end of the island to the southern end and back to the mainland at Bonita Springs where we found the Naples/Ft Myers Greyhound Race Track.  Obviously neither of us is a gambler but we’ve never been to a greyhound track so H pulled the dollars out of his wallet and we slithered thru the rotating gate into the betting and grandstand area. Hotdogs, beer and pop were $1 each so we loaded up and headed up the steps to find a spot to sit and watch and learn.  Someone had given us their program as they were leaving the track and we had the last 3 races to watch!  I thought for sure with a name like WWW Jethro Gibbs, that dog would be a sure winner.  Nope!  In the next race I chose Nitro Kristie but she didn’t do any better!  In the last race, I was positive that Hank Aaron would bring it across the line.  At least he came in 2^nd!  Thankfully there was NO $$ involved – just wishes!   We each wondered how those 45mph animals would be able to slow down and come to a halt after chasing that silly rabbit so fast and how the handlers would be able to retrieve their canines.  Simple – a BIG red canvas is pulled up as soon as the bunny went by and the dogs come to a COMPLETE halt – NOW!   The handlers are right there and quickly step in and snap the leash on their charge!

This area of Florida has had 13 inches of rain during the month of January.  At Lithia Springs, we had 6 inches in just 2 days.  Lake Okeechobee, half way across the state, is fed by runoff and rain.  The lake is full and the dams on both sides have been opened and polluted water is rushing into the rivers and out into the blue salt water of the Gulf of Mexico. “Our” dam is spewing out dark, frothing water and since the water behind it is so high – all the trash and dying vegetation is piling up against it.  The buzzards and crows walk on it each day looking for lunch.  After a trip to Ortona Locks, we saw their dam’s 4 gates were spewing even more!!  The islands are a mess from all the storms that have caused a red tide to dump lumps of red seaweed up on the shores. The salt water that was once blue is now dark and mucky from all the water coming from the river.  Everyone is upset and angry.

Our time on this beautiful island is finished and our little account is caught up!  We must resume our gypsy style and move on.  We’re half way thru our winter journey and the “train” has to head east.  East – past LaBelle, around the high dikes of the southern end of Lake Okeechobee to another island – Torry Island.

Highlands Hammock & Lithia Springs

Timing is everything.  And OBVIOUSLY we are/were lacking!!   It has been almost 4 weeks since we left Mt Dora and Trimble Park and the blog that I had written was never posted until just the other day.  What was the problem?  Husband’s selective hearing?  Wife’s choice not to “nag”?  OR were we just havin’ too much fun???    No matter – it’s time to catch up!

Highlands Hammock State Park is another favorite and is down in Sebring, which is near Lake Placid and another GREAT reason to get to visit with B&C!  Which we did! They have purchased their winter parking spot and are in the process of improving it and making it “home” – and doing a  great job of it!

The park is a “hammock” so is FULL of mature oaks and palm trees.  We rode our trusty little bikes on the circular trail that led thru the dense woods and with all the rain that has been falling this winter we had to go see how much water was in the swamp.  We followed the wide, safe, boardwalk over the dark water with Cypress trees and their multiple roots and “knees” protruding up thru the dark water, until we reached the still narrow, still rickety looking, crooked bridge/board walk that zig zagged out over the deeper area of water.  Yes – I still got that funny feeling in the pit of my stomach as I inched out on that narrow ledge – but I made it across and then obediently followed H back to the bikes!

That Pileated Woodpecker that had been throwing chips of wood at our trailer must have followed us from Trimble Park to Highland Hammock because one was there - along with his mate – pecking and pounding at all the nearby trees in the campground!

We could only get 4 days at Highlands Hammock so too soon it was time to move on – up and over to the Tampa Bay area.  EG Simmons in Ruskin was full which was okay with H because he really wanted to spend time at Lithia Springs again.   Lithia Springs is between Brandon and Plant City so was way closer to Brandon Farms and the strawberry shortcake that we each love so much!!

Lithia Springs is a county park and is finally getting some improvements. The trailer/truck jarring speed bumps are being removed and the electrical and water hookups are now all in the correct spots for much easier hooking up!  AND - the rutted unimproved sites on the 2^nd loop are now graveled (crushed shells) and outlined with split rail fences.  We were assigned one of the new improved sites and so had woods on one side and more behind us.  Behind the wooded area was a pasture with grazing cattle!  On the other side of us was a lovely couple from New Brunswick!  Jean (John) and Francine spoke fluent English and French!  We soon found out that NB is the only Province in Canada that is officially bi-lingual!

Apollo Beach was a bit farther away but we met Bud and Nancy F for breakfast one morning and then made plans to go to the Big Red Barn Flea Market and then out to lunch at Anna Maria’s Oyster Bar.  There is a new one out on Anna Marie Island that had just opened so we chose to go give it a try.  The restaurant is smaller with an even smaller menu selection but if the weather had been warmer it would have been great to eat our fish and chips out in their patio area on the pier.  Nancy and I even got to spend a day shopping when H took the truck to the local Ford dealer for an oil change.  Female conversation for a whole day - for the first time in two months!!

The weather was warm in December but January has brought cold fronts and storms  - one right after the other.  One tornado caused damage in Siesta Key, a community just south of Tampa and west of Sarasota.  It jumped over and destroyed a mobile home in the small town of Duette, which is south of Brandon.  Those cold fronts kept the air cool and the winds strong so we knew there would be plenty of manatees if we went to the Apollo Power Plant Viewing area.  Everyone else knew that also.  The viewing platforms were full of tourists taking pictures of the big sea creatures below in the warm water of the power plant.  No matter which way you looked you could see a half dozen dark wet noses sticking up from the murky water.

Too cold to go walking on the beaches, we still could go exploring in the big blue truck – especially since gas prices are now way below the $2 mark - downtown Tampa with all its tall shiny buildings stretching towards the blue sky and along the Bayside Boulevard, lined with beautiful big Florida mansions and across a couple of the many bridges that cross from Tampa to St Petersburg. On one of our first visits to the area, years ago, we ended up out on the St Pete’s Pier and it’s upside down pyramid.  On the next visit the pier was open but the pyramid was closed.  Now the pyramid is totally gone and what is left of the pier is empty.

Well, that’s caught us up for a couple of weeks – we’re now in WP Franklin Lock and Dam Corp of Engr Campground.  Our campsite is great but the weather is not!  On our next chat, I’ll tell you all about the water situation!

LATE POST Forgot about posting this last month. Belated Trimble Park

It’s not summertime but in Trimble Park the livin’ is easy.  The days have melted together and have formed another mellow memory.  The dappled sunlight bounced off the water as the afternoons progressed and would dance up and down the trailer walls – on the days that still had any sunshine.

See the tall oaks standing above the trailer?   One morning while watching the morning news and enjoying our first cup of coffee, a barrage of noise clattered on the roof of the trailer and the roof of the slide that we were sitting under.  It sounded as if a herd of squirrels were throwing acorns at a target suspended above our heads.  H went out to investigate and saw a big, crazed Pileated Woodpecker beating his head on a dead branch, using his sharpened beak like an axe to peck off chips of wood that fell like rocks to the trailer roof below.

 

On one of our walks around the park, H almost stepped on a 5ft long stick that was laying in the dusty roadbed – except I hollered and the stick moved!

Next came the suspense of not knowing if the coiled up threatened reptile was a rattler or not.  Its tail shook like it had rattles and its cheeks were flared.  After several other campers heard the ruckus and came to see the commotion – we all learned the snake was a Yellow Rat Snake whose actions mimic a rattlesnake to scare predators away.  It almost worked!

 

    The roar of the DeHaviland Beaver seaplane that we had the thrill of riding in last year flew low over the park EVERY day.  We would hear the deep rumble of the engine way before we could see the plane cruise slowly over the treetops and slide across the opening in the tree canopy before heading out over the open water in front of us.  One day while out “exploring” Mt Dora we stood on the city docks and watched him aim his sturdy craft into the wind and charge thru the waves and splay the water away as he took off into the sky. 

Added to our growing list of “NEW” friends are Barbara and Ron from Englewood Florida. She and I found out we have lots of stuff in common!  And Jeff, proud owner of a gorgeous old motor coach, graciously gave me yarn that was his wife’s before she passed away this past year.  I started a prayer shawl and was fortunate to have it partially completed so he could see how pretty it was going to be when finished.  As you knit a prayer shawl, it is customary to pray for the cancer patient who will receive it.  This shawl was prayed over for that lady, for my dear friend still up in Ohio who is just now going thru chemo for cancer and also in remembrance of this lady whose yarn it was.

Well, our 2 weeks have passed quickly.  The weather highs and lows have passed just as fast.   Our next destination is farther south in Sebring at Highlands Hammock State Park.  The weather forecast for moving day is rain and wind.

Happy New Year From Mt. Dora

And a Happier, Healthier New Year to All!!    When we woke up on January 1, 2016 - It looked like the year that just ended but, hey, let’s not judge it yet and give the New Year a chance.

Congratulations to the Michigan Wolverines who handily whooped the Florida Gators in the Citrus Bowl stadium down here in Orlando!  We had been out exploring Winter Garden when the game came on so we listened to the enthusiastic announcers on the radio calling all the game plays. Their

exuberance sounded more like they were calling a horse race instead of a football game!  We were close enough to the stadium we could see the big blimp slowly circling above!  We were home by half time and were glued to our seats in front of the TV for the rest of the game.  Oh – and congrats to Ohio State for winning their game also.

Fountains of Winter Garden

The Christmas displays are still up in downtown Winter Garden.   On this visit, the dancing fountains were busy with little tots and their attentive parents.  The little ones would giggle and dance and then when the

water spray would stop, they would turn and look to see where the tall wet refreshing spray went.  Whoosh!  It would start up again and so would the giggling!  

Fishing pier at Winter Garden

On each visit to Winter Garden, we must visit the peaceful lake front park on the edge of downtown next to the slimy green Lake Apopka to stroll the bridges, sidewalks and lone fishing pier . . .. and look for alligators.  There were none to be found on this visit!  Lake Erie is not alone in its fight against pollution and Algae Blooms.

So far, this January in central Florida has been sunny, warm and humid but the breeze coming off the lake, just 20 or so feet from the back of the trailer has kept the heat under control.   #8, then #7, then #6 were our normal 1^st choices of campsites at the other end of the small dusty circle of 15 sites. This year we are nestled in on site #12 and the back of the trailer with all its huge windows is about 20 feet from the small waves that lick the shoreline.  Palm trees, Cypress and Live Oak trees draped with silvery Spanish moss border the shoreline and protect the trailer with dappled shade during the warm afternoons.  Across the lake, the sunsets are either glowing gold that softly change to bold corals before disappearing into the blackness of night or shades of silver with bright chrome accents of light glimmering across the steel shades of the water with the stark silhouettes of the trees standing guard.  And, yes, we have seen the alligator lurking out past all the reeds! The owl is still here, as are the woodpeckers, cardinals, a flock of shorebirds that resemble long legged, hungry chickens and the always-present squirrels, chasing each other thru the palmetto brush!

In the past, Webster Florida has been best known for it’s HUGE Flea Market that has ALWAYS been open only on Wednesday. S had taken me to this market years ago and we had only managed to complete about a quarter of the rows and rows of venders.  This year, H answered the call to finally go explore this market, so off we ventured – across long bridges and thru tiny towns with silly names like Howie-In-The-Hills and Yalaha.  As we drew nearer to where the market was, we noticed the lack of the normal backed up traffic that comes with popular flea markets.  As we approached the intersection, we then noticed the empty parking lots and the skeletons of wooden tables where the busy, hawking venders should have been.  All of the multiple rows and rows of rickety, rotten tables looked like a neglected cemetery with decayed, dilapidated grave markers.  I guess we should have checked before we ventured out, eh?  The trip was not a total bust – we did enjoy the great scenery and on the way back to base we stopped at a German Bakery in Yalaha that we had been told about.  This ethnically designed big yellow building was painted with German designs over all the windows, the doorway, and even over the archway to the outdoor sitting area.  Inside, crusty looking loaves of flour dusted bread sat on the shelves and in the front glass display case were all the pastries - expensive but delicious looking!  H’s choice was the small, creamy rich hazelnut confection in a scrumptious chocolate-crusted pie appropriately called “Fat Man’s Misery”

Bakery in Yalaha, Fl.

We’re here in Trimble Park for 2 weeks and we have another week yet to go. A cold front and rain are pushing out the warm sunny weather. So we’ll see what is to come!

Merry Christmas 2015

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! 

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!

So, we’re parked in Trimble Park now for 2 weeks to enjoy the scenery and make more new friends.  Stay tuned, dear ones and we’ll share our adventure with you!