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Thursday, February 28, 2013
TC Says Hi!
At Hammond Stadium. TC says Hi to everyone back home! Twins leading 7-0 over Orioles.
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Disney World
We spent four delightful days at Disney World. Enjoyed Ft Wilderness (the campground) with a great run in the forested areas. We both saw numerous deer, and one armadillo who cruised right through our campsite. We went to two Spring Training baseball games: the one previously mentioned at Champion Park, and one down in Kissimmee where we saw the Houston Astros vs the Detroit Tigers. The stadium that day was eerily empty. It is the Spring Training site for the Astros, but there were more Detroit fans than Astros fans, by far, and not many of those either. Now that the Astros are in the American League West, having just moved from the Natl League, I would predict that they will go to the Cactus League for Spring Training. There is little for them in Kissimmee!!!
We had fun riding the boats that are a major means of transportation around the park. We also had a very pleasant day at Epcot. It had been quite a few years since we were at Disney World and Epcot. The countries' exhibits were interesting and for the most part well done. We had very nice meals there (lunch and dinner), and stayed for the spectacular fire, fireworks and laser light show in the evening.
We also went to the Hoop-Dee-Do at the Frontier Theater at Ft Wilderness. We think it has been almost exactly 40 years since we did that show with our kids. Hasn't changed a bit!
Here is our lovely campsite at Ft Wilderness. There aren't many any nicer than this.
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We had fun riding the boats that are a major means of transportation around the park. We also had a very pleasant day at Epcot. It had been quite a few years since we were at Disney World and Epcot. The countries' exhibits were interesting and for the most part well done. We had very nice meals there (lunch and dinner), and stayed for the spectacular fire, fireworks and laser light show in the evening.
We also went to the Hoop-Dee-Do at the Frontier Theater at Ft Wilderness. We think it has been almost exactly 40 years since we did that show with our kids. Hasn't changed a bit!
Here is our lovely campsite at Ft Wilderness. There aren't many any nicer than this.
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Saturday, February 23, 2013
Ft Wilderness
We arrived at Disney's Ft Wilderness campground today. Then went to Champion Park to see the NY Yankees vs the Atlanta Braves. After that we walked around Downtown Disney and had dinner. But it is this lovely sunset and the cool of the evening that is really special. I just took this photo from my seat on our patio looking east at the rising moon. So peaceful.
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Kayaking in the Lakes Region
Yesterday was the perfect day for a great kayak tour in a channel that goes right by our RV park between two lakes: Lake Denham and Lake Harris. It was slightly overcast and not too hot or too cold. We embarked at #3 on this map and went west to Lake Denham.
The tea water, so called because of the color caused by abundant organic matter, had no flow, as the two lakes are apparently at the same elevation. Dense Florida foliage lines the shores: mangrove, cypress (?), grasses, lily pads in the water, live oak, and who knows what else.
Right off the bat we saw an alligator sunning on the shore with a turtle on the alligator's back. The turtle almost immediately dove into the water as we passed. As we rounded curve after curve along the quiet waterway, we saw great blue herons, little blue herons, great egrets, kingfishers, an eastern kingbird, anhingas, 2 white-faced ibises, an osprey, several hawks (unidentified), black vultures, and then, what to our wondering eyes should appear but a very large wild boar on the shore. At first I thought it was a black bear, but upon further inspection, it was definitely of the pig family.
We went to Lake Denham, and took the side trip down to the spring, the long run on the dotted line going south. Didn't go quite as far as the spring - my arms were getting tired - out of shape, I guess.
We had no idea when we decided to stay in this area just how good the kayaking and bird watching would be! A great treat!
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The tea water, so called because of the color caused by abundant organic matter, had no flow, as the two lakes are apparently at the same elevation. Dense Florida foliage lines the shores: mangrove, cypress (?), grasses, lily pads in the water, live oak, and who knows what else.
Right off the bat we saw an alligator sunning on the shore with a turtle on the alligator's back. The turtle almost immediately dove into the water as we passed. As we rounded curve after curve along the quiet waterway, we saw great blue herons, little blue herons, great egrets, kingfishers, an eastern kingbird, anhingas, 2 white-faced ibises, an osprey, several hawks (unidentified), black vultures, and then, what to our wondering eyes should appear but a very large wild boar on the shore. At first I thought it was a black bear, but upon further inspection, it was definitely of the pig family.
We went to Lake Denham, and took the side trip down to the spring, the long run on the dotted line going south. Didn't go quite as far as the spring - my arms were getting tired - out of shape, I guess.
We had no idea when we decided to stay in this area just how good the kayaking and bird watching would be! A great treat!
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Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Regarding Oranges and Strawberries
We are staying in the Central Florida area near Leesburg. This is the lakes region, and there are at least as many lakes large and small, and potholes as there are per square mile in areas of Minnesota. Very nice area. It is finally warming up and will be in the 70s or even 80s today. Wonderful!
Yesterday we toured Mt Dora, a hilly little town on a lake just east of here. Very charming old Florida. Two days ago we toured The Villages, a newer development which has a constructed downtown, very Disneyish. Lots of golf courses, and homes large and small surrounding the golf courses. Of course there is also a lake. Here is a photo of the "downtown" area. Golf carts are the preferred way to get around. It was a very busy scene there. The Starbucks was the busiest we've seen in a long time.
A few observations on produce:
The strawberries from Plant City, FL, are so much better than the Driscoll from Watsonville, CA, that they are not even in the same league. The Driscoll strawberries are bred for travel. They are shipped all over Canada (I have purchased them on the Alaska Highway), and certainly all over the Western and Central US. I have bought Driscoll in Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and as far south as the Carolina's. They have, in my opinion, become quite flavorless. We started seeing Plant City strawberries in Tennessee and Georgia, and thankfully that is all we are seeing in FL. I have seen them occasionally in Walmart Supercenters in various places in the US. Leave it to Walmart to find the best deals, and in this case, the best product!
Here is a large irony: Florida is known for oranges, right? We think of the superb orange juice that comes from Florida, and wonderful Indian River citrus. Well, guess where the navel oranges come from that one purchases in the grocery stores here? From CALIFORNIA! ALL of them that I have seen so far! What's up with that? Unlike California strawberries, California naval oranges are wonderful right now. I wonder what Florida ones would taste like.....?
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Yesterday we toured Mt Dora, a hilly little town on a lake just east of here. Very charming old Florida. Two days ago we toured The Villages, a newer development which has a constructed downtown, very Disneyish. Lots of golf courses, and homes large and small surrounding the golf courses. Of course there is also a lake. Here is a photo of the "downtown" area. Golf carts are the preferred way to get around. It was a very busy scene there. The Starbucks was the busiest we've seen in a long time.
A few observations on produce:
The strawberries from Plant City, FL, are so much better than the Driscoll from Watsonville, CA, that they are not even in the same league. The Driscoll strawberries are bred for travel. They are shipped all over Canada (I have purchased them on the Alaska Highway), and certainly all over the Western and Central US. I have bought Driscoll in Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and as far south as the Carolina's. They have, in my opinion, become quite flavorless. We started seeing Plant City strawberries in Tennessee and Georgia, and thankfully that is all we are seeing in FL. I have seen them occasionally in Walmart Supercenters in various places in the US. Leave it to Walmart to find the best deals, and in this case, the best product!
Here is a large irony: Florida is known for oranges, right? We think of the superb orange juice that comes from Florida, and wonderful Indian River citrus. Well, guess where the navel oranges come from that one purchases in the grocery stores here? From CALIFORNIA! ALL of them that I have seen so far! What's up with that? Unlike California strawberries, California naval oranges are wonderful right now. I wonder what Florida ones would taste like.....?
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Saturday, February 16, 2013
We've Achieved Florida
Just crossed the state line into Florida from Georgia. Took only 3 1/2 days. Not bad. The sunshine greeted us. Gloomy and cold in GA. But still not warm in FL. We have been just ahead of the cold front the whole way. It will be cold here tonight as well.
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Windy Travel
We left behind most of the snow in as short a distance south as Waterloo, IA, and by Davenport, our first night stay, there was almost none. However a clipper came through with lots of wind and chilly temps. The cold air will continue to sag south, so warm temps are still not ours. We are in Paducah, KY, tonight and it will be below freezing here by tomorrow night. Fortunately no problems with the RV. Gary's repairs have all been good so far!
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
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