Here Comes the Parade - Part One (7 photos) /
We were at Disney for a day. They gave us a one-day ticket to compensate for the day we lost in the fall because we got Covid. That was nice of them. We arrived about 8 and we left at 10:45 and no, not two hours but almost 15. But we took a long dinner at 2:40 until about 4. Otherwise go, get in line, wait, ride, go, get in line, wait, ride OR in one case stand at a great spot and wait 30 minutes for the Festival of Fantasy parade and take some photos.
Little girl next to us with a sweet hairdo. Dad OK’d the photo. Let the parade begin.
Harry’s, Ocala, Florida /
by Cadillac Moose, PhD, A-1
Superlative comes to mind, so does wow. This restaurant is good enough to make you forget about swamp lilies. Almost.
Set in an old drug store building on the square in downtown Ocala is Harry’s - where a taste of New Orleans is not just a slogan. Well done food that is as good as you get in the Big Easy. (Mr. Hollywood would not know insider stuff like that. It’s one reason I’m a hoof in for judge on the Great British Baking Show.)
We arrived for lunch and were able to be seated quickly and that is not always the case at this very busy place. Service was excellent and the menu while not extensive offered a nice selection of dishes. In our party of four we had blackened Mahi-Mahi, Shrimp and Scallop Orleans, Gumbo, and Grouper. The Mahi was perfectly seasoned, the Shrimp dish included a unique corn cake with a tasso ham gravy, the Gumbo was apparently swoon worthy and the grouper, well it disappeared from the plate too quickly for me to snag a taste. We will assume was excellent too.
Harry’s - fair prices, great food, attentive service, nice ambiance, understated New Orleans atmosphere, happy diners, extensive drinks menu and desserts that I can only imagine because we did not get any! Ridiculous decision. I need more desserts not fewer desserts if I am to achieve my Great British Baking Show judgeship. Help me out here and send dessert coupons to me or money or leftover desserts. (ED NOTE, please don’t he needs to watch his weight.)
Overall FIVE Antlers!
Please let the PhotoBug know that I need MORE BLOG TIME. Who reads this for the photos. More Cadillac is our rally call.
On the River /
Rusty Harman and I went out on two kayaks early one morning at Silver Springs. The sun was just up, mild temperatures and we had the water to ourselves for an hour. The river was placid with sharp reflections and lots of bird activity. We located four manatee in a small cove and watched them for quite a while as they moved slowly under our boats and surfaced often in arm’s reach to snort a breath. What a great start to the day. Rusty also got the only good shot of the manatee! And the Anhinga. Check out the last two for our guest photographer.
Anhinga- photo by Rusty Harman
Manatee, photo by Rusty Harman
Quick Visit: Rainbow Springs & Homosassa Springs /
Both these Florida State Parks were once stand alone attractions drawing in tourists on the Gulf side of Florida. As they declined the state stepped in to secure the beautiful parks. They have a long and interesting history and you can see more than a few remnants still at the parks. Rainbow Springs is mostly a swimming and kayaking location with the paths in the gardens on the hill side losing a battle with the more native foliage. Homosassa Springs is an old zoo now a state run rehab center for injured animals and manatee.
Injured Crested Cara-Cara
Head Shots /
Great Blue Heron - sipping sun
Black-crowned Night Heron
Osprey
Flamingo
Falcon 9 Amazonas Nexus rocket past the moon /
The liftoff was at 8:32 last evening from Cape Canaveral, FL. We viewed it from 20 miles west of Orlando at Lake Louisa State Park. Cool experience.
30 Minute Tour - Glass Bottom Boats /
The last time Cindy was at Silver Springs she took a Glass Bottom Boat tour with Aunt B, Pearl and Wilma (Aunt B’s Cousins). She almost had the same captain. The captain for our trip was in his 54th year, not quite 1960 but close!
I had pretty low expectations for this event - both photos and the tour but both were better than I imagined. The photos less so, the trip was pretty neat with nice views of several springs or vents, lots of fish and grasses and a few cool artifacts including three statues left from a James Bond movie. The only fish I remember the name of is Tilapia. The sea grass was beautiful and swayed with the currant. The colors of the rocks and vents were bright, vivid and almost glowing in places. Just for the history of the short boat ride it was worthwhile. They have been doing this since a glass viewing panel was first installed in a dugout canoe in 1878. That’s right, 1878. Wow.
Silver Springs is a stunning place with the centerpiece of the Silver River flowing a few miles across pristine landscape. Well worth the trip and a great campground.
Statues from an early James Bond movie, what name? Anyone?
Self-portrait
Camping Catch-Up /
Harvest Host, Gamble Rogers State Park, Silver Springs State Park
Tonight we are at our fourth unique place to spend the night. On our way from Raleigh, we stayed one night at Coach’s Corner, a Harvest Host just east of downtown Savannah, then to Gamble Rogers State Park for 5 nights where we met the Harmans for a portion of the stay. We were on the ocean dunes in site 33; it is a lovely place with clean restrooms and water and electric at each site. There is a second camping area by the Intercostal Waterway with some hiking trails on the inland side and a long ocean beach to enjoy on our side.
We then moved to Silver Springs State Park along with Rusty and Janet. We stayed seven days, two on site 8 and five on site 2. Silver Springs has the most spacious sites of any campground we have experienced. They are level and well cared for. A few have sewer along with the standard water and electric found in most Florida State Parks. Silver Springs was beautiful. We hiked several long trails, kayaked on the Silver River, walked on the grounds of the old tourist attraction and visited their excellent history museum. This is a park we would like to come back to next year.
We are 40 miles north at another Harvest Host, Sweet Roots Organic Farm, near Gainesville. We attended church and enjoyed brunch with Carin and Evan Gunter, two special people. Carin is the daughter of Jill, our friend from Knoxville. Her husband, Evan, is working toward a Masters in performance music at the University of Florida..
Site Number 8 at Silver Spring State Park.
PhotoAngels /
They have long been rumored, written about and written off, featured in podcasts, described as flights of fancy and provided explanation for some of the finest photos ever presented but never duplicated. Now speculation can be laid to rest - we actually encountered the no longer mythological PhotoAngels.
Cindy and I were on the Silver River in a kayak looking for manatee. After an hour with no success, in the middle of the river, three beautiful women appeared on flat sailing devices standing on the water and beckoned us to follow them. They directed us to some manatee, herded them so we could get better views, and then took our picture with the gentle water beasts. Before we could barely thank them, they drifted off into the mist of the stream, and we never saw them again.
I ran the very tiny photos they gave us through GigaPixel to four times the initial size. Then imported into ON 1, I edited them and used the No Noise and Sharpening tab to bring out some detail.
We are grateful to the PhotoAngels for the memory we have - now they need to upgrade the camera:)
Drifting Away into Folk Lore
Sunday Scripture: Photo from the Silver River /
Cool Dogs! /
We made new friends on the elevated boardwalk at Silver Springs SP. These two were immaculately groomed and behaved. So easy going, unflustered and just posed when asked, better than some people. They are German origin, and the one of the right is actually from Germany. They are called Leonberger named after the town in Germany where they were first bred. Beautiful coats, gentle disposition and easy to train are some of the characteristics. More? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonberger
King Trio - two photos /
We have toured the Safari Ride at Animal Kingdom many times and usually have seen a lion, but we have never seen all three together. The trip is a bumpy, jerky and bouncy photo challenge but on this trip our driver was excellent and often stopped for just a few seconds several times so the photos were easier to capture.
String Hands (five photos) /
Gamble Rogers State Park is named for an esteemed folk singer who died here rescuing someone from the ocean. Because of his musical heritage the park holds a jam session twice a month and we were able to listen for about an hour to country, rock, folk and Bach! There were locals who come frequently, some from the campground and one young man attended for the first time. Fun afternoon.
The base was made in 1943 but the owner didn’t buy it until 1952!
A1A Burrito Works, Flagler Beach, FL /
by Cadillac Moose, PhD, LA
I am back again, I know you missed my erudite commentary but the PhotoMan can’t seem to keep things in order. Sheesh, one simple job. He’s kind of like Paul Hollywood, just not competent.
Now this place is pretty neat. First, you eat outside which is what the Great MooseMaker intended from the beginning. Unless it is too hot. Second, they sell tacos. Third, I liked them. Oh, wait, tell more about the place. Well it is tiny, I could barely squeeze my massive antlers in the door but the taste is twice the size of the building. (ED NOTE: that makes no sense, please revise) Right, no sense to the non-culinary PhD’s among us. Where was I… taste… these were not your ordinary tacos but tacos like you would have if you dreamed in TACOS - flavorful, distinctive, hot, high quality and inexpensive tacos. They sell other food but, why? This stand is pretty close to taco exquisite. That sounded Spanish.
Overall 4.25 Antlers
Can I have spotted Rusty Harman here?
Eye-to-Eye /
On a kayak you can get up close to birds that scatter when you approach from land. This Little Green Heron was perched for a fishing opportunity yet we were less than ten feet before he twitched at which point I backed off about three and he relaxed again. So cool. The Silver Springs State Park is a stunning place.
"Under the Boardwalk Down by the Sea...", /
This Flagler Beach icon was damaged in the fall storms and will be torn down over the next 18 months and replaced about three years later.
SwillerBee Doughnuts, Flagler Beach, FL /
by Cadillac Moose, PhD, DA
What a great place! (Oops, gave away the review I gotta watch that.) So, just off the main street in Flagler Beach is a tiny nondescript building that houses a selection of simply amazing doughnuts. Note, they almost got extra credit for the classic (and correct) spelling of DOUGHNUT on some signs, not the Duncan inspired insipid Donut. But there were inconsistencies in spelling, a sad deduction. The selection is nice but not extensive, actually on the moderate side but with a number of thoughtful and balanced choices. My favorite was the always supurb, Cinnamon-Sugar yeast doughnut. Light, airy and not in the least bit greasy, so I tried three to be certain they were consistent.
I also ate them all. Not the stab at it with a fork and taste a crumb that Paul Hollywood does - how does he keep his job? You cannot judge a doughnut by a micro-bite.
Additionally they serve breakfast and lunch items, coffee in all the usual configurations and a few pastries. Open every day with indoor and outdoor seating & parking off street; it is a clean, happy, delicious experience.
Overall, 4.75 Antlers