Local Places, Local Faces

Local Places and Faces on the Nature Coast of Florida

Our Last Summer Holiday for 2013

by

We had a wonderful long summer holiday weekend.  Jes and Andrew started the fun when they arrived on Friday morning from Brooklyn.  As usual when they visit, we had a cook-out for our extended family so everyone could visit with the happy newlyweds!  (And how long does the newlywed status last?  Until they get their wedding photos? After they send out their thank you cards? Or is there some other arbitrary date?)

Cornhole Tournament
2nd Annual Cornhole Tournament
Cornhole Tournament
Andrew’s ready to play!
Cornhole Tournament
Everyone over the age of 7 participated.
Cornhole Tournament
Winners and runner-ups
Cornhole Tournament
Winners! Yvonne and Andy!
Slip 'n Slide
Lots of water fun for the kids
Squirt Gun Battle
Jack’s on the hunt!
Squirt Gun Battle
William battling with Kendall and Addy
Squirt Gun Battle
If you look closely, there’s a child hiding behind that tree waiting to ambush Jes.
Labor Day Picnic
Think William really would have rather gone kayaking.
Labor Day Picnic
Michelle and Jon.
Michelle brought these decadent chocolate cupcakes with some kind of wonderful filling and topped with peanut butter frosting. And the Watermelon Granita that she posted about last week. Good Stuff! Which put some of us right to sleep!
Labor Day Picnic
Kendall, Addy, and Kathryn

Our boat went out twice– one morning for scalloping and another for swimming in the spring at Homosassa. 

Labor Day Picnic
Dressed for Scalloping
Labor Day Picnic
We finally had to tell Jes we were going to leave her behind if she didn’t get out of the water. Just like when she was a little kid!
Labor Day Picnic
Scallop Booty
Labor Day Picnic
You catch em, you gotta clean em! And later, when we remember that they are still in the fridge, you have to cook em!

We hit a few of the local restaurants—wings at The Shed and fish baskets at The Yardarm. 

2013_08_30wings 2013_08_30shed2

Wings at the Shed
Wings at the Shed
Cornhole Tournament
We ate at home on several occasions, too.

When I realized that I had crashed my website, Jes and Andrew went to the Crystal River Archaeological State Park and the Ft. Island Gulf Beach Park.  They didn’t want to hear me cry.

One afternoon I mentioned that I could tell that Fall was almost here–which made my NY visitors chuckle.  They wanted to know how I came up with that conclusion when it was 91 degrees at that moment.  I had a few reasons. First, while mowing the yard last week, I was also mulching up leaves that were falling from our many trees.  Second, the sun isn’t getting up quite as early so our morning walks are moving later. And lastly, the mornings are a wee bit cooler–today I almost had to put a shirt with sleeves on for our walk!

And yesterday my statement was vindicated.  In the Citrus Chronicle Sports Section, Kevin Mimms column– Path Less Traveled, was headlined Fall’s around the corner. Even he thinks Fall is on the way! And if it’s in the newspaper–its got to be true!

So now that the “cooler” weather has arrived, Terry and I will be doing some “top down” road trips.  Michelle suggested a few months ago that I start a new series of posts featuring our drives and destinations so we gotta do it!  If you see us scoping out places in our little red convertible, stop and say hi!

 

Felburn Park Trailhead on the Withlacoochee Bay Trail

by

Local Places, Local Faces

We had a wonderful time visiting family in North Dakota, it was nice taking our daily morning walk in 60 degree weather–and wearing a jacket!  But we’re back in Florida and attempting to return to our routine–starting with our weekly bike rides. On our most recent ride we went to the Felburn Trailhead on the Cross-Florida Barge Canal.  It’s only about a 30 minute drive for us and the views are spectacular.

Felburn Park Trailhead on the Withlacoochee Bay Trail
Felburn Park Trailhead on the Withlacoochee Bay Trail

We’ve been to this trailhead a few times but have never rode east so we headed out in that direction.  This section starts with a hill—a bit of challenge for us flatlanders!  The paved trail runs along the canal on one side and a lake on the other.  I had read that the trail had been extended but we had gone just a little more than a mile before we came across “Trail End” sign. A two mile round trip wasn’t quite enough, so we turned around and headed west.

Felburn Trailhead
End of the Road! By the way, we got there before 8 am and no one threw us out of the park!
Felburn Trailhead
Lake on one side…
Felburn Trailhead
barge canal on the other.
Felburn Trailhead
Maggie and Terry

If you do the whole trail it’s about 12 miles.  There are a few hills but most of the trail is flat and all of it is scenic.  There is no road noise from any major highways which makes it a treat.  Going west, a large portion of the trail runs along the Cross Florida Barge Canal then switches to run along hammock and the salt marshes of the Gulf of Mexico.  The turnaround point is at a pavilion on the water.

Felburn Trailhead
The trail ends at the Gulf of Mexico.

 

Felburn Trailhead
Pretty view on the Gulf side.
Felburn Trailhead
Crystal River Power Plant. No longer nuclear–just spewing smoke from coal.
Felburn Trailhead
Barge Canal side, tides a little low.
Felburn Trailhead
Kayak on the Gulf side.

We got to the trail really early so we were the first ones to use it that day.  We saw a few rabbits–lucky for them, Maggie was in her basket!  Also a family of three deer which leapt away before I could get my camera out.   On our way back we did see a few bicyclist and a couple of guys fishing, but it was pretty much our own private trail.

Felburn Trailhead
Back to the trailhead
Felburn Trailhead
Goodbye, we’ll be back!

It’s a beautiful area and a true representation of the “Nature Coast”.

Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Children’s Education Center

by

Local Places, Local Faces, Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Children’s Education Center

I’ve posted about the Homosassa Wildlife Park numerous times and will probably write about it many times in the future. It’s truly a jewel in Citrus County.  The park is the first thing the grandkids want to do whenever they come for a stay.  One of their favorite areas is the Fishbowl, where the kids watch the fish, manatees. and the occasional scuba diver swim around them. Their second favorite place that they must go visit is the Children’s Education Center.

Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Children's Education Center
Grandkids at the Children’s Education Center

Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Children's Education CenterEllie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Children's Education CenterEllie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Children's Education CenterEllie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Children's Education CenterEllie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Children's Education CenterEllie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Children's Education Center

All of these displays and more are in the Children’s Education Center–along with a park volunteer who is happy to explain each one to their visitors–young or old.