We have been in the Sunshine State for a month now. We have had mostly cooler than normal temperatures, but I am not complaining because I know how frigid friends and family have been in the upper Midwest.
Our goals while here this year involve having interesting and diverse experiences without breaking the budget. Here are a few of the shenanigans we've had so far.
Our home is very close/accessible to the Withlacoochie Nature Trail (WNT), so we try to get out on the recumbent bikes as often as we can. DH is ahead of me in this photo; he has on a toboggan and gloves - this day was chilly, so layering up was essential. Even with the cool temperatures, those sunny, blue skies peeking through the boughs are a genuine delight.
The Rainbow River Falls in Dunellon is picturesque and fine for leisurely strolling. We visited there on a cool-ish afternoon with friends from Ohio. We returned to Dunellon a couple weeks later on a warmer day to further explore the area and had lunch at Swampy's, which had been recommended to us.
Seated on the deck overlooking Rainbow River, we enjoyed watching kayaks and pontoons float lazily by. The river is spring-fed and wildlife was plentiful.
Speaking of wildlife, in nearby Homosassa, with those same Ohio friends we visited the Ellie Schiller Park and Nature Preserve. This facility is most known for housing and rehabilitating injured manatees, however they also house a variety of wild animals. The American Bald Eagle and the Black Bear are two such wild animals on display.
The flamingos were in rare form, entertaining guests with their races back and forth through this little creek. I wish the color in the photo reflected the vibrancy of their sassy, pink feathers.
We had to be patient to see manatees. This momma and baby were far out in the water, but slowly made their way toward our vantage point. They look like giant baked potatoes floating through the water, as silently and smoothly as can be. It is mesmerizing watching them maneuver around.
We didn't see this, but within a few days of our visit, hundreds of manatees swam into the warm, protective waters of the Homosassa Springs. Tourists flock to the park for this migration. Here's a 2-minute video about manatees.
The photo below is from a general Google search of manatee migration. This is probably not in Homosassa, but is likely in the Citrus County area.
In other nature-oriented activities, we drove several hours south to Jupiter to see the Loggerhead Turtle Marine Center. In addition to the wide variety of turtles housed there for various types of health care, we saw several tanks of more exotic fish and sea creatures such as these colorful jellyfish.
From Jupiter we continued south to Fort Lauderdale where temperatures were quite a bit warmer, but way cloudier. Our main activity was the Intracoastal Water Taxi from Pompano Beach down to Ft. Lauderdale. The entire length of this waterway is a veritable parade of gorgeous mansions with giant yachts parked in front. Often, the yachts are bigger and more valuable than the mansions. The wealth on display was mind boggling. Our little taxi boat was minuscule by comparison.
So, yes, we are getting out and around. Close to home we go shuffleboarding every M-W-F morning. The shuffleboard crowd is fun and the facility is really nicely maintained. We hit the bike trail as often as possible; one day last week we biked 12 miles with a group of friends.
Hope you are keeping warm and having fun where you are!
Happy Quilting, Friends!
Jayne
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