LAST UPDATE FROM OCALA, FLORIDA !

We have been spending a lot of our time at home with Gary drawing and me sorting pictures and scrapbooking.  I am almost finished with Miranda's wedding album, just some embellishments and a couple large pictures to add.
Gary has been trying to do more pictures indicative of south Florida scenery.  He was told by a gallery that he visited in this area, that they could carry some of his work if it was work of this area.  Thus his Western favorites have been put on hold.

My favorite, as of this time!

March 14th we went across Ocala to Cracker Barrel to meet with a distant cousin of Gary's.  We had met Steve in Lawrence, Kansas a couple years ago and found that he was traveling through this part of the country and would stop here in Ocala if we were available to have breakfast and visit again. Of course, we jumped at the chance!

Steve and Gary in an archive photo. 

I still had enough time left of my day to meet with a scrapbooking group just east of our park.  I looked forward to working with a group again.  Great to have someone to visit with while working.

I had been trying to reach a cousin of mine who winters near Jacksonville FL.  We wanted to meet up with them also.  She and her husband were out to check an estate sale north of here when she noticed my text on her phone.  So she text back and we met up with them at a local restaurant, P J's Cafe' and had a choice of breakfast or lunch and added that to much catching up on news!!  She was going to show me what she found and bought from the sale, but we parted ways before it entered either of our minds again.  Darn!!

Gary, Audrey, Jeanne and Norbert

I later received a picture from Jeanne of the find at the estate sale. So thought I would share it, even if a little late.  It is beautiful, Jeanne!!

I know we have been doing too much eating out, but too many things going on!!  Our park had a St. Patrick's dinner and dance on Saturday, and we just had to have the corned beef and cabbage!!

Bob and Donna here at the end of table.
Donna was my laundry buddy this week.

Donna and I decided that we had a lot in common and have met up several times since. They are in another section of the Resort.

Our month has continued with the usual included, Thrift and Antique Shops, TOPS, Classic Car Shows, Ice Cream Socials and Bingo. and a car oil change!
Sounds so exciting! Ha!

But Gary did make plans to meet with a friend he met at church who extensively restores classic cars. I'm sorry Nancy that I did not come along with Gary.  I think that there was some communication missing at this end.  But Gary did enjoy the sharing of interests with Jerry.  He looks forward to seeing the next project when it is finished.

My favorite!!

Jerry and his next project!!

We just got back from Mexican lunch down the road with Ralph and Gail, and you can bet money that we will not have any room for dinner!!  It probably was the last get together that we will have while here in Florida.  Maybe we can meet up back in Ohio.  They are northeast of us there in Ohio. 
From now until Monday when we will leave for Georgia, it will be packing up and doing laundry and getting our walks in. The time will go too fast for sure!!
You won't hear from us until we get to South Carolina, probably. But stay with us!
Hope it is getting warmer and dryer in Ohio!!

APPLETON ART MUSEUM and SILVER SPRINGS in FLORIDA

MARCH 9 th , Sunday after church we went to Appleton Museum of Art to watch a movie about Silver Springs then and now, done by Mark Emery!!  It is a documentary and if you ever get to see it on PBS we strongly recommend it.  He has done many wildlife documentaries around the world for National Geographic.
We were so in awe of the production!! Enough that the following week we took the 30 minute tour on a glass bottom boat on the river from Silver Springs Park.  We decided to take the thirty minute tour to save money, with the idea that if we wanted more we would take the 90 minute tour another year when down through here.  You can bet that we will do the 90 minute tour which will go two miles on down river.
At the Museum we checked out some of the art of Clyde Butcher (likened to Ansel Adams),

but our main focus was the movie done by Mark Emery.  Mark even did a time of answering questions from the audience.  He did an awesome job of taking photos under water in the river and narrating with other boat captains for the movie!!
We are poor photographers, but this is our pictures in the Park and from the glass bottom boat - - -

Audrey with Gail and Ralph,
our park's activities directors.
We first met them in Jefferson, OH last spring.

Another plant that I will consider for our lot
in Zolfo Springs.

Or maybe this one!!

Gary, Gail and Ralph

Another Captain of the Tour Boats
over the years, Captain Oscar.
He was another narrator in the film.

Osceola

Not sure what this tree is.
I'm sure that I will find out sooner or later. 

This palm grows out over the river and
comes back over land

We are standing in the loop between the river portion of
the trunk, and the root and top portion of the tree!

Gail and Ralph 

Back at the park I got some pictures from the car window of a site which has a porch and steps going off the porch both left and right.  We loved the idea and the fact that they painted it to match their fifth wheel. We keep accumulating pictures of ideas!!

This view from the opposite end where the steps are
behind the shade awning, thus it appears
to a different color  Not!

Yesterday we drove south to The Villages to meet friends, Evelyn and Glen from Bushnell, to have dinner at Golden Corral. (archive picture)

I never even got to the dinner portion as I was quickly stuffed!!  We sure are cutting back from now until the weekend!!
They have a neighbor across the street from their unit at Bushnell who recently bought the park model and carport there, only to find that it is loaded with termites.  In addition to treating to get rid of the termites, they are having a lot of re-construction to do.
It sure is a warning to us about buying any used unit in the future!!

This has been a full week for us, so check back in with us next week.