30 September 2021 Thursday - Okeechobee Florida (99 miles)
A drive east to dip my toes in the Atlantic Ocean at Hutchinson Island along route A1A, returned via the scenic Martin Grade, where the oak canopy tunnels the two lane highway that was paved only a few years ago. I had hoped to visit the House of Refuge museum but only open on weekends, designated as havens for shipwrecked sailors and travellers in days long ago (one of ten built along the east coast of Florida).
29 September 2021 Wednesday - Okeechobee Florida
Opted for a no drive day today and a swim in the pool and afternoon walkabout.
28 September 2021 Tuesday - Okeechobee Florida (66 miles)
Less than one hour drive to Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park, out in the middle of nowhere, where the last five miles are dirt/gravel. The 54000 acre preserve is part of the Everglades headwaters and was once a working cattle ranch. The park is known for its lack of light pollution where the night sky is inky black for stargazing. Also heaps of wildlife and birds and butterflies and wildflowers on this beautiful prairie. I had hoped to see the crested caracara, but no. There is also a statue of the Carolina Parakeet, which is now extinct because their forest habitat was destroyed to make space for more agricultural land for farming (last known wild one killed in 1904 in Okeechobee). They offer prairie buggy tours but only from November through March.
Drove two lane roads around Lake Okeechobee, Seminole for “Big Water”, also called the Big O, which spans five counties. The Lake is 740 square miles and the largest fresh water lake in Florida surrounded by a protected levee named Herbert Hoover Dike which is also a hike/bike trail (110 miles). The dike was built after hurricanes of the 1920’s and 1940’s caused major damage. Amazing number of small RV/trailer parks amongst the lush vegetation, palm and banana trees, and sugar cane. Close to half million acres of sugar cane…I have not seen so much sugar cane since I lived in Australia. Unfortunately because of this farming, the lake is very polluted with phosphorus runoff. The town of Pahokee on the east shore now looks like a ghost town with a shuttered Art Deco theatre and general store, but found that the town was the home of Mel Tillis and several NFL players. On the lakeshore is a marina and a campground where the RVs are all lined up next to each other. The main town on the south shore is Clewiston where I visited the historic Clewiston Inn (now managed by America’s Best) where I toured the historic rooms and Everglades Lounge with its 360 degree wall mural of Florida wildlife painted by J Clinton Shepherd in the 1940’s. Even though it is only 123 miles around the lake, it took me about five hours with many stops enroute.
Hoping to avoid traffic with travel on Sunday but highways were quite busy at 630am! South on 275/75 to route 64 east to Highlands Hammock State park, beautiful lush old growth vegetation.
25 September 2021 Saturday - Largo Florida
Morning walkabout at the botanical gardens then a swim in the pool.
24 September 2021 Friday - Largo Florida
Morning walk in the neighborhood then a swim in the pool.
23 September 2021 Thursday - Largo Florida
Morning walkabout at the botanical gardens then visit with mum at alf.
22 September 2021 Wednesday - Largo Florida
Happy Equinox! Morning walkabout then wait for local donation shop to fetch my mother's elephant end tables with glass tops, very heavy and very ugly!
21 September 2021 Tuesday - Largo Florida
Gorgeous full moon for early morning walkabout then drive to China Finders in St Pete to sell several of my mother's dish and flatware sets...she loved to cook and entertain, but not me! Then return drive via new to me organic food store on Central called Earth Origins Market then along Park Street full of many beautiful waterfront homes. Explored the Jungle Prada which is an archaeological site featuring Indigenous Tocobaga mounds and the location of the historical Narváez expedition landing...but they are closed on Tuesday!
20 September 2021 Monday - Largo Florida
My neighbor fixed my fifty year old turntable and tuner so now enjoying all my old vinyl albums, about 200 of them!
19 September 2021 Sunday - Largo Florida
Finally a day of not pouring down rain so time at the pool after morning walkabout.
18 September 2021 Saturday - Largo Florida
Morning walk at the Botanical Gardens before visit with mum who has appointment with the hairdresser today.
17 September 2021 Friday - Largo Florida
Morning walkabout then a day of errands.
16 September 2021 Thursday - Largo Florida
Morning walkabout then more unpacking of boxes.
15 September 2021 Wednesday - Largo Florida
Morning walkabout at the Botanical Gardens then much needed haircut then another walkabout at the turtle park, heaps of turtles, before afternoon thunderstorms.
14 September 2021 Tuesday - Largo Florida
Morning walk with my neighbor. Another neighbor fixed my old BIC turntable and we connected it to my old Lafayette tuner and all worked well, brings back such memories of fifty years ago!!!
13 September 2021 Monday - Largo Florida
Morning walk then to fetch more boxes from storage, mostly books, which I have to repack into multiple boxes because I can no longer lift the weight!
12 September 2021 Sunday - Largo Florida
The morning walkabouts are getting darker and darker, have now donned my reflector vest rather than depart later. Continue to unpack boxes.
11 September 2021 Saturday - Largo Florida
Morning drive to Trader Joe's where I have not been in a long time and they are still out of many items that I normally find.
10 September 2021 Friday - Largo Florida
Morning walkabout then webinar. Time for swim at the pool before thunderstorm arrived.
9 September 2021 Thursday - Largo Florida
Morning walkabout then spent time doing genealogy for a friend of mine in San Francisco. Her grandparents arrived in USA from Croatia so quite interesting to learn more about this history.
8 September 2021 Wednesday - Largo Florida
Morning walkabout then time at the pool before another walk to the library to fetch a new book by Mark Adams about his journey through Alaska
7 September 2021 Tuesday - Largo Florida
Morning walkabout before heavy rains arrived
6 September 2021 Monday - Largo Florida
Morning walkabout then unpacked boxes containing photos and diaries, what fun!
5 September 2021 Sunday - Largo Florida
Morning walk to my storage unit which is only about one mile away then returned via van to fetch more boxes of clothes.
4 September 2021 Saturday - Largo Florida
Visit with mum at the rehab facility...because she now has a roommate, I needed to book appointment in advance for our outdoor visit in the courtyard.
3 September 2021 Friday - Largo Florida
Finally have received my shipment of stuff from Juneau! It has sat for over three weeks in the warehouse in Tampa because no trucks or no drivers!
2 September 2021 Thursday - Largo Florida
A toothache inspection by the dentist showed nothing but he did shave the crown down a bit that he had reglued on three weeks ago.
1 September 2021 Wednesday - Largo Florida
A very wet day today!
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