"The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round...." Bonus Post /  by Dave Hileman

This is a quick post about when the magic stops. I had a plan to take a photo across the lake from the Magic Kingdom of the fireworks so that I would get great reflections on the lake. The first part, getting to the Polynesian, requires some effort. We took the bus to the Pioneer Hall Landing at Wilderness Campground, then the boat to the Magic Kingdom landing, then the monorail to the Poly. Set up took photos, some issues but I will edit today and post first of the week. Anyway we are done, back on the monorail to MK, it has just let out and the boat is a long wait in the cold 48 Florida evening. So we choose to walk a bit to the buses and got on the bus to Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness. About 1/2 mile out of the bus depot a young man had a seizure, bus stops, a passenger nurse assists, others pray or wait - everyone is concerned and patient. Police arrive, then EMT and the decision is made to change us to a new bus. We also had a lady on board in a scooter who did not know how to use it and it took 10 minutes to get her off and 10 more to get her back on the new bus. We all board. The driver passes our turn and goes a few miles in a different direction. Most don’t notice but I wonder what is going on, then he turns into a different park, Hollywood Studios. What? There is confusion and now people are telling the driver that he is at the wrong place. He says the dispatcher sent him here. We doubt it because four men in the back of the bus said this is their stop. They were not on the original bus, but got on during the change over. Anyway, he then says he will take us back. I’ll skip the traffic mess we got into. He passes the campground stop to go to the lodge, lets off most of the people, then tells us he is going to let us off at Pioneer Hall, this is a long way from where anyone wanted to go. But he says he was off when they called him and this was his way to get back a bit sooner. At Pioneer Hall we need another bus, but MK is still emptying and the buses are more full so I approach a bus driver who had room, asked if he went to 2100, “I don’t know” is not what I expected to hear but he said we can get off close. OK, when we are close, I ask to get off and am told “This is not a stop.” So we end up 1 mile away and instead of waiting for another bus, walk the mile back to the trailer. We are two hours later than expected and walked more than six miles that day. And we were not in a park!

Sweet Roots Organic Farm /  by Dave Hileman

by Cadillac Moose, PhD, DvD

Greens, I know greens. This place, the Sweet Roots Organic Farm is like heaven. A lush, diverse, complex of celadon delight. I sampled kale in various hues, turnips, lettuce in red and green, cabbage, carrots, onions, peas, sprouts and my new favorite - French sorrel that has a grand lemon flavor. The textures, the taste, the freshness all superior and you know you won’t get this sort of detail from Paul “I never ate a green anything” Hollywood. This just shows the staff of the Great British Baking Show the depth of my knowledge. I expect them to call any day now to have me replace Mr. Hollywood.

Other than swamp lilies this is the place you want to be. Karen began this farm in 2018 when it was a field of dead pine trees to now well over an acre of beautiful soil and thriving plants, an incipit orchard of plums, pears and blueberries, a greenhouse, banana trees and lots more. Plus room to grow (snicker:)

I suggest you amble out to Sweet Roots Organic Farm next Saturday and try some delicious and healthy greens. You will love it. And, if you wish, you could write to the GBBS and mention my name.

An excellent salad, don’t really see any need for a bowl.

Here Comes the Parade - Part One (7 photos) /  by Dave Hileman

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 Dave Hileman

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 /  by Dave Hileman

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 /  by Dave Hileman

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

30 Minute Tour - Glass Bottom Boats /  by Dave Hileman

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 /  by Dave Hileman

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 /  by Dave Hileman

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