Homosassa Springs

Thursday (February 15) Norajean and I decided to go to Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. (https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Homosassa-Springs) 

We parked her truck and rode the boat to the springs. (There is also a tram, but the boat tour is more fun to our way of thinking.) What they have here is a rehab facility for rescued wildlife and a home for wildlife that can't be released, such as eagles who have lost part of their wings.
I got to see my first MANATEES, and a couple of big cats, an otter, a (hopefully) breeding pair of red wolves, lots of alligators, snakes, lots and lots of birds.
Another neat thing was the underwater observatory, where you can watch through the windows as fish swim free in the waters of the spring.

Today's Yard, February 16, 2018 - Dade Battlefield SP

Dade Battlefield State Park. This tree is the oldest live oak in the park, and was here 200 years ago for the first battle of the 2nd Seminole War. 

I spent a few days here visiting an RVing friend who's a volunteer working at the park. In between a wonderful potluck dinner and yesterday's trip to Homosassa Springs, I did a major van rearrange and found a number of items that had slipped into the black hole that seems to be standard equipment in residential vans.
Of course, I also watched the film at the visitor's center and checked out the museum. This is a cool place - there's lots going on, from reenactments to craft classes. I wish it had worked out schedule-wise for me to take the pine needle basket weaving class, but they give it monthly and I'll probably be back.

Alligator

So my friends took me to Circle B Bar Reserve / Polk Nature Discovery Center. We walked the loop out to Lake Hancock and the observation deck, and saw lots of beautiful live oaks, birds, and alligators. Most of the alligators were lurking or swimming in the lake, looking amazingly like logs. This guy was up on a mound on the other side of the path though, posing for our camera phones.

Today's Yard, February 10, 2018

This week I'm staying with friends who live on the shore of a lake near Winter Haven in Florida. So it's the same yard each day - but different, too. From the dock, we can watch quite a variety of birds, and there are alligators around. I haven't seen one yet, but of course my friends have, and even named them. The other day we did get to watch the Space Shuttle launch.

Project: knock down stand

UPDATE:  The blue looks great on it.

Inspired by the knock-down flat-packing camp furniture my Alafia neighbors had, I designed a stand for my own camp kitchen. I love the fact that this stuff packs so compactly and goes together so easily.
I used to do some woodworking, in my pre-nomadic life, but tools are bulky, heavy, and don't travel well. But I have friends, and I'm visiting - and they have a wood shop.
Fortuitously, I had with me a couple of pieces of plywood, which had been the bed platform in my now-deceased E350 van.  That plywood was just the right size for the the shelves and two uprights. My friend Doc contributed woodworking tools, labor, and another piece of plywood for the back of the piece.
Doc has a random orbital sander, too. I'd never used one before, and it is so much nicer to use than the belt sanders and pad sanders I'm used to.
By afternoon we were done!
I'm going to paint it blue and enjoy it thoroughly.