March 12, 2011

It's been a very busy but fun period here in Florida.  Weather has really turned to sunny Florida type, and we have not missed a beat in taking advantage of it.  Visits by Wisconsin and Florida friends has really been enjoyable.

Paul & Patty Meier finally made it south from Menasha, planning a two month stay in the Villages.  They stopped by the park for a quick tour and grilled burgers.  About the same time Ceil and Mike Murphy were beginning their "snowbird" trip and stopped by for a quick lunch.  Great to see them.

4000 yrs of shells

Crowes / Kimes Cedar Key

John & Jane Crowe invited us for a visit to their condo in Cedar Key for a couple of days.  Beautiful spot.  Shortly after arriving Bob was in the kayak, exploring the bayou.  Fun!  John made an awesome supper, and treated us to his nightly "clam appetizers".  Good!   Enjoyed the area, treating us to a park tour of "Shell Point Mounds".  A very historic site going back 4000 years whereby natives built over 3500 years huge mounds of clam & oyster shells.  Incredible!!  Second evening treated to incredible dinning experience with a little live  smoked ribs on the waterfront of Cedar Key.

Jess & Doris Lionberg Silver River

Monkeys Silver River

Shortly after leaving Cedar Key, Crowe's put together a group road trip including us, Meiers, and Henslers to visit the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park.  A real life story of a Wisconsin based author living in remote Florida in the 1930's and writing the Pulitzer Prize Winning book "The Yearling".   After the tour of her homestead, arrangements were made to dine at the Yearling Restaurant, with southern type hospitality and a little "Louisianan" music. Good and Fun!!

Happy Hour Kime Coach

Yearling Restaurant Entertainment

Our river trip adventures continue, joining park friends John & Glenda Callender, and a special visit from our Illinois friends Jess & Doris Lionberg's.  Yes, in both cases we saw the Monkeys.  Yes, wild monkeys along the river bank and anxious to be feed.  We also saw numerous gators, turtles, birds, otters and this last time a manatee.  How the manatee got this far upstream is beyond all of us.  Great river trips!

Clint Black Concert

John & Glenda Callender

Silver Spring Park entertainment continues and this last concert was country singer Clint Black.  He put on a great concert.  Dinner at the Elks club after, a very nice club house.

Took a second trip to the Butterfly Rain Forest in Ocala.  Invited Callenders to join us.  It is probably the best display in the world.  Live butterfly's released in a very authentic rain forest environment.  Butterflies everywhere, landing on your head, shoulders, etc.  Every type of butterfly you can imagine from all over the world.  Our road trip back included a quick stop at Orange Lake to view a couple of Air Boats.  Then a quick cruise by John Trovolata's home called the "Jumbo Air" where he houses his 707 jet.  Taxis right up to his house.  Tough!!

Butterfly Rainforest

 Ended the week with a visit to the Meier's in the Villages.  Paul gave Bob a "whirlwind golf cart tour" of most of the Villages complex and golf courses, while the girls did their girl thing "shopping".  Ended the day with a beautiful grilled steak dinner.  Good Friends!!

Saturday Silver Spring Park Concert - "The Charlie Daniels Band"