Hiking in Lake County Water Authority Land Preserves

Lake County Water Authority (LCWA) is a government agency that protects the freshwater resources in Lake County.  That includes managing some parcels of land that is open to the public.  Recently I hiked around three of these properties...Wolf Branch Sink, Hidden Waters Preserve and Flat Island Preserve.

WOLF BRANCH SINK

Wolf Branch Sink is an active sinkhole that collects storm water runoff from a five square-mile drainage basin.  The water collects into Wolf Creek, runs down a ravine and empties into the underground aquifer.  At the bottom of the ravine is a WATERFALL...quite a "natural phenomenon" for flat terrain of Central Florida.  Because of the sensitivity of this process, LWCA only opens this area to the public a couple times a year.

On February 14, LCWA opened the area to the public.  I cancelled golf just to see this.   If you invite people they will come...the parking area was full.  There were LCWA staff stationed at several locations to describe the area and answer questions.

The waterfall and Wolf Creek disappear during dry weather.  Luckily we have had some good rains lately and both were flowing.

In addition to seeing the sinkhole and waterfall, Brian and I took a 30-minute walk that looped through the preserve.  There was lots of natural Florida beauty to explore in that short time.  I love the twists and turns of the large live oak trees.

HIDDEN WATERS PRESERVE

I followed up by visiting another LCWA property, Hidden Waters Preserve.  This area is also a sinkhole...here is an aerial view from Google Maps.

The property has a 90 foot drop in elevation from the top rim to the pond at the bottom (pretty interesting because remember Central Florida is flat).  There is a trail around the rim at the top, a trail to the pond and another trail around the pond.  A small stream feeds the pond at the bottom.

FLAT ISLAND PRESERVE

This week I was on a roll visiting LCWA properties!  I remembered seeing a small sign for Flat Island Preserve on Route 27 (a major road in the area), so I checked it out next.  This LCWA property consists of two wooded islands surrounded by wetlands.

The trail in the park was flat and open, but I needed to watch where I walked because of the roots.



It was a quiet day (no wind or traffic sounds).  I kept hearing light rustling off the trail.  It was armadillos!  I saw/heard about a dozen on my 3-mile walk.  They didn't seem to be concerned until I was about 6 feet away.

Close to the end of my walk I saw a dug up area and a snout impression the the trail.  Then I heard a loud snort and BIG rustling in the woods.  I am pretty sure it was a wild pig.  If I would have come up on a wild pig on the trail, it would have been a cartoon moment with my screams and the pig's squeals...and lots of crazy running!

I saw a gopher tortoise, but it ran into it's hole before I could get a picture.

About halfway around the island is a boardwalk leading to a dock.  As I was walking up to the dock I saw a heron take off and fly across the water.  With a wingspan of 4 to 6 feet it is a beautiful sight watching it fly over the water.  I heard a woodpecker in the surrounding woods.  Lots of birds in the area.  It would be a fun place to paddle around.

All of the parks were similar (quiet, full of natural beautiful, interesting plants and trees).  Still each of the preserves has it's own identity (water fall at Wolf Branch Sink, walk through the different elevations at Hidden Water Preserve and armadillos at Flat Island Preserve).

Florida is full of natural beauty, on the beaches and in the forests

SunRail to Winter Park Adventure

Part of being a REAL RETIRED HOUSEWIFE OF FLORIDA is last minute adventures.  Recently, Brian and I combined two adventures into one...riding the Florida SunRail train and walking around Park Avenue in Winter Park.

SUNRAIL

We purchased our tickets from a kiosk.  Each ticket cost $5.50 round trip from Sanford to Winter Park.  It is best to use a credit/debit card.  Only a few kiosks accept cash and on that day the Sanford kiosk wasn't accepting cash (as a couple passengers found out).

The tracks in Sanford are shared with Amtrak and an Amtrak AutoTrain passed by.  I noticed this sign on the vehicle cars.

Other than the obvious, I couldn't think of what it meant.  I Googled it and found this explanation:

Hump Yard:  A yard where gravity and powered switches sort incoming trains onto correct tracks.  DO NOT HUMP signs are placed on cars that must not use a hump yard because of cargo restrictions or car age.

Okay.  If you say so.

Just like the stations, the trains are new, clean and very comfortable.  Brian and I choose to sit on the top, for a better view.  The only problem with that is there is no view.  One side is industrial and the other side is residential.  Still the  ride was fun!  Our one-way trip was about 30 minutes.

WINTER PARK

The SunRail Winter Park station is conveniently located just a block from Park Avenue and Central Park.  Is this New York or Florida?

Park Avenue is a great place for a relaxing stroll through a variety of shops and restaurants.  We started with a cup of coffee, checked out some flavored olive oils and vinegars, bought some paprika at a spice shop, did some window shopping and ended with a light lunch.

I looked beyond the retail displays and found some beautiful urban landscaping and my first electric car charging station...a glimpse into the future.

While waiting for the SunRail train ride back, I strolled around Central Park.  It is beautifully landscaped with fountains, walking paths and a rose gard.

There are lots more to do in Winter Park (museums, gardens, Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour, Rollins College), but we had a 2:11 train to catch...Another day.

Paint Within The Lines

I am not talking Paint-By-Numbers...I am talking Kitchen Floor Grout.  I have a LOVE/HATE relationship with the tile floor in the kitchen.

LOVE the look of the tile

LOVE how easy it is to mop clean

HATE how difficult it is to clean the grout

HATE the uneven grout color

I know the dark grout is from DIRT.  I won't mind the dirtier darker color, but it discolors unevenly and stands out like BIG RED CORRECTIONS on a school paper.

When my daughter and son-in-law put tile in their kitchen, they went the extra mile and used an Epoxy grout that is stain resistant and easy to clean.  I needed a solution that didn't involve removing the grout (i.e., hard labor).  So I went with a grout paint from Lowe's called Grout Refresh.

The product comes in 30 colors, but in-store, Lowe's only carries about 6.  I was fortunate that I found a color that worked with my tile.  I used 2 bottles for a small bathroom (my testing area) and a large kitchen (26' x 11').

First I mopped the floor and let it dry.  Then I put a line of Grout Refresh on the grout and used a toothbrush to fill in.  It is more important to work the paint into the grout than it is to keep the paint off the tile.  Then I let the paint dry for about an hour.

After it was dry, I sprayed the area lightly with water and scrubbed the paint off the tile with a scrub pad, rags...whatever worked.  This was the longest part of the process.  The paint came off the tile, but it took patience and a little work.  I wiped off the completed area with clean water and let dry.  Once completely dry, I mopped the floor with water and vinegar to clear off the light film.  The whole process took a couple hours.

I broke the project into small areas and did one or two areas a day.  It took me 3 days for the kitchen.  Keep in mind I am not a home repair expert (nor do I play one on TV).  I am a REAL RETIRED HOUSEWIFE OF FLORIDA.

I am very happy with the outcome.  I just wish there was a product that kept the floors permanently clean!



Butter Coffee and other Internet Finds

I am not talking about Cyber Monday Internet finds.  I am talking about ideas I found while browsing and on Pinterest.  You can find anything on the Internet!  How did I live without it?   OH MY!

QUIRKY

Yesterday at Walmart I noticed a cardboard display of interesting items.  The display was between stacks of beer and the dairy items (of all places).  The word "QUIRKY" caught my attention.  The items on display ranged from $2 to $30.  I pickup up an earbud wrap for $2.

Most of the time my earbuds are like this.

I tried the toilet paper roll storage.  This idea is good for storing cords in a drawer, but doesn't work for carrying in my purse.

The Wrapster,  an earbud wrap from Quirky. is great.  I checked out the website and found more interesting items.  Quirky is a company that helps people get good ideas to market.  I ended up ordering more Wrapsters and couple other things.


DECORATING MUGS

I found these decorative mugs on Poppytalk, thru Pinterest.

I liked the look and was pleased to find out that they were easy to make.  It just takes cups, water and nail polish.

I still need to do some cleanup (with nail polish remover), but I am happy with my first try.

BUTTER COFFEE

Yes, I said BUTTER COFFEE.   I think I first saw this as a suggested link at the bottom of a news page.  I LOVE coffee...usually hot, strong, no sugar, no cream.  Every once in a while I will splurge and get a latte or cappuccino or Cuban coffee.  But Butter Coffee?  I had to look into it.  It was made popular by a company called BulletProof Coffee.  I did some searching and came up with this recipe:

    1 cup coffee 
    1 tablespoon Kerry Gold no salt butter
    1 tablespoon coconut oil
    2 teaspoons sugar

    Mix in blender

I will admit it took me a few days to work up the guts to make this.  This morning I felt brave.  I used our morning coffee,  The coconut oil I have on hand for making soap.  And the butter was easy to find at the grocery store.

BEST COFFEE EVER!  Plus according to WellnessMama, coconut oil is very healthy.  I think the butter and sugar cancels out the "healthy".

What Interesting Ideas Have You Found On The Internet?

Myrtle Beach FORE!

Myrtle Beach 2014 was a winner.  This is the fourth year for a week of golfing, eating and a little shopping.  In case you missed previous years blogs...Myrtle Beach, Golf, Golf ... Fore! and Myrtle Beach 3.0.

The same people...Bonnie, Barb, Monica from OHIO and me from FLORIDA.  We stayed in Bonnie's timeshare at the Wyndham Westwinds, on the beach.  Any time of the day the view was great.

GOLFING

We golfed at some fun and challenging courses this year.  We got great rates on our tee times using Barb's Myrtle Beach Golf Passport.   Thanks, Barb!

Golf has the best playing field of any sport...the landscaping, the views, the animals.  We saw all our old favorites...fox squirrels, alligators, turtle and birds.

BLACK BEAR

Our golfing started Sunday at Black Bear.  The course was wet after a full day of rain on Saturday.  We had an afternoon tee time and found out it was cart-path only.  That made for a cold windy day with LOTS of walking.  Thankfully after the first nine, we got to drive on the fairway.  Otherwise, I am not sure we could have finished before dark.  Barb and Bonnie made the first pars (3rd hole, par 3).  I had a par on another par 3.  Monica didn't get any pars, but she had the lowest number of putts and the lowest score.  Barb and Bonnie each had 6 one putts.

We didn't see any black bears, but there were plenty painted bears to keep us on guard.

PINE LAKES

We had another afternoon tee time at Pine Lakes, but the weather was nicer...less windy and warmer.  Pine Lakes is also called The Granddaddy because it is Myrtle Beach's first golf course.  We talked with a friendly starter who told us he became a chemical engineer when he moved to Myrtle Beach...he specialized in converting beer and whiskey into urine.

This course had lots of water in play.  I had my best score and broke 100 with a 96.  Barb also had her best score of the week here.  The group had a total of 7 pars.  Monica may have like the course better if she didn't put 3 balls in the water on hole 14.

MYRTLEWOOD

The weather continued to warm up and we got a morning tee time.  After our adventures at Pine Lakes with the water, Bonnie declared that she could hit out of sand, not water and that she recommended aiming for the sand.  Good advice, but there wasn't much water in play at Myrtlewood.  Monica and I started out with pars on the first hole.  Monica followed with a par on the second and we both parred hole 17 (a par 3).  Monica had her best score here (93), which was the lowest score for the week.  Her 7 one-putts and low total of 30 putts helped.  The group had a total of 21 one-putts.

THE PEARL

The landscaping at The Pearl was very nice.  Large painted conch shells were used for tee markers.  Bonnie had her best score here.  I chipped in for a par on the 11th hole.

RIVER HILLS

There was another fun starter here.  He started off by saying that it was cart path only, then after we groaned, he said that was for the par 3s.  He went on to tell us that there were restrooms on hole 5 and 13 for the women...restrooms for the men are on holes 1 thru 18, watch out.  

Bonnie noticed this tee shirt in the Pro Shop.  It reminded me of the back nine at Brandywine.  Of course, we started on the back nine...and it was difficult.

Bonnie had 8 one-putts, the highest for the week.  I got a birdie on hole 1, the only birdie of the week.  As a group we had 22 one-putts.  Despite all those achievements, no one had their best score.  Bonnie had a fun time on hole 17 where her ball bounced three times on the rocks before it went into the water.

EATING

Where we eat is as important as where we golf.

Our formula for choosing restaurants was one part Mexican (Mexico Lindo), one part seafood (The Chesapeake House), two parts Italian (Villa Tuscanna and Umberto's), and three parts variety (Joe's Bar and Grill, Flamingo Grill, California Dreaming).

This was the third year for Joe's Bar and Grill.  It was one of my favorites...the almond crusted grouper was the best seafood I had all week.  A new favorite was Umberto's, recommended by Monica's husband.  Before we got our entree, we were served beans, salad and pasta, along with bread.  That alone was a great meal...then came the entrees.  OH MY.  Next time, I will definitely come hungry.

At California Dreaming we all shared a piece of key lime pie.  It reminded me of an easy tasty dessert I make.  

Limeade Pie

    6 oz. frozen limeade concentrate (thawed)

    13 1/2 oz. large cool whip (thawed)

    1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed mile

    1 10-inch graham cracker crust (or two small ones)

Combine the first three ingredients and pour into the crust.  Refrigerate before serving.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The week was filled with good friends, good food, good time and fun golf.  I look forward to next year!

Playing in Sawdust

There are many things I like about living in The Plantation (Leesburg, Florida).    This place keeps me busy (and that is the secret to my happiness).  So many things to do...golf, Mah Jongg, yoga, walking trails, swimming pool, hot tub, fitness center...so little time.  My latest discovery is the Plantation Woodworkers.

I joined this group a few months ago so that I can have access to some great power tools.  Every once in a while I need a power tool to complete a project.   My workspace is limited to a corner in the garage that I share with a golf car, car, motorcycles and an ATV.  The Woodworkers Shop had everything I need and more.

During my orientation, I saw a pattern for an oven tool.  It was the perfect project to start with and learn a few new tools.  Scrap wood is available at the shop (for a small fee).  This project involved a band saw and sander.  It is a nice little kitchen gadget.

Another project involved adding a wood top to a side table I found at a local thrift store.  Back to the scrap wood at the shop.  I used the planer to smooth it, the router to round the edges, added some brace pieces on the bottom, stained and sealed it.  A great little table...and a few more power tools under my belt.

Those projects were just warm ups for a bigger project I have thinking about for a while.  A long time ago I bought a frame for a mosaic craft.  It was one of my first shard art mosaic pieces.  Since then I have done flower pots, mirrors, trivets and even a bowling ball!

My Mom has a mirror (top left in picture) that I made and I wanted to build the wood frame that I purchased.  Another shop member, Tom Winn, volunteered to help me.  This project involved a miter saw, planer...and the TABLE SAW!  I used a dado blade to cut out the inside of the 2 x 4 (where the mosaic pieces sit).   Tom not only showed me how to use the table saw, but he helped me all the way through.  Can you guess which is the original and which is the reproduction?

One of the safety rules of the shop is that you cannot be there alone.   Frequently, I enlist Brian to be my shop buddy.  We both worked on making a guide for cutting our homemade soap.

My favorite project is a wood modern cube planter.  I found it on Pinterest from Vintage Revivals.   I made mine to fit a planter I made in a pottery class nearly 30 years ago.  I didn't use any new tools.  However, instead of using 1" square dowels, I used scrap wood, cut it down on the table saw and routed all the edges.

I inherited my creativity from both of my parents.  But my woodworking inspiration comes from my Dad.  He was very handy...he built the home I grew up in in Ohio and did many projects in his workshop.  He passed away ten years ago, but several times when I was in the shop, smelling the sawdust, I could feel him standing next to me and my first thought was to turn and show him what I had done.  His wood reindeer are my favorite.  Maybe one day I will try to make them.

2014 -- The Year of Groupon Adventures

Groupon gift cards were one of the items on my 2013 Christmas list.  Probably one of the more exciting things on my list.  So I shouldn't have been surprised when I got two nice gift cards from my stepsons, Matt and Dan, and Dan's fiancée, Kelly. (Matt is front left, Dan and Kelly are front right).

For me, a gift card is an adventure.  I enjoy browsing all the possibilites.  My local Groupon market includes Ocala and Orlando...a pretty big area.  Plus, Groupon sells "goods".  So many choices, so much time spent online.  I ended up doing a mix of Groupon Goods, small adventures and BIG ADVENTURES.

I bought Night Sports Light Up golf balls.  These golf balls light up on impact and stay lit for 8 minutes.  They weren't noticeable during the day.  So I invited my neighbor, Phyllis, to try them out at night.  We enjoyed watching them light up and fly down the course (we both live on hole 12 of The Plantation Cranes Roost Golf Course).  The adventure was walking around in the dark retrieving the balls.

I bought a 6-month subscription to MindSparke.  Kinda like Luminosity, but the games and graphics aren't as good.  I liked it, but I kept forgetting to practice.  So now I know I need the brain training to remember to do the brain training.

Another small adventure involved a Hookah for 4 at the Middle Eastern cafe with Mallory, Mike and Michelle (during a trip back home in March).  It sounded exotic, but since none of us are smokers, it wasn't much fun.

I was happy when I found a local Groupon in Downtown Leesburg.  It was for a facial, nice by very basic.  To be honest, I would take a pedicure over a facial.  I love getting a pedicure in Leesburg at TT Nails and Spa.

I also did a couple BIG ADVENTURES.  I bought a deprivation tank session at Total Zen Float in Casselberry, Florida.   You lay in a warm Epsom salt solution, in a large tank that closes to complete darkness, wearing earplugs to cut off all sound.  I like the experience so much that I upgraded to a 4 session bundle.  Floating was  mentally and physically relaxing.  My body felt like I had gotten a massage, mentally I felt like I do after yoga shavasana...with all the benefits of Epsom salts.  I would do it more often, but Total Zen Float is over an hour away.

My last BIG ADVENTURE was a Discovery Flight, a 30-minute small plane ride at First Landings Aviation.    My pilot was Etlan Contreras.  I was a little taken aback by how small and light the airplane was.  Etlan walked the plane out of the hanger.  Oh my, you can't do that with a car!  The take off was smooth.  I started to get nervous when Etlan was describing how to climb and turn.  That was when I realized he was going to turn the controls over to me.  I listened carefully and can say that I am very good at flying straight.  I wasn't about to try to turn or climb...SERIOUSLY!  After a record-breaking 10 seconds, I returned the controls to Etlan.  Then I started to enjoy the flight.  The airport is an hour from my home, but I was able to see some familiar sights.  Lots of fun, but I don't think I will be signing up for a flight lessons.

Thank you Matt, Dan and Kelly.  It has been an adventurous year for this REAL RETIRED HOUSEWIFE OF FLORIDA.  I thought of you guys with each adventure.