Road Trip - A Summer Trip to Ohio

As much as I am loving being A REAL RETIRED HOUSEWIFE OF FLORIDA, I have to give credit to where I was born and raised...OHIO.

Brian and I left Ohio 3 years ago and have only been back in the winter.  I realize that visiting Ohio in winter is backwards, but we left in the winter and seem to feel the need to migrate back each year at the same time.  Plus, we go back for Christmas with the family.

So this trip was the first time in 3 years that I have been back in the summer.  Brian and I headed back to Ohio for our daughter Mallory's wedding.  THE WEDDING was a blast.  Mallory and Mike (my new son-in-law) did an outstanding job.  Check out THE WEDDING blog and Mallory's personal blog for more details on this talented couple's DIY projects and wedding details.

Photo by Studio SPC

Ohio is beautiful in the summer and the weather was perfect for THE WEDDING.  There is so much more to do when visiting in the summer.  Brian spent a couple days off-road motorcycle riding.  One day was at Mines and Meadows with friend, Bill, and new son-in-law Mike.

 

I got in some golf at Brookledge in Cuyahoga Falls with my Monday travelling golf group.  One difference between golfing in Ohio and Florida is the animals you encounter on the course.

I also had time to visit with friends, have lunch at Swensons (voted American's best burger by Forbes in 1999), stroll through Szalay's Farm Market (nothing like fresh roasted corn-on-the-cob dipped in butter),  the best French onion soup at the French Coffee Shop, and a drive through the old neighborhood.  Of course I got in a day of thrift store shopping at my favorite stores. 

Brian and I ended the trip with a family dinner at Fat Head's Brewery.  It was one of those "Ah Ha" parent moments...the kids are grown up and we couldn't be prouder of them.

Road Trip - Gatorland

It is difficult to believe that this REAL RETIRED HOUSEWIFE OF FLORIDA has been in Florida for over two years and visited Gatorland before Disney World (or Universal or Busch Gardens).   Gatorland opened in 1949 and has come a long way from the original roadside attraction.

   I picked up on the quirky humor even before we entered.

The humor continued in the park signs.

While we were at Gatorland, we saw the three shows.  Each show was about 15 minutes long and entertaining.

UpClose Encounters

 

There is more to Gatorland than alligators.  This show featured spiders and snakes.

 

 

Gatorland Wrestlin' Show

 

All I can say is don't try this at home.  Before and after the show, you can pay to sit on the alligator and have your picture taken.  Watching was good enough for me.

 

Gatorland Jumperoo Show

 

I recommend watching this show early.  We saw the first show and the gators were hungry.  We passed by on the way out and the handlers had to work hard to get the gators interested in more food.  Kinda like the last round at a buffet...lots of looking, little taking.  But it did give the smaller gators a chance.




 

Brian and I checked out all the exhibits, walked through the swamp and climbed the observation tower.  We saw lots of alligators, big and small. 

 

 

 

I enjoyed the story of Big Mack.

 





Froggy in Florida

When this REAL RETIRED HOUSEWIFE OF FLORIDA thinks of green, rough-skinned, big-eyed Florida creatures…the first answer is alligator.  Yes we have our fair share of alligators here, but this blog is about FROGS.

Brian and I inherited a wind chime when we moved into our new home. It is attached to the house, outside the lanai and has a nice sound when there is a breeze.

 

Brian noticed that the chimes weren’t sounding as clear and pleasant as they used to sound. So he got out the ladder and investigated. It turns out that there was a community of frogs living in the chimes!

He gave them an immediate eviction notice and sent them on their way.  The joke is on us, because they know the way back.  These frogs are great climbers.  They climb up the windows and hop over to the wind chime.  Yes, we have squatter frogs!  At night when we are watching TV, the frogs pop their heads out and watch us.  

I used a website of the Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation at the University of Florida to identify these frogs as Cuban Treefrogs, a non-native invasive frog that lives in trees, bushes or on buildings (Arboreal group).   The Cuban Treefrog is identified by its large toe pads.

I found another website by the United States Geological Survey where you can play frog calls.  The Cuban Treefrog sounded like the chatter outside our windows at night. 

Sometimes it is the small stuff that keeps a smile on a
REAL RETIRED HOUSEWIFE OF FLORIDA.

Road Trip - Bok Tower and Gardens

Brian is trying out a new title...A REAL RETIRED HOUSEHUSBAND OF FLORIDA. He is calling it "an extended vacation". But I can't come up with a clever title for that.

To celebrate, we took a day-trip to Bok Tower and Gardens in Lake Wales, Florida.  We have a family tradition of visiting historic homes.  We have been to Frank Lloyd Wright's houses, Falling Waters and Kentuck Knob in Pennsylvania.  Mallory, Michelle and I made a detour on a trip from Ohio to Florida to tour the Biltmore.   In my home town, Akron, there is Stan Hywet.  All of these places are living works of art that inspire. 

Sheldon Cooper, from The Big Bang Theory, said...

If outside is so good, why has man spent thousands of years perfecting inside?

 

Bok Tower and Gardens, along with Pinewood Estates, displays man's ability to perfect the inside and the outside.

 

The Bok Tower and Gardens were built by Edward W. Bok in 1929.  Mr. Bok was inspired by the tranquility of the area and wanted to create a place that would "touch the soul with its beauty and quiet".   And he succeeded.  The gardens were designed by Fredreick Law Olmsted Jr., who designed the White House gardens and worked with his father on the Biltmore Estate.

 

I could bore you with more details, but instead I will share some pictures and encourage anyone visiting Central Florida (i.e., Disney World, Universal Studios, etc.) to take a day and visit Bok Tower.

 

You get in the mood as soon as you walk up to the Visitor's Center.

 

 

Some of the inspiration is in the details, like the handmade tiles in the base of the pillars...

 

 

The courtyard ...

 

 

The River of Stone pathway...

 

The air plant display ...

 

After the Visitor's Center, we walked to the Tower and I couldn't stop taking pictures.

 

 

The Bok Tower houses a 60-bell carillon and has concerts twice a day.  What is a carillon, you ask?  It is a group of bells played by striking a keyboard of batons and pedals.  The Bok Tower bells range in size from 16 pounds to 12 tons!

 

 

Our next stop was the Pinewood Estate.  This was a nearby estate built in 1930 by Charles Austin Buck, a Bethlehem Steel VP.   Mr. Buck was also a nature lover and had the gardens designed first and then the house.  

Brian and I timed our visit just right.  We finished our tour with coffee at the café's covered patio watching an afternoon shower. 

 

YUM, YUM...BBQ

When it comes to cooking, I am a definitely A REAL RETIRED HOUSEWIFE OF FLORIDA...I would rather make reservations than make dinner.  I was inspired to dust off my cooking skills by a recipe for Rum Ribs.  I got the recipe from a friend, Dawn.   The original recipe was from her mother, Nona.   Dawn talked about serving the ribs for a dinner party and they sounded so good!  It was also convenient that pork ribs were on sale and I had invited my Mom and sister, Denise, over for dinner on Mother’s Day

Here’s the recipe

And the ingredients

The recipe calls says to line a pan with 2 layers of aluminum foil.  I had some cheap foil, so I put down 3 layers  But let me tell you…3 layers of cheap thin foil doesn’t equal 2 layers of quality thick foil.  And I didn't learn that lesson until it is all over and I was trying to clean up the pan.  I have already bought some quality heavy duty foil for the next batch.

Brian was designated the resident “butcher” and cut up the ribs.

I covered the pans and put them in to cook for 45 minutes.  I doubled the recipe because the ribs were sale and we like leftovers.

After the first round of cooking,  off came the top foil and on went a basting of the yummy sauce.  

About every 15 to 20 minutes, Brian would turn the ribs and baste with more sauce.  By this time, my Mom, Denise and I were playing cards and we were too busy to do more than yell when the timer went off.  Hey, there was drinking and gambling going on.  Besides, it was Mother’s Day.

All the hard work was worth it.  The ribs were great.  I did break away long enough to cook  green beans and scalloped potatoes…along with rolls, great side dishes for the bold, sweet flavor of the sticky ribs.

 

For dessert I made a family favorite, Limeade Pie,

   6 oz. frozen limeade (thawed)

   1 tub of Cool Whip

  1 can sweetened condensed milk

   Graham cracker crust

Combine the limeade, Cool Whip and condensed milk.  Pour into the pie shell.  Refrigerate before serving.  You can substitute lemonade or  orange juice for the limeade.

Both the ribs and the pie were great as leftovers….but not for long.

Road Trip - Cedar Key, Florida

Brian and I make a great road trip team.  Some trips are short day trips and other are road trip vacations.  Before becoming a REAL RETIRED HOUSEWIFE OF FLORIDA, we explored all four corners of Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, West Virginia.  After becoming a REAL RETIRED HOUSEWIFE OF FLORIDA, we have taken trips exploring our new home state of Florida...New Smyrna Beach, Key West, St. Augustine, Gainesville, Everglades, Tarpon Springs.

A road trip starts with Brian picking the destination (or at least the direction).  Then I research the area, including what may pop up on the way there.

Recently, Brian and I picked Cedar Key for a road trip.  It is a fishing village/resort area on the Gulf, a couple hours northwest of home.  The feel of the town reminded me of Kelley's Island, Ohio, where we had a vacation home for a few years...memories, memories.

Our first stop was a roadside store for gas.  While Brian pumped the gas, I browsed the store.  I found a prize...a lemon tree (our second attempt at a lemon tree).

We headed downtown to checkout the pier and stroll along the main drag.  The fishing pier was busy with both fishermen and pelicans.  One fisherman caught a small blacktip shark (that he threw back).

We stopped for lunch at Seabreeze.  The food was okay, but the beer and view were great.

After lunch we drove around the island looking for geocaches.  I started geocaching in Ohio after seeing it mentioned on a Law & Order episode.  Often when researching a road trip destination, I will check out nearby caches.  Geocaching has led Brian and I to some off-the-beaten-path locations.  In Cedar Key, we found three caches.  Brian spotted all three.  I better work on my geocaching skills.

DISCOVER THE IRON WAY 

The cache was at the end of the Cedar Key Railroad Trestle Nature trail.  The trail started with a history lesson on the railroad line that ran from Cedar Key to Fernandina Beach from 1861 to 1932.  Along the trail many of the natural Florida plants and trees were identified.

BOARDWALK CACHE

 

The cache was hidden under a bench along a boardwalk that had great views of the tidal marsh

.

 

 

 

 

DISCOVER THE RUDDY CRITTERS

 

The plaque says that this was a "park" with a "beach".  It was low tide, otherwise, there would not have been a "beach".  And the "park" was a parking lot and a bench.  Still it was an interesting area.

 

 

 

We ended our road trip with a visit to Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin Robbins for ice cream and coffee.  Whoever thought to put these two brands in one building was a genius!

 

 

 

 



 



Snowbirds and Other Winter Visitors

As a REAL RETIRED HOUSEWIFE OF FLORIDA I am a year-round resident of Florida.  The sand cranes and alligators stay year-round also.

But I have quite a few neighbors and golfing friends that are snowbirds.

       snow*bird  noun \-berd\  :one who travels to warm climes for the winter

In addition to snowbirds, there were a few other visitors to warm, sunny Florida this winter.  I heard about an eagle's nest in a local cemetery, Lone Oak Cemetery.  I saw a write-up about it at the Habitat for Humanity  Restore across the street from the cemetery.  One one of my thrifting adventures, I located the nest. 

Then on day in December, I saw a couple of cars and people with big camera lenses in the cemetery. I stopped by and got my first look at the bald eagle with a couple of eaglets. VERY EXCITING. This nest has been active for over 50 years.

Manatees are another winter visitor.  They take advantage of the warm inland water during the winter.  The first year in Florida, I tried a couple of times to catch sight of these "gently giants".  I saw one or two manatees, but those sightings were not satisfying.  One Sunday, Brian and I headed out again in search of manatees.  We went to Blue Springs State Park, and there they were.  We counted 12 in one area.

Visitors are common during the winter months.  Mallory, Mike, Michelle and Keith came down to Florida for a family wedding.  They took advantage of the great weather by golfing (Mike and I), ziplining, a day trip to Tarpon Springs, a stop at Lake Ridge Winery for a tour and wine tasting.

And lunch at the Cotillion Southern Cafe

GOLF HIGHLIGHTS

In between THE MOVE and family visits, I participated in a the second annual Plantation Cup golf challenge.  The Plantation is divided into "villages".  My village, Sable Ridge, teamed up with Chanticleer.  Our women's team and couple's team came in FIRST PLACE.