Thursday, January 30, 2014

Seasonal change


In Ocala, some seasonal changes don't happen until January. This photo was taken on January 26, 2014.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Silver Springs State Park


Prior to 2013, the Silver River State Park was independent of the Silver Springs Theme Park, with which many of you are familiar.  The Silver Springs Theme Park was one of the main Florida attractions prior to the arrival of Walt Disney and his minions who initiated a theme park explosion with the construction of Disney World in Orlando almost 40 years ago.

In recent years, the Silver Springs Theme Park has been negatively affected by decreasing attendance and high maintenance costs. Finally, in 2013, the state of Florida (which bought the property in 1985) took over the park from the folks who had leased it and merged it with the Silver River State Park and the two, now become one, are (is?) known as the Silver Springs State Park.

This sign is found in what was the old Silver River State Park.  The Nature Trail takes one through a forested area to the Silver River, a 4.5 mile waterway which flows from the springs to the Oklawaha River.  It is about a half-mile trek to the Silver River, a gorgeous "old Florida" place where one can canoe and kayak but not fish!

You can read more about all of this here.  And if you wish to see something of what the Silver Springs Theme Park was all about, just Google "Silver Springs" in the "search" box at the top right of this blog.


Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Monday, January 27, 2014

Medicare in a car


PUP wants to help you navigate your Medicare. I think they should wash their car first! (PUP is an acronym for Physicians United Plan).

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Roof work


This brave gentleman lives a few blocks from us. He was on that roof for several hours. Fortunately, it was a relatively cool day.

Friday, January 24, 2014

Stan the Sand Man


There's a reason we call him Stan the Sand Man. I'll bet you can guess what it is.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Half as much


As I walked by this mannequin, I heard a mournful song come through the store's speakers. Part of it went like this: "If she'd loved me half as much as I loved her!"

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Garden guard?


Not long ago, while on a bike ride through the neighborhood, we noticed one of our neighbor's had a wonderful backyard garden. So, we stopped to take a picture.

Would you believe this guy stepped out from the bushes and gave us a stern warning to stay away?

Fortunately a cat happened to dart across the street and captured his attention so I could capture him on camera.

Monday, January 20, 2014

Ocala's Civic Theater


The Ocala Civic Theater is a community treasure, offering a wide variety of excellent and professional theatrical performances. You can read all about on the website here.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Just down the road...


...lives this well-bred, well-fed, beautiful equine.

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Higher Level


I've heard that the people who live here experience a higher level of satisfaction. This home is located in Ocala's Historic District.

Friday, January 17, 2014

Peek-a-boo


This isn't a very good photograph, but I like it anyway. That's Cleopatra peeking just above the couch and Cassandra in the coffee table.

Monday, January 13, 2014

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Ocala's Appleton Museum


Ocalans are very proud of the Appleton Museum, which is now affiliated with the Central Florida College.

You can read all about it here.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Backyard birthday party


This photo is a companion piece to yesterday's post. The family pictured yesterday were celebrating their son's birth with a Dr. Seuss themed party. It was all great fun and ended up with a donkey in the house. Don't ask.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Prize Vault - machine for suckers


This Prize Vault is located in the food court of the Paddock Mall in Ocala.  I've often sat and watched people try to "unlock" a prize using hand levers.  I have never see anyone have any success.

But it's very tantalizing and addictive because you can come extremely close.  Thus people keep shoving dollar bills into its maw thinking that next time they will get that prize!

Wish I was the owner!


Friday, January 3, 2014

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Stumped


I tried to come up with a great title for this post, but I was stumped. And that just burned me up! :)
"Photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again." — Henri Cartier-Bresson