Police car responding to a call

Rainy night in Ocala...

Regal Nails

Regal Nails is located in a local Walmart store. Some women think it's a great idea...they can do their shopping, get their nails fixed and be all set for another week!

Dillard's

Dillard's, located in the Heathbrook outdoor mall, is, in my humble opinion, Ocala's finest department store.

Ocala Arts & Crafts Fair - October 2010

Ocala - downtown, January 2011

At the mall and on the phone...

...school was out that day...

High spirited steeds!

Eventide, Highway 200, Ocala - January 2011 (Two versions)

Cadillac model in the mall - two different views...

...buy one today!

Flowers, courtesy of Publix Supermarkets

Christ's Church - Marion County...

...and it says so, right on the sign and the building.

Brothers Keeper

Brothers Keeper is a thrift store located in downtown Ocala. A ministry of Blessed Trinity Roman Catholic Church, it is a great resource for people in need of furniture and clothing at reasonable prices. In fact, we've donated a number of items to Brothers Keeper over the years.

Highway 200

Dr. Harter & Associates

Dr. [Thomas] Harter & Associates has occupied part of this very beautiful, expansive building for the past three years. Dr. Harter & Associates is a well-known and highly regarded dental office. The section of the building shown in the second photo is currently unoccupied. Please click here for more information of Dr. Harter & Associates.

Blockbuster going bust? Signs of the times!

Technology is both a curse and a blessing. This Blockbuster store, which mainly rented movies (DVDs) can no longer compete with outfits like Netflix and those ubiquitous movie dispensers now found all over town.

"Pray" is all over town

There are, in Ocala, people with way too much time on their hands.  Some of them have been busy making these "pray" signs and despoiling the environment by sticking them in the dirt at what seems like hundreds of locations.  The signs are also dangerous!

In fact, at this intersection, a driver coming to the stop sign closed his eyes and began to pray (to Osiris, I think) and ran into a tree.  Now he doesn't need to pray any more.

Nah, I'm just kidding.  I made that last part up!  But it could happen!

Let us pray that someone takes these signs away!

Some of Ocala's fire rescue personnel having breakfast at Bagelicious...

...and on the wall of the restaurant, a couple of tributes to their heroism.

Shopping the "after-holiday" sales can be exhausting!

The Marion Theater - open again for business

The old Marion Theater has reopened in downtown Ocala and is showing first-run movies! Plus, you will be amazed at the very low prices charged for soda, popcorn and candy! It's the real deal!

Photo by Lois Anne.

A much-needed holiday break - the bar at Chili's restaurant

Ocala-Marion County Veterans Memorial Park

Walkin' and talkin'

Waiting for the doctor

Private Room - downtown Ocala

Photo by Lois Anne.

Homeless...

...in downtown Ocala?

Jezebel's - downtown Ocala

Dr. Gordon C. Schwenk, M.D., and Ocala Eye

Dr. Gordon C. Schwenk performed cataract surgery on both of my eyes in the month of December. With the new lenses he implanted, I can see clearly without glasses for the first time in over 30 years!

Dr. Schwenk is a senior partner in the Ocala Eye organization, and has been involved with Ocala Eye since 1984. Over the years he has performed over 12,000 intraocular procedures.

Not only is he a remarkable surgeon, but Dr. Schwenk has a terrific sense of humor.
And some of his jokes have stood the test of time (they are really old!) ;-)

In some small way this post is an attempt to express my thanks and appreciation to Dr. Schwenk and all the people at Ocala Eye for giving me a new vision of the world!

There's much more on Ocala Eye here.

Hot rod at the bank

A few extra glimpses of Ocala's holiday celebration.

The 12 days of Christmas ends on Epiphany, January 6.  Epiphany is the celebration of the tale of the three kings/wise men who brought gifts to the infant in the manger.  This post is our final contribution to the holiday season.

Please click on the photos to embiggen.

Waiting patiently during the pre-Christmas Sales

Happy New Year!

Thanks to Amanda at Blogger Buster. Image credit: Mooi.