Patiently waiting under the pergola

Seasonal change

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

On full alert!

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).

What's wrong with this picture?

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.

Stan the Sand Man

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

Coverings to beat the sun

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!"

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.

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.

Just down the road...

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

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.

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.

An old-fashioned barber shop

A burst of sun

Gift shop

Flashes of light follow the setting sun

New jackass in town

Just what we needed in Ocala - one more jackass!

Up the lazy (Silver) river...

Palm in the forest

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.

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.

Looking in the wrong direction

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!

Changing of the seasons in Ocala

There's no cat in the cradle and no silver spoon...

My apologies to Harry Chapin.

Stumped

I tried to come up with a great title for this post, but I was stumped. And that just burned me up! :)