Las Margaritas

There's a new Mexican restaurant in town, Las Margaritas. It is located in the Heathbrook Outdoor Mall, and so far so good. We stopped in shortly after it opened, but the crowds were oppressive, so we left to return another day. It's large and looks good. We talked with some folks as they left the restaurant and their comments were quite positive.

Stone Creek - Ocala

Stone Creek is a Del Webb 55+ community located southwest of downtown Ocala, Florida.  It is a rapidly-growing community which features a number of amenities and a championship golf course.

The first photo above pictures the entrance area coming into Stone Creek proper.

The second photo shows the restaurant and the golf pro shop.

The last photo depicts the golf course practice range.

Fancy Mailbox in Mini-Horse Farm Community

Amenities at On Top of the World

On Top of the World is a very large 55+ community located about 8 miles southwest of downtown Ocala.  It offers a variety of home types, and many amenities including three golf courses, several swimming pools, a cultural center, numerous clubs and organizations, and much more.

Because of all this the community continues to grow as older adults look for places to live that provide security and the above-mentioned amenities.

Circle Square Commons is an open area on the north side of OTOW.  The Commons holds a farmer's market there once a week and entertainment is provided quite often.

The cultural center offers a wide variety of events as you can see from the sign above.  It often features well-known singers and entertainers such as Peter Yarrow from Peter, Paul & Mary.

HITS Horses Can Have Fun, Too!

She was brought out from the stable, put into a paddock where she took off running as fast as she could.

She continue running along the fence line, happy as a lark.

She slowed to a stop at the fence corner to say hello to a friend.

A Special Oak - at HITS (Horses in the Sun) 2016

Golf as Exploration

First You Work, Then You Sleep

If you look closely at the 3rd photo, you'll note that while the goose may be pretending to sleep, she's watching my every move. I was only about ten feet away when I took the shot.

Sunrise, Sunset

Sunrise - Majestic Oaks

Sunrise - Royal Oaks Golf Course

Sunset - Majestic Oaks

Sunset - Southwest Ocala

Lighthouse Point Bar & Grille - Lake Sumter Landing, The Villages, Florida

This has been cross-posted to our blog, The Villages (Florida) Photos.

Not So Green On the Green - Ocala Golf Club

Crossroads Church Carnival

Crossroads is a relatively small Christian congregation (unaffiliated so far as I can tell) located on what is becoming a very busy thoroughfare.  The church is housed in several manufactured structures.  It seems to have a number of programs as part of its ministry and strives to serve the Spanish speaking residents on Ocala's southwest side.

Just recently, the church arranged for a carnival to set up on its relatively large lot.  I imagine it was to be a fund-raising project.  I intended to stop and take some photos but neglected to do so.

So, when I saw "they" had taken the carnival down and parked all the trucks and paraphernalia, I decided it was not too late.  Can you tell what kind of rides, etc., were offered at this carnival by what you see in these photos?

I didn't think so.  :)

Publix Bakery

Publix is the name of a very nice chain of supermarkets in this area. While Publix may be pricey at times, the quality and quantity of goods usually makes up for the extra cost. One of the best things about Publix is their bakery. The variety and tastiness of the items produced by the Publix bakeries are superb and would rival, I think, any of our independent bakeries.

Don't Fence Me In

Oh, Deer Me!

While on a bike ride recently, I spotted these two deer which are functioning as lawn ornaments. Cute they were, so I stopped and snapped a couple of pictures. Then I realized the photos were really dull and boring, especially for Florida, so I rode home and took a photo of a bush in our front yard, bursting with the glory of spring!

Meet Me On The Bridge

Ocala Palms

Memories

On the back of our lot, we have a stand of trees and shrubs. During the summer, spring and fall, the trees and shrubs are filled out and anything lurking in our mini-forest is impossible to see.

Last winter, though, as the foliage had thinned, I spotted this memorial rock or tombstone for the first time. Inscribed on it is a very famous "funeral" poem:

If tears could build a stairway
and memories a lane
I'd walk right up to heaven
and bring you home again.

I'm guessing one of the two previous owners of this house buried a favorite pet amidst the trees and bushes, and from the paw print, I'd guess it was a dog.

Rest for the Wickered