Taking a break

I'll be out-of-pocket for a little while as I need to take a break from the stress of everyday life.

See you again soon!

Women's Golf

There is a small but determined group of women in the Trilogy community who play golf. Once a week, they conduct a women's tournament. Notice that they are walking, not riding in golf carts.

I think that's rather special, especially in the overheated days of a Florida summer.

The Feisty Pelican Can

The seagull soaring from the sky
Saw the funky pelican
And laughed and laughed
And then it laughed some more
That pelican, said the gull,
Is such a funny-looking bird
It cannot sing, it cannot soar...

So cook it in a frying pan

The pelican got really mad
Went to work, made a plan
I'll grab the mouthy, ugly gull
With my great big beak
I'll make it pay, I can, I can,
Hell yes I can
For I'm a feisty pelican.

And the gull was never seen again.

Kayaks in Color in Cedar Key

On a hot summer day, you can cool down by renting one of these colorful kayaks in Cedar Key.

Options include casual kayaking on the various bayous in Cedar Key itself or on the numerous canals up and down the coast or by venturing a ways out in the Gulf of Mexico.

Wear sunscreen, and a life jacket and don't forget your camera.

Dying in the spring

When spring rolls around, our thoughts turn to new life, to all the signs of new life around us - fresh, green leaves, flowers exploding to color our world.

But this tree shows how, sometimes, spring brings evidence of death.

The tree is located in an upscale neighborhood on the east side of Ocala, not far from where we used to live. We were driving through that neighborhood the other day and I was taken aback by this wonderful tree struggling to survive.

You will note there are some buds trying to break through; it is showing it hasn't given up. But I don't think it will make it through the summer.


Special Note:  We have re-activated our website, L & L Photography.  But there is a new URL:

https://www.ourphotoart.weebly.com/

If you are interested, give it a look.  We'll be posting our more "artsy" photos there. 

Roma's Italian Restaurant

Roma's Italian restaurant located in the Foxwood Shopping Center in Ocala offers a large menu selection, good food and good service. Just recently, they opened a bar on the other side of an open space next to their original location.

Then, they added outdoor dining in that open space.   So, you can sit outside and order food from one side and drinks from the other side. The only problem I see is that the heat is stifling and I can't imagine sitting outside to eat these days.

These photos were taken a few weeks ago when temperatures were more moderate.

Fox Squirrel

First of all, I apologize for the poor quality of these photos. But fox squirrels are really goofy and do not stay still for more than a second at a time. I've posted photos of these squirrels before when I first made their acquaintance, about 5-6 years ago.

They are cute, but very sneaky. When you're not watching, they will burglarize your golf cart and make off with whatever goodies you may have stored there. They especially like chocolate bars with peanuts.

The reason they are called fox squirrels is because they look similar to a fox when they run.

No Passing!

This is Highway 225A which runs north from Ocala to where it meets Highway 441 and continues on to the City of Gainesville, which is the home of the University of Florida.

There are a number of large, beautiful horse farms along this stretch of the highway, but as you get farther north you'll see run-down very shabby homesites, along with a dreary little town which has very little to offer its residents.

As you can see, we were required to stop at this point, while cars coming from the other direction were given the rightaway.  We were pleased to note it would not be a long wait.  Evidently, the electric company was repairing lines and cutting away branches which could become a problem as hurricane season approaches.

Scenic from Spanish Springs, The Villages

As most of you know, The Villages did not exist 35-40 years ago. And although the buildings in the three "hometowns" appear to be old, some from the 19th century even, they are quite recent. The people who put The Villages together wanted to give residents a sense of community, a small-town feeling, a place where they could let go of their cares and simply enjoy life as it might have been in the "good old days."

What you see in this picture goes back maybe 40 years.  It's an iglesia or Spanish church, or so the faded writing on the wall would suggest.

The effect is quite effective!  And fun.  And because so much care was taken in constructing the Spanish Springs hometown, quite beautiful.

And that's why The Villages is sometimes called "A DisneyWorld for adults."

If you wish to know more about The Villages, one of the fastest-growing communities in the U.S. just Google "The Villages, Florida," and you will find more information that you can imagine.

Meet Me at Belk

The other day a friend of mine called to say he wanted to talk to me about something important. I said, "OK, meet me under the Belk sign at the mall."

My friend never showed up.

A few days later when I asked him what happened, he said, "Well, I went to the mall parking lot but couldn't see the Belk sign, so I left."

Obviously my friend is not very bright.  Or, he wouldn't be if I had a friend like that.


But I made up the story just so I could have a good reason for posting this photo.

House on a Truck

Hotel Room Decor

This is just another hotel room. No... it's a scary hotel room. It's a place where dark deeds are conceived and from which dark deeds are carried out. You don't want to spend the night in this hotel room unless absolutely necessary. And in that case, be sure you don't fall asleep...

Bed & Breakfast

This is a sweet little bed and breakfast, located in the historic district, just a few blocks from downtown Ocala. It's run by a very kind woman who goes out of her way to make her guests feel comfortable. The rates are very reasonable, too. And it's clean!

Between a rock and a hard place...

This ball was not planted. It landed here on its own about two weeks ago when I was playing with a friend. It was his ball, so naturally, I laughed and laughed and laughed. He was not laughing. Well, maybe a little bit. I told him not to touch it until I could get a photo.

Asleep in Women's Shoes

Giacomo

Giacomo, it appears, is from the state of Indiana. It also appears that Giacomo does not play golf as the rear of the cart is set up to carry passengers, not golf clubs. In addition, all golf carts used on the golf course here at Trilogy must be of a charcoal gray color.

There are a number of residents here who do not play golf, yet use golf carts to get around the community. And that makes sense for golf carts do not use gasoline, they do not pollute the environment, and they are fun to drive.

The Silver Springs Park Water Tower

If you visited Silver Springs in the past, when it was still a private fun park, before Disney World and Orlando's other theme parks sprang up to put Silver Springs out of business, you'll recognize this water tower which was, and is, a landmark.

The water tower is one of the few features that remains from the original park, although I'm not sure if it's functional or merely ceremonial.

Acura NSX

While having our family sedan serviced recently at our local Acura dealer, I decided to take a walk around the showroom just to see some nice new cars that I could not afford.

That's when I came upon this sporty little job, the Acura NSX. But I didn't buy it. It seats only two people and there's not enough room to put our groceries or my golf clubs. Sigh.

The sticker price showing in the last photo was another deterrent also!

Trilogy Resort Flora

As you drive in through the main gate at the Trilogy Resort, you will see these kinds of floral plantings in several different areas.  I think they are quite beautiful and unique. 

Charleys Philly Steaks

Charleys is part of an American chain of restaurants headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Their Ocala restaurant is one of the most popular restaurants in the Paddock Mall food court.

Their sandwiches are excellent and made to order on a grill as you watch. The French fries are to die for. And the prices are very reasonable.

This family is at the end of the line awaiting their order.