Cody's Roadhouse - Brownwood, The Villages

Misbehaving Women & History

The Yard Stop

On Highway 40, just west of I-75, is The Yard Stop, "Ocala's premier full-service lawn and garden supercenter. Our garden center is a one-stop location, offering plants, groundcovers, pavers, and outdoor living areas with complete design and installation services. Additionally, our showroom features a variety of premier lawn equipment for residential and commercial customers."

The photograph above shows about one-half of the showroom.

We buy pine straw from The Yard Stop to use as mulch around our bushes and trees.  

Fishing off the Cedar Key Fishing Pier

The Lazy Hazy Days of Late Summer

Florida Racoon

This little critter was hiding in some bushes at the Florida Museum of Natural History, located on the campus of the University of Florida in Gainesville. He offered me a bit of his apple, but I declined as I'd already had breakfast.

Brownwood Cattle Drive

 At one of the main entrances to Brownwood in The Villages, a new group of sculptures representing a cattle drive has been added in recent months.  The sculptures are well-done and quite realistic. 

Unfortunately, it was a hot, bright, very sunny day when I took the photos, so they are very contrasty.  Mea culpa.

Tree Tumor

This post could also be titled "Tree Tumour" for my UK and Canadian friends. Take your pick.

It is obvious the tree died. It also seems obvious it died from this huge, very hard, tumor (tumour) found inside of it.

Well, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

Car load on Highway 301

We were heading home on Highway 301. The day, which dawned in sunshine, had turned dull and cloudy. A few miles south of Interstate 10, traffic jammed up in one of the many small towns, most of which were notorious speed traps. We waited at a light behind this behemoth. As I recall, under those wraps were new BMW vehicles. We hoped the driver would take off slowly so the cars didn't roll backward and land on us! He did.

The Organ - Brownwood, The Villages

As most of you know, The Villages has grown into a huge metropolitan area over the past 30 years or so.  There are now about 80,000 residents and at least that many golf cars, who live and park in a wide variety of housing.  Some Villagers live in small villas, or town homes.  Some live in large, elegant villas or town homes,  Some live in more modest single-family dwellings.  And then there are those who live in large, very expensive single-family dwellings.

The first part of The Villages, called Spanish Springs, has its own downtown, shops, and restaurants.  The second phase, known as Lake Sumter Landing, also has its own downtown, which is located on a small lake, Lake Sumter.  You will find many nice shops and restaurants in Lake Sumter Landing.  The latest phase, still under construction, is known as Brownwood.  Brownwood's downtown is built around an old country theme. 

Each of these downtowns has a town square where live music, dancing and drinking are available every evening of the year (weather permitting). 

Brownwood is just now coming into its own.  More and more shops and restaurants have opened up and more and more people are visiting the Brownwood downtown. 

The Brownwood sales office is a beautiful 1800s building with an elegant and delightful interior carefully calculated to make you drool and immediately ask if you can buy a house in The Villages.  This sales office carries out the country theme.  It offers potential buyers various drinks, and plush couches, chair and settees upon which to relax.  There is also a gift shop in the sales office where you may buy shirts and glassware and other gifts with the Brownwood logo on them.

In the hall leading to the gift shop you will find this gorgeous old organ.  It's a magnificent instrument.  I wanted to try it out but didn't dare.  I was fearful some old coot may have come around the corner with a revolver in hand! 

The second photo is an attempt to show what it would have looked like with an old-timey camera.

Up High in a Bucket

To be up high in a bucket is not on my "Bucket List."  I've got other things I'd rather do. 

At the back of our lot is a stand of trees.  The trees are on county property.  One day this fellow, along with another worker, drove their bucket truck on the six feet of land that separates our property from the county's property.

Then he got into the bucket and was raised up high where he proceeded to "trim" the trees.  The problem is that he didn't trim anything that needed trimming.  He might have trimmed the tree tops or he might have trimmed branches that were close to some telephone wires, but it appeared to be just random; hit or miss.

On the ground, his partner picked up his trimmings and fed them into a wood chipper. 

After about an hour, they packed up and left.  Haven't seen them since.  So far as I could tell, the trees looked exactly the same when they left as when they came.

Searching for the Northwest Passage

I have it on good authority that these folks are Canadians. They went looking for the Northwest Passage, got lost, and somehow ended up here in central Florida. But they are an intrepid group, and refuse to give up. But it's a long haul. They're heading down the Silver River, which will run into the Oklawaha, which runs into the St. John's River, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. I'm guessing once they get to the Atlantic Ocean, they'll just head north and take their chances.

Twisted on the Trail

During my lifetime I've read a number of weird, twisted tales. And I've walked some trails which offered their own twist on things. This is one of them.

Florida Panther (Wooden version)

You will find this beautiful critter at the Homosassa Springs State Park.

Florida panthers have been protected for a number of years as their numbers were dwindling.  But I read recently that protection may be lifted, which I think would be a shame. Nobody needs to hunt Florida panthers!

A Curious Allah Van

The Allah van is usually parked in this driveway.  It is a curiosity, sticking out like a sore thumb in this central Florida community, which features religious groups of all sizes and colors (mostly Christian), but is notably knee-deep in Christian fundamentalist rednecks. 

We have over 200 Baptist churches, several Roman Catholic churches, a couple of Anglican churches, two Episcopal churches (one of which is a breakaway and won't accept gays), the usual mainstream churches (Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, United Church of Christ, etc.), a bunch of large independent churches, and lots of small store-front churches tucked away in strip malls.

There are, I believe, four Jewish temples.

I don't think there is a mosque.

The theme for September 1, is "Curiosities."  You can check out what other City Daily Photo bloggers have posted to honor this theme here.