"In Concert"

"In Concert" means different things to different people, but it also is a metaphor of sorts for the lives we live. A dog, for example, laying in the shade of the coach awning, licking a giant pile of ice cubes to cool off on a hot day in the March Florida sunshine is surely "In Concert" with the world as it presents itself...Just look at that syncopation, will ya?

I find myself finally divested of the restraints and constraints and non-stop responsibilities of real estate holdings that always seemed to find a way to limit the joys of being on the road full time since we got started down that road. But with the closing of the last commercial holding in Maine, we are truly foot loose and fancy free, or at least as much as it is possible to be that way in this life and still be a responsible participant in the process. How long that feeling lasts I cannot know; but for now, with the wind at my back, the sun on the horizon and adventure tucked securely in my pocket, the feeling of being "In Concert" fully and for the first time in a long while is here to be appreciated and celebrated and shared.

And what better way to start the unbridled future than with a visit to some of the highlights of the past.

The Beach Boys in Concert!

There is, as there always is, a blank canvas, an empty stage, a diamond in the rough, an idea without a plan, a direction without a destination....
With planning and engagement comes anticipation and excitement...

until the performers come to the stage and we are all "In Concert"...
The results become clear to all. The beach balls fly through the air in celebration. The beat pulses, the rhythm moves the body and the mind and the soul and connections are made with the very essence of life.
It works for the young ones and a new generation of fans and participants comes into the world, lending credence to the quality of the here-to-fore we hold so dear.
It works for the old ones who look back at the times of their youth through whatever lens suits them best...
and it works for those frozen in time, those that never gave up or moved on from what worked for them in the first place...and maybe will for all their life and time.
For the California girls in Florida,
For the throwback rocker generation that just keeps dancing on ...
And for the startups in the concert world, high atop their man's (even if it's dear old dad's) shoulders to see if the view is any better up there in the clouds and over the heads of everyone in their way.
A day In Concert with life, with the music and rhythm of the day and the night just makes you feel right, like you are all dressed up with SOMEWHERE to go, and ready to go where-ever that may take you.
I have no idea whether this first ever (below) video clip I am trying to post to the blog will work or not after I hit the all important "Publish" button. But if it does, you will hear a clip of a Beach Boy tune that all will recognize. (And, yes, they OK'd the use of it, thank you very much.) The clip was taken with my digital still camera so it will be small and maybe a bit dark. But listen carefully, even if the image is not so great...Is that ME singing with the Beach Boys? Yes siree bob. Now all you have to figure out is if I actually got invited up on stage...or if I'm just singing along from behind the camera. Hey! I'm not tellin'.

The Many Faces of Cypress Gardens

Cypress Gardens started out as a botanical garden on a private estate. While it has grown and adapted to the competitive environment of Florida attractions over the many years since it began- it is still a magnificent botanical garden, both natural and formal, first and foremost. But surely there is something here for everyone: a butterfly conservatory, an aviary, a zoological display (with things you won't likely see elsewhere like a black spotted leopard and an agouti), a Southern Mansion with belles in gowns strolling the property, an amusement park, and a world class water skiing show that has been running for the last 60 years consecutively- making this the longest running athletic display event in the country.
The view from the sky ride- a space needle like ride that carries you 153 up in the air for a bird's eye view of the grounds is terrific and a great place to hear a brief history of the place while the observation platform rotates so you won't miss anything the guide is talking about.

Another reminder: click on photos to enlarge and "back arrow" to return to blog.

Looking up at the sky ride...
And looking straight down from 153 feet in the air...
and then out over the garden grounds.
There are dozens of large topiary pieces all of which were beautifully executed and in terrific condition, even for the winter month display.

There are waterfalls, flowing streams, and a huge lake- all part and parcel to the park....
There are Cypress trees pretty much everywhere- hence the name, but at Lake Eloise they are very large and stand majestically, draped in Spanish moss by the water's edge.
In the Oriental garden section, bamboo of all sizes and shapes rustle musically in the wind.
The Banyan Tree is worth the price of admission alone. It is breath-takingly huge and beautiful at the same time.
The head shot photo roster on the entryway to the ski stadium reads like a who's who of the water ski world, and many if not most of the sports greats have performed here or been a part of the ski team at one time or another. The show was very entertaining!
Their signature pyramid performed while flying the American flad passes by the stadium seating in revue....
These skiers are heading right to left, having just cleared the jump ramp "three up" and are each performing a different flip maneuver.
The butterfly girls wave to visitors as they exit the ski show and welcome them to other parts of the grounds.
This Galapagos sized tortoise was as eager to look at us as we were to look at him....
But "Action Jackson", here " behaved just like I normally do, by sticking his head in harm's way and hamming it up for the cameras. It seemed like he and his family were having a great time at the gardens....and there will be a lot of people go home with a photo very similar to this one!
This "photo op" gator marked the entrance to the display which housed some of the actual alligators that "starred" in the Tarzan movies of the 1930's. Now if that isn't special, then I don't know what is!!! Ahhhh, ee ah ee ah ee ah eee ah!

Oh, and the price of admission to the park includes a second day visit (used within a week) at no additional charge. So since our timing seems to have been simply impeccable on this visit, we will go back again Sunday to hear The Beach Boys in concert. Surf's up, dude!

Way Down Upon The Suwanee

Everybody, now: "Way down upon the Suwanee River, Far, far from Home...." Well, it finally fit our schedule to visit the lower Suwanee River and the town of the same name. Beautiful old Florida area. A brisk but meandering river of legend, Spanish moss more dense in most cases than the leaves in the trees- big trees. We did manage to get one kayak run up the river but weather in the form of rain and tornadic activity kept us off the river for the most part. Unless, of course, you count parking right up against the banks of the river as technically being ON the river. What a campsite!

Some business dealings not related to our travels required us to use up too much of our time there. While it is a beautiful spot, it is also a very remote spot and there was NO cell phone signal that worked for us at all. When we had to make a call, which we had to do almost every day that we were there, we had to drive at least 20 miles down the road to get even a faint signal. The campground had a wifi that was woefully inadequate and seldom if ever allowed me to connect, so we pretty much had to make a run whenever we needed computer hookup, paper document transmissions and so on as well. At the end of our stay, the management asked us if we would return. We told them we would love to but our need for communication might preclude that. However they assured us that the brand new wifi which would be fast and powerful and on a giant tower rather than on a small sat dish would be ready in a couple weeks. Who knew. Timing is everything. But at least now we know we will be able to get back there again some day. It's a beautiful part of Florida. And perhaps part of that is because it has not been over built, over populated, and over run by man and his technology at this point yet. Ain't no Walmart here, folks!We're pretty much in the center of the shot above and that's us below as well.


Whether you looked upstream or down, the Cypress trees and knees made for spectacular scenery.
Twenty eight (28) miles from camp, on Highway 19 near Chiefland, Florida, Bob and Nancy Ross own and operate one of the few remaining roadside Cypress stands left in this part of the state, where once there were many. We had passed it on the way to the campground and had fully intended to go back for a visit and a tour. Besides, they are located in a sweet spot for cell signal! And we sure needed that! Suwanee River Woods sells the cross cut sections of the giant Cypress tree trunks that have become the classic Florida table tops, clocks, carving materials from the days when cutting the trees was not strictly regulated and everyone had a piece of the action. Today, the Rosses sell the trunk sections and slabs from legal, commercial operations. They use only the portion of the tree that is not used for lumber....and NO LIVING TREE is ever cut just to produce their product line of woods- it's all byproduct.

Most, but not all, of their wood is "raw" meaning it has not been sanded and sealed prior to purchase. That's because they they want to know how you plan to use the wood before they treat it or do anything at all with it. Once sealed, the Cypress takes on the appearance of the aromatic wood, cedar, which they also have as part of their product line. The irregular shape of the trunk of each Cypress tree makes each cross section cut a thing a beauty and a one of a kind piece of wood. They are truly beautiful.

Bob carves fish out of "Pecky" Cypress. The holes in the wood are produced by a fungus which makes each piece a prized treasure. Nature is the best artist of all................. We tried for an hour or better to find a piece that could fit into our "limited wall space" traveling home, but just couldn't do it. Bummer!

Nancy arranges some tillandsias, air plants, into the holes in some Pecky Cypress. The large slabs are most generally made into bar tops, coffee tables, totems, mantels, benches and the like. When we visited, their web site was not operational, so I can't help you with that contact, but they certainly do have an enormous selection of quality pieces if you are ever in the market.
The Rosses came to this place and started their business some 30 years ago. Their swamp buggy, which Nancy told us was impossible to get stuck, has fallen into a state of disrepair while they tended to business, but it was still a fascinating addition to the "collection" of things to look over at their place of business. There is a quiet sadness about the things that, rightly or wrongly, get neglected while we go about running the business of our lives. Marilyn and and I are so happy to have this time now to go about rediscovering just that kind of thing along the trails of our travel.
Back at camp, Abby took advantage of a break in the bad weather of the week and did a little sunbathing............way down upon the Suwanee River, far, far from home.