Bulow Platation, FL 2010

We usually stop by Flager Beach and stay at Bulow Plantation an Encore Park. This is a beautiful site nearby. Fairchild oak--what a tree. That's Jim Tull and Lee admiring the tree.
This is Jim Tull and Lee in front of John Rockefeller's private residence in Ormond beach. We took a tour of the residence and the grounds.
The residence is now owned by the city and they've done a beautiful job of restoring it and it is used by the city for many functions now. It is called the Casements and it is well worth the trip to see.

This is me getting a kiss from Lee on the grounds of the Rockefeller residence.

Ponce Inlet Lighthouse
There are 203 steps to the top and Lee and I and Jim and Tracy Tull (who are presently traveling with us) all made it to the top.

As you can see it's a long way up.

The weather was great our week here and we spent a lot of time at the beach. It was plenty warm and the water was warm enough to get in and enjoy.
Below Tracy and I having fun in the waves.

Jim and Tracy having fun.

Nearby the campground was a model plane flying field. We sat and watched them flying one morning it was really amazing.

We also found a tennis court nearby and were able to get in some really good pickle ball games with Jim and Tracy.

There was a development nearby that I was able to roller blade in with no traffic it was great!!

On to Savannah Georgia

Visit with our daughter, Karen 4/10-4/19 2010

What a beautiful 10 days we had with Karen. While at Nokomis, we spent most of the time on the beach.

Day after day of beautiful calm, clear water and it was finally warm enough to get into.

Karen enjoyed the warmth of the sun and had lots of time to read and just kick back and enjoy.

Nicky had a great time with Karen. He loved being spoiled by an additional family member.

We took a drive over to Casey Keys to look at the beautiful houses of the rich and famous. I mean really, how much do we really need?

We were only 5 minutes from the beach in Nokomis and just on the other side of the draw bridge was this really cute restaurant on the water. We had a delicious dinner there one night.

Here we are packing up after another gorgeous day at the beach.

What a pretty walkway to the beach!!

After Nokomis on the Gulf, we moved to Silver Springs in the Ocala National Forest. There we met up with Rob and Bonnie Wall who own a lot in the campground there. They have a standard black poodle named Jet and he and Nicky have been friends for 5 years now.

Wilderness RV park is a Passport America participating park. It's a beautiful park. Really nice facilities and the grounds are lovely. It sits on the Ocklawaha River. Rob and Bonnie like it here because they can drop their kayak right in the river just in front of their lot.

There is the cutest little retro restaurant on the premises and the food was great. Big fish fry every Friday night with fresh catch from Lake George.

This great tree was just across from our camper.

This is a picture of Karen and I taken at Juniper Springs.

These underground springs that bubble up from the earth maintain a temperature of about 72 degrees year round.

The water is so clear it's hard to believe it's as deep as it is.

One of the sites along the pathway at Juniper Springs.

This is Glen Springs and the children on spring break were really enjoying the day.

Above is a picture of Salt Springs.

This is the Ocklawaha River at the campground.

What a pretty river to paddle.

I think she's tired.

Words cannot express how wonderful our visit was with Karen. It's so special to have that much one on one time with your children even when they're all grown up because to you they are always your child. I want to thank our son in law Mac for giving us this time with Karen and our grandsons Mickie and Lukas for lending us their mom.

Bradenton / last week at Peace River 2010

HAPPY EASTER

Don't forget to thank God for the incredible sacrifice He made for us.

1 Cross

3 Nails

4 Given 4 Ever

Then celebrate the victories that are now ours through our Lord Jesus Christ!!!

Bird watching in Florida is awesome!!!

You can tell by Nicky's tongue that the weather has warmed up.

Above is Bradenton Beach, we just finished a nice 6 days there. We stayed at an Encore park and though the park was nice enough sleeping with the traffic from 75 is not something we would repeat.
The 2 weeks prior to Bradenton were spent at Peace River. We had a great time with Carol and Lou, Will and Ella, Jim and Tracy, Ed and Janie, and Jim and Jane. Friends we've been meeting up with for the last 6 years. We had several good nights of cards with Lou and Carol and a lovely dinner at Giovanti's on Main Street in Wauchula. These two are very special to us and we look forward to meeting up with them again next year.

The last time we saw Will and Ella was on our trip West last year. We met up with them in Palm Springs and had a great time. We look forward to meeting up with them again later this summer. We had two lovely dinners with them and the afternoon at Highland Hammock State Park.

While in Bradenton we were directed to a place called Robinson's Preserve by a local resident who said it's a really nice place to take your dog on a walk.

About 8 miles of trail are in the preserve and it had beautiful boardwalks and lots of birds to observe.

Isn't this a neat trunk?

Woodpeckers were everywhere.

If you are in the Bradenton area this is a nice place to hike of ride bike.

We also spent time at Fort Desota National Museum and had a lovely walk through the trails there.

Saying good-bye to Jim and Jane was very difficult for us because they are going home to England so it's not like we know we'll see them again next winter. I have already asked Lee for a trip to England for my 70th birthday.

Something I know Jim and Jane will remember for years to come is the play, "The Boarding House", which they saw with us at the City Hall Building in Wauchula. What an experience!!!
If you see them be sure to ask them about it.

I have a bond with Jane that distance cannot break. We have become the best of friends and I look forward to continuing the friendship via e-mail, telephone etc. Lee and I also look forward to hosting their entire family for a holiday some time in the future. Jane and I have one of those kind of friendships that are very rare -- we never really worked at developing our friendship we seemed to think so much alike that we were like two sisters getting together after being separated for a while. I love her dearly and look forward to my visit to England in a couple of years.

Judy and Jane forever buddies

Jane and Janie

Jim and Lee

Jane and Judy's respective hunks

Jane holding Miss Molly (Ed and Janie's dog)

I took Jane to get a pedicure for her cruise home. We also went out for coffee and did some shopping ---now that's a surprise!!

Jane and I happen to be in Bealls when they were marking down some dishes. It was a 95% mark down. I got two complete sets of 4 place settings and a decorative box to put them in for $11.20

Can you tell Jane was excited??

I had Jim and Jane over for BBQ pulled pork and then we played some cards and watched a movie. Jane and I decided we should be comfortable so we set up the dinette bed.

While at Peace River we took a trip over to Highland Hammock State park and took a bike ride with Jim and Tracy and Will and Ella. A nice time was had by all.
The picture above was taken on the Cypress swamp trail.

Jim, Lee, Judy, Ella, and Will Tracy is taking the picture.

Jim and Tracy, Ella and Will, Lee and Nicky.


This has been the most fragmented post I've ever done. I get very emotional this time of year when we have to say good bye to our friends and many acquaintances till the next winter. It's especially hard this year because Jim and Jane are going back home and I know it will be a couple of years before we see them again.

Goodbye to all of you, take care of each other and know that we look forward to meeting up again with you next year.

Love to all Judy