a mirage that enticed you into the sinking sand.....

The plan early this morning was hopping on Gene and Ruth's pontoon boat and heading down the Dora Canal and out into a couple of other rivers, ending up at a waterside restaurant. The winds picked up and Gene thought we should put the trip off for a couple of days.

Of course, we weren't going to let a little wind spoil a beautiful Florida day (83 degrees). So off we went to Norris Lake and yet another hike. Here is the gang ready to hit the trail.

Gene insisted I get into a picture....I guess I need to start setting the timer and jumping in the group picture.

It wasn't very far down the trail when we discovered something was DEFINITELY wrong. There were all kinds of clearings and the paths were this deep sand which was wicked hard to hike in. We decided to keep going, figuring it was just a rough patch and we would soon be back on a normal trail. We kept going and it didn't get better so by time we reached about a quarter of the trail we decided to turn back. We were all dragging butt by time we got back to the parking lot. We met a couple along the way and were informed that the bulldozers had come through because they were restoring the wetlands.

This is the stuff we were walking through......

We did take a small path off the main trail where we were able to go through the forest... it didn't help us any as far as getting back around the sand. This is such a unique pine tree....it's a 3 needle pine and almost looks a little like a skinny palm.

These pine cones were all over....they were HUGE! If it had been near Christmas time I probably would have brought some home....I have NO idea what I would have done with them but they were cool.


We couldn't reach the lake by foot, so we drove around and checked out the area. It was ere...the water was black...not so much dirty just very dark water.

I received a phone call today from my good friend Marilyn Gibbin. Marilyn is from Buffalo, NY but winters over on the Gulf. She and another friend from the old neighborhood (Duff) will be driving over on the 17th to have lunch with me. It will be great to see both of them again.

We also received a note from Kelly Bolton Martin, informing us that her dad, Bill Bolton passed away a week and a half ago. Kelly will be coming to FL for a memorial service and to help her sister Tracy with their dad's estate. We are hoping we will be able to work a schedule where we can get with her. When my husband Bill was in the hospital in Kentucky for over 3 weeks, Bill and his wife Betty came every day to either take me to breakfast or in the evening to play cards with Bill and myself. It was one of Bills greatest joys in his last days and I will never forget their kindness!!

Tomorrow is a trip to the Eustis Farmer's Market and tomorrow night to the Full Monty