Busch Gardens

Hi! Today we spent the day at Busch Gardens. This is a butterfly. The floral arrangements and topiary items are just beautiful.
There is a frog, a tiger, a sundial, and others. We see something different each time we go there.

This is in the Jungala area. There are about 15 or so different areas with themes. We met the tigers here. Beautiful creatures, made you wish there were in a more open area. Like their home, free to roam.

This guy was also in Jungala. there were 4 persons on stilts representing different creatures. This one had big eye lashes that would wink at you. The dark at the top is the head of the person. The head of the creature is on a long neck that sticks out from the person on stilts.

These are two of the tigers in Jungala. The box the one is on is a viewing box that goes down at night or when ever. I could watch the animals all day. Forget the shows. Well, the shows are great also.

There a 5 elephants at Busch Gardens. They were feeding them some apples today. And hay. The youngest one, 18 years old, would hold up one foot or the other depending on which hand the care taker held up. She would also sway when the care taker did. Neat.

Ernie got a lot of pictures of the animals and flowers. It is a good thing we can put them on a disk now. I would not like to put all of them in the old type picture albums. With digital camera so many more pictures can be taken.

While at Busch Gardens today our first stop was at the Stanleyville Theatre. To see the Osmond Brothers. 3 of them. Donnie and Marie are in Vegas. We also took another ride in the jeep at Rhino Valley. Different driver and guide and so a different patter about the animals and where the jeep was going. We did see a white rhino (he looked gray to me) and not too far from us.

Watched the "Lets Dance" show. Talked with a couple from Sun City. He was from Columbia and she was from Cuba. They apparently have been in the states for some time. Have traveled quite a bit. They also believe that the USA is a great place. So much freedom and friendly. Best place to live in the world. WE agreed and also told him we feel fortunate to be able to do what we are doing. Traveling.

Stopped to watch a squirrel, not an exotic animal, but he was finding peanuts on the ground.

The children are fun to watch also. The rhino ride we could hear one behind us gasp when the jeep went off the bridge and into the water. It is planned and has an underwater rail that the jeep follows. I noticed that once we were on the bridge the driver moved something under the seat. Possible to attach to the rail and what ever. The jeep "floats: down stream, around some boulders and under a waterfall. Depending on how the jeep turns someone may get a little damp from the water fall. While watching one of the smaller roller coasters I noticed a small boy with dad on the front seat, turn rather pale. He was all right, but you could tell he was a little scared.

I could go on and on. But ----- talk to you later. jkc

Florida Flywheeler Days

This isn't a Flywheeler. This is a picture of migrants picking strawberries. Field after field of strawberries in this area. No wonder Plant City is the Capitol for strawberries. And they have a strawberry festival also.


But this picture of a grape picker is from the Florida Flywheeler Days. We saw this during the tractor parade. They have a tractor parade each day of the 4 day festival. All kinds of tractors and motors. That have a fly wheel as part of their engine make up. (I will be corrected on that, I bet.) He is out to turn on the water so we can have plenty of water to shower. It was a dry and dusty day. The fly wheel is how you START the engine in the olden days before electric starters. The FlyWheeler Park is dusty and there was a slight wind. It is near Fort Mead, FL.




This lady is really sitting high off the ground on this tall tractor. It is a high clearance tractor. Go over plants. You can also see down the road more tractors. All kinds and all shapes.




Have you ever seen a RED John Deere tractor? Now you have. Just like the others, only red.





Now the next three pictures you have a choice to make for me. Which one should be made so I can follow the man around? Or maybe, so he can follow me around.
Anyway, we get a kick out of these vehicles that allow another passenger on something that usually only has room for one.

This first one must have had a joy stick and could go round and round and would swing back and forth like a swing, also. Fun, but one lady said she would be sick if she had to go around and around like that man made it go. And kept it swinging going down the road also!! so there!




This is the one I liked. They rode around all day on this get up. easy going and it wasn't noisy either. Just an old garden tractor mower. The umbrella was on something else. Some of these
carts did have umbrellas.



E. liked this one, it has such a small motor to carry two big men. It looked odd.

Did you notice all the golf carts in the background? Many, Many golf cart there.

We had a full day. Leaving about 7 am. and returned by 5:30 maybe 120 miles of driving.

But it was interesting. And we also found a special piece of silver we had been hunting since we started collecting. a teaspoon, but a prized designed. This Flywheeler park is located out in the middle of no where, a very large space of almost 300 acres. There are rows and rows of people camped out and having flea market sales. From parts for all you old engines to general merchandise. The is also an Antique Village. Where they put together an old Model-T Car in 5 minutes. That is a good story and a true one as we watched it being done. The car ran also.

They also had home made ice cream that was very good.

We had about finished going over the acres of flea shops and decided to sit down and rest. On a couple of boards placed over some cement. Started talking with the couple sitting there eating their elephant ear pastry. She just happened to be from Syracuse,. Well, she went to school there one year and also baby sat for the local shoe dealer. ( I usually do not mention names that much) she was originally from Mentone. And she married a Syracuse boy. The class she had been in during her JR. year at SHS? Mine!. And her husband had also been in my class. This man died about 17 years ago and she is now married to???? Sorry, I didn't have a pencil to write down his name.

Small world. I will have to call my sister and let her know I saw someone from home. The couple now live in Millersburg. Her present husband had been a stock car racer and knew of a friend of ours that also raced at the Anderson Speedway. This friend lives about a mile down the road from us.

So, that was our busy day. Time for showers and bed as tomorrow is Busch Garden Day for us. jkc

Tampa Bay Boat Ride

These tanks for oil have been painted. This one is the most colorful. Manatees and Manta Rays. The other tanks had sea birds, not much color.

This is a pile of metal scrap. They take all metal that has been flattened (refrigerators, washer and dryers, cars etc.) make it into small pieces and then send it to Mexico and elsewhere for them to make our new cars.

Click on this one to make it bigger. (or any picture) you can see that the boats are shrimp boats. The tall one to the left is an ocean going tug. It will push behind a big tanker to move it around.

This boat is an orange juice boat. Orange juice is imported from Brazel to the USA. (Florida and California) to blend with our orange juice to make the perfect juice. We did not know that. But one of the men here at our park said he used to deliver the orange juice from Florida to California by tanker truck. And then bring California juice to Florida. What we learn in our travels.

And this is me an an unkown lady on our boat. It was windy and on the cold side. But bright sunshine. An interesting and educational boat ride.

Ernie said I had to get this posted so my sister in law would be happy. ??

Today, was Plant City Flea Market day. Did also buy fruits and veggies, beside some silver.

And of course had to stop for our strawberry parfait. And more red peppers. 3/$1

Thursday we will be gone all day. Big adventure which I may tell you tomorrow or Friday.

jkc

Jane in the boat.

Sun., Mon., Tues. Feb. 22,23,24, 2009

Hi! My writings are done in days of 3. I guess we have slowed down a bit.

A mosquito in here, Help!

Sun. and Mon. Sunday we made a dry run to 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa.

(more on that Tues.)

Mon. I walked to the Post Office.

We made phone calls, cleaned up the RV a bit and did very little.

Tuesday. the 24th.

Ernie drove to 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa. We parked in next door to the cruise parking garage (same building, opposite ends) and went over to the Aquarium and stood by the statue of a manta ray until the man came to tell us what to do.

sign in and follow the young lady. We did, right down to the dock and got on a Port Authority boat. Took a cruise around the Tampa Harbor. About one and a half hours. neat trip.

We saw where they grind up metal(cars, washing machines, tools, what have you.

Makes a big, big pile of chips. Saw various types of boats. One that delivers orange juice from Brazil to Florida to mix with Florida juice. A gentleman in this park told me he delivered some of that Brazil juice from Florida to California by truck. Never new my oj traveled so far. A big pipe from ship to shore.

The dock where 2 different Dodge vehicles and some John Deere vehicles are delivered from foreign countries to the U.S. An ocean going tug--- it has a tall center

cabin and pushes some ships from behind.

The buildings that are cold storage for anything that needs to be kept frozen or cold. Sulfur plants, waste material plants (garbage) CSI railroad has depots there on the docks. Several big tanks that hold oil (at the refinery) had murials painted on them, made a change of scenery from the busy dock areas.

Saw where they load the big containers on to the ships.

It was an interesting trip. Not pretty areas, but yet the bay and sky were so blue. We enjoyed the ride. Two tug boats were moored near where our boat moors. Our Captain pulled in just as easy as could be. There were to be 42 on the boat. We had 27 persons. This is a free tour the City of Tampa has for anyone interested in seeing Their harbor from the business side.

You can take a more scenic "cruise" in the afternoon and have dinner for $20. Maybe another year.

Came home with a stop at Cracker Barrel and Camping World along the way. Needed lunch and a couple of struts that hold up the bin doors.

There are 93,000 workers on these docks.

Wednesday is flea market at Plant City. and that means stopping for a strawberry parfait on the way home. See you. jkc

Thurs., Fri., Sat. Feb. 19,20,21, 2009

That jamar for $1.00 is a jicama. a vegetable--- a little sweet, texture like a white radish, but more firm. Good in salads.

Thursday. We took off for Busch Gardens carrying our ponchos as it might rain. We watched
Herman Hermits, Starring Peter Noone, very good. He is a showman, knows how to work a crowd and can sing also!. Then on to Rhino Valley to take a safari ride in a jeep. Nope, it started to rain. By the time we got our ponchos on we were a little wet and it was chilly. So we came home, dried off and had a lazy afternoon.

Friday. We went back to Busch Gardens and went straight to the Rhino Valley for our Safari Ride. We were some of the first in line. Fun and interesting. Even went down a "river" in the jeep! Then we walked over to StanleyVille in time to see Peter Noone and the Hermits again. Cool!
A couple from the Michigan Knights stopped us. We had on our Hoosier Cruiser Jackets and she thought that was a neat idea. We just wanted them for a slim and warm layer. Hadn't thought about the name on the back.
Also watched the Katonga dance and story telling show. Interesting. The costumes and set designs were awesome. Not sure we got all of the three stories told, but it was warm and dry.
(No it did not rain Friday. Was a little cool.) the music was so loud at times it was difficult to understand what was being said or sung. Is that a sign of aging?
That evening a gentleman from Portland stopped by to say hello. He had seen our Indiana plates and wanted to talk. (We saw this man and his wife Sat. also. Nice couple)

Sat. we were up early and drove to Ruskin to see Ernie's cousin. The park where Lou stays was having their semi-annual rummage sale. So we toured the park checking out those sales. Then we drove down to Bradenton to the Red Barn Flea Market. Lou likes to go there also. Found a few pieces of silver and veggies, grapes and strawberries. Had lunch there.
Back to Lou's place where a delicious lemon meringue pie was waiting for us. We enjoy visiting with Lou. We should do so more often.

Tomorrow----no plans. Talk to you later. jkc

Wed. Feb. 18th, 2009

And lo, the Lord gazed upon the chicken and upon the egg...

And not knowing which should come first, shoveth'd
He the egg up into the chicken, and it was good.





Just had to put that in. I have had this greeting card with that
written on the card. The picture on the front of the card shows a barn,
a chicken and an egg. Only the last two lines on the inside.

So which on did come first?




Monday the 16th. We drove to Webster, FL. to the Flea Market. It was President's
Day and so we got there at 8. When they open. Very full of vendors. We did not get
over half of the grounds. The real fleas. Not the ones from China, or India. But the
stuff from Grandma's attic or someones garage. We left about 11:30 and there was
a two mile line up to get in as we were leaving. Such a place. One vendor was ready
to go home at 10;30. His wallet was full. Have to know how to price your goods. He said.
We found some good buys. Stopped at a subway at a filling station about 4 or 5 miles down the road. I was told all they had was ham and bologna, for sandwiches. No lettuce or tomato either. But we were hungry and the sandwich tasted good. People stopping to or from the flea market. We knew it would be a big day.
Got home, checked out what we had purchased and Bruce and Beth came over for pizza and cards. A good time.

Tues. The 17th. I got a hair cut from my purple haired, studs in her face, stylist. McKenzie is nice and does a great job of styling. Trouble is, after I have slept on it, the hair style never looks the same.

Over to Parksdale to meet up with National (motorhome owners) Great Lakers. for strawberries and ice cream. The group went to a local park for an informal meeting and visiting with one another. The line is so long, but it doesn't take long to go thru to the place where you order. No one seems to mind the wait.

Wed. today--- Picked up Bruce and Beth and headed over to the Sam Allen flea market at Plant city. Heavy population of Spanish speaking vendors and patrons. All 4 made quick work of the market. Not what we wanted there. Except vegetables and fruit. Pineapple for $2., 7 nice small squash, zucchini and yellow, for $1. 6 Tomatoes for $1.
Nice large Jamar for $1.
I got 3 red bell peppers at Webster for $1. We do enjoy the fresh food here.
Beth needed to make a grocery run, as they were heading for the Everglades today. Then a stop at McDonald's before heading to Parksdale. Celebrate a good time together. I also bought
a quart of strawberries for $2.19. ummm good!

Now Ernie is polishing silver ware, so I better help. Have a good day.

Sunday, Feb. 15th, 2009

HI! We are back at Charlies. Arrived about 11. Had a lazy afternoon, Ernie watched to start of the Daytona 500 and then we took some of the tangerines over to our friends and parents. Early to bed so we can go to the big day flea market at Webster, FL. have a good day. JKC

Friday and Saturday, Feb., 13 & 14. 2009

It's Saturday evening and we are tired. Two days of travel, in the car.
Friday we drove to Fort Myers to see my brother and sister-in-law. We enjoy visiting them there as they have a great view of their big pond and a lovely condo. Sara fixed a sumptuous seafood anniversary dinner for us. Shrimp, scallops, stone crabs, tomato aspic and key lime pie with strawberries for dessert. All very delicious!!!
Their condo is for sale. A good day visiting.

Saturday, back down the highway to Punta Gorda where friends from Anderson are staying for a few weeks. We checked out a garage sale, nothing there, and then drove around before stopping at the Fisherman's Wharf. A great place to go and look.
My pocket book is not deep enough for the prices in the speciality shops, but we had fun looking and deciding who could wear what. Did get some post cards. Our daughter said the children in some of her classes at IPS Elementary school did not know anything about a post card. So, I am looking for some showing the sand and surf. Found one about shells, and another about sharks teeth. I got one of those for myself so I could learn more about sharks teeth also. Found another that has a snow scene on one side and a beach scene on the other. Same side of card. Has "you" written on the snow side and "me" on the beach side. Is that rubbing it in or what? A little cooler this afternoon, but still nice. The place where our friends are staying belongs to friends of theirs. They filled two bags with tangerines from the tree in the back yard. They are sweet and good.

Tomorrow we leave and go back to Charlies place in Thonotosassa. We doubt if we come back to this campground. We got a special deal on it, for one week and Why Not? It is nice enough and made it closer to my brother and our friends. AND the BEACHES. Which I liked. Still we prefer a smaller campground and at this point do not require shuffle board, golf etc. to keep us happy. We are on the go a lot and not
in the campground enough to use those facilities. Soo who knows what tomorrow brings. Everyone have a happy day. JKC

Thurs. 2/12/09

Hi! Happy Lincoln's Birthday to all of you. And Happy Birthday to Janet, Tom, and Sarah.

Beach Day!! Manasota Beach, near Venice, FL. It was cloudy and overcast, but we did not have any plans for the day. Sooooo I ask to go to the beach, a beach where we could find some sharks teeth. We ask at the Registration Bld. here for information on beaches. Good info.
I have been told that these black, triangle, boomerang shaped little stones? are very, very old sharks teeth. I even found one that is supposed to be a sting ray tooth!
what ever we had a good time for 1 and 1/2 hours looking for these little black things. Interesting, mostly older people walking slowly, bent over looking at the sand. Some had little wire nets, like the dustpan on a handle. This would scoop up the shells and sand crabs that the tide brought in. I would have to have one if we were to be near beaches more often.
Back home to polish silver, that's done for now and just take it easy. Talk to you later. JKC

Wed. Feb. 11, 2009

Hi! We had shrimp tonight, from the freezer. Accompanied with sweet corn on the cob, fresh green beans, red, green & yellow bell peppers, celery, and small cukes. The vegetables we purchased at a flea market in North Fort Myers.
We saw a neat marble game that one of the vendors had made out of scrap wood. He had a few other gadgets. One, an out house that when you opened the door it fell apart. With a bang! I jumped and Ernie laughed. You Broke it! cost me 50 cents for the man to put it back together again. A mouse trap --- a big mouse trap--- was set off when you opened the door. fun.
I was talking with the vendor. He is from Ohio. He does not go to Shipshewanna, but his good friend, Joe Yoder, is the curator at Meno-House outside of Shipshewanna. Tell him
Donnybuckyseed said "Hello"
Interesting people along the way.
See you later. JKC

later on Tues. 2/10/09

Today was Hoosier Cruiser Day in Sarasota, Fl. 36 members and 2 guests met at the Sugar and Spice restaurant for lunch. A good time seeing friends and finding out where everyone was staying in Florida.

We did not take I-75 home. ( I say home a lot and I mean the motor home, as that is what it is when we are on the road.)

Ernie took St. Road 41, along the coast. He had heard enough that I wanted to go to the beach.

A stop at Siesta Key. Pretty white soft sand. I waded in the water and picked up some shells.

(small ones) Then on down the road to Venice Beach. Sand was more coarse and gray. Found a few more shells there. So I may have my fix on the beach, at least for awhile. another good day.

Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2009

I Iremember what I left out. (Monday was a day of rest and laundry) During the rally when we were driving the golf carts Ernie had a lady from North Webster. He ask her if she knew Thornburg Drug Store. Yes, she had worked there for two years. At 50 cents an hour. She said she had worked for Blanche.

Sunday, February 8th, 2009

Hey! We are now in Venice, Florida at the Rambles Nest RV Park. Courtesy of The Encore Campground booth at the Tampa, Super RV Show. We have a week at $77.00 Could not pass up a week like that. It is a big campground with pool, hot tub, quilting room, shuffle board, you name it and they probably have it. We have full hook ups. (electricity, water and sewage) tonight a good shower with plenty of hot water!..
Saturday was another good day. It warmed up and I peeled the 3rd layer off while driving the golf cart. Met a couple that has been married 60 years and still going in the RV.
A nice day. The evening entertainment was a hypnotist. He was good and the program was funny. One lady was really hypnotised, just interesting to watch her as she was right on key when he said the proper words.
Sunday we went to the devotional hour. and then talked awhile after the service. Back to the coach to hook up and get ready to take off. A nice Sunday drive from Brooksville to Venice.
We are both tired. I know I have left something out-----it will have to wait until later.

Friday, Feb. 6, 2009

Rock around the clock tonight. by Bill Haley's Comets An hour and 10 - 15 minutes we listened to tonight. Great!
it was 29 degrees again this am.. Frost on the brown grass. and then it got warmer. I actually took off the top of four layers while driving the handicap golf cart. the diving paid off, too! I picked up a couple that was here just for the day, drove their car in-----I was asked if I liked grapefruit,
Yes, Do you have some friends here that might like grapefruit. Well, we are having happy hour at our coach this afternoon. good take some of this grapefruit with you. so he gave me 6 bags full of fresh ruby red grapefruit. I gave one away to another rider and brought the rest back to happy hour. We still have a bag and half left.
We had people from 8 Indiana coaches --14---two spouses did not come. And two of the 14 were that couple from Madison that moved to Georgia!!!! They said that they had been spoiled by the Hoosier Cruiser Way. We go to rallies expecting to go somewhere and see things being made or beautiful things to look at or some fun thing to do. In Georgia they have not found a club yet that does anything but meet, eat and play cards. No tours of any kind.
Bummer. So they became rally hosts and had a full 3 days. Places to see, etc. The others in the club really enjoyed it. But they haven't done another one.
So, Hoosier Cruisers---- enjoy our rallies and the work the rally masters do to provide us an entertaining rally.

Thur. 2/5/09

Here are two more pictures of the RV's on the runway at Brooksville. We hope they come thru.

Wed. and Thur. Feb. 4 & 5, 2009

WE are now at Brooksville Muncipal Airport. It was a W.W. 2 facility and now Brooksville uses parts of it. The South East Area of F.M.C.A uses two old long runways as a way to park about 1200 motor homes during this rally. The airport facility does use these part time and will be in use again after we all leave on Sunday.

WE are parked on the West runway about 3/4 of a mile from the entertainment tent and another 1/4 mile to the rest of the supporting area. We have coffee and donuts each morning with the

Frustrated Maestros playing until 9 am. Except today they did not play as the temp. was 27

degrees. WE did not want any lips frozen to mouth pieces!!!! There was about a 1/2 inch of ice on the buckets of water that were used as weights. I bought some foot warmers for my toes that had turned to almost ice.

We have been seeing friends that we see usually just at rallys. Checking out the venders and going to seminars. Ernie went to one on insurance on Wed. and I went to one on Introduction to gem stones and pearls.

Last night we had great entertainment. 4 to five. 5 young men that sang a cappella and were just super. They started out as a barbershop quartet and then found the 5th man that could make all the different sounds of instruments. so 4 to 5! Today we attended a seminar on

Basic electricity and protection. (for your RV. Which is different than your home.

Even I understood, just do not ask me to repeat what he said.

The evening entertainment was a ventriloquist with four dummies. He is labeled as Fuuny Dummies. Not bad, but we had seen him before, we just cannot remember where or when. Is that a song?

Did you get our picture of the strawberry sundae. It has been said that the annual Strawberry festival will be without strawberries due to the number of hard freezes this past month. Parksdale has their own supply of strawberries and still had strawberries last Saturday.

We have another picture for you (we hope) from the top of the motor home. You can see a tent in the distance in the picture. Barely. Have a good day, stay warm.

Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2009

and somehow the picture of Ernie sitting in the Royal chair with the HUGE sundae could not be posted!!! Now we just get the parfait, not that big sundae. Oh, It is good! (I have to admit the HUGE sundae is fake and mine was REAL)

We are now at Brooksville. Fl. At the airport and on the runway. A great place to have a rally. Should be about 1200 hundred motor homes. Down from over 2000 in past years.
We have free donuts and coffee for 4 days and an ice cream sandwich one day. Plus seminars from cooking in your convections-microwave over to how to take care of your Freightliner Chassis. Clean your coach, and protect your skin with Mary Kay. no Mary Kay on the coach! Keep your dirty water tanks working to painting pictures and embellishing sweatshirts. A parade, for anyone that wants to parade (no RV's) golf carts, wagons, what ever you want in a parade.
And there is a treasure hunt this year. We have missed a few clues, so doubt if we get anywhere with it.
When we came in this am there was a sign saying Drivers needed for golf carts to pick up handicap. So we are signed up for two days, 12 to 2. It is fun, we did this out in Pomona, CA last winter and have signed up to do so in Perry, Georgia at the National Convention.
We have met a couple from Warsaw, IN. My county seat. Ever hear of Creighton Eggs? They are also in our club, but have just joined this past year and we had not really talked with them.
there may be about a dozen from Indiana here. RV's from all over the U.S. and Canada.

While parked here and at most regional and national rallies we dry camp. We have learned to be extra careful using water. Think about that one. Do you let the water run when you brush your teeth? While waiting for the hot water we run the cold into a bowl until it is hot. Then that goes in the water bottle in the fridge. Paper Plates and cups. but I rarely use plastic utensils. Sorry. We all wear name tags with the logo for that specific rally. These are also our credentinals to get into programs and move around the area. Sure helps when you can't remember the persons name you just met an hour ago.
Better sign off as we are using the generator to have electricity to run the computer and extra lights. We have two gas furnaces, one front and one for the back of the coach. so we stay warm.
It is supposed to be below freezing a couple of nights this week. Get out Mother's old down comforter and we will be ok. Good night!!

Tues. Feb. 3, 2009

Ice Cream

Mon. 2/2/09

RAIN!! Most of the day, and I was going to wash the RV windows. So I washed clothes instead. Clean up day, as tomorrow we move to Brooksville and the South East Area Rally.
Talk to you later.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

A cooler day. To the Thonotosassa Methodist Church this am. Met Irene and Ralph outside and sat with them. A little different service, but fine. The minister plays the trumpet during the hymns.
After lunch we picked up Richard and Shirley and drove to Ruskin to see the manatees.
They are big mammals that like the warmer waters. So when it is cold they come in to the area where the discharge from the electric plant comes out. We watched for an hour or so. Then on to our favorite Sunday afternoon stop at Parksdale.
Home to sorta watch the football game. Darn, I was hoping Arizona would win. They did give the Steelers a run for there money.
Have a good day.