Linear view vs. Masonry View

Storied Silver Springs

Like a Painting
Props from I Spy
Twin Oaks Mansion
Pink Sorrel (Oxalis sp.)
Common Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis)
Zebra Longwing Butterfly (Heliconius charithonia)
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Silvery Reflection

Since 2013, Silver Springs State Park has encompassed both the Silver River and the 30 artesian vents that feed the waterway. The largest of them, Mammoth Spring, is a first magnitude spring, discharging an average of 100 cubic feet of water per second. Making it the second largest spring in Florida. 

The springs are clustered closely together. Given the small size, it is surprising that the area figured so prominently in the state’s history. Located near the center of the state, the riverway was one of the main transportation routes.

Noting that early travelers were entranced by the crystal clear water, enterprising settlers Hullam Jones and Phillip Morrell added glass to a rowboat. Thus, Florida’s first attraction opened in the late 1870s.

Over the ensuing decades zoological displays and demonstrations were added to the property. Starting in the 1930s, Silver Springs even attracted Hollywood directors who used the scenic area in tv shows, like Sea Hunt and I Spy. As well as 20 films, including Rebel Without a Cause, Creature from the Black Lagoon, and six Tarzan movies (the latter inspired Colonel Tooey, who operated the “Jungle Cruise” boat ride, to import some Rhesus macaques).

In 1971, Silver Springs was designated a National Natural Landmark, the same year that Disney World opened, which, ironically led the attraction’s demise. When the state acquired the property they removed the old cages and rundown buildings, returning much of the site to its natural state. Thankfully, they restored the glass bottom boats so you can still float over the springs as they burble up through the Ocala limestone. Small but still scenic!

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Monkeying Around

Grooming Session
Legs Up, Monkey Pose
Where’d Everybody Go?
In a Hurry
Got to Catch Up with the Troop
Snack Time

Friday I finally had a chance to head over to Silver Springs State Park. While the park’s namesake is stunning and has an interesting past, that story will have to wait, because the main reason I drove 100 miles inland was for some monkey business.

Lucky for me the weather was gray and moody, with rain threatening at any moment. Why was this a good thing? For a couple reasons, the cloudy skies kept the temperature down and scared the crowds of tourists away. Which the monkeys and I both took full advantage of.

While I only saw a dozen of them, there are over 400 Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta) freely roaming the banks of the Silver River. They are descendants of 12 monkeys that an enterprising tour boat operator purchased and released onto a small island in 1938. Colonel Tooey had hoped to capitalize on the public’s fascination with Tarzan. Unfortunately, he did not do his homework and the Rhesus Monkeys promptly swam away.

As you can tell, they didn’t go far. Over the ensuing years, free food enticed them to stick around and colonize the area. Though that practice ended in 1993, when the historic tourist attraction was purchased by Florida and became a state park, the monkeys have remained.

While the state considers this colony to be invasive and a threat to native species (and poses a slight human health risk as they can carry Herpes B) there are no current plans for eradication. Not only would it be expensive but the public outcry would be immense.

I enjoyed getting a peek into their lives, it was well worth the drive!
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Walk It Off

Since sleep proved elusive this morning a beach walk seemed a viable alternative. I’m so glad I ventured out there, the clouds and sea breeze kept the temperature mild while the view was just incredible. As if that wasn’t enough, the gulf offered up some lovely treasures for me to discover!

Shark Eye Moon Snail, Coral, Sand Dollar, Lightning Whelks, Fighting Conch, Paper Fig Shell (rare because it is so thin and fragile), Treasure Island, Florida

Such a stunning way to start the day. I love living here!
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Ready When Red

I’m so delighted with my little Strawberry Guava (Psidium cattleyanum aka Psidium littorale) trees! I certainly never expected to be enjoying their fruit so soon, I only planted them a year and a half ago.

Though small (ping-pong ball sized), the fruits are mild and juicy. They have a tropical flavor with overtones of strawberry and just a hint of lemon. The best part? They need no special preparation and can be eaten whole (minus a few tiny, hard seeds).

So far, these tasty treats remain undiscovered by my neighborhood avians. I certainly hope they remain that way, because I don’t want to share!

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It’s a Small World…

I went for a sunset beach walk with a couple of friends last night. Before hitting the sand, we made a quick pitstop at our favorite tiki bar for some refreshment.

While there, Alyssa asked a solo man if he’d mind sharing his table for a few minutes. During our introductions it turned out that Gary had moved down here from Michigan (as had both Alyssa and Katie). So that was interesting (graciously, they allowed this non-Michigander to continue hanging out with them).

As the conversation progressed Katie discovered that Gary was from the same little town that she grew up in. That was pretty wild to learn, so they both started rattling off names and locations to see what else they might have in common.

It turned out that Katie’s parents had purchased a store from Gary’s sister over 30 years ago…and now Katie, Gary, and his sister all live down here in St Pete. Talk about a small world! 🌎

And yes, you probably now have that Disney song stuck in your head. You’re welcome! 😂

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Ohio Visit

Near the end of May, I hopped on a plane to Ohio. The trip required some careful preparation on my part, since I was trading hot Summer days for cool Spring-like weather. I had to dig jeans, long-sleeve shirts, and tennies out from the back of my closet where they were relegated months ago.

It was a quick five day trip but I packed a lot in a short amount of time: watched Harper’s baseball game, prepped for Gracie’s graduation party, checked out Ronja’s newly purchased old house, chatted with family, explored a Civil War era historic site, met some local wildlife, found my wings downtown, and spent quality time with Shane and Angelika (my favorite cousins).

It was a such a wonderful visit!
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Thanks for the Warning

Unlike the Baby on Board car stickers which advise other drivers to use caution for the safety of the occupants, this sticker works the opposite way letting us know to give this vehicle a wide berth for our safety.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock I’m certain you’ve heard the term Florida Man. Maybe it’s the heat and humidity but for some reason, men down here regularly make headlines by doing the most insanely stupid things.

There’s even the Birthday Challenge where you Google “Florida Man” and your birthday (sans the year) to see what nonsense happened on your special day. Caution, it is not for the faint of heart. My favorite headline from my day: “Florida man known for Easter bunny fight arrested.” So many questions…

There’s even a new song about this phenomenon:
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