Christmas day, 2000
Merry Christmas, everybody. 73 degrees, slight breeze blowing off the lake, bringing the sounds of fish calling me. Maybe later I'll go answer the call, but for now I'll do some posting here while Barby's busy in the kitchen getting ready for tomorrow's potluck here in the campground. Several of the volunteers have to work today, because it's the normal routine on the gates.
We had a rather memorable Christmas Eve. Bok Tower Gardens was built by Edward Bok in the late 30's for the sole purpose of exercising his obedience to his grandmother's charge to him as he left the Netherlands for the US--to leave the world a better or more beautiful place than when he came into it. We can't say much about the gardens themselves because it got dark right away. The "program" was to start at 8 p.m. and we got there right after closing at 5. The tower is a bell tower for the carillon which has a total of 60 bells, the largest at over 11 tons and the smallest at about 17 pounds. All mechanical setup for the carillonneur to play (who, by the way, was appointed on January 1, 1968).
There were readings from Isaiah, Micah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Revelations regarding the birth of Christ, and between the readings the bells played Christmas music. Some very familiar Christmas carols and quite a bit of music either written for the carillon or arranged for it. Wonderful, joyful, soulful music, and of course, the story we never tire of hearing or telling. The only lights were inside the tower that has fancy tile-work filigree where the bells are; the lighted background through the filigree was quite impressive. Tiki lights were lit along the path to the tower so we could find our way out upon completion of the program. Barby wore her heavy winter coat and layered under that, and I ended up with a wool blanket wrapped around my shoulders. Slight breeze, but temp fell to the lower 50's, and that's cold for us. The tower is located on the highest point in Florida at 325 feet. It was fun to look down on the area around us and spot the lights from the small towns nearby.
And you thought I was going to be showing pictures from last night. HA! I don't take pictures at night of things I can't see. On the left are a couple of sandhill cranes that hang out around the office. They're not tame enough to eat out of your hand, but Bernice, one of the volunteers, has them coming around for feeding time nonetheless. And then on the right is a shot of one of the many lizards (about a foot long) Bernice, her husband Roy, Barb and I saw while riding our bikes around Boca Grande. Boca Grande is an island connected to the mainland by a toll bridge. There is a quaint lighthouse, many expensive-type condo's, beautiful homes, and a great bike trail that we thoroughly enjoyed.
On the left is an Osprey nest with both occupants present. Osprey are funny birds in that they'll build their stick nests in the most surprising places. Tops of telephone poles, aids to navigation, artificial nest boxes erected for them, and like this one, simply on a sign. The little Snowy Egret on the right was waiting for the fishing boat crewman to turn his back and he'd grab a small scrap. Oscar was his name (the egret, not the crewman) and he was being grouchy that day, not only chasing off other little egrets like himself, but he even took on a Great White Heron about twice his size as well.
While we were goofing off, the canoe expert came in and some other volunteers had to put the dugout canoe in its box. We missed all the excitement, but apparently the box did its thing. The yellow strap is one of several that went under the canoe so people could lift it up and gently set it down in the box. Some pieces that broke off and are loose can be seen in the right-hand picture. The black garbage bags are holding our sandbags and keeping the lake water from being polluted by them. On Jan. 8th, the expert will come back to take detail drawings and pictures, and with any luck we'll be able to get a picture of the canoe unwrapped and out of the water.
There's Barby all bundled up against the cold. We're on the paddle-wheel boat on lake Eloise out of Cypress Gardens. And the right-hand picture is a shot of the water-ski show pavilions from the lake. We'd taken our bicycles in for their 30-day "adjustments" and while they were being worked on, we went to the Gardens to relax.
The contraption on the left is called the Sky Island. A ride for the geriatric set. It goes up very slowly, rotates 360 degrees very slowly, and then slowly lowers back to the ground. I've done it once and actually look forward to doing it again. Great view of the grounds from up there. And one of the things on the ground, are alligators. Sure, I had to wait until I found a captured alligator to share a good picture of one, but at least you'll know what a "little" one looks like. There are about 50 of them in this pen and they range from 8 feet to 12 feet in length.
And the birds. On the left is a native, a boat-tailed grackle, and on the right a couple of really red guys that were in the aviary. The grackle is one of the funniest birds around. Tremendous variety of vocalizations, accompanied by wing flapping and a sort of clacking by the males. They're all over the place, and while somewhat smaller than the crows, are just as noisy and aggressive. As you can tell from the photo, the males are so black they shine, almost blue in the sunlight.
On the left is the most vari-colored pheasant I've ever seen, and on the right is a shot of the first bird to moon me. I had focused on this pretty red and blue bird, and as soon as the camera made the little "get ready" click, the bird whirled around showing me its bottom, and as soon as the "snap" of the shutter went, it turned back around again. Wierd.
On the left we have an Anhinga in a classic pose drying its wings off. It gets fish by "flying" under water, but since it has no oil for its feathers, it gets waterlogged and, like the cormorant, has to dry out pretty soon. On the right we have a fisherman in a classic pose with its new sweatshirt and hat sporting the logo of son Doug's business (St. Louis Custom Hotrods), along with a new pair of biking shorts. It gets fish by any means it can think of. And the new duds aren't because its Christmas, but just because.
And here we are for the Avon Park Bombing Range Christmas Party. Like most big parties, those who know each other tend to group up. And RV'ers are some of the best at sitting in circles, widening with each new arrival. On the right, the trailer carried coolers full of food and stuff to be cooked. There were three trailers total, the other two being huge bar-b-ques. We're at one of the military campgrounds called Austin Hammock. The campgrounds on the base are divided into military and civilian, with the civilian campgrounds further divided between those with hunting dogs and those without.
As the girth on the two men carrying the pig will attest, this isn't the first time they'd roasted a pig. This crew knows how to eat and cook! In addition to the pig we had chicken, turkey, smoked fish, all kinds of vegetables (including swamp cabbage from a particular type of palm tree), and both apple and guava cobbler. The appetizers included outrageous dips for chips, deviled eggs, sausages wrapped in bacon and cooked in a honey sauce, and probably more I can't remember. One of the biologists is the main chef, and as a part time business does it for other big parties as well.
The kids were invited, and the anticipation was great. And on the right one of the chef's helpers is pulling the tinfoil covering off the bar-b-qued chicken. The big pot was full of molasses baked beans, and the tray next to it had the turkey.
And then the "after" shot of the pig. Some of the best I'd had since Hawaii. Can't get it any fresher or better. Finally, I thought I'd show some Christmas decorations from the campground to let you know that just because we're "homeless", these RV'ers don't leave everything behind.
One of the women here took dead pieces of palm trees, glued eyes and nose to them, and her husband put them up all over the place.
And then there's the Christmas tree (the while stuff is that sugar sand mentioned in a prior journal). That's Christmas up to this point. Tomorrow is a potluck with just us volunteers, so more partying yet to come.