2011 Folk Festival

                         

           Billy Dean


    John Anderson
A few shots from the artist preforming at White Springs Fl. Folk Festival.

Ranger Dylan took them up to the top of the Carillion Tower. Happy they had the chance to be able to do this, Thanks Dylan.
 I stayed home and prepared dinner. Spaghetti, fried bread and Blue Bell ice cream with homemade fudge sauce. We shared our great meal  with ranger Dylan.

The river is almost dried up. walking across the river where the rapids would be IF we had water.
So lucky to have had the company here to enjoy our evenings with.  Ryan and Lexi  were our first guest's  to visit  and stay with us and enjoy our little bit of heaven. Lexi took some great pics while here, most on this post she took.

While at the Folk Festival, we  tried to meet as many new Rangers and Park Managers  from other areas so we could network our selves, and find another great park to host at. We did meet the District Manager Cliff, and Donald Forgioni Director of Florida State Parks.
We will be checking out San Felasco. Park Manager Randy Brown, stated  he may have opening in January.
Missed meeting the Park Manager from Sebastion Inlet. Hope we will meet him when we get down in that area.

Would love to stay on the Atlantic side, but will accept a Gulf job if we are offered one  in our open time slot.

Lazy Daze

Took today to do a few odd's and in's for ourselves.
Gil changed the oil in the truck, while I cleaned the inside of the camper.  Took me 1/2 hour to clean and gather laundry up.
Talked to Nicholas this  morning,  He gave Mason a big kiss for me ( cute, huh!) Mason will be 1 yr old and his party is this weekend, we won't make the party. Got his Birthday card in the mail,hope it is there  by Saturday. Bryan was at school  so I will have to call him Friday. Nick wants to come camping with us.
Hope he can while we are up here.  I think the boys would love to walk the trail and see the deer, toss a line and catch a fish.

 Off to Stephen Foster to do laundry.  Campground is bare waiting for all the vendors  and Americor volunteers.
After laundry done, we took a spin around the park to see where all the stages was going up. Looks like the Folk Festival  is going to be a busy and fun time. Can't wait,  I love the excitement from all the anticipation.
Ranger Gary told us of a gator laying down  by the Spring House, so on our way out  we made sure  we stopped and took a peek at the gator  up close.

Not real big, but this guy is laying in a dried up sluce bed,.The river is about 200 yards from where he is snoozing. We didn't seem to excite him at all. He never moved a muscle while we was standing there.

Home and laundry put away. Dinner is cooking ( roast,gravy , mashed potatoes and corn and biscuits)
It is really smelling the camper up. UMMM..  Can hardly wait till dinner.
Hoping the temp cools off some for a evening walk. 95 today and very muggy out.  . Ranger  Dylan is off fighting a wildfire near Jacksonville,Fl.  so we are watching his dog while he is gone. If it cool's off enough we will take both dogs for a stroll this evening.

Rescue Day

There  sits Gil broke down on Wood pecker Trail.  The Gator took another dump in wanting to run as it should. I had to hop on the 4wheeler and go  rescue Gil.

As he is towing me down Woodpecker Trail  to Little Shoals shop. We start across a bridge  and had to stop and let the occupant ahead of us decide to move.  I am behind all the action  so, no clue why we stopped.

Hmm, as I stand on the seats and shout " get a picture", Gil has  to walk back to me to get the camera.

I get a few more  shots as we inch our way slowly past.  I do not think he was impressed  with me taking his picture.

On the way back to camp site we spot a fawn, didn't get a picture.  

Lunch and then some clean up around  our end of park,

This weekend coming is the Huge Folk Fesitval  Stephen Foster State Park.  Everything needs to be spiffed, fluffed, and shining for our many visitors who will be attending our Festival.  I did our restrooms and kiosk and play area. While looking over the hitching post at the river, I see a baby gator playing

Mom isn't too far away. A couple walked up and stated  they saw a 10 -12 foot gator  at the canoe launch area  with babies. Close enough to where I am looking to be all one family.

Back to work  trying to get new walkway to set in the soft sand before  we put landscape timbers  and gravel down.

We  always have visitors  at our park, some small 4 legged ones and some large 4 legged ones.

                                                                   Big foot even visits.

                                                                         Bat House
                                                     Come  by at dusk and watch them fly by.

Alligator day

As we visited the opposite side of the river with Ranger Dylan Shoemaker today, we saw several baby alligators playing in the Suwanee River. The water level  is so low that in many places the river bed is dry and you can walk across the river easily.

Sad to see a river so dry. We need rain so bad

                                       
We ended our day around 5 pm.  As we was returning to the park we saw the above gopher turtle, he was in a big hurry to get inside his hole. These turtles  are rare anymore, with all the building. The sun is burning through the trees creating a star burst effect in the suns rays.
A male and female cardinal  playing just outside the camper this morning.  The squirrel  has a band around his middle, looks as if he was caught in a wire for a while but managed to get away.

May 12, 2011

Pine snake hiding 

in base of old oak tree

1st bridge  on Woodpecker trail 1.5 mile

Gil and Buddy 

Bent tree base

Other side of the bent tree

Let me start our blog off today wishing my son a "Happy Birthday"  

At the beginning of our walk this morning we was greeted by a Pine Snake (Ranger Dylan clarification)
 A few quick shots  from a safe distance  and off on our walk we went. You can hear a lot of scurrying in the dry grass  as we walk past.
Lizards and birds are out in abundance  this morning. We saw several small Pileated Woodpeckers.
Sightings of where the wild hogs had been rutting in the dried stream bed.
This morning I actually made it to the 1st bridge on the trail. (1 1/2 miles) Had some issues with my right foot and ankle . The RSD stinging was pretty bad and could see signs  of the swelling to start at my sock line.
Walked a little slower on the way back. By the time we hit the camper entire leg was throbbing and foot and ankle was beginning to go numb and turn blue, 3 mile trip completed  with some pain and numbness well worth the effort.

Fantastic Sunday

We took Sunday and rode down to Ocala  to see my son and his boys.
Really enjoyed visiting with my son and watching the grands play. They are growing like bad weeds.

What a joy they are to be around. Bryan and Nick each  had gymnastic moves to show us. Wont  be long and Mason will be showing us his tricks too.

Over  to my brothers  to check on everyone there. Great visit with my 2 older nephews. Soon ,I will be a Great Aunt. Hard to imagine my nephews are old enough to start their own families. Went to Ryan's to see how his garden and house is coming along. He is doing a fantastic job with his first home. Proud of what he has done at his young age. College graduation this December. I will be there no matter what. 

On the drive back to White Springs, I saw at least 10 young deer feeding along the edge of I-75. We did not get back to camp till almost midnight. A long day of traveling, and  memories made.