Just outside of downtown Eustis is a little piece of paradise where you can watch eagles fly over the lake or enjoy a visit to the Trout Lake Nature Center.
Continue reading “Trout Lake Nature Center”Trout Lake Nature Center
WWW – 10.30.2019
Blackwater Creek to Lake Norris
This morning we set out to paddle on Blackwater Creek. Our friend Judy and I had bought a pair of kayaks that we were dying to try, and Steve always loves visiting Blackwater, so the three of us headed east to Lake Norris Conservation Area.
Continue reading “Blackwater Creek to Lake Norris”Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium
Steve and I finally got to visit Mote Aquarium together, and we had a blast. When I visited as part of my Master Naturalist training, I was so excited that I got a membership, so we can visit as often as we like through February of 2020.
Continue reading “Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium”Blackwater River State Park
We recently hired a dog sitter, loaded up the Tiki Hut (our pop-up camper), and headed up to Milton to visit Blackwater River State Park and camp with friends. For both of us, this was our first panhandle camping trip, and we loved it!
Ichetucknee Springs and Santa Fe River
Ichetucknee Springs State Park is a bit of a trek from our Eustis home, but has always been worth the travel. We like to travel the back roads and enjoy the green landscapes, which always look cool even when the temperature is not. On previous trips, we’ve floated down the river in rented innertubes and enjoyed sharing the river with other tubers. On our most recent trip, we met a friend from Gorgeous Ladies on the Water and took our kayaks up to High Springs to see how the trip would be different from our tiny boats.
Continue reading “Ichetucknee Springs and Santa Fe River”Pitcher Plants in Florida
If you enjoyed the movie Little Shop of Horrors, you’ll no doubt remember Audrey, with her toothy smile and endless appetite for human flesh. I suspect, after a trip to Tarkiln Bayou State Park, that Audrey was fashioned after the flower of the White Pitcherplant, Sarracenia leucophylla.
Continue reading “Pitcher Plants in Florida”Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park
Our visit to Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park would have never happened without a chat with the helpful park ranger at Big Lagoon State Park. She mentioned that we could see wild orchids and pitcher plants just a couple of miles away, and we jumped at the chance!
Continue reading “Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park”Yankeetown and Withlachoochee Gulf Preserve
Withlacoochee Gulf Preserve , 1001 Old Rock Road, Yankeetown, FL 34498
This is a great place to spend half a day or so if you’re in the area of Yankeetown and Inglis, and there’s no admission fee! This 413-acre property was purchased with a grant from the Florida Community Trust. Further grants from Florida Recreational Development Assistance Program, Felburn Foundation, Southwest Florida Water Management District and Friends of the Withlachoochee Gulf Preserve have provided for development of the Preserve land and infrastructure. Since 2009, the Preserve has provided wonderful experiences for visitors.
Continue reading “Yankeetown and Withlachoochee Gulf Preserve”Another Firefly Event – Lake Norris
In the interest of seeing as much magic as possible, Steve and I went on a hike with the Highlander Chapter of Florida Trail Association on a recent Saturday night. Every year, the Highlanders assemble and hike through Lake Norris to the primitive campsite, share a splendid potluck dinner, and then hike back in the dark and enjoy a firefly display. Continue reading “Another Firefly Event – Lake Norris”