Florida Outdoors!
My Sketches: Hiking along the trail of Lake Panasoffkee Conservation Area.
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Jul.06, 2023, under Florida Outdoors!
A sketch I did while hiking the Lake Panasoffkee Conservation Area in Florida back in 2010.
I recall rushing through this as thunder approached and, soon, rain. I recall sticking the sketch pad in my carry bag and making my way the nearly mile back to my car as the rains came.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#Draw #Art #Florida #FloridaNature #FloridaArt #Panasoffkee #Hike #FloridaHike #HikeFlorida #Hiking #HikingArt #illustration #Nature #Sketch #Sketching #Rain #FloridaRain #FloridaStorms
May 15th, 2019 – Hike: Silver Springs State Park!
by Rob Smith, Jr. on May.15, 2019, under Florida Outdoors!
Later Tuesday took a couple of trails at Silver Springs State Park.
Trying to get a bit more fit to be ready to put my all into my time at the Florida Parent-Educators Association – FPEA convention next week at Rosen Shingle Creek.
More photos at my Swampy’s Florida.
Hiking the Ocala National Forest – Marion County
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Mar.25, 2019, under Florida Outdoors!
After a mid-day meet of the North Marion Historical Research Society Sunday, I spun out to the 88 Store and Pub and took the #FloridaTrail north through the Ocala National Forest a couple miles and back.
Including Marion County makes 7 hikes in 7 counties. I wonder if I can make it 8?
Back to artwork Monday!
Nabbed the hard-to-find DeConna Ice Cream‘Micanopy Mud’ from the 88 Store and Pub and made my way north along the Florida Trail!
Here’s a story from Ocala Style Magazineabout our native DeConna Ice Cream:
https://
www.ocalastyle.com/
i-scream-you-scream/
After a few hundred miles, ice cream and Royal Castle!
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Oct.08, 2018, under Florida Outdoors!
Been on the road all day exploring Palm Beach, Broward, Dade and Monroe Counties. I’m pooped! Still miles to go!
Stopped in Everglades City for a wee rest at the Island Cafe for ice cream and dip into the Royal Castle burgers I got earlier.
Probably not a lotta folks you know who’ll combine the Everglades City and Miami.
You can see some of my travel posts at my Swampy’s Florida.
My Projects in Progress: Bunnies and Manatees!
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Feb.26, 2018, under Cartooning, Florida History!, Florida Outdoors!
I’m down here in Lecanto, Florida, where I hit another trail in the Withlacoochee State Forest and now at a huge down-home Bar-b-q event!
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Jan.18, 2018, under Florida Outdoors!, What's New?
Springs Festival and Hiking! – January 18th, 2017
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Jan.18, 2018, under Florida Outdoors!
Out early to our Florida Springs Festival meeting. Getting ready for the two day event, March 3rd and 4th. We’ll have an exclusive small coloring book there or new drawings by me. I’ll be there both days “signing” personalized drawings for those that want ‘em!
From there I scurried to Silver Springs Forest Conservation Area and hiked a couple miles.
Robbing a Few Minutes! – #3, Volume 1 – January 6th, 2017
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Jan.09, 2017, under Florida Outdoors!
Rob visits the site of the annual re-enactment of the ambush of Francis Dade December 29th, 1835 and still has problems with the moon!
More Hiking Photos! – November 18th, 2016
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Nov.18, 2016, under Florida Outdoors!
Here are more photos from the hike along the trail in the Prairie Creek Preserve near Gainesville, Florida.
I attended the Florida Springs Restoration Summit & here are photos!
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Oct.02, 2016, under Florida Outdoors!, Friends
It’s fellow artist Johnny Dame, graphic artist & fellow Florida history nut Rick Kilby and me.
Spent most of Saturday helping out at the Florida Springs Restoration Summit in Ocala, Florida. Got to help out with an event involving such an important subject as protecting our water for us now and future generations. The success of keeping our Florida water clean will save taxpayers tons of money. American taxpayers are already spending ridiculous sums of money trying to fix our water problems. Goal should be not to put us in this position in the first place. As our water goes bad, business stops being created and people stop moving to Florida. Desalinization is not an option. Neither practical or cost effective, as we’ve learned the hard way. Being excellent stewards of our natural resources will save us all.
I also got to spend time with friends and make some great connections.
Here are photos from the event!
David Simmons has done a lot to help our water troubles. If only more would follow him.
A view across the room of the conference.
John Dunn, Silver Springs Alliance board member (in yellow), asks the panel a question.
Another view of the room. that’s David Bottomley (in black) in the foreground, who filmed most of the summit.
A panoramic view of the room during the action!
My Works in Progress: Bill Partington – June 18th, 2016
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Jun.18, 2016, under Cartooning, Florida History!, Florida Outdoors!
I’m getting to draw a friend and someone I admire – Mr. Bill Partington. Bill helped start or was director of the Florida Native Plant Society, Florida Audubon Society, Florida Defenders of the Environment, Florida Conservation Foundation, etc, etc, etc. Bill was instrumental in getting president Nixon to stop a horrible project that would have destroyed natural Florida and waste nearly a billion taxpayer dollars, the Cross-Florida Barge Canal. He was also instrumental in creating a wildlife corridor system in Florida, stopping gator poaching, adding land to the Everglades, etc, etc.
Whatever good shape #Florida is in these days is due to the 50+ years Bill has dedicated to making our state a better place to live.
I should add that Bill, along with another great Florida outdoor warrior, Ken Morrison, started a group that most in Florida belong to, FLAP. Bill and FLAP brought us the beloved and hilarious Calamity Calendar telling of everyday calamities in Florida. Florida political cartoonists, including myself, contributed to this calendar. FLAP had all sorts of other fun items that I’m going to reveal at Bill’s upcoming talk mentioned below. Many items involving my pal, Jeff Parker, who I can never thank enough for introducing me to Bill.
It was FLAP that fired me up to start my Swampy’s Florida.
The upcoming tlak by Bill: Bill has been gracious enough to be a speaker in our lecture series July 17, 2pm, for our Marion County Museum of History and Archaeology, to tell stories of adventure in Marion County environment! This is the artwork I’ve done to accompany the flyer announcing the event. i hope my fellow lovers of the Florida outdoors come out to hear of this great Florida Crusader!
