I helped Sandra take crowds out through the swamps of Big Cypress for the annual Muck-A-Bout. I did some sketching while out in the swamps, as to the right .

Our first stop during our Volusia County tour was Ponce Preserve. It’s a park that has a combo of opportunities to experience the original natural Florida tidal area of this part of the east coast. See the site for details. It’s a GREAT park and well worth the trip whether you take the boardwalk, the natural trail or head out to the beach.

Our next stop was Sugar Mill Gardens. It is the site of a sugar mill, a theme park, a Civil War site and a Seminole Indian War site. It covers it all. There is no doubt ‘Bongoland’ is the most interesting. I’ll let this site explain it as I run out of time to type all of this. By the way, I counted 7 dinosaurs. Above is one of them.

We continued our Volusia County tour with a stop at the Daytona Beach Museum of Arts and Sciences.WHATTAPLACE!!!!Everyting from greek statues (See right) to antique cars to Florida history to pirates to actual train cars to….It’s an amazing place!We made a stop at Zeno’s, a favorite of ours,

We next stopped at a favorite of our in Volusia County, Zeno’s. They have two locations. We stopped at the one on A1A. Got ice cream and salt water taffy. Above is cover of the box of the saltwater taffy we picked up. I love the historical photos.

After Zeno’s we wandered up A1A to Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area. The park, that includes beach access, is named for the Florida troubador, Gamble Rogers, who sang and told stories of Florida’s history, environment and a series of characters that dwelled in our state in the fictional area of Ocklawaha County.I got to meet and work with Gamble back in the ’80s when I was working with Florida music and storytellers festivals and groups. He was a sight to behold. A very calm and steady performer. I’m reading a number of books about Dean Martin. Gamble was the easygoing come-what-may Dean Martin on stage.It was a tragedy he died in the surf at the very spot where this park is. He was trying to save another person caught in the rough waters. We happened to be there when there was a red flag warning of the rough surf and dangerous waters at the beach as it was when Gamble died. The difference now is an actual red flag atop a pole flapping in the wind, see the sketch to the right. At the time of Gamble’s death there were no flags there. Too bad the story of Gamble’s death isn’t at the park. I felt like chasing after the people in the surf and warning them of the dangers and of the reason why the park area is named after Gamble.

We finished our trip in Marion County and had dinner at Lena’s Restaurant, where you can have a “whale of a meal”.To the left is the papertowel holder on every table.

I attended the monthly meeting of Orlando Remembered. Here are drawings of Robert Serros, Dan Pottinger and, the ever graceful Grace Chewning.

A clipping from the Sentinel Star was brought in of a large group of children who were celebrating birthdays. Most known by the group at the meeting. Member Duke Crittendon estimated the photo to be from 1940 or 41. Amongst those in the photo was a little girl who stood a bit away from the group. I did a little drawing of her holding her package.

Afterward I got a haircut at Jim’s Barber Shop. Click here to go to Genuine Florida for a photo and details.

We had to leave Apalachicola early so I could get back and work further on a project I have. Sandra was driving and it was rough. This a view out of the front window of the car as we crossed the five mile bridge connecting Apalachicola. Also scaring us was that water spouts had been spotted and if one decided to cross the bridge we would have been in BIG trouble.

My artisitic connection is to notice the lack of color. No sun. No color. I waited for a car to come by just to get some idea of light and space.

We made a trip to White Springs so that Sandra could drop off a ton of materials for the upcoming hiking festival and to test a hike she will be leading a “V.I.P.” group on Saturday. The test was to see how much of the trail was passable due to recent high water levels of the adjacent Suwannee River. We tried getting through a number of ways but kept running into the Suwannee running over the trail or thick clusters of saw palmetto being impossible to find a way around the water. The hope is that the water recedes and the trail will be passable Saturday. Otherwise, Sandra will have to take them down boring dirt roadways used by government vehicles to do whatever they do. It was a lot of walking for me, but much needed. Above is a sketch of a native azalea. Click here to see a photo of the azalea flowers at Genuine Florida.

Here is a sketch of the former Adams Dry Goods Store that has clocked a hundred years and still stands proudly at the main crossroads of White Springs.

It was Sandra’s birthday and that evening headed to Alachua and had dinner at a great and very popular spot, Conestoga’s. Friend Phyliss Walinsky joined us. We had a terrific meal of steaks and, courtesy of the restaurant, birthday cake ice cream. Below are a few drawings of  a few sitting near us. The middle lady was a bit odd and ended up creating a bit of a spectacle in the restaurant. The end guy looked a bit Burt Lahr-ish.

I was out in southwest Florida. While there I roamed Punta Gorda. See a couple photos by clicking here. Then I was in Englewood where I saw a bobcat in the Rotunda development. See the bobcat photos by clicking here. 

Then I found the Cape Haze Trail. To the right is a sketch I made of the Placida Bunk House. To learn more of it, click here.

I then made my way south on US41 and took lots of photos of Florida historic sites and cool signs. I was actually retaking most of them involving the switch of the Swampy doll and the Stuckey’s monkey doll used before. I’ll slowly sprinkle the trips photos on the Genuine Florida site. Click here to see one I just put there.

Here’s an inked and colored version of the pencil art shown here a few weeks ago. The art is for Clyde Butcher’s annual Muck-A-Bout near the Big Cypress Swamp in South Florida. Click here for more information .

Our first stop this day was to the Florida Caverns State Park. You can see a photo of the caverns here. 

Here is a sketch I drew while taking the tour.

From there we toured Marianna. Making stops at the Chamber of Commerce and the wonderful building it’s in.

	We made many, many, many stops afterward. We went through ten counties and ten times as many stops. Not that we mind. What an outstanding way to experiencing our great State of Florida and all it has to offer!Our final stop was at Staff’s Restaurant, the oldest seafood restaurant in Florida. Here’s a sketch of a part of the fascinating interior.

Not getting around so I thought I’d post something from a project I’m working on. Here’s the inked art for next year’s Clyde Bitcher Muck-A-Bout! Come join us next Labor Day weekend to tromp in the swamp! Click here for more information!