We wandered Downtown Lakeland. Had a great lunch with Sandra’s sister, found Nathan’s Mens Shop that still sells hats and got ice cream in an old fashioned ice cream shop.

Here’s a drawing I drew through the window of Mitchell’s Coffee Shop.

I took a bundle of photos and somehow deleted them. Did have a survival of a sign photo. See it here at Genuine Florida. I’ll have to get back and retake those photos soon. Lakeland has lots of great architsture and possibly the greatest collection of, what now would be called, “retro” signs in our state.

Later we attanded the Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City. Below are some sketches of folks at the festival. Later we saw Tom Jones in concert. What a concert! He was TERRIFIC! Especially at 67 jumping and wiggling around on stage. A nust see for anyone. Click here to see photos at Genuine Florida.

One reason we went was that my mother always wanted to see Jones in concert and never did. So I felt I kinda took her place.

 I recently acquired this brochure for the collection. What a great design! I’d stay there just based on the art!

For more Coronado info., click here to go to Genuine Florida.

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 .

I made a trip to Umatilla to go to a booksale and found Florida historical opportunities! For more of that you’ll need to click here once I link it.

Otherwise, here’s a sketch of the inside of the old 1800’s Ferran Department Store in Downtown Eustis where I got some drawing done Saturday afternoon. Please excuse the quick color. The wooden corner piece is free standing and is being used as a divider from the cooking area. The corner piece is part of the original department store building.

I’m at the drawing board most all of this week. Here’s a quick drawing for the Florida Trail Association of the Suwannee River.

The Sketch Society met just outside Daytona Beach at Java Junction Donut and Coffee Shop. Here are some pictures of sketchers Sean Shaw, Mark Dail, Craig Zablo and, the head-sketcher, John Beatty. There was plenty of talk and drawing. John was working on a commissioned piece and I was inking illustrations for a book. It was a good time had by all.

Don’t know why Craig looks so gloomy. Maybe because we all never did get around to creating even one drawing of Sylvester Stallone. Craig – Next time! See Craig’s collection of Stallone art by clicking here! I’ve got one in there.

One of the best books I’ve ever read.

This is the story of Florida pioneers and the taming of a country. Or the attempt to tame. …..

………As usual, the book cover is my art entry for this blog entry. I love the art. I’m sure Powell had the same trouble as I do with the cover of this paperback from 1964……..

For the rest of this entry about the book click here!

We had dinner with a couple of Sandra’s hiking buddies. The couple were the ones that Sandra on the trail of being a professional hiker. The dinner spot was ‘Charlie Horse’ in Ocala.

The drawing is of an oar that is part of the various wall decoration at the restaurant.

Here’s a kitty and doggie I created for the Lakeland SPCA.

Here’s an interesting looking bloke reading the St. Petersburg Times at the Suncoast Faimly Restaurant in Largo. It was our first stop for Sandra’s whirlwind stops throughout Pinellas County. The restaurant has great breakfasts! Very tasty all around. Most surprising were the plethora of Northern accents in the location and still they had great grits!!!!

I went back to the Belleview Biltmore, where we stayed for the three days. I caped out in the ice cream and coffee shop, Maisies, in the resort and drew away until dinner time.

Sandra was everywhere getting info. Ann Sabo helped her review Safety Harbor.

Later Sandra and I were joined by my brother, Jeff, and his friend, Steve. We went over to the Biltmore’s beach side restaurant, The Cabana Grill. Excellent Food! After that we took the Belleview Biltmore’s “Ghost Tour’.