With the current world state of affairs, it has seriously curtailed our adventures. So, I am writing to let you all know that we will be back as soon as we can, to get out and about and travel safely. While we attempted to experience a few local things recently, it was not without a level of discomfort. We stayed our distance, wore our masks. Things are, once again, being shut down as there is a rise in cases, especially here in Florida. I just won’t take the chance.

The latest news is that we have booked an exciting cruise for September 2021. Fingers crossed the world rights itself so we can travel safely by then. This is the first year we have not traveled internationally in several years and we missed it greatly. Our only other travel plans for 2021 will be my 50th high school reunion in Rochester, NY in July. I’m currently working on a yearbook to commemorate the event. This project is keeping me busy as I stay at home as much as possible.

So my friends, stay safe. Stay healthy. Keep your distance. Wear your masks.

Until next time…

With the release of stay-at-home restrictions, we decided to take a small road trip to Winter Park, Florida, just 25 miles or so from home base. As usual, anytime we plan to do something the skies are overcast, but thankfully no rain. We started with breakfast at the Briar Patch, sitting on the patio, with friends, Sam and Darrell. Our breakfast was tasty. But it was still a bit odd to order from the menu on your phone. No lemon for the water either. And sadly no brioche sticky buns when we were there as well. I enjoyed a browned butter waffle with plenty of fresh strawberries, blueberries and sliced bananas and syrup.

After breakfast, we headed to the water for a pontoon boat tour of Oceola Lake and nearby canals and lakes. The summer cottages of the rich and famous were pretty fabulous, along with their boathouses. We saw water lilies, birds, flowers and enjoyed being on the water.

Before the pandemic hit us broadside, we had visited Winter Park and enjoyed their Farmer’s Market where we also enjoyed a waffle with fruit and then had lunch at Winter Park Diner.

We plan to go back to Winter Park to visit the Tiffany Museum, once it reopens.

Appreciate where you are in your journey, even if it’s not where you want to be.
Every season serves a purpose.

Just before the pandemic initiated a quarantine on everyone and basically shut the entire world down to any travel, Karen and I purchased annual passes to Sea World. We had never been to Sea World Orlando and the price was right. We signed up for the Silver annual pass and a couple months later received an email complimentarily upgrading us to Gold level. Finally, we were able to visit Sea World recently. The weather was sunny, with only a very brief sprinkle just as we were leaving. After our adventure at Bok Gardens the day before, I decided to rent a scooter and was very glad I did. Cutest things – they had a canopy to shield from the rain and sun! We managed to see quite a bit of the park. Most rides weren’t operating, but exhibitions were open. And the Orca show was open, with social distancing very prominent. Many of the vendors were not open. The crowd was controlled by a reservation system. It definitely got busier by mid-afternoon, making social distancing more tricky. But as a whole, I thought everyone was very respectful of each other’s space. Wearing masks was mandatory for employees and guests alike. There are a few areas where you can remove your mask, as long as you maintain a social distance.

Sea World is more than an ‘amusement park’, it is an educational center. It is a rehabilitation center. It is a marine zoological park. Sea World has rescued over 36,000 ill, orphaned or injured animals. For more information – http://www.seaworld.com.

The Orca show was educational as well as entertaining. The Orcas are well trained as well as well cared for and eager to please.

The exhibition areas were not crowded and dimly lit, making it a challenge for me to navigate. The fish, sharks, penguins, turtles, beluga whales and more were happily swimming and were visible through underground glass windows.

Here’s a few pictures from our day at Sea World Orlando. Even the Sesame Street characters practiced social distancing as they came out on parade floats one at a time. Hi, Elmo! Hello, Cookie Monster! And of course, at least a couple flower pictures and an American flag picture to round out our day!

Silence and the sea are the best natural anti-depressants.

Our trip to the Lake Wales area, including Bok Tower Gardens, presented Karen with many opportunities to use her skills as a photographer to capture some beautiful moments, a few of which I’m sharing here.

As things start to reopen and we can connect again with friends, Karen and I met Robyn and Joe for lunch at Crazy Fish in Lake Wales. Afterwards we enjoyed the carillon concert and grounds of Bok Tower Gardens. Robyn and Joe are snowbirds who would normally have been back in Ohio by now, except the pandemic kept them in Ft. Myers a bit longer. Still, we caught up with them before Robyn’s planned July retreat back north.

The day was a sunny one, as we wandered the grounds. Lots of greenery, some huge leaves, a few flowers. I decided to try out my new walker; more so that I would have a place to sit when needed. It worked great for a ready seat. Not so much for the terrain in some areas. It definitely gave me a good workout as it was uphill on paved surfaces from the mansion to the carillon. The pathway near the carillon is marked for handicap access. However, there was large-grade mulch surrounding the carillon, making travel somewhat difficult. The quickest way to the bell tower is definitely not by way of the mansion! We left the bell tower at the end of our visit — 5 minutes down a paved pathway to the parking lot area. I was really happy to get to the car and a cold drink. The gift shop does have scooters for rent, as well as strollers. I thought my new walker would work just fine – but it was a workout on the gravel near the mansion and mulch by the tower. I noticed other guests on scooters had no problems traversing the mulch areas.

Karen took some great pictures, as usual. Please visit my next picture blog post of Lake Wales and the flora and fauna of the area and Bok Tower Gardens.

The gift shop is large. Restrooms are clean and near the welcome center and gift shop. There are many areas to visit within the grounds.

Pinewood Estate and Gardens – the mansion was closed but Karen and Joe wandered the grounds, while Robyn and I caught on the past and present. Bok Tower Gardens was welcomed as a National Historic Landmark in 1973.

WHAT IS A CARILLON?

A carillon is a musical instrument consisting of at least 23 cast bronze bells that are precisely tuned and arranged in chromatic progression so that music in any key can be played. Unlike other types of bells, carillon bells are fixed in a frame—the bells do not move. Instead, the clappers inside strike the bells to produce a considerable range of sounds up to five or six octaves. Because of its weight and size, the carillon is one of the largest of all instruments. A carillon is played from a keyboard on which the keys are depressed by the player’s closed hands and feet. The keys are connected to the clappers by vertical and horizontal wires.

THE SINGING TOWER CARILLON

The carillon at Bok Tower Gardens has 60 bells ranging in weight from 16 pounds to nearly 12 tons. The instrument was designed and built in 1928 by John Taylor Bellfoundry, Ltd. of Loughborough, England which still makes bells today. There are four carillons in Florida, approximately 200 in North America and 600 throughout the world. See a list created by Guild of Carillonneurs in North America of all North American carillons.

HOW IS CARILLON MUSIC WRITTEN AND PLAYED?

Although carillon music looks like piano music, the treble clef is usually played by the hands and the bass clef by the feet. The carillon’s action is mechanical, which allows the performer to control the dynamics (loud and soft) by the force of the strike. There is no mechanism to dampen the sound after a bell is struck. Because carillon bells are rich in overtones, the consonant and dissonant combinations are sometimes reversed in carillon music to account for the presence of a minor-third overtone in each bell.

HOW ARE THE BELLS TUNED?

Carillon bells are tuned just after they are cast and before they are installed. A bell is placed on a lathe and metal is carefully removed from various heights of the inside wall of the bell. If tuned correctly at this time, the bells never have to be re-tuned.

Thanks to the Bok Tower Gardens website, boktowergardens.org, for the above information.

Today is Flag Day. My daughter, Karen, was born on the Traditional Memorial Day, May 30th. Many years, she asked for a replacement American flag for her present. Our houses always displayed the flag, proudly. As we travel around the United States, we like to take pictures of our nation’s flag. We honor our flag, try our best to be good American citizens and gratefully thank those who protect our country every day.

I pledge allegiance to the flag, of the United States of America.
And to the republic for which it stands,
One nation, under God, indivisible,
With liberty and justice for all.

When we lived in Las Vegas, we traveled around the area to many parks and beautiful sites. Here’s a few pictures from beautiful Bryce Canyon that were taken by me in May, 2010. It took us several attempts to get there but we finally were able to make the trip. Don’t let the blue skies and wispy clouds fool you! It was very windy and cold that day! If you haven’t ever seen what the wind can do, check out the photos when Ed and took a road trip to Bryce Canyon. Still some snow around. And check out the ice on the farm equipment! Brrr!

With the Covid-19 pandemic in full swing, Karen and I have had to cancel several of our travel plans. I decided to show some of the beautiful trips I’ve taken in the past with my husband, Ed, and/or with my daughter, Karen. Travel never gets old. It gets remembered for the sites you see and the memories you make with those you love and travel with.

“To move, to breathe, to fly, to float,
To gain all while you give,
To roam the roads of lands remote,
To travel is to live.”
–Hans Christian Andersen