Tallahassee Automobile Museum

A lovely sunrise greeted us as we prepared to leave Wickham Park

March 31st couldnt' have been  more perfect for driving as our first day back on the road.
We left Melbourne a day early wanting to avoid part of the snowbird exodus. Traffic wasn't bad. I think it helped that we were traveling east to west instead of directly north.  We saw other RV's but nothing like the massive slowdowns and frustrated drivers we had been warned of. We got in a solid 320 miles before stopping for the night.
We overnighted in Tallahassee at a Harvest Hosts stop, The Tallahassee Automobile Museum.
This is the first Harvest Hosts that we have used that wasn't a farm or winery. We arrived near closing so left our exploration until Saturday morning.

That's the Behemoth parked under the chin of this giant steer.

The museum grounds are beautiful with expansive lawns and mature trees. There are about a dozen outdoor art installations that include this giant steer, an Uncle Sam statue of similar proportions and a batmobile model right by the front gate that had been used in filming on one of the movies.  Museum staff asked us to park on the grass by the road, a nice shaded area where our only company was a Winnebago on static display.  It made us feel right at home.
We were glad to be able to get out and stretch our legs with such a pleasant place to walk.

This Bat-mobile model was used in the filming of one of the movies. Note the eye hook on top.

The museum opened at 10 on Saturday morning and we were happy to give it a look.

The Tallahassee Automobile Museum is the private collection of self proclaimed, self made man DeVoe Moore whose political views and social opinions are exhibited right along with his collections.

There are over 150 classic cars on display in this 2 story building. We enjoyed spending an hour walking among them.

Fred enjoyed the muscle cars of the 1960's and 70's and some older elegant models.

There was a grouping of Batman memorabilia that includes 3 Bat-mobiles and Penguins Duck car.

The Television version of the Bat-mobile.

Penguin's Duck-mobile

We located one of the stately black horse drawn hearses that carried the body of President Abraham Lincoln during the 3 week funeral ceremonies as his body was transported from Washington back to Springfield Illinois for burial.

1860 Horse drawn hearse believed to have been used to carry Abraham Lincoln.

I was amazed by the workmanship of a Steinway piano designed by artist Dale Chilhuly for the Salt Lake City Olympics in 2002. The lacquered case gleams under spotlights and is a perfect frame for Mr Chilhuly's colorful artglass designs that adorn the plexiglass lid.

Chilhuly designed Steinway piano.

We were not expecting to see so many collections. Mr. Moore has an abundance of made in America artifacts.
Wooden boats and Pedal Cars.
Steinway pianos and Law Enforcement badges.
Cash registers and photos of professional athletes.
Golf clubs and Native American artifacts.
Model airplanes and guns.
Knives, did I mention the cases and cases of knives?

It was information overload. There were so many things to look at that it difficult to concentrate on one item without being distracted by its close neighbor.
We enjoyed spending an hour walking through the aisles of the Tallahassee Automobile Museum. It is not a typical museum experience, more like walking through a very clean antique barn where all manner of things are stored together in close proximity.

Tallahasse Automobile Museum
6800 Mahan Dr.
Tallahassee, Florida
32308
(850) 942-0137
M-F 9-5
Sat 10-5
Sun 12-5

March in Melbourne

Florida Scrub Jay at Wickham Park

Fred and I enjoyed a quiet month in Melbourne, Florida. It was great to be back to Atlantic Coast beaches and waves.
Wickham Park was once again our Space Coast home.
This Brevard County park is a great centrally located place to stay. It has several miles of multiuse walking/bike trails that we took advantage of. We even learned the basics of Disc Golf, a sport that has intrigued us for a while now.

We learned the basics of Disc Golf 

Beach Days were prevalent with several spent at Hangars Beach at Patrick Air Force Base, one at the Canaveral National Seashore and one with our RVing friends Jim and Diana Belisle at their oceanfront park in Melbourne Beach. We have to store up the salt air experience since we will be inland for the next several months.

We were lucky enough to spend the day at the Canaveral National Seashore.

The Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge called us back.  It was interesting to see the refuge later in the Spring. When we visited 2 years ago it was early March. We found it much dryer in late March after a dry Winter with vast drying mudflats where we had once seen water.
There were many birds. Heron, Pelican, Egret and Roseate Spoonbill were all represented just not in the numbers we had previously seen. Fred was happy to spot and point out a couple of alligators as well as many turtles and crabs.

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch March 30.

The highlight of our stay was seeing the Space-X Falcon 9 rocket launch on March 30 from South Patrick beach. It was a clear evening and the view was great. The Falcon 9 rose from its launch pad at Kennedy Space Center to our far left and leveled out over the beach in front of us. We heard the rumble of the launch right before losing site of the rockets firey tail.  Falcon 9 delivered a Communications satellite into orbit.  It was a "flight proven" rocket and its successful reuse is an integral part of the SpaceX plan to make space exploration economically feasible.  We were happy to hear that it had successfully returned home.
We are on the move again after a relatively quiet Winter.
Next stop Panama City.

Fred enjoying the launch

Take me Out to the Ballgame

Fred at the newly renovated George Steinbrenner Field in Tampa Florida

Living in the Northeast Winters are long and dark. When March comes along residents are looking for signs of Spring and venturing outside in hopes of finding some despite still chilly temperatures.
One of my favorite indicators was the twang of metal bats hitting baseballs on the RPI playing field that was next to our parking lot at work.
That sound still makes me smile whenever I hear it, it has good memories associated with it.
Baseball.
I used to make Fred watch baseball movies with me in the Winter.
Somehow Field of Dreams, Bull Durham and Major League brought a smile to my face and made me feel warm on the coldest day.
Even now, spending our Winters in warmer places I still enjoy the game and the rituals of baseball.
One of the nice things about spending the early Spring in Florida is that pitchers and catchers report by mid-February and the rest of the team soon follows.

The Yankees played the Phillies in their Spring Training opener.
We were lucky enough to score tickets in the reserved level seating behind home plate. It was a great vantage point to watch the game and to see the players. Partway through the game we realized that we were hearing familiar voices. Fred turned around and looked into the press box to discover that we were positioned right in front of Michael Kaye and Ken Singleton.

Fred saying Hi to Michael Kay and Ken Singleton.

The Yankees won their game 9-4 and we got to see some young talent trying to make the big team.
Aaron Judge looked great at bat, bouncing a monster home run off the left field scoreboard.

Steinbrenner Field has had a renovation. You could still smell the paint on the day we visited. The stadium looks great with new seating and luxury boxes. The colors are still Yankee blue and grey and the familiar Yankee Stadium facade is still proudly displayed.

Of course we sang YMCA. (and Take me Out to The Ballgame and New York New York)

A few days later the Yankees visited Fort Myers to play in Jet Blue Stadium, Spring Training home to the Boston Red Sox.

Fenway South has a Green Monster too.

Like Steinbrenner Field Jet Blue Stadium is built with traditions in mind. From the outside the Stadium is a modern white and concrete structure that fits into it's South Florida environment.
Once you pass through the gates and get out to the field it is apparent that you have arrived at Fenway South. The Florida stadium has a green monster complete with manual scoreboard. The numbers can only be changed from the outside so between plays we were amused to watch scorekeepers run out a small door with numbers in hand one carrying a ladder for top of the inning changes. The monster has shaded seating at the top. There is also a small lawn for seating in front of the bleachers. Families with small children seemed to enjoy that open space.

Lawn seats at Jet Blue Stadium

The Yankees vrs Red Sox game was interesting in that the Yankees were playing a split squad that day. Joe Girardi brought part of the team to Fort Myers. The rest of the team stayed in Tampa to play the Detroit Tigers.
Greg Bird showed off his batting skills with two home runs.
I am happy to report that both squads won.

Gasparilla Island

Port Boca Grande Lighthouse

Another sunny South Florida day found us headed in the direction of Gasparilla Island and the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse.
Gasparilla is a small barrier island separated from the mainland by the Charlotte Sound.
Popular folklore tells a story of Gulf pirate Jose' Gaspar and a fabulous lost treasure and claims that the island is named for that swashbuckling sailor.
It makes a nice story and one that is much more fun to believe than the one that historians will tell you about Spanish missionaries.

An Ospry nest in the parking lot of Gasparilla Island State Park.

The lighthouse is located in Gasparilla Island State Park at the south end of the island. There was plenty of parking in the lot and payment is by honor system.  Island residents travel by bicycle or golf cart and parking them doesn't take up much space.
The State Park has a picnic area and bath houses as well as miles of beach. The Port Boca Grande Lighthouse is a short stroll from the parking area. We spotted another Ospry nest here in the parking lot. I am beginning to think that they are a must have attraction for Florida Lighthouses.
Fred and I had visited the lighthouse once before in the late 90's and were enjoying lunch in the picnic area when a large iguana ran up the fence near our picnic table, perched on the top and started hissing at us.  It was a startling experience and one that we didn't expect to have repeated.
Then this guy showed up.

Black Spinytail Iguanas have become a nuisance population on Gasparilla Island

We later learned that the population of these non-native lizards has expanded at an alarming rate. They have no natural predators and their presence has been traced to a resident that brought them home from Mexico. He released them into the island environment when he realized that their sharp teeth and spiny tails make them poor pets.
After our encounter with the prehistoric beast we headed over the dunes to the beach.
Gasparilla Island beaches are good for shelling and also a great place to search for sharks teeth. We did find a few small ones to bring home to the boys.
The sand is rough with broken shells so bring your water shoes when you visit.
Port Boca Grande Lighthouse is a one story wood house on pilings with a square tower protruding through the roof like a giant chimney. On top of that tower is an octagonal lantern room that is lit with a drum lantern.
The assistant keepers quarters are a separate building, identical to the first except for the tower. The lighthouse is a museum and is open to the public.

A cleat from the old phosphate docks on Gasparilla Island

Museum displays reveal the history of Gasparilla Island starting with the story of Calusa Indians that used the island for hunting and fishing.
Additional exhibits reveal the effect that phosphate mining had on the area. Rock Phosphate was mined in Dunellon and shipped down the Peace River across the Charlotte Sound to Gasparilla Island where it was loaded onto ships heading Northward. Exports increased in the late 1800's when a railroad line was built to connect Gasparilla Island to the mainland. Increased shipping traffic lead to the need for a lighthouse. Port Boca Grande was established in 1890.
The lighthouse remains an active aid to navigation.
It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Boca Grande Entrance Rear Range Light

There is a second light on Gasparilla Island. The Boca Grande Entrance Rear Range light is an iron skeletal tower similar in design to the on at Sanibel. The Tower at Boca Grande is painted white. It has an interesting history of being recycled. The light began its service in Lewes Delaware marking Cape Henlopen and the entrance of Delaware Bay.  It was deactivated in 1918, dismantled and shipped South. The steel structure found a home on Gasparilla Island where it was reactivated in 1932.
It was sweet to see them both in one day.

Gasparilla State Park and Port Boca Grande Lighthouse
880 Belcher Rd
Boca Grande, Florida
Lighthouse open daily 10-4, Sundays 12-4

Boca Grande Entrance Rear Range Light
Gulf Blvd between Wheeler Rd and Seabreeze Ct.

Sanibel Island

Sanibel Lighthouse shares the beach with sunbathers and beachcombers.

Our stay in South Florida gave us the opportunity to revisit one of my favorite places, Sanibel Island.
Sanibel  and it's sister island Captiva are part of the Gulf Coast's barrier islands. These tiny crescent shaped pieces of land off the coast of Fort Meyers are some of the most beautiful real estate in Florida.
Sanibel is only 12 miles long and 3 miles at it's widest. Captiva is smaller at less than 5 miles long and it's widest point is only half a mile. The islands are pretty easy to navigate since there are only 2 main roads on Sanibel and one that crosses over to Captiva.

The Visitor Centor is located in a small building on the right side of Causeway Road. We stopped to get the Lighthouse Society stamp in our Passport Book since the lighthouse itself is not manned. They were great about suggesting parking areas for the places we wanted to visit.

Causeway Drive and Periwinkle Way meet in a 4 way stop intersection that is manned by a traffic officer during high use hours.  He signaled us through with a wave as we turned left on Periwinkle to visit Lighthouse Beach, home to the historic Sanibel Lighthouse. There was parking available in the beaches automated pay by the hour lot. The parking lot has multiple beach access points over wood boardwalks to protect the dunes.
We took advantage of the closest one to cross to the beach and walked along the water around the islands easternmost point where the Gulf of Mexico meets San Carlos Bay and the grounds of the lighthouse are located.

Sanibel Island Lighthouse

The iron skeleton tower was established in 1844. It sits 98 feet above sea level so you can easily see the rust brown superstructure as you stroll in the sand.
Sanibel Light has an interesting history that began in 1884 when its iron superstructure was made in the North in Jersey City and shipped to site. The ship carrying the structure sank just 2 miles from Sanibel's shores. It was recovered from the floor of Gulf and took its place on the Island later that year.
As we got closer to the lighthouse we could hear the high pitched whistling cry of a bird.  There was a large Osprey perched on the railing at the top of the lighthouse. From that vantage point it could look down at the chimney of the keepers cottage where it had built a nest and warn us all to stay away.

An Osprey nest on the chimney of the keepers quarters

You will never be lonely on Lighthouse Beach.  Sanibel and Captiva  are known for their abundant seashells. The combined length of these barrier islands runs east to west blocking the current and providing a perfect place for shells to wash ashore.
Lighthouse Beach is full of them.  During our short stroll we saw dozens of angel wings, augers, scallops and tiny conchs  We even took the time to dig a starfish out of the sand. I don't bring shells home anymore, but still love to touch them and marvel at their delicate beauty.

Beachcombing posture here is called the Sanibel Stoop. You can't help but look around your feet to see what treasures can be found.

Brown Pelican taking a rest from fishing.

The current in the channel is strong so swimming is not recommended at Lighthouse beach, but the current makes this a great place to watch for dolphins.  There were 2 pods feeding close to shore on the afternoon that we visited. I was happy to see my favorite brown pelicans fishing in the same area.

Sanibel Lighthouse is an iron skeleton tower.

 Sanibel lighthouse is a fully automated active aid to navigation and is currently lit with a drum lens.It's former third order Fresnel lens can be seen at the Sanibel Historical Museum and Village.
We enjoyed walking around the lighthouse, it's restored oil house and 2 hip roofed keepers cottages which are not open for public viewing.

Oil House

It was hard to leave such a beautiful beach but we wanted to make one more stop before heading home. We left the beach and drove Periwinkle Way through town stopping for a quick lunch of shrimp and fish sandwiches  before cutting over to Sanibel-Captiva Road which brought us to the J.N. Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge.

Sanibel and Captiva are unique in that they have a source of fresh water, a river that runs through them, creating an estuary where salt water meets fresh in a brackish combination that attracts hundreds of birds.
More that 250 species have been identified by birding enthusiasts in the J. N. 'Ding' Darling National Wildlife Refuge.
Mr. Darling recognized the significance of Sanibel's watery environment and advocated for the creation of the Wildlife Refuge.  The 7600 acres of mangrove filled wild areas were saved from development in 1945 by the order of President Harry S Truman. It is now part of the largest undeveloped mangrove ecosystem in the United States and comprises a large portion of Sanibel Island.
Darling, a Pulitzer prize winning cartoonist, was a conservationist and was involved in the creation of the National Wildlife Federation. The name of the refuge was later changed to bear his name.

Roseate Spoonbills 

We followed the refuges 4 mile Wildlife Trail which allowed us several viewing opportunities for birds and other wildlife. We were lucky enough to see White Pelicans, Roseate Spoonbills and Yellow Crowned Night Herons in addition to the more common Hawks, Osprey, Snowy Egrets, White Ibis and Great Blue Herons. We were lucky enough to meet an experienced bird watcher who helped us to identify the less obvious species we were looking at.

The creepiest creatures of all, climbing mangrove crabs.

We spotted the creepiest creatures on the Mangrove Boardwalk where tiny crabs climb up the trunks of the Red Mangrove trees. They moved slowly along the branches like spiders with suits of armor. Not my favorite sighting of the day.

J. N. Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge has opportunities for bike riding and walking as well as small boat launches for kayaks and canoes. The Wildlife Trail is a shared use space for cars, bikes, and walking. There are many vantage points for watching birds and amphibians. Fishing is permitted.

Sanibel Island Lighthouse
112 Periwinkle Way
Sanibel, Florida
(239) 472-3700

J. N. "Ding" Darling Wildlife Refuge
1 Wildlife Dr
Sanibel, Florida
(239) 472-1100

Solomon's Castle

Solomon's Castle. A shining tribute to one mans imagination.

There is a castle in the center of Florida.
It has a moat and turrets and unique stained glass windows.
There is a lighthouse in the moat and a bridge, through a ship that is a restaurant.
Did I mention that the castle is in a swamp?

The 3 story 12000 square foot shining structure is the creation of one man, Howard Solomon, an internationally recognized artist and sculptor.

Mr. Solomon hadn't intended to be the butt of a joke by buying swamp land in the middle of Florida.

He bought the lush woodland during a dry spell. When he came back with his family to build his home Howard discovered that there wasn't enough high ground to construct the sprawling home that he had envisioned so he built a levee to control the water in Black Creek then
started with a small footprint and went vertical.

Stained glass windows in the castle walls.

Howard Solomon invented his house using home grown skills and other peoples junk.  Unfettered by conventional building styles and materials he created a unique and whimsical place to live.

Approaching the castle is quite an experience. It's gleaming 3 stories can be blinding on a sunny day. The exterior walls of the Medieval style castle are covered in shiny silver metal that used to be offset printing plates discarded by a local newspaper.

Dragon window of reclaimed stained glass.

What looks like riveted steel from a distance is actually those aluminum plates attached with roofing nails. There are stained glass windows on every side and each wall of the castle has windows depicting a specific theme.
There are 9 planet windows arranged in order of their distance from the sun, there are 12 zodiac windows.
We saw windows representing nursery rhymes and ones that depicted the 4 virtues:
wisdom
truth
knowledge
generosity.

Throughout our tour of the home and gallery the guide was happy to point out the quirky materials used by Mr. Solomon in the construction of the house and also the design of his artwork.

One of the dozens of train cars designed by Howard Solomon

Referring to Howard as the "Savior of Salvage" the Rembrandt of Reclamation" and the DaVinci of Debris" our tour guide pointed out aluminum cans, oil drums, bicycle gears, coat hangers, and sea shells used in unique ways.

The beginning of the tour lead us through 3 gallery rooms. Mr Solomon demonstrates a love of the ridiculous in the punny way he names his art pieces.
Guarding the gate of the castle are 2 suits of armor. One is painted black, the other white. They are Knight and Day.

Jeb the Bushman

A not quite life sized statue of and elephant is called Jeb the Bushman. It is constructed of oil drums and has clam shells for toenails.
A sculpture of a race car has a V-8 engine. Yes it really does.
There is artwork large and small. Some are freestanding and life size, some so tiny that dozens fit on a small shelf. Chess boards, trains, animals, and carousels made of wood glass and metal. The variety is astounding. I don't think the man ever slept.

The stained glass windows are beautiful seen from  indoors with the sunlight behind them.
The castle has 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. It even boasts and elevator that runs of a car battery.
Our tour took us through the house and back outdoors to the moat where the Boat in the Moat, a 60 foot replica of a Spanish Galleon, serves as a restaurant that seats 250 people.
Near the boat is a lighthouse.
Made of balsa wood.
Because its a light house.

At the end of the tour you are invited to stay for a meal and to walk around the grounds and gardens.
If you decide to explore you will come across a replica of the Alamo complete with a Come and Take It cannon and bowling ball cannon balls. You will pass sheds full of future building materials and you may be lucky enough to be visited by a castle cat.

A replica of the Alamo on the castle grounds

Solomon's Castle is located in the south central community of Ona in Hardee County. We drove through miles of farm country roads past orange groves, swamp land and cattle ranches following tiny hand lettered road signs that pointed the way to Solomon's Castle.
Take your sense of humor and a love of the absurd and ridiculous with you or don't bother to go.

Howard Solomon died in 2016 at the age of 81. His family is preserving his legacy and plan to keep  Solomon's Castle open to the public.

Solomon's castle
44533 Solomon Rd
Ona, Florida
33865
open 11-4 Tuesday-Sunday
closed July through September

Castle cat

Southern Pines and a New Crafting Opportunity

Florida pine needles are huge.

One of the categories of household items that we had to divest ourselves of before selling the house and moving into the Behemoth was craft supplies. It was one of the most painful categories to pare down. Fred and I both enjoy making things. We saved only those tools and supplies that we knew we would use again. Most of those things are stored in our daughters garage but we did bring along a few of our favorites that wouldnt take up a lot of space.  Fred brought along his woodworking tools and I have yarn, drawing pencils and my camera. We are both always on the lookout to find new ways to feed our creative sides.

Basket Class

The Manatee County Library in Bradenton Florida offered a crafting class in November that I was able to attend.
We spent 2 consecutive Wednesdays learning how to make baskets out of pine needles.
Not just any pine needles either.
Florida long leaf pines have leafs (or needles) that grow 12-18 inches long. The pine trees are plentiful and they shed like crazy so finding basket supplies is as easy as taking a walk in the woods with a pocket full of rubber bands.
The basket making craft requires few supplies. Our instructor gave each of us a small bunch of pine needles, a few pieces of raffia, a darning needle, a cloths pin, and a short length of drinking straw.
That we were able to turn that confusing array of materials into a finished product is a testament to her teaching skill. Like many artistic projects getting started and becoming comfortable handling the materials was the hardest part.
Pine Needle Basketry is a simple and mindful technique of adding needles and stitching the sections together.
The artistic part of the process emerges as you use your hands to shape the basket into a pleasing form.

My first basket completed

My first basket is a wonky sort of work of art. I love the shape but next time will be more attuned to stitch placement and to keeping the sections of needles even.

Our second lesson had us practicing different types of decorative stitches that can be used to decorate as well as strengthen a design. We stitched them all into pieces of cardboard like those giant shoelace and picture projects that toddlers do to develop hand eye coordination. It worked for me and now I have a visual reminder of how to create each stitch.





I have gathered enough needles to make several baskets and am working on a second one now.  I will be interested to meet other basket makers and to see the materials that they use in their creations as we travel on down the road.

My second basket in progress

Florida Long Leaf Pine needles washed and drying in the sun.