Blogging A to Z: Jacksonville

My Mom lives in the Jacksonville, Florida area. One of the selling points about moving to where I live is that I would be closer to my parents. As I am growing grayer my parents are growing older. Growing older I am finding out comes with more health issues. I am closer so I can come visit more often. Closer being the keyword. Jacksonville is still about 360 miles from where I am. 360 boring miles due east from me.

Sometimes I throw in a fun distraction like a concert, football game or a meet up with a close friend when I go to Jacksonville.

I don't dislike Jacksonville. I don't like the drive. It is one place that feels like home when I visit. I lived there as a child for about six years. I can drive by the old elementary schools I used to go to. I can walk through the old park I used to play in. I can walk along the beach that I have walked so many times before.

A to Z Challenge 2016: Zephyrhills

It is strange where blog topics come from especially in a challenge like the A to Z challenge. My topic today comes from a bottle of Spring Water.

I mentioned before I gave up sodas. However, in my day job I talk a lot. I don't know if it is just me but I have to drink a lot so my mouth doesn't dry up and voice crack or disappear. Water is my remedy.


Zephyrhills Spring water comes from a town called Zephyrhills which means pure water. The water comes from five Springs. The town is considered a suburb of Tampa. One of these Springs, Crystal Springs the company has turned into a 525 acre nature preserve. I can support that. Two of there Springs are within three hours from me.

Here is a picture from a small stream near a Spring in the Panhandle of Florida..



As you can see the water is very clear. Well that wraps up my A to Z Challenge for 2016. I will be back tomorrow with a Battle of the Bands post and I will have some more posts coming up in May!

Farewell Gator!

I never had the chance to meet William Earl "Gator" Farrington. He was a businessman, a veteran, and a hero. He passed away the Sunday before New Year's. He was 88 years old and lived a long full life. I knew of Gator through his restaurant. I would have enjoyed a chance to hear the stories he would have had to share.



I know of Mr. Farrington from Gator's Seafood which my wife pointed out to me on one of our trips to Navarre. The name grabbed me and the sign said see live gators. When I lived in Florida my first time in my formidable kid years between 6 and 12 I had a fascination with alligators. My parents probably thought this was unhealthy and may have contributed to us moving to Maine. I know my Mom chewed out my brother's teacher for giving him detention once. Something about me walking home five blocks taking several hours since I had to say hi to my reptilian friends. I could imitate their calls and literally call them to shore. A good skill to have when visitors come to town and to worry parents. My voice has since changed and I have since lost that skill. (The picture is William Earl "Gator" Farrington from his obituary in the Pensacola News Journal.)

I thought the establishment might have alligators in captivity and the place was named after the alligators. I was wrong on both accounts. The alligators were wild and free. Gator's Seafood was named after Gator who founded the restaurant with his wife. The restaurant is open on weekends during the summer and is located outside Milton, Florida. Picture on the right is a sign by the door at Gator's Seafood photo by me.



Above an alligator swims in the lake behind Gator's Seafood (picture by me.)

The story of how Mr. Farrington earned his nickname can be read inside the menu of Gator's Seafood. He earned his nickname by killing an alligator at the age of 13 and dragging the five foot critter out of the lake by it's tail. Witnesses to this feat called him "Gator" and the name stuck!

He served his country in World War II and the Korean War serving in the United States Navy. I assume he would have had some great tales to tell from the wars. He also loved serving his community.

He will be missed by his patrons, family, neighbors, country and people like me who never got the chance to meet the man.

A to Z Challenge: Oceans

Above is a picture of the Atlantic Ocean taken by me a couple (probably a few) of years ago. Location Neptune Beach, Florida if anyone is wondering. The Oceans change constantly. They wash away things. Things crumble into them. Things wash up from them. Oceans get moody. Still something about oceans that are a constant for me.

Maybe the ocean is a parallel or a refection of my life, my dreams, and my existence. Don't our lives change constantly? Doesn't life wash up surprises on us? Don't we loose things in this journey?

I don't live on the beach but it is a very short drive. Funny thing is the area I am at is known for the white sands. The white sands are due to the Appalachian Mountains that have been reduced to sand. Ironically I moved here from an area in the Appalachians.



Above Perdido Key on the Florida Alabama border I believe.

The Gulf being a little moody..



Above is the Gulf of Mexico from Pensacola Beach, Florida. Maybe I will just sail off into an ocean..



The view of Destin, Florida from a boat in the Gulf of Mexico...

A to Z Challenge: D for Destin

Above is a picture of a sunrise over Destin, Florida. The city claims a great motto "The World's Luckiest Fishing Village." I've had some luck fishing out of there so I can vouch for the slogan.

The town is also a popular destination for tourists. Jimmy Buffett has one of his restaurants down by the water...

Jimmy's Margaritaville...



You might even see a Pirate ship...




However, I like the peacefulness of the wee hours. When people are scarce and the bustle comes from the towns other residents,.



Makes me wonder if the early bird gets the fish? I hope you enjoyed the photos I took of Destin, Florida. Thanks for visiting! I will have an A to Z post regarding E on Monday!

Books: Secrets of St. Vincent

I said I would get back to blogging about books again this month and here I am. I finally signed up for my library card. The library has very strange hours and I could complain about that or wish it was larger. However, I will be grateful for what they have and they still have real books.

Anyway I found another mystery book set in Florida and today I found out it is part of a trilogy. No it is not Bob Morris again. I  discovered Charles Farley. Unfortunately, I unknowingly picked the middle book. The book I am writing about Secrets of St. Vincent.

What I liked about the book was that it took place in a different time. The panhandle of Florida was quite different in the 1930s and Farley captured my imagination with panthers and 15 foot long alligators. Then there was the mystery. The book had a bit of Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird with an African American blues musician accused of a crime he did not commit.



Murders, wilderness, history, race relationships, a man's fate hanging in the cell of a prison are all ingredients in this mystery plus a few more twists.

I've liked other mysteries better. Perhaps if I read the first book in the series I would have enjoyed this one more. The book didn't grab me at times. However, the book delivered a lot and overall was a pleasant read!

Breakfast Time

Good morning it is breakfast time! Promoting my own writing today. I do that from time to time. My latest article is about breakfast spots in the Pensacola, Florida area. You can read it here.
Grab your coffee cup and check it out! I promise none of the spots are cooking this...

In other news, the blog is back in full force now! I have some neat projects lined up for March which I will blog about. I'm doing the A to Z Blog thing in April. So stayed tune!
 

Beryl

During my time away from not blogging. Honestly, I took a trip and certain tropical storm decided to go to the same place. I was at the beach this was by the river in Jacksonville. 

Luckily the only damage to where I was staying was a tree fell and brushed the house. It was like a 50 foot tree but the City of Neptune Beach responded quick. Here is a picture of the tree against the house..



Other than that it was typical debris thrown around. It did close the beach for a few days which was a bummer but better to be safe.