This Year's Silver River Adventures

The days here in Florida are dwindling down to the last.  We will be slowly making our way back north starting tomorrow....very slowly.  I start work on Wednesday, March 2, so I have time to visit at some stops along the way and adjust the last bit depending upon the weather reports at the time.

Before heading off to Silver River one day with Brenda I drove up to Melrose to have lunch with Leslie Lingenfelter Skeans, a co-worker from 40 years ago when I started teaching.  I got to visit her small bit of Florida paradise after a taste lunch.  Oh, the interesting paths our lives take through the years.   Visiting relatives and friends scattered around the states is a wonderful benefit of traveling in a MH.

The next day Brenda and I headed over to Silver River so that Brenda could experience another kayaking practice and see why the Silver River calls Liz back again and again each year.

Brenda took command of the Sea Eagle "Fast Track" and I got to carry the 14 pound Hornbeck down to the water for my third voyage.  

Mama Osprey sitting on the nest while Papa flew in and out with treats for her.

Another day after my laundry was done Brenda suggested a drive over to take a look at Manatee Springs and the adjacent state campground.  There were several deer munching around the parking lot as we arrived.

The campground had many nice sites but the springs were not really what either of us expected. We got to spot a few manatees in the springs themselves but that lower section of the Suwanee River that it runs directly into is larger that either of us would have wanted to paddle.  The day trip without kayaks worked out well enough.   It was cool enough that there were only two bathers in the springs. One was swimming laps and the other was standing out of the water keeping her eye on the snake swimming through the swimming area.

I am not sure that the young woman even bothered to go back into the water.

We ourselves walked on down the boardwalk towards the river.  There were at least a 1/2 dozen manatees or more out in the main spring.  

Three out of four dogs got a bath yesterday and all four had a spa day for nails this afternoon.  I would have said they "enjoyed" a spa day but we all know it was not their choice of activities.   The dog bedding all sat out in the afternoon sun and the rig is smelling much fresher.  Tomorrow will be a slow start and easy drive to a campground in southern Georgia that a friend and her husband call their winter home.   The dogs will enjoy checking out new trails and roads.....