Author: reweidman50

What I’m Reading …

reweidman50 Book Recommendations, Uncategorized, What I'm Reading , , , , ,

“In the first contemporary book about this American Heritage River, Bill Belleville describes his journey down the length of the St. Johns, kayaking, boating, hiking its riverbanks, diving its springs, and exploring its underwater caves. He rediscovers the natural Florida and establishes his connection with a place once loved for its untamed beauty … River of Lakes weaves together the biological, cultural, anthropological, archaeological, and ecological aspects of the St. Johns, capturing the essence of its remarkable history and intrinsic value as a natural wonder.”

Saturday Morning at Gemini Springs

reweidman50 Florida Hiking Trails, Florida Parks, Florida Springs, Uncategorized , , , , ,

One of my favorite places to wander in Central Florida, 212-acre Gemini Springs Park is located in the charming town of DeBary. It’s peaceful (no swimming in the springs allowed), there are some scenic hiking trails and you will almost always get a glimpse of wildlife here.

A Christmas Carol (1971)

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My favorite animated version of A Christmas Carol, this hidden gem actually features the voices of Alastair Sim as Scrooge and Michael Hordern as Marley’s Ghost – both reprising their roles from the definitive filmed version of A Christmas Carol in 1951. Directed by Richard Williams and first broadcast on ABC on December 21, 1971, A Christmas Carol deservedly won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. The innovative animation is simply outstanding (reportedly due to “Master Animator” Ken Harris) and a pleasure to watch! A Christmas Carol also features narration by Michael Redgrave and veteran animator Chuck Jones served as executive producer. This amazing version of A Christmas Carol makes the most of its abbreviated, 25-minute running time, although I wish it had been given the full feature-length treatment! For the definitive guide on A Christmas Carol film and TV adaptations, visit my article Celebrating Dickens: The 25 Days of A Christmas Carol Challenge. 

Lake Hiawatha Preserve

reweidman50 Florida Parks, Florida Preserves, Uncategorized , , , , , , ,

Looking for a place to enjoy the great outdoors in Clermont just minutes from downtown? Look no farther than Lake Hiawatha Preserve! Ideally located adjacent to Lake Hiawatha and Lake Minneola, 220-acre Lake Hiawatha Preserve features hiking and biking trails, picnic pavilion, two dog parks, a playground and plenty of shady trees to relax under and enjoy a good book. In addition, the Lake Minneola-Clermont Scenic Trail runs right through Lake Hiawatha Preserve. Check it out!

 

 

Sabal Point Sanctuary

reweidman50 Florida Hiking Trails, Florida Wildlife, Uncategorized , , , , ,

After planning to hike Sabal Point Sanctuary for more than a year or so now, we finally got the opportunity to sample this scenic Florida wilderness area last week and were not disappointed! Encompassing more than 600 acres, Sabal Point Sanctuary features a linear 3.5-mile hiking and biking trail that starts at a small parking area within a Longwood neighborhood. Wildlife that call Sabal Point Sanctuary home include deer, otters, wild turkeys, limpkins and even black bears. Due to time constraints, we only did about a 3-mile hike. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any wildlife on this outing, but we will be back soon!

Newton Park Wildlife

reweidman50 Florida Alligators, Florida Wildlife, Uncategorized, Wandering Florida , , , , ,

Just minutes from downtown Winter Garden lies Newton Park, a scenic lakefront park overlooking Lake Apopka that offers the perfect locale for Florida wildlife viewing such as alligators, turtles and a wide variety of bird species. In fact, we visit Newton Park a couple of times a week and have never been disappointed when it comes to viewing Florida wildlife in its natural habitat. Newton Park features a fishing pier, boat launch, playground and covered pavilion. Check it out!