“… without risk I don’t think there can be art … Suspend your self-doubt, do only the work you love and make it personal.”
“I was always a good adventurer. I was never afraid to take risks. I always had a good philosophy about risks. The only risk is to waste your life, so that when you die, you say, ‘Oh, I wish I had done this!’ I did everything I wanted to do, and I continue to.”
“The trick is to find the pleasures you can indulge in endlessly.”
“What’s a to-do list? … It’s a list of things that you don’t really want to do, or even think about. Everyone you know makes these lists. But how many people get up every morning and make a list of 10 things they want to learn and enjoy that day? Very few. And that’s really what I’m trying to do now.”
“The secret of life is to say yes all the time … because when you’re old, you don’t want to say, ‘I wish I’d done this, I wish I had done that.”
“Did you see Rushmore? I was just like that kid.”
Uncategorized
Return to Lake Harney
Ideally located along the scenic St. Johns River, Lake Harney Wilderness Area is the perfect spot to get some exercise, view wildlife (I almost always see deer out here in the early morning) and social distance (I hardly ever run across anyone else out here during my hikes). There’s even an observation deck for a sweeping view of Lake Harney itself and the surrounding area. So, what are you waiting for? Mark Lake Harney Wilderness Area down on your calendar and get out in the great outdoors!
Orlando Wetlands Park Revisited
As I mentioned before, few natural places (if any) in Central Florida can surpass Orlando Wetlands Park in Christmas when it comes to viewing Florida wildlife, including alligators and a myriad of bird species. Last time out, I spotted this softshell turtle chilling out under a bench. Very cool!
A Day at Wekiva Island
One of our favorite spots in Central Florida to rent kayaks for a day exploring Florida wildlife, Wekiva Island is located in Longwood near Wekiwa Springs State Park. In fact, we try to get to Wekiva Island as early as possible, rent our kayak(s) and paddle down the Wekiva River to Wekiwa Springs. Then we disembark and swim around in the springs for a little while before paddling back to Wekiva Island for lunch and a craft beer at the Tooting Otter. It’s a great place to take visitors to give them a true taste of “natural” Florida.
Bulow Plantation Ruins
Surrounded by sprawling residential developments just west of bustling Flagler Beach, Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park is a welcome natural respite from all the “progress” of modern life. Nestled in a scenic wooded area along the banks of Bulow Creek, this Florida state park contains the ruins of a sugar mill that was built around 1830 at the briefly thriving Bulow Plantation and burned by the Seminoles in 1836. Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park also serves as the northern trailhead of the 6.8-mile Bulow Woods Trail, which runs south through Bulow Creek State Park (home to the spectacular Fairchild Oak).
Leaves of a Tree
“I am convinced that the only people worthy of consideration in this world are the unusual ones. For the common folks are like leaves of a tree, and live and die unnoticed.” – L. Frank Baum, The Land of Oz, as quoted in Freaks: We Who are Not as Others (1990) by Daniel P. Mannix
Washington Oaks Gardens State Park
“Although the formal gardens are the centerpiece of this park, Washington Oaks is also famous for the shoreline of coquina rock formations that line it’s Atlantic Beach. Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the Matanzas River, this property was once owned by a distant relative of President George Washington.”
The Quotable Anthony Bourdain
“If I’m an advocate for anything, it’s to move. As far as you can, as much as you can. Across the ocean, or simply across the river. Walk in someone else’s shoes or at least eat their food. It’s a plus for everybody.”
“Travel is about the gorgeous feeling of teetering in the unknown.”
“Without experimentation, a willingness to ask questions and try new things, we shall surely become static, repetitive, and moribund.”
“I wanted kicks – the kind of melodramatic thrills and chills I’d yearned for since childhood, the kind of adventure I’d found as a little boy in the pages of my Tintin comic books.”
“I learned a long time ago that trying to micromanage the perfect vacation is always a disaster. That leads to terrible times.”
“The great Warren Zevon was asked, close to death, whether he had any important words of wisdom to pass on and he said, ‘Enjoy every sandwich.’ I definitely enjoy my sandwiches, given how low I fell and how likely it was that there was going to be a different and tragic outcome.”
A Thin Layer of Ice
“I am fascinated by the idea that our civilization is like a thin layer of ice upon a deep ocean of chaos and darkness.” – Werner Herzog
Do Better
“Make amends where you can – except when it will hurt somebody else … But letting it go is not this thing that you do once and then it’s done. Sometimes you have to do it over and over again, because regret will eat you alive. The truth is there’s nothing you can do about what you’ve already done. All you can do is wake up in the morning and do better.” – Steve Earle
