POSSUM CREEK PARK

Location and Hours

4009 NW 53rd Ave, Gainesville, Fl

Dawn to Dusk

Fees

Free, unsure if there is a fee to reserve covered patio.

This is a large park, 76 acres.  They have a large playground, covered patio with picnic tables and bbq grills, soccer fields, huge skateboard area, 2 fenced dog areas-1 for small dogs and 1 for large dogs, gazebo and nature trails.  At one end of a nature trail there is a huge over area ideal for kite flying and picnics. There are restrooms.
Warning-while in the woods on the nature trails there are roots, be careful where you walk.
And, mosquitos.
Downside is when you are walking on the trails, you hear all the traffic noise.

All in all, I was impressed with this park.  Awesome area for families and kids.

                                                                                                                               

                                
                               





                                                       Photos courtesy of Sandy Lampp







I am not paid by or affiliated with the Possum Creek Park.
The observations are strictly my own.
The prices and hours were in effect when I was there 05/08/2013

SAND CASTLE BAY An Ocean Breeze Novel by Sherryl Woods

Another quick and enjoyable story by Sherryl.  This is the first of another series, An Ocean Breeze Novel.
Having been raised near the ocean, I enjoy books centered around them.  Based in Sand Castle Bay, NC.  Cora Jane owns and runs the restaurant she and her late husband started,  Castles By The Sea.  A hurricane is bearing down on NC.  Cora Jane's son brings her inland to his daughter Gabi's home.  His other two daughters, Samantha and Emily, after hearing the weather reports; head for NC.
Emily has not been back since she took off to spread her wings, leaving behind Boone; her boyfriend.
What will they find after the hurricane leaves?  Will Emily be able to handle seeing Boone again?  How will the three girls careers handle the hiatus?

AMAZON -  Sand Castle Bay

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

COFRIN NATURE PARK

Location and Hours

4810 NW 8th Ave
Gainesville, Fl.

8 am - 6 pm daily Nov-Apr
8 am - 8 pm daily May-Oct


Fees

There is no fees to walk the trail.  Unsure if there is a fee to use pavilion.


This was once a horse farm, that has been allowed to return to natural vegetation.  In all there are 30 acres, with a half mile loop trail.  There are tennis courts, a nice playground, picnic tables and covered pavilion with bbq and rest rooms.
This is near the Oaks Mall, and allows for a nice walk in the woods without having to go far.  Be careful of the roots in the path

photos courtesy of Sandy Lampp

 

 
                               

photo courtesy of Steve Lampp

Cofrin Nature Park

(Link to Florida Parks, I used the location and hours)



I am not paid by or affiliated with the Cofrin Nature Park.
The observations are strictly my own.
The prices and hours were in effect when I was there 04/30/

STILL SUMMER by Jacquelyn Mitchard

This is a roller coaster at times.  You have 3 men that are running drugs.  Then you have 4 lifelong friends that decide to take a sailing charter.  All this is happening in the Caribbean.  Several roadblocks happen along the way of the "The Godmothers" go on their luxury sailboat trip.  One of the friends Olivia is recently widowed as well as an Italian Contessa, the other three stayed in their hometown area.  they are married with children.  When Jan's husband has an emergency surgery she stays home and her cousin Tracy's daughter takes her place on the trip.  It starts out fine, but then a few simple mistakes leaves the four women stranded on the sailboat, which is disabled.

This took me a few attempts to finish

AMAZON - Still Summer

SANDY SAYS 2/3 STARS

A SALTY PIECE OF LAND by Jimmy Buffett

I love the music Jimmy plays, writes and performs.  This story has left me disappointed.

You have Tully Mars a cowboy from a little town in Wyoming.   He grows up on a ranch, which his mother runs while his dad works for the park/forrest department.   While growing up his father and Tully visit a military buddy-Johnny Red Dust during the Crow festival in Montana.   One time while there Tully is given a conch shell during a ceremony.
Once grown up, he gets in trouble with the new ranch owner and decided to hit the road to the ocean.  Meeting a variety of interesting people along the way.

I have started this book twice, and it has not been able to keep me interested.  At times it seems to be bogged down in details-for me at least.  I will keep it and attempt to finish it another time.

AMAZON - A Salty Piece of Land

SANDY SAYS 2/3 STARS

LOVE IN PLAIN SIGHT by Debbie Macomber

This is actually 2 stories in 1 book.  These are stories Debbie wrote in the 1980s, she  has revised them.  Both are about assistants or secretaries that are in love with their bosses.

LOVE 'N' MARRIAGE  is about Stephanie an assistant to Jonas Lockwood head of Lockwood Industries.  Stephanie's friend Jan works in Human Resources.  When Jonas needs a temporary assistant, while his is out sick; he calls Jan.  Stephanie ends up with the job.  Jan and her 3 friends at work read and trade off romance novels.  They feel like Jonas needs to have someone in his life and that Stephanie is the one.

ALMOST AN ANGEL  is about Bethany an assistant to Joshua Norris head of Norris Pharmaceutical Company.  Joshua barely notices Bethany until his daughter comes to live with him.  This story is set in New Orleans.

I was disappointed that this was 2 different stories at first, but throughly enjoyed both.

AMAZON - Love in Plain Sight

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

MARJORIE KINNAN RAWLINGS HISTORIC STATE PARK IN CROSS CREEK, FLORIDA

 

LOCATION AND PHONE NUMBER

18700 S. County Road 325

Cross Creek, Florida 32640

(352) 466-3672

Located about 28 miles southeast of Gainesville, Florida

HOURS

Open everyday from 9 am until 5 pm

Access inside the house is by guided tour only.  Tours are available from October through July, from Thursday through Sunday except for Christmas and Thanksgiving days, at 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m. 

FEES

The park admission fee is $3.00 per group in one vehicle.   Please use the honor box to pay the fee; correct change is needed. 

GUIDED TOURS OF THE HOME

$3.00 per adult; $2.00 for children, ages 6 to12; children aged 5 and under are free.

I have a special reason for wanting to go and tour this park.  If you remember reading about Marjorie taking care packages to families along the river.  My grandmother was the recipient of at least one of those packages.  My grandfather was a commercial fisherman and the family used to follow the fish-so to say-moving as the fish did.  I have also found out that my Mom has vague memories of Marjorie coming to their house and bringing care packages.  And, she believes that the 1 room, dirt floor house they lived in was owned by and on the property owned by Marjorie.

You can walk around the grounds, go into the barn, see the gardens and the outbuildings.  Even taking a hike into the Florida Wilderness, going on a path through the woods towards the creek/river.  Along the paths, through the woods; there are no telephone or electrical wires.  You will see what Florida may have looked like years ago.

  

 

photos courtesy of Clinton Lampp

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings State Park   


( link to the Florida State Park information

address, hours and prices from the above link )


I am not paid by or affiliated with the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings park.
The observations are strictly my own.
The prices and hours were in effect when I was there 04/02/2013