A Perfect Day Date

Autumn in our area of Florida has continued since the daytime high temps dropped into the 80s last week with abundant sunshine and a swift breeze to shuttle the puffy clouds. Everyone is saying this is why we moved to Florida. Yes, it is! (along with a lower cost of living, the proximity to 2 oceans, and no snow to shovel)

For this post I'm taking you to Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens, located northwest of us in Williston, Florida. I've got a lot of snapshots to share, some that will have commentary and others that will not. 

The paths through this park were not always smooth. They wound around (sharply at times), up and down in elevation, and one could stumble easily if not paying attention. Yet with that said, we did see at least one wheel chair working its way through. Those red metal handrails were a help. 

With that said, let's proceed. Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens is a century-old abandoned lime rock quarry transformed into a 20-acre botanical garden.

After paying the entrance fee (my military man got a discount and a thanks for his service, to which he always replies, "It was an honor to serve"), we followed the general route toward the gardens. The first stop took us into a tent with all manner of cactus. I'm not a fan of succulents, but it was interesting to see many varieties I did not know existed. They seemed an appropriate reminder of this season of ghosts, goblins, and ghouls, also of which I am not a fan.

I guess I should not harp on that theme. The fun the little kids get out of it can't be denied. When I was their age, dressing up (often as a gypsy with my mother's jewelry) and getting all that candy was a highlight (before orthodontia dictated otherwise!).

All things considered, this park did not display anything truly gross and we even saw some old friends along the path. 

As we proceeded into the true garden parts of the park, we immediately saw gorgeous flowers, many of which I was not at all familiar.

The several water falls surprised me since I think of Florida as being quite flat. In truth, it has a notable number of hilly areas throughout the state.

But as stated earlier, this is a former rock quarry, which explains how water falls are possible. 

There were lots of lily pads but Gary was disappointed to not find a single bull frog on any of them!

We came across a "bar" (not in business) where we could sit for a few minutes to rest. Holding a map in hand, the twists and turns of the trail made me feel a little confused. I wasn't sure if we were coming or going! Gary, however, had a good handle on our location, so we did not get lost.

Guinevere and Olivia, and one other

I loved the bridges and many other features the owner has added over the years. But as I said earlier, those red metal rails were a welcome support on the slanted, rough concrete paths.  

One special delight was this high "torii" (pictured below), reminiscent of Gary's Air Force tour of duty in Japan at the start of his military career. 

When we got home, I looked up "torri" and found this description: 

A torri is a traditional Japanese gate that marks the entrance to a sacred space, most often a Shinto shrine, and symbolically separates the mundane from the sacred. Typically constructed from wood or stone, modern torii can also be made of materials like concrete and steel. They are often painted red and signify a boundary, with passing through one being a symbolic transition into a purer realm.

The quarry walls are lined with concrete and rock planters, filled with hundreds of species of plants and flowers. The surrounding trees and the topography allow temperate and semitropical plants to live year-round. There are birds, butterflies, turtles, frogs and other wildlife along the trail, although the day we visited, there were enough humans that our exposure to them was limited to birds and the very large koi (fish) in the ponds. Look closely at the photo above to see a couple of the orange and white koi. They were HUGE. (they look like giant goldfish)

This 110-year old tortoise bid us adieu as we approached the end of the garden trail. 

We stopped for lunch at Hardee's on the way home. This was a perfect 'day date' that we thoroughly enjoyed. How thankful we are to be able to so easily enjoy such beautiful scenes of nature in every direction from our home!

This is the day the Lord has made.

We will rejoice and be glad in it!

Psalm 118:24

Until next time, grace and peace.

P.S. Some of you wanted to know what was in that jar of Bacon Jam that I bought at the local u-pick-it farm (see my post: A Most Welcome Change):