Presidents Wax Museum in Clermont, FL

I've already visited the President's Hall of Fame, but Aric had not been here yet, so we went to visit today. Since I already shared pictures of the wax figures last time, I thought I'd share some new things this time.



A model of the White House being built:

A ballot box from the famous "hanging chad" election. Nathan voted using one of these machines when all of that happened so he is particularly sentimental over it all.

This was new. Or at least the one wax figure was new since our last visit here.

Something funny happened while we stopped here. Last year, Auburn and Austin were not huge fans of this place because of the wax figures. Something about a horror movie they saw. I don't know because I'm a big scaredy cat and never watch horror movies. They laugh at me all the time about it. Which means I get to laugh at them when they can't go through a wax museum due to them.



So I'm telling Aric how wimpy they were, and how I teased them about the wax figures coming to life. And I snap Obama's picture.

Then I pull the camera away from my face, and go to walk away. I think to myself, that's odd...I swear his head was facing the other way a second ago.

I stand there and watch and....nothing. So I shrug my shoulders and chalk it up to me getting old and go to walk away again. And out of the corner of my eye, I see him move. AHA! I turn and see that yes, he is moving. I'd have given anything in that moment to see Austin and Auburn jump twenty feet into the air when he did that. I know, that's not very motherly of me...but they started it. Aric is brave, he just walked up even closer to Obama to watch him move. Then he said, it is kind of creepy. Well, it was...but don't tell the other two that we said that or we'll never be able to laugh at them.



On to the next new exciting thing. Bush, with fortune telling capabilities. I had no idea this was a career possibility for one of our former Presidents! Looks like tons of fun to me. I might have to become a President, just so I can do this afterward!



He was really good at it too. Completely believable! He even gave Aric and I our own unique predictions. Just so you know, I'm waiting on a letter that could very easily change my life! Aric needs to give Bush money so he can further our country's educational platform for the betterment of his future. (Not sure it the betterment of his future part was for Aric or Bush. He wasn't real clear on that part.)

And this is not new, but this is my favorite thing in the whole museum. I get teary eyed just looking at the picture of it:

Love this unique place and I really enjoyed our time chatting with the owner, and creator of the figures and wood carved items inside.



Living the life in creepyville, Florida!

The Creek

Lee is standing by the creek that is above Jemez Springs where a lot of fishing is done. I think this is part of San Antonio Creek.

Congratulations Gardening Gone Wild Winners

Congratulations to the winners of the Flowering Tree Photo contest! I enjoyed clicking around the complete list at Gardening Gone Wild seeing flowering trees from other places. Who knew so many of us love redbuds?

For everyone who entered there was something special - renowned photographer-judge Rob Cardillo was kind enough to comment on every entry. The March .. photo that I entered wasn't taken for a contest or for the blog but to help me remember what the front yard looked like in spring. Rob's comment about the composition made me resolve to pay attention even for these kinds of "mapping shots", but some of his words made me laugh:

“I like the off centered redbud and how the house line works but this choice view might look even better on an overcast day.”

Frankly Rob, not only the photos but all life in Central Texas might look better if we had more overcast days!

Want a Drink?

Traveler drinking from the water hose while getting his bath. He did a lot better than I expected for his first one. Me, I just look really hot and tired. And I was.

Chuck Wagon Dinner

It looked like a beautiful evening so we called and got on the evening Chuck Wagon Dinner at the Blue Bell Lodge in the Park.

Our Manager advised us to try and get on Rod's wagon which we did. He was alot of fun and a great entertainer and had adry sense of humor. The pressure was on us to be the loudest wagonas Rod's wagon has always been in first place. We sang songsmany of which he wrote my favorite being "Don't Fall off the Wagon - It hurts when you hit the Ground. Don'tFall of the Wagon - it'shard to get back up when you're down"

We arrive at Parker's Canyon where the actual Chuck Wagon is set up.

You have a choice of Hamburger or Steak - Beware! Do Not order your steak well done!

The cooks

Each ofthe entertainers from each wagon get together and do ashow

These two young kids were pretty good too






Steak, Beans, Potato Salad, Cole Slaw, Corn Bread, Watermelon and a Chocolate Chip Cookie - Did I mention the cool hat and bandanna?



We did the Hokie Pokie



It was Hokie but it was fun (and free!) We head back - we lead the way because we did the best YaHoo! Rod's 1st place spot is still secure!

On the drive home we encounter a small herd of Buffalo on the Road.

We ease on by but some jerk behind us speeds past us and almost hits one he is not happy and it looked like he was going to charge the car.

This one's for you Pam






Till Later!

Meanwhile, we keep on Trek'n

Melissa and Gary

Short Trip Back to Peace River

I am having so much fun in The Villages, that I think the only thing that could get me to leave would be the horses at the horse sanctuary that I volunteer at. The owner took a much needed vacation, so I agreed to come down and help our group of core volunteers cover while she was gone. I was happy to be greeted by some of my favorite horses as soon as I stepped out of my car.





I was also happy to see all of the horses looking healthy and happy. Even Joe, who is still recovering and underweight was much better than a month ago. Dixie, the newest mini, was walking around well.



Chevy, who makes my heart pitter patter like no other male beyond Nathan, was an handsome as ever. His gorgeous side kick was as feisty as ever.



There is a beautiful storage barn for the hay.



In fact, the only thing that wasn't wonderful while I was there was this:







We had an abundance of rain last summer, but we have much more flooding from it this year. I think the horses are as sick of it as we are.





I did get lots of exercise the four days I was there. I normally walk a lot while there. In fact, I wore my pedometer one day and this is how many steps I logged during that day:



Now factor in many of those steps being in the mud, and you can imagine how tired my legs are right now! I have blisters all over my feet and legs. My shoulders and arms ache. Luckily the horses make every minute of the hard work worth it all and then some! I love spending time out there, and I love each and every horse.



Living the life in wet and muggy Florida!

Lauren's Significant Other, Dustin

For years, I've heard Lauren talk about one of the biggest loves of her life. I kept telling her that I hoped we could meet someday. Yesterday, I was finally able to meet Dustin.



I can think of a few people off the top of my head who understand Lauren's love. Jaci, my Mom and Merrin are who come to mind right away. I think horses are incredible and I enjoy time with them. But I do not have the all encompassing love for horses that Lauren has. Lauren eats, sleeps and breathes horses. She has been this way for as long as I can remember. So to see her in her happiest place in the world was a treat to say the very least.



To watch her ride, and see her great form was a special thing for us.







Most of all, I loved seeing her smile. She is a pretty serious person, so to her her look downright radiant made me smile from ear to ear.





Thank you, Lauren for letting us meet Dustin and getting to see you ride. We loved every minute of it!




I'm gonna smile every time I see this picture! Just beautiful! Both of them!

Showers Pass Women's Portland Jacket

When offered to review some products from the rain gear company Showers Pass, I immediately chose the Portland Jacket. Endowed with the technical features Showers Pass rain gear is known for, the Portland has the look of everyday apparel, while steering clear of extra frills and over-the-top urban stylishness. The combination could be just the thing for many bicycle commuters - particularly those whose definition of commuting involves spirited riding and roadbike positioning. Available in men's and women's versions, this review is of the latter.






The Showers Pass Portland is made of a proprietary synthetic 3-layer softshell material with a waterproof breathable membrane and box fleece lining. It is made in Vietnam. The fabric is waterproof, but the seams are not sealed.




The hem of the jacket hits around the widest part of the hips. The sleeves extend a couple of inches past the wrists. The stand-up collar zips up to the chin. The fit is quite slender, almost like "racing fit." If you want a relaxed fit for layering, I would suggest going up a size. The model pictured is a US Women's Size 4 and she is wearing the Portland in a Medium (over a t-shirt and a sweater).Branding on this jacket is minimal.






The light gray exterior features a subtle glen plaid pattern, with reflective piping along the seam at the shoulder blades in the back and above the chest in the front. The silver Showers Pass logos on the back of the collar and on the chest pocket in front are also reflective.






The black fleecy interior has a soft, waffled texture to it that is pleasant to the touch.






The drop-down hem in the rear extends coverage and adds a wide reflective strip.






A feature specific to the women's version of the Portland is the side zippers. The jacket can be unzipped to varying degrees on the sides to flare out at the hips. This is a clever and flattering solution to the problem of accommodating variety in waist to hip ratios among women. The wearer can unzip the sides a little, a lot, or not at all, depending on body shape, positioning on the bike, and the look they are going for.






In front, there are two side pockets, tilted for ergonomic comfort, and a hidden chest pocket (with "audio port"). There are hidden armpit zippers for temperature regulation, which is also helped by the two-way zip feature of the main zipper in the front.






The small interior pocket will fit a wallet or phone.






Zippers at the wrists accommodate for variations in rider arm lengths, ensuring that the sleeve does not constrict the hand.






Prior to passing on the Portland to the model, I did a few commutes in it myself. Personally, I found the jacket not ideal on an upright bike, since it provides no leg coverage (as a trench-style raincoat would). But on a roadbike it made a lot more sense. I will sometimes commute on this bike when I want to combine roadcycling with photography work, and a jacket like the Portland is a good way to still "look normal" while dressing comfortably for a leaned over position and spirited riding. The fit and all the zip features accommodate road positioning excellently. Having worn the jacket in the rain for a prolonged period, it was indeed waterproof - though missing a hood. Possibly it is assumed that a helmet will be worn, with its own rain cover contraption. The internal soft fleeciness makes the jacket quite cozy to wear on those raw chilly drizzly days. Unlike many other rain jackets, the Portland breathes well and is fine to wear when it's not raining. I would basically call it an all purpose Spring/Fall jacket. Possibly it is also suitable for cold summer evenings in the North, but not so much for a New England winter. Having worn it once on a 35° F day with "only" two layers underneath, I felt underdressed for the cold. Worth noting is that this is not a pocket stow-away jacket; its folded-up size will require a bicycle bag or rack-strap system.




The model pictured is a cyclist who usually commutes to work on a roadbike in street clothing (typically stretchy jeans and sweaters).Like me, she finds theShowers Pass Portland jacketwaterproof and breathable.And she agrees that the fit is ideal for road positioning. Even with her aggressive posture, the front of the jacket does not feel like a weight pulling down. Neither does it fold to dig into her middle section uncomfortably, or pull at the shoulders. The stretch of the fabric and strategic zippers make for a comfortable and flattering fit. The look of the jacket suits her casual personal style.




The Showers Pass Portland is an attractive, functional and practical bicycle commuter jacket for cool and rainy conditions, priced at $200. It will likely be most appreciated by those who prefer a leaned-over posture on the bike and feel constrained by longer, trench-style designs. Personally, I would prefer this jacket with a hood and wonder whether a detachable one could be included in a future iteration.