John C. Campbell Folk School Class of 2013

We left Sandy Oaks for the season on April 29 and took three days to travel to Brasstown, NC so I could do my annual Nantucket Lightship Basketweaving teaching gig the following week.  The puppies rode with me in the truck, and Dot followed in the car.  Having the car with us in Florida was a boon; it gave the truck a much needed hiatus, and it was infinitely easier to park and get around in.  Interestingly, we hardly ever needed two vehicles for separate travel.

On the way, we stopped to visit with Bob and Pat Rotchford in Cumming, Georgia.  Bob and I were business associates in Boston as well as officers together in the New England Direct Marketing Association.  He and Pat came over to our unit in the county park and we treated them to a sumptuous five course dinner, anchored by individual Beef Wellingtons!

046My class at the Folk School this year numbered five, just as it did in 2012. The makeup of this class was quite different, however.  Two of the students were serious basket weavers, members of the N.C. Basketweavers Guild. They had both worked with Nantucket Lightships, but they were anxious to learn the process end to end – as I teach it. One brought a mold made by her husband, a 13 inch tall round behemoth that was solid through and through. I’d guess it weighed 30 pounds. Fortunate044ly, she brought a stand for it, along with a base and a set of wood staves.  Another student was a returnee from two years ago. She was ready to make a Reyes Friendship Basket, and she did a great job.  Another was director of operations for the Chautauqua Society, an organization of great interest to us.  We had a wonderful week, meeting everyone’s needs.  By request, a new trick was included: the creation of a spiral pattern in the weave. The picture at right shows how it develops. (P.S. my students liked it better than I did. I’m quite a purist about Lightships.)

JCCFS holds over 800 classes per year;  mostly week-long but some over a long weekend.  If you’re interested, peek at their website: www.folkschool.org.

 

Time for the annual Valdosta Schipnick

Every March, Al and Barbara Lewis of Valdosta, Georgia sponsor a weekend Schipnick at a wonderful campground, Eagles Roost.  The Lewises have been Schip rescuers for many years, and they started this event as an opportunity for their adoptees and foster parents to have a reunion.  We attended our first Valdosta Schipnick in 2006 and made our way back to Valdosta for the next three years.  Then, while we were on our multi-year journey, Valdosta wasn’t on our route.  So this is the first year back.  The campground reserves the pavilion for our use and earmarks the sites closest to it for attendees with rigs.  Others stay in local pet-friendly hotels.  Unfortunately, continuous rain both days discouraged some, but the stalwarts had a ball.  This was my 75th birthday weekend, and Dot made sure a celebration was in order.

As usual, there was no lack of food.  Al and Barb treat early birds to Brunswick stew on Friday night.  Al prepares a sumptuous low country boil on Saturday, and the Lewises also provide most of the breakfast Sunday morning.  It’s become traditional in bad weather for the remaining revelers to crowd into our RV for the Sunday morning meal.

A special treat for us was the opportunity to once again see my godson, Midnight.  The little guy ran up to me and smothered me with kisses when I picked him up.  Fran is doing a superb job of training him as a therapy dog, and he’s already attained “Good Citizen”  status.

Your Show of Shows!

While there’s entertainment at the campground clubhouse nearly every Saturday evening, there is one presentation that exceeds them all:  the annual Sandy Oaks No Talent Show.  It’s an evening of sidesplitting humor, as many of our fine citizens go all-out to give us a great evening.  In fact, this is the only occasion where the hall becomes too small; if you don’t plunk down your five bucks early enough, you’re likely to be outside looking in.  This year, two emcees kept us laughing between acts while “sets” were being changed onstage; in fact, Sharlene really put on her best Phyllis Diller.  Pictures will tell the rest of the story.

Another State Park – this one Pre-Columbian

The Crystal River Archeological State Park evidences the efforts of Native Americans who lived here in the 16th century.  The area, however, was actually settled more than 2,500 years ago, a time when the river system had matured enough to support a sedentary population.

The 61 acre site consists of a half-dozen mounds and a vista of open ground looking out to the River.  The largest mound, with a platform on its top, is a temple.  The others are burial mounds.  Also at the site is a midden, or dumping area for remnants of living – perhaps our equivalent of a garbage dump.  An unexpected addition are two steles, or limestone slabs.  One clearly depicts  a face, while the other appears to be undecipherable.  The site, an exceptionally calm place to walk and reflect, also included an artifact-laden visitors center.  It’s a worthwhile stop.

The Yulee Sugar Mill

Another attraction in Homosassa is the Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins.  David Yulee (1810-1886) was a Florida businessman and politician. He was born David Levy on St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, of Sephardic Jewish parents and later officially adopted Yulee, his father’s Sephardic surname.  He served four years in the House of Representatives as a representative of the Florida Territory and when statehood was granted, he became the Senate’s first Jewish member in 1845.  When Florida seceded, he joined the Congress of the Confederacy and, after the war, he was imprisoned in Fort Pulaski for 9 months for his “transgression.”

In 1853, he purchased a 5,000 acre sugar plantation along the River and operated it with slave labor.  It was destroyed during the War, and the ruins are now a state historic site.  David went on to build the Florida State Railroad, running from Cedar Key on the Gulf to Amelia Island on the Ocean.  Also damaged by the War, he rebuilt it and subsequently became the president of four Florida lines, earning the appellation “Father of Florida Railroads.  David and his family retired in 1880 to Washington, DC,  his wife’s original area.

Nantucket Lightship Basketweaving at the Campground

Soon after I first arrived at Sandy Oaks, I offered to teach a 15 hour beginner’s class in Nantucket Lightship basketmaking.  Initial reception was not the best, because most people share their skills without charge. I pointed out that all the funds over and above the cost of materials and supplies was sent to Schipperke Rescue.  I taught five students in two sessions.  A man from New Hampshire made two additional baskets while there, bought a mold and lots of supplies, and engaged his son, a furniture maker, to produce more molds for his use.  And a number of people approached me before we left to sign up for the next season.

One of my J.C. Campbell students, 50 miles away in Gainesville, was aching to make a Reyes Friendship Basket, and she enlisted a friend to join her.  The two worked partially at home and partially at the campground, staying down here long enough to get through the difficult parts.

This is really a win-win for me.  I love passing this classic craft on to others, and I am happy to help enrich Schip rescue efforts with much needed cash.

Looking toward the future . . . we attended the Florida Tropical Weavers’ Guild conference in March at the invitation of my new dear friend, Myra Hudson.  Myra, a skilled artisan in loom weaving and numerous other crafts, was the former student from Gainesville who made one of the purses this winter. Myra lured me there to introduce me to Pat Iverson, their director, hoping that Pat would consider me for a teaching gig at a future conference, and I’ve been contracted for March, 2015.

The Cracker Festival

Ranching isn’t the first occupation that comes to mind when one thinks of Florida.  Back in the 18th century, however, it thrived at the hands of the Spanish colonists, native Seminoles and American settlers, who first drifted down from Georgia and mirrored the rough conditions.  The cattle and horses introduced by the Spaniards were smaller and more stocky than later herds, but they offered the same challenges – and more so, since it was virtually free range.  The Anglos became known as Crackers, presumably as a result of the noise from their whips.  But the term became one of derision, representative of people who were crude, morally deficient brutes.  No one was more responsible for this slight than cowboy artist number one, Frederick Remington, who, in the late 19th century, branded them as “wild-looking individuals” on what appeared to be “very emaciated Texas ponies.”

Undaunted, Crackers are very proud of their heritage.  And among their events, Florida Crackers celebrate annually in February in Rainbow Springs State Park in Dunnellon, just north of Citrus County.  It was there that we met not only genuine Crackers but also their sturdy horses, cattle and a mascot — a Catahoula Panther Cur.     The dog is a member of the first breed created in North America, native to Catahoula County in Louisiana.  Its principal talent is boar hunting, and the heavy collar is designed to protect the neck and throat from the swine’s vicious teeth.  During the weekend, we also visited home makers, music makers and craft makers of every stripe.

The Florida Cracker Trail Association is dedicated to preserving the Cracker legacy through education, active involvement and scholarship.  Each year, they hold a week-long Cross-Florida Cracker Trail Ride (without cattle) from the Sarasota area on the west coast to Fort Pierce on the east.

Manatee Park and Festival

One of the more exciting features of the “Nature Coast,” as the natives have dubbed this area, is the natural habitat known by the mouthful Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park.  Ellie died in 2009 at age 65.  Among other accomplishments, she taught mathematics to children in Tibet and served as a fisheries biologist in the state of Washington.  Best of all, however, was convincing her father, Phil Felburn, founder of one of America’s preeminent trucking companies, to create the foundation which, under her leadership, has endowed or contributed to untold numbers of conservation and education organizations.

Homosassa Springs is about 15 miles southwest of Beverly Hills.  The Park runs along the shoreline, encompassing 200 acres of which 5 are waterways of the Homosassa River.  The Park includes dozens of outdoor wildlife exhibits ranging from black bears and bobcats to alligators and waterfowl.

Manatee

Manatee at the surface

What it’s best known for, however, is one of the very few winter habitats for the West Indian Manatee.  These gentle creatures can’t exist in waters less than 72o,   and that’s the minimum temperature of the lagoons within the Park.  So they hover and huddle there by the hundreds (thousands?) during the winter months.  You can see them from the raised boardwalks and bridges meandering through the grounds, or you can view them in an underwater observatory near their preferred habitat.  Seeing them underwater, however, can be blurred by the 34 species of native fish that swim by.

Manatee nose up

Take a deep breath!

Feeling ambitious?  You can actually rent a kayak, wetsuit and snorkel or scuba gear and swim with them.  Or get up close on one of the dozens of tourist boats that circle very gently through their habitat.  The Park is also equipped to care for them in a “hospital” enclosure.  Downtown Crystal River hosts a two day Manatee Festival each January, with music, entertainment, endless rows of vendor booths and themed events.

 

Lu the Hippo

Lu the Hippo

But wait . . . there’s more.  The manatees share their celebrity with of nature’s giant mammals:  Lu, the resident hippopotamus.  Born in San Diego on January 26, 1960, he is a retired movie star, having appeared in flicks and TV shows as part of the Ivan Tors Animal Actors troupe.  The troupe’s winter home was the land now occupied by the Park, and he kinda hung around when it was sold to the state in 1989.  He almost was deported with all the other animals, because the park is dedicated to native species.  But Governor Lawton Childs granted Lu honorary citizenship, allowing him to stay.   His birthday is the occasion of a major celebration each year.

We’ll be covering the Park each year.  There’s always more to see, and we wouldn’t miss the manatees.

Citrus County and its Seat

Beverly Hills, Florida is located in Citrus County. There are thirteen cities and towns in the county, in addition to another dozen or so subdivisions and neighborhoods. There are also six lakes, seven rivers and innumerable streams, ponds and marshes. Oh, and don’t forget the Gulf of Mexico. No wonder it’s dubbed itself the Water Lovers Florida.

Orange groves

Box labels — notice the “Ferris” Groves!

But there’s one thing in Citrus County you’ll barely find: citrus. It wasn’t always that way, of course; groves abounded in the nineteenth century, and it was near the end of that century (1887) that the county was born, sliced off the top of Hernando County.  Six year later, a long hard freeze over the winter of 1893-’94 wiped out the crop, and it never recovered.  Three things saved the county: the discovery of phosphate in the ground, the location and climate as a retirement haven, and the heavy tourism influx to enjoy the scenic – and sea-nic — attractions.   Among the many festivals are those that honor the Manatee, which hibernate in abundance  in its warm sheltered waters; the Cooter, an indigenous large fresh water turtle, and Strawberries.  A premier attraction is the head of the Withlacoochee State Trail,  a 46 mile long route of the old Atlantic Coast Line Railroad that is now a premier hiking and biking trail.

The county seat is Inverness, a small, mostly urban city with approximately 7,500 citizens covering 8 square miles.  It was incorporated in 1917 and was named by a lonely Scotsman who viewed the shores of its largest lake, Tsala Apopka, as reminiscent of the lochs and moors of his native land.   

Elvis Exhibit

Elvis in “Follow That Dream”

In 1961, Inverness had a famous visitor: Elvis! He brought along a large entourage and trucks full of equipment to film one of his most successful movies, Follow That Dream. Originally written as a story of New Jersey sharecroppers, Hollywood decided that a Florida version would be more attractive.  By the time Elvis left the building – and the city – he’d shot enough scenes in the Old Courthouse to fill 10 minutes of the final cut.

Courtroom

Old Courthouse Courtroom

That selfsame Old Courthouse dominates the town square and is not the Heritage Museum.  Originally constructed in 1912, the Courthouse gave way to a modern update one block away in 1978. The Old Courthouse became the headquarters of the Citrus County Historical Society in 1985.  In that interim, it has suffered many awful modernizations, and the new occupants set a goal to restore its original grandeur.

Elvis, again, came to the city’s rescue — indirectly. By reviewing those final scenes in the movie, the restoration committee could see first-hand what the building looked like then. Coupled with archival plans and specs, they were able to produce details that otherwise would have been lost. After $2.5 million and 7 years, the project was unveiled in October, 2000.  Not surprisingly, Inverness holds an Elvis Festival every year. The 100th anniversary in 2012 was the inaugural year of a new, home-grown musical, When Elvis Came to Town. Even with added performances,  the show was repeatedly sold out. But it ran again in late April at this year’s festival and will, I’m sure, continue indefinitely.

Great Seal

State Seal in the floor

Back to the Courthouse. It is now a combination of historical society offices and exhibits.  The old Tax Appraiser/Collector Office now holds a permanent exhibit called A Long Way Home, chronicling the history of the County through the 19th and 20th centuries. The Sheriff’s Office holds Footprints in Time, a look at La Florida dating back to the end of the last Ice Age and highlighting the effect of each of its successive waves of occupants.  In another room, the three Seminole Wars, between ca. 1814-1858 receive significant attention and salutes the Natives’ courage.  One of the exhibits tells a prehistoric story through dialog between two animated creatures; it was produced by a local middle school class.

A rotating gallery featured an exhibition called Humanity Beyond the Barbed Wire: Hitler’s Soldiers in the Sunshine State. On loan from the Florida Holocaust Museum, it tells the story of the 10,000 German POW’s (out of nearly 400,000 across the U.S.) that were housed in 26 Florida camps. It graphically displays the bifurcation between the Nazi propaganda of hate and the actual humane treatment provided by the captors. In fact, many of the Deutschlanders actually had employment outside the compounds and later refused repatriation.

New Winter Quarters

During the course of our three year odyssey across the U.S., we stopped traveling for the winter in three different locations.  We stayed in each one — Gulf Shores, AL, Corpus Christi, TX and Tucson, AZ — for three months.  In each case, we either had made a prior visit to the spot or got a strong endorsement from fellow RVers along the way.

We had no idea where to spend the 2012-13 winter until we met John and Myrna Bird while visiting Hannibal, MO last June.  They not only had a rig like ours but were on the way back from a Wyoming rally sponsored by the manufacturer.  Friendship evolved quickly, and, before we knew it, we were on the phone to their recommendation in Beverly Hills, Florida.

Beverly Hills is a party of Citrus County in west Florida.  It’s 60 miles due south of Gainesville, 20 miles southwest of Ocala and about 80 miles each from Tampa (south) and Orlando (east). Directly to our west is Crystal River, and then water — a series of rivers, streams and ponds meandering to the Gulf of Mexico.  Sandy Oaks RV Resort is a 200+ acre playground with approximately 175 sites and oodles of things to do.

When we drove in on January 2, John and Myrna had obviously paved the way for our arrival — we wound up in one of the most ideal sites on the property.  It is huge, airy and very close to two dog parks.  There were approximately 350 people RVs and mobile homes in the park, and they are like a family. Constant activities, such as sports, fitness, exploration, self-improvement and crafts, were interspersed weekly with great parties and entertainment.  Motorcycles, golf carts, bikes and kayaks are everywhere.  The amenities are wonderful:  pool, well-equipped clubhouse with kitchen, separate TV den, big laundry, driving range and equine facility.  Approximately two dozen permanent mobile homes occupy the perimeter.

Many of the sites are improved by the tenants with landscaping, decoration, utility buildings and the like; since they spent half their time there annually, they personalize them at their own expense.  At least a third leave their RVs on their sites all year. There’s almost an average of a dog per site, and policing their sanitary habits is respected throughout.

If you can’t find enough to do on-site, the surrounding area is rife with restaurants, attractions, facilities of all types, and every store known to mankind.

We know we’re going to like it here and are already thinking about a repeat performance.