Tubing Ichetucknee Springs, Florida

Happy tubers setting up for floating down Ichetucknee

At one of our PGIslander (Boating Club) Dinner for 8 events, Toby & Almut along with Karen & Terry related happy memories about a a bunch of boating friends going tubing.  Before we knew it, Toby organized another trip for 10 of us to north Florida!  

From the website on Ichetucknee State Park:  "Fed by 9 springs, the Ichetucknee River lets you experience the natural beauty of its blue-green waterways...the gentle current of the bright turquoise river guides you on a relaxing retreat through shaded hammocks and forests of cypress, maple, oak and pine...See turtles, otters, deer, birds of prey, wading birds, fish and maybe even manatees and beavers." 

Downtown Micanopy

After a 3-1/2 hour drive up I 75 North, we all made a lunch stop at Micanopy, an historic town that is one of the best preserved examples of Old Florida culture and contains antique shops and cute stores.  From there it was a quick half hour to the Grady House Bed & Breakfast, where we checked into our navy colored room.  We all gathered for Happy Hour and the proprietor treated us to homemade freshly baked warm chocolate chip cookies.  Yum!  We then explored downtown High Springs and had a wonderful dinner that night at the Great Outdoors Restaurant.

Grady House B&B

Next morning after a delicious breakfast of french toast casserole with parfaits, we drove a short distance to the park, rented tubes and jumped into the river.  The current was gentile and we floated together and met groups of teens and summer visitors.  Suddenly, a wall of water, a storm, approached us.  Of course, we were already wet, but some of us got out ponchos and even umbrellas as we watched the world float by and got drenched by warm rain.  We really enjoyed the lily pads, birds and huge cypress trees lining the shores.  After about 4 hours, we reached a pull out area and hiked up to picnic tables.  We had left coolers with sandwich fixings, drinks, chips and cookies.  Boy, that tasted good!  Most the group got back into the water for a few more hours floating to the very end point. Richard and I decided to go back to the B&B, shower and rest up.  

Our happy group gathered again for Happy Hour and then decided on a Chinese restaurant in the area.  We toasted our organizers and agreed this was a great way to cool off in the Florida heat. Check out pictures below!  

Visiting Pleasant Hills, California

A Mother's Day Surprise:  My daughter, Michele, gifted me with a ticket to visit her and my sister, Claire, at their California home.  Wow - "girl time" fun in Pleasant Hills, a town that lives up to its name!  After a nice Southwest Airlines flight to Oakland, I arrived on time to find Claire waiting for me in the terminal baggage area.  We located her car and hopped in for about an hour's drive on busy California highways.  Serena, one of three cats living in her house, greeted me as I entered the door.  I later discovered that Serena's territory was guarding the front of the house.  She does it well.

Front entrance of Claire's Pleasant Hills Home

 Little Pinto

Michele greeted me with a hug as I toured Claire's pretty home.  It's been completely redone with walls knocked down to make it an "open" plan. I loved the fireplace in the main living area and the family room with comfortable furniture.  My bedroom had beach scenes on the wall and I slept great in the comfortable queen-sized bed.

Beautiful backyard

Sultan

I was reacquainted with kitties, Sultan and Pinto, who live in a gorgeous backyard full of flowering plants and a garden with a prolific apricot tree. There's comfortable seating and shade, a lovely table and even a pizza oven.  The view of towering Mount Diablo is spectacular, especially at sunset when it is glowing in a pink color.  I met

Pizza oven of course!

Mount Diablo is view from backyard - just gorgeous!

Claire's homemade pizza - yum!

Michele, Joanne, Addie, Claire and Ben - our California family

roommate, Linda, who has a warm upbeat personality.  Everyone has their roles in this happy household.  Claire is the master cook, Michele does dishes and puts them away and Linda keeps everything neat and tidy.  A great trio of gals who enjoy and share their lives with each other!  

Michele and me

Later that day Michele drove me to pick up nephew, Ben, in a neighboring town about 4 miles away.  Ben & his wife Addie bought their first starter home recently.  It is so cute and charming - a one-story 1940's vintage with refinished hardwood floors and it is updated and tastefully decorated.  I meet Mooshie, their Siamese cat, who was enjoying himself in their pretty backyard.  Ben updated us on his career - he is junior faculty at Berkeley and enjoys teaching his students.  Addie is a librarian and she was to join us when she got off from work.  When we arrived back at Claire's, she was making homemade pizza dough with Italian flour that she bought on the internet.  We had a great time preparing all the ingredients and when Addie and another friend arrived, we discussed the intricacies of cooking in a wood flame pizza oven.  The oven was lit, the temperature checked with a special infra-red tool and the baking began.  Wow!  First in was Claire's special sour dough bread and then the awesome pizzas.  Claire even made homemade apricot upside down cake, the apricots were just picked from her backyard tree!  Yum!

Linda and Claire

The next day we all dressed up for dinner at a special French restaurant, Chez Panisse near the Berkeley campus followed by a folk concert at Freight and Salvage Coffeehouse where we enjoyed performer, Shawn Colvin.  She is best known for her 1997 Grammy-winning song, "Sunny Came Home" and not only sings well, but plays wonderful guitar.  It was a night to remember!

Claire and me

Michele and me at winery

Tasting sparkling Schramsberg wines

Claire & Michele booked a B&B, Inn at Sonoma, near the charming town in the wine country.  It was less than a one hour drive.  We checked into our spacious room and checked out the shops.  Michele found a beautiful pink dress to take with her on her next trip.  I bought both of them some cashmere wraps for cold times on planes and air conditioned rooms.  The weather was awesome - in the low 80's with no humidity!  We enjoyed a drive through the countryside, the destination was Schramsberg Vineyards.  Early in her marriage, Claire's husband, Howard, told her about the excellent sparkling wines they produce.  Now was the time to visit.  The winery was founded in 1862 by German immigrants.  Every part of the wine making process is carried out by hand since the wine is aged in its own bottle.  The caves were lovely and we enjoyed tastings.  Michele bought me a bottle to take home.  I think I'll save it for my next birthday.  It deserves a special occasion.

It was time to go, and I was sad to leave as I hopped on my Lyft ride at the crack of dawn to make my flight home to the east coast.  What a fabulous time I had!  I'm so grateful.