GREEN COVE SPRINGS...a walk in the park

Yep, that's us

Bob and I decided to get this week started by driving to the 

"Spring Park"  just south of us in Green Cove Springs which has a swimming pool fed by a natural spring...How cool is that..There is a pier, playground and at least a mile of paved walking paths. and since it was a warm and sunny day when we started we tried out our new and huge umbrella for keeping the sun at bay.

The water was crystal clear coming from the spring as well as along the shore of the St. John river but as the river got deeper it turned the color of tea...from the tannin in the water

 There was wild life and if you look closely you will see boats in the shipyards on  the river

In photo above to the right, (south-east)you can see the bridge spanning the river heading to St. Augustine and points east and then look to the left towards the north and you can see the Buckman bridge spanning the river farther north. Look closely you can barely make out the Jacksonville skyline.

Then right on the river's edge you will see all the beautiful homes that adorn the river front and the storm clouds that are blowing in.

And always you will see nature's art and mans garbage

SOUTHBANK RIVER WALK on the hottest day

Yep, it was hot

Bob and I decided to take a road trip to down town Jacksonville on Thursday but little did we know it was predicted to be the hottest day of the year. The prediction was correct. It made it to 98...fortunately while we were there it only got to 97. We were driving home during the hottest part of the day.

One of the highlights of the day was riding the water taxi around the harbor.

My other favorite part of the day was seeing the mirrored mural that has been installed under the bridge along the walk

While we were resting under the bridge we watched the other bridge across the river being raised for sail boats to go past...It was not a draw bridge but a lift bridge though I am not sure what the proper name of that type is.

On the taxi ride around the bay we spotted lots of dolphins playing

At the end of our walk but not the end of the river walk we stopped at the Monument honoring the sailors and the plaque to our revolutionary soldiers. 

Even though the heat was extreme it was a wonderful day We spent the next two hours cooling off at the River City Brewing Company  right on the river's edge enjoying a cold one and a delicious lunch of fish and chips. 

We will be going back  so we can finish the river walk to it's end but I can promise it will be when the weather is about 25 degrees cooler.

Look closely and you will see the rusty looking bridge in the background. That is a railroad bridge built in the 20s..it is so well built and balanced that to this day, so we were told,  2 people can raise and lower it for boats using a hand crank...amazing..so I had to investigate that statement...here is a link I found interesting..

http://users.ipa.net/~ewall/fecbr.htm

THE HERITAGE TRAIL

Sunset from hotel lobby

I traveled to northern Indiana with my daughter Debbie so she could take a sewing machine service and repair class. It was a two part class so we were there more then a week...On Sunday, her only free day from class we took a road trip called The Heritage Trail...We were in Amish country so nothing was open for us to visit but had a great time and learned a few things by listening to the audio that followed along with the trip.

Peanut farm

This popcorn farm specializes in a special popcorn called sweet corn. It is made from the tiny tender kernels at the very end of cob... 

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The following photos are of the old railway station that has been transformed into shops and eateries. You can see the rails going down between the buildings and if you look closely you can imagine the people waiting for the train to pull in as they wait on the platform to the left of the photo. The right is the back entrance of the "Bag Factory

Old rail way station

The windows of the Bag Factory have all been boarded up...Literally...They have plywood over them with panes painted on. A clever and artistic way to solve a problem

The Old Bag Factory

Part of the plumbing for the Bag Factory

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This steel bridge is a replacement of an old wooden bridge

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Art across the country side

Life imitating art

The result of life imitating art

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As  we traveled on under beautiful cloudy skies we came across this old barn..I love old buildings especially the ones that are barely hanging on.

Clouds reflecting on roof of our car

There are dozens of these statues scattered along The Heritage Trail but we captured only a few.