Saturday, November 7, 2009

Sugar Mill, Shabbylocity, and Apology!!

 

Wow!!  I am finally back!!  You know…back from outer space!!  Sure was a busy week, but a great week as well!! 

Missed all of you chickies out there!!

Today, me and my oldest daughter, Sam, went out to breakfast at a really neat place nestled in Deleon Springs State Park in the town of Deleon Springs.

The place is the Old Spanish Sugar Mill, and it was just that once upon a time.  I didn’t take any photos inside, but it is very charming, and very popular.
The setting is gorgeous, and this morning it was chilly here so they had a fire burning in our part of the dining area.  Aaaahhhh!   LOVE that!!

There are griddles at each table and you cook your own pancake and egg breakfast!  Quite a unique experience and FUN for all ages!

IMG_0859

You have to arrive early or you will have to wait…an hour after opening the wait was 40 minutes.  We arrived 3-4 minutes before they opened the doors. 

IMG_0861

 

Now I can’t tell you how it all worked, but that is indeed a waterwheel, and it utilized the 16-18 millions gallons of water that flow from the spring to crush sugar cane.  Amazing, huh?  You can see small photos of the inside and read a little more about it here if you’d like.

IMG_0849

The water coming off of the rocks is water that has come from the spring, and it flows into the St. John’s River.  The spring is 72 degrees year round, and a great place to swim.  There are scenic boat tours, canoes, kayaks, and all kinds of wildlife on the property.  We watched otters play one morning!

IMG_0850 

IMG_0848

Me and Sam!  No make-up with the sun in my eyes!!  Be kind!! LOL!!  Sam is our daughter that resembles me the most.  Even her hubby mistook photos of me after having Madison for her!! 

IMG_0853

OK, nature photos, right?  You knew there would be some trees!  And these aren’t just any trees!  These are hundred year old oak trees that are simply AWESOME!!  My pics can’t really do them justice.

IMG_0869

Here is a close up that will give you a little bit better perspective of the trunk size!  Each branch is as thick as a large trunk! 

Lady Katherine…here’s a tree for us to climb up in!!  A boy was up in one of these today!!

IMG_0871

A little bit of fall color even here in Florida!!

IMG_0872

After we left the park, we stopped at this little statuary and antique shop I have driven by for years, and never visited.  Today, I found that I have really been missing out!!  This is my new favorite place!!

Look at this fetching fella!!  What is it about gnomes?  I used to really dislike them, and now I think they are so cute!  He was just laying there in the leaves watching the clouds go by!

IMG_0876

Never thought of putting an antique sewing machine in the garden, but I think I like it!!

IMG_0874

I thought this metal Christmas tree was interesting with a chain as garland!  I love that people think of this stuff!!

IMG_0883

What about this found object singing angel??  That is a weight from a barbell for her face, and her wings are saw blades.  I know she is singing because she is holding a hymnal!! 

IMG_0882

I have no idea what these are but I thought they looked neat stacked there!

IMG_0881

 The inside was packed full of treasures and delightful shabbylocity!!

IMG_0884

IMG_0885

IMG_0886

IMG_0887 IMG_0893

 I thought this was really cool, but a bit scary at the same time!!  HA!!!

IMG_0892

LOVE this display of mostly vintage dolls!!  Such fun!

IMG_0897

And finally…a basket full of “duchess dolls”.  They are so cute and colorful!!

IMG_0896

There was so much more that I couldn’t capture because of all things…my memory card was full!  HMMPH!!  A tad frustrating, but I got over it!!

That just means I’ll have to take my camera back and show you the rest next time!

AND NOW FOR THE APOLOGY!

I said I was going to do posts on destressing for the holidays, and you know what God spoke to my heart?
He showed me that I shouldn’t make a commitment to post regularly leading up to the holidays because it could create stress for me!  I AM SO SORRY! 

What I will do is post on what I am doing, and I hope that will help some of you.

Right now I am planning out my menu, and deciding on what the table will look like.  One of the things I’ve read that I really liked was to serve dinner buffet style…we’re going with that this year, so the table will have only a couple of side dishes and condiments on it.

I have decided to make handmade place cards, and may tie bows around the back of each chair.  When I get them done, I’ll show you.

This has been really long so I’ll stop here.

I am going to go visit YOU ALL right now!  Have a joyful Sunday filled with praises to our Lord!!

Hugs n Love,

Becky

32 comments:

  1. This post is great!
    That breakfast sounds wonderful! How unique!
    Thanks for sharing all this, I loved all the pictures, and I could easily spend hours and hours at that shop!
    Thanks so much for taking us along.
    And good for you, listening to God about scaling back a little!
    I think we all spread ourselves too thin sometimes, and then nothing really gets accomplished.
    So de-stress, get some things done, and enjoy!
    We'll all be here whenever you get a chance to post!
    Love to you,
    Eileen

    ReplyDelete
  2. great pictures, becky! looks like a great place to go visit. i love all the stately looking trees. and the unique items - those are really fun! i want to come down and hang out with you sometime and go to some of these neat places. you always go to the best spots - lol! have a great week! love you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. The pictures are just wonderful. I love seeing where everyone has been through the eyes of the camera. Those oak trees are magnificent! Looks like you had a lot of fun!
    Valerie

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh Becky that was such fun!!!
    I'd so love to climb one of those trees!
    I have an old sewin machine that needs to go in the shabby olde garden don't you think? lol
    Loved all your photos... -- I mean I really really really enjoyed them! Especially the one of you and your beautiful SAM!
    Thanks for sharing!
    Blessings to you both
    -- I've never heard of a restaraunt you gotta fix your own food? lol Not sure about that!* lol Makes me giggle for some reason?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hello girly without any makeup...

    Just wanted to say I think you and Sam look GREAT!

    Love this Post!

    Oh...and do what you can do! That's all.

    Love to you...Rebecca

    ReplyDelete
  6. I hope I can remember everything I wanted to comment about!!! First of all, I love the picture of you and your daughter. And she does look so much like you!!! Amazing!

    The pictures of where you ate are fabulous!!! Love the water mill!

    And I think I had a few of those vintage dolls growing up! Great shop!

    Last year for Thanksgiving, I did it buffet style. Horror of horrors, right? Wrong. It was perfect. I never put all the food on the table as I know most people do. I always "Serve" the food. I bring in platter after platter and start with hubby at the head of the table and he passes the food to his right and around the platters go for everyone to help themselves. After doing this for a quite a few Thanksgviings, I found it very tiring! So I decided to do the buffet last year and it was perfect. I did offer to get my guests seconds and refill their plates so they wouldn't have to get up. It worked out perfectly!!!

    Looking forward to seeing your place cards. Enjoy your day!! Missed you this week, but understand completely!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Becky, we've always served buffet because when you have a big group, we've always found that's the best way to go, and I'm talking we have very fancy tables set for Christmas with all the silver, china, crytal, and pretty linens. Matter of fact I think buffet's the only way to go. And people can go back and get seconds without feeling pushed or pressured to eat more. Sometimes I offer to serve their plates with seconds, but most of the time they prefer to do it themselves. Now, I have served the plates before, but I honestly think people like to get the amount and type of food they want. So it works great for us.

    You just enjoy the holidays and don't stress about not posting about ways not to stress. LOL! See, it even sounds funny. God is right. We all need to lighten the load and enjoy!

    That sugar mill looks like fun. I will have to check it out at some point. Sounds like a great place to take visitors, too.

    Love you much...

    Sheila (who has pushed it to the limit and is home resting up today... my body said to rest, and I obeyed!)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Becky!

    There are soo many things I want to say about this post that I am afraid I will forget something, haha..First of all the breakfast sounds wonderful. What a fun, good idea. I can see why it would be packed there. I loved your pictures. I could get lost in that shop for hours. I LOVE shops like that. I recognized a doll or two as well, haha. And I loved the pic of you and your daughter. Sooo much alike, goodness I'd say so. Practically twins. And you look amazing with no make up btw. I'm kind of scary without mine, haha...As for Thanksgiving I am doing the same things as you. Setting my menu, planning my tables etc. My crowd is ALWAYS large, but I am having almost 25 this year so buffet serving is all that is ever practical for us. I am also going to do place cards this year, or I want to anyway. If you have any good idea's I'd love a suggestion or two, though I do have to keep it simple as I can be creatively challenged, haha. I will have 3 tables hopefully all with different themes too. Then main table with all of the oldest adults, the "young people" table with all of the young adults, and "the kid table"...I want to them all with their ages in mind. Again suggestions or tips would be fun and helpful. OK, I think I have hit everything. Have a wonderful day of worship Becky, I need to jump in the shower now and hurry hurry or I will be late. haha

    Love ya, Debbie

    ReplyDelete
  9. what a great post!!!looks like a great time for all! i think the watermill and the christmas tree chain are my fav!!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. God is so good to us and tells us to slow down girlie, He is indeed an awesome God and always knows best.
    Thankyou for a great post yet again, as I keep saying your blog always makes me smile!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi sweetie, So glad you are back home~loved the photos of your outing with Sam. I'm just starting to think about T day as we'll have 14 or 15 here with us so I've got lots of prep work.
    Love you girl.

    ReplyDelete
  12. that restaurant is so cool! i love it! i wanna go next time :)
    don't stress over blogging. post when you can and don't when you can't. it's that simple. your blogging friends will still be here whenever you do post :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. I can't get over how much you and your daughter look alike! You could be twins! Looks like you had a fub day together, but being with family is always the best! The pictures are lovely. What a fun day!

    Love, BFF....Nansas in Kansas

    ReplyDelete
  14. Very cool restaurant with such a lovely setting. I forgot about Spanish moss in the trees--I haven't been down to FL since I was a teen.

    You and your daughter do indeed look alike!

    The antique shop looks like somewhere one could lose track of time rather quickly. I'm all for that ;-) I especially liked the dolls.

    Thanks for taking the time to share all these lovely pics.

    ♥Heidi

    ps Buffet style for the holidays--is there any other way? ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  15. That place looks really nice. Thanks for sharing your photos. Me too, I'm planning a sort of Thanksgiving dinner with our friends, and knowing what you're planning might really help me!
    Gracie at http://mylittleplace.blog.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi Becky,
    What a great time you had with your daughter! She is as lovely as you!. (A wonderful and loving photo)
    I need to post something too, I have just been so busy, its all I can do to keep up with everyone right now, sometimes live just sweeps us off our feet.
    Enjoy your day, big hugs.
    Your friend,
    Elizabeth

    ReplyDelete
  17. What a beautiful place to visit. Florida is amazing! I loved the photo of you and your daughter. You are both just beautiful:) So much joy on your faces. That was so interesting hearing about a place that you cook your own breakfast. I had not heard of that before. Your holiday decorating plans sound so lovely. I look forward to seeing them. Take care sweet friend! Hugs, Elena

    ReplyDelete
  18. Slowing down is good Becky. :) We all need to do that once in awhile. It looks like everyone had a great time together. The restaurant sounds like it was fun. Very different!

    You and Sam do look alot alike! Both of you are gorgeous!

    Missed you posting your loving little bits. Glad you are back!

    Love and hugs!
    xxxx

    ReplyDelete
  19. What a fabulous outing!!! I would love to take my kids there for breakfast!! And I was delighted to see such a wonderful picture of my bloggy friend - you (and your daughter) are so beautiful!! Wouldn't those cup and saucer things make the cutest bird baths in the garden? I could spend just hours and hours in that shop Oh!! those vintage linens!!! I have a whole box full of duchess dolls - they were my Mom's only she calls them story book dolls!! Hope your week is wonderful!!

    Love and hugs,
    Christine

    ReplyDelete
  20. I just popped in for the first time from "Kar's Down Home Bliss" blog. I enjoyed reading about your recent adventures, and will plan a repeat visit very soon.

    ReplyDelete
  21. What a fun post, Becky. I loved looking at everything. There is a place in Utah called Gardner's Mill that has one of those big wooden paddle wheels. The shops are also similar. I love the shop with all the white vintage dresses. And that huge (oak?) tree. Amazingly beautiful. The best part is being with your Sam and enjoying one on one with her. That has to be about my most favorite earth life thing...being with the kids one on one. Sam is a beautiful young woman and yes, she does so look like you. Lucky girl! Love you, Beck!

    Bonnie

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hi Becky! wow1 I enjoyed going along in pics with you! Great photos- and my feet don't hurt a bit:)

    And you and your daughter look great!- truly like sisters! Beautiful!

    We have done a buffet for the holiday meals forever with our large crew. Of course we come by it naturally since we came from the restaurant business (for over 20 yrs) and it was a smorgasbord (buffet style). Hubby's dad and mom owned it.

    So glad you will be destressing and were open to hearing the Lord speak--too often we ladies go full steam ahead and end up puttering out and also putting stress on those around us... we've all done it;)

    Have a wonderful week sweet friend,

    Linda

    ReplyDelete
  23. Oh Becky~ what lovely pictures you shared!! Your outing sounded wonderful, and even more so since you got to spend time with your DD~ I just love visiting you, always so peaceful..... I know what you mean about making a posting commitment, last year I said I would post every day in November, but, life just got a bit too busy and I felt so badly about it... I love your posts and look forward to your visits to "my place" too, so don't stress..... "Do your best, leave the rest, Angels do no more"

    ReplyDelete
  24. This is a beautiful blog-I loved seeing Florida, which looks like another country to me. It was so much fun seeing the neat stuff at the shop too.
    Love, Debra

    ReplyDelete
  25. Just have a great time, you both look wonderful! TTFN ~ Marydon

    ReplyDelete
  26. It is amazing how your daughter looks like you. At first I was not sure who was who in the picture. What a fun day for you! Enjoyed browsing all the pictures you took. Too bad the memory card ran out. You will just have to get another one.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Becky, I would love to meet you in St. A. That would be SO much fun! Tell me when you are thinking of coming, and I'll see what's on my calendar. I have to be in Central Florida some in Decemeber, but I truly would love to see you.
    I hope we can meet up!

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

    ReplyDelete
  28. You and your daughter are beautiful all natural! Love it! I adore this place, when I come to Florida you shall have to take me, so we can dangle our feet in the tree and just sit and take in this lovely place! I love the vintage cloths, oh I love it all . lol I love to have a pancake and egg! Going to show Hubby, he got to find us that camper. lol Love Ya Katherine

    ReplyDelete
  29. We always do Buffet! No other way to go as far as my family. The children, Hubby and I will be here Thanksgiving, we will not be traveling to Daddys this year. I loved talking with you and shall say a pray, you have a great life and everything shall work out for you have a wonderful Husband as I! I so happy for you and know it will all be Ok, God here in our Tree!

    ReplyDelete
  30. What a fun day you had with your daughter. And yes, she looks just like you. All our children live in FL. but we are in MS. I enjoyed your post, neat restaurant and antique shop!...Christine

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for taking the time to share some JOY!
You're a blessing to me!