Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

Lithia Springs

Thursday February 9, 2012

Time to go.


Our 14 days are up here and we have  to move on.
Not sure how we are going to work out moving every 14 days
with his treatment schedule but time will tell.


There are obviously other places we could stay without limits
but the ones I’ve check on are far too expensive for us now
with the increasing medical and drug bills.


If anyone knows a place in the Tampa area
that wouldn’t depress us both even more
and that we could pay under $600 a month, do let me know.


After one last look at the wonderful
front yard view and this great live oak tree.
Sure hope if we can come back, we can have
this very same site.


It's wonderful living beside this tree


For now we are moving to Lithia Springs.


Lithia Springs Campground Loop

We drove the
30 miles
and then down the
tree lined
campground
roads










Site 13



to take up residence in Site #13 where we’ll be for the next couple of weeks.  Since we’re in the shade of a lot of live oaks and spanish moss,
we elected not to put out the awning.








the duckies and we have a nice secluded view.


Moby and Handy approve



An interesting 5th wheel is our neighbor.

 Lots of windows and a patio



Nice wide sites

Different take on "put up your awning"

Once we get set up, it is time for
lunch.  These are great sweet potato chips.
Just slice em’ thin and put them in the microwave.
Timing depends on the thickness and your preference
for “how done”.


spinach & tomato on whole grain


We take a walk around the park to
get the lay out.


We discover the canoe kayak launch


Launch at Lithia Springs

I prefer the slope to the dock



the spring


and go over to the spring which is
fenced in and life guarded so I guess they
get a lot of swimmers in season.











Drain is in the upper right


(don’t forget to hover)
The spring itself  has a drain cover over it to keep people from going down in “exploring”.   Sounds like they had some folks illegally going
”caving” at night and the danger and liability forced them to do this.









Too bad since that and the constant noise of the
pump which takes water from the spring for
reasons no one has yet been able to explain,
put a real damper on the natural beauty of the place.




the little shed  is the life guard station


The spring flows out a “tail” like small run and into the Alafia River.
You are not permitted to go beyond the green sign in the middle.  They are doing habitat restoration. 










Very nice.

P1020200

P1020182



There are others enjoying the restoration area.



egret standing 



Egret posing



2 of the resident 3 ducks



Up stream from here, on the river, is where the kayak launch is located.



If you didn't, this is it.



Remember the life guard station?
Did you hover?














Here’s what we saw inside.
Ok Paul I’m waiting for the comment!  :-)


We've named him Paul :-)



Back to Winnona for dinner and dessert.Pizza and black cherry ice cream.
Both home made!!


No cheese, no oil, delicious!



Mmmmm good!!!

13 comments:

  1. Can't u just rotate back and forth between campsites, ones u like?

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  2. we leave wednesday for Mantatee Lake State Park but for only two days... our homemade pizza looks just like yours except we make a olive oil/roasted garlic sauce...

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  3. The lifeguard must be a government employee, totally useless and drinking on the job...

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  4. I would've recognized Paul anywhere! LOL!!

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  5. I'll keep my ears open and eyes open for any nice places in Tampa that might be reasonably priced. Your dinner looks good ... I could eat pizza all the time :-) and homemade ones are even better.

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  6. There are lots of campgrounds in this area that are cheaper than $600 a month (especially in the off-season), but none are going to be like Lithia Springs, EG Simmons, and the state parks. You will be able to stay a while though and have full hook-ups, so it may be a good trade off.

    You didn't say exactly what area you need to be in. In Palmetto (south of Tampa Bay)there is a nice full hook-up campground that has great rates.

    It's not quite like what you normally like, but it's pretty nice. You can stay as long as you like, and there are some nature trails and kayaking. I didn't see this years summer rates but last year April and May was $550 a month and June thru October, $410. Electricity is extra.
    Here is the link:

    http://www.frogcreek.us.com/index.html


    If you need something closer to Tampa, we like Zephyrhills because it's cheap, and the traffic is not as bad. We are 6 miles from Hillsborough River State Park and lots of kayaking launches are just past that. There are lots of campgrounds here that are less than $600 a month, but you won't get that woodsy nature feel that you like. We stay here for the price and convenience. In Florida in the winter (high season) it gets difficult to move around a lot so we just stay put a few months.

    Another possibility (not as nice as Frog Creek) is Quail Run.

    http://www.quailrunrv.com/rates.html

    I see where they have summer rates of $260 a month. It's in Wesley Chapel so it may be more convenient for Davids treatment.


    Wherever you go you can negotiate better rates for longer term stays. If you plan a 3 month stay you can get better than one month.

    Hope this helps some.

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  7. Lithia Springs looks nice! Have added it to our list. Homemade pizza looks yummy - that's what I am fixing for our dinner tonight!

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  8. We have been racking our brains trying to think of anyone we know that has a place you could park but no luck yet. Most of our friends live in subdivisions or condo's. That pizza looks great!

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  9. The new place looks nice. A natural setting like that does a body (and soul) good.
    Syl

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  10. Great blog, Sherry! So many really topnotch photos!

    I don't comment much on other people's blogs (do so much on my own), but I had to let you know how great your blog is and also ... I swam in Lithia Springs many years ago! So thanks for bringing that memory back! Best wishes to you both.

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  11. Hope you are able to find just the right spot to stay in longer. The one you're in now looks awesome. Darn that 2 week limit!
    Pizza looks fabulous. I haven't made one in a long time. I think I may have to now :)

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  12. Well, another spring...they are so beautiful!!

    I was just going to try those chips to see how they turned out. You seem to have answered my question for me;o))

    I just got the book 'Forks Over Knives' and can't wait to try more of the recipes. How about that Black Cherry Ice Cream...I may need to get that one from you!!!

    Take care and thinking of you two!!!

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  13. I just received and email about a fruit called Sour Sop from the graviola tree. It is supposed to help fight cancer. A friend of mine sent it to me from a Facebook posting. If you want the page, email me at: r.j.stowers2sbcglobal.net

    and I will send it to you. I am not a spammer, I am not a doctor. I do believe in some alternative approaches to western medicine.

    Please get healthy and keep posting.

    Thank you,
    Rex

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