Category: Life

Posted in Life, Travel

Traveling the world on a drive through Florida

Posted on by William Douthwaite
The tower of a citrus processing plant somewhere in southwest Florida

We took two of our grandsons to an Atlanta Braves spring training baseball game at Cool Today Park, a beautiful stadium nestled between Port Charlotte and Venice, Florida. Our drive from northeast Florida took us down interstate highways through Daytona Beach and Orlando, before the GPS routed us down back roads to avoid ever-present slowdowns on I-75.

I took in a part of Florida I had not yet experienced. Some of the roads took us through abandoned orange groves. Others took us through vast cattle ranches and expansive strawberry fields. We passed thetowering citrus processing plants, endless rows of fabric-covered infant orange trees, tobacco stores, gun shops, and Latin-American food trucks of southwest Florida.

I thought I understood redneck Florida. I was wrong. Our drive took us through a whole different world, a strange new world in a state where I have lived for thirty years.

I trusted the Airbnb host’s recommendation for a casual supper place. I haven’t been out to eat in a place where people were smoking for a long, long time. The seating area was technically outside, so they got away with the few patrons who lit up a cigarette. I was happy when they finished up their meal and left.

On the way home, we were the only English-speaking folks inquiring about the restrooms. Nevertheless, everyone was friendly and helpful.

I don’t have to travel far to experience other cultures. They are right down the road.

Posted in Life, Travel

Yard art for everyone

Posted on by William Douthwaite

We’ve passed it dozens of times on our way to Ocala, Deleon Springs, Blue Spring State Park (to see the manatees), Eustis, and Mount Dora. Finally on our way home from Umatilla after a grandson’s baseball game, we stopped to see what the Barberville Yard Art Emporium was all about.

The emporium is three acres of every size and shape of aluminum, glass, wood, concrete, ceramic, and clay animals, pots, mailboxes, birdbaths, fountains, lampposts, and any other kind of statuary you can imagine. Right out front is a twenty foot tall giraffe alongside life-size cows, lions, elephants, and flamingoes. Lots of bigger-than-life chickens and roosters line the road. These large animals are bolted to the ground, as if a thief would have the means to steal one.

The emporium is filled with over 800,000 pieces in every shape and size. Most item’s aren’t cheap. A modest three-foot rooster was $445. A life-size ten-piece aluminum nativity had a $7,995 sticker price. (Where would you store that after Christmas?) We looked at walls filled with Haitian tin art, hammered from used oil drums. Overhead we saw shelves filled with brightly painted pots. This is the place to find that six-foot extraterrestrial giving a one-finger salute you’ve been searching for.

We didn’t purchase anything this time. At least we know where we can find a gorilla or unicorn when we need one.

So I wonder who would buy a giant chicken for their yard? A farm sellling eggs? A fried chicken restaurant? How about a huge cow by the entrance to a dairy farm?

Now that I think about it, I used to ride my bike past a house in our community that had a triceratops statue in the front yard. A friend has a life-size dog statue by their front door. Giant Santas smile at me from lawns in December. Some day I’ll have to count all the flamingo statues I see on a morning walk.

Posted in coffee, Life

Coffee chat

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

A young man in a black polo shirt sat next to me at the local Starbucks where I relax while the little dog is at the groomer. His shirt was embroidered with the Starbucks logo and he was absorbed in some work on his laptop.

He knew a number of the baristas working that morning. After I listened in on a few of the conversations, I asked if he worked for the company. Austin introduced himself and explained that he was a district manager for a number of stores in the Jacksonville area. He had driven down to meet with another DM.

When I asked what his job entailed, he explained that he visited each of his dozen stores weekly. He’s been in this position for two years and really enjoyed the work. I asked how this store compared to those in his area. He said this was a very busy store, being right off the interstate. He didn’t know for sure, but guessed it grossed over $50,000 per week. Wow.

Austin asked if I came there often, and I explained that I hung out there while my dog as at the groomer. He asked me if I had tried the 1971 roast that had just been introduced. When I told him I hadn’t, he said, “Let me get you a sample.”

He brought back a small cup of coffee for me to try. It tasted fine, but wasn’t very strong. I don’t think the barista brewed it correctly because I’ve never had a weak cup of coffee there. Starbucks advertises it as a bold dark roast, and this cup wasn’t bold or dark. For a moment, I wanted to tell him it wasn’t very strong, but he looked like he was busy. So I just thanked him and got back to some writing, thankful for a little extra free coffee that morning.

Posted in Life

Someone’s watching

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I pass this little patch of asphalt just about every day when walking the dogs. Oil drips form a face that is surprised to see me as I am.

Here’s another one, in the granite of my bathroom sink, sleepily looking back at me whenever I’m brushing my teeth.

It’s only a little creepy when I catch of glimpse of these faces. I wonder what they’re thinking, in their asphalt or granite world, seeing my face out in the air. Are they creeped out?

What if it was the face of a person who cut the stone or spread the asphalt? What if the countertop or the street contained the remains of someone? In the middle of a project, a worker disappeared. No one knows what happened to them. They just disappeared.

Maybe it’s just a reminder that someone is always watching you. There’s a camera in every store, on every doorbell, at ATM, and above traffic intersections. They are watching. Who? I don’t know. Someone.

Posted in Life

Thunderbirds

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Yesterday was cookie delivery day. With a bag of birthday iced sugar cookies in hand, I met the purchaser outside of the hospital where she worked in Daytona Beach.

I heard the sound well before I saw the plane. Instead of the usual commercial jet or single engine plane coming or going from the Daytona Beach airport, the roar of a fighter jet filled the air as an F-16 flew pretty low overhead. It was flying pretty low as it disappeared as quickly as it arrived. Close behind were four of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds flying in close formation.

I was pleasantly surprised and awed. They were practicing their flyover for the start of the Daytona 500 on Sunday afternoon. The friend picking up cookies told me she had gone up onto the hospital helipad the day before, watching them from less than 1,000 feet away.

Every once in a while, I’ll see a couple of F-35s or Blackhawk helicopters overhead when the Air National Guard runs training flights along the coast out of Jacksonville. When I hear the unmistakeable sound, I hurry outside to watch. They don’t fly as low, but they are fast!

Moments like this bring back memories of one of my top ministry moments, a flyover at the graveside service of a dear friend and member.

Posted in Life

Over nine hundred manatees at Blue Springs today!

Posted on by William Douthwaite

As we pulled up to the ranger station at Blue Springs State Park in Orange City, Florida, a sign announced the presence of 900+ manatees! After two straight nights of atypical twenty-degree overnight weather, more of the big aquatic mammals had swam into the 72-degree waters than I had ever seen before.

We visit these springs once a year, hoping to see a few manatees up close. A few of them drift out of the sun-warmed waters up to the observation boardwalk so we can get a few good pictures. The place is crawling with children who are excited to see these protected creatures, but soon get bored because manatees really don’t do much. They slowly drift by, occasionally snacking on some plants. They don’t jump out of the water like dolphins or snarf down skinned rats like the big crocodiles. They just hang out. Young people quickly realize that when you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.

There’s so much to see besides the manatees. The waters are teeming with fish. Aquatic birds perch on logs, soaking up the sun. Spanish moss adorns every oak tree. Kayakers paddle up close to the floating mammals.

The gift shop does a brisk business. The shelves were packed with stuffed manatees of every size. I wonder how many stuffed manatees the park sells each day? A thousand? Everyone leaving the shop had at least one in hand.

Even though it was unseasonably cold, many children pestered their parents for slushies and Dipping Dots from the snack bar. Brrr. I’m glad we brought a thermos of hot chocolate with us!

Posted in Life

A little piano music

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I was delighted to hear piano music as I settled into a rocking chair in the arrivals area of the Jacksonville, Florida airport. The volunteer was talented, equipped with a big stack of piano music.

As I slipped a few dollars in her tip jar I asked, “Do you take requests?”

She smiled and said, “If I know it.”

I don’t know why it came to mind, but I said, “Satin Doll.”

She smiled, nodded, and said, “I’ll play that next.”

She must have pulled out her Nat King Cole book, because she followed up with “Autumn Leaves,” “Tenderly,” “At Last,” “The Girl from Ipanema,” “Stardust,” and “Saint Louis Blues.”

It had been a long time since I enjoyed some piano bar music. It was relaxing to play a little “Name That Tune” as she began each melody. She made the wait time speed by. What a great service to offer travelers and their families.

Posted in Life

Together again

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Winter weather had delayed every flight. A young man with a bouquet of pink roses nervously wandered through the empty airport arrival area. A piano played classic jazz tunes as we relaxed in rocking chairs. Some folks read. Others dozed. A robot vacuumed the floors.

The large card in his hand read, “For the love of my life.” He stared down one hallway, and then the next. In between, he checked the arrivals board. Laying the roses down, he made a quick trip to the restroom. With an eye on his phone, he waited for a text.

Suddenly he stuffed his phone in to his pocket and stood next to a pillar. Rounding the corner, she stopped, their eyes met, and they embraced. Finally, they were together again. Or was this the first time they had met in person? No matter, it was a wonderful encounter.

Airports are filled with tearful goodbyes and passionate reunions. Excited travelers begin adventures. Weary travelers return home. It’s so interesting to be part of these moments.

Posted in Life

“Have you seen my suitcase?”

Posted on by William Douthwaite

There’s a lot to notice in this picture I took on an evening walk with the big dog. Besides the inside of a car door, a truck full of blue metal, and a vintage mail box, I spied a suitcase underneath the SUV.

So I have a question. Will they remember the suitcase when it’s time to go to work tomorrow morning? I’ll bet they don’t. I’ll bet they back out and wonder, “What’s the scraping noise?” as they drag it down the street.

Or even before that, someone rushing to the airport will ask, “Hey, have you seen my suitcase?”

Maybe it was a joke. “Let’s slide his suitcase under the car. He’ll never look for it there.”

It could have happened by accident. The bag may have rolled down the driveway, tipped over and slid under the car. Not likely.

Tried to pack too much stuff? That’s one way to flatten it out so you can zip it shut.

Perhaps they didn’t see it when they pulled in last night. Someone just drove right over the dark suitcase on a dark night.

If the authorities are searching your house, they won’t find anything if you slid your luggage under the SUV in the driveway. Although if noticed it, I’m sure law enforcement would, too.

Or maybe they were testing the sturdiness of this suitcase. Just like the ape that threw luggage around in the old American Tourister commercial.

Next time around the block, I’ll look to see if it’s still there, out in the yard, or even down the street.