Florida – Northeastern Coast – Oaks & Forts

Beginning our journey north, we explored a few new areas.

WASHINGTON OAKS

The first was Washington Oaks Gardens State Park.

In 1818 Jose Mariano Hernandez bought the land and named it “Bella Vista.” His daughter married a relative of George Washington, which explains the park’s name. Later it was owned by Owen Young, a founder of the RCA Corporation. He and his wife built a home and the gardens. His family gave the land to the state in 1964 specifying that the gardens be maintained for public enjoyment. One side of the park, the side by the Intracoastal Waterway, contains the lovely formal garden, with a rose garden, fountains, and a variety of plants under a live oak hammock. We enjoyed strolling in the garden and ate a picnic lunch overlooking the water.

The other side of the park abuts the ocean. This area is known for its coquina rock formations.

This rock is made of sand, shells, and water.

coquina close-up

Doesn’t quite look like Florida!

FORT MATANZAS

The second place we visited was Fort Matanzas National Monument. We saw a video about the fort, an effort by the Spanish to protect St Augustine. The fort was built of coquina. A ferry used to shuttle park visitors over to the island fort, but due to damage from last year’s Hurricane Matthew we could only see the fort from across the water.

schematic from brochure

FORT MOSE

The third place we checked out was Fort Mose Historic State Park outside of St Augustine. This was a long abandoned village turned fort for freed slaves. The Spanish offered a sanctuary for slaves who escaped from the Carolinas if they converted to Catholicism and joined the militia. No buildings remain, but the visitor center has a video and museum.

Archaeologists discovered the ruins of this fort in the middle of what is now swamp land.

the distant island where the fort once stood

Florida - Indiantown

We stayed two weeks in Indiantown FL while Bill volunteered at the Habitat for Humanity build. Habitat arranges for Care-A-Vanners to stay at the Indiantown Marina, which is a scruffy place.

Aging boats dominate the yard intermingled with some newer boats, ramshackle buildings, and RVs of various conditions and sizes. The marina sits on the Okeechobee Waterway, a canal that connects the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic via Lake Okeechobee.

The town itself could use some revitalization. We see why Habitat for Humanity chose this area. Like the build site we worked at last November, Habitat is building a neighborhood of homes with about 5 new houses per year and future home owners are required to work 300 hours on the build. Unlike our previous build, these houses are concrete block. 

photo by Karen Kidd

They withstand hurricanes well, but involve much more contracted work. This build differed remarkably with our previous build in personality, organization, spiritual emphasis, and quality of workmanship. Nevertheless, Bill worked hard.

photo by Karen Kidd

The bright light was interactions off the build site. When we pulled into the marina we ran into another couple just arriving, Terry and Karen Kidd. They are experienced Habitat Care-a-Vanners who worked on this build site twice before. They are gifted and talented people who put their faith to action in their commitment to Habitat and in their warm caring spirit. We thank them, too, for inviting us over to their 5^th wheel trailer for ice cream.

photo from Karen Kidd

Another interaction started because Barbara’s father told us to look for his friends’ boat –the “Little Dipper.” We weren’t too optimistic about finding it, but we did. 

Bill noticed that someone was on board, so we introduced ourselves.

Several days later we drove back to Vero Beach, got Barbara’s father, and took him to lunch at his friends’ house. They are an interesting couple who lived many years on their boat. They moor at the marina to be in fresh water, yet have access to either Atlantic or Gulf. The wife, a painter, showed us her current commissioned work in progress. Here is one of her paintings that Barbara’s parents own; it was a perfect painting for Barbara’s mom, the Florida birder.

painting by Sandy Odell

Speaking of art, we have to also mention our neighbors. When we pulled in we noticed the next door screened camping shelter filled with stuff. Later a big van with a weathered utility trailer pulled in and we were surprised when we realized they were living in the trailer!

Well come to find out they are artists who need the big van and much of the trailer for their art. 

sculptures by Jim Ardis

They come to Florida from Michigan for 5 art shows: the husband is a copper sculptor and his wife is a contemporary painter. Admittedly the wife was anxious to get back to more comfortable accommodations, but they roughed it to market his art. His amazing work can be seen at his website: ardisart.net. Her work was cool, too.

sculpture by Jim Ardis from ardisart.net

Our time at Indiantown was topped off by a big bright rainbow, which had a faint second rainbow.

This photo doesn’t capture its brilliance.

Florida - Gardens - Part 2

The second garden we toured was MORIKAMI MUSEUM & GARDENS in Delray Beach. Barbara’s dad mentioned this garden a while ago and we finally had a chance to see it.

This is not a botanical garden with vast collections of labeled plants. Rather it’s a Japanese garden where landscapes are cultivated for the art form and restorative experience.

There are various gardens within the garden including: a bamboo grove, koi pond, waterfalls, a wisdom ring, bridges, bonsai, and other areas.

Gardens often conger up the image of flowers, but there were several gardens with no plants at all.

a bed of raked gravel in a rock garden

 Each side of this post was written in a different language.

 These flowers reminded us of fireworks.

When this bamboo arm fills with water it tips striking the rock that makes a noise meant to startle deer.

Not sure if this shooed away deer, but we spotted other wildlife: turtles, 3 iguanas, an alligator and koi.

We topped the day off with Japanese food at the garden’s restaurant.

We really felt a sense of peace there. A delightful day!

Florida - Gardens - Part 1

We explored two gardens recently with Barbara’s dad. They each have a unique beauty and feel.

We toured BOK TOWER GARDENS while Carrie visited.

Bok Tower Gardens began in the 1920s when a successful Dutch immigrant, Edward Bok, commissioned the famous landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted Jr (designer of Central Park, Golden Gate Park, and other places), to design a garden on one of the tallest hills in mid-Florida. Bok’s garden reflected “an enduring token of his appreciation for the opportunities he had been given.”*

Quote by Edward Bok

Approaching the garden from miles away, one can see the looming centerpiece – the 205ft Singing Tower which houses a carillon.

 

We listened to the carillon, walked the grounds,  

Topiaries at Pinewood Estate

and enjoyed lunch at the café.

Al, Bill, and Carrie at the café.

Over 70 years ago Barbara’s great-grandparents enjoyed visiting here. We wonder if they saw the flamingos that were there then.

It was good also to remember our previous trip there, three years ago when Barbara’s mom was with us.

Bill, Miriam & Al at Bok Tower in 2013

 *boktowergardens.org