In Loving Memory

Bernice A. Farmer
1918 – 2009

Bernice A. Farmer peacefully passed away at age 91 on Nov. 23 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. Mom will be greatly missed by all that knew and loved her. She is survived by three children, Terri Johnson, Russ Farmer, and Ron Hunt, 6 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren. We are thankful for the time she had with us and choose to celebrate her life instead of mourning her death. Funeral arrangements have not been finalized but she will be returned to her final resting place alongside her late husband, Clarence, her parents, and her brother at Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis, MO.

Fun On The Water

Though we missed the sunset in Key West, we’re sure that this one we experienced our first night back at Long Key State Park was just as spectacular as any they have down there, and this photo doesn’t do it justice.

This time our site was only 2 spaces from Dick and Beth, and they invited us for dinner Fri. They had been our guests the week before, and it’s always fun getting to know folks better over a scrumptious meal. As it so happens, the neighbor between our sites was a couple that Beth and Dick had met down here the year before. They didn’t know that Chris and Sue would be returning, and it was just a fluke that their site was between ours. They were also invited, and we all had a great time and a great meal.

Beth and Dick as well as Chris and Sue have Hobie kayaks. This type has foot pedals that are operated much like an exercise stepper and steering controls within an arm’s length that are easily maneuvered. Dick had offered us the use of his kayak several times the week before, and though we didn’t take him up on the offer then, I was determined to go out this time around. Fri. morning I met Dick at his boat (which was parked in the water right in front of his rig), and he took me out for a spin. What fun! After a short ride and getting the handle of how to operate it, he had me bring him back to shore and encouraged me to take it out on my own. Way cool! Chris and Sue had also offered the use of their kayak anytime I wanted to use it…this could become a habit!

Each boat can be equipped with a sail, and the next morning Dick took me out sailing. After a brief ride, we came back into shore, and he insisted on me sitting in the back to navigate the boat and the sail…yikes! But Dick is a good and patient teacher, and even though initially the boat was fighting me when turning to the right, we finally got headed in the direction we wanted to go. Dick said that the strong breeze and slightly choppy water were probably hindering my abilities to navigate. Soon Chris and Sue came out on their boat, and Russ was able to snap a picture of both boats sailing the ocean blue. That night Chris and Sue invited everyone to sit around the campfire they planned to build after dinner so we arrived with chairs and drinks in hand to spend another lovely evening under the stars with our new friends.










Dick and Beth were leaving the next day to head for Bahia Honda, and the night before we had decided that we wanted to get a group picture before they left. So precisely at 10 to 10 the next morning, the 6 of us met in front of the rigs with cameras and tripods in hand. Since they weren’t leaving till 1pm, Dick took me out sailing again. (I swear he’d live out on that boat if he could!) This time there was little breeze, the water was calm, and it was smooth sailing…what a difference. Chris and Sue were leaving the next morning (Mon.), and while they were out bike riding, I took their boat for a spin. I was definitely getting spoiled and going to miss not having either of the boats at my disposal. Oh, well, such is life.

Each Thurs. there is a ranger guided program here at Long Key State Park, and this week I was told that it would be kayaking. Woohoo! I had heard that beginning kayaking classes were done occasionally, so I was all excited to take a class to learn how to man a real kayak (meaning with an oar not bicycle pedaling). If you don’t have a kayak, one will be provided, and this is all free of charge. Russ drove me down to the meeting place and planned to take a couple pictures. I got myself situated in a boat, and then discovered that this was not going to be a Kayak 101 class, but rather a 2 hour ranger guided paddle along the shoreline! But wait…I’ve never done this before! I hadn’t brought a cover-up because I didn’t realize I’d be out on the water for 2 hours, so Russ offered his shirt for me to wear over my suit since the sun was beating down. There were 12 boats going on this excursion, and the ranger assured me it would be easy handling. Now it was time to get going, and off I went. Look at me…I’m manning a kayak all by myself! As we traveled along the shoreline, the rangers described the plants, birds, and sea critters we saw. What a great way to spend a couple hours, and I didn’t tip over! (Sorry, no photos of the trip since I didn’t want to chance dropping the camera in the water.)

By the way we finally discovered the identity of that sea creature we saw during our first week here. I had e-mailed the contact address on the park’s website with a general description of what we had seen. Park ranger, Marty Dillis, replied that he believed it was a Polka-Dot Batfish and attached the photo seen at left. The mystery was solved as it was indeed the creature, and after researching further online, this website gives an even clearer picture and description: http://www.biol.andrews.edu/everglades/organisms/vertebrates/fish/polka-dot_batfish/polka-dot_batfish.html.

This morning we awoke shortly before sunrise and walked the one mile Golden Orb Nature Trail hoping to see lots of birds. We did experience lots of mosquitoes but only saw a couple birds and several tiny crabs scampering back to their holes. Man, they can move fast!













When we returned to the RV, we found what we initially thought was a jellyfish laying on the beach. It appeared to be dead, but we know enough not to touch it because the tentacles can still sting. As it turns out, it was a Portuguese Man-of-War, and its sting can be very dangerous and painful!

Originally there was going to be 3 days between when we left here and when our winter reservations start in Clermont, and we had been debating whether to spend a couple nights at Monument Lake in Big Cypress again, or maybe 1 night and then spend a couple nights at a nearby campground in Clermont. Several times a day Russ would check the Long Key’s website on the off chance that there would be a cancellation so we could stay here a little longer. And that’s just what happened. We had to move to a different site yesterday, but we get to spend 3 more days (for a total of 13) in what we consider paradise. Alas, we leave for Clermont on Tues., but I leave you with some more photos of wildlife taken during our stay here.

Key West

We had been looking forward to staying at Bahia Honda State Park for several months as we had heard how beautiful the area was. However, after being there a few hours, we were happy that we had shortened our reservation from 9 nights to 3. We had become spoiled at Long Key with our site right on the ocean, and though this park has some sites on the water, we didn’t have one and those that we passed were not very impressive. Most have a view of the 7 mile bridge stretching across the channel between the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Strait, and all the cars passing over it. Within this 524 acre state park there are 3 campgrounds but only 1 with sites large enough to accommodate RVs. Our site, though very large and surrounded by shrubbery, was directly across from the bath house, dumpster, and dump station…convenient but not very pretty. In fact, it seemed to us just like any other campground.

There are a few sandy beaches in the park, but it was too windy and overcast to enjoy on the days we were there. However, we saw about half a dozen young men parasailing, battling the wind and the waves, seeming to hang on for dear life, but evidently having a good time (you can see a couple of them in the left-hand corner of the photo on the right). We visited the park’s nature center that consists of a small marine aquarium, a sea life collection, displays of native plants and birds, and environmental learning activities for kids. Don’t get us wrong…we’d heard wonderful things about this park, and we’re sure there is much for many to enjoy there, but had we not stayed at Long Key first, we might have been more thrilled with Bahia Honda. Just can’t beat that view of the ocean right outside your window.

A trip to the Keys wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Key West, the southernmost city in the continental U.S., and since it was only 37 miles away, that’s where we headed Tues. afternoon. We had been there about 6 years ago for a few hours when it was a port stop on a cruise but decided to go again since we were so close. Parking down there can be difficult but we were fortunate to find a spot on the street at a parking meter (cheaper than the lots!) Strolling through Key West is always interesting with quite an eclectic mix of people wandering around and interesting sights to see. It’s basically a tourist trap with lots of restaurants, museums, and all the shops basically selling the same cheap stuff plus a few expensive galleries. In fact the place reminds us a lot of the French Quarter in New Orleans, and as someone said to us recently, “it’s a city for lost souls”. Seems there’s something for everyone, and you need to just go with the flow. Of course, it's one place where you can pick up a huge shark jaw for $15,000!

Having visited Hemingway’s House on our last visit, we skipped that area and headed towards Duval Street. As we approached the Key West Museum of Art & History at the restored 1891 Custom House, we could see a departing cruise ship behind the building heading for its next port of call. (Darn, we missed the boat!) The museum is surrounded by life-size bronze sculptures created by J. Seward Johnson. Many depict everyday life and at first glance appear almost real like the one pictured at right. The photographer in the green sweater is actually one of the bronze sculptures as is the painter at the top of the stairs. In addition to his life-size sculptures, Johnson also creates some larger than life pieces such as the one at left called “Whispering Close”. It was inspired by a Renoir painting and stands 20 feet tall. If you look closely towards the lower right of the sculpture (clicking on the picture will enlarge it), the woman in the aqua jogging suit walking and looking up at the piece is actually another one of his life-size sculptures. Behind the building is another piece entitled “Day Dream” and is based on a painting by Matisse with a slight twist. Pictured at right, it is actually two separate works of art that are interconnected. The sculpture artist is “painting” the three dimensional sculpture based on the painting, and the twist is that there’s a “young man” lying on the ground looking up at the dancers circling around him…he’s not in Matisse’s original painting. Just a whimsical bit of humor.

Roosters run free all over Key West, and as we continued our walk, we even spotted a hen and her chicks keeping cool under a bush. We walked up and down Duval St., looking at menus and in shop windows, and ended up at Caroline’s Café for a late lunch. Our table was outside, overlooking Duval St., and great for people watching. We began with an order of conch fritters, which are sort of like large hush puppies with pieces of conch mixed in (conch is a shellfish). They were ok, not great, as the conch pieces seemed kind of tough, but I just washed it down with my Rum Runner drink! The sandwiches we ordered, though, were huge and quite tasty. Russ had the largest shrimp po’ boy we’ve ever seen and I had the Cuban sandwich (roast pork, ham, cheese, pickles, and mustard on a Cuban roll, all lightly grilled). Both were served with fries giving us more than enough food!


The main focal point in Key West is Mallory Square, especially at sunset for their nightly event known as the Sunset Celebration (www.sunsetcelebration.org). Street performers abound as do food and craft vendors with the crowds enjoying the festivities as they wait to cheer a spectacular sunset. We arrived just in time to see a guy preparing to mount a giant unicycle, who was quite entertaining. We didn’t get his name but he was funny soliciting for tips as he performed. As each act ends, they try to steer you towards the next performer, and next up was Dr. Juice, the Calypso Tumbler, who grabbed a couple volunteers from the audience as he performed his aerial acrobatics. The guy is 54 years old and as part of his act did 20 handstand pushups...and could have easily done even more! His final act was jumping through a hoop that was being held on the back of a gal straddling a bike landing with a somersault on the concrete…pretty amazing! As he finished we headed in the opposite direction instead of towards the next performer as it was nearly time to head back to the car. It had been an overcast day so no spectacular sunset that night, but we had seen it last time we were here, and it pretty much looks like any other spectacular sunset. The next day we were heading back to Long Key.

Paradise To Us

What a view! There are only 60 campsites at Long Key State Park and all overlook the Atlantic Ocean!! At left is the view out the front window of our rig…nice, huh? And each morning as the sun rises, the light reflects iridescently off the water creating a peaceful and beautiful scene.

Long Key is located 35 miles south of where we stayed last week and is halfway between Miami and Key West. The sites are fairly private with rows of hedges, bushes, trees, and native plants between, and a wood rail in front with a small walkway leading to the beach. The water is so clear and warm, and we can walk over about a quarter mile out into it and still not have it over our heads. At right is a picture from a short distance out into the ocean looking back (didn’t want to take the camera out any further and chance dropping it!)

The first couple days Russ and I walked quite a ways out into the ocean in the morning and mid-afternoon, enjoying the sun and sea while searching for critters. We saw fish, a stingray, lots of little crabs, plants, and some unidentified sea creature. It looked like a small stingray but with back frog-like legs! The third day I ventured out by myself taking along my snorkeling mask and saw a few fish but no sign of the “sea creature”. There are quite a number and variety of birds in the area, many walking right along the beach searching for food. Several people bring their kayaks while others bring their fishing gear. In fact, one guy had a large net that he would throw out into the water, catching mullet to use as bait when he went fishing for tarpon later off the pier. This must be paradise…if it just weren’t for the nasty, biting no-see-ums.

As I mentioned in our last post, Dick and Beth are staying here for a couple of weeks, and as it turned out, Alex and Susie decided to stay for a couple nights before heading home to central Florida. We invited everyone over Wed. night to watch the 5th game of the World Series since Alex and Susie are big Yankees fans and still couldn’t get their satellite dish working. Yankees lost but we enjoyed the time together.

Thurs. Beth needed to do some shopping and asked if I’d like to tag along. The nearest full size grocery store is 14 miles north in Islamorada, and there are several other “girlie” shops, as she put it, that she likes to visit when in the area. You know, they’re little retail stores that the guys generally get bored at and would just as soon not have to go to. But the first stop struck me as kind of odd initially…it was Worldwide Sportsman, one of the smallest stores in the Bass Pro chain. As it turns out, the store has a couple areas of jewelry and women’s clothing on the second floor and a little space with lots of trinkets and knick-knacks. On display in the middle of the store is “Pilar”, the famous sister ship to Ernest Hemingway’s boat. Customers are welcome to walk aboard the ship, where the cabin has been recreated as it was when Hemingway used it. The store also has a huge aquarium but unfortunately it was being worked on so no fishies to see.

Out back is a full service marina where they sell live bait. The view out back is beautiful so I ventured outside while Beth paid for her purchases. I noticed some birds inside the bait shop, and as I got closer, a lady was taking pictures and told me that the egrets were stealing bait right out of the bins! Sure enough, as I watched, they did just that! I couldn’t believe the staff kept the lids open but maybe they need to for circulation and to keep the bait alive. Beth joined me and we watched one stick his head in and pull out a live shrimp, then flip it around with its beak several times, until finally swallowing it. But there was one little shrimp that nobody seemed to like. The bird that grabbed it brought it over to a table near where we were standing, flipped it around a couple times, dropped it on the table, picked it back up, flipped a couple more times, dropped it again, and then another bird chased the first one away. Then he picked it up, flipped it a few times, and then he dropped it. Each time it was dropped, the poor little shrimp would flop around, seeming to gasp for “air”. Kind of sad but overall the entire scene was kind of funny. We finally left so not sure if anyone ever ate that shrimp. (If you click on the last two photos, you'll be able to see the shrimp better.)

Manatee mailboxes seem to be a big hit in the Keys, and we saw several as we drove around that day. Most are just gray concrete but we saw one dressed in island garb and a couple wearing Santa hats. We even saw one with its baby by its side. Of course, a couple folks just have to be different and have big mouthed fish mailboxes…tee hee.

The weather was sunny and gorgeous the first three days, but then we could see the storm clouds roll in across the ocean. Though we really didn’t get any rain at the campground, the wind picked up and the skies remained overcast the next few days. The air was still warm without the sun beating down, and the breeze kept the no-see-ums away. Evidently the wind was just right for parasailing as several guys seemed to enjoy themselves out on the water.

Tomorrow we leave here to head further south to Bahia Honda State Park. Originally we were to spend 9 nights there and then come back to Long Key for 4 nights before heading north to Orlando. Russ checked online to see if we could possibly stay one more night and discovered that someone must have canceled their reservation and an entire week had opened up. We made quick plans to change our itinerary, and will only stay at Bahia Honda for 3 nights, then return here to paradise for 9 nights.