Our artists group, Pieces of 8, went on a retreat to Silver Springs State Park in Ocala, Florida. I first went there as a six-year-old with my parents and watched Ross Allen milk rattlesnakes. Though he is gone, the glass bottom boats are still there, and we enjoyed looking down into the depths of the river, where the springs produce 55 million gallons of water per day.
Silver Springs had gotten a bit shabby after Disney got all the attention as a major attraction in Florida, but the state has taken it over and made it into a lovely place to visit. The cabins are wonderful. They are air-conditioned and have big porches. There are hiking trails and a surprisingly good museum in the campground area. The above painting is at the end of the Swamp Trail.
As an added bonus, the Appleton Art Museum is five minutes away, and it is fabulous. We were very surprised at the quality of art it contains.
Below are a couple of photos from our trip.
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| On the Porch at Our Cabin |
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| View of a Spring |
