This I Know Is True

Do not get your hair cut by a bald man with the word "Hair" tattooed on the back of his head.

We are in Okeechobee Florida for two nights doing laundry and cleaning house.  The van is just full of sand and so I decided to do a deep cleaning.  This involves taking everything out of the van.  I take it out and put it on the lawn and picnic table.  Then I vacuum, dust, scrub, and wipe everything down.  Then I put everything back.  It gives the neighbors something to talk about.  I also needed a haircut and I got one.  First time I have had my whole head shaved with an electric razor.  Brought back memories…
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Back in the 1970’s my father decided to grow his hair long and look like a hippy.  This did not please my mother but she humored him… for a while.  Then one night she greeted him at the door with the poodle clippers.  His hair cut then looked like my haircut now.    I have learned not to take hair seriously.

We stayed at Jonathan Dickinson State Park while in Hobe Sound.  An Army Camp, Camp Murphy was located between Stuart and Jupiter in what is now Jonathan Dickinson State Park.  In 1942 the federal government opened Camp Murphy. It was the home of the Southern Signal Corps School during WWII and served as a US Army base for instruction in radar operation in the early course of the war.   The buildings are no longer there. 

There were lots of hiking trails and of course the river.   It was a nice park with good camping facilities. 

Enjoy the pictures.

	The rest of the pictures of my hikes around the park.

No More–I Am Turning Over A New Leaf

I attract weird people.  I am just a magnet.  If there is an odd, fanatical, bizarre person out there they will find me.  I have had this problem all of my life.  People tell me it is because I am too nice and I need to learn to walk away.  If I am followed then I need to be forceful…

While staying at Blue Spring State Park I listened to a Ranger give a lecture on Manatees.  After the lecture I was singled out by a man.  I mean he walked right towards me and mom like he knew us. He explained how the government was the one who brought the manatee to Florida and how it was a plot to take over Florida.  Then he shouted “She Is the ENEMY!”  He pointed to the ranger and that is when we tried to make an exit but he blocked our way.  He started telling us about how the Manatee was brought over from India and it was not native to Florida.  By this time Mom was inching away and was on her way to a get away.  I was trying to figure out what to do because if I moved he moved, if I took a step he took a step.  Truthfully he was making me a little nervous.  I just humored him a long until I found a way to walk away without making him mad. 

Today it happened again.  I took the nature walk, then I walked down the power line road, and I decided to do the red trail since it was getting late.   Along the way I met two people and the last one was intense.  She stopped and asked me if I knew what time it was.  I told her the time.  She told me it was to late in the day for me to take this hike.  She said it was a long hike – 9 miles and that I needed to turn around and just head back.  I thanked her for her concerned and explained that I was taking the 2 mile hike and I had a watch, a phone, a map, and a phone number.  Then I turned and walked away.  She actually followed me and finally she took the hint that I wasn’t going to talk to her and she said, “Fine I am going to tell the ranger that you are out here.”   I just kept on walking. 

Some of my unforgettable moments when approached by a stranger or a near stranger in the past.

I don’t want to hold your knife.
I don’t want to know why you have to buy underwear before your date and why you returned unopened the next day.
If you were out working with hogs….  I don’t want a hug. FYI  I got the hug and it was eye watering.
I don’t want to know about all the drugs you took in the 70s, man. Far out and peace to you too.
Please don’t follow me to Walmarts, the Catholic Church and then the police station.
No I don’t want to drive your car.
My all time favorite was when I was at the grocery store.  I was approached by a overweight gentleman who was just released from the hospital after being shot in the stomach.  He asked if I wanted to see his gunshot wound and before I could say no…. he lifted his shirt.  Clean up in Aisle 7.

Life is never dull is it? 

Pictures of my hike today!
 

Kitching Creek Nature Trail Jonathan Dickinson State Park	Turkey Oak
	Saw Palmetto – the seeds are edible and were an important food for Native Americans.  Someone said it tasted like rotten cheese….
	Early settlers called this the Fetterbush.  Fetter meaning to restrain.
Armadillo	Kitching Creek – In 1886 the Kitching family bought land around this creek from the State of Florida for $1.25 an acre.
The pines are Slash Pines.  They are found nowhere else in the world.  They were used by the settlers in building their houses.  They were termite proof but you could not hang a picture.	The green plant is the Cabbage Palm in it’s infancy.  It is often mistaken for the Saw Palmetto.  Eventually it will grow quite tall is the state tree of Florida.  The name is derived from the cabbage like heart which was a delicacy for humans, this practice is deadly to the tree.
	Evasive and Exotic (not native to Florida) is the Climbing Fern.
	Ah the stories my little Saguaro Friend could tell…..

Trapper Nelson

Trapper Nelson’s life was the stuff that movies are made of .  Some folks called him the Wildman of the Loxahatchee River, others called him Tarzan. Standing six foot four inches, 240 pounds he was the quintessential lady’s man.  He was an imposing figure.

Trapper Nelson started life off with the name of Vincent Nostokovich and he wasn’t born in Florida but in New Jersey.   He was born in the era where you can reinvent yourself and he did. 

He owned land on the northwest fork of the wild Loxahatchee River.  He lived by trapping, hunting and fishing.  In the 1950’s he developed a zoo on his property that became a popular tourist attraction.  Tourist boats from West Palm Beach brought visitors to see the wild man wrestle alligators and tour his zoo. 
There are many stories about Trapper Nelson some of which are tall tales but one story that stays consistent is he not only had an eye for the ladies, he also had an eye for real estate.  He eventually owned 800 acres of valuable Florida land. 

His death is and will always remain a mystery.  He was found near his hammock with his  shotgun nearby with a gunshot to the chest, some reports say abdomen.  Some say he committed suicide, some say he was shot by a jealous husband, and others say it was a woman that did Trapper Nelson in.  He is now a legend that lives on.  His camp can be seen on certain days at certain times.  I saw it by boat and couldn’t get off to explore. 

Enjoy the pictures of Loxahatchee River. 

Great Blue Heron	Osprey Nest
Alligator hiding in the bushes.
A Great Blue Heron hiding….
Osprey