Sarasota Bound

Last week, Big K took a day off so that we could pay a visit

to our former neighbors, who moved to Sarasota to be near family.

It was a gorgeous day for traveling.

We always take the back roads when we travel.

It takes a bit longer, but the views are much better.

We found quite a few homes spread out on acreage,

something we're looking forward to ourselves.

This tree farm was a nice surprise.

What a wonderful way to utilize your property.

Along the way, we saw signs of the deluge of rain.

Our September in Winter Haven was exceptionally wet,

and it seems that the whole Central area experienced the same thing.

These fields are usually grazing areas for cattle.

Along the way we enjoyed sights such as this old train depot,

which now houses a museum.

You never know what you'll find when you take the back roads.

We were able to stop at one of our favorite stores

and pick up a few things.

We don't have any Trader Joe's in our town,

so it was a treat to stop by.

Another stop we made was at this Amish bakery.

Apparently, the Amish enjoy escaping the cold winters

and have established a community nearby.

Big K got huge cinnamon rolls

and I opted for the massive chocolate chip cookies.

So good.

Of course, everything is homemade,

right down to the rockers out front.

We had a nice visit with our friends
and were happy to see them doing well in their new town.

We have another field trip planned for later in the month.
These little day trips are a wonderful way to explore nearby towns.
They help to break up the routine a bit
when a full-on vacation isn't possible.

Where have you been lately?