Archive for the ‘Animals’ Category

Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park

CyberCelt | February 4, 2010 in Animals, Birding, Family Fun, Nature, Other States, RV Travel, Rivers, Wildlife Watching | Comments (0)

Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park

On a beautiful sunny day, we parked our car and entered the Visitor’s Center at Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park.  We paid our entry fee, strolled around the gift shop and visited the manatee education center while waiting to board a pontoon boat to take you into the park.  You may also take a tram to the park.

The heart of the park is the first-magnitude freshwater spring that produces millions of gallons of spring flow every hour, thus forming the headwaters of the Homosassa River.  The first things you will notice in the park are the manatees.  Some are injured by boats, some are ill from infection, others are recuperating from losing a limb and some are just weary and need to rest.  The Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park is a rehabilitation station for injured or orphaned West Indian manatees.

An underwater observatory allows you to look into the underwater domain of the fish and mammals.  One manatee came over to the glass and rolled over.  Then it swam away and came back to roll again.  As long as people were in the observatory, the manatee entertained them.  I was amazed at the size of the manatee.  It was a good six feet long and must have weighed close to 1,000 pounds.

Over the years, the park has turned into a hospital/rehabilitation spot for many indigent species of birds and animals.  Some of these critters will never leave the preserve, like the birds with one wing.  There were maimed or injured river otters, bobcats, Florida panthers, cougars, alligators, hawks, owls, eagles, black bears, red wolves, gray foxes, whooping cranes, storks, pelicans, flamingos, roseate spoonbills, ibis, herons,  and one 50-year-old hippopotamus named Rosie.

The story of  Lou is a good one.  This area used to be a private theme park/petting zoo/ entertainment complex.  After the state purchased the land from the owners, a decision was made to restore the park to the natural state by getting rid of flora and fauna that was not native to the area.  All went well until the park personnel could not place Lou;  in fact, they could not even pay someone to take her.

Things were looking bleak for Lou.  Then, the citizens of Homosassa and children in the local schools decided to help Lou.  Lou was made an official citizen of Florida by the governor and given resident status by the county.  Every year, the schoolchildren celebrate Lou’s birthday at the park, complete with hats, cupcakes, photographs, reporters and a dietary birthday cake.  Lou was 50 years old the next day.

We caught the tram back to our car, marveling over all the injured creatures, some that will never leave the beautiful setting of the Homosassa River.  This was a perfect day.


Texas Travel Regions

CyberCelt | January 23, 2009 in Animals, Dining, Food/Wine, RV Parks, RV Travel, Travel | Comments (2)

Texas Travel Regions

Texas Travel Regions

Have you visited the Texas Tourism website, TravelTex.com?  Something that always puzzles visitors is the travel regions on the Texas map.  I worked for the Texas Department of Economic Development-Tourism Division and I do not know why Texas is divided into these regions. Indeed, many of the towns included in a region complain that they are not in “this” region but “that” region.

    Below are the descriptions of and links to the regions.

    Big Bend Country – mountains and deserts, flatlands, El Paso, Midland-Odessa, Del Rio
    Hill Country – spring-fed rivers, music, Austin, Fredericksburg, San Marcos, Schlitterbahn
    The Gulf Coast- 600 miles of beaches, sand dunes, birding, Houston, Corpus Christi, S. Padre Island
    Panhandle Plains – canyonlands, million mile sunsets, Amarillo, Route 66
    Piney Woods – pine forests, small towns, history, Jefferson, Tyler, Texarkana, Nacogdoches
    Prairies and Lakes – bright lights, big cities, Dallas, Fort Worth
    South Texas Plains – San Antonio, Laredo, McAllen, borderlands, historical sites, birding

    If you are visiting Texas, I would encourage you to visit the TravelTex site.  You may request a Texas Travel Guide, Texas map and other publications; browse discounted travel packages; download podcasts for walking tours; search events and activities; and view videos of various Texas destinations.

    Probably the most useful tool on the site is the online travel planner. After you register and login, you may choose from preplanned itineraries; find the location of photographs you may have seen in Texas advertisements; select a theme-based road trip, and save up to 35 activities or events to your itinerary with just the click of your mouse.


    Holiday Ice Skating in Houston

    CyberCelt | December 19, 2008 in Animals, Camping, Day Trips, Famous Texans, Kayak/canoe/tube, Music, RV Parks, RV Reviews, RV Travel, Reviews, Skywatching, Trouble | Comments (0)

    Grab your ice skates at an outdoor ice rink in Houston

    The Ice at Discovery Green Through January 19

    Discovery Green features an outdoor ice skating rink with a season full of family-friendly activities. Due to unseasonably warm weather, the Ice Rink will open at 3PM on Friday, December 19 and 3PM on Saturday, December 20.  For weather updates call the Ice Rink hotline at 713-434-RINK (7465).  See the events calendar for more information.

    Snow Box

    Toddler-friendly rink, complete with fluffy snow and a visit from Santa.

    Nights on The Ice

    Even non-skaters may enjoy the performances from professional skaters, hot jazz music, outdoor films and Friday night skate tunes.

    Monday at 6 pm, Houston Skating Stars

    The region’s best figure skaters, coaches and precision teams performer for you.

    Tuesdays 7-9 pm, All That Jazz…On Ice

    Local jazz musicians perform on the Anheuser-Busch Stage

    Thursdays 7-9 pm, Silver Blades on the Silver Screen

    Glide-in for a collection of the best holiday and skating movies are shown on our super-sized screen on the Anheuser-Busch Stage, overlooking the rink.

    Fridays 7-9 pm, Cool Tunes, Hot Ice!

    Skate to the tunes spun by DJs from Hot 95.7.

    Downtown Christmas Market

    December 18 & 25

    Ice Carving Competition

    January 10


    The Ice at Discover Green is just one of the venues included in the Downtown District Holiday Spectacular. Highlights include an amazing line-up of shows in the Theater District, holiday decor at Main Street Square and shopping adventures like the Houston Pavilion.

    Two Holiday Trolleys will connect all of the festive happenings in downtown, making it simple for visitors to park once and experience multiple downtown destinations during their visit. The trolleys are FREE and will run Friday evenings and all day Saturday and Sunday beginning Thanksgiving weekend through December.

    Houston Holiday Spectacular – Click for a schedule of events.


    Ranch Hand Breakfast

    CyberCelt | November 6, 2008 in Animals, Culture, Day Trips, Dining, Family Fun, Food/Wine, Historic, Historic travel, Wildlife Watching | Comments (2)

    Just south of Corpus Christi, is one of the oldest and largest ranches in Texas, the King Ranch.  Stretching over 825,000 acres and several counties, the King Ranch provides many opportunities to observe ranch life as it was in the past and as it has evolved.

    On November 22, 2008, visit the King Ranch and enjoy a ranch hand breakfast, complete with eggs, refried beans, biscuits ‘n gravy, sausage and tortillas cooked in the great outdoors.  Listen to cowboy music while you watch team roping, horseshoeing, rawhide braiding and camp cooking demonstrations.  This is one of a few opportunities to enjoy cowboy poetry and storytelling as well.

    Visit the King Ranch website for more information on this event. The Ranch Hand Breakfast held in November on the Saturday before Thanksgiving – 7 am to 11 am. Tickets are $6, ages 3 and under are free.


    Would You Like Salsa With Your Jazz?

    CyberCelt | October 8, 2008 in Animals, Fairs/Festivals, Family Fun, Food/Wine, Golf, Guided Tours, Historic travel, Horseback Riding, Music, Nature, Performing Arts, RV Parks, RV Travel, Rivers | Comments (3)

    Jazz has a long and distinguished history in Texas. Like most genres of music developed here, the music has its roots in many cultures. That is why you really should go to at least one of these festivals. The fest in Brownsville will provide an opportunity to hear all the types of Jazz music as it developed south of the border and then migrated to Texas.

    Browsville Jazz Fest

    Brownsville 12th Annual Latin Festival

    October 9-12, 2008
    Various venues in and around Brownsville, Texas

    Brownsville Texas is celebrating its 12th Annual Brownsville Latin Jazz Festival with more Grammy Award Winners and Nominees than ever, the World Salsa Dance Champions, free music clinics, free dance lessons, art shows, after-show jams and the premier Salsa dance event of the Rio Grande Valley! Bring the family, stay the weekend, have great ticket and hotel discount packages! Call 956-831-9590 for more info.

    * Salsa and Merengue * Mambo and Samba *
    * Son and Danzón * * Guaguancó and Bossa Nova *
    * Flamenco Jazz Fusion *
    Click HERE to read or download the Festival’s Official Press Release.

    Another one of my favorite festivals is the Old Settlers Reunion held in Nocona this month. Nocono is a great place to buy a new pair of cowboy boots, if you wear them. Includes events related to the Chisholm Cattle Trail, chuckwagon cooking, and some of the best music in the world.

    Top Acts:

    Whitey Johnson played under the pseudonym Gary Nicholson and his songs were recorded by such great performers as BB King, Etta James, Bonnie Raitt, Keb Mo, Delbert McClinton, Gatemouth Brown, James Cotton, Junior Wells, Shemeka Copeland and John Mayall. He also won a Grammy as producer of the Best Contemporary Blues Record 2001, Delbert McClinton”s “Nothing Personal.”

    Gary Nicholson has produced two Grammy winning records and many poplar records.  In 2006, Nicholson was nominated to the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame. Over four hundred of his songs have been recorded in various genres including country, rock, blues, folk, bluegrass, and pop by such diverse artists as BB King, Garth Brooks, Fleetwood Mac, Bonnie Raitt, Ringo Starr, Willie Nelson, Etta James, John Prine, Dixie Chicks, Stevie Nicks, Emmylou Harris, Keb Mo, George Jones, the Neville Brothers, Waylon Jennings, Del McCoury, Guy Clark and so many more. In addition to his Grammy winning records with Delbert McClinton, who has recorded twenty five of his songs, he has produced records for The Judds, Wynonna, Pam Tillis, T Graham Brown, Chris Knight, and others.

    Click HERE for more information.

    Related Posts with Thumbnails


    Google Analytics Alternative Clicky