EVENTS & HOLIDAYS

Ichetucknee Springs Most people who visit Florida tend to flock to the coast where they can enjoy the beaches and swim in either the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic Ocean. However, in the middle of the summer, neither the gulf nor the ocean will provide much relief from the heat. The best places to cool off on those hot summer days are the springs. Florida is the home to many beautiful natural springs where the water is always a cool 72 degrees. A couple of weeks ago, we visited Crystal River, and I wrote about Kings Bay and the different springs we visited in that area. This weekend, we traveled a little farther north to a small town called Fort White where eight major springs meet to form the Ichetucknee River, one of the best springs in the state. Brief History Let’s begin with a brief history lesson. Nearly 14,000 years ago, Florida’s climate was much cooler and drier than it is today. There were not many water sources at that time. The springs began as limestone basins and were nothing more than non-flowing pools where animals came to drink. The early Indians came to the water holes to hunt and drink the water. The water table rose as the climate warmed. Eventually, the spring pools overflowed their banks covering the land. This was the birth of the spring runs and rivers. The natives used these new water routes for transportation. Archaeologists have discovered many artifacts on the banks of the Ichetucknee River leading them to hypothesize that this was an important canoe port at one time. In the 1500s, the Timucua Indians built a village along the river, and in the 1600s, the Franciscan missionaries established missions in the same area. In the mid-1700s, the Creek Indians came to Florida from Georgia and Alabama. One village was established near the mouth of the Ichetucknee. They named the river Ichetucknee which meant “place of the beavers.” In the 1800s travelers on the historic Bellamy Road, would stop by Ichetucknee Springs to rest and drink the water. Later, a gristmill and general store popped up at Mill Pond Spring. In the late 1890s and early 1900s, this area became ground zero for the Florida Phosphate industry. Later, sawmills and turpentine operations replaced phosphate mining and from the turn of the century to the 1940s, cypress and pine forests were harvested for lumber. For many decades, the springs of the Ichetucknee have been a favorite place for locals to gather for picnics, family reunions, and even baptisms. In the 1950s and 60s, the Loncala Phosphate Company owned the land surrounding the springs. At this time, people discovered tubing, and college students from UF would spend weekends partying and floating down the river on tubes. Loncala allowed the students and other visitors to use the river for recreation, but the popularity of the river soon overwhelmed the natural resources. In 1970, Loncala sold the property to the state to be turned into a state park where the fragile ecosystem could be protected. The state cleaned up the river and in 1972, the river and springs were declared a National Natural Landmark. Our Visit

A short paddle up the river to Three Sisters Springs By the end of July in Southwest Florida, I am ready to cool down. With the gulf temperatures hovering in the low 90s and the air temperature above 100, this is not an easy task. Therefore, we decided to head north in search of cooler waters.  Crystal River is a city located on Kings Bay on the Nature Coast of Florida. Kings Bay is fed by 70 first-magnitude springs which discharge about 600 million gallons of water each day, making Crystal River Springs the second largest spring in the state right behind Wakulla Springs near Tallahassee. During the winter when the gulf water cools, over 400 manatees come into Kings Bay to keep warm in the 72 degree spring fed waters.

We spent the morning taking the Eco Tour at Babcock Ranch. Although I have been living in SW Florida for over 60 years, this was my first trip to the ranch. We had a wonderful time going through the swamps and prairie land which I will discuss later. As expected, when I got home, I had to do some research into the history of this ranch.

Oysters Rockefeller Every year, many people in the US celebrate their Italian heritage with a Christmas Eve tradition known as the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Our family is no exception, and, as Christmas Eve upon us, I am working diligently to prepare our Christmas Eve feast. The origin of this tradition can be traced back to my mother’s family’s roots in San Fele, a town and comune in the province of Potenza in the Basilicata region of southern Italy. This area is surrounded by a beautiful coastline where seafood has been a major part of the population’s diet for generations. According to my research, this tradition dates bac from the days when Roman Catholics abstained from eating meat on certain holidays, including Christmas. The number seven is connected to many different Catholic symbols, such as the seven sacraments and the seven deadly sins.

As we enter anther Christmas season, I have been reflecting upon some of the past Christmases I spent on the Beach back in the day. Living in a trailer at Red Coconut RV Park for the first fourteen years of my life, Christmas vacation was one of my favorite times of the year. This was the time when all the Christmas campers would come down for two weeks of fun in the sun. These were not just random campers; they were regulars who would visit every Christmas, so it was like a family reunion when they returned each December. I remember the fun times we had celebrating with Santa in the recreation room where there was always a Christmas party with plenty of good food and presents for all the kids.

Every year, on February 14, couples around the world honor their sweethearts with candy and flowers. Today’s Valentine’s Day customs go back hundreds of years. Here are a few fascinating facts about this special day.

On Thursday, April 4, the Friends of Lovers Key will sponsor the last sunset beach barbeque and acoustic concert. The show will start at 5:45 and will include live music, a beach BBQ and a beautiful FMB sunset. The concert will take place in the large gazebo located on the beach. Seating is available for the first 80 people, so it might be a good idea to bring a chair and claim a spot on the beach. The BBQ will feature burgers, hot dogs, wine and beer. The concert is free. Park entry fees are $8 for vehicles, $4 for a single person in a vehicle and $2 for pedestrians and cyclists. Proceeds from the BBQ and drink sales will benefit the Friends of Lover’s Key.  For more information, visit www.friendsofloverskey.org

The Mound House is the oldest remaining structure on Estero Island dating back to 1898 when Robert Gilbert filed his homesteading claim. The structure has undergone many changes since 1906 when it was known as the “Mound Villa” and later as the “Bungalow by the Banyan.” After a remodeling in 1921, the bungalow was renamed “Bayview Lodge.” In 1958, William and Florence Long purchased the property and the Mound House was known as “The Long Estate.” When the town of Fort Myers Beach was incorporated in 1995, the Mound House was preserved and the Mound House Cultural and Environmental Center was created. The Mound House has always had a fascination for me. As a kid, we all had heard stories about a grave that was discovered on the property. A skeleton was discovered during one of the excavations of the shell mound. As the story goes, the placement of the bones with the skull detached indicated that the body had been beheaded by the pirates that hung out around Estero, Sanibel, and Captiva islands during the 1600s. Back in the 1970s we would spend every weekend skiing in the back bay. We would start at the end of Mango Street and ski to what was then Mid Island Marina (where Snook’s Byte and Bayfront Bistro are now). We would turn around at the marina and ski back to Mango Street. My favorite part of the route was passing the Mound House where I would imagine what it might be like to live in that house surrounded by over two acres of lush vegetation overlooking the bay. I remember sitting home one afternoon and getting a phone call from one of my friends. “You’ll never guess where I am?” was his opening line. I didn’t have a clue, but when he told me he was having drinks at the Mound House, my interest was immediately piqued. Apparently, his wife’s aunt was good friends with Florence Long and had invited them over for cocktails. Needless to say, I was quite jealous. I did, however, finally get my chance to visit the house shortly after the town took it over in the mid 1990’s. At this time, no renovations had been complete and the home pretty much the same as it was when the Longs lived there.  Today, the Mound House is preserved as an important Cultural and Environmental Center celebrating the history of the Calusa Indians and the part they played in the history of our island.

On Saturday, March 16, the 20th annual St. Patrick’s Day parade will begin at 10 AM. The parade begins at Santini Plaza and ends at the Church of the Ascension. Estero Blvd will be closed from 9:45-11:00 from Santini Plaza to Lanark Street.