Now for the rest of us...let's carry on, shall we?
We blasted by car through several states, pretty farm lands, but it was flat.
Highway I-75 heading straight down from Michigan to Florida
The first intesting thing we started noticing were miles and miles where they must have had to blast through rock to make the highway.
We thought of how beautiful it probably is in the spring and fall.Then, it got flatter and flatter as we approached the Florida state line:
AT LAST...we were approaching the Florida border!!!
It was still in the 60's, but that felt a lot better than the 30 degrees we had left just a few days before!
My husband spotted the state line and a sign for the Florida Welcome center rest stop.
I wanted to go further before we took a break, but since he was our driver for the last two days, I had to listen to the Pilot.
So we pull into the rest stop, and THIS
is the first thing I see!:
Nope.
We weren't in Michigan any more!!!
I wasn't sure I wanted to get out of the car.
But THEN:
I saw THIS!:
I LOVE Oak trees with hanging Spanish Moss!I took several pictures of the trees there and wandered around like a silly tourist with the camera clicking away.
You can't blame me.
At almost every turn there was Spanish moss begging to be photographed.
Some had entwining ferns:
Some looked like it had been hugging the trees for years:
And then, we rejoiced to see the first tropical plants on the whole trip down!:
And then, before leaving the Spanish moss there, I saw this lovely arch of it!:
And FINALLY:
Our first palm tree!:
It was so good to see tropical vegetation, because we knew we were finally almost there.
On our way out of this lovely road stop, there was a lookout that pointed over Florida countryside.
I really liked this old, dead tree there:
We stayed almost an hour there, taking in the tropical plants and snapping away photos.We climbed back in the car, knowing we were closer to our destination, refreshed and happy.
Stay tuned for our destination photos next!
*P.S. Don't forget to go out and get your photo for entry into the first ever Retirement Chronicles Monthly Amateur Photo contest! January's theme is "Anything Rusty". Submit your entry by Jan. 31st, midnight.
33 comments:
Beautiful! I love spanish moss!
wonderful. love spanish moss...we lived in florida for a couple years and had a nice canopy of it over the road to our house...very cool shots. snakes! yikes!
Yes, it's always a thrill to see those first palm trees, but when we go, it's down 77 and we see them way sooner than the Florida state line!
Reading your post reminded me of Dorothy and the famous line "I don't think we're in Kansas anymore". I bet you wish you were back there!!!
It's a very special person who can make a rest stop into a fabulous post! Love the Spanish moss too. I'll be here tomorrow. Thanks for the rest stop because you know old ladies have very weak bladders!
Jeanette: I am smitten with it...ever since I went to Savannah,where it is EVERYWHERE. Although it is full of little bugs. ha
Brian: You lived in Florida? Where? Why did you leave? Just curious, because we might start going down (like all the other snowbirds) for about 3 or 4 weeks a year, and are trying to decide where in Florida to explore next.
Lucy and Dick: We actually saw a few in Georgia, but that was the first time we were out of the car to see one up close and personal during this trip. ha
Cathy: Yes, I often feel like Dorothy when we travel. ha Actually, Florida is continuing to have a cooler-than-usual year...it was cold and rainier than usual when we were there, they were all talking about it..then they got about a week of warmer weather and now they are cold again (for them)...in 40's and 50's...although that is better than the 9 degrees we had this a.m. ha
DJan: yep, I resemble that remark. ha
The Spanish Moss photos are beautiful, I wonder if it is ever unsightly or maybe too much of a good thing sometimes.
That is a long and boring drive on I-75 to Florida.. Been there--done that, but only from TN-FL (which is long enough for me). Unless we are in a hurry, we usually get off of the interstates and drive on the back roads which are more scenic and MUCH more interesting.
You came within an HOUR of me... We are in those Cumberland Mtns. you pictured--although southwest of your picture. After you pass through Knoxville, we are an hour west of the I-40/I-75 exchange.. We're off of I-40 toward Nashville.
I'm enjoying your FL journey so far. Keep those pictures comin'...
Hugs,
Betsy
Man it's like you were in another world! I bet that was fun to drive all that way and like, experience "seasons" in fast forward! I bet some of those pix would be fun in B&W too! Yay for fixed computers! (it's worth proclaiming again...)
Great photos! It's nice to think about escaping to “The Great Warm” but I’m still very happy to stay right here on the North Shore of lovely Lake Erie. This beach town can get pretty crazy in the summer – we locals all have a secret bumper sticker –“If it’s tourist season, why can’t we shoot them?” The winter months are just so darn peaceful!
I love to travel by car. Your pictures took me back on a road. The trees are so exoticly beautiful! Thank you!
Two of our kids went to college in Tennessee, and we lived in Michigan at the time, so I know I-75 well! The drive through Kentucky and Tennessee is gorgeous in the fall, you're right. You'll have to do the drive again in October!
I'm glad you know about the critters that live in Spanish Moss! We learned the hard way. We feel the same way you do about it and the tropical plants - nice indicators. Love it when we spot our first Banyan tree.
Next time try I69-I65-I64-I75 for a new look and not that much longer trip. (We live near I65 near KY/TN line.)
Wanda: I know for ME, it would never be too much of a good thing. :-}
Betsy: I knew we must have driven pretty close to where you lived. I wish we could have had more time to grab coffee with you and meet you! Maybe next time?!
Insanity: Yes, I may play with a few of those shots and do some B&W with them. The palms lead you right to doing that and so does the moss!
Impala Image: You are new to the blog! Welcome aboard, it is great to have you join us! I know what you mean..we live on a lake too and the town almost closes down in the winter...making it beautiful and quiet in the winter snow this time of year.
Tatyana: You are welcome. I love tropical plants, trees and birds so most of my pictures are those when we go down there.
Lesley: Some day we probably will do that...our next big one in the fall will probably be to drive out west, as I have never seen the Rockies yet. The mountains are screaming out for photographs to me. ha
Goinglikesixty: I may take you up on that suggestion next time we go. Last time we headed east first before going south because we wanted to go to Savannah before Florida...and we traveled through some of the Appalachian Mts. which were breathtakingly beautiful, too.
Joan the spanish moss is so beautiful and only you could make even a dead tree look inviting. These photo's have so been worth waiting for my friend....:-) Hugs
I like the looks of those palm trees instead of the picturess on my blog today!
Oh my gosh. Is there anything prettier than nature. We are so blessed and so excited you are a great photographer.
The arch of moss is particularly stunning, I think. Glad you were finally able to share these.
Wow!! I, too, love the moss and have taken dozens of pictures of it along the way. Unfortunately, I still suffer from camera envy - Santa apparently couldn't take a hint! Your trip sounds like it was great!
You got some very beautiful pictures. I think poisonous snakes might change my mind about having any adventures in nature though. I don't mind snakes, but they can keep their poison to themselves.
Bernie: Thanks so much! Don't worry,I have about 12 posts or so of pictures to share..so grab your coffee and enjoy over the next few weeks. :-}
Eva: Yes, I SAW the snow you have been enduring (to get your donuts!) ha
We have the same here and cold too. I just have to learn to bundle up now and get out and get some fantastic winter photos. If you can't beat it, you gotta learn to join it. ha
Carol: Boy, you made my day with that wonderful comment! So nice!
BlissedOut: I took soooo many pix of the spanish moss..it just lends one to some really neat views and shots. I love that stuff!
Ramblin Mama: I bet you will see cameras going on big sales after Christmas if you keep your eyes open. I DO love my camera. I have given thought of buying a DSLR with better zoom lenses, but this one zooms pretty good and it is SO quick in doing so to catch wildlife, that I hate to move to a camera and learn all over again and struggle with that...but I need to learn more.
Ratty: Luckily, we didn't see any snakes at the stop....but I thought the sign was funny. (It wouldn't have been so funny if I had seen a snake though). :-}
I really like all the textures of the Spanish moss and palm leaves. I can feel you getting warmer just by looking at the scenery. I don't get to see your blogs until much later than others. I think they must let them be posted out at different times of the day or even a day later. These are great photos.
Ugh. The Spanish Moss is pretty, in pictures, but in real life they make me think of cockroaches. But I agree with Kim, they would be awesome in black and white!!
Your pics are beautiful! I am so glad that we dont see the Posinous snak sign in the midwest though, that is scary!!
L.D.: That is weird about when my blog gets published...but as long as they show up, I guess I am not too concerned with the time of day they get out there.
Kearsie: I haven't seen too many cockroaches in my life, and that is okay with me. ha
Sara: Me, too..but there are poisonous snakes, even in Michigan.
If I see a snake, I take the photo with my zoom lens and run. ha
That Spanish Moss is awesome!
Jientje: Thanks so much. I just LOVE that stuff!
Spanish Moss is always fascinating - for me too. Down here more South you don't see it to much anymore.
Very nice pictures, Jan!
Susanne: I just love that stuff! Thanks!
Those pictures with the spanish moss are gorgeous - so gorgeous!
Love the Spanish moss, it was one of the reasons I spent so much of my GA time around the Savannah area. The snakes aren't really all that bad, they will slither away if given half a chance. I grew up and spent a lot of time camping and backpacking in the South, I saw a lot of poisonous snakes but no problems.
Brittany: Thanks so much. I LURVE Spanish moss!
SquirrelQueen: Savannah is gorgeous and yes, it is full of the glorious oaks full of Spanish moss too..we went there last year and loved it there. I loved the civil war cemetery too! I don't think I could handle poisonous snakes down south. YIKES!!
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