ON THE ROAD WITH THE EVERHARTS
Taking a cruise is fun but sometimes it isn’t, as well
verified by the experience of the cruise on the Carnival ship broken
down in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. We’re glad that didn’t happen
to us. So, we needed a break, and decided to take a weeks rest at the
Big Cypress RV Park, owned by the Seminole Indians. It’s a very
peaceful place, with a lot of emphasis on nature and wildlife. Did you
know the Seminoles are the only Indians that were at war with the United
States Government, and never lost a battle, all three of them. They
still own their original native homeland, and they still have it much
like it was those many year’s ago. We had a grand stay there, and will
return if we get a chance.
verified by the experience of the cruise on the Carnival ship broken
down in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. We’re glad that didn’t happen
to us. So, we needed a break, and decided to take a weeks rest at the
Big Cypress RV Park, owned by the Seminole Indians. It’s a very
peaceful place, with a lot of emphasis on nature and wildlife. Did you
know the Seminoles are the only Indians that were at war with the United
States Government, and never lost a battle, all three of them. They
still own their original native homeland, and they still have it much
like it was those many year’s ago. We had a grand stay there, and will
return if we get a chance.
Our big adventure was the Crowley Nature Center
Heritage Festival, which took place about 25 miles east of Sarasota.
It’s way out in the boonies, and it’s a beautiful nature center. The
festival entertainment was directed by Carolyn Dunn who is also a very
good bass player as well as director, and her husband Jim did the
sound. He doesn’t talk about it much, but he did tell us about his
younger days, and his trip to Woodstock. Very interesting to say the
least.
Heritage Festival, which took place about 25 miles east of Sarasota.
It’s way out in the boonies, and it’s a beautiful nature center. The
festival entertainment was directed by Carolyn Dunn who is also a very
good bass player as well as director, and her husband Jim did the
sound. He doesn’t talk about it much, but he did tell us about his
younger days, and his trip to Woodstock. Very interesting to say the
least.
There was a lot going on at this festival, old cars, a
rendezvous, a Civil War re-enactment, school house workshops, Austin
Truax in the old church, arts and crafts, and two stages. One was an
acoustic stage on the back porch of the old house, the other one (the
main stage) was at the center of everything else, also where all the
delicious food was. Sheila and I performed on both stages, and did well
on both, much to our satisfaction. Carolyn said there were well over
6,000 in attendance.
rendezvous, a Civil War re-enactment, school house workshops, Austin
Truax in the old church, arts and crafts, and two stages. One was an
acoustic stage on the back porch of the old house, the other one (the
main stage) was at the center of everything else, also where all the
delicious food was. Sheila and I performed on both stages, and did well
on both, much to our satisfaction. Carolyn said there were well over
6,000 in attendance.
Just as we were finishing our last set on the main
stage, I decided to do “The Battle of New Orleans,” the famous Jimmy
Driftwood song. As I was introducing the song, and talking about Andrew
Jackson, a very costumed Indian shouted out that Jackson was the worst
president we ever had. And he was loud too, not the president, the
Indian. I said I just wanted to do a song about the battle, that’s all,
at which time he held his rifle over his head and repeated what he had
just said. Louder. Anyway, I rushed into the song, got through it and
off the stage. The last act on was a very good original folk songwriter
and singer, and she became very nervous when this same guy jumped up on
the stage and in his loud frightening manner said he was a native
Floridian and if everyone didn’t get off his land he would kill us all,
and then he leaped from the stage. The poor singer was in a frenzy, and
for the very reason I like show people, she went right on to her next
original song, which was a good choice. It was “I’m A Florida Tree
Hugger,” which apparently satisfied the disrupter because he walked back
to the stage and gave her a thumbs up. I never did get one?
stage, I decided to do “The Battle of New Orleans,” the famous Jimmy
Driftwood song. As I was introducing the song, and talking about Andrew
Jackson, a very costumed Indian shouted out that Jackson was the worst
president we ever had. And he was loud too, not the president, the
Indian. I said I just wanted to do a song about the battle, that’s all,
at which time he held his rifle over his head and repeated what he had
just said. Louder. Anyway, I rushed into the song, got through it and
off the stage. The last act on was a very good original folk songwriter
and singer, and she became very nervous when this same guy jumped up on
the stage and in his loud frightening manner said he was a native
Floridian and if everyone didn’t get off his land he would kill us all,
and then he leaped from the stage. The poor singer was in a frenzy, and
for the very reason I like show people, she went right on to her next
original song, which was a good choice. It was “I’m A Florida Tree
Hugger,” which apparently satisfied the disrupter because he walked back
to the stage and gave her a thumbs up. I never did get one?
The food was great, but remember we’re in Florida, and
the place where you got the ice cream was also the same place you got
the beer. We had some prime rib sandwiches (a little fatty but good),
and got to spend another night camping in the forest, which was full of
local wildlife. All in all, it was a great adventure.
the place where you got the ice cream was also the same place you got
the beer. We had some prime rib sandwiches (a little fatty but good),
and got to spend another night camping in the forest, which was full of
local wildlife. All in all, it was a great adventure.