Wed - 1 Apr/15

This will be the last blog I ever do!

April Fool!

April Fools' Day (sometimes called April Fool's Day or All Fools' Day) is celebrated every year on the first day of April. It is a day when people play practical jokes and "hoax" each other.

I always thought that you were only allowed to play jokes on folks until noon? Not sure if this is in the official rules.

Popular since the 19th century, the day is not a national holiday in any country, but it is well known in India, Canada, Europe, Australia, Brazil and the United States. I think we already have an "All Fools" day. It's called Election Day! (grin).

The earliest recorded association between 1 April and foolishness can be found in Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales" in 1392.

April Fools' Day is observed throughout the Western world. Practices include sending someone on a "Fool's Errand," looking for things that don't exist; playing pranks; and trying to get people to believe ridiculous things.

My trick on Charlotte today was exclaiming that the resident of the RV at the other end of our street, who has dressed as a woman for certain main clubhouse events and dances, was walking naked down the street. April Fool! This is like an official "Made You Look!" day.

The French call April 1 "Poisson d'Avril", or "April Fish." French children sometimes tape a picture of a fish on the back of their schoolmates, crying "Poisson d'Avril" when the prank is discovered.

I wonder if this is where a gesture, popular in the '60's in (my) high school, had it's origins??? If someone got tricked the response was to place one hand (palm down) on top of the other and rotate both thumbs while exclaiming "Fish!". (Anyone else remember this?)

The popular "April Fool's" trick on TV's morning shows today was to offer someone a "Makeover". Makeup Artists would then work their magic making them up as "Werewolves" or similar grotesque creature. Their family, on removing their blindfolds, would be "April Fooled".

http://hoaxes.org/aprilfool/

The above website list the Top 100 April Fool's Hoaxes with a listing by years. I can still remember "Pasta Prices would Increase due to the Poor Spaghetti Harvest" (w/video of spaghetti being picked from spaghetti trees.)

We did a few "odds and ends" around the RV in the morning. "Winter Clothes" were put into storage, clothes were prepared for tomorrow's laundry, and I did a sewage dump. We brought the garbage and recycling to the drop-off as we left for today's daytrip.


We decided to enjoy the "Convertible" weather today as tomorrow will be even hotter with a 20% chance of rain. Plans are to enjoy the sunshine while avoiding heavily travelled roads.

Our first stop the Barberville Pioneer Settlement for the Creative Arts.

Charlotte went in to the office at the entrance to get information. This historical village is nestled within a moss-draped oak hammock in western Volusia County. It offers self-guided tours within their expansive campus, which illustrates life in rural Florida in the bygone days of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Unfortunately, the next session with living history demonstrations would not be until their Spring Festival later in April. Today most of the staff would be occupied giving a tour to a large school group. We decided to pass on this today and return some time in the future.

The second stop on our agenda was the Welaka National Fish Hatchery Aquarium. This is a small; but interesting, aquarium containing samples of fish that the hatchery raises. The state of Florida built the hatchery in 1926, running it for over a decade. The facilities were turned over to the U.S. government in 1938, who have been in charge since then.

Approximately three miles to the south is the Beecher Unit, named after the spring that provides water for the fish ponds there. It has an observation tower with interpretive information, as well as a small picnic area and nature trail.

Their are several large fish ponds in the complex. Welaka National Fish Hatchery is a warmwater fish hatchery which means they raise fish that do best in water temperatures above 65 degrees F. Current species in production at this facility include striped bass, largemouth bass, and the threatened Gulf of Mexico sturgeon.

On the way here we went through Crescent City which claims the title "Bass Capital of the World". They probably owe this to the Welaka Fish Hatchery for keeping the local lakes well stocked. Florida is recognized as the "Fishing Capital of the World" based on the number of freshwater and saltwater anglers, amount of time spent fishing, economic impact, diversity of recreational species, international fishing records set here and tourists their resources. Approximately 35 % of all International Game Fish Association records in the U.S. come from Florida. There is nothing "Fishy" about these facts, folks!

Our next stop was Ravine Gardens State Park in Palatka, FL.The park has two ravines up to 120 feet deep with steep banks at 45 degree angles. Unlike common gullies, trenches or sinkholes caused by temporary flooding, the steephead ravine is a permanent feature with a spring-fed creek that never dries up, called Whitewater Branch. The underground water bubbling up cuts into the bank and carries the sand and soil downstream to the St. Johns River. Over thousands of years the ravine has widened and deepened to what you see today. In 1933, this ravine was transformed into a dramatic garden by the federal Works Progress Administration. Much of the original landscaping still exists as formal gardens and an extensive trail system.

A 1.8-mile paved road winds around the ravine, offering motorists and bicyclists a view of the gardens. The Ravine Loop is closed to vehicle traffic one hour before sunset, but remains open for pedestrians, bicycles, and wheelchairs.

The garden's peak flowering period is azalea season, late January to April. The park is part of the annual Florida Azalea Festival the first weekend in March, when the nearly 100,000 plants that the WPA planted decades ago bloom. Not many left today. We will have to return earlier in the peak season next year.

Numerous picnic sites, equipped with tables and grills, are available to visitors. They had a kid's playground as well as an small park with exercise stations as part of a "Parcourse". A Parcourse
consists of an outdoor path or course equipped with obstacles or stations for exercising.

There is even a suspension bridge; but not one that "Wobbles". We did not do the bridge. We have always been leary of things that "Wobble". We have avoided these since our experience at the Capilano Suspension Bridge in BC (British Columbia, Canada - not BC, as in pre-AD - we're not that old!) (Grin).

All was well crossing the Capilano Suspension Bridge (above picture). The return trip was fine until we got to the middle. As if on cue, a tour bus full of teenage Japanese school kids unloaded. All made a running beeline for the suspension bridge. We just hung on as it bounced and swung back and forth for about 10 minutes, maybe more, until they all passed to the other side. Several even stopped in the middle and purposefully rocked back and forth. Maybe next year we will cross the Ravine Bridge which is much more stable.

Our final stop was for lunch at Corky Bell's for seafood. They don't need a big, fancy sign because of their popularity. It was after 2 p.m. and there were at least 100 vehicles in the parking lot.

I dropped Charlotte off at the entrance so she could get a head-start on securing a seat for lunch. I went twice around the huge parking before I managed to find a parking spot (in the shade).

Corky Bell’s is located at beautiful Gator Landing located on a part of the St. John’s River known as “The Devil’s Elbow” in East Palatka, FL. 

Although there are several outdoor decks with great views, we decided to remain inside as it was beginning to get hot and humid.

Charles “Corky” Bell has been serving crispy fried, broiled, blackened, or grilled fish and shellfish since he opened his first restaurant in 1979. Additions include specialty dishes from Garlic Shrimp Scampi, Creamy Seafood Alfredo’s, Corky’s Stuffed Fish and Swamp Treats like Gator Tail and Frog legs.

Charlotte and I both ordered the 1/2 and 1/2. These were platters of Shrimp and Scallops. Charlotte had her selection broiled while I went with fried. Our sides were coleslaw, applesauce, baked potato and collard greens. All orders come with "Hushpuppies" which were excellent. We were stuffed; but it was so good!

We crossed the "Memorial Bridge" over the St. Johns River (from E. Palatka to Palatka). Completed in 1976, the four lane bridge is 4,020 ft long and has a vertical clearance of 65 ft. Public parks lie at both ends of the bridge. 

There are also "Soldier" statues perched on rocks at both ends of the bridge as part of it's "Memorial" function. After making a few turns in Palatka we were soon on SR-19 which is a straight shot back to the RV Park. Less than an hour later we were back in the motorhome.

Since we were still "stuffed" from the late lunch, Charlotte made "Ritz" snacks for supper. Her "Ritz" snacks are ritz topped w/cheese, pepperoni and pickles. Now, that's a treat!

They were devoured while watching evening TV.

I guess we can mark this up as another interesting day?