My hometown is Winter Haven, Florida... they call it the "city of a hundred lakes" because, literally, there are dozens of lakes there... you find one around every corner. This one is 1/2 mile from my folk's home. What a beautiful city!
If you look across the lake you will discover... LEGO-land!!
Lego-land just opened in October...where the old Cypress Gardens, created by Dick Pope, Sr., first opened 75 years ago! I sang there as a teenager a few times for Easter and Fourth of July! They have a terrific ski show... Cypress Gardens was where many old movies were filmed with the likes of Elvis and Johnny Carson!
Dick Pope, Jr. is credited for inventing barefoot skiing and the ski jump. Still, if you want to learn to ski barefoot, Winter Haven is the place to go for lessons...
It is a beautiful place where Southern Belles sit on the grounds and boats carry people through the lush gardens... you can see the Belle sitting on the grounds in this pic...
This is all just a mile from my folk's house... look at the moss hanging from the tree... SO Florida!
I grew up on a one of those lakes... it was called Eagle Lake...
some say because it is shaped like an eagle... others say because eagles had a nest there!
The lakes in Winter Haven are linked by a chain of canals... so you can drive your boat from lake to lake and take a sort of self-guided tour!
My favorite sport growing up was water skiing in my back yard...yes, it was paradise...I just didn't know it!
Ernie, my younger brother, and I played in the lake all the time. Dad made us a cool paddleboat - we would take it to the middle of the lake and dive, swim, fish... you name it!
I was a pretty good slalom skier, but, he could barefoot!
Yes... stand in the shallow water and when the boat took off at break speed (sometimes me driving!!) he would jump in the water and ski on his bare feet. Amazing!
About three years ago, a fire destroyed my parent's house on Eagle Lake, which was home to me! Thankfully, they were not home. The house is gone... the lake is still beautiful.
Now, they live in the city, here near Lego-land.
I truly never realized until I was much, much older that I grew up in the land of paradise! What a gift!
It's no wonder I love the water!
La - Ti - Do!
Jeanne
Beautiful pictures Jeanne. Welcome to blogging. It's so much fun. Love your post. ♥
ReplyDelete