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A Weekend at Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park
We spent the weekend at Florida’s newest state parks, Ruby B. Kirby Gilchrist Blue Springs, located near the small town of High Springs. This over 400 acre park was once privately owned and operated from the 1960’s until it was sold to the state in 2017. It is truly a gem that is home to a several natural springs besides Gilchrist. You will have fun exploring the park and finding all of them. Campground According to the their website at Ruth B. Kirby Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park there are currently sixteen RV sites with water and electric and seven tent only sites. These are small spaces to back up…
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A Red Hot Twist on Popcorn
Red Hot Popcorn is a twist on a classic snack. It’s a sweet popcorn, but with a little cinnamon kick. And really hard to stop eating once you get started. I took my sister’s caramel popcorn recipe, and replaced the brown sugar with Red Hots for a unique taste. My Mom got us a new red Whirley-Pop popcorn maker for Christmas. If you have never heard of it, definitely check it out. It makes the best stovetop popcorn and it perfect for making Red Hot Popcorn. Red Hot Popcorn 7 Quarts of popped Corn 1 Cup Butter 1/2 Cup Light Corn Syrup 2 Boxes (11 ounces) of Red Hots 1…
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Hiking at Trout Lake, One of Florida’s Hidden Gems
Spend the day hiking and exploring one of Central Florida’s hidden gems, Trout Lake Nature Center located in Eustis. This is an exceptional center to discover the “real” Florida as you hike its trails and boardwalks. We have been to Trout Lake many times with our kids for school trips, scouting events and day trips. This is a hands on Nature Center with many kid friendly activities. Hiking Trout Lake Take one of the several trails offered at Trout Lake to begin your hike through the nature preserve. Most of the trails are less than a mile in length and tend to run into each other. This is a great…
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Sweet Potatoes Made in a Campfire
I tried my hand at making Campfire Sweet Potatoes on our last camping trip at Myakka River State Park campground. My husband loves sweet potatoes smothered in butter and brown sugar, but also loves the way his Mom makes her Thanksgiving sweet potatoes with red hots. So I combined the two, with delicious results. I also learned a few things along the way. How to Make Campfire Sweet Potatoes The first step in making Campfire Sweet Potatoes is get a roaring fire started. You want to have hot coals to place the potatoes in. The next step in to wash your sweet potatoes well and gather your toppings. I brought…
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Make Your Own Camping Cocoa
I was given this cocoa mix by my Mother -in-Law several years ago. I found it a few weeks before our camping trip to Myakka River State Park. Although it was warm during the day the nights were chilly enough for a nice warm cup of camping cocoa. Ingredients for Camping Cocoa 1 Container of Instant Milk (9.6 oz ) 1 Powdered Sugar 1 Container of Coffee Mate (15 oz) 1 Container of Instant Chocolate Mix (14.1 oz) This makes a lot of cocoa mix. Make sure to have a large airtight container on hand to store it in. Directions The directions are simple. Pour out all the ingredients in…
