IT’S Florida city/town or whatever point of interest that grabs my fancy day.  TODAY IT’S Oveido:

Oviedo is a city in Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 33,342 as of the 2010 census…  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oviedo,_Florida

The center of Oviedo is on 434 and Broadway where you;ll see the steepled Baptist Church on a small rise.

Oviedo, settled in the 1860’s was named in 1879 by a Swedish postmaster after the city in Northern Spain.  It appears as the town of Valdez in Coyle’s novel THE KNEELING BUS

Once a tiny isolated farming community, it is now in the middle of Seminole County’s fast growing areas.  THE INSIDERS’ GUIDE TO GREATER ORLANDO/Orlando Sentinel

POINTS OF INTREST

1.  CROSS SEMINOLE TRAIL:  Bisect old business area, edging past a few worse for wear industrial buildings which was once a loading zone for railway cars of celery to be shipped to Sanford.

2.  LAKE CHARM:  426/Geneva Rd–paved, in 1880s it was paved too but with logs placed cross ways to prevent wagons, etc from being stuck in the sand.  The lake was named by Martha Gwynn (before the Civil War) who’s father built their home on the shore.  Eventually others came and a hotel was built in the area.  Then the railroad to bring more.  A store sprang up and orange groves appeared.  This went on until the severe freeze of 1894-95 when the orange trees died and the snow birds departed for good.

3.  BLACK HAMMOCK RESTAURANT & FISH CAMP: www.theblackhammock.com/black-hammock-hosts-business-hours/  Casual place to dine on Lake Jessup.  Seafood, fried catfish and barbecued pork ribs.  Entertainment on the weekends. also: The Lazy Gator Bar:  The view of Florida wildlife from the lakeview terrace.  Buckets of beers and colorful mixed drinks …live gator and bird exhibit adjoining Black Hammock Gift Shop—bar snacks from the restaurant,

4.  THE TOWN HOUSE RESTAURANT:  http://www.oviedotownhouse.com/  The Townhouse has been serving up good times since the 1950’s .. Family owned & operated,

5.   LAKE JESUP: http://www.blackhammockairboatrides.com/  rumored to be one of Florida’s most ’gator-filled lakes, supports airboat tours.  http://www.centralfloridaairboattours.com/

MY STORE PAYS FOR MY BLOG…JUST CLICK ON STORE ABOVE TO CHECK OUT THE MERCHANDISE:

items you probably don’t have lying around but which bring in a few extra if you do:

WORLD WAR II PRISONER OF WAR ARCHIVE:  $1,500-$2,000

FRENCH PALISSY WARE MANTEL CLOCK (1880’S)  $4,000 – $10,000

JUMEAU AUTOMATON (1900’s)  $30,000 – $35,000

 

And where did I get the title?  Oveido has free ranging chickens that inhabit their old downtown.  They’ve been there for years.  Nobody knows were they came from.  City officials were at one time concerned about the responsibility for accidents that the beasties might be responsible for, but where discouraged from doing anything with them due to their popularity.  Finally  it was determined that since there were no known owner they were in fact wild birds for which the city could not be held responsible.  They put up several official yellow signs warning:  “Caution:  Chicken Crossings.”  and left it at that. 

I did not become a vegetarian for my health, I did it for the health of the chickens.—Isaac Bashevis Singer