Today we return to a Florida town/city that you may not know about.

On SR 438 is “Winter Garden is a city located 14 miles  west of downtown Orlando in western Orange County, Florida, United States. Winter Garden’s population as of the 2010 census was 34,568.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Garden,_Florida

The area now known as Winter Garden was once home to a large number of Native Americans….for thousands of years, up until the colonization of Florida by Spanish explorers. The earliest European settlers, attracted to the fertile muck soil around Lake Apopka, began arriving around 1845 after…Florida became a state.  It wasn’t until the Orange Belt Railway arrived in 1886 that the community really began to grow. …settlers began arriving in the area to take advantage of the fertile soil, mild temperatures, and good transportation. When farmers built a train depot in 1893, they named the stop “Winter Garden” in honor of the year-round growing opportunities here.  Citrus became the “cash crop” in the area and farmers planted large tracts of orange groves.  http://www.wghf.org/localhistory

“In it’s prime, between 1920 and 1950, it wa a major citrus center as well as a hub of retail trade that extended for miles in every direction.  But when freezes ruined the citrus and SR 50 bypassed the town, it sunk into a deep stupor that left buildings deserted and the main street deteriorating.  BY the late 1980s the business section was a virtual ghost town.  (BEST BACK ROADS OF FLORIDA/Waitley)

In 1994 the opening of the West Orange trail began the resurrection that astonished everyone.  Today:  In addition to the many shops and restaurants found in Winter Garden’s downtown, there are also shopping centers with many well-known retail chain stores. Winter Garden has a very active parks and recreation department that provides events, facilities, and classes for all ages year round. Other points of interest in the town include the Central Florida Railroad Museum, the Winter Garden Historic Residential District, and the historic Garden Theatre…  http://www.sharpseniors.com/florida/winter-garden/

POINTS OF INTEREST

2. West Orange Trail Bikes & Blades

17914 State Road 438,                                                         Provides hourly bike rentals along Orlando’s West Orange Trail, or daily and weekly bike rentals delivered directly to your hotel or residence. Come see another side of Florida on Orlando’s longest paved trail.  

3. Central Florida Railroad Museum   southeast corner of the intersection of South Boyd and Joiner Streets                                                                                Memorabilia on display in the Central Florida Railroad Museum includes historic photographs, Multiple items from train service and a 1938 airmont motor car, a velocipede hand car and a very large collection of dining car china and silver serving pieces. 

4. Winter Garden Heritage Museum     1 N. Main Street,  

The Winter Garden Heritage Museum provides a three-dimensional walk through Winter Garden’s glorious past! Established in 1998. Housed in the 1918 Atlantic Coast Line Depot in historic downtown Winter Garden, the museum features a large collection of local citrus labels, a citrus packing house replica and an audio kiosk detailing the area’s citrus history, as well as Native American artifacts, and photographs and memorabilia of the area dating from the days of pioneer settlement to the present. 

                                                                                                                                       

Some ORANGE stuff you might have that is worth a whole lot more than you or your parents paid for it.

Florida Souvenir Owl Oranges Soap Dish Key Change Holder  $20.00

Disney World Orange Bird Retro Florida Pitcher & 4 Juice Glass Set  $85.39

Genuine Florida Orange Tape Measure,,figural $164.90

“Sunland Hospital” was demolished nearly two decades ago…It was a treatment center for those with severe mental handicaps, and for many years it was a poorly-kept secret that the children there weren’t treated with the very best of care….it was shut down …early 1980s. From that point on, people claimed to see weird lights and sounds…abandoned building…(became)the #1 spot …for bored kids and ghost hunters to check out…Some got…apparitions of little boys and girls appeared…the mid-1990s, …kid fell through an elevator shaft and was seriously injured….the building…demolished soon after. Today…is a playground, and some claim that swings can be seen moving entirely on their own…http://www.hauntedplaces.org/item/sunland-hospital-site-orlando/

and don’t forget you can get vintage jewelry like this in my store (just click above)

One mustn’t ask apple trees for oranges, France for sun, women for love, life for happiness.  —Gustave Flaubert

First want to mention a new (for me) Deli that I just visited this weekend:  Pickles on 434 in Longwood.  http://www.picklescatering.com/  check it out great sandwiches…..take out or eat in.

1891 West State Road,
434 Longwood Florida 32750                                                                      Phone(407) 951-8662                                                                                  Fax(407) 951-8665

I was flipping through a Horizons Magazine lately and noted an article on the “Energy of Candes” and further “Many Religious Traditions:  Votive candles are used to offer petitions to the divine.”   So I decided to do a little look at candles.

“The control of fire by early humans was a turning point in the cultural aspect of human evolution that allowed humans to cook food and obtain warmth and protection. Making fire also allowed the expansion of human activity into the dark and colder hours of the night, and provided protection from predators and insects….Evidence of widespread control of fire dates to approximately 125,000 years ago and later.”  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_of_fire_by_early_humans

“The first candles were made without wicks but always some form of “Wax” Historians have found evidence that many early civilizations…developed wicked candles using waxes made from available plants and insects….Ancient Egyptian “candles” were torches made by soaking the pithy core of reeds in melted animal fat …400BC, but these…are not considered “true” candles since they had no wick. ..The Chinese used whale fat to make candles …(259–210 BC) … In time, beeswax came into use 618-907 A.D…In Japan, candles were made of wax extracted from tree nuts. ”  http://www.waxmelters.com/Tradition-History-Development-of-Candles-s/53.htm

“The ceremonial use of lights is found in the practice of many religions. Candles are extremely common and other forms of light, whether fire or other, are also used.”  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceremonial_use_of_lights

Candles and fires have been lit at mid-winter celebrations for thousands of years.  http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/holydays/christmas_1.shtml

“Candies, use of, in divine service. There is no trace of their use  (in Christian services) during the first three centuries; for Lactantius (250-330) says, ‘If they (the heathen) would contemplate that heavenly light which we call the sun, they will at once perceive how God has no need of their candles, who has Himself given so clear and bright a light for the use of man. … Is that man therefore to be thought in his senses, who presents the light of candles and torches as an offering to Him who is the Author and Giver of light?’ (Div. Inst., VI, 2.)”—Page 383.    https://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/1950/01/candles-at-church-rites

A few examples of current use:

“In the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, candles are required to be placed on or beside the altar, at least for the celebration of Mass.  To the three elements of a lit altar candle, some writers attached a symbolism related to Jesus Christ: the beeswax or other material symbolizing his body, the wick his soul, and the flame his divinity. Also, the symbolism of prayer has been connected with candles; the burning flame of the candle represents the prayer that rises to God.”

Shabbat candles (Hebrew: נרות שבת‎) are candles lit on Friday nights before sunset to usher in the Jewish Sabbath. Lighting Shabbat candles is a rabbinically mandated law.  Candle lighting is traditionally done by the woman of the household, but in the absence of a woman, it can be done by a man. After lighting the candles, the woman waves her hands over them, covers her eyes, and recites a blessing.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabbat_candles

In Paganism “lighting a candle is an act of union with the Universal Light…in the Craft, candles are used for ‘Pro-Active Prayer’…”  Horizons Magazine/August 2014

• What collectibles might you have around that could brighten your budget.  check these out:

1960s Charlie Brown Candle $20.90

India Paper Mache Candle Stand Pair Hand Made  $80.00

Anna Van Briggle Pair 1963 Candle Holders   $240.75

“Using candles as therapy has been around for thousands of years, and has been practiced by nearly every religion. Candle therapy can be used to unite the powers of mind, body, and spirit. From ancient times to the present, Candles have lit our way through every transition! From celebrations and ceremonies to proclamations and processions! The candle’s flame has always been a metaphor for the soul! It possesses a tranquil and almost hypnotic atmosphere to those who allow its power to take them to a very special place.”  http://www.peacefulmind.com/candle_therapy.htm

AND DON’T FORGET MY STORE BRINGS YOU THIS BLOG–THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE ITEMS ON IT–CLICK ABOVE TO CHECK IT OUT.

How far that little candle throws its beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty world.—William Shakespeare

Went to a screening at the Art Museum last night and was all decked out in one of my Sue Who?   blouses, got lots of praise for my style—if you’re interested in original jewelry and clothes at a good price try Sue: you too can get comments on your great sense of style.  I even got interviewed by the local PBS station on why I watch Public TV….http://www.wucftv.org/home

Sue Who?                                                  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sue-Who/165267616831507       504 Flagler Ave, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32169                                   (386) 428-9002  · 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

The screening was for THE ROOSEVELTS: AN INTIMATE HISTORY “Ken Burns offers a deep look at Teddy, Eleanor and Franklin in this PBS miniseries starting 9/14 on your local PBS station:   http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/films/the-roosevelts

BAD OR GOOD NIACIN???:  Recent studies published in The New England Journal of Medicine are adding to concerns about the safety and effectiveness of niacin, a popular drug for the prevention of cardiovascular disease. The studies reveal that although this B vitamin can reduce triglyceride levels, raise “good” cholesterol levels (HDL) and reduce “bad” cholesterol levels (LDL), it does not produce the benefits that patients and their doctors might expect….Here are three things you need to know about niacin.                                                                               First, these new studies failed to show that niacin reduced the risk of heart disease and stroke.                                                                           Second, niacin causes multiple side effects, many of which are serious.                                                                                                                                                  Third, there are still experts who say that the recent studies do not provide adequate evidence to stop recommending niacin.

READ THE FULL STORY AT  http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/16/3-things-to-know-about-niacin-and-heart-health/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

CELL SAVINGS:   You might be able to save from 10-25% on your phone service if you work for the right company or government agency.  Check with your HR department or intranet (deals are often not publicised according to the AAPR Bulletin /Sept. 2014) You can also ask your service carrier.

LOTS OF BITS AND PIECES AT MY STORE—LOOK UP AND CHECK—YOU CAN DO IT!!!!  AND A FEW ODDS AND ENDS ITEMS THAT MIGHT BRING YOU A BIT OF EXTRA CASH IF YOU HAVE THEM LAYING AROUND:

Antique Key Duo $25.00

Vintage South Of The Border Mesh Corduroy $50.00

Sanrio Little Twin Stars Bag 1979  $74.99

Found in University Basement:

it’s the basement of the Anatomy and Embryology Department at Madrid’s Complutense University, where the body parts of an estimated 250 corpses—donated to science—were haphazardly stacked and stored after being used in class experiments.     Like a house of horrors, “mummified” corpses line shelves in the roughly 300-square-foot basement, which was kept at room temperature, reports The Local; El Mundo also describes unlabeled “black feet” on top of a garbage can. The reason behind this gross oversight is surprisingly bland—the man who spent his career incinerating the donated bodies took an early retirement in December—but there is also this ghastly detail: The incinerating oven reportedly emits poisonous gases, which is why the aforementioned staff member has not yet been replaced. But he’ll supposedly come out of retirement to help deal with the corpses; a funeral home will also remove some of the bodies. An investigation has been launched by the university . http://www.newser.com/story/187283/found-in-university-basement-250-corpses.html?utm_source=huffingtonpost.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pubexchange_article

“My childhood may be over, but that doesn’t mean playtime is.  ~Ron Olson

1. 1. FIRST A BIG HI to Pheonix Healing Spa (http://phoenixhealingspa.com/) where I attended a meeting on Essential Oils last night.  I plan to go back:  lovely ladies and facility. 

Leaves of Torreya taxifolia

Florida has lots of unusual things (some of them pretty weird) but did you know that we have tree that grows nowhere else.  In fact the Florida Torreya (also known as the “gopher wood” or “stinking cedar”).  According to STRANGE FLORIDA THE UNEXPLAINED AND UNUSUAL (Carlson) these “rare botanical species…range only about 20 square miles of North Florida (on banks of Apalachicola)”  It resembles a yew tree and grow as high as 50 foot, producing a green plum-like fruit.  It does however “give off a rather disagreeable odor (why it has the stinking nickname)”

I looked further and found that:  “It is the type species of the genus Torreya. Torreya taxifolia became one of the first federally listed endangered plant species in the United States in 1984;…”  I also found that it’s not quite true that they only grow in Florida…the area of growth is along the border and that “Torreya taxifolia is restricted to bluffs and ravines within Torreya State Park, along the east bank of the Apalachicola River in the Florida Panhandle and immediately adjacent southernmost Georgia. ”  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torreya_taxifolia    But still a very rare find.

Another natural phenom was Daytona’s Weird Wave.  Seems that in July 3, 1992 a giagantic wall of water hit Daytona Beach without warning.  “Frank Baldwin, a senior seismologist for the U.S. Geological Survey in Washington, said the wave, estimated at 27 miles long and 250 feet wide, may have been caused by shifting sands from an underwater landslide.”  http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1992-07-05/news/9207050499_1_wave-wall-of-water-roy-bennett

“…rogue waves – also known as freak waves, monster waves, killer waves, and extreme waves. These are relatively large and spontaneous ocean surface waves that occur in deep water, usually far out at sea, and are a threat even to large ships and ocean liners.”  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rogue_waves

In the 1992 event  “The wave’s range was from Ormond Beach in the north to New Smyrna Beach on the south. The crest was 18 feet (5.5 meters) high and centered at Daytona Beach. Sailboats crashed ashore onto cars and many people suffered cuts and bruises from glass and debris. Two people required hospitalization and 200 vehicles were damaged. Seventy-five injuries were reported.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rogue_waves

FLORIDA COLLECTIBLES YOU MIGHT JUST HAVE (and how about that store—click on duh…store above)

Skiing in Florida and Skiing up North Comic Funny Original…$15.95

Vintage Collectible Orange Blossom Fruit Florida Travel Souvenir …$29.67

Vintage Souvenir Metal Bok Singing Tower Florida  $34.00

The carcass as it appeared after being dug out of the sand.

AND THEN THERE WAS THE THING.  On November 30, 1896 the winter tides washed ashore the usual debris at St Augustine and something more.  “Two boys riding their bikes on the beach discovered a gigantic mound of rotting flesh, a carcass of some marine animal weighting at least 5 tons.” (Strange Florida) ” The St. Augustine Monster is the name given to a large unidentified carcass, originally postulated to be the remains of a gigantic octopus, that washed ashore …near St. Augustine, Florida…It is sometimes referred to as the Florida Monster or the St. Augustine Giant Octopus and is one of the earliest recorded examples of a globster. … 

“Enough interest was generated that the Smithsonian began receiving requests for samples of the monster…. in 1995, electron microscope and biochemical analysis indicated that the material was collagen from a warm-blooded mammal. In 2004 DNA tests applied to the St. Augustine….identified … as the collagen matrix that holds together . . . whale blubber….In slightly more than a century, science had confirmed what the two St. Augustine boys originally reported in 1896—that remains of a whale had washed up on Anastasia Island!”   http://siarchives.si.edu/blog/saint-augustine-monster

“In South Florida, we have industrial cockroaches that have to be equipped with loud warning beepers so you can get out of their way when they back up.”   Dave Barry 

ANOTHER DAY ANOTHER FLORIDA CITY THAT YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE HEARD OF:  APOPKA:  Indoor Foliage Capital of the World.  (http://www.apopka.net/)

Apopka (which is a pleasant community to the west of Altamonte Springs) has ferns, lots and lots of ferns.  According to Best Back Roads of Florida (Waitley) the reason that there are so many nurseries around Apopka is Harry Ustler who arrived in 1912 with a passion to “grow ferns in a warm climate.”  But the Depression stopped this and caused a “great curtailment of fern purchases” and spawned a diversity that today has resulted in “more than 800 separate nurseries” around the town.

The area was settled in the 1830’s by a Scottish Silversmith (of noble birth) Peter Buchan and though the exact date is debated it may well have been before Orlando was first settled and certainly the Second Seminole War was still being fought.   Despite all that the settlement thrived and was established by the 1850’s.

It’s first name was The Lodge.  This was “because it was the site of the first Masonic Lodge in Orange County. (the building still stands on 441)”  Masons came from all over central Florida to meet here.  In 1882 when it was incorporated it had changed the name to Apopka City (shortened in 1887 to its present name).  (FLASHBACKS: THE STORY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA’S PAST/Robinson & Andrews)

Today: 60%  of all foliage grown in the world comes from this area including foliage plants, ferns, vegetables and citrus.  The town has a booming residential section part of the Central Florida “bedroom communities.”  (Insider’s Guide to Greater Orlando)

POINTS OF INTEREST

Wekiwa Springs State Park   http://www.floridastateparks.org/wekiwasprings/                                       a 7,000-acre Florida State Park in Apopka, Florida. It is located 20 minutes north of Orlando, off Interstate 4 at exit 94, near Altamonte Springs and Longwood. The park also contains the head water of the Wekiva River. Wikipedia

West Orange Trail                              http://www.traillink.com/trail/west-orange-trail.aspx                              a 22-mile long multi-use rail trail owned by Orange County Parks and Recreation in Orange County, Florida, in the United States. Wikipedia

       Dr. Howard A. Kelly Park  (Rock Springs)   http://www.ocfl.net/cultureparks/parks.aspx?m=dtlvw&d=22#.VA8Mffk7vks                                                                        often called Kelly Park, is a protected area which is owned by Orange County, Florida. It lies about 17 miles northwest of Orlando. Wikipedia

Errol Estate Country Club                                           http://errolestategcc.com/                                                             Address: 1355 Errol Pkwy, Apopka, FL 32712                                     Hours:· 7:00 am – 6:00 pm                                                                              Thursday evening they offer a buffet  and on Sunday  a brunch

Rock Springs Ridge Golf Club                              www.rockspringsridgegc.com/                                                            Address: 625 Rock Ridge Blvd, Apopka, FL 32712              Hours: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

EVENTS:   

 Apopka Art and Foliage Festival   http://apopkaartandfoliagefestival.com/                                                            Yearly in April.           

  SOME WORTHWHILE VINTAGE APOPKA ITEMS (AND CHECK OUT THE STORE ABOVE THAT BRINGS YOU ALL THIS GOOD STUFF)

Tulip Daisy Decoware Fine Pottery Apopka Fl  $19.99

Lady In Red Citrus Fruit Crate Label Apopka,$24.95and one final thing Apopka has become famous for

 MCBRIDE HOUSE              http://www.examiner.com/article/the-curse-of-the-mcbride-house-part-one                                                                                                                        The restaurant (Townsand’s Plantation) and grounds sat abandoned for several years until finally being leased in 2008. The restaurant was reinvented by various restaurateurs since, becoming known as The Captain and the Cowboy, and more recently,Highland Manner. Yet, once again, the restaurant has fallen victim to what some locals refer to as ‘The Curse of the McBride House.’ Although the chapel, restaurant area and grounds may be leased for privet functions under the right circumstances, such as for Jaycees events, weddings and banquets, the old McBride House sits deserted and relatively quiescent…Or so most think it sits quietly.  (PS I as well as some of my friends have had first hand experience with this house and let me tell you I am a believer that there are bad things here).

 … the world can give you these glimpses as well as fairy tales can–the smell of rain, the dazzle of sun on white clapboard with the shadows of ferns and wash on the line, the wildness of a winter storm when in the house the flame of a candle doesn’t even flicker.” 

― Frederick Buechner, Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy, and Fairy Tale

Perspiration …is the production of fluids secreted by the sweat glands in the skin of mammals. Two types of sweat glands can be found in humans: eccrine glands and apocrine glands. The eccrine sweat glands are distributed over much of the body.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perspiration

Sweating is the release of liquid from the body’s sweat glands. This liquid contains salt. This process is also called perspiration. Sweating helps your body stay cool. Sweat is commonly found under the arms, on the feet, and on the palms of the hands.  http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003218.htm

We all do it:  sweat,  in some it’s worse and in some it smells really bad…and most of us use deodorant to stop it.

“Throughout history, the issue of body odor evoked different reactions from different societies. Until the last century, a clear line existed between the upper levels of society and the working classes. Until the Industrial Revolution and the introduction of machinery, work was accomplished by men and their muscles. The work was largely outside in all kinds of weather. These circumstances meant that body odor was a fact of life. There were no means of controlling the odor, and no real effort to deal with it.

For the upper classes, there was a frequent effort to eliminate odors. Records show that Egyptian detested any odors from the body. They utilized a number of processes to fight odor, including aromatic oils and powders. Some of the first perfumes were an effort to mask body odor. The Greeks and Romans followed the lead of the Egyptians and used elaborate bath routines as a part of their struggle with body odor. They also experimented with oils and natural products. The first known underarm deodorant came from an individual by the name of Ziryab in the 9th century.”  http://healthyliving320.hubpages.com/hub/The-Evolution-of-Deodorants-and-Control-of-Body-Odor

While “Drugstore antiperspirants promise to keep you dry.  They typically contain processed aluminum chlorhydrate or aluminum zirconium as active ingredients that prevent you from sweating.  Antiperspirant work by plugging sweat duct with these compounds.  The problem is that the toxins that would normally come out of these sweat ducts back up in your body….In addition, these ingredients can cause skin irritation, itching and redness. ” (The Healthy Edge July 2014)  ” While some people are worried about common deodorant chemicals like parabens, formaldehyde and triclosan, most concerns focus on aluminum, the ingredient in antiperspirant that blocks pores and fights wetness. Aluminum is rumored to be linked to breast cancer and other diseases; however, the National Cancer Institute says this research is inconclusive.”   http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/natural-beauty-fashion/photos/5-deodorant-alternatives/a-more-natural-choice

So where do we go from there?  I checked the natural products and the cheapest :

Lafe’s Organic Baby Mother to Be Deodorant Spray ($7.99) is so pure, the Environmental Working Group gives it a zero hazard rating. It only contains purified water, organic aloe vera extract and mineral salts. It can also be used as a foot spray. Lafe’s offers other choices including hemp sticks and five varieties of roll-ons,.

The most expensive was  Dr. Hauschka at $23.00  http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/anti-aging/best-natural-deodorants-47062903#slide-7

You could do it yourself: ” This recipe uses a natural moisture absorber (cornstarch), a natural deodorizer (baking soda), and a natural anti-bacterial/anti-fungal oil (tea tree oil) to keep you feeling fresh and smelling good.”  (this site has directions for making this for standard and sensitive skin as well as an option and includes pictures:  http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Stick-Deodorant)

Don’t sweat the small stuff check out my store  click above

and some sweaty items you might have and you might profit from:

Blood Sweat Tears  American Memorabilia Poster Jazz Black  $52.46

Michael Jordan Gatorade Sweat It Out Stand Up $200.00

70s 80s Nike Pinwheel Sweat Shirt Soft Thin Block $500.00

“…across Europe, more women use …deodorant than men. Italian men appear to be the most averse, using deodorant less frequently than any other European country. …Italian men are the least concerned with preventing odor. Only in Russia and Spain do men use deodorants more often in a week than women – “http://www.happi.com/issues/2013-07/view_eurotrends/europeans-dont-sweat-the-apdeo-market/#sthash.zcqJbzRc.dpuf

The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea.—Isak Dinesen

FRIDAY’S BOOK DROP:   

John Carr, aka Oliver Stone – once the most skilled assassin his country ever had – stands in Lafayette Park in front of the White House. Inside, the British prime minister is being honored at a state dinner. Then, just as the prime minister’s motorcade leaves, a bomb explodes in the park, and in the chaotic aftermath Stone is given an urgent assignment: find those responsible.    This is #5 in the series and is the best yet.

See the book trailer here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7NozmRfR8Q&feature=relmfu

and more books by the same author  http://davidbaldacci.com/books/books/

MURDER always seems a popular topic for movies and these murders aren’t always fictional:

Take for instance the 2006 movie about Mark David Chapman shooting former Beatle John Lennon in NYC (1980). this film (The Killing of John Lennon) chronicles his life three months prior and contains many flashbacks to his earlier life and upbringing, while exploring in detail his infatuation with J.D. Salinger‘s novel The Catcher in the Rye and the links between this and his motivation for killing Lennon. It was an independent film British-produced and “it was not released in the United States until 2008 and received much less attention than the similarly themed American-produced independent film Chapter 27 produced in 2007.

Chapter 27 deals almost wholly with the actions of Mark Chapman (Chapman himself now becoming a celeb of sorts) during the three days before his murder of Lennon.

It is no secret that America is obsessed with celebrities;  “These celebrity icons are admired and worshiped by millions due to their fame, power, wealth, status and achievements. America bows to these prominent figures. They are truly—and without shame—made into idols and revered as gods. ”  http://realtruth.org/articles/120525-001.html   AND WHERE AMERICA GOES SO GOES MUCH OF THE WESTERN WORLD.

Another high profile death was Bob Crane.   In 1965, Crane was offered the starring role in a television comedy pilot about a German P.O.W. camp. Hogan’s Heroes became a hit and finished in the Top Ten in its first year on the air. The series lasted six seasons… Crane’s life and murder were the subject of the 2002 film Auto Focus, directed…The film, described as “brilliant” by critic Roger Ebert, portrays Crane as a happily married, church-going family man… who succumbs to Hollywood’s celebrity lifestyle …. meets Carpenter ….and spirals into a life of strip clubs and sex addiction.

“Fame is a powerful cultural magnet. As a hyper-social species, we acquire the bulk of our knowledge, ideas and skills by copying from others, rather than through individual trial-and-error. However, we pay far more attention to the habits and behaviours demonstrated by famous people than those demonstrated by ordinary members of our community.” http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-23046602

MY STORE (CLICK ABOVE) BRINGS YOU THIS ISSUE

AND JUST IN CASE YOU NEED SOME MONEY HERE’S SOME CELEBRITY ITEMS THAT YOU MIGHT FIND:

George Reeves Superman Meets Mole Men Lobby Card  $850.00  (murdered)

Signed,dated,and Personalized Photograph,john F. Kennedy,1961  $4,850.00  (assassinated)

Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle – Application Signed 05/19/ U1266008  $15,061.73 (implicated in starlet’s death)

AND THERE IS NO APPARENT DECLINE IN THIS INTEREST IN THE NEAR FUTURE:  “The murder of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four others on August 9, 1969, by members of a group known as the Manson Family left a thumbprint on American pop culture that has influenced music, movies and books.  Over the past two years, reports have surfaced about three films in the works, all at various stages of development and funding. “The Dead Circus,” …”Eyes of a Dreamer” and…”The Family,”  http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/10/showbiz/celebrity-news-gossip/sharon-tate-murder-pop-culture/

So:  ” we love celebrities because they are an integral part of culture.  They have made it in the worldview we are so entrenched in. By worshipping them (to an extent), we feel as if we are participating in this hugely important cause/belief system. And that makes us feel all warm and fuzzy, and like our life matters (and in turn, death doesn’t sting as much).”

“A celebrity is any well-known TV or movie star who looks like he spends more than two hours working on his hair.”
― Steve Martin

MY PICTURE TODAY IS ANOTHER FUN PLACE IN SANFORD, FL.:  http://www.galleryonfirst.com/  another place I stopped by for a look at the latest:

211 East First Street
Sanford, Florida 32771

Hours: Monday by appointment                                                                   Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 6pm                                                                   Sunday 12 – 5pm

GALLERY on FIRST is a unique gallery and working space for professional and emerging artists that invites the public inside the artistic process through shows, events, education and conversations with working artists.

I continue my journey through the back roads and small towns of Florida with:

MT. PLYMOUTH:  This is one of those boom towns that busted.  It was once located approximately where County Road 435 meets SR 46.

Now I must start out to advise that most people don’t know much about this town:  In the 20 or more books I have on Florida only one BEST BACKROADS OF FLORIDA (Waitley) has anything at all.

Mt. Plymouth  got its name from the slight rise that geologists termed the Mount Dora Ridge which extends from near the Georgia border and south where it becomes the Lake Wales Ridge—at one time in pre-history this ridge was the only part of Florida above water.

The town was founded during the 1920’s boom with  plans for  golf courses, ritzy homes, an upscale business center and an executive airport.

The ..Mount Plymouth Hotel, built in 1926 at the cost of $350,000.00, was the centerpiece of a golfing resort for the area…http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Plymouth,_Florida  Though the original plan was for four courses only one was built before Florida went into the depression a few years (1927) before the rest of the country.  

Connie Mack brought his Philadelphia Athletics here for spring training.  Babe Ruth and  singer Kate Smith (who made “God Bless America” a big inspirational hit during World War II)  were visitors who were able to utilize the hotel’s airfield for arrival.

But the big celebrity/criminal (your choice) who came here was Al Capone.  Capone was reported to have brought his girlfriends to the hotel. He and several New York and Chicago gangsters were believed to have used it as a hideaway.  https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#safe=off&q=mt.+plymouth+florida

Capone who reportedly was a frequent visitor, with several stays at the hotel, enjoyed the steam room a lot but word is that he insisted on a bullet proof door and direct phone lines to his body guards.  The price of being Number 1?

ANOTHER FUN BLOG BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE DRAGON’S LAIR STORE—CHECK IT OUT ABOVE  AND CHECK OUT SOME GANGSTER COLLECTIBLES BELOW:

Scarface Al Capone Photo With 1947 Illinois License $75.00

Vintage Rolling Stones Bigger Bang Tour Al Capone Shirt   $149.99

Scarface Mob Al Capone 1959 Original Uk Movie   $204.99

In 1959, Florida Central Academy occupied the building and grounds of the 150 room Hotel. Originally, a boy’s boarding school, in 1971 the Academy began accepting girls. The school remained operational until June 1983. The building, condemned by county health officials, quickly became the target of vandals. In 1986 and 1987, fire destroyed the building.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Plymouth,_Florida

SR 435 goes past the golf course, but the old luxurious club house was burned to the ground by persons unknown and has been replaced by a much more modest building:  “hardly larger than a cady shack…” (Waitley).

Today Mount Plymouth is a census-designated place (CDP) in Lake County…. As of the 2010 census, the CDP population was 4,011. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area.

You can get much farther with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone.—Al Capone

THANKS TO Yvette Comeau, owner of Maya Books and Music (http://www.indiebound.org/stores/maya-books-music)   201 E 1st St, Sanford, FL  FOR LETTING ME take some pictures of her last flower…   read all about her  at   http://thesanfordproject.com/interview-maya-books-and-music/

DON’T FORGET THE STORE THAT PAYS FOR THIS BLOG–CHECK ABOVE

GEORGE NELSON* CLOCK MODEL 2271-D 1958 DESIGN—$1,500

A clock is an instrument to indicate, keep, and co-ordinate time. The word clock is derived ultimately (via Dutch, Northern French, and Medieval Latin) from the Celtic words clagan andclocca meaning “bell“…In general usage….”clock” refers to any device for measuring and displaying the time… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clock

NELSON SPIKE CLOCK ZEELAND MICHIGAN MODEL 2202-D DESIGNED 1952  $2,000

For thousands of years, devices have been used to measure and keep track of time. The current … system of time measurement dates to approximately 2000 BC, in Sumer. The Ancient Egyptians divided the day into two 12-hour periods, and used large obelisks to track the movement of the Sun.,,The Shang Dynasty is believed to have used the outflow water clock ….devices which were introduced from Mesopotamia as early as 2000 BC. Other ancient timekeeping devices include the candle clock, used in China, Japan, England and Iraq; the timestick, widely used in India and Tibet, as well as some parts of Europe; and the hourglass, which functioned similarly to a water clock. The sundial, …relies on shadows to provide a good estimate of the hour …not so useful in cloudy weather or at night and requires recalibration as the seasons change…The earliest known clock with a water-powered escapement mechanism, … dates back to 3rd century BC… ancient Greece  Chinese engineers later invented clocks incorporating mercury-powered escapement mechanisms in the 10th century followed by Arabic engineers inventing water clocks driven by gears and weights in the 11th century.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_timekeeping_devices

NELSON TRIANGLE CLOCK PAPER LABEL NO 2225-C DESIGNED 1955 $2,375

In 1577, Jost Burgi invented the minute hand. Burgi’s invention was part of a clock made for Tycho Brahe, an astronomer …for his stargazing.  http://inventors.about.com/od/cstartinventions/a/clock.htm

NELSON’S PETAL CLOCK PAPER LABEL STAMPED NO 7513 DESIGNED 1957 $3,125

Time is seen in a particularly different light by Eastern and Western cultures, and even within these groupings assumes quite dissimilar aspects from country to country. In the Western Hemisphere, the United States and Mexico employ time in such diametrically opposing manners that it causes intense friction between the two peoples. In Western Europe, the Swiss attitude to time bears little relation to that of neighboring Italy. Thais do not evaluate the passing of time in the same way that the Japanese do. In Britain the future stretches out in front of you. In Madagascar it flows into the back of your head from behind.  http://www.businessinsider.com/how-different-cultures-understand-time-2014-5#ixzz3CGO0WURu

NELSON’S POPSICLE CLOCK:  ZEELAND PAPER LABEL, INCISED NO. 2257-A, DESIGNED 1957  $4,375

Daylight saving time (DST)..is the practice of advancing clocks during the summer months that have more daylight so that people get up earlier in the morning and experience more daylight in the evening. Typically clocks are adjusted forward one hour near the start of spring and are adjusted backward in the autumn.The modern idea of daylight saving was first proposed in 1895 byGeorge Vernon Hudson,[2] and it was first implemented by Germanyand Austria-Hungary starting on 30 April 1916. Many countries have used it at various times… most consistently since the energy crisis of the 1970s.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time

Sunday, March 9  and ends at 2:00 AM on Sunday,  November 2

NELSON’S DIAMOND MARKERS CLOCK STAMPED NO. 02667 DESIGNED 1959 $5,000

 I must govern the clock, not be governed by it.—Golda Meir

NELSON’S SMALL PRETZEL CLOCK: PAPER LABEL INCISED NO. 4775, DESIGNED 1952 $5,938

*Nelson’s distinctive wall clocks.  His Ionic electric clocks (manufactured Howard Miller Clock Co) of close to 150 designs were made up to the early ’80’s.  Prices on this page are from a recent LA auction.