Here are some non-Christmasy scenes from our December trip to Mt Dora in Central Florida. (Mt Dora Christmas post is here.)
We had a great Holiday brunch at Lakeside Inn. Built in 1883, it is the oldest continuously operating hotel in the State of Florida. The grounds extend to Lake Dora and it is easy to imagine yourself back in that year strolling under the live oak trees, dripping with moss.
There is documented history of a number of well-known people who stayed at the Hotel over the years, mostly coming for the fishing and also (I'm guessing) for the winter sunshine. Rumor also has it that Al Capone was staying here incognito on the day of the Valentine's Day Massacre. I wouldn't be too surprised to learn that there are other places who lay claim to this dubious honor.
Great Egret
In Florida there are always opportunities for casual birding. We found these birds at the dock while we waited to board either the boat or the tram for our Christmas lights tour.
Common Gallinule (Moor Hen)
We did a little downtown window shopping one morning on our way to find some breakfast. And all I brought back was the photo souvenir below.
I'm sure our "climb" will impress family and friends from the mountainous states of Colorado and Oregon. Sadly, I neglected to get a picture of the view from the top.
OK, you can stop laughing. The "Mount" referred to in the town's name actually came from the fact that the town is built on a plateau 184 feet about sea level. Florida is really a flat state.
Comical birds in Mt Dora. The black vultures on the rooftop were not at all intimidated by the fake owl placed there to deter them. And the Great Egret, who really doesn't belong downtown, was pretty funny as he seemed to look both ways before crossing this street as if he owned it.
Ending with another beautiful sunset on the Lake.
We had a good time visiting Mt Dora. We went because the travel planner (Bill) had read about the Christmas light display and it really was amazing. And in addition to glorious holiday displays, it really was a great little town with lots to do and see -- I'm sure it would be charming in any season.
LINKING this week to the following sharing opportunities: Thank you to the hosts.
NATURE NOTES; ALL SEASONS; OUR WORLD on Tuesday; MOSAIC MONDAY; GOOD RANDOM FUN; THROUGH MY LENS; TUESDAY TREASURES; WILD BIRD Wednesday; MY CORNER OF THE WORLD; SIGNS SIGNS; THANKFUL THURSDAY; TRAVEL PHOTO SOUVENIRS; SKYWATCH FRIDAY; FRIDAY BLISS; SATURDAY CRITTERS; and RATHER B' BIRDING
We had dinner in Mt. Dora last night. What a cute little town. Lots of great restaurants.
Posted by: Laurie | January 28, 2019 at 09:54 AM
Love your photos. I have a couple of friends who live in Mt. Dora and I always enjoy visiting there.
Posted by: Lois | January 23, 2019 at 06:05 AM
a green lawn, a beach and some wildlife. Can´t ask for more :)
Posted by: NatureFootstep PhotoArt | January 22, 2019 at 02:34 PM
Lovely warmth and sun...so cold here Sally...Michelle
Posted by: Michelle | January 22, 2019 at 10:29 AM
The sunset photo is breathtaking! And I love seeing the pretty backgrounds of the birds...water reflections and green grasses! Beautiful photos of such a pretty little town. You're making me want to go again soon! Enjoy your weekend. Cool and windy here today!
Posted by: Lavender Dreamer | January 20, 2019 at 07:57 AM
Wonderful photos Sallie. That licence plate reminds me of the time I climbed Hawaii's Diamondhead...still have my t-shirt (from years ago)
Here's hoping for you a beautiful week ahead, and good birding ...thanking you for letting us experience your blog post linked at I'd Rather B Birdin'.
Posted by: Anni @ I'd Rather B Birdin' | January 20, 2019 at 12:54 AM
Dearest Sallie; Oh, What a beautiful historical Lakeside Inn♪ As a person not so familiar with your country's history not about the thing related with Capone; I thought I understood the word "incognito". Haha, please laugh at me ;-)
I loved your birds pictures (Great Egret, moor hen etc). Yes, You gave me a nice smile with the sign certifying your climbing the mount. Beautiful sunset picture of the lake♡♡♡
Happy to read your nice time visiting Mt Dora. And I AM really happy and glad for you to read about your travel planner husband♧♧♧
To tell the truth, reminded me that I'm thankful for my husband letting me to have a little trips with friends; having understanding and being patience going together we can go within the distance with car.
So sorry for my late comment and wishing a wonderfulweekend.
Sending Lots of Love and Hugs from Japan to my Dear friend, xoxo Miyako*
Posted by: orchid(Japan) | January 20, 2019 at 12:08 AM
I love the different duck flavours!
Posted by: Jennifer Jilks | January 19, 2019 at 07:19 AM
I am yet to stop laughing :-D. It's 9 o'clock here, Saturday morning and I am reading your blog with a cup of coffee. Ah! the laughter really made my day.
Since the hotel was built in 1883, there must be some haunting stories associated with it?
Lovely pictures.
Posted by: KL | January 19, 2019 at 06:29 AM
Hello Sallie, Love your egret and moorhen photos. They are beautiful birds. I really enjoyed seeing all the Florida birds. Thank you so much for linking up and sharing your post. Happy Saturday, enjoy your day and weekend. PS, I appreciate and thank you for your comment on my blog.
Posted by: Eileen Wise | January 19, 2019 at 04:22 AM
What a great trip and a gorgeous sunset!
Posted by: Lady Fi | January 18, 2019 at 11:38 PM
The first egret photo is so beautiful, with the reflections of the grass or reeds in the water. I'm glad climbing Mt. Dora left you with plenty of energy!
Posted by: Lorrie | January 18, 2019 at 04:34 PM
Here we are having a very hard cold wind and you are having SUMMER!!! YAY! FOR YOU!
Posted by: Linda Brown | January 18, 2019 at 02:32 PM
Mt Dora looks like th place for me!! I love the story about Al Capone. Any decent place has to have a gangster in its background.
Posted by: Alan Bates | January 17, 2019 at 07:11 PM
Good post.
Posted by: Jim, Sydney, Australia | January 17, 2019 at 07:07 PM
Fabulous sunset
Posted by: KB | January 17, 2019 at 05:12 PM
Nice outing and even better with Bill planning it. Thanks for linking up today. Have a great weekend.
Posted by: Michelle | January 17, 2019 at 03:55 PM
I've noticed that those egrets are almost tame. Pets? Nice shots!
Posted by: Colleen@ LOOSELEAFNOTES | January 17, 2019 at 02:35 PM
Mount Dora---haha---love the plate--I climbed........haha
Beautiful birds and gorgeous sunset.
MB
Posted by: MaryBeth Schwartz | January 17, 2019 at 10:28 AM
Mt. Dora looks like a fun place to visit!
Mississippi is not much higher than Florida. Our tallest 'mountain' is only 807 feet (Woodall Mountain). I know folks from states with actual mountains laugh at us, too!
Posted by: lea | January 17, 2019 at 06:25 AM
Hello, sounds like a fun time in Mt Dora. The oak trees are beautiful. The sunset on the lake is gorgeous. I always love seeing the birds, love the egrets. Happy Thursday, enjoy your day and the weekend ahead.
Posted by: Eileen Wise | January 17, 2019 at 05:07 AM
Looks like a great trip. Good that the egrets seem to take care when crossing the roads (must be odd to see them in town)
Posted by: craftygreenpoet | January 17, 2019 at 01:11 AM
Beaut shots.
Posted by: Jim, Sydney, Australia | January 16, 2019 at 04:12 PM
We are going to visit my sister at Howie in the Hills in central FL next week. I was wondering if there really are hills! :)
Posted by: Laurie | January 16, 2019 at 03:43 PM
184 feet, lol.
Posted by: Jeanna | January 16, 2019 at 03:42 PM
What a great place to wander through and 'climb'!!!
Posted by: betty - NZ | January 16, 2019 at 01:43 PM
Hi Sallie, good to see you again
I don't think those fake owls are a deterrent to anything!
Love the 184ft elevation :))
Posted by: Lesley | January 16, 2019 at 12:32 PM
That is a place in Florida that I have never heard of before, Sallie! It looks lovely.
Posted by: RedPat | January 16, 2019 at 11:58 AM
I enjoyed climbing Mt. Dora with you. :) I love exploring charming places like this one. You got some beautiful shots! Glad you are settling in nicely in your winter home!
Posted by: ellen b. | January 16, 2019 at 11:09 AM
That looks like a nice town to visit, especially on a holiday when it is decked out. Was it crowded? Your pictures look like you are almost alone.
Posted by: Marti | January 16, 2019 at 08:51 AM
Having been to Florida many times, I was wondering about your "climb" :-) That was cute. It looks like a really wonderful Christmas trip and you got some great shots! Love that sunset! Have a great week.
Posted by: Marie-OR | January 16, 2019 at 08:36 AM
Oh my goodness what a beautiful place!
Posted by: Kara | January 16, 2019 at 01:52 AM
Being on a plateau would feel safe when a hurricane brings up the sea! Love your birds.
Posted by: Linda in Virginia | January 15, 2019 at 10:39 PM
I had an aunt named "Dora" and I'm cracking up thinking about your license plate.
You know, your egrets are so much cleaner down there, why is that? Or maybe they're just whiter (ha).
It's not every day you see awnings over steps like that, I'm trying to see where I've seen one and I bet it was Florida when I was a wee ched.
I love the yellow on the hotel and wonder what all they've had to do for renovations all these years, especially being on the water. Moss on trees is something else that has so much character, it screams, "down south."
Funny about Al Capone, there's not a relative on my mother's side that doesn't have a story about him and many a northwoods vacation spot makes a claim to him as their guest or grandfather's or great grandfather's guest at this point. I remember a Lake Geneva boat tour pointing out the various gangster mansions.
Posted by: Jeanna | January 15, 2019 at 04:04 PM
What a climber you are, Sallie - did you need oxygen? My mom's name was Dora. She'd smile to think there is a mount named for her.
Posted by: Barb | January 15, 2019 at 11:46 AM
No nose bleeds at that elevation. ;) I love how you find birds wherever you go.
Posted by: Gaelyn | January 15, 2019 at 11:46 AM
WOW! That is a fabulous sunset and I love the bird images
Posted by: Margaret Birding For Pleasure | January 15, 2019 at 11:34 AM
Would you believe after decades in Florida, I've never been to Mount Dora? Now on my must-see list. Beautiful photos and I must say that if you got a sign from the Keys it would have negative feet climbed! funny
Posted by: Carol | January 15, 2019 at 09:55 AM
It would be a good climb for me, too ! I like your wonderful great egret !
Posted by: Annie | January 15, 2019 at 07:00 AM
The vultures remind me of the crows in my neck of the woods that are not afraid of fake owls either, although homeowners do try this tactic. This charming town with a little mountain sure had a huge light display for Christmas!
Posted by: Penelope Puddlisms | January 15, 2019 at 06:35 AM
...what a lovely treasure with a rich history! The climb certainly would be the 'highpoint.' The sunset is a great ending to the day. Thanks for stopping by, please come again.
Posted by: tomthebackroadstraveller | January 15, 2019 at 05:18 AM
That's indeed a beautiful landscape ! The "mount" is like in Holland it's also flat like a pancake.
Posted by: Gattina | January 15, 2019 at 01:22 AM
It's rather a shame that over here Florida is mostly portrayed as sand, Everglades and Disney when as you point out Sally, there is much history and culture to enjoy. There was a single programme on TV lately which showed some of that other side of Florida. It was very interesting and enjoyable.
Posted by: Phil Slade | January 15, 2019 at 12:29 AM
everything is so green, so healthy...the views are so summery!!! i don't know why peeps are still buying those owls, they don't work!!
the egrets are too funny, around here, they take off as soon as they see or hear you - they are so skittish!!
a beautiful sunset, my favorite time of the day!!
Posted by: Debbie | January 14, 2019 at 08:20 PM
Beautiful scenez. Happy mosaic Monday Sallie
Much📚love
Posted by: gillena | January 14, 2019 at 06:48 PM
Very special to stay in a hotel with a long history! El Capone - oh my! Never heard of the Dora mountain, so it's always fun to have a momento of the climb. Nevertheless, for a flat landscape 184 ft. is a mountain:):) Like that you always find some birds wherever you are!
Many thanks Sally for your interesting post for All Seasons, Sallie. Have an awesome week!
Posted by: Juniper/Jesh StG | January 14, 2019 at 06:12 PM
What a beautiful "mountain" - Florida does have lovely landscapes. Even if they're flat.
Posted by: Al | January 14, 2019 at 04:27 PM
Beautiful photos of our feathered friends and what an awesome sun set photo and love the license plate photo of MT. Dora ~ Hope FL is warmer than MA ~ it has got to be ^_^
Happy Day to you,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Posted by: A ShutterBug Explores | January 14, 2019 at 12:45 PM
Seeing the egret walking in town made me laugh. How unique is that and you captured a photo of the adventure. :) Mt. Dora sounds like a nice place to visit. Your sunset is absolutely gorgeous.
Have a wonderful new week, Sallie.
Posted by: bill burke | January 14, 2019 at 10:53 AM
That sunset view is stunning!
Posted by: William Kendall | January 14, 2019 at 09:02 AM
Hi there, you are the first one on my visits back. It has been a long 6 weeks tomorrow, but I am feeling better and up for some blog browsing and visits. Your brunch spot looks beautiful. I love older places to visit and have a meal and try and think of how it must have been all of those years before. Your birds of course are beautiful. Happy New Year~
Posted by: Mary Howell Cromer | January 14, 2019 at 08:58 AM
Your comment about Florida being a flat state, Sallie, is the very aspect that is hugely problematic as glaciers melt and ocean levels rise. It is not going to take much more of a rise for parts of the coast to go under water, and it seems to me that Miami already experiences some inundation when offshore winds drive the waves inland.
Posted by: David Gascoigne | January 14, 2019 at 06:35 AM
Isn't 184 feet equivalent to 18 floors? 10 feet/floor. That's a pretty good climb in my book. The other day I was happy to achieve climbing two flights of stairs. I even went down them which is even a better feat for me. :-)
That Great Egret is quite a handsome guy.
Posted by: Su-sieee! Mac | January 14, 2019 at 12:05 AM
Beautiful photos, stunning sunset 💕
Posted by: riitta k | January 13, 2019 at 10:05 PM
So pretty -and wow to that gorgeous sunset!
Posted by: Lady Fi | January 13, 2019 at 08:39 PM
What a lovely landscape, the hotel must be fantastic. Happy MosaicMonday!
Posted by: Heidrun Stallwanger | January 13, 2019 at 08:24 PM
Sallie - I have this image of you wandering the grounds of the hotel with a large bustled skirt and a parasol in hand - one must protect oneself from the sun! I love the romance of those ancient oak trees with their festoons of moss. How amusing to 'climb' Mt. Dora - we have that much elevation gain just getting from the main road to our house … Thanks for this joyful post for Mosaic Monday!
Posted by: Angie | January 13, 2019 at 07:01 PM
Nice outing, it looks warm there. I won't laugh at your Mount Dora if you don't laugh at our Turkey Mountain here in Tulsa.
Posted by: Alan Bates | January 13, 2019 at 06:22 PM
Sounds like a nice outing. Well done Bill for planning it.
Posted by: diane | January 13, 2019 at 06:13 PM