One Off The Bucket List

 Check One Off the Bucket List…Sort Of…

Last week I shared that Mike and I were scratching something off our “Bucket List.” If you read that post you know we already addressed our desire to relive our teen years by eating at the original Frisch’s Big Boy Restaurant.

There were a few more items on that list, including 

·      Visiting the Corvette Museum in Kentucky

·      Taking in the Kentucky Horse Park, also in Kentucky

·      Visiting the Dry Tortugas about 70 miles off of Key West

·      Taking a Trip to Alaska

Well, we did it! We checked off one of those items and loved it!

We visited Fort Jefferson located in the Dry Tortugas. AND IT WAS WONDERFUL.

Fort Jefferson was established as a fort, a point of protection, yes, but served as a prison during the Civil War. I first became intrigued with the history of the place when I encountered the story of Dr. Samuel Mudd.

Samuel Mudd was the doctor who treated John Wilkes Booth for a broken leg. Booth broke his leg jumping from the balcony after shooting President Abraham Lincoln. Emotions ran high. Though Dr. Mudd asserted he knew nothing of the conspiracy, he was found guilty as a conspirator for the act of treating Booth’s broken leg. 

Many of the conspirators were hanged. Dr. Mudd was sentenced to life imprisonment in the federal prison, Fort Jefferson, located in the Dry Tortugas.

While there, an epidemic of Yellow Fever broke out. Dr. Mudd is credited for his work to save prisoners, civilians, and soldiers, alike. Over 200 soldiers signed a petition for his release. Dr. Mudd was pardoned after serving four years of his sentence.

If you’ve read the account of Queen Esther in the Bible, you know that she, a Jew, was made the Queen of Persia. When the Jewish nation was in threat of being destroyed, Queen Esther was in the unique position to save her people.

There’s a line in the book of Esther in the Old Testament where Mordecai tells her that perhaps she is Queen “For such a time as this.”

That story came to mind as I read the account of Dr. Mudd. He was sentenced to a remote federal prison where he was able to serve and save many.  “For such a time as this.”

A View of the Ft. Jefferson Parade Ground

It would be interesting to explore what happened to those survivors. 

The two-and-a-half-hour ferry boat ride out and back was a bit rough, but worth it. We were on Garden Key for four hours and didn’t see everything.

So, though we may have checked it off the bucket list…we’re putting it back up. Anyone in?

Celebrate November

 Celebrate November with a Bit of Adventure

When Mike and I started dating, we talked about items on our respective bucket lists. We’ve both traveled a bit. We’ve both been out of the country, but there is a lot of this country we haven’t seen. 

I had a list of places in Ohio to show Mike. He had places in Florida I’d never seen. And there was a lot to see in between. We pretty much decided without saying a word, that our life together would be fun. Adventurous.

In Ohio, we lunched at the original Frisch’s restaurant. That was a treat. Don’t laugh. Frisch’s was a big part of our teen life. We not only lunched there but also had a long conversation with our hostess who started working for the company as a car hop back in the day. 

Between Ohio and Florida is

the Kentucky Horse Park and

the Corvette Museum. Both made the list.

“I’ve always wanted to see Alaska,” he told me.

“Me too!”

We chatted about what we knew of such a trip and shared information we’d gleaned from friends who’d been there. I have a friend who worked for a cruise line in Alaska. She worked in their gift shop located portside. I shared the information I gleaned from her. 

Mike and I talked about the best times to go, what to see, and what we’d heard about traveling by ship or train. Or both. It was a fun conversation. A shared dream.

Another item on both of our lists was about as far from Alaska as you can get and still be in the USA. The Dry Tortugas. We’ve both been to Key West, which has a marker as the southernmost point in the nation, but the Dry Tortugas has a fascination all its own. It is the home to Fort Jefferson.  Though now a national park, Ft. Jefferson's history as a prison is interesting, including shall we say, its “clientele”? 

This week, my husband and I are checking off something we both had on our respective lists. Can you guess where we are? What we will see? What we will do?

·      Kentucky Horse Park?

·      The Corvette Museum?

·      Both? (Since they are both in Kentucky)

·      Alaska?

·      The Dry Tortugas?

I’m not telling. Not yet. But when we return, I hope to post pictures and stories from our adventure. Stay tuned.

By the way, I am out of town. I appreciate anyone who might repost this while I'm uh...unavailable. Thanks!

Six Gun Territory Revisited

 Six Gun Territory Revisited

Some of my Florida friends and family remember Six Gun Territory in Ocala. The popular tourist attraction featured a western town complete with typical wild west storefronts and gunfights in the street. This was before Disney seemingly took over the theme park venture in the Sunshine State.

Sheriff at Six Gun

As a teen, I had the opportunity to visit Six Gun Territory many times. When friends or family came to town, I would go with them to enjoy the wild west experience. 

I remember the day I was there with two younger cousins. We stood in line to get the autograph of Tommy Norden who played “Bud Ricks” on the popular show, Flipper. Tommy…or Bud, as I knew him on television, was a year older than me. We were both in our teens. He signed a photo of him with Flipper for each of us. 

Then…he asked me if I wanted to get a cola with him. There were only a couple of people left in line. I know I grinned. Though most of the teens I knew had a crush on Luke Halpin, who played Bud’s older brother, I must admit Bud…uh, Tommy, was pretty good looking and very sweet. 

The temptation to say yes to his offer was strong, but my responsibility to my cousins was stronger. I held onto that picture for a long time.

In 1984, Six Gun Territory closed its doors after over twenty years in operation.

Eventually, the Kirby family bought the props, train, and whatever they could from what was left of the Ocala venue. They are working to renew the experience and honor the memory of the popular park. 

But they do more than that. Kirby Family Farms recreates the wild west on the property one weekend a year with the proceeds used for programs for at-risk and special needs children. All of the actors are volunteers. I love that.

This time, I wasn’t on the lookout for a cute boy. I already have Mike. 

There's more...

When we read the description of who would be there, I came across the name of Mary Badham. Mary Badham was cast as Scout, the daughter of Atticus Finch, in the movie To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus Finch was played by Gregory Peck. 

With...Mary Badham

The book by Harper Lee remains a classic. Mary Badham, as Scout, was nominated for an Academy Award. She was, at the time, the youngest nominee ever. She didn’t win. Patty Duke won with her portrayal of Helen Keller. Still…

We packed a lot in while we were there. We walked around, ate lunch, and took the train ride. The experience was different from the original park, but it was good. The children watching the shows, talking to the cowboys, and waving from the train were all smiles. Those kiddos never knew the original Six Gun Territory. They will have their own memories of a day in the old west.

As for me? I was pleased to meet Mary Badham, to hear her stories, and to enjoy the warm November sunshine. 

P.S. Mary Badham confirmed that she and Gregory Peck remained close friends until his death in 2003. He still called her "Scout." 

Log House Pic
taken from the Train