Home again.
We arrived home around 8:45 pm last night, after driving for two days and stopping for the night in North Carolina. Yesterday, as I was driving in the mountains of Virginia, what started as rain turned to snow.
And traffic slowed to a crawl when the fog rolled in. That made for a few hours of dicey driving. But, by the time we reached Pennsylvania, the weather had cleared.
A few highlights from our last couple of days in Florida:
We spent a few hours in Tarpon Springs, famous for its sponge divers and Greek community. There are several antique shops there and there was quite a bit of Roseville on display.
For at least twice, sometimes three times higher than I could get it on eBay.
Ridiculous! I know that eBay can put shop owners in a tough position because of the great deals that can be found there, but pricing something like Roseville (and also some McCoy I saw on the shelves) at prices that are way over the top doesn’t do them any favors. Why lose potential revenue? Dear readers: remember to do your research. Don’t pay more than you should. I clearly and audibly said – I am an actress after all – that the prices were way out of line. Not in a snotty tone, I promise. Just in a having-a-conversation-with-my-husband kind of way. I think the owners should hear from collectors who know what they’re talking about.
In a gallery: the most beautiful new pottery made by a company called Florida Faience. As you know, I love vintage pottery, but I have to admit I fell for these beautiful creations. (This picture doesn’t do them justice, I’m sorry to say.) I am totally smitten and the next time I get back there, I will have some money set aside to purchase one of these pieces.
On the way up to I-95, we ran across The Orange Shop, a family owned business. The sign itself charmed us! So wonderfully retro. The owners have their own orange groves, where we stopped to breathe in the orange blossoms.
Absolutely heavenly.
We also bought a bag of oranges.
Another ukulele session with uncle and nephew. I could eat this kid up.
Little Z and me. He wears a patch for a couple of hours a day to strengthen his eye. Meredith made the patches. (He likes the zebra best.) Photo courtesy of Meredith.
I have so much more to say about Little Z and my sister and family. That’s for later in the week. We had the most wonderful time. For two people who can’t remember the last time we had a vacation together but know it’s been at least 15-20 years, this was a dream come true. Surrounded by sun, sand, sea, family and love, it couldn’t have been better.
We were very happy to see our little cottage waiting for us last night.
Happy Sunday.
Claudia, your cottage says welcome home and I do too!
Thank you, Doris!
Claudia, I love to vacation, but coming home is always the best!! Love that Florida Faience pottery. I saw some Roseville in my local vintage mall way over priced and I think it was a reproduction also (not completely sure but the mark looked like the reproduction piece I bought before learning more). It seems awful that someone would put a price on it like that. I would think this one booth would know since she specializes in pottery in her booth. Enough of my rant. Back to glad you are home.
hugs,
Linda
Don’t you want to pull the seller aside and say “This is a Reproduction! You can’t price it that high!’ or whatever suits the situation? When I see repros on eBay that aren’t marked as such, I want to send a message to the seller but I stop myself!
I do want to tell them!! It just seems unfair to someone who might not know and buy it at such a high price and I also think it should be marked reproduction. Most of my pottery I buy on Ebay like you. It’s the best prices for sure.
Absolutely!
So glad you and Don had a wonderful time in Florida and you had a safe return!
hugs
Thank you, Nancy!
Welcome home!
I’m glad you were able to have a real vacation.
Family, fun and relaxation.
You both needed that for sure.
But…there’s no place like home.
Have a lazy Sunday.
xo Monica
Thank you, Monica!
Welcome home! I’m a little enthralled with that Florida pottery…the piece on the bottom right, reminds me of the painting The Starry Night. It’s looks so interesting! Enjoy your day! ;)
It is, I’m absolutely sure, based on that painting – which is a favorite of mine. I wanted to buy it so much! Thanks, Donna!
Claudia – So glad you had a wonderful get a way with your sister and family. Am also glad you are safely home. That restful time will be so good for you.
Welcome home.
Judy
Thank you, Judy. We needed it far more than we realized!
It was great to hear and see through your photos what a wonderful time you and Don had in Florida with your Family; especially little Z! He is the most beautiful little boy and so enjoy following him on Meredith’s blog….
Glad that you are home safe…..
Debbi
Thank you, Debbi!
Good for you both, the time away and to such a nice location and family included! Glad you and Don did a bit of “old school” Florida too, low key, but still enjoyable. Sadly not much of “old” Florida left to enjoy but worth finding when you can.
I once made the mistake of mentioning to a store owner the price he quoted for three cloth tape measures was too much for which he very quickly and very rudely told me “they are just too much for you!” I will never darken his door again to be sure, but it really irks me when things are not priced and any interest results in some insane quote. Wrong or right, it just feels to me that when a shop owner can’t be bothered to price their items, they really don’t want to sell.
Getting away is wonderful and yet, it always feels so very good to be back “home”. Welcome back!
It is very good to be back home, but we’re missing our family! It was a lovely vacation.
I’m so glad you and Don had such a great vacation and made it safely back home. Somehow home seems even sweeter after a few days away doesn’t it?
We had a little rain this morning but it’s a perfect Florida day now.
Enjoy your day down in Florida, Janie.
So glad you both had a great time but it is true “There’s no place like home!”
Indeed! Thanks, Sue!
I would have stopped at ‘The Orange Stop’ too. I can just imagine standing in a Springtime orange grove surrounded by the scent of those blossoms – heaven. Another of Florida’s legendary roadside attractions. Apparently there have been a wide variety – my parents told us about a lot of them over the years [they drove to Florida and back on their honeymoon in 1955]. And I guess that was right in the middle of the touristy roadside attractions heyday – highways were being built everywhere and Americans were using them. Actually “The Orange Stop’ looks a good bit nicer than some of my parents’ stories. Mom’s favorite was when Dad wanted to stop at a reptile farm to look around. !!! – a reptile farm – !!! She was 1000% petrified of snakes but didn’t want to disappoint her brand new husband. Funny story. Glad you’re home safe – and well-rested too I hope.
I avoid the places that say “Baby Alligators!’ First of all, stop breeding them to sell to people. That’s cruel. And the whole thing is tacky. There are a lot of places like that. The Orange Stop has been around for years and it’s one of the few non-chain, family owned shops like this left in Northern Florida.
I so glad to know you are safe at home again…looking forward to hearing more about your vacation!
Thanks, Nancy!
Come back!!!!!
Love you,
M
I LOVE YOU! I miss you so much, sister of mine!
Glad that you made it home safe and sound, and that you had a wonderful time with your family.
Thank you, Jan.
Claudia, I thought about you driving home. So happy you are in your beloved cottage and safe. Little Z is a charmer, isn’t he? I could see how he , Don, and you were connecting. So glad you had that time together. Blessings sweet girl, for a wonderful spring. xoxo,Susie
Thank you so much, Susie!
Glad you arrived home safely. Sounds like it was a great vacation. I’m sure Little Z is missing you both. Hope your week is a quiet one as you get back to daily life.
He’s missing us. We’re really missing him! Thanks, Chris.
Glad you are safely back at the cottage and so very glad you had such a good time. Always sad to say good bye to loved ones, but I just start thinking of my next trip. I like to visit Tarpon Springs, too. I will definitely be looking for that pottery on my next trip. Welcome home!!!
Thank you, Dottie!
Aw, that sounds wonderful. Welcome home.
Thank you, Jo(e)!
Your photo of the road reminds me of driving up Pikes Peak a couple of years ago where clear sky turned to fog and then rain, and rain turned into sleet and then sleet turned into snow … it got dark so fast, and I was literally shaking from head to toe because I had to do all those hairpin turns to get to the top. I wanted to collapse by the time we were safe. Glad you had such a great time and are back to home sweet home. Happy Spring!