Busy time so far in Wauchula, FL 2017

     We have been staying busy since we got here.  Lots of dinners and happy hours with "RV family/friends.  So nice to meet up again. 

     Christmas dinner at the clubhouse was nice.  Park furnished turkey, ham and gravy.  Everyone brought a dish to share.

We hit the local Mexican restaurant (hole in the wall joint) for some delicious burritos.  Have had dinner at Brian and Phyllis's.  Dinner at our place, happy hours at everyone's rigs.  Christmas dinner was at Lloyd and Cheryl Nickel's place. Friends Betty and Dale drove down from Orlando, sure good to see them.  Dale had just had surgery on his foot.

Happy hour coming up here Saturday, should be about 14 or more.  Then New Years dinner is at Lloyd and Cheryl's again.

     Len has been out with his kayak and Lloyd has joined him both times.  Lucky to have seen gators each time too.

     Today we went too Herrmann's Lipizzan Stallion Ranch.  Have done this in the past and it was such a great time we wanted to do it again with Brian and Phyllis.  Some beautiful horses.

  

Founded in the 16th century for the exclusive use of the Hapsburg Royal family of Austria, the Royal Lipizzans are unquestionably the rarest, most aristocratic breed of horses in the world. The pride of the Hapsburg Empire, the Lipizzan breed was first established by Archduke Charles at Lipizza (now part of Yugoslavia).

Only a few hundred have ever existed at any one time. Indeed, it is a contemporary miracle of sorts that this precious bloodline is not extinct, having barely been saved by General George Patton from the Russian advance during World War II. The Lipizzans' celebrated escape was recounted in the Walt Disney movie, "Miracle of the White Stallions".

Assisting Patton in the clandestine mission to rescue the regal Lipizzans, Colonel Herrmann and his father, Colonel Ottomar Herrmann, Sr., smuggled the horses out from far behind enemy lines, riding at night and hiding by day. "We moved out into the night with nothing," recalled Herrmann, "only a handful of horses". The Lipizzans' they saved under the protection granted by Patton, were "more precious than jewels", he declared.


     Stopped at Pioneer Restaurant on the way home and had a good meal.  I got liver-n-onions fix, very good.  Len had a chicken fried steak, Phyllis had shrimp and Brian had fried chicken and the rest of my liver.  Menu looked liked a good breakfast could be found there also.

     Tomorrow we are going strawberry picking with Brian and Phyllis, the local strawberries have been really good here right now.   Then we need to hit the grocery store so I can get what I need for happy hour Saturday.  They are saying the citrus crop really took a hit with the hurricane so you can expect high prices.  They are picking oranges at this time but they look like big limes on the trucks that are hauling them.

     Leaving here on the 3rd and headed to Orlando. Leaving Brian and Phyl here, Lloyd and Cheryl are moving that day also, and Dale and Betty are there already, more RV friends will be arriving while we are there.

    Have learned a new card game which we both have enjoyed, have played a couple of times and hope to get some more play in.

     Will be back when there is more to write about.