Ormond Beach

Hi All,

We drove to Ormond Beach today primarily to walk the beach and look at birds. We hike two miles along the beach and spotted 12 different species.

We also discovered some automotive history. The hard packed sand beach here was the site of the first beach races and land speed record competitions.

The first race was March 28, 1903 when the winner covered one mile at 48 MPH.

The racing caught on and soon the first race garage was built (this is a replica).

On January 26, 1906, F E Stanley (think Stanley Steamer) set a new land speed record of 127.7 MPH with his Stanley Racer. Amazingly, the record stood for four years!

We found more history at the Casements, winter home of John D. Rockefeller Sr. from 1918 until his death here in 1937.

The home overlooks the Halifax River.

The elaborate North Portico is now the Visitor entrance.

Mr. Rockefeller 's desk overlooks the river.

The Rockefellers were famous for elaborate Christmas decorations. That tradition continues to this day.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

www.livingourdream2011.blogspot.com

617-435-8502

Deland House

Hi All,

Tonight the West Volusia Historical Society had an open house at the home of community founder Henry Deland.

Henry greeted us at the door.

Of course Mr. Deland had been dead for many years. This is Lynn Purvis who also works at the Settlement.

The house is full of wonderful period furniture 

Long before the iPhone people used these.

We just got this Thanksgiving photo from the kids.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

www.livingourdream2011.blogspot.com

617-435-8502

Catching Up

Hi All,

We started Saturday attending a huge car show at Daytona Speedway. Thousands of cars and a flea market that went on forever. Not surprisingly, most of the cars were US hot rods and muscle cars. Carl did find this neat 1966 Morris Minor

But, of course it had gotten the full American hot rod treatment!

Later we drove to St Augustine to meet up with Sandy & Don and Clair & Paul, dear friends from Hooksett, NH who were driving home after a Caribbean cruise. We showed them Flagler College

and the Lightner Museum.

We tried to got to Pizza Time, the great pizza place in St Augustine but there were about 50 people lined up outside!!

Back in Barberville we prepared to greet hundreds of school kids coming for our Christmas program. Guess who plays Santa?

It is easier to guess when you see Mrs. Clause as well. It was great fun hearing what the kids wanted for Christmas.

Only about 2,000 kids to go😃

Love,

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

www.livingourdream2011.blogspot.com

617-435-8502

First Graders & Fires

Hi All,

Yesterday's field trip was Pioneer demonstrations so we are dressed as pioneers. Carl was the farmer and Sandy was at the log cabin making butter.

The school brought all 220 of their first graders so we had large groups.

In the evening we attended the meeting of the West Volusia Historical Society. The topic was the great Deland fire of 1886 that destroyed 28 buildings, pretty much the whole downtown area. Part of the presentation was a skit depicting events just after the fire. It was fun and informative. The local fire department talked about the history of the department and brought this restored 1942 apparatus.

Definitely not a stuffy historical society meeting.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

www.livingourdream2011.blogspot.com

617-435-8502

A Busy Friday

Hi All,

We worked a Pioneer program in the morning. Sandy demonstrated butter making and Carl helped with the Farm demonstration. The kids get really excited about feeding the animals.

This is Petee, our 33 year old mule.

The goats wait in great anticipation.

One of the classic structures at the Settlement is the Underhill House built in 1879. It is the oldest brick building in Volusia County.

In the afternoon we drove to Deland. We shopped along the Main Street then checked out the booths at the Friday night artisan market. We also found a neat taco stand for supper.

We completed our busy Friday at Temple Israel, where we enjoyed a warm welcome and nice services. As we introduced ourselves one of the congregants spotted Sandy's accent. She grew up in Mattapan!!!

Love,

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

www.livingourdream2011.blogspot.com

617-435-8502

Jamboree and Seminoles

Hi All,

Last weekend was a busy time as thousands of visitors came to the Barberville Jamboree for the six music stages as well as vendor booths.

We didn't get to see much of the action since we were busy working. Sandy worked the silent auction, the dessert booth and the Country Store. Carl spent the whole weekend in the kitchen helping to feed all the visitors. This was his view for much of the weekend!

Once we recovered from the weekend the school groups began again. In addition to the Pioneer programs, we also do a Seminole program including weaving, cooking, pottery, and legends. Here are two of the Seminole demonstrators.

Across the street is a place that sells ceramic, wood and bronze animals of all sizes. Sandy barely escaped the attack of this T-Rex.

Our normal work schedule will be four hours a day for five days a week since the school kids come in the mornings. We are OK with that though it will limit our ability to travel around the state to see other sights.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

www.livingourdream2011.blogspot.com

617-435-8502

Barberville Pioneer Settlement

Hi All,

We are settled into the Settlement. For the past two days we have observed the various demonstrations and begun learning the programs.

Making Butter

Blacksmith Shop

Woodworking shop

Spinning

Weaving

Candle Making

Farming. Here the kids line up to get food for the animals.

This weekend the Jamboree will feature about 75 performers over two days.

To paraphrase Annie, "We think we're gonna like it here"😊😊😊.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

www.livingourdream2011.blogspot.com

617-435-8502

Florida at Last

Hi All,

We are in Florida with one more travel day to Barberville Pioneer Settlement.

We are camped at Three Rivers State Park with this beautiful view of the Lake Seminole sunset from our site.

Today is also National Cat Day. Here Ginger is celebrating by doing what she does best!

Love,

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

www.livingourdream2011.blogspot.com

617-435-8502

Keller and Rosenbaum Houses

Hi All,
While our coach was being worked on we visited two interesting houses with fascinating stories.

In Tuscumbia, AL we visited the birthplace of Helen Keller. If the name does not sound familiar, rent or stream "The Miracle Worker" to learn about this extraordinary woman who learned to communicate though blind and deaf, graduated from Radcliffe (cum laude no less) and went on to be an author and political activist.

The family home built by her grandfather in 1820.

Helen lost her sight and hearing at age 19 months, probably from scarlet fever. At age six, the family hired a recent graduate of Perkins School for the Blind in Boston. Anne Sullivan moved to Alabama and became Helen's teacher. This is the bedroom that Anne and Helen shared.

Helen age 8 with Anne.

Anne was so successful teaching Helen to communicate that Helen  got accepted to Radcliffe. 

Imagine Anne attending all of Helen's lectures with her to sign into her hand then reading almost all of the assignments and signing all of the text into Helen's hand. Very few Braille texts existed in the early 1900's. Here is Helen's graduation picture.

This image reflects how Braille takes a lot of space. Helen is reading a book from her bible. The rest of her bible is stacked behind her!

About six miles from the Keller home is the home of the Rosenbaum family. Mr. Rosenbaum was an English professor at Northern Alabama University. In 1940 he commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to design and build a home on a bluff overlooking the Tennessee River.

The house has a fascinating organic design with rich woods, clerestory windows and miles of book shelves. No interior photos are allowed. This is a photo of a photo from the Visitor Center. Wright designed the furniture as well.

Mr. Rosenbaum died in the 60's, the four sons moved away and the City of Florence, AL restored the house to a museum on the passing of Mrs. Rosenbaum in 1998.

In the Visitor Center we learned a lot about Frank Lloyd Wright, his life and the evolution of his architectural concepts.

Back in Red Bay most but not all of the repairs were done. Hopefully, we will be finished tomorrow.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

www.livingourdream2011.blogspot.com

617-435-8502

Nashville Part 2

Hi All,

Friday morning we toured the Belle Meade Plantation, one of the premiere producers of thoroughbred race horses in the country at the end of the 19th century.

They had large cow herds as well and sold dairy products throughout the region.

Prior to the Civil War the plantation had 136 slaves living in buildings like this.

After the Plantation and some afternoon retail therapy we attended the Grand Ole Opry. Here's the huge theatre filling up. A great show and we have since downloaded albums from two of the acts.

Saturday we were back downtown at another bar on Broadway. Two hours of one band

then another hour with another group. 

Back at the campground the turkeys came to visit. Every time the little boy reached out to wave to the turkeys, they ran to him expecting to be fed!

Sunday we drove to Red Bay where will hopefully get all our needed repairs done in a week.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

www.livingourdream2011.blogspot.com

617-435-8502