Friday Foto Friends...So Much To Love

 Here it is Friday evening...we've just had some really NICE long rain showers, and our Still Waters Pond is still "dry", but I think that big old sponge is getting filled up and it won't be too much longer before it starts overflowing!

All that area from the two pine trees and all the way across all that bright green on the other side should be under water!  I believe the bright green on the far side is actually lower and wetter, hence why it is so green. All the dark area is just plain old dried up muck, and little by little it is soaking up the rain and eventually it has to start showing puddles on the top and eventually it should fill up all the way to the pine trees. It's still a long way off, but with every day of rain that we get, the closer we get to it filling up.  One day at a time!! We are thankful for every drop of rain that falls!!

So today we did something extra special. Our son drove us in his pick up truck down to visit the home of our friends Woody and Maura, who both recently passed away and whose Celebration of Life I attended last week.  Their granddaughter and her young adult son are now living in their home, and she is in the process of going through things and determining what to keep and what to give away. The reason we went is because she wanted to donate their clothes to our church's thrift store and/or our quilting group, for their yard sale that is coming up soon. The proceeds from the yard sale go to purchase more fabric and materials to create all the wonderful lap quilts and bags that our ladies sew and donate to the Ronald McDonald House in Gainesville.  They are amazing as to how many lap quilts they make each year. Just yesterday they took 108 quilts over there, and that's the 2nd or 3rd time they've done that already this year!

 Here's a picture of them when they took 116 quilts, 285 tote bags, and 19 crochet' blankets back in March!

These ladies really rock!!!

So anyway, we filled up the back of our son's pick up truck with so many big garbage bags full of clothes, you would not believe how many...and I forgot to take a picture of it all! Here's the closest to a picture of it I got...that's his truck in the driveway of our friends' home, and by the time we were through gathering the bags, the back of that truck bed was full all the way to the rim and packed solid! It was a LOT of beautiful clothes (my friend Maura always dressed like a lovely queen!), and we still left some behind because we ran out of space.

While we were there we took some other pictures outside their lovely home, which overlooks the marshy canals leading out to Big Lake Kerr. Our friend Woody built their home on an island many years ago, and had to literally build a causeway to drive out to the house. He was an engineer/builder, so he knew what he was doing.

The Sand Hill Cranes are right at home there under the old live oak trees and swaying spanish moss...

Looking out toward the lake...

There's those cranes again...They think they own the island...

The canal leads out to the lake.  Even though it has been such a dry year, they are now starting to get more water in the canal and around their island.  It is truly an idyllic place to live...

We had a nice visit with their granddaughter, and we plan to stay in touch with her. Her life as certainly been turned upside down through all of this, and she definitely needs our prayers.  But she is a solid and good Christian young woman, and I know God has some wonderful plans for her.

While we were there she asked me if I would like to have one of Maura's teapots from her collection. Of course you know what I said...

 This is the one I chose, and I have placed it in the middle between two other things that Maura had already given me before. The little cream pitcher you have already seen. I had forgotten to show the beautiful china cannister on the left before. (I keep tea bags in it).

And then I remembered something else she gave me some time ago...these delightful little pink and white tea cups and saucers!  It looks like they all belong together, doesn't it?

I chose this teapot because I loved the style and somehow I knew that would be the one that Maura would want me to have. She and I thought a lot alike on many things, and we both appreciated beautiful old china and especially teapots.  I did not look to see what markings were on the bottom of the teapot until I got home, and this is what it says...

Here is a link to what I discovered about this particular "mark"on the china:  "Jean Pouyat Limoges stands as a beacon of French porcelain excellence, blending centuries-old traditions with innovative craftsmanship that has captivated collectors and enthusiasts worldwide. Originating from the heart of Limoges, France—a region synonymous with superior porcelain production—this brand encapsulates the elegance of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Known for its hand-painted designs, luxurious gold accents, and timeless aesthetic appeal, Jean Pouyat pieces have adorned dining tables, display cabinets, and prestigious collections across the globe."

It would appear that this teapot is indeed very special in many ways...but to me, it is special because it belonged to my dear friend Maura, and I will treasure it in her memory always.

After we delivered the bags of clothing to our church, we took Benton out to lunch at the local Hog Wild Burger & Shakes restaurant and we all had a great hamburger and then we headed home before the rains started! Thankfully God held off the rains until we got the clothes delivered and we were safely home. Praise God!  

These little rosebuds were blooming in the yard, and I brought them inside to enjoy...

Thankfully, since we've been finally getting some more regular rains, the roses are blooming again!

Here's a Psalm of Praise to Our God...

Psalm 63:1-8 NKJV

Joy in the Fellowship of God

A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

"1 O God, You are my God;

Early will I seek You;

My soul thirsts for You;

My flesh longs for You

In a dry and thirsty land

Where there is no water.

2 So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,

To see Your power and Your glory.

3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,

My lips shall praise You.

4 Thus I will bless You while I live;

I will lift up my hands in Your name.

5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness,

And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips

6 

6 When I remember You on my bed,

I meditate on You in the night watches.

7 Because You have been my help,

Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.

8 My soul follows close behind You;

Your right hand upholds me."

Tonight I am filled with gratitude to God for His mercy and lovingkindness, and also for the sweet friendships He has blessed us with throughout the years. I am thankful that the kindness of our friends and their granddaughter will continue on through the gift of the clothes that will, I'm  quite certain, bring in some much needed money to support the ministry of our quilting group to the children and families at the Ronald McDonald House.  So, in essence, Woody and Maura's legacy continues. It may not seem like a big thing, but when you see how God uses those funds to create blankets and items to encourage and bless those who are going through such difficult times in their lives....well, it truly is a blessing, and I know my friends would be pleased to know that something like their clothes could become a blessing to others...and to those who actually buy the clothes at a price they can afford as well! That is another gift that goes on giving.  I am happy that we had a small part in that blessing by being the delivery people today. It's all a part of the chain of God's grace and love extended to others. What a blessing indeed!! 

Good night my friends.  It was a good good day. 

Recent posts regarding the passing of our dear friends:

https://pamelasopenwindow.blogspot.com/2026/06/thursday-thankfulnessthe-blessing-of.html

https://pamelasopenwindow.blogspot.com/2026/06/happy-sundayflag-day-and-beyondon.html

https://pamelasopenwindow.blogspot.com/2026/04/easter-saturdaywhile-we-wait.html

Tuesday 4: OUR Town Updated June 2026

June 18, 2026, I wrote a new post for this week's Tuesday 4 on June 15, but then I discovered this old one and decided to update it because it already has pictures and lots of information.  So here is the UPDATED VERSION of OUR TOWN. And HERE is the new post I wrote on June 15, 2026, but THIS one has more of the pictures of the updates.  You could consider this to be Part Two of the post written earlier this week.

 Your Town Originally posted 4/11/2023 and now with updates:

Welcome to Tuesday 4 begun by Toni Taddeo and continued in her honor.

Let's talk about your town this week!

1. Do you like your town? Is it a city, town ? Can you describe it for us?

First, let me share a couple of links with you that will give you the history and other information about our little town. If you click on these links, you will see everything you need to see and then some.
Town of Interlachen  ,  https://www.florida-backroads-travel.com/interlachen-florida.html

And after you have looked at those sites, I will show you a few of my own pictures from around town.

But to answer your  questions: 

• Yes, I do like our town. It is a small town, but big enough to cover our basic needs like a decent grocery store, doctor, wonderful church,  2 Dollar Generals, gas stations, mechanic, schools for those who still have children in school, and beautiful little lakes interspersed in and all around us; Hence, the name: Interlachen, which literally means between the lakes.

2. Are there any special points of interest in your town?

I personally like the little old historical part of our town where it originated back in the mid 1800's.  However, there really aren't any businesses in that part of town anymore...just the city hall and a park and the museum and some old buildings, oh, and of course our church, Interlachen Methodist, and the old Congregational Church I do wish more had been done to preserve and revitalize  the old downtown area, but "progress"  for our town developed out along the highway, as is the case in many small towns across our country...and the original downtown gets bypassed and forgotten.

Here are a few pictures from around our historical downtown area:

2023

2026

This little park/caboose is where the original train depot used to be.

This building below used to be a hotel back in the highlight days of our little town, before the "Big Freeze" in the 1890's that wiped out the citrus industry in this north/central part of the state. Here is a quote from the town website:

"The Town of Interlachen was settled in the late 1870’s when the building of a railroad opened the area. It developed as both a citrus growing center and a winter resort. When severe freezes in the 1890’s made it apparent that commercial citrus production was not economically viable, the town evolved into a retirement haven and later a bedroom community for Gainesville and Palatka."

This is what I wrote in 2023: "This building below used to be a general store and post office. Sadly, it has fallen into decay and it is very sad to me that it was not preserved.  More recently, since this picture was taken, there were tenants living in this building and sadly it caught fire in the upper story and is now condemned and waiting to be demolished I assume.  There is yellow tape around the building and it has been condemned. That makes me very sad."

This picture below is a replica of that building in its glory days, and this can be seen in the town museum:

The woman who runs the museum and the historical society literally made this replica, and it is very detailed and interesting. You can see more close-up pictures of this "doll house" and other items found in the museum and around town in this previous post: https://pamelasopenwindow.blogspot.com/2018/07/walking-down-memory-lane.html

Now, in 2026, that building has been somewhat restored and painted in the past year or so. Here is the most recent picture of how it looks today:

I just noticed that it has been painted almost the same colors as the model replica above! That's pretty cool!

"Brush Store" 2026

There still doesn't seem to be any new activity in this building since it's been painted, so time will tell what develops.

The museum used to be housed in this building, "Interlachen Hall", which is one building they did manage to preserve.  

Interlachen Hall and Museum in 2023

UPDATE: The museum has been moved out of this building and now the Town Hall has moved into this building recently.  

Interlachen Town Hall as of 2026

The museum moved to the old Lincoln School house building, and they are hoping to restore it eventually.

HERE is a link to when we were able to visit this old schoolhouse inside.  There are also pictures on that link of items that are in the museum, which I am assuming are now stored in this building since they moved out of the Town Hall building.

Here are a few of the old homes in the historical area:

(2023: I believe this one is actually for sale, if you are interested)  Update: No, it is sold now! 

Added in 2026: This house was recently up for sale for 149,900.   I just saw where it has sold for $125,000.  They will have a lot of work to do, but I hope they will restore it to its former glory!

Maybe these old doors will be open to visitors some day!

It would be nice to sit and swing on this porch swing!

And of course, you've seen lots of pictures of our church before. This little church is the main reason we ended up moving here in the first place...that, and the fact that our son and his wife live here too...

2026, One big change is this church is no longer affiliated with the United Methodist Church. We are now a part of the new Global Methodist Church, which is very conservative and is more in keeping with the original old Methodist church that John Wesley founded.

I should note that our town also has several other wonderful churches. There's just about one of every kind! Baptist, Congregational, Episcopal, Catholic, Independent, Assembly of God, and several more. So whatever your preferred religious tradition, you pretty much can find it here.

3.Does your town have parks, restaurants?   2026: So Many Changes!!!

Restaurants are few...We have this fairly new restaurant, "True Grits", (with a John Wayne theme), and we often go here after church with church friends and family for a late breakfast/early lunch.    (See below...we don't go here as often now as we once did).

UPDATE 2026:  This "True Grits" Restaurant building has seen some changes over the past couple of years. The "Hog Wild Country Cafe" building below this one had a fire in the kitchen, and so they moved out and bought THIS building and it became "Hog Wild Country Cafe".  However, within just the past week they sold the building to another restaurant that will be coming soon...not sure of the name yet, and Hog Wild moved to their other location called "Hog Wild Burgers and Shakes"...and they have expanded that menu to have the BBQ and some other specialties they had before in the OLD building. Confused?? Yeah, you should live here!!

Probably our more favorite place USED TO BE this "Hog Wild Country Cafe" building below,

 (SEE UPDATE ABOVE) , but since they had a fire in the kitchen they sold it and now this building is currently under renovation and will soon be opening up as the Backwoods Country Kitchen, and it's supposed to serve Pizza and other sandwhiches and dinners. Not sure yet if they will serve breakfast.

(This is what I wrote back in 2023:)  We were happy to find the fireplace warming up the restaurant a couple of weeks ago when we had a raw, wet, chilly day:

This is the interior, which, as you can see, has lots of interesting stuff to see as well as good food.

It is also where I got to enjoy this sweet kitty on my lap on the front porch while we waited for them to open the doors at 11:00 a.m.:   (in 2023)

NOW, 2026:  The new restaurant that has bought this building is doing some renovations, but we hope it will still have this same old country vibe as before. Time will tell. It's supposed to open sometime this summer.

This is the current building for Hog Wild Burgers and Shakes and more!!! (as of June, 2026)

It is rather small, but they have some plans for expansion in the future.

Oh, there is another restaurant in town, "Nanna's Country Cafe", and we go there occasionally for breakfast or lunch.

Some of the decor in Nanna's  Country Cafe'

It's a small home-town country diner kind of place. The food is good.

And we do have a McDonalds, Domino's Pizza, and a Chinese Take out place.

Update: and we now have a Taco Bell and a Dunkin Donuts as well, a Next Door Subs, as well as a Subway.

Back in 2023: And thanks to our son and daughter in love, our town now has Dixie Cottage! UPDATE: They sold this business in 2024, and the new owners moved the business to a nearby town, so this business is no longer here as of now. (2026).  Currently this store building is empty, but something is supposed to be coming, I just don't know what yet!

Okay, back to the town...We have good schools, K-12.

This is the high school:

And the middle school: (which in 2026 is no longer being used as such. They moved the middle school students into the same building with the high school, and I'm not sure what's going on in this building!)

And I don't have a picture of the elementary school, but it is a nice modern school too.

However, Interlachen does have a lot of poor families scattered throughout out community.  Our county is one of the poorest in the state.  Our church is active in supporting local ministries in the community, like this Soup Kitchen, which feeds the hungry Mon.-Fri. at noon:

And there are several food banks and thrift stores. Our church has a thrift store and we often just give clothing and items away to those who are truly in need of them.

We also provide coats for children in the fall, and school supplies to the elementary school children as well as Christmas gifts for every child in the elementary school. It is a  wonderful ministry provided through the generous giving and love by our very small church of loving people.

Yes, we do have some nice parks for the children to play in as well...

And maybe even for the BIG KIDS to play in:

4. Do you think your town needs changes to make it better and if so what changes would you make?

Well, every town needs improvements I am sure. Ours could use some better roads for one thing. We still have many dirt roads throughout our community, and a lot of very run down old mobile homes that are abandoned out in the less developed areas.  I wish something could be done to remove a lot of them that are uninhabitable.  I also wish our historical section could be preserved better and some interesting shops be opened that would attract more visitors and shoppers to our community. 

Other than that, I really don't want it to grow too much more or it will lose that small town feel that I love.

Okay, now, let's go visit our other bloggers over at Tuesday 4 and learn more about their towns!  Thank you, Annie, for continuing this tradition!!

2026 Note: In looking back at some of the original comments on this blog post, I see many were in 2021. So apparently I originally started this post in 2021, updated it in 2023, and now again in 2026. I wanted to keep it going primarily for my own information and to look back and see the changes and/or progress being made in "Our Town" throughout the years.  I hope you enjoyed this additional tour.  It will be fun to keep updating this as the years go by.   And once again, in case you missed it, the "Part One" of this post for this week is HERE. https://pamelasopenwindow.blogspot.com/2026/06/tuesday-4our-town.html  Thank you for hanging in there with me.