Exploring The Rainbow River

The Rainbow River is a gently winding river that is 5.7 miles long and merges with the Withlacoochee River at Dunnellon, Florida. The headwaters, Rainbow Springs, is the anchor for Rainbow Springs State Park. This first-magnitude spring is not one large vent but is numerous vents that issue 400 - 600 million gallons of crystalline water every day.

Losing tents due to torrential downpours during two summer camping trips in a row will absolutely not keep us away from one of the most scenic rivers in North Florida. The clear blue waters are just as picturesque beneath the surface as above them and around each bend shows off native plants that most likely have existed since before motorized boats polluted, I mean traversed this river.

Every season in Florida produces some delicious edible species of plants and throughout The Rainbow River State Park Campground one could easily survive on plants alone. From the seasonal mulberries and Japanese plums to beauty berries and smilax sprouting all year, a Florida forager’s dreams are what this campground is made of … and don’t even get me started on all the mushrooms that can be found along this river bank.

Rainbow Springs and the Rainbow River became popular in the late 1880s when hard rock phosphate was discovered in the area. A small community called Juliette flourished near the springs during this "boomtown" era. In the 1930s the spring was developed as a tourist attraction.[4] Sea walls, a lodge, gift shop, the waterfalls, and a reptile exhibit were developed. Under new ownership, the real heyday for the attraction occurred in the 1960s. During that time activity greatly increased with glass-bottomed boat rides, riverboat rides, log raft rides, a gift shop and cafe, an aviary, a leaf-shaped gondola/monorail system, a horse rodeo, and submarine boat tours. Not faring well when traffic began using I-75 instead of U.S. Highway 41, with many tourists heading to a new attraction called Walt Disney World, the attraction closed in 1974.

The Rainbow River was designated as a Registered Natural Landmark in 1972, an Aquatic Preserve in 1986, and an "Outstanding Florida Waterway" in 1987 because of its outstanding beauty and aesthetics.[6] The state purchased the original area that was the Rainbow Springs attraction in 1990. Volunteers cleared the overgrown park and opened the park on weekends to the public. The Florida Park Service officially opened Rainbow Springs State Park on a full-time basis on March 9, 1995.

Rainbow River - Wikipedia

A Mother's Love

“A mother is always the beginning. She is how things begin.”
— Amy Tan

Leaving this historical house to her daughter upon her death is only where the story begins, as Alanna visits this home with her first son, as new memories are created here, this mother’s story will live on. Nestled in a quiet forest, this house from the 1800s holds so many tales with so many more to come.

Spring is Here!

which has us marveling at the seedlings popping up all around

every change of season brings a sense of renewal to our homestead and no matter how many seasons we witness on our land, we are always in awe of the natural beauty that surrounds us


If you have not had the chance to walk around, barefoot in the sun, in your yard, let this be your reminder, every day has something new to show as Spring quite literally springs forth.

Bongoland Ruins

Dinosaurs This Way >>>

Strange beasts lurking in a garden are all that remain of a quirky, short-lived theme park.

The concrete dinosaurs managed to defy nature and have withstood the test of time. Today they’re embedded in what has become a peaceful garden flush with several plant collections including magnolias, succulents, and ferns in a small grotto.

WHILE STROLLING THROUGH THE DUNLAWTON SUGAR Mill Gardens, don’t be surprised to see a prehistoric sloth peeking through the trees or a wonky T-Rex baring its teeth. They’re among the few survivors of Bongoland, a strange, short-lived theme park.

Even before Bongoland, this plot of land had an intriguing history. Patrick Dean, an immigrant from the Bahamas, purchased a 995-acre piece of land in 1804 to grow cotton, rice, and sugarcane. After his violent death during the First Seminole War in 1818, the plantation passed through several hands and the land was divided into smaller portions.

In the 1940s, some of the land was leased to Dr. Perry Sperber, who worked as the first dermatologist in Daytona Beach and had a keen interest in dinosaurs—he even published the book Sex and the Dinosaur, which described how modern animals could be related to the prehistoric reptiles. Sperber wanted to revive the place and turn it into a theme park, so he enlisted Manny Lawrence to create huge dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals.

Lawrence crafted life-sized beasts out of chicken wire and concrete, which towered over the few tourists who trickled through. The park also included a recreated Seminole village, the historic sugar mill ruins, and live animals, including its namesake baboon. A miniature train whisked visitors by the attractions.

But as it turns out, this strange mishmash of exhibits wasn’t enough to draw in a crowd. In 1952, just five years after it opened, Bongoland closed. The concrete dinosaurs managed to defy nature and have withstood the test of time.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bongoland-ruins