“The weather outside is frightful,

And the fire is so delightful, 

And since we’ve no place to go,

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.”

Well part of that lyric does not apply to us here “Around the Banks of the Suwannee”, as it rarely snows here, but during this time of winter, when it can be rainy and freezing one day and temperate with the sun shining the next, as we are in Florida there are still a lot of things to do and to enjoy here in our beloved homeland.

If you love the great outdoors, the many state parks in our area provide great walking and hiking trails: Suwannee River State Park near Ellaville on the Suwannee River, Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, White Springs, and Big Shoals State Park, White Springs, as well as many tracts of land owned by the Suwannee River Water Management District offer marvelous and scenic trails for walking, and, believe it or not, now is  a good time to go. You won’t be eaten alive by insects, and you won’t be washed down in sweat after a few steps. Get out and enjoy the gift that is God’s natural world and revel in what the Lord has provided for us. Put on that Fit Bit and get in your 10,000 steps a day. If you want to walk solo, download some great music, put your plugs in your ears and listen to everything from “The Beatles” to “Adele” to “Beyoncé” as you put some “pep in your step”.

If you have a camper, go out to Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park, rent a space, build a bonfire and let the stories and music begin to spill forth around your campfire. Take good friends, family members, make a pot of chili, have a “weenie roast”. It is a “weenie” roast if you are from North Florida. Roast some marshmallows and share entertaining stories, family stories, play the guitar, sing. There is nothing more hypnotic nor as wonderful and conducive to a family gathering or a gathering of friends than a campfire. This past weekend, my cousin and I visited with dear friends near Live Oak, there was a beautiful fire, there were fresh fish caught that day from the Suwannee River and fried, there were hush puppies and locally made cane syrup, grits and cole slaw, and the cool evening, the laughter, the food, just spoke to a place in my heart that reverberated “Beloved Homeland”. One of the many reasons I love where I live.

Utilize your public libraries. We have a marvelous library system in our Suwannee River Regional Library system. Betty Lawrence, our library director, works hard, along with her able staff members to meet the needs of our community. Want to take a trip and not spend a lot of money? You can do it, by checking out great books from our public library. The library also has marvelous audio books, and one can go to any of the public libraries and enjoy using the computers for research, for fun. Check on the many entertaining programs provided by the library in your community. Our regional libraries are true jewels here in our home “Around the Banks of the Suwannee”.

I could name a lot of things that will bring a smile to your face here “Around the Banks of the Suwannee” and none of them cost a lot of money.  Take your children in Live Oak to the wonderful play area near the historic P.C. Crapps home on Helvenston Street. Walk through the marvelous gardens there and “drink in” the beauty of many varieties of camellias. 

Enjoy the recreational facility and walking track at the great recreational facility on Walker Avenue close to the Suwannee Middle School built by First Federal Bank of Florida. In Jasper, the wellness trail on South Central Avenue down the old railroad bed is a fantastic place to ride bicycles or walk.

So much to do, so much to enjoy. Make yourself a pot of marvelous coffee, or some great hot cocoa, make a pot of homemade chili or soup, some great grilled cheese or homemade pimento cheese sandwiches, or peanut butter and jelly, and sit around a campfire and talk and laugh, curl up on your couch with a great book or watch a fantastic movie and enjoy this special season here “Way down upon the Suwannee River”.

From the Eight Mile Still on the Woodpecker Route  north of White Springs, wishing you a day filled with joy, peace, and, above all, lots of love and  laughter.