The Empty Basket Series - Stephen King AQ #299692

When I am in Florida, I am constantly amazed and intrigued by all of the nature areas and every time I pass a sign, I feel the need to stop and explore a bit. Among the many types of nature areas are Florida birding trails, WMAs (Wildlife Management Areas), Conservation Areas, boat ramps that are actually little parks, Wilderness areas, state parks and state forests. So, when I have the opportunity, I stop and investigate a little although I have to admit to being just a bit intimidated by the thoughts of running into wild pigs, bears and snakes if I venture too far into the wilds. So, I just check things out and try to leave a little memento of my visit. 

I accessed the Salt Lake WMA from a sign pointing to it on Route 46 down Turpentine Road.

When you reach this intersection...

 Park in the parking area right across the road.

 If you want to do some exploring after you find the box, check out the map on the kiosk.

 From there, turn to your left and walk behind this gate.

Take the road about 50 feet...

then take the first left onto a grassy trail. 

Before you reach the grassy field, you should see a palm jutting out further than the other trees on the left side.  When you reach that palm, turn around and take about 15 steps back the way you had just walked.   You should end up beside a slash pine about 10 steps off trail.  This pine is surrounded by 5 palm trees.

Check the backside of the pine that is about six steps behind the pine tree for Stephen King.

This stamp was previously used at the 2018 Night Owls Return to LLBean Event.

Stephen King

Thank You!

I am in awe of those who serve in the military and especially those who served in a war.  I would never have had the ability to do that job but my sister and her husband both served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War but never actually in Vietnam and my husband is a Vietnam Navy veteran.  My nephew served two tours in the Air Force in Afghanistan.  I am so proud of my family and all those who served.  This box is a Thank You to them.

Begin at the Cape Canaveral National Cemetery in Mims, Florida.

 If you time it right, you will see the sunrise over this peaceful area.

 

 Although the cemetery is already beautiful, Wreaths Across America made it even more so.

After paying your tributes and admiring the beauty, head to the Memorial Path.

 Enter beside this sign.

 Pass this tribute to the Florida Sky Soldiers.

 When you get to this concrete pad and can see the fence on the other side of the road, head towards the fence.

As you walk across this area, notice the drainage grate between the trees on the sandy path.

 Then look for the third fence post to the right of the drainage ditch.

 Behind that post you will see some decomposing logs.  Check close to the fence post for the box.

There was an Old Man Who Lived in a Shoe

When I was about ten years old, in the days when it was safe to let your kids run freely, my sisters and I were allowed to hike without adult supervision...as long as it was to the Shoe House. So, we would pack our lunch and make the two mile round trip hike to the shoe house, hurrying past the haunted house belonging to the old hermit, traveling through the shaded road which led to the open farm fields before we reached our destination. We would reach the shoe house and gulp down our thermoses of water before settling down to devour our lunches. Of course, we didn't know at that time that we were eating our sandwiches at the base of a historic building.

Mahlon Haines, an eccentric shoe maker, was known around York, PA, as the Shoe Wizard and rumor has it that he would offer dollar bills to children who would recognize him when he was walking around town. Haines built his shoe house in 1948 as an advertisement for his shoe business. It is five stories high and is a complete house inside, including a kitchen in the toe of the shoe, bathroom and bedroom. A shoe shaped dog house resides in the back yard and a shoe mailbox sits at the entrance to the property. The house provided a quick getaway vacation to local elderly couples, newlyweds and employees of the Haines Shoe Company. Today, the Shoe House offers tours to the public and the heel of the shoe houses an ice cream shop. Recognized on Atlas Obscura, the Shoe House also has earned a spot on Roadside America.

This is a picture of the Shoe House today taken in the summer of 2018.  We would eat our lunches leaning against the heel of the shoe which is where the most shade would be.  We never thought then that our little picnic spot would end up being an historic site.  The stamps in this series were carved for the 2018 Bringing the Road Trip Back event for the Oddities in Each State tracker.  I planted these in Florida to show off a little piece of my Pennsylvania childhood.

To find my tributes, begin on the road that leads to the Salt Springs Marina.

A short distance down the road, pull into the little parking spot on the right.

Then take the trail on the right side of the parking lot, going past the kiosk.

 Check out the blue blazes and follow them.

 Climb over this fallen tree although it may be cleaned up before you begin your search.

 Then walk through this nice little pathway cleared by someone with a chainsaw.

 When you get to the next chainsawed tree, stop and take a break.  Check out the little pine cones mounted on the end of the one side.  Mae, my lovely assistant, noticed these little "pine cone cairns" as she called them.

 From the trail, look down the section of tree on the left side and walk to the intersecting downed log which lays under this tree trunk.

Check in the little corner created by this intersection for the Shoe House.

After you stamp into that box, then continue down the trail until you reach the T intersection.  At that intersection, you should see a gate on your right.  Turn around and go back the way you came for about 25 steps and look to your left for a partially clear area with several downed trees.

Note the two whitish downed logs laying close together.

 Check out the narrower end for the Haines Shoe House logo.

 On your way back to your car, note this interesting structure in the middle of nowhere and fantasize about what purpose it may have served in days gone by.

The Mermaid in the Spring

 Pass this sign and follow the other signs to the springs.

You will see this sign at the main springs overlook.

The sign is in front of this overlook which also bears the sign below.

The springs are so pretty.

They deserve two pictures.

After you have seen enough of the springs, head a little further along the trail to this sign.

It is in front of another overlook which overlooks nothing.

Take that sandy trail to the right.

It is a twisty little trail.

Cross the first bridge.

Then cross the second bridge behind the bench.

 Stop and take a look at the pretty stream that runs close to this trail.

Eventually you will make a right hand turn on the trail and see this stump.

Check out the cut logs behind it.

Look for the box between the first and second logs.

 This is an absolutely beautiful little park. 

 Trail map.