Crawfordville and Longwood

May 23, 2016

After we left Panama Beach the rain eased and the scenery changed more toward what I had pictured in my mind… smaller fishing and outdoor oriented villages joined by miles of road unimpeded by traffic or traffic signals.

We overnighted just north of Crawfordvillle at the Magnuson Wildwood Inn. By the time we arrived there the rain had stopped.

I had pre-selected Posey’s, a funky bar and seafood spot for dinner but after checking in the hotel we realized it was a ten mile drive. We instead took the suggestion of the  desk lady who suggested the little seafood restaurant next door. It turned out to be a fortunate choice. We walked over.

The Seineyard is a rather plain restaurant attached to a golf course. Even at eight o’clock it was busy with locals, a good sign. We ordered wine and split a Junior Platter of grilled shrimp, grouper, oysters and scallops. They were all cooked perfectly. I’d never had grouper before but found it flavorful and a nice consistency: not fishy, dry or greasy.  It was a nice introduction to that fish. Also I’m particularly fond of scallops. They served the mid-size version, about an inch and a half diameter. Scallops are hard to get right. There is a fine line between undercooked where the outside is done but the middle is squishy and overdone where they are chewy.  The Seineyard chef hit it just perfectly; cooked but tender inside with a nicely browned outside.

The next morning the rain was gone and the sun was shining. We headed out onward around the Panhandle. The roads were treelined with occasional breaks for villages and shoreline access for fishermen and food stands. Near one of those spots I had the opportunity to discuss some of the local speed restrictions with a FHP officer. It was a pleasant enough discussion, particularly because he declined to provide me with a performance award.

We stopped for lunch at Country Diner in some forgotten village, chosen as we passed by for local color and feeling that it must be good because Rotary meets there Wednesday at noon and because there were quite a few cars there.

It was a colorful place and provided large portions of local fare at a low price.

Unfortunately they seemed overly proud of their can opener, cooking oils and deep fryer. Off our list.

We crossed the Panhandle and took a brief side trip to The Villages, Florida where friends Peggy and Tim have a seasonal place and where they will be going in a few weeks. It’s a very interesting huge planned community primarily centered on serving retired folks.

Moving on, we crossed over and descended Mount Dora, (elevation 184 feet, the claimed highest point in Central Florida,)  to end at the Hampton Inn in Altamonte Springs where we will spend several days.

Once we settled we called my brother Joe. He and son David had been expecting the call; they had been following the map trail. We spent the evening in their Longwood home, catching up and eating Chinese takeout on their patio. Joe’s wife Margaret is off visiting their daughter in Charlotte, giving Joe a free-day of dietary restrictions.

Joe works Sunday morning. He’s a supposedly retired Episcopal priest who fills in the local spots when churches are short of clergy. He’s been filling in at Saint Edwards in Mount Dora while they seek a new full-timer. He gets there early for their two services. We slept in and showed for the ten o’clock service and the social hour following.

After the service we three walked around downtown Mount Dora, a charmingly artsy hillside community.

We had a very nice lunch and wine in an ersatz English tea room.

Following lunch we explored the shops further before heading back to the house.  We spent the afternoon napping, visiting, doing laundry and generally discussing family history and other seemingly important issues. Joe and David grilled burgers and cooked some fresh corn for dinner. The weather was mild and a gentle evening breeze carried a soft floral scent across the patio so we sat quite a while before heading back to the hotel for the night.

-Geezer