An Apologia from Florida

January Greetings from ...

Guess who ..

Yes, you all deserve a big ‘apology’ from us. We promised you a ‘virtual’ trip with us around the circumference of North America. Big plans, had we, to entertain, educate and reflect with you, as life encountered us on the road. But chapters have been few, with big gaps of time in between and so much yet untold that is already dimming on the cortex of our aging brains.

We’d like to blame the ‘media’ we’re working with. In truth, if we were willing to spend days tanking up on caffeine at internet cafes, we might have accomplished this. But the “day light” hours are the ones we use to travel and explore. And it is a rare situation that provides both “hydro power” and “WiFi” in the evenings.

It just doesn’t happen in WaltMart parking lots and State Parks, though no doubt its ‘supply’ will come with the growing ‘demand’. In Florida now all ‘McDonalds’ and ‘Dennys’ have internet access .. just what I don’t need - to sit in an eating place and add another floating life ring to the several that now sit upon my hips. I refuse to replace my rotting, chlorine-ridden bathing suit with a new one, until I’ve lost 10 pounds. And at the rate I’m going, there’s going to be a lot of ‘skinny-dipping’ next summer at the lake. (Now the ‘state’ of blogging has really deteriorated!)

So here I am, while Peter cleans the camper, in what they call a WiFi ‘hotspot’ at the Community Centre at Spruce Creek Senior’s Community, a Del Webb retirement development where my brother and dear sister-in-law live (Bill & Sue Eberhart). Around me ‘the ladies’ are playing card games. I doubt if we will ever be at one of these tables, and not because we’re having particular trouble identifying with the ‘retirement’ set, but because I’m afraid that in such an encounter, we’d come off demonstrating the IQ of plants. Think we’d rather join Andrew, Sarah, Tim and Melonie in a game of ‘scrabble’.

So this is a long introduction to the ‘Floridian Chapter’ of our blog. Better put in a picture to keep you awake.

Peter took this shot of me holding hands with a conquistador because we not only need to apologize to you, but to ‘Florida’ herself. It’s a way of showing solidarity with a place whose history and reality we have never acknowledged nor thought much about. Florida to us for most of our lives has been a place from which people come back with tans .. after enduring highways of crass commercialism and hucksters anxious to sell you a piece of mosquito-ridden swamp.

Now, after enjoying ourselves here for over a month, we wish to acknowledge our ignorance and publicly give dear ‘Florida’ her ‘due’.

So, remember Ponce de Léon of Spain? He’s the one who gave Florida her name after explorations brought him to her shores in 1513 in search of the 'fountain of youth' (Promoters would like you to believe he found it - see again, above).

We just returned yesterday from a wonderful stay in St. Augustine, a city founded by Pedro Menéndez de Avilés in 1565, 42 years before the British settled at Jamestown and 55 years before the pilgrims stepped off onto Plymouth rock. Pirates plundered Spanish galleons and British Frigates from here. The many 'blind passes' and shoal draft harbours of Florida's coast were the ideal place to store the bounty. The French and the Spanish vied for control here (we visited a Huguenot cemetery). And, of course, the early settlers played a big part in all of this. Florida was the scene of the Seminole Wars.

Did you know that slaves, escaping their colonial masters, came down to Florida and were protected by the Spanish? Here they were emancipated in exchange for serving as militia and adopting the Catholic faith. Fort Mose is a free black community where these recruits and their families worked as sailors, blacksmiths and cowboys, fishing the tidal creeks and gathering shell fish in the marsh.

A much later wave of ‘conquistadors’ came with 19^th century capitalist magnates from up north. When not summering in their Newport Rhode Island mansions, they were down here building hotels and laying railroad track to ensure that people could make the trip comfortably in 35 hours from New York.

Henry Flagler was one of them. Along with Rockefeller, he founded Standard Oil, and soon began to turn his profits into luxury hotels all over Florida. This one above was his first, opening its doors for the first time in 1888 . Made of poured concrete in a manner characteristic of the Spanish Renaissance, the "Ponce de Leon" launched the "Mediterranean style" that has been popular in Florida ever since. It took two years to build, a great feat without benefit of modern construction equipment, and at a cost of 2 million. What would that translate into today? Someone do the arithmetic.

Take a look at some of the interior features ...

This was one of the first hotels to have electric lights!

Thomas Edison personally built two clocks for the hotel. This one, the day clock, was illuminated through an onyx face, from a window behind (now boarded up for protection)

Below find Flagler's third hotel, the Cordova, that sat vacant in St. Augustine ever since the Great Depression. In an amazing reversal of fortune, Richard Kessler, a contemporary entrepreneur from Orlando, purchased the building (1997) upgraded it to the most modern standards and rechristened it the "Casa Monica Hotel".

It opened for the first time in 70 years back in December of 1999. In April of 2001 King Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia of Spain stayed here while visiting in St. Augustine. Who says circles don't comes 'round?

Meet John and Mabel Ringling, great friends of the Flaglers and long time residents of Sarasota, Florida. We are sitting with them in the lanai of their fabulous mansion, Ca d’Zan. Though Ringling made fortunes with invested money from Ringling Brothers’ “Greatest Show on Earth”, he died post Depression with $300 to his name. Thankfully, he deeded his estate to Florida State University, which maintains his art and circus museums, as well as the extensive grounds and gardens – a ‘must see’ if you are in the area.

above and below - "Ca d'Zan"

Alberta 'Tim' settles into the sun on the patio - "This is the life."

Just a little glimpse at the legacy left by these Floridian brothers ...

One of the most amazing exhibits at the Ringling Complex is a new 3,800 square foot miniature replica of the circus, made by hand and assembled over a life time by Howard Tibbals. With this bird's eye view, one gets a sense of the magnitude of what it meant when 'the circus came to town'. No wonder kids in small mid-west towns caught up in the magic, ran away with the circus. I'm sure I would have been one of them.

We'll end for now by highlighting one famous act in the person of Unuz, Franz Furtner (1907-1994), a superb hand balancer whose trademark was the one finger stand. Ernest Hemingway wrote of his act, "In your dreams you watch Unus stand on one finger, and you think, Look at such a fine, intelligent and excellent man making his living standing on one finger when most of us can't even stand on our feet."

next blog - less talk and more photos

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Sometime back about 1975, we made a pastoral call on a young family in Manitoba. Among their homely Christmas decorations, was a lovely nativity creche with the many biblical characters reputed to have visited that humble stable. But added to the historical scene of eager shepherds and knowing kings, was a large crowd of Fisher Price People, carefully placed there by the children of this household, each straining to get a good view of the tiny manger babe.

We have never forgotten that revelatory scene that bore witness to the intersection between ourselves and the holy Christmas story. Each year through Advent expectations, White Gift Sundays and Christmas Eve Services, we seek again to internalize the Christmas story and the truth of God's incarnational love.

In Nashville, Tennessee, back on November 22nd, we came upon a giant nativity scene in the Gaylord Convention Centre. It was easy to slip into the midst of the characters and draw close to the tiny Christ Child. And once again it occurred to us just how important it is not only to grasp the truth of the Christmas story, but to become a real part of that same story.. running from the hills of our reality to seek the truth, singing loud carols of joy at God's intervention, bringing the gifts of our lives to offer in service of the Christ Child.

And so this is the 2007 Christmas challenge we wish to issue not only to ourselves but to you .. to run with determination in the quest for truth, to recognize God's action in history and in our lives, and to come with gratitude before God, offering whatever we have to serve the 'Good News' of God's love.

Tim and Peter and Elizabeth Moffat greet you in love across the many miles from Key West. Even here in this tropical paradise, the "Good News" permeates the gorgeous sunsets and the surreal temperatures. We greet you with prayers and blessings for a 'true' Christmas among us.

Love, The Moffats

(aboard the catamaran "Caribbean Spirit" after
snorkling seven miles off the Keys)

Close Encounters of a Human Kind (2)

The 'pineapple' is everywhere in colonial America. We all recognize it as the symbol of 'hospitality'. It was in Nantucket that we learned one legend for how this came to be. When sailors came back from whaling in tropical waters, they would bring pineapple presents to their families. Posting a 'pineapple' outside your door meant that friends and neighbours were invited to come in and welcome loved ones home from the high seas.



In this case, as you can see, it was a Canadian flag taped to the garage door that let us know we were expected and welcomed!

This is the Williamsburg home of Peter and Nielsine Young, long time friends of the larger Moffat family. It was this couple that won the "long distance award" at our retirement party last spring! Though they are soon to move to Las Vegas, this did not in any way diminish the hospitality they were prepared to offer us .. all four nights and five days worth! Loads of laundry, home cooked meals, plus escorted trips to the historical sites of old Williamsburg village, Jamestown, Yorktown, and "Shirley", the oldest plantation in America and home to 11 generations of the same family.

Here are 'Peter and Elizabeth' footin' it through Williamsburg
on a warm and lovely autumn afternoon.

Peter Young getting into the act at Jamestown.

Nielsine and Peter with Elizabeth Sunday at Olive Branch
Disciples of Christ Church. It has quite a history itself,
as you can read below.


Nights brought on great conversations and,
in this case (though not quite up to 'el campo' speed) we
played Nielsine's favourite game of "Mexican Train Dominoes"
Fun.

Dear Youngs .. we thank you so much.
Who knows, we may be pulling in to your new home
in Las Vegas before this trip is over!

And one of the next Virginian homes we visited
was that of this family ....


Would you believe there is a Walton's Mountain?
Well, at least it's equivalent. '
Schuyler, Virginia is home of Earl Hammer, Jr.,
author and producer of 'The Waltons'.
He patterned this series on the truth of his own home town.
The museum here recreated the sets of each room
in the Walton home.This is Earl Hammer's home, currently being restored
to its original state for future public visitation.

Now, see that blue line down the map?
It marks the famous "Blue Ridge Parkway",
built in 1935 by Roosevelt's WPA ,
and follows mountain crests for 469 toll free miles from
Shenandoah National Park in Virginia
to the Great Smokey Mountains in North Carolina.

To travel this road is to take a trip to a former time
in driving history ... no commercial vehicles allowed,
no billboards or advertising of any kind,
no crossroads, no shoulders, indeed - no guard rails!

Oh, how we wish we had a video on this blog, but we'll give
you just a little taste. Follow that SUV ... !



Here we go ...







Let's stop for just a moment and enjoy the lookout view.


Time to meditate.


And coming down the other side into Tennessee ...
meet Peter's Uncle John Penney (the family historian)
and Aunt Martha in front of their Athen's home.

Together we attended Allen Memorial Methodist Church (Nov. 18th)
and enjoyed being treated to lunch with son John
and having the opportunity to meet his wife of 3 years, Rebecca.
(For the first time, we forgot the camera.)
We know Uncle John will see this, as he is
one of the most computer savvy members of his generation.
So, Uncle John, thank you so much!
Please give our love to all the others.

Now meet, Peter's Aunt Madeline (both Louise Moffat's siblings).
At 92 years of age, she is the current
reigning Matriarch of the Penney Clan.
At significant times in our married life, we have enjoyed her hospitality.
No less so, this time. There was a full course Thanksgiving
meal waiting for us when we arrived so late.
On this morning, we accompanied her as she took
Cinder on her morning walk. We could hardly keep up.
Her secret? She says its her daily 5:30 am swim,
exercise at the gym, gardening and a lot of fast dog walking.
No time for aches and pains to catch up.

And who could this delightful delirious person be?
None other than Amy Adsit! Madeline's grand daughter,
who waited before returning to college, just to see us!

Who could possibly resist this personality?

Not even First Cousin Once Removed - Peter!

She's the youngest of 3 daughers for Libby and Bill.
Thank you, folks, for this spontaneous visit
and overnight! We loved your southern hospitality
made so real. Hope your Thanksgiving
in Savannah was great.

Just north and a little west, we found Dave and Jean Hermanson
in the beautiful retirement village of "Tellico" near Laudin, Tennessee.
Dave is another car enthusiast and collector with whom
Peter has corresponded for years. We've visited
them in their past homes in California and Maine.
Not hard to understand this move.
To Dave and Jean .. thanks for another special reunion!

Howard Meyers is a cousin through the 'Bates' family
(Louise Moffat's maternal grandparents) and a Lutheran minister.
Years of adolescent visits to Pen Lake have endeared him to all,
and continue to be remembered by him with nostalgia.
Peter is pictured here with Howard and wife Barb
outside their home in Cooksville, TN
after returning from southern fare at the "Dippsie Doodle".
(like 'hush puppies' and deep fried cat fish)

Howard is engaged in a cancer battle with which we all have too much familiarity.
We ask your advent prayers for Howard and Barb
that the power and love of the Christ Spirit
may be incarnate for them in profound ways this Christmas.

And where would we meet Garth?
At the Nashville Country Music Hall of Fame.
There were many other famous artists there, including ...

And all his fans.

A gentleman from Parkminster United Church
was admiring this country & western
star's customized '62 Pontiac convertible.

As he recounts it, he was thinking at the time ...
"Peter Moffat should be here to see this."

Looking up, he saw another man enjoying the car.
It was Peter Moffat.

That was to be the first of three spontaneous encounters
over the next two days with Wayne and Shirley Ankeman
with whom we had spent a farewell dinner back
in Waterloo in August.
This picture is from the second meeting that night
at the Grand 'Ol Oprey at the Ryman Theater.
Truly the Spirit is friendly.

The 3rd encounter at the huge Gaylord Hotel and Convention Centre.

Much later, new friends in Charleston, South Carolina,
Sandy and Richard .. who work for 'Festiva', a vacation program.
Sandy is from Mexico and helped Elizabeth call Guillermo
in Spain on his 9th birthday.

If any one is still reading .. you've now caught up to us in Florida,
a place where you can only see this kind of thing on village streets.

See this man? This is Elizabeth's brother, Bill.
After a bite to eat, he will lead us to his home.

Yes, this is the place they have lived for two years,
after moving from Michigan. It is south of Ocala and is
a Del Webb development much like "Sun City" in Arizona
where Dudie and Dryden once lived.

Here is Sue in a place she loves - her garden. She has
become very involved in this tropical version and in
the local garden club. A frost recently killed
off her blooms. She was sad we couldn't see them
in all their radiance.
We are happily standing in the shade,
which hides the many imperfections.


It takes two good women to keep Bill from
rolling out of all pictures.

But a good meal can overcome the pain of another one.
Here we are being treated to lunch at the club house.

And here we are really getting into Florida.

Sue and Bill allowed us to establish a base camp with them,
running errands, doing laundry, and completely cleaning
and decorating the RV. We also had time
to have fun and accompolish many things.
Thank you, dear hearts! We'll be back in January!

Presently, we are in Orlando with wireless and the
chance to catch up on all our blogging.
On December 17th Tim Moffat flies into Tampa
for 16 days of shared adventure.
We will spend Christmas together in Key West.


But there's more to come before we do our 'internet' Christmas card.
In the meantime, all good wishes ..

Good Night! zzzzzzzzzzzz