Reflections

We are spending two weeks at Blackwater River State Park in Florida - new to us - and find it to be a beautiful and peaceful setting to which we will definitely return in the future.  There are only 30 campsites total, and those are divided into two separate areas. Each campsite is not only large compared to most park campgrounds, but also meticulously maintained and separated from neighboring campsites on either side by at least a 15ft area of trees and shrubs; the overall feel here is  private, relaxing, and  thoroughly enjoyable.  Before we arrived, we received a call from one of the rangers warning that due to extremely heavy rains in the previous weeks, the river was high and flooding.  This does not affect the campgrounds, but did affect one of the entrance roads to the park and a number of the hiking/walking trails in the area.  Because we're inland, fresh seafood is not as readily available as it has been while we were on the coast.  Instead, we have enjoyed meals cooked in an outdoor cast iron dutch oven, or those prepared indoors on our cast iron pan.  Weekdays have been quiet here, but young families with children moved in for the long weekend, and we were treated to the sound of much laughter and joyful playing in the playground across from our camper, reminding us of the days when we also had children that age, and what a joy that is!  We became quite nostalgic as one young dad chased his young daughter and toddler son around the playground growling and playing "wolf" to their "little pigs".  One of the things we enjoy so much when in state campgrounds is seeing all the active families - children riding bikes and trikes, rollerblading, swinging, sliding, playing tag (really! some still do!) and NOT just sitting indoors glued to electronic devices.  We've really enjoyed daily long walks around here, at least a couple of miles a day, but two days of 4 miles, and one of 6 miles.  This is a beautiful natural area of Florida, with extensive long leaf pine forests in the high ground (sandy soil), low-lying, swampy areas thick with cypress trees, unbelievably pretty white sand beaches along the river.