Am I akin to an armadillo, snail, or turtle?  I’m traveling with my home on my back like them. They’re slow, deliberate, persistent, and that describes me too! I don’t remember having a fast gear and sure have no desire for one now. I just want to sit here, sip a cold ACB, listen to great southern country rock music and enjoy the sunshine. After the first band I went back to my nest and showered and shaved. No reason to shave, while I was 26 miles deep in America’s Jungle in Big Cypress in the EverGlades for eleven days, but now feeling the breeze on my clean shaven face feels great! The bands play continuously from 10a.m. to 6p.m.  I can see the schedule of bands on the Gator Country Radio Tent up front, but can’t read it from here.  I could go see who’s on it, but who cares.  They’ll all play when their turn comes and I’ll sit here in the sun, listen and enjoy.  I’ve put my chair mid stage at the rear to benefit from the wonderful acoustics.  Somebody knows what they’re doing and this is a tiny town that puts on this party. A local band singing the lyrics describing the Everglades’ endless rivers of grass, alligators, sunsets, and sunrises is a hit with the locals and me. Many more people are milling about through the vendors’ booths, tents, and stands.
    This is EverGlades City Seafood Festival #15 for me; obviously it’s on my Don’t Miss List, and one of the initial events to make my list. As Big Bottom from Nashville begins their set of music, I’m disturbed by someone speaking broken English, who’s asking me something I can’t decipher. I fire back my own questions:  What, What? I’m three sheets to the wind. You want me to do what?  Who are you? They say they’re Brazil TV. They want to photography me. Only if I get a copy I say. Then there are lights and a TV camera; OMG, my five seconds of fame.  The host asked me to say a phrase in Italian, who knows what it meant, and I didn’t care! I never heard from them again, I guess I became a sound/visual bite somewhere, but it probably wasn’t me that attracted attention, it was my hat!
    Here goes another day of music.  Starting with the Hamilton Boys, a local red neck country band, no detriment intended; they’re good, and ending their set with Mountain’s Mississippi Queen - Outstanding Country Rock! I’m center rear again seated by the soundman. There are no less than two banks of twenty speakers suspended by a cable on each side of the stage. No rattle, no distortion, just world class sound.
    As yesterday, I built a foundation for all day ACB sipping with a mound of grits topped with two fried eggs and sausage gravy, then a plate of local farm ripened pineapple & orange slices, half a grapefruit, strawberries, and a piece of water melon. The watermelon was so sweet it made the citrus taste deliciously tart.  Today is a little overcast, but probably a godsend for the crowds, some of whom got a little over done in the sun yesterday.
    What a lime green string base, a wash board with a little cymbal at the bottom for rhythm, a guitarist, and three barefoot musicians making incredible music! It’s the Gladesmen. Words can’t describe the sound. Find them with “google” and listen!
    Where’s that vendor, yelling “peanuts, popcorn and candy apples.” I sure could do with a salty snack. Reminds me of Oriole Park on 33rd Street. They say it’s a parking lot now, so much for urban improvements!  The next band was ho hum. Good time to restock my camera/ACB bag. Now, I’m back and the singer is doing a solo set and the rest of the band takes a break. The first song brings tears to the eyes of many people in the crowd as the words are about his son who is in a wheel chair and is brought on stage. This is real world, although the performance is fantastic. The band is Low Cash Cowboys and they end the music for the festival. Wow! As long as I’mmaking these trips to warm places in the winter, I’ll be at the EverGlades Seafood (music) Festival!
    To get here I left my spot deep in the everglades amongst the bears, panthers, and alligators. From the driver’s seat I get a synopsis of all the natural jungle stuff as I slowly drive down Perocchi Grade Trail to Turner River Road to US 41 and here. If you ever get the chance to be here, make sure you arrive by 10am, because the traffic backs up for miles and there’s only one road (Rt. 29) to here and don’t plan on leaving til 8pm, because all those cars clog the road again. The music doesn’t start til about noon, so I begin the day by going to the bridge that goes to Chokoloski Island for sunrise and the sun puts on a show!
    Wow! Hallowe’en is just around the corner, Birches fruit & vegetable stand has closed (no more sweet corn, til I get to Florida), and there’s a chill in the air.  I just returned to O.C. from a weekend trip to Tilgman Island, St. Michaels, and Cambridge to check out and assure all is A-Ok with my nest, a slide-in camper on a pickup truck that carries it.  All is ready! I wore myself out walking and biking and saw eagles, foxes, many deer, and lots of great nautical scenery. We have lots of nature’s treasures right here. I read on a display in Tilgman that Indians butchered mastodons there 14,000 years ago and the stone tools they used are some of the oldest ever found in North America. Incredible! There are lots of food and bar specials in O.C. and I’ve made a list. If you’d like a copy send me an email and I’ll send you one.
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