Pinecraft-Sarasota: June 2016

Lawn Mowing

Today this lawn got mowed by Kemp. It is an empty lot but by and by a new home will be here.

This is the view of the Pinecraft Park from Carter Avenue.

Most of Pinecraft is well kept, except for the lot at the entrance of the Pinecraft Park. It usually gets a quick cut once or twice in a summer.

Wednesday Night Tournament

tonight Brandon Keim was Tim Miller's partner in the Shuffleboard Tournament. It was his first time in this competition. I hung around to see if they would be the winning team but they weren't.

Retha Farmwald and Jonas Miller visiting. Both of their roots were Geauga County Ohio back in the days when they were young. Both left, both moved around a bit and now both live in Sarasota/Pinecraft Florida.

The other end of the court.

Climbing Vines

I don't know if this is a philodendron or one of his cousins but I love seeing them. Up north this was a treasured house plant, whereas down here it grows wild and climbs and crawls where ever it can. Every Summer this vine takes over my landlord's tree and a shed. Every winter he tears it down and the plant lays low until the landlord leaves again and then it springs to life and climbs up the tree again.

Watching the Game

Old people sit like this to watch the shuffleboard game.

The young one sits like this.

Rain and the Phillippi Creek

We had only about an inch of rain in my neighborhood, with lots of thunder and lightening. I think the storm clouds had a meeting in Pinecraft. There were storm clouds in the east and even darker clouds coming from the west, but when the lightening flashed and the thunder crashed the wind was coming from the south. And it cooled off temperature is down to 75 degree.

I was surprised to see the creek full and deep but obviously the water came from upstream. These boys had an easy ride coming downstream.

But rowing back upstream was a different experience. They finally gave up and stayed around the boat dock where the current wasn't as strong.

Notice at the Post Office

I saw this taped on the Post Office door.

Freda's Restaurant

Ever since I heard Freda's Restaurant I have been wanting to check it out, so today Nancy and I went for it.

It is out in the country, close to Myakka City. So it is a bit of distance from the city of Sarasota, but it is well worthwhile making the drive, more so if your eyes are just hungering for a ride in the country.

And it has a country feel to it.

Freda's grandfather Levi Yoder formerly from Pinecraft made this screen door that is hanging on the wall.

Freda

Good, fresh coffee

Nancy and I decided to split a sandwich as it was so huge. There is no way the biggest mouth can get around this one.

My half of the sandwich, bread, juicy burger, swiss cheese, dill pickles, onions, tomatoes, lettuce and bread. Plus a good helping of French fries.

For dessert we got Coconut Pudding. It has a crust, then a layer of cream cheese, pudding made from scratch, topping and more coconut. I am not much for sweets but loved this as it wasn't overly sweet.

We also got a free sample of their Carrot Cake.

They just started up less than a month. I can't find their Facebook Page or a website. It will probably come later, especially the website.

Anna and Ada

Anna and Ada met at the park. Maybe they just happened to meet. They were here before I came around. These two had a good visit and then the three of us had a visit too. I just love these unexpected meetings.

Ada and I were neighbors for five years while we were renting her Grandpa's farm house in the Pleasant Hill area back in 1964-69. Anna had known my parents when she was a teenager.

Yard Sale, Olan

Tonight I watched as the Emergency pulled into Jean Bender's place. The lights were flashing but no sirens blowing. I watched from across Bahia Vista until it left. It wasn't about Jean as she was still walking around and active. But someone was in the back with the sick person as only one man was in the cab.

These two are asking Jean what happened? Olan fell and hurt an arm and a leg. Jean and Olan were planning to have a Yard Sale Thursday and Friday. I am guessing the Yard Sale will continue as planned, starting at 8:30 AM.

The Meeting of Two Hearts

Husband and wife meet after four weeks of separation. The mother and her daughter are down here for two months to doctor. Whenever the Pioneer bus makes another trip to Sarasota some of the family members come down and stay until the next day and then head back north again. The men folks are too busy to stay as long as the women do.

Knee Bending Game

Every knee shall bend when playing Shuffleboard.

One leg goes back, one forward.

These are all right-handed men.

Jonas Miller

I don't know the name of this man.

Joe Weaver

Wayne Mast

Samson and Son

Some years ago, probably four years was the first time I met this man, his wife and son. I immediately named him Samson because of his hair. tonight him and his son are back again in Pinecraft. They were here since Friday and are leaving again tomorrow morning. Being a trucker he gets to see places. Sometimes he takes his son or his wife along for the ride, or his in-laws. A few years ago he was here but that time I had no clue who he was, as someone had cut his hair.

Closing Doors at the Pinecraft Post Office

The Pinecraft Post Office has closed its doors late this afternoon.

Abraham and Wilma Knepp had owned the post office and signed the contract to run it. some years ago they moved back to Indiana due to old age and health reasons. They hired the Joe Graber family to manage and run the post office. Two weeks ago both Abraham and Wilma died twelve hours apart. And with their passing on the contract in invalid and the post office is closed.

This sucks. I would mail any size packages and sought opportunities to drop in for a chat with Magdalena Graber and Catherine Wagler.

People from far and wide used this post office just because they wanted to. Just because they liked the homey feeling of doing business with postal workers.

One-Two-Three Click

Brooke, the oldest of the three came out of the house first and so I biked in for a visit. Then the two youngest children came outside too, munching on their snacks. So I asked them if I can have photos of them?

The youngest sister is getting her brother ready for the photo shot.

He just kept on munching on his chips.

So she continues to brush off the crumbs.

And I counted, "One-two-three" and clicked the camera.

Heidi is missing and surely I will get a photo of her too while they are here.

A Time to Live...

One at a time we are born,

Most times one at a time we die.

And we are no more as we were on this earth.

Today we give due honor to Dan Stutzman, who passed away yesterday morning. This afternoon there was visitation and a short service. His body will be taken to Ohio for the funeral and burial, which is scheduled for Saturday.

Tuesday

Pinecraft is very quiet, although not as quiet as it was five years ago. Tonight there was one game going at the shuffleboard. and about half a dozen people were in the pavilion, plus a few more came and went.

The Melting Pot

I first met up with Rita Farmwald and Barbara Coblentz.

Then Rita and Barbara met up with Anna Graber. So we all sat down down at Big Olaf for a visit and ice cream if we wanted some.

Then Esther (Wengerd) from Mt Eaton Ohio and Anna Graber met. Esther's Mother Coon Dan's Anna and Anna Graber were classmates in first grade more than seventy-five years ago in a little public school close to Mt Eaton. Life in Pinecraft is a melting pot.

Ramblings from Pinecraft

There is not much happening in Pinecraft these days, this week. We have had two days of rain, a little bit of wind damage. The Pioneer Trails came yesterday and left again today. Tonight is the weekly Shuffleboard Tournament.