Today I want to share someone who doesn't always get the recognition he deserves. Here is to Dr. Beau (Delaporte) our family veterinarian.

When I moved to Eustis about ten years ago I had three cats;

Abigail

Paisley

and Lost Kitty.

I had never found a vet I was completely comfortable with in Orlando so I was definitely in the market for a vet I could trust. (Abigail was 19, Paisley was 9 and Lost Kitty was of unknown age but she had been with me for 4 years.)

My first encounter with a Lake County vet was not good. I came home from work one day and Abigail was obviously ill. I took her to the only vet I could find open that night. That vet was not forthcoming and honest with a prognosis. I left his office that night with a very sick baby and no answers. I ended up waiting until the following morning to call my former vet in Lakeland to discuss the prognosis with him. As always he gave me sound advice and comforting words. Unfortunately Abigail died two days later.

I was determined to find a quality veterinarian immediately. I drove around and looked at offices and the people and animals coming and going. I decided to set up an appointment at Mount Dora Veterinary Clinic for the rest of the family.

I immediately knew I made the right choice when I met Dr. Beau. He had a great "bed-side manner." The last time Lost Kitty had been to the vet it had taken 45 minutes, 3 techs and those huge leather gloves to capture and give her shots. (I had been told by that vet I would need to sedate her prior to ever bringing her back.) With Dr. Beau she was an angel, not as much as a glare.

I like Dr. Beau so much that when my daughter was born and I didn't like the pediatrician I had initially selected I asked who he used for a pediatrician. My logic was Dr. Beau takes really good care of my four legged children and I am pretty sure he would demand just as much if not more for his own child. I was right, the pediatrician he recommended is top-notch but that is for another post.

Dr. Beau has seen my family through the unexpected death of Paisley, Lost Kitty's battle and death of tongue cancer and the new additions to our family of

Bart

Nicholas

Sidney

And last but not least, Rommel

Most recently he has helped our family adjust to Rommel losing his sight and the subsequent diagnosis of SARDs (Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration.)

Here's to you Dr. Beau and the entire staff of Mount Dora Veterinary Clinic. Thank you for caring for our family.

Interested in buying or selling a home in northeast Lake County Florida, including Eustis, Mount Dora, Howey-in-the-Hills, Tavares and Sorrento contact JoEllen E. Stranger-Thorsen, REALTOR® for all your real estate needs. Visit my website.

Gas prices are hovering around $4.00/ gallon (diesel is $4.75/ gallon on a good day,) airlines are charging for checked bags and talking of fare increases and surcharges, and restaurants are raising prices because their suppliers are raising prices. The family budget is feeling pinched and you might not be able to eke out the traditional road trip vacation.

Personally I am faced with the children being out of school and I am trying to come up with fun things to do on the cheap for 2 ½ months. I have already checked out The Eustis Memorial Library summer reading program and put it on the schedule. We will travel to exotic locales through the pages of books. We will be limited only by our imaginations. We will also go to the park, take some nature walks and go to the Eustis Pool.

We have several options for weekend getaways all within a couple hours of home. These mini-vacations are fabulous and affordable. I usually find these getaways more relaxing than the week-long road trips. There is less planning, less packing and less preparation.

We are 45 minutes northwest of Walt Disney World, Universal, and SeaWorld.

Fabulous beach locals such as Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach and Cocoa Beach are as close as one hour.

Historic St. Augustine can be reached in just under two hours.

This summer -- as you are feeling the budget crunch, yet yearn to get away-- select a destination close to home and explore your own backyard.

Interested in buying or selling a home in northeast Lake County Florida, including Eustis, Mount Dora, Howey-in-the-Hills, Tavares and Sorrento contact JoEllen E. Stranger-Thorsen, REALTOR® for all your real estate needs. Visit my website.

Hurricane season is here and we have already had our first named storm. It is time to check your supplies and make your emergency plan.

Lake County Florida has been fortunate since the 2004 hurricane season when we were pummeled every three weeks by the likes of Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne.

This year the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is calling for 12 to 16 named storms and 2 to 5 of those being major. Will we experience another season like 2004 or will we have the worry-free season like 2007? We don't know. The key is to be prepared for a 2004 and breathe a sigh of relief when we get 2007.

So what supplies should you have in your emergency kit?

• One (1) gallon of water per person per day (Don't forget additional water for pets.)

• 3-day supply of non-perishable food - ready to eat canned meat, fruit and vegetables-canned juices, high-energy foods, vitamins, baby food - comfort and stress foods

• Can opener

• NOAA weather radio - extra batteries

• First Aid Kit - including bandages, gauze, cold pack small scissors, tweezers, antibiotic ointment, tape, antiseptic wipes, hand wipes, hand sanitizer, pain reliever

• Paper goods - plates, napkins, cups and plastic forks, spoons and knives

• Battery operated radio - extra batteries

• Flashlights - extra batteries

• Fire extinguisher

• Tools - pliers, shut-off wrench

• Large tarps

• Garbage bags

• Rope

• Cash - remember, if the power is out ATMs will not be operational

You should have a full emergency kit at your home. You may choose to have a smaller version of this kit in your vehicle.

If you decide to purchase a generator please learn how to safely operate it prior to an emergency. The same goes for chainsaws and all power tools.

Once your area has been placed under a hurricane watch (which means there is a threat of hurricane conditions within 24 to 36 hours):

• Make sure your emergency kit is properly stocked

• Gas up your vehicle

• Bring in or secure outdoor objects such as patio furniture, toys and garden tools

• Clear your yard of debris

• Install storm protection devices such as hurricane shutters.

• Gather important documents and either put them with your emergency kit or place them in your car.

Remember in the event of a hurricane you may be several days without power and roadways may be unsafe to travel. Take personal responsibility for your well-being and prepare accordingly.

Interested in buying or selling a home in northeast Lake County Florida, including Eustis, Mount Dora, Howey-in-the-Hills, Tavares and Sorrento contact JoEllen E. Stranger-Thorsen, REALTOR® for all your real estate needs. Visit my website.

Downtown Eustis is experiencing a revitalization, a rebirth if you will. In 2003, Waterman Hospital left its downtown location to new state of the art facilities on HWY 441. The building which housed the hospital and formerly the Waterman Hotel was demolished. The Lake Eustis Foundation was established to develop the property.

The vision the foundation has for the property is retail, restaurant and office space on a lower level with luxury residential living space above. Unfortunately the real estate market and rising costs of development has affected these plans. The Lake Eustis Foundation has placed the property on the market.

Some downtown businesses have suffered with the relocation of the hospital. The many employees, health care professionals, patients and their families provided income to the local merchants.

There are several merchants that have thrived for many years such as Porter's Cameras, Merry Jewelers, the barber shop and Peddler's Wagon. Bay Pharmarcy, a downtown institution for many years has just completed its extensive remodel.

Merry Jewelers, in the heart of Eustis since 1946, offers custom design and remounting, estate jewelry and silver, class rings, a large selection of diamonds, and watch and jewelry repair.

Peddler's Wagon, Gifts and Dried Florals

Magnolia Avenue in historic downtown Eustis is lined with specialty shops and unique restaurants.

How many of you read that title and muttered something negative about my proofreading? (It's okay, I would have done the same thing.)

Without further ado, I would like to introduce you to DCUKS.

Dcuks are from England. They are handcarved from renewable bamboo root. Each one is a unique character with its own name and attitude.

These unique creations make a great gift and are available right here in historic downtown Eustis, Florida at Peddler's Wagon.

I fell in love with the magnolia several years ago. I don't remember the title of the book I was reading but it was set in New Orleans. The author described the fragrance to such a degree I could actually smell the blossoms in the pages of that book.

From that time on I took note of the magnolia trees. The beauty and the fragrance that author described have stayed with me.

I have a magnolia tree and this picture was taken by me Friday. This was the first bloom of the season on my tree. Today that bloom is gone, destroyed by the heat and lack of rainfall. Fleeting beauty...

Lately I have also been enjoying the wonderful scents of confederate jasmine and gardenias. Lake County Florida is in full bloom.

Built in 1911 the Clifford House, located on the shores of Lake Eustis, is an example of Neo-classical architecture and is constructed of Florida cypress.

Originally home to Guilford D. Clifford, one of the town's earliest settlers and businessmen, this Neo-classical house has 18 rooms, 6 fireplaces and over 4,500 square feet of living space.

Now owned by the City of Eustis, it serves as the headquarters for the Eustis Historical Museum and Preservation Society.

Clifford House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

The Miracle Worker by William Gibson

April 11 through May 4, 2008

The Bay Street Players at the Historical State Theatre Eustis, Florida present The Miracle Worker by William Gibson. Designed & Directed by David W. Clevinger, the production has received rave reviews. I highly recommend this fantastic production.

Tickets are available by calling the box office 352-357-7777 or you can order them on-line at www.baystreetplayers.org

On the shores of Lake Dora sits the majestic and historic Lakeside Inn

In the early 1880's Mount Dora was known as Royellou. The town consisted of no more than a post office. The postmaster Ross Tremain named the lakeside outpost after his three children; Roy, Ella and Louis.

The sixteen families who lived along the shore of Lake Dora decided the town needed a hotel. It was about this time Royellou was renamed Mount Dora. "Mount" for the uncommon attribute (for Florida) of being 184 feet above sea level.

Town Father John Alexander entered into a partnership with Annie MacDonald Stone Donnelly, wife of John P. Donnelly, and Colonel John A. MacDonald to open the Alexander House in 1883. The Alexander Inn still stands as Lakeside Inn's most historic building.

In 1893 the Alexander Inn was sold to Miss Emma Boone who changed the name to Lake House. At this time guests arrived by rail to the inn's backdoor. In 1903 Lake House was renamed The Lakeside Inn by Emma Boone and her new husband George D. Thayer.

The Lakeside Inn enjoyed its heyday in the 1920's despite prohibition. It is rumored the inn served as a speak-easy. (Possible evidence to the rumor is the secret passage in the lobby.)

In 1924 Charles Edgerton purchased the inn and remained the owner for 55 years. He added three buildings to the inn; The Sunset, The Gables and The Terrace. In 1930, President Calvin Coolidge dedicated the new buildings during his post-retirement vacation at the inn.

The Lakeside Inn has entertained the likes of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and Dwight D. Eisenhower.

In 1979 the inn closed for the winter season for the filming of Honky Tonk Freeway, a John Shlesinger film. The inn was painted pink and an Indian elephant was shipped in and taught to water ski on Lake Dora for the film.

The inn boasts 86 guestrooms divided among the four historic buildings. Visitors can count on a peaceful stay with views of beautiful Lake Dora while the inn offers all conveniences of a modern premier resort.

Looking to visit Mount Dora, Florida? Find out more information or make reservations: http://lakeside-inn.com

I am so excited, I have over 100 pictures of cherry blossoms!

I took my family up to Northern Virginia to visit with my siblings and their families over spring break. Now I had griped and complained because our spring break did not coincide with Easter and therefore did not match up with my family's so we were not going to see that much of those that had to get back to school. However my complaints, which were falling on deaf ears anyway, were immediately eased when I found out we were going to hit peak cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin!

I lived in Northern Virginia until I was nine. And one of my fondest memories was going into D.C. with my family to see the cherry blossoms. I loved going into D.C. anytime but the cherry blossoms are special and so beautiful.

The cherry blossoms are fleeting. They last only a couple weeks and peak bloom cannot be predicted more than ten days before it occurs. The two week Cherry Blossom Festival is centered around April 4th, the average day of blooming.

The 3,020 cherry trees were a gift from Japan in 1912. They are living symbols of friendship between the two nations. First Lady Helen Harron Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese Ambassador planted the first cherry trees along the Tidal Basin. The Cherry Blossom Festival was established in 1935 as an annual event.

If you ever get the opportunity to go to Washington, D.C. during peak cherry blossom time, GO! You will not regret it.

And now for more pictures...

The Washington Monument

My daughter, always ready to pose for the camera.

My son, not as cooperative!

A personal favorite -- The Lincoln Memorial across the Tidal Basin