We were looking for unusual and antique touches for our remodel of our 1920s house. It was a…read moretreasure trove of doors, glass, old growth hardwood flooring, beans and more. Everyone on staff there was super helpful and Mark walked us around showing us many things. We will be sourcing many items for our remodel from them. But as they recommended we will need to come back a few times - w measurements - happy to do so!

What a great place for treasures from yesteryear! So many amazing finds to explore and prices are…read morereasonable. So much history and character all in one place.

In May 1987, the U.S. federal government agreed to provide $8.16 million of the estimated $12…read moremillion cost of building a Port Orange, Florida bridge planned to be similar to the Granada Bridge. After the drawbridge had aged and was expensive to maintain, it was replaced in 1990 by a new four-lane high bridge, which carries State Road A1A over the river also called the Port Orange Bridge or the Dunlawton Avenue Bridge, this bridge connects the mainland city of Port Orange, Florida with the beach peninsula...

I always like when Dave does a bridge review as he gives the history of it all. I must say that as…read morebridges go - this is a high bridge that is much steeper that Granada to walk over. There are far more areas under the bridge to fish, park and enjoy the water. There are also a bunch of great restaurants under and around this bridge so don't just drive over there is plenty to see under as well as over this bridge.

From a library to a…read moremuseum The Holly Hill Preservation Society is where the former Holly Hill use to be. Unfortunately it was decided to close down the cool library because in someone's mind it just wasn't be used enough. How sad. So last year the old library building was converted into the present historical society and museum. Not many books in the new place but at least the history of Holly Hill is in good hands. All kinds of very cool photos, maps, tools, furniture and artifacts are scattered around the one main room. Even a 1901 doctor's carriage and an old masterdon tusk and tooth that was found in the area. Cool stuff. There is no charge for the museum and the man working the front desk was great. Just the type of person a place like this needs, friendly, enthusiastic and very, very knowledgeable about the town and area. No, the library will probably not be coming back, at least not anytime soon. However the historic museum is even cooler in some ways. It's so nice when the past is kept alive.

Although I am not a fan of beavers in general the Buc-ee's Beaver Mascot statue is fairly cute! We…read morehave had a Buc-ee's near our house for several years now and the Buc-ee beaver mascot statue gets a lot of attention every time we visit Buc-ee's! People absolutely love having their photograph taken with him! There's no shortage of Buc-ee's items that feature the grinning beaver (hats, t-shirts, plush/stuffed animals, Beaver Nuggets, and countless additional items!) Turns out, the reason Buc-ee's mascot is a beaver is the Buc-ee's CEO, Arch Aplin's childhood nickname, as bestowed on him by his Mom, was "Beaver." This nickname was inspired by a toothpaste commercial featuring a space-age version of a beaver named Bucky Beaver. Aplin also named his Labrador retriever, Buck, and honored his beloved pup with the Buc-ee's name! If you haven't been to a Buc-ee's, you really should visit one! It's quite the experience and if you're lucky ,you may see a Buc-ee's Beaver Mascot inside ready to give you a hug or pose for a photograph with you!

The Buc-ee's beaver mascot is a five foot tall structure made of bronze by the Heart Art Foundry…read moreand welcomes every visitor into the store. It is an intensive process to fabricate each beaver and takes up to three months by first making a 4" model. Then enlarging it by making a rubber mold and filling the mold with metal. The statue is constructed in twelve different pieces, before being welded together to form the animated iconic buck tooth beaver. If you get a chance to visit Buc-ee's, make sure you rub his head and snap a selfie with him to build his confidence.

Five Stars for its remoteness and peacefulness, at least during off season week days and for the…read morefact that we are now preserving nature instead of bombing the hell out of it. The Holely Lands got its name because it was once a bombing range. Some deny that fact, saying the pock marks are natural depressions, but after speaking with some "old timers," the natural depression theory is just so much baloney. For years we bombed the birds, the alligators, the deer, the turkey and the wildlife of the entire area until we finally perfected the means we now have of bombing people and cities; another big step in the advancement of human civilization. The Holey Lands comprises the most northern extend of the Everglades sawgrass marsh and an area in which hunting is permitted, however, beware that there are a lot of frequently changing rules and regulations that go with it. Some of it may be boring but some of it not. With around 35,000 acres I'm sure one can find something of interest, but you'll have to be adventurous about it as well as OK on your own.

Gave in to an adventure this past Saturday. A group of friends decided to go to Holey Land WMA for…read morea little fishing, picnicking and relaxing. We began this trip down Okeechobee we headed north for approximately 35 mile until we saw the sign on the left, we turned and our first stop was the "MARINA". There were a couple of boaters setting their boast in the water, and a couple who was fishing. They actually caught a couple of Bass fish that where of good size. After my hubby share some of his plastic worms with them we took to the road again. I will say it's really peaceful out there, you don't come across a lot of people; mainly you see a family here or there fishing. We drove past the water plant and set our picnic in a small clearing with the canal just a few feet away. In all it was a really peaceful Saturday and I enjoyed very much. The only thing is this is not the place if you don't like the outdoors. There is a one out house one by the Marina. However the scenery is spectacular in the late afternoon when the sun is about to set, that in itself makes this trip worthwhile. The Wild life, they are a plenty, we saw Alligators, Raccoons, Dear and what I think was Coyote as well as tons of water birds. Any way I enjoyed the peacefulness of this place even if we did not catch any fish.

I have consigned with Ms. Preppy Pants; Christa is professional, honest and quick to pay for items…read morethat she has sold. I had two of my father's 1970's vintage Lily Pulitzer blazers... I could not bring myself to take them to the Goodwill. Christa was able to find and new owner for the jackets and I walked away with cash! It was a win-win! (And, she marketed the jackets online with adorable photos!) Thank you so much Christa!

While visiting Deland from New York I stumbled across a new store, Ms. Preppy Pants in Deland. Now…read moreI usually steer clear from trendy upscale boutiques because in NY they are extremely overpriced. Well, let me tell you this....not only is the clothing reasonably priced but so super cute. When walking through the door, Christa the owner, welcomed us as if we have been friends for years. I simply ADORE her and her shop. Naturally I ended up finding and buying a few cute tops that I fell in love with. Christa even took a picture of me and put it on her Instagram account @mspreppypantsdeland .. I can not wait to visit next year when we visit but since she posts pictures and ships items I have a feeling I'll be checking her account on the regular. Thank you Christa for your warm hospitality. Looking forward to adding more lovelies to my wardrobe ~~ Katie @just_an_island_girl

This is a nice easy bridge to drive over. There is a nice fishing pier below to walk around as…read morewell. Nice biking/ walking paths that are protected as well for a bit of exercise.

The Harris M. Saxon Bridge also known as the South Causeway Bridge in NSB is the most popular…read morecrossing from the mainland to beachside spanning the Intracoastal Waterway locally known as the "The River". This bridge is the main evacuation route exiting beachside and also is the most popular route for beach goers in season so it can get backed up at times. It also offers shelter for the many people that flock here to fish off the fishing pier located directly under the bridge on the mainland side. With plenty of parking this area is adjacent to Riverside Park so the kids can play while others fish. I'm fortunate that I get view of this bridge daily when I'm in town driving down Riverside Road. There are also protected pedestrian walkways on either side of this structure that is very popular for people taking their daily walks or biking across.

A visit to Ormond Beach just would not be right without a visit to the Casements. Our group of four…read morewere in the area and we convinced them it is a must see. My wife and I had been there about ten years earlier and really enjoyed it. So on a beautiful early November day we made a visit. Still very impressive with the times opulence, it was a refreshing view of history in the areas. Rooms, offices, kitchen, library, etc. One remodeled large room had pictures from the early days of racing on the beach. Paintings, sculptures, desks, an elegant coffee server. It was all very fascinating to see. Also pictures of a disastrous fire that occurred there, and has been fully restored. The tour takes about 30-35 minutes, depending on how many questions you might have. The docent was very well versed on all the aspects of the home and the history. Hard to imagine being the richest man in America and being able to live in this fine house in the Winter. After the tour, I made a donation to the Historical Society thar do the excellent tours. And my wife made a separate donation by purchasing a necklace from the gift shop.

If you are in Ormond Beach, this is a fantastic way to kill time and learn some mazing history...if…read moreyou can catch a tour. We walked in and amazingly caught a tour just starting. It was totally free, too, and the tour guides are fun and knowledgeable. There is a lot of signage, so you can still enjoy it without a tour, but the tour will be so much more enjoyable.