Nature Preserves & Trader Maes Shabby Chic

When we were at "Meant To Bee Treasures" sjop a few day ago, we overheard the owner saying that she had to drop a few things off at Trader Maes.  Hello Google "what is Trader Maes?"  it is another shabby chic vintage store in Apopka.  Locked it in on Google Maps for a later visit.

Today we traveled down to Oakland (next door to Winter Garden) to visit the Oakland Nature Preserve.  It look like it had a 2/3 mile boardwalk through the swamps to lake Apopka.   As soon as we left the parking lot heading t the boardwalk we spotted this turtle just sitting there posing for pictures.

The boardwalk was nice and headed through the swap towards the lake.

Further down the boardwalk we finally potted our first Florida alligator just hanging out on a tree trunk.

Halfway, Evan texted us and wondered if we were still alive, so we texted this selfie.

At the end of the walk was lake Apopka.  At one time it was the Bass Fishing Capital of the US, but orange grove fertilizer runoff polluted the lake.  After many years of work by the Army Corps of Engineers, the lake is starting to make a come-back!

After the walk back, we decided to check out Tucker Farm, another town owned nature preserve.  This one is still in developement and has a playground for children,  We took a little stroll to the primitive camping area and kayak launch but they were closed.  Maybe they are open in the summer.

The camping area among the Live Oak Trees

The walkway to the camping area

After a short walk, we took a drive towards Disney.  There are tons of housing developments & communities crammed in along the road.  Nothing to see here so we started heading home.

When we were at "Meant To Bee Treasures" shop a few day ago, we overheard the owner saying that she had to drop a few things off at Trader Maes.  Hello Google "what is Trader Maes?"  it is another shabby chic vintage store in Apopka.  So om our way home we decided to try to find the place.  Traveling through Apopka was unimpressive. But we found Trader Maes.

The Street Sign

 

OMG, its a shabby chic superstore.  Really, it's a group shop where each vendor's booth is loaded with shabby chic, country coastal or farmhouse decor items and furniture.  I have never seen so much painted furniture in my life.  The owners said that the vendors do extremely well. I think its due to all the construction going on in this area.

Below is just a smaple of the over 100 dealer booths in this 2 building shop.

 We spent a lot of time looking around and then left for a late lunch and the Mount Dora Brewery.

Renninger's Flea & Farmers Market

Renningers has a few markets.  Their Antique Extravaganza, which happens 3 times a year like Brimfield, and the permanent Flea & Farmers Market which is open each weekend. In a previous post, we showed what the Extravaganza was like.  That day we did not go to this part as we knew we could visit it this weekend.

It is in a large building with indoor vendors selling mostly stuff from china, food, their own products and flea market items. It was big inside.  Definitely not an antique flea market.  One of the "legs" of the building was dedicated to the Farmers Market.

Outside to the right in the photo above was the "antique & junk" vendors.  There was a lot of JUNK. If there were ant real antiques, they were priced very high!  And ir was very hot! the vendors were all complaining about the heat.  I guess its supposed to be in the 70's and cooler in February, today it was 85 and hot in the sun.  The weather forecast is for cooler and dryer weather next week.

The junk vendors

The decor window guy was also set up there.

Window frames from Thailand

We also visited a permanent area call "The Street of Shops" where people have shed with real antiques.  Again these items were priced way to high for our tastes.

The Street of Shops.

There was one vendor that had a huge permanent shop with tons of stuff.  the stuff must have been there for years as everything was caked with dust & dirt.  But it was the most interesting shop there.

I guess the glassware market is going downhill, because he has a permanent 50% off on glassware.  His prices were also very high.  For example, a common coffee grinder with a draw was $85.  We can get these in MA for under $25.

This stoneware ovoid jug was "on sale" for $500!

After seeing all we could, we went to Tony's Clam Chowder place again for Soup & Salad.

Pyrex and Primitives

Before heading out for the day, I took a few photos of the house we are renting.  Nice heated pool & spa.

We went on our way to visit Through The Years Vintage Market, a shop in Tavares that will be sponsoring a Vintage Christmas show on Saturday.  Their photos online also show that they have tons of Pyrex.  But first we stopped at the Union Congregational Thrift Shop.  There prices were great.  Elly bought 4 shirts for $5.  We love church thrift shops.

Union Congregational  Thrift Shop

We then continued down the street to the Vintage store.  It was jam packed with merchandise, no bargains here. The shop was really pretty and well laid out.They place has tons of Purex at retail prices.

The store was well decorated and had theme rooms.  We think it was a group shop but all the merchandise was inter-mingled. We were chatting with one of the owners who said that they have a vacation home in Oqunquit Maine and make buying trips each year and drive a truck load of merchandise down to Florida every year.  So this is all New England stuff!

We told her that we are more into the primitive antiques.  She directed us to a shop in Mount Dora that had lots of primitives!  Let's go there!  But lets get something to eat while the rain passes!

Irish Restaurant for a salad and beer

The train passing though. This is the train that runs in back of the house.

The place was called "Meant to Bee Treasures".

Primitives just like the stores back in MA

Lots of painted furniture

The Chintzy Room

The store owner was real nice and also gave us the name of another store like hers in Apopka, Another road trip is now being planned.

Palm Island Boardwalk

Today we checked another item from our list. Visit the Palm Island Boardwalk & Mount Dora Lighthouse/  it was a beautiful day and the views from the boardwalk were amazing!  In some respect it reminded of views in Fairfield around Jennings Beach , Pine Creek & Ash Creek. In others it reminded of Lake Winnipesaukee.

Reminds me of Lake Winnepausakee

View from the Boardwalk

Another view from the boardwalk

Looks like Ash Creek to me

We continued down the boardwalk, we had the place almost to ourselves.

Elly down the boardwalk

More Boardwalk

The island was covered with Palm Trees and Live Oak trees all with the Spanish Moss hanging from everything.  The Spanish Moss is everywhere here!  Its not a parasite like mistletoe, but derives its nutrients from the air and rain.

Live Oak Trees and Spanish Moss

Of Course we had to take the obligatory Goofy pictures.

And we still have to find out what these birds are. They were everywhere and not afraid of humans.

Before leaving we chatted with a few folks and then went for lunch at Tony's Clam Chowder Restaurant.  His chowder is world famous and served in many restaurants.  This new restaurant is just opening this week and there were only 2 items on the menu: Clam Chowder & Salad.  Good thing because that is what we went there for.  The Chowder is the best I have ever had.  And they sell in at the local Grocery stores like Publix.  We bought a quart of "kitchen made" from the restaurant for lunch tomorrow. I will probably by a few cans to bring back home.

On the way to playing mini golf we made a pit stop home toput away the chowder and to cool off before mini-golf.

Elly teeing it up, that's my ball that didn't quite make it.

Of course, Elly beat me again by 1 stroke!  Well back home to hang out on the patio.