Florida part Deux

While visiting in Florida, I hopped on my friend's bike and rode around neighborhoods, poor, posh, old, new, small houses, smaller houses, messy, neat, cute, ugly. I love looking at architecture around the country and see how different we all live in this vast U. S. of A. Most of the houses in Gainesville sport a porch or if they're newer that 1950, a Florida room, which is off the back of the house.


There were cute little stone houses...


homes with a Spanish influence,


and the truly charming Victorian type houses. I love the double porches, the gingerbread and all the detailing.


These older homes were in an area called the 'Duck Pond' which is where the Sweetwater branch meanders through.


Can't you just see sipping lemonade on the porch in the summer?


Sunshine drove us out to Micanopy, a sleepy, artsy village just 10 miles from Gainesville. I picture myself spending a slow winter here, writing or knitting or felting or spinning...


taking strolls down the live oak lane...


stopping in for a late afternoon glass of wine with friends who live in this house. A girl can dream, can't I?!!


And if my car breaks down, I can take it this old garage to be repaired, except that now it's an antique store.


While walking down an alley, I spotted this old fan and window. Thought the fan looked just like a flower.


Back in Gainesville, I biked by the student ghetto. This was one side of the street..


and this was the other side of the street. The university bought an entire square block, razed all the shacks (giving the owners good money for their property, or so I hear) and put up these pretty stylish student apartments. I have to say that I like these a whole lot better than the fall-y down-y, messy hovels that they tore down. Sometimes progress is a good thing.