First Trip to Florida & House Near Homestead

Our first trip to Florida, when I was just four, was long!
We slept along the way on mattresses in the big truck,
piled with our other things...
with just enough room to lie down!
Sometimes we slept in orange groves.
I remember
the fragrant citrus aroma…


~~~~~~


House Near Homestead…


After arriving in South Florida, we eventually lived in a house
near Homestead, among huge Royal Palms and Australian Pines! The scenery was lush
and pretty. Mama and I loved the flowers and tropical plants-the coconut palm trees,
the orange and grapefruit trees!
It was all so different from what we had been used to in Alabama!

Daddy got work at a dairy. We were not far from the town and would go
there to shop on Saturdays!

The house we lived in had a big screened porch,
though not securely screened, as birds were able to get in and fly around;
but have trouble finding their way out again!

I was out there, among them …trying to catch them, no doubt!
All I got for my efforts were Mites in my eyelashes!
I remember Mama crying, as she worked way into the night,
trying to rid me of the pests! I'm sure she did but I don't remember HOW she did!


Remembering…

2003


Photo #1
...such as we encountered on our first trip to Florida

Photo #2
Our family 1945
Brother Ray, Mom holding Joy,
Sister Dolores, Daddy , Sister Gloria. and June (me) in front.


Photo #3
Sisters - Dolores,June and Joy