Tips for New RVers: Catchin' the Dream : April 2016

If you are visiting the Sarasota area on Florida's gorgeous southwest gulf coast, check out the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. The beautiful compound is located right on Sarasota Bay. Special exhibits are held in the Selby mansion, which is a lovely, large home, but not ostentatious. Apparently the Selbys, though very rich, were quite down to earth and liked to live simply. Marie left the house and land to the state for the purpose of creating the gardens that are now there.

Trails meander through a variety of lush gardens and alongside the bay. In spring, there is a garden concert series on Sunday afternoons. We went on Sunday and were treated to the sounds of the Miami Jazz Project, and also enjoyed the exhibit of colorful Costa Rican rainforest masks.

Here is a LINK to the website: MARIE SELBY BOTANICAL GARDENS

Photos speak louder than words, so here are some that hopefully will give you an idea how lovely a place this is to spend the day.

The trail takes you along the bay....

Cool tree draped in moss....

Tropical flora....

The Costa Rican Rainforest Mask exhibit inside the Selby mansion. We entered the raffle to win one and I sure hope we do!!

The mansion...just a nice big house with a veranda...

Closer up...RVPainter thinks he lives here...he asked me to get him an iced tea....

That, my friends, is a pineapple. Yup.

A sweet little Buddha in the conservatory

More flora...

A koi pond....

And the concert on the great lawn. Plenty of sun, plenty of shade. And great food for reasonable prices in the cafe - the building in the background....

Praise for Tips for New RVers

Reviews on Amazon.com:

"Informative, easy to read and just plain fun. It is a great book for all "newbies" to read before even thinking about trying to RV. It points out so many of the things that you would never think about at home. Simple but very important things such as packing, leveling or parking the RV. If you are even just thinking about trying RVing be sure to read this book."

"Wow, I was so happy to find this book! A single woman, I just started the RV life not long ago and although I read everything I could find, this book was the most friendly and funny and useful guide. I have been a weekend warrior but hope to live full time in my rig in the near future and appreciate the maintenance tips and learning the how's and whys of RV life. Most of all, it's a fun easy read and I appreciate that they did not try and explain EVERYTHING which makes some guides overwhelming to a newbie like me. Happy trails."

"Really good book for new RVers. There is a lot of helpful information in here along with stories that illustrate the points. Well-organized and also well-written - it flows really smoothly so even with the technical information it reads smoothly. Good checklists for when you arrive and leave the campground and also information about systems that I didn't know about."

About the Authors

J.R.Secor (aka RVPainter), and Melissa Ann Goodwin, (aka DW), were full-time RVers who spent a year living and traveling throughout the U.S. and Canada in a Class C motor home that they lovingly named "Dreamcatcher." They were Newbies when they started, but a year on the road turned them into experts on road life. They have written Tips for New RVers: Catchin' the Dream with the hope that it will help other new RVers catch their own RV dreams with as few difficulties as possible!

Goodwin is the author of two highly acclaimed young adult novels, The Christmas Village and Return to Canterbury. Secor is an accomplished artist who works in acrylic with brush and palette knife.

Tips for New RVers: Catchin' the Dream

Sarasota Florida: Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

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