THE PASSION PLAY, WAUCHULA, FL

April 09 - Last year, 2009, I saw signs around Wauchula advertising the upcoming Passion Play. I didn’t think anything about it, but our friend, Lois from back home in Richmond was spending the winter months in St. Petersburg, asked me about the Play. Unfortunately, we left Florida early last year and were unable to make arrangements to attend the play. This year, I called Lois and Gene who were back in St. Petersburg and Clearwater, and told them when the Play would be showing. Unfortunately, they have left Florida to go back home.

But, fortunately for me, we are still here. Ken had no interest in going with me. Most of our friends have already left the area or were not interested. So, Friday night I went to see the Passion Play alone. I really did not feel alone because there were a couple of really nice Little Old Church Ladies seated behind me, on the very back row. Actually, I can’t think of any ladies who are nicer or older than I am, but that’s how I thought of them.



When I called for tickets a few days earlier, the lady sort of indicated my seat was really good. If I had no problem climbing stairs, I could be on the 14th Row, Seat 1, on the Aisle!! The Aisle turned out to be next to the railing that separated my seat from the pit for the Sound and Lighting Crew!! One of the Crew commented to me and the Little Old Church Ladies that we had really good seats. We promptly asked him to explain how our seats were good!! He said we were not seated behind a pole!!

The production took place in the Wauchula Cattlemen’s Arena where they auctioned farm stock, etc. Seats were metal bleachers – hard and cold. I had taken my seat cushion with a back that we had bought for the Pasadena Rose Bowl Parade, so that made it much more comfortable for me.


The view from my seat!! Fortunately, most of the action took place in the center and to the left.

Seating was less than ideal, but that was soon forgotten as soon as the action started. Who could ever dream the little town of Wauchula could pull off such a mammoth theatrical event!! I’ve included a lot of pictures in an effort to show just how huge and impressive this production was!! (My pictures are not clear because we were asked not to use a flash, and if either the actors or I moved, the pictures were pretty blurred.)

The Arena was filled with background scenery and animals and a cast of hundreds. The Sound and Lighting Crew did an excellent job!!

The First Christmas!! At the manger. The birth of Christ!! (The angels above were actually white, but my camera made them blue.)

Wise Men came to worship the King!

They asked the King where they might find the new-born Babe that they might worship him.

People came to celebrate the birth of Christ.

Then the scene changed to about thirty years later when Christ was a grown man.

These are the lepers he would later heal.

This is the crowd that came to see Christ.

Note the Roman soldier in the chariot.

Healing the sick.

Raising a child from the dead.

Palm Sunday.

Jesus comes in riding a donkey.

The Last Supper!

Drinking the Wine, the Blood of Christ.

Arrested and tried for claiming he was King, the Son of God.

Roman Soldiers!

Christ bearing the Cross!! This scene was truly brutal!!

Preparing to nail Christ to the Cross!

Soldiers standing the Cross in place.

Hanging from the Cross!!

Christ and two Sinners on either side.

The resurrection!!

I thought the above scene was the end of the production, but the next thing I knew, Christ was ascending into the Heavens among a hail of white fireworks!! My camera was off and I missed the picture!

Then Jesus appeared on a white stallion and charged across the arena from one end to the other and back. The crowd exploded into applaude as though He were a Super Hero!!

Then He stopped before each section of the audience and blessed us!! It was an amazing production!!

Guess who had her picture taken with the Star. Actually this picture was taken during the Intermission. One of the Little Old Church Ladies had returned from going to the bathroom and mentioned that she had used the Porta Potty because the line was much shorter than going to the restroom. I figured I could use the Porta Potty. On my way, I ran into Jesus Christ Super Star mingling with the crowd and having pictures taken. I asked him if he could perform a miracle so I would not have to go to the bathroom!! He could not!! But he did pose for a picture!!!

It was a wonderful evening.

TORREY OAKS “LADIES LUNCHEON GROUP” 4th OUTING

April 09 – This was the fourth outing for the Torrey Oaks Ladies Luncheon Group, and it was probably the last for one for the 2010 Season. This time we returned to Java Café on Main Street. While Giovanni’s last month was good, it works out a little quicker when we can order at the counter.

So many of our previous group have left Florida for cooler climate, I think we had as many new participants as old!!

Our photographer was standing on a chair for a higher level. It seemed like at good idea at the time, I’m not so sure!!


Around the table, left to right. The new participants are shown in bold. Sarah, Sarah Lou, Nancy, Jan, Sally, Faye, The Other Sally, (Can't remember), Georgia and Jan.

We had a great time and a wonderful meal. Looking forward to next season!!!

PICKLEBALL WINDING DOWN AT TT PEACE RIVER

April 07 – Our Pickleball group at Peace River is dwindling!! Our group is small, but still Pickleball is a lot of fun.

This is all who played this morning!!

Tom, Ken, Gena, Bruce.

Faye, Sally came over from Torrey Oaks, Gena and Dee.

Bruce, Donna, Stan and Rich.

After the games, about eight of us went over to El Tacoriendo for a quick lunch of Tacos, Enchiladas, and Burritos. That was fun!!

NEW FRIENDS AT TT PEACE RIVER

April 06 - This is a First for us! After Pickleball we headed to the grocery store. Dee and Rich’s site was on the way out of the campground, so we stopped to see if they needed anything from Sweetbay. Marie, whom we have seen around the campground but have never met, was talking with them. She came over to our car and, in her enthusiastic manner, she invited us to an impromptu dinner get together that she was putting together for some of her friends and anyone else in the park who wished to come. Please come at 4 o’clock this afternoon!! Bring chairs, beverage, your meat to cook on the grill, and something to share. She was so excited, we could not say no.


Here's Rich and Dee at the cookout. They are the reason we got invited!!



We had so much left over from the BBQ ribs we had at Smokey Joe’s that we wrapped them in foil to be heated on the grill. It turned out to be a great idea. As a side to share, I took Pam and Joe’s Jalapeno Poppers.


Fellow line dancer, Jerry and his wife Lynn, were at the party, too. In chatting with them, they mentioned that some friends of theirs had bought a site at Torrey Oaks. The friends turned out to be Joe and Cis!! Jerry said about four years ago, Cis came knocking on their door. She just had to see who was from Franklin, PA. We told them we have been friends of Joe and Cis about that long, too. We met them on the Pickleball court at Peace River and have been good friends ever since. What a coincidence!!

Here is the group of New Friends!!

Thanks, Marie!! What a good idea!! Thanks for inviting us!!

WONDERFUL FLORIDA WEATHER AT LAST!!

April is the perfect time to be in Florida!! The weather has finally warmed up and it’s not rainy!! There’s a nice breeze blowing!! And everywhere the sweet fragrance of Orange Blossoms is on the air. It’s Heaven!! Come on down!!!

It seems impossible!! How can there be Orange blossoms on the trees and at the same time, in the same grove, trees still have oranges on them!!! In fact, the same tree can have both oranges and blossoms!! But, I guess God knows what he is doing!!

The weather is so good now that our plants have finally come alive!! Our Purple Shamrock was looking really sad a few weeks ago. Ken had bought some white pansies and another flowering plant and some basil. They looked as sad as the shamrock. Now, with this beautiful Florida weather, everything is beautiful!!!

CIS AND JOE'S LAST SUPPER AT SMOKEY JOE'S

April 5 – Joe and Cis are leaving Florida on Tuesday morning. Ken and I and Sally and Stan told them we had to do something special to say Good Bye. They suggested going to Smokey Joe’s for ribs. Great idea!! Smokey Joe’s is just up the road a few miles, the food is good and plentiful, and we would not have to prepare dinner!!


Cute picture from the front of Smokey Joe's. I just noticed Sexy Mamma!!


We bowlers had to race to get to Smokey Joe's at the designated time!! Joe and Cis invited some of their other friends at Torrey Oaks to join us as well.

Here are the Ladies!!


And here are the Men!!

We ordered the rib platters. UUMMMMMM Man!! One platter was enough for both of us. We had one big doggie bag to take home!!

We all had a great time at dinner and wish Joe and Cis a safe and pleasant journey home!!