WEEDS & WILDFLOWERS AUGUST PROMPT / ROAD TRIP!
River Church
A road trip photo story — chapter two
On Wednesday, my friend Gina and I took a short photography road trip to Green Cove Springs, 50 miles east of where I live. I wrote about a park we visited:
And, I wrote about the wildlife we saw there:
After leaving Springs Park, Gina and I visited historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. St. Mary’s was organized as a mission church in 1878 and opened its new sanctuary in 1879.
The church didn’t appear to be open, which was fine, we were happy just exploring the grounds.
St. Mary’s has an amazing view of the St. John’s River.
I am not a religious person but this view could make me believe in a higher power better than any church could!
The Gothic church was added to the U.S. National Registry of Historic Places in 1978. The church is both lofty, in a simple way, and charming.
The stained glass windows intrigued us.
We were also fascinated by the little “windows” in the steeple.
There was a sign on the property with this biblical quote that seemed so appropriate:
Like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. ~ Psalm 1:3
As we walked back to the car, I took one last photo of the river.
The lawn from the church to the parking lot was so wet, we sunk into its green lushness, not seeing the puddled water until it was seeping into our shoes!
After leaving the church, we stopped at Spring Park Coffee, a small and delightful shop. A sign on the door urged customers to wear masks, which, of course, we did and would have done even without the sign. But, inside, not one patron — and there were at least 10 seated at tables and in easy chairs — wore a mask. Thankfully, the baristas did and we thanked them for that.
I ordered their version of a frappuccino, a little unsure if my digestive system could handle it. I haven’t attempted coffee since getting sick in the spring. But, the frappuccino was heavenly and well-tolerated. I relished every sip of that icy delicacy!
Gina and I also purchased a book by a local author:
and, I started reading and loving it that night.
After leaving the coffee shop, we meandered down streets and looked at historic old homes and just plain old homes. Grand two-story mansions that looked to be from the late 1800s or early 1900s were next door to dumpy concrete block box houses and dilapidated wooden shotgun houses, and a few lovely but modest homes with shady front porches and impressive gardens. Definitely an odd mix of old and new, dignified and trashy. Actually, that’s a good description of every town or city in Florida!
We had one more stop before heading home — the ship graveyard. Stay tuned for chapter three of our photography road trip!
In response to the Weeds & Wildflowers August prompt, Road Trip!
How about you? Have you been on a road trip recently?
