Saturday, January 9, 2016

HERE WE GO AGAIN!


Erie, Pennsylvania
January 9, 2016
Yippee!! We are three days from takeoff to warmer climes, Tuesday, January 12. Our first stop is Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show (http://www.farmshow.state.pa.us/default.aspx)
We have never been to the show, but since my brother will be there with the Northwest PA Maple Association (www.pamaple.org), we thought it would be a good time to go!  My list of things to see includes the maple syrup producers and their display, bees, nuts, mushrooms, the butter sculpture, milking parlor, oxen, and poultry (if they are allowed to be there this year).
FAST FARM SHOW FACTS:
·         This 100th Farm Show will feature a Veterans and Active Duty Military Day on Thursday, January 14
·         The Pennsylvania Farm Show is the largest indoor agricultural event in America. The Farm Show Complex houses 24 acres under roof, spread throughout 11 buildings including three arenas.

·         Free Wireless Internet In 2009 the Farm Show Complex & Expo Center began offering free wireless internet service which covers the entire complex making it the largest wifi network in the East.
·         The PA Farm Show charges no admission fee. Therefore, it is a great event to take the entire family to for the whole day, to enjoy an educational show free of charge.
·         The PA Farm Show has something for everyone, farmers and non-farmers. It provides an atmosphere for everyone to walk through, observe and educate themselves about different areas of Agriculture - the Commonwealth's largest industry, and what the industry provides to them.
·         The PA Farm Show includes approximately 300 Commercial Exhibitors and includes over 13,000 Competitive Exhibits. Everything from draft horses, beef cattle, dairy cattle, sheep, swine, goats, rabbits and poultry, to eggs, fruit, Christmas trees, apiary products, maple products, nuts, horticultural products, mushrooms, wine, vegetables and many other Pennsylvania products can be seen here.
SevSeveral of the arena events each year at the PA Farm Show are:  Draft Horse Competition, the Annual Sheep-to-Shawl Contest (the shawls are then auctioned off), Cow Milking Contest, Thermador Chefs Challenge, Livestock judging--Horses, Cattle, Swine, Sheep, and Goat Judging. All FREE Admission!
I wonder if we will see the Sheep to Shawl contest. I cannot imagine how skilled one would have to be to do that! They then auction off the shawls!!!

When we leave Harrisburg on Thursday we will be heading for Fort Lauderdale, making our usual stops in South Carolina and Cocoa Beach, Florida. 

Here is the 2016 itinerary:
Jan 12: Erie to Harrisburg
Jan 13: Harrisburg--PA Farm Show
Jan 14: Harrisburg to South Carolina
Jan 15: SC to Cocoa Beach, Florida
Jan 16: Cocoa Beach to Fort Lauderdale—with a stop at Sawgrass Mills Outlet Mall! Dinner at 5
p.m. at Coconuts with our gang of friends from California, Wisconsin, and England. There are a few new people from California and we are anxious to meet them!
Jan 17: Board the lovely Regal Princess!
Jan 18: Princess Cays—Princess’ private island
Jan 19: Day at Sea
Jan 20: Grand Cayman
Jan 21: Costa Maya, Mexico
Jan 22: Cozumel, Mexico
Jan 23: At Sea
Jan 24: Fort Lauderdale
Jan 25: Princess Cays
Jan 26: At Sea
Jan 27: St. Thomas—Diamonds International, Look Out!  Shopping Day with Donna and Gwenda,
            Tim and Lawrence.
Jan 28: St. Maarten—Beach Tour
Jan 29: At Sea
Jan 30: At Sea
Jan 31: Disembark and drive to Miami. Board the NCL Getaway
Feb 01: Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island
Feb 02: At Sea
Feb 03: Ocho Rios
Feb 04: Georgetown, Grand Cayman
Feb 05: Cozumel, Mexico
Feb 06: At Sea
Feb 07: Disembark and drive to Ft. Myers, Florida-Super Bowl at Jeff and Carmel’s??
Feb 08:  Ft. Myers with family
Feb 09: Ft. Myers—eye appt. and visit friends
Feb 10: Visit friends in Ft. Myers area
Feb 11: Possibly Ft. Myers to Dade City—Travelers Rest Resort with Mary Lou and Scorchy
The rest is unplanned except for Mt. Dora Antique Extravaganza on Feb 19.  We will probably head home by Feb 21, depending on the WEATHER!



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