Once again, it’s time for Thankful Thursday! I hope this post inspires you to consider the things in your life that you are grateful for. If you have a blog, consider posting about it there and link back here. If you don’t have a blog, please feel welcome to comment here on what you are grateful for in your own life. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing, then just take a few moments to reflect on all that you have. If you’d like to tag other bloggers that participate, feel free to do that.

Over and over I find myself singing the praises of living in Central Florida.  I’m starting to feel like I should be earning a commission from the Florida Tourism Board!  But it’s true – I feel incredibly grateful to live in a community with all the benefits of city life that still embraces green spaces and wildlife.  When many people think of the Orlando area, they think “Mouse Town!”  But in my opinion, far too many people are drawn here to visit Disney and fail to experience all the other gems that we have to offer.  Here are some of my favorite things about the place I call home:

Little Big Econ State Park

One of my absolute favorite weekend destinations (and one that I’m sure to be visiting frequently during my upcoming holiday vacation days) is the Little Big Econ State Forest.  Despite the funky name, this park is a great place to visit – either on foot, bike, or by horseback.  Grady and I have spent many a day wandering through the numerous wooded trails spotting wildlife.  I even went out once on Tiny, but we got a little lost and I think I scared Emma off of trail riding with me in the real forest for good!  We’ve seen a great deal of wildlife in these woods, including numerous bird species, alligators, snakes, bald eagles, and otters.  We’ve also seen evidence of wild pigs on many occasions.  In some parts of the park, the trail follows along the riverbank and you can sometimes find canoists camping along the banks.  This network of trails is an amazing, meditative place to spend a day exploring the natural world that lies just minutes from the downtown city of Orlando.

Fleet Peeples Dog Park

When Grady and I aren’t trekking through the wilderness, you can often find us hanging out at Fleet Peeples Park, easily the BEST dog park I have ever seen.   This 23 acre park is everything a dog could want and more.  The park is entirely fenced and has a large wooded section along one side with trails for walking.  A beach area borders the enormous lake where dogs frolic and splash in the water.  Pavilions with grills, a well appointed bathroom, and plenty of benches and trash cans make owners happy.  There is even a dog wash station where you can remove the sandy evidence of the day’s fun before heading home.  On weekends dogs can easily number more than 50, but generally things are all in good fun.  And the best part is that Fleet Peeples is just down the street from yet another of my favorite Saturday haunts:  the Winter Park Farmer’s Market!

Photo courtey of Natalie Maynor

Farmer’s Markets abound in central Florida and we have the option to be quite picky when it comes to the ones we frequent.  There are several wonderful weekend markets nearby, but I particularly like Winter Park’s Farmer’s Market.  Winter Park is a charming little locale and is very dog friendly.   The market is fairly large and offers a wide selection of produce, baked goods, cheeses, plants, crafts, and so much more!  You can often even find ethnic goods like Brazilian ice cream (mmm, the corn flavor is the best!) or British specialties.  My friends and I will often make a day out of going to the farmer’s market – do some shopping, nosh on some tasty treats, and meander over to the nearby Starbucks to finish up our conversations.   Great fun!

Finally, it wouldn’t be a Thankful Thursday if I didn’t make some mention of horses, right?  Since moving to Central Florida 10 years ago, I have become almost nonchalant about the sheer number and quality of horses, tack and feed stores, and trainers that populate this area.  I can recall the days of traveling anywhere between 5 and 12 hours to get to a trainer that could help me prepare for a National level show.  Since moving here, I have been fortunate enough to be selective about who I choose and why.  At one point, I used 4 different trainers – 3 of which were within a twenty minute drive from my barn, and all of which were champions in the style of riding I used them for.  Sometimes, when I actually stop and think about my horse life ten years ago I remember to be thankful that I can swing by one of the tack stores on the way home from work or call a neighbor to borrow an item I might need in an emergency.

All in all, I love it here.  I love the green spaces, the horse and dog friendly atmosphere, and the abundance of entertaining activities to suit any interest or mood. 

Happy Thursday to all and please visit these other sites that frequently participate in Thankful Thursday:

Akal Ranch, Enlightened Horsemanship Through Touch, and Tired Dog Ranch.