Florida Spectacular

Send us your Florida questions! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1527562/open_sms] Elizabeth Randall, author of Florida haunted history books, joins the podcast — this week only, we've changed the name — to tell us some fantastic Florida ghost stories.  Links We Mentioned Elizabeth Randall website [https://www.elizabethrandallauthor.com/] Bosque Bello Cemetery [https://fbfl.us/1081/Bosque-Bello-Cemetery] in Fernandina Amelia Island Museum of History [https://ameliamuseum.org/] (the old jailhouse) Robert the Doll [https://amzn.to/4nvzaOa] by David Sloan David Sloan ghost tour and VIP Robert the Doll Experience [https://gtotours.com/st_tour/fort-east-martello-ghost-tour-vip-robert-the-doll-experience/] Robert the Doll Florida Spectacular episode [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1527562/episodes/13845017] Books from Elizabeth Randall  Women in White [https://amzn.to/4oGmapA] Murder in St. Augustine: The Mysterious Death of Athalia Ponsell Lindsley [https://amzn.to/4ohPWS3] Haunted St. Augustine [https://amzn.to/4hEm3sG]  Support the show [https://paypal.me/floridaspectacular?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US] Question or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com [cathy@floridaspectacular.com]. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter [http://eepurl.com/df4f_T], and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com [http://greatfloridaroadtrip.com/]. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com [http://studiohourglass.blogspot.com/] and get his books at rickkilby.com [https://www.rickkilby.com/]. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy [http://www.facebook.com/SalustriCathy] and everywhere else as @CathySalustri [http://www.twitter.com/CathySalustri]; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth [https://www.facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth], Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/oldfla.bsky.social]), and IG (@ricklebee [http://www.instagram.com/ricklebee]). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link [cathy@floridaspectacular.com?subject=Plant%20question]!

Send us your Florida questions! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1527562/open_sms] To celebrate the 25th annual issue of Saw Palm, the editors came on the podcast to talk about what sorts of things to expect in the anniversary issue, a book from the man who started Saw Palm, and things to do in Ybor City. Links We Mentioned Saw Palm [https://www.sawpalm.org/] Fearsome Creatures of Florida [https://www.johnhenryfleming.com/books/books/] Columbia Restaurant [https://www.columbiarestaurant.com/] The Castle [https://castleybor.com/] Kress Contemporary [https://www.kresscontemporary.com/]  Support the show [https://paypal.me/floridaspectacular?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US] Question or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com [cathy@floridaspectacular.com]. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter [http://eepurl.com/df4f_T], and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com [http://greatfloridaroadtrip.com/]. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com [http://studiohourglass.blogspot.com/] and get his books at rickkilby.com [https://www.rickkilby.com/]. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy [http://www.facebook.com/SalustriCathy] and everywhere else as @CathySalustri [http://www.twitter.com/CathySalustri]; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth [https://www.facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth], Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/oldfla.bsky.social]), and IG (@ricklebee [http://www.instagram.com/ricklebee]). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link [cathy@floridaspectacular.com?subject=Plant%20question]!

Send us your Florida questions! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1527562/open_sms] Can AI make Florida better? Bess Auer [https://bessauer.com/about-bess] joins the podcast to talk about AI, being a UF cheerleader during the Danny Rollins serial killings, and her Orlando treasure hunt. Links We Mentioned Cherry 2000 [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092746/] "How Ted Bundy Ended Our Innocence" [https://flamingomag.com/2019/02/26/capital-dame-ted-bundy/] by Diane Roberts Second Harvest Food Bank [https://feedhopenow.org/] Fenn's treasure [https://fennstreasure.com/fenns-treasure-search-area/] HoundsHouse Orlando [https://www.houndshouseorlando.com/] The Secret: A Treasure Hunt [https://12treasures.com/] (Byron Preiss) HaveIBeenTrained.com [http://haveibeentrained.com/] Bess' SubStack [https://open.substack.com/pub/bessauer] Can AI plan a decent Florida road trip? Here's what happened when Rick and Cathy tried to get AI to do just that. [https://greatfloridaroadtrip.com/ai-florida-road-trips-are-we-there-yet/] Support the show [https://paypal.me/floridaspectacular?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US] Question or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com [cathy@floridaspectacular.com]. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter [http://eepurl.com/df4f_T], and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com [http://greatfloridaroadtrip.com/]. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com [http://studiohourglass.blogspot.com/] and get his books at rickkilby.com [https://www.rickkilby.com/]. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy [http://www.facebook.com/SalustriCathy] and everywhere else as @CathySalustri [http://www.twitter.com/CathySalustri]; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth [https://www.facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth], Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/oldfla.bsky.social]), and IG (@ricklebee [http://www.instagram.com/ricklebee]). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link [cathy@floridaspectacular.com?subject=Plant%20question]!

Send us your Florida questions! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1527562/open_sms] Haley Moody, the director of the Florida Springs Institute, joins the podcast to talk about the idea of creating a National Springs Heritage Area in Florida. About Haley Haley’s passion for the springs began during her first visit to the Ichetucknee River. Her love of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) was born during her time at the University of Florida, where she graduated with honors in Landscape Architecture. After a GIS Internship at the Florida Springs Institute, she transitioned into managing FSI’s outreach efforts and now focuses on the direction of FSI. Her dedication to the springs continues to grow as she communicates the challenges that face the Floridan Aquifer. Links We Mentioned The VRBO Cathy mentioned [https://www.vrbo.com/9424475ha] in the Orlando area Florida Springs Institute [https://floridaspringsinstitute.org/] Reach out to Haley to be a stakeholder: hmoody@floridaspringsinstitute.org [hmoody@floridaspringsinstitute.org] Learn about how springs work and who controls what with the FSI Pocket Guide [https://floridaspringsinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/BWA-Pocket-Guide-FINAL2.pdf]  Springs photo by Rick Kilby. Support the show [https://paypal.me/floridaspectacular?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US] Question or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com [cathy@floridaspectacular.com]. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter [http://eepurl.com/df4f_T], and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com [http://greatfloridaroadtrip.com/]. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com [http://studiohourglass.blogspot.com/] and get his books at rickkilby.com [https://www.rickkilby.com/]. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy [http://www.facebook.com/SalustriCathy] and everywhere else as @CathySalustri [http://www.twitter.com/CathySalustri]; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth [https://www.facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth], Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/oldfla.bsky.social]), and IG (@ricklebee [http://www.instagram.com/ricklebee]). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link [cathy@floridaspectacular.com?subject=Plant%20question]!

Send us your Florida questions! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1527562/open_sms] Florida nature photographer Matt Keene talks about how he uses large-format film cameras to create his portraits. Matt has an exhibit at the Lightner Museum in St. Augustine (through Jan. 18, 2026), and this episode offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how much work, forethought, and effort goes into this extraordinary body of work.  Links We Mentioned  More about Matt Keene [https://historiccoastculture.com/artist/matt-keene/]  River Be Dammed [https://youtu.be/zxCcmC4PWW8?si=f-3sXFM1eI3BB-jl] Lost Springs [https://youtu.be/HhG_GnawH5U?si=obj9QwLCqKMYmBko] Echoes of the Wild [https://lightnermuseum.org/exhibitions/matt-keene-echoes-of-the-wild/] at the Lightner Museum Oct. 3, 2025-Jan. 18, 2026 Image: Gores Landing on the Ocklawaha River, Florida, Aluminum, 2024, by Matt Keene  Support the show [https://paypal.me/floridaspectacular?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US] Question or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com [cathy@floridaspectacular.com]. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter [http://eepurl.com/df4f_T], and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com [http://greatfloridaroadtrip.com/]. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com [http://studiohourglass.blogspot.com/] and get his books at rickkilby.com [https://www.rickkilby.com/]. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy [http://www.facebook.com/SalustriCathy] and everywhere else as @CathySalustri [http://www.twitter.com/CathySalustri]; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth [https://www.facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth], Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/oldfla.bsky.social]), and IG (@ricklebee [http://www.instagram.com/ricklebee]). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link [cathy@floridaspectacular.com?subject=Plant%20question]!