If you'd like to visit a ten-acre expanse of beauty and history maintained by a dedicated and passionate troop of volunteers, look no further than Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens in Port Orange, Florida. One of the garden's prettiest features is the area at the entrance along the highway graced by this stone structure, door, and fencing reminiscent of what one might find in a secret garden.    It's very sobering to come across documented accounts of happenings of long ago as we savor the peace in an area that, then, saw unimaginable suffering and grief. We should never take for granted the ability to safely walk about at our  leisure. We enjoyed our little hike as we imagined what it would be like making sugar in the early 1800's before modern technology. It was fascinating to see some of the  equipment still in existence to this day. Below is just a glimpse of this charming place brought to us through the hard work of the gardeners who donate their time and effort to make

  Here we have a true treasure located a few miles south of Daytona Beach. It is one you may never have heard of before.  It is new to even my "loves everything lighthouse" Mom who has done a boatload of research. Let me know if it is not, in fact, new to you😊 Standing in all its beauty, it's hard to believe it has not yet been discovered by all. A total of 203 steps took us 175 feet up to these remarkable views. As if the lighthouse tour itself was not worth the tiny admission fee, we were able to discover much more as we walked the beautiful grounds peeking into some buildings, stepping into others, and stopping to study exhibits along the way. This gorgeous National Historic Landmark displaying a stunning rusty hue claims the title for Florida's tallest and the entire nation's 3rd tallest lighthouse. If in the Daytona area, a stop to check this one out is definitely worth your while!