My husband, Bruce, and I celebrated our wedding anniversary by going on an overnight antique shopping trip since we are on a quest to find the perfect antique chest of drawers or vanity with drawers for my dainty things.   Shopping + romance = our (my) idea of fun.

An antique dealer told me Micanopy, Florida, is filled with antiques stores, so I went online to look for a bed and breakfast (full breakfast and delicious snacks) in which to stay.  I found the Herlong Mansion.   It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was built in 1845. Renovations in 1910 changed the simple cracker-style house to a massive brick, two-story Southern colonial home, replete with huge white columns and a ballroom on the third floor they later turned into bedrooms. It's decorated in fine Victorian tradition with three suites, two charming cottages out back, and seven bedrooms.  

Our room was peach and gold.   Every wall, but those on either side of the dresser, was adorned either with gold-gilt framed pictures, ornately decorated wreaths or swags, or black and white wedding photos of long ago couples on their wedding days.   French doors closed off the large bath with burgundy tile, shower and jacuzzi tub.   Gas logs were ready for service in both the bedroom and bathroom.   We even had our own screened in patio with white wicker furniture.

Just before eleven a.m., as their bell tolled, we crossed the Mansion's front lawn and empty two-lane Cholokka Boulevard to enter The Episcopal Church of the Mediator where the service was led by Father Les Singleton.   This inviting and friendly man was apparently used to many a visitor because the bright red front door of his tiny white church seemed to bear an invisible sign saying welcome.   And we felt exactly that.   When I asked one gentle lady for information about the history of the church, she gave me a handful of papers, asking if I needed anything else.   I discovered the building, circa 1874, was originally erected by and for Presbyterians.

The church gardens are distinctive.   Father Les told us, "The memory garden is to the immediate right of the church, and includes 96 pieces of marble set into the ground.  96 person's ashes will be interred in the space provided."

We toured the book, gift and primarily antique shops just a block down the road from the Herlong Mansion.   We had fun checking out furniture drawers for old-fashioned dove-tail joints and solid wood, not veneer.  

My sister, Nancy Kamp, jewelry designer extraordinaire, would have loved browsing Tarry McNatt’s bead store.  Known about town as Bead Mama, Tarry showed me her technique as she worked on a lovely necklace.

We were pleased to find House of Hirsh, antiques housed in another Victorian manor.   In The Shop, we bought a shabby chic, 12-inch cast iron candy dish shaped like a birdbath with two hummingbirds resting on the edge.

“What are you going to do with that,” asked my husband, not seeing the duel birds as representing our sweet love.  He’s such a boy.  

Naturally, I replied, “It’s a deadly weapon.”

“Oh, okay. Good idea.”

We had lunch at Coffee N Cream, right down town.   Bruce had homemade noodle soup, and I had a tropical salad.  Both were good and reasonably priced.  Beware, this place has sweeties, so don’t enter if you’re on a diet.

We ate seafood at the Yearling Restaurant in nearby Cross Creek, made famous by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings classic novel, The Yearling. The decor was “old cracker” country.   They have cabins for overnight guests, too, but we didn’t see any because it was dark when we left.  The food was fine, but it was extra fun seeing the actual typewriter that Rawlings used to write her novel.  The restaurant is opened Thursday through Sunday evening.

We accomplished a lot of sightseeing for leaving home on a Saturday and returning Sunday.   We didn’t find the perfect antique dresser.   Who cares?   It only means we get to try, try again.   Imagine what adventures we’ll have on our next quest around the old South!