Stops along the “Backroads of Paradise”

I was thrilled to have UPF ask me for some of my shots for this — I love photographing Florida!

In October, we published Cathy Salustri’s Backroads of Paradise: A Journey to Rediscover Old Florida, in which she retraces a 5,000-mile journey once taken by Stetson Kennedy and Zora Neale Hurston. Along the way, she stopped at various landmarks not usually part of the typical Florida vacation. Below she shares photos she captured and talks about the wonderfully eclectic spots she found during her travels.

Shonda’s Souvenirs Pineapple Shonda’s Souvenirs hasn’t fared as well as the orange pineapple, which — several years after I took this photo — became home to a family of osprey, who have built their huge nest across the pineapple top.

Shonda’s Souvenirs Mural This mural on the side of the now-deserted Shonda’s Souvenirs at the southern end of US 27 speaks to once-lush citrus industry along the Lake Wales Ridge.