When I started this blog… I was really on a gardening kick. Every plant… every seed… every new harvest engaged me.

For almost the last year, I wrote a gardening article every week or two… then started FloridaSurvivalGardening.com as a daily blog at the end of August.

But now I’m getting antsy. Sure… the readership has picked up… but the fire isn’t there any more. I get at least 200 visitors most days. They’re generally the kind of folks that like gardening, love homesteading, are trying to survive the econopocalypse… or all of the above.

I’ve partly kept writing because I don’t want to let people down. It isn’t easy to keep up a post a day… especially when I’m becoming more interested in other things.

That said, DON’T think I’m about to quit writing! Not at all! I’m just going to take things in a different direction.

Though you may not know it, I have another love besides gardening. And it’s that love which has become a total obsession over the last few months.

(Promise not to laugh?)

I love model trains. Particularly HO scale trains. Since seeing a holiday set-up in the mall as a kid, I found them fascinating. I imagined the cargoes they could carry… put myself in the shoes of their tiny passengers… and imagined myself as a conductor.

NOTE: Models like this are only for experts – I’ve broken a lot of little windows during assembly…

At age 12 I got my first train set as a gift from my Grandmother. And over the years I’ve added tracks… added engines… added houses… added trees… added little workmen… and soldered connections and sanded rails to keep the wheels turning in good working order. (I hate flipping or crashing my models. I’m not Mr. Addams!)

The great thing about HO trains is that the parts are quite reasonable – and there are often second-hand sets available. Is it a neurotic hobby? An old man’s passion? A “kid-that-never-grew-up” thing to do?

Maybe. But I don’t care. If Google can honor Cesar Chavez instead of Jesus on Easter… I can certainly make a much smaller change to this blog, right?

All aboard! Time to ditch the greenery and clackity-clack our way towards new adventure!

Over the next few weeks I’m going to introduce you to the world of model railroads, giving you tips on buying, building and restoring sets. We’ll even delve into handcrafting the landscaping and tunnels. Unlike gardening, this is a hobby for everyone. And… even better… you don’t have to wait to get started! A fruit tree takes years to bear – but a train set can be enjoyed right now – no digging required.

Stick around… “Florida Survival Gardening” is now officially transforming into “All-aboard Train Modeling Adventures!”

Tomorrow I’ll show you some of my friend Jim’s incredible freight yard models – and if I get a chance, I’ll shoot some video of the totally mod circular track I’m working on. Very hypnotic.

Thanks for reading… hope you all keep stopping by. Don’t be too disappointed – over time, I think you’ll get as excited about trains as I am!

Choo CHOO!