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4 • JUNE 2020 - Senior Voice of Citrus County
FIREFIGHTERS woman to hold those positions. things, camellias, gardenias, but aren’t considered invasive.

continued from page 3 After 13 years, she was named hydrangeas, salvia, blanket I enjoy experimenting; it’s
Forest Management Bureau flower, plumbago, coleus, fun.”
the smoke,” she said. Steve Chief in Tallahassee. There, roses, caladiums, bromeliads,
spent 10 years as a smoke she oversaw all Florida state tomatoes, okra, lettuce, and Winnie delivers for Meals
jumper. Their paths crossed off forests, and coordinated lots of herbs. on Wheels a few days each
and on for a couple of years emergency response for week and is on the Floral

before they started dating. The natural disasters. In 2005, she “We put the water garden in City Avenue of the Oaks tree
couple married in 1987. After spent a month in Mississippi early as a focal point and built committee.
his firefighting career, Steve working with FEMA and other gardens around it,” she said. “Looking back, I think, ‘wow,
worked in construction. agencies on Hurricane Katrina “I put in different trails; Steve what a good life I’ve had.’ It
built the arbor and some of the
By 1997, Winnie was ready relief. She retired in 2014. raised planters.” was extremely challenging
to return home to Florida to Although they always had in many ways, not only
be closer to her aging parents. gardens in Montana, Winnie Now the garden includes a physically but also in breaking

She and Steve bought the saw moving back to Florida small greenhouse and cozy glass ceilings. Although it’s
house in Floral City. She as an opportunity to delve gazebo near the water garden, changing, forestry is still a
took a job with the Florida into year-round gardening. along with plants on all four man’s world,” she said. “I
Division of Forestry at the Their near acre of property sides of the house. would never have dreamed
Withlacoochee Forestry was pretty much a blank slate. “My goal is to always have that my work life would

Center, in Brooksville, Winnie started researching and something blooming of have that much variety and
first as a Natural Resource learning from her co-workers different heights and textures,” diversity. At the same time,
Coordinator, then as Forestry about Florida-friendly plants. Winnie said. “I use native I was happy to leave. It feels

Center Manager, overseeing Over time, she and Steve plants mostly, but I also like like that was my life then--
natural lands in five counties. sculpted a lush landscape azaleas and crape myrtles. and now I’ve got a new life,
Again, she was the first that includes, among other They add color to the property and it’s fun too.”

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