When I got home I took down the inexpensive commercial painting I had and hung Margaret’s painting in its place. It was perfect.

Blue Hole Spring

I didn’t know the title of the painting when I first saw it, I just knew it was of a spring and I liked it. It wasn’t until Margaret wrote the receipt that I learned the title was “Blue Hole Portrait.”  The Blue Hole is one of the eight springs making up Ichetucknee Springs. The Blue Hole Spring is in a basin about a hundred feet across with  “blue hole” about ten feet across in the center. Appearing as a dark blue hole from the surface, underneath it opens up into a fifty foot deep jug shaped hole which is popular for snorkelers and divers.  I had been diving in the Blue with my brother Hole back in 1978 making the painting more special to me.

Dive Log from 1978

(See full Dive Log)

I find it interesting how in one’s life certain themes reoccur and are connected like in this story, springs, painting, art, diving and friends.

Larry Mixson, 2026

Updated: 01-10-2026

End