Two Florida Oranges on a Mission: About Sam and Pam

This isn’t going to be a typical “About” page because as you may have noticed, Sam and Pam aren’t your typical bloggers!

What Sam and Pam are are two vintage salt and pepper shaker souvenirs. But who they are, and what they represent, is so much more. 

Who are Sam and Pam?

Sam and Pam are two retired Hamlin oranges who met while working at the Department of Citrus. They live in a typical 55+ retirement community surrounded by orange groves in Polk County, FL. They’ve been married since they were young and couldn’t imagine life without each other! Sam and Pam have one son named Tom who lives out of state and tries to visit once or twice a year.

Pam is a fun-loving orange who never stops going! She is always planning their next adventure and has a affinity for key lime pie! Sam is a level-headed gentleman who never complains about going along for the ride. They both love their home state of Florida, and their goal is to share their joy and enthusiasm with the world!

Who created samandpam.com?

While leaving a little mystery in tact, I can tell you that I am a 30-something (but who’s counting?) woman who has spent all my life in Florida. I am a Florida native who was born in Daytona Beach and raised in Flagler Beach and Palm Coast. Growing up I had family in St. Augustine and spent lots of my time traveling Florida with my parents. After graduating high school I moved to Orlando to attend the University of Central Florida – go Knights! I have also lived and worked in Clermont and throughout Polk County, where I currently reside. I have a cat and two dogs who enjoy the Florida sunshine just as much as I do!

After completing my Bachelor of Arts degree from UCF I went on to complete a Master of Public Health degree from American Public University. It was during the thesis writing process of graduate school that I fostered my passion for writing and set the goal of writing professionally in the future. After starting a career in environmental public health it become even more important to me to not only protect the beauty of the natural Florida landscape, but to also share my knowledge and passion for Florida with others. And now, here we are with Sam and Pam! As the Sam and Pam admin I created the website, author all of the posts, and do their photo shoots.

When and why was samandpam.com created?

The idea for this blog came about during the COVID-19 pandemic when we were all staying inside our homes as much as possible, just trying to stay healthy (and sane) and to avoid catching the virus. Having more time on my hands reminded me of my passion for writing, and staying inside reminded me of my passion for all the beauty and adventure that Florida has to offer. Once restrictions were lifted and we were able to enjoy outdoor spaces more readily, I thought to myself, “What better time than now to share my favorite Florida parks, historical places, outdoor spaces, and “old Florida” finds with the world?” And so the basic idea for the blog was born.

But what about Sam and Pam? Where did they come into play?

I wanted to come up with a way to make this blog a little more different and a little more fun than your typical Florida travel blog. I toyed around with the idea of finding some sort of character that could be the star of the blog, and began searching for the perfect item. I searched in a few different places, and as soon as I laid eyes on these two small ceramic salt and pepper shakers I knew – they were the ones! Their names, Sam and Pam, popped into my head when I saw the “S” and “P” on the tops of their heads, and the rest is history!

But, why the silly oranges?

Simply put, because… why not? We live in a tumultuous time, in a world filled with division, political strife, health crises, and a lingering air of despair.

But in the midst of it all, Sam and Pam are simply two traveling Florida oranges with big eyes and smiles on their faces, nothing more and nothing less. They represent fun, freedom, and everything that makes Florida the great state that it is. Their mission is simply to spread their joy and love of Florida with others… and to keep you guessing where they’ll end up next!

So stay tuned for Sam and Pam’s upcoming adventures, and if you happen to see them out in the wild, feel free to say hello! They would love the opportunity to snap a picture with a fan. We wish sunshine and happy days to you all! Cheers!