I started this blog to share some of the thoughts I have along the journey of life. I love to travel and spend time with my family and friends. A good meal, breaking bread with those I love, gives my life meaning. So does travel. I adore dreaming of sites to visit, not just to check them off on a list. Rather, I consider myself a student of life, traveling as an explorer, to open my mind to all the possibilities the world holds in store for me and for others. I love to travel to discover how different the world is in terms of climate, cultures, politics, terrain, economy, etc. but also to discover how SIMILAR the people are. Despite language barriers, much can be communicated with a smile or gestures. Language is simply a means to communicate, yet there are so very many other ways to communicate. Once when I was in French-speaking Canada, I realized that my 7th grade French class didn’t teach me the word for “straw”. However, when I thought about it, I was able to communicate to the very French-speaking waiter in a very French-speaking restaurant about my need for a “cylinder through which to drink” in my limited French vocabulary. Travel challenges the mind and soul, stretching us to problem solve and form conclusions about all that we experience. THAT is the type of travel I enjoy best. “All’s well that ends well”, as they say………….”Life is Good” as well.
Wanderlust at it again? Why not head out for some adventure at one of Florida’s Springs where you can kayak or canoe among some crystal clear water. I headed out to Rainbow Falls in Dunnellon, Florida yesterday for some time in the great outdoors. While the springs are particularly popular in the hot summer months, I personally find them equally refreshing in the winter months here in Florida, as there are far fewer people there in winter months.
The headsprings begin close to this area within the Rainbow Springs Park. You can arrange to rent a kayak or canoe here in the park to paddle an approximately four hour ride downstream through the Rainbow River and have a shuttle take you back from the end of the river to your car at the park. Along the way, you may see some gaters, otters, birds, and fish in the crystal waters or along the banks of the river.
Before you rent your canoe or kayak, take time to see the beautiful man-made waterfalls in the park while you are there. In January and early February you may catch a glimpse of some of the azaleas. When I went yesterday, February 7, there were only some scattered azaleas in bloom, as the peak of the azalea season had already passed.
At the end of your journey down the Rainbow River, you can stop at Swampy’s Bar And Grill, where the locals eat. This unpretentious and clean eatery has an amazing location and a dock where you can actually tie up your canoe or kayak while you eat. Most of the tables are outside or under a porch roof, although they have a few tables inside. It was breathtaking to watch the birds take flight before my eyes while I sat under some Spanish Moss in the adjacent tree. This is old Florida updated. This is adventure meeting with peace. This is a stop that soothes the soul at the same time if feeds the belly.
For the more adventurous folks in the crowd, there is alligator on the menu. For the less adventurous members of the crowd, there are standard burgers, fish and chips, ceviche, and some Louisiana inspired menu items such as jambalaya and red beans with sausage.
menu courtesy of Swampy’s FB page
The hostess at the hostess stand smiled at me through her mask immediately upon my arrival before seating me, and my server, Josh, greeted me warmly as well. I could see from his eyes that his smile under his mask was warm and genuine, and he made me feel welcomed by his conversation about nearby springs and growing up in the Florida springs.
I am a vegetarian, so I ordered the large garden salad and was satisfied with the freshness, taste, portion, and flavor of the salad, and I would definitely recommend this eatery for anyone wanting to finish up a day at the Rainbow Springs with a local, authentic eatery. Although I visited during the day, Swampy’s looks like a fun spot at night with its Edison lights and fire tables on the sand. Add that to my list to try another time, as my “bucket list” grows daily!
Life is good; carpe diem folks….get out and enjoy the outside during this wretched pandemic.
“May you LIVE all the days of your life.” -Jonathan Swift
Wanderlust knocking at your door again? Thinking of traveling soon after you have your Covid vaccines? There is a lot to think about when traveling during a pandemic, especially travel insurance and what it covers.
I am re-posting these FAQs from a site that discusses travel insurance during the pandemic:
I started drinking herbal tea when I was in the seventh grade or somewhere thereabouts. I still remember my Mother offering to make me a cup of tea at the time. I threw my head back laughing, telling her I would ONLY drink herbal tea in a beautiful teacup. I told her a mug simply would not do. After that day, my Mother laughed when she saw me drinking herbal time each and every time in one of her beautiful china cups with a delicate floral pattern and a saucer. It’s not so much about the tea as much as it is about creating a small, good, beautiful moment for me somehow.
Tonight, making my herbal tea, I took out my Mother’s china cup and made myself a steeping cup of pumpkin spice herbal tea, and both the tea and memories of my late Mother warmed my heart in a way that I needed tonight. Missing her, I connected my thoughts about her with happy and comforting thoughts tonight, trading my sense of loss for something that made me smile instead.
I decided tonight I would do something that I have not done in a while after a particularly busy week. I try not to structure my life so that it is “too busy”, as I value having time to enjoy my life and try to live my life with intention. I decided I would read by the fire and light all the candles in the room tonight, too, which is something I don’t usually do. I usually read outside at night on the lanai by the fire table, but I decided I would shake things up a bit tonight. There was such a peaceful feeling hearing the crackle of the fire combined with simultaneous scent of the candles nearby. When I need to shake things up, I try to do something I love, see something I love, hear something I love, touch something I love, smell something I love, or taste something I love. The senses invoke such strong memories for me and yet somehow ground me in the moment right now with a small good thing.
Within minutes of reading my book, sipping my tea, watching the fire, smelling the candles, and hearing the crackling of the fire, I felt centered again and quickly found peace. In a world full of turmoil with the pandemic and other disturbing current events from time to time, it helps to draw in a deep breath, exhale, and find peace in whatever way we can dial things down a little to enjoy the moment.
Life is good; try to dial it down a little tonight to find a way to create peace in your heart. Life is good…..
There are those that live their lives with a great deal of routine, finding that routine is helpful to them to navigate their worlds more more efficiently. There are those that live their lives without a great deal of routine, finding that routine is monotonous, dull, and tedious.
No matter which side of the coin you find yourself, it has been said that “sometimes a break from the routine is the very thing you need.” (author unknown).
So it is with me; I found myself needing a break from all this talk about politics and the pandemic these days. I invited my friend to join me for a mini-break while we stole away for a few hours to the beach. I told her to clear her schedule, and we would eat our lunch at the beach today. Little did she know I was creating the experience in my mind, watching detail after detail flash before my eyes, inside my mind, as we spoke.
I have never had a true beach “picnic”. Each and every time I have eaten lunch at the beach here in Florida, the meal has been a blend of pragmatic and quick. I tend to pack my food in that ubiquitous little red and white cooler with a handle that I have had for many years. Normally, I deliberately choose things that won’t spoil if they get too warm on a hot day at the beach here in the summer. Ice packs on those hot days last only so long after all.
Today would be different. Instead of just sitting on my beach blanket, I wanted to create a beautiful moment in time for our “staycation” at the beach. My friend and I are both longing for the days when travel to far away places with beautiful beach parties and inspiring settings is again a viable option. For now, however, since we can’t change our worlds, we need to change our thinking. What we needed was a “staycation” for the day.
I had seen numerous pictures in the past of instagram-worthy “boho” dinner parties at the beach and had admired all the effort it must have taken to create an experience as beautiful as that. When my friend asked what she could bring to the lunch, I told her nothing at all. She is one of those people who is beautiful both inside and out, always doing something for others. I decided today was a good day to “pay it forward” to her, thinking about all that she has done recently for my family and me while covid knocked at our door, and I respectfully declined her generous and kind offer to bring something to our “staycation celebration”. Within a moment or two, I made up my mind to arrive at the beach approximately an hour before she arrived to set things up. The menu would be good but simple food. I recently purchased a sign that said “Good food. Good Friends. Good Times” and used it as my inspiration. Today would be a good time, but it would be simple. It would be different, but it wouldn’t be so labor intensive or costly, as I wanted to enjoy the day, too. I didn’t want to be too tired from all the preparations as the day gradually unfolded with laughs and good conversation. It all had to start with some sort of table, however, and a comfortable place upon which to sit.
I searched CraigsList for anyone who was giving away free wooden pallets, as I had seen some boho picnics use pallets as a table. Because we are very careful in the pandemic, the table would have to allow for a minimum of six feet for social distancing outside, as neither she or I have had covid yet. Although I love the look of using wooden pallets for beach tables, I quickly dismissed the idea, as it would be difficult for me to carry two wooden pallets on the beach myself. I then considered wooden “orange crates”, which would provide a two purpose approach to simplify things.
two crates in the back of my trunk
The crates would allow me to efficiently carry things onto the beach and once inverted could serve as a table. Two orange crates would suffice, I thought. I purchased them at Michael’s for about ten dollars each. After I set up the crates on my living room floor, they looked small and unimpressive. How could I infuse them with a little life to inspire a break from our routines? Certainly color would play a part. I began to think of all the little things I already had in the house that would dress up the scene unfolding in my mind. I decided I needed a centerpiece that was yellow, my friend’s favorite color. I somehow had to weave more yellow throughout the scene unfolding in my mind, too . I found a turquoise table runner with starfish on it that I had put away in the closet. I also had star fish and plastic coral that played a role in my beach-themed living room at home and a vase of yellow silk flowers. I set those out and decided I needed to create a longer “table” instead of two mini tables for this to work. I began thinking of using 2 x 4 wooden boards to join the two creates together versus a piece of plywood. I decided that neither was the right “look” I was going for in my mind and would be too cumbersome to carry by myself. I finally went back to Michaels and then to Hobby Lobby to find some sort of rustic unfinished wooden piece (maybe a sign) that would join the two crates.
front side of sign (left), and back side of sign (right) with perpendicular pieces of wood on the back to fit snugly against the top of the orange crate (Hobby Lobby “Woodpile Fun” item # 1305275)
I used my 40 percent off Hobby Lobby coupon for a sign that was almost three feet long to lay across the two tables and decided we would sit upon cushions from my couch.
Next, I went to Lowes to see if they had some sort of bamboo plant stake that I could insert into the sand easily at both ends of the table in order to string some tassel decorations from one end of the table to the other above us as we sat. I found some square six foot stakes with a pointy end for ease of insertion into the sand for about two dollars and fifty cents each and decided I would need four with some twine to lash them together.
Next, I decided I would try the Dollar Tree to get some yellow paper decorations and some plastic tablecloths. I spend four dollars there (two table cloths and two packages of decorations).
The menu would be simple and wouldn’t require much to transport. I thought a sandwich made in a hollowed out bread boule cut into pie-shaped pieces would give me a different look, and I would serve it on a piece of slate that I had previously purchased at World Market. A simple, classic dessert of strawberry shortcake came to mind, but how could I break out from my tried and true strawberry shortcake recipe? I decided I would layer it in a mason jar for easy transport and ease in eating at the beach. This strawberry shortcake layered mini trifle would be attractive to look at as well, and I had been inspired by eating trifle at my mother-in-law’s house this week. The sandwich, biscuits, and strawberries had the advantage that they could be made the night before, and all that I would need to do that morning would be to assemble the dessert after making a fresh batch of sweetened whipped cream. PERFECT! Why serve only one dessert when you can have two, though? I ended up making the strawberry shortcake in a plastic mini shooter glass from the Dollar Tree, as well. I made a peanut butter and oreo shooter, too. Two small desserts would be better than one dessert today. After all, it WAS a celebration.
My friend came onto the beach at the designated time today and was so grateful that I had taken the time to make our day together a little bit more special. Our “staycation” was a hit, and we both enjoyed “whiling away the hours” together and felt refreshed and ready for anything on our separate rides home. The best part was we were able to socially distance from at least six feet away (I used my pink tape measure) by setting up the cushions and tables MORE than six feet apart and didn’t even have to think about the covid distance during the meal, as it was previously set up to those necessary parameters. Total price paid for newly purchased items today: about sixty dollars. Sixty dollars for a new experience. I chuckled to myself at the check out with my purchases. As the television commercial says, “Some things in life are priceless. For everything else, there is Master Card.” A great experience and a little slice of humor to go with it somehow caused me to enjoy the day even more.
Life it good; carpe diem, friends. Try to find something out of the ordinary to do today to have a “staycation celebration” of your own if you can.
Another year full of infinite possibilities. 2021 can be the start of something amazing.
It has been far too long since I’ve been on a long trip. With the pandemic still raging on, perhaps it is time to continue with some domestic travel to cross off my bucket list. I have previously decided that I would like to visit all fifty states in my lifetime and have only thirteen states remaining on my list.
Evidently I am not the only person with wanderlust in the country who aspires to visit all fifty states during his or her lifetime. In fact, there is a club called the “All Fifty States Club” where travelers can apply to join. The website even offers tee shirts and commemorative certificates of achievement as well:
A year ago we had a road trip planned to cross off four states from the list, but life happened in the meantime, and our trip got postponed for now. Listed below are some interesting things I have uncovered in Washington State in the meantime that interest me:
I long to stay in the treehouses in Treehouse Point, thirty minutes east of Seattle. These whimsical treehouse lodgings in Issaquah, Washington feature comfortably appointed lodgings with tai chi, yoga, and massage on-site to round out your stay. One of my favorite treehouses there, the Trillium Treehouse, ranges in price from $375-450. per night. Because Treehouse Point is a destination for relaxation, children under thirteen are not allowed to stay overnight in the Treehouses. While there are shared private bathrooms on the ground level on site that are complete with a shower, toilet, sink and shower toiletries, only one treehouse currently has a toilet (the Burl treehouse). The treehouses are not handicapped accessible and are do not allow pets. A home made breakfast is included with all overnight stays. Most of the treehouses accommodate two people, but one treehouse can accommodate up to four people (the Upper Pond Treehouse).
Other places I would love to see in Washington are Olympic National Park, where the rain forest there looks like something out of Star War’s “Empire Strikes Back” movie where Yoda trains Luke in the Jedi arts. At Olympic National Park I would love to search for agates at Rialto Beach within the park, too.
photo of Olympic Park rainforest courtesy of nps.com
Other places to find agates in Washington are at Damon Point in Gray’s Harbor County , Maxwelton Beach on Whidbey Island in Puget Sound, North Beach in Port Townsend, and Glass Beach near North Beach, where visitors can find interesting pieces of sea glass as well.
Natural agate photo, courtesy of dreamstime.com
Seattle, Washington is a great city to visit, too. Of course you can visit the famous Space Needle, Pike’s Market, or you can see Chihuly Garden and Glass if you like modern sculpture. Dale Chihuly was born in Washington and started the glass program at Rhode Island School of Design.
Chihuly glass sculpture photo courtesy of Chihuly Garden and Glass
A visit to Mount Rainier is a common destination, too. Why not see something unexpected while you are there, though. There is a troll sculpture called the “Fremont Troll” under a highway overpass in Seattle, too.
Fremont Roll courtesy of Atlas Obscura
North of Prosser, Washington on North Crosby Road (map cordinates: 46.3619, -119.7242), there is an odd site known as “Gravity Hill” where your car appears to roll UPWARD if you put your gear into neutral. It is actually an optical illusion created by our brain, as your car doesn’t really roll UPWARD.
While you are in Washington, be sure to sample Theo chocolate (the first and only organic fair trade chocolate in the United States), Rainier cherries, red raspberries, Almond Roca candy, Dick’s burgers, fries, and milkshakes, apples, cream cheese dog (hot dog topped with cream cheese), and salmon.
Life is good; carpe diem, friends………time to get back on the “road again”….
“On the road again Just can’t wait to get on the road again The life I love is making music with my friends, and I can’t wait to get on the road again On the road again Goin’ places that I’ve never been Seein’ things that I may never see again And I can’t wait to get on the road again..”
I love confetti. I especially love finding confetti under a sofa cushion well after the confetti-throwing event takes place. It is a little reminder of fun times that always always always makes me smile, even when I have to clean it up. It is chaos and wild abandon. It is merry and good. In fact, my daughter has always called it “funfetti.”
Each year we normally rig up a balloon drop in our house with lots of painter’s tape and vinyl tablecloths from the Dollar Store filled with lots and lots of balloons. There are so many directions about how to do this on-line, and I highly recommend it.
Normally we have lots and lots of hors d’oevres and desserts as we welcome in the New Year, full of promise and excitement. Another year older and another year wiser, but another year full of infinite possibilities.
I tend to concentrate on the joy of the moment instead of those ubiquitous New Year’s resolutions, as I resolve not to resolve. A resolution is admitting to myself that I didn’t get the previous year quite right and will do whatever sacrifice is necessary to get it right, such an exhausting an idea in my opinion.
This year we have lots to celebrate. Having lived through the pandemic as a covid positive family, we survived with minimal symptoms. And with two of us having had covid, we can now travel with some degree of immunity for some time period. On the road again soon………….cheers!
“…Here’s to the ones that we got Cheers to the wish you were here, but you’re not ‘Cause the drinks bring back all the memories Of everything we’ve been through Toast to the ones here today Toast to the ones that we lost on the way ‘Cause the drinks bring back all the memories And the memories bring back, memories bring back you..”
-from “Memories” by Maroon Five
Life is good; carpe diem friends. May you have the best year ever, full of hope and possibilities.
from now on all our troubles will be out of sight…
Through the years we all will be together If the fates allow Hang a shining star upon the highest bough And have yourself a merry little Christmas now.”
-from “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” by Hugh Martin
“A merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
No matter where or how you are celebrating Christmas this year, I wish you peace and joy with those you love, wherever you are, this year and always.
Spending Christmas in quarantine with only my immediate family gives me plenty of time this year to concentrate on Christmas breakfast when I am usually preparing the meal for mid-day for our guests. Christmas breakfast isn’t a replacement for our extended family gathering together, but we’ll look on the bright side this year and always. Qurantining at Christmas with my husband and daughter who have covid is different than we imagined Christmas to be this year, but we count our blessings anyway. They have only mild cases, so we have plenty of things for which to be grateful and time for home-made cinnamon rolls and a surprise breakfast casserole in the crock pot when they wake up. And then there is always making the gingerbread house together later on in the day this year as we always do; it always makes us laugh together, which is something we need during this pandemic.
Life is good; carpe diem, friends…and enjoy this magical day!
“Once I decided to take control of my destiny, I harnessed the energy that I had buried deep inside me and pushed it out. Once I told the universe who was the boss, the universe took a back seat, and I created a new reality for me to live in.”
-from “Rowing Against The Wind” by Angela Madsen
“Rowing Against The Wind” is the amazing story of a former US Marine who was injured while on duty. After several difficult (“botched”) surgeries and a broken neck she sustained from another injury, she became permanently disabled as a paraplegic. She sustained many significant losses as a result, including losing her house and was homeless for a period of time. However, through cultivating a different mindset, she persevered and ultimately found success as an athlete who won a bronze medal in the ParaOlympics in London. She found her love of rowing and was one of the first woman to row across the Indian Ocean. She was the first woman with a disability to row across the Atlantic Ocean and held six Guiness World Records. She was a real mover and a shaker.
After experiencing so much anger at her situation early on in her disability, it was later after falling from a train track in her wheel chair that broke her neck that really caused her to re-think her situation. She decided to use her gifts of leadership, athleticism, organization, and dedication to continue to live her life in a new way, finding ways to enjoy her life despite her setbacks.
She died doing what she loved in 2020, halfway through her solo row from Los Angeles to Honolulu.
As the French say, “vouloir c’est pouvoir” or what the mind can conceive, the mind can achieve. To want something is to be able to do something in loose translation.
Find something that drives your life. Love living. Find your passion.
Carpe Diem with Caye 