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~Finding Peace Amidst A Simple Morning Walk~  Thought I’d post my usual (daily) Instagram image right here today - instead of actually on the social media platform I just mentioned.
Because Christine’s Floridian Dreams lives in - well… Christine’s Floridian Dreams. And while I do love Instagram, I also loathe all social media platforms. So as I watch the world seemingly crumble - and desperately attempt to continue onward - around me... That world cannot crumble me - and I continue onward as well. And I remain optimistic. As my focus goes inward. And I go for a walk. Sipping my steamy, hot, morning coffee. And I hug my furry baby. The world is at peace. Or so... it seems. While I enjoy a blustery, winter day on the coast. So today’s post - including the image, caption, and any relative hashtags - lives here, and here alone. On my website. And in MY dreams. I’ll see you again tomorrow Instagram. But for today - you don’t get even a slice of my time. ~ Cheers ~ #saturdayvibes #christinepieper #christinesfloridiandreams
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 2020 ~ A Year of Art, A Year in Imagery:    'Minnie's Birthday Wish'   'Love Is In The Air'  'The Shamrock'  'A Perfect Pair'  'Comfort'  'A Sunday Stroll'  'The Sea Life'       'The Awesome Road Ahead of You'   'Welcome To Florida'     'Little Cubbie'          'Blooms of Wartime'  'Main Street USA'    'Ooooh, Ohio'   'Vividly Adrift'      'Oh Say Can You See'  'Answered Prayers'  'Happy Birthday'  'De's Flowers'        'The Bombs Bursting In Air' The End. ~
1/10/2021 0 Comments #96) The Awesome Road Ahead of You 'The Awesome Road Ahead of You' 2020 [SOLD] There’s an old Irving Berlin holiday tune that has some of my favorite lyrics ever written into song. It’s quite a simple and basic little melody, and of all the old Christmas classics played on repeat each year, it is definitely not one near the top of the list, nor is it as well known as some of his more famous songs. But has a lot of sentiment, and, to me - it’s quite nostalgic. It goes a little something like this: ‘One minute to midnight One minute to go One minute to say good-bye Before we say hello.’ So - How do you say goodbye? How do you say Goodbye? To 2020. And how does one say Hello? To 2021. How do you welcome the new year in? Particularly, this one. After such a year that we all had. After such sadness and such joy. After challenge and triumph. And after thriving success and ultimate failure. After surviving a tumultuous year. Because if you’re reading this - you DID survive 2020. My favorite lyrics continue: ‘Let’s start the new year right Twelve o’clock tonight When they dim the light Let’s begin Kissing the old year out Kissing the new year in.’ So - How do we all move on? How do we all proceed forward? What are the next steps you wish to take? What will you kiss goodbye to? And what will you welcome in return? I’m not a fan of new year's resolutions - because I’m a definite fan of making changes in the moment - not waiting for a defined day. A date as far into the future as an unknown January 1st could be. Basically - while I do make goals each new year, I don’t really “resolve” to do anything - I actually act. I do believe actions speak louder than words. So, How did I act - last year? I worked instead of wishing. I took steps instead of standing still. I produced instead of wavering. I painted instead of crying. I wrote instead of longing. And I filmed instead of pacing. 2020 was the best year of my life. So, no, of course I didn’t want it to end. I didn’t want to say goodbye. But I knew I had to. And I knew I had to move on. My dearly beloved song then concludes: ‘Let’s watch the old year die With a fond good-bye And our hopes as high As a kite How can our love go wrong If we start the new year right?’ So, yeah, um… what can possibly go wrong, right? If we do all the right things… and make all the right decisions… and keep our chins up. And all carry on. Yes, what - my dears - can possibly go wrong? During this bright and breathtakingly beautiful new year? Ummm. If world news and national events are used as a predictor, then it’s already looking like 2021 will be the very best year of my life, once again. Because - With great sadness comes great opportunity. With terrible actions comes the possibility of reaction. With traumatic surroundings comes probability and junctures. For the option of turning a new path. To go ahead and take that fork in the road. To aim high - and aim for that awesome and completely unknown road stretched out ahead of you. And while you’re looking at the distant horizon, scared and standing - now - in strange and foreign territory. Go ahead and keep hoping… keep loving… and blow a kiss at everything which is now behind you. So, I blew a kiss. And I did say Goodbye. And then I said Hello. Cause basically, what else was I gonna do? I kinda had no other choice, right? Sigh… As I waved goodbye to the old year... Sigh… As I kissed the new year in. And as I kissed, I thought of it all. A year in review. A year in imagery. The goodbye to my Etsy Shop. The goodbye to jobs and income. The goodbye to that which does not need me nor want me anymore. The goodbye to dreams. The goodbye to assurance. The goodbye to friends and family. The funerals not attended and the sympathy cards sent instead. Goodbye to sickness, and politics, and news, and coffee shops. Goodbye to my Hamilton tickets. Hello to my Macbook Air. Goodbye to magic - Heck I even had the opportunity to stand in front of Cinderella’s Castle on the very day Walt Disney World shut its doors to us. The biggest goodbye The Mouse has ever seen in his entire life. I stood there, and I said goodbye, and knew I would miss it all so very terribly. The closure of nearly everything safe and comforting in this world. Goodbye to dependency, Hello to risk. And once risk enters the scene, then Hello to more risk. Hello to hesitance abound. Hello to skepticism. Hello to mystery. Hello to new conflict. Hello to checks directly from Uncle Sam. Hello to my Youtube Channel. Hello to paddleboards, gimbals, and beach cruisers. Hello to nights grieving for my country and for the state of our nation. Hello to some of my favorite and most meaningful paintings I’ve ever created. Hello to writing that came from 2020 - lived. Hello and rejoicement to the best doctor’s appointment and hospital visit I’ve had in ten years. Hello to sharing that news in silence. With no one. Goodbye to age 39, And Hello to age 40. A new decade of life. And as I said all those Goodbye’s. As the sun set on the final day of that tumultuous year we all called 2020. As dusk turned to dark - one last time that crazy year. And as I watched the horizon line blur, while the ups and downs faded away. The roller coaster of emotion… of journey… of countless peaks and valleys. And, gosh my gosh - There was death on that horizon. There were tears flooding that horizon, forming a ferocious mirage. There was fighting, and there were bombs, and there were arguments, and bullets and lasers and bricks and fire and sand bags and Hate. As all of that faded away - I noticed something strange. I noticed - that HATE didn’t fade. As everything came to a close, and as the sun sunk low under that line, Hate stayed. And Hate hovered. Hate lingered. And Hate was proud. Hate was going to survive through to the new year. Holy freaking crap! Hate was going to welcome in 2021 - standing right beside me. As I looked out at the road ahead, Hate stood right next to me - eyes gazed upon the same horizon line mine were currently looking at. What a scary realization, right? Hate stayed with us and Hate stayed with us strong. Heck - Hate had literally crashed my New Year’s Eve party and I couldn’t throw him out. An unwelcome guest for sure, but a guest that wasn’t leaving, any time soon. The sky grew darker. As the clock inched closer to midnight. The fire of Hate grew more intense - the closer to midnight - the brighter the fire and light. As the bells rang. And as the ball dropped. Amongst all the kissing - Hate was a cloud above us all. I could still see HATE - all fiery and bright - in the darkness of that all important midnight. Amongst all the fireworks - lighting up that midnight sky. No one else noticed - was I was looking directly at. No one else noticed - it wasn’t just sparkles lighting up the black darkness. No one else noticed - the fiery glows in the distance. No one else noticed - the Hate all around. The evil hovering - in the fog. The evil hiding - in plain sight. The evil - celebrating right alongside me. So, gosh, I thought. Is everyone cheering for Hate? As the pots and pans were being banged? It was just so obvious to me that Hate had crashed the party. How could anyone else not see this? Is Hate something we must live amongst, forever? Does Hate ever go away? How do we say goodbye to Hate? How do we push it all away from us? How do we push Hate out of our lives? And if you have the answer, the more power to you. Because I have no idea. Other than to keep living the good life you are living. To Love and be loved. Live and let live. Be and let be. Will Hate always be there? A cloud in the sky, that never dissipates? If history is to answer, then I guess the answer is - yes. Because the funny, or rather not so funny, thing about Hate is that it seems to hover... in the background… quite strategically and amazingly skilled. Camouflaged into any scenery it finds itself. Just waiting to pounce. I think maybe it can never be wiped off the face of the planet. It’s too sneaky, and destructive, and quite quick at breeding as well. And even if we separated from Hate here on Earth, Hate would still be somewhere else trying to catch up with us again. Like the forces of gravity spinning us round and round. I’m not sure if there is a way to ever unlink humanity from Hate. But if history and the cosmos is the answer, then I guess we know what we have to do - too. Yes - We MUST keep living that good life. We MUST keep trying. And we MUST keep loving. We even have to give love when it’s the very hardest thing to give. When it’s the last thing we want to do. We still need to give. And we need to forgive. And - We should most definitely still Love the one we Hate. Because if love triumphs over evil - just like in all the fairy tales we’ve ever read - then Love must be Lived to truly succeed. It cannot just be words. It cannot be just wishing. I cannot just be pacing. And it cannot just be longing. And it cannot be resolved and aimed for. It must be practiced in real time. Not waiting for a better day that never comes. It must be lived and lived now. Through chaos and destruction. Through foreboding and mourning. Through fire and screams. Through all the rain and clouds and snow and sleet. Through the wildfires out West. And through the snow storms out East. Through the hurricanes in the south. And through all the rough oceans and the highest of high seas. Through patience while waiting for that better day. It must be lived now. Love cannot wait for another day… sometime in the future. When you have more time. When you retire, or when you have the day off work. Love must be lived today. While you are at the grocery store. And before you even punch in to work. And it must be there well after you punch out as well. Love must truly be Lived in order to thrive. And breed. And renew, and grow. And strengthen. Maybe it’s just that Love takes longer to multiply and spread - because it is so very, very delicate. But Love, in abounds, can surround Hate, and make it less noticeable. I think that thought and realization is what I took away from 2020 - when I blew my kiss into the air. So, if you are questioning how to transition. If you are questioning how to proceed. And how to move forward. And how to say Goodbye. While at the same time saying Hello. The answer may be quite simple indeed. Simply kiss that new year in, and keep on keepin’ on... Yes - and do it before you even feel like doing it, So - start before you’re ready. Begin before the word Go. March before you feel like it. And Love before you want to give it. Live that beautiful life that you and only you have been called on to live. Live now. And live proud. Kiss the new year in with joy in your heart. Cheers to new beginnings. Live loud. And live gloriously. And, as my very own take on one of my favorite old songs so goes: Let’s let the old year die With a fond goodbye And our hopes as high As the sky... Kissing the old year out And wishing the new year in. What on Earth can possibly go wrong If we start the new year right? ~   Author: Christine Pieper is an Artist, Lifestyle Blogger and Vlogger - living, writing, painting, and filming in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, with her hubby and nine year old puppy. She made a major life change in 2017 by uprooting and moving from Illinois to the Sunshine State, and has been living her best life in Florida since - detailing all her many and varied adventures living and traveling the Deep South to share with you here. Her mission is to help you live YOUR best life - by getting out there, going for it, and making that big change you always dreamed of. Christine will inspire you to get over yourself, show up for yourself, and get out of your own way. The only one stopping you - is YOU. *To catch all of Christine’s Floridian Dreams, just bookmark this site, and check out her YouTube Channel while you’re at it - why don’t ya? Hey there friend - Go ahead and check out some of my other ramblings by clicking the links below:
36] The End Of A Decade & My New Year’s Wish To You ~ 49] A Picture Worth A Thousand Words ~ Happy Valentine’s Day, World 'Oh Say Can You See' What do you see... that is still the same today? What do you see… after nineteen years have flown by? What do you see… by the dawn's earliest pink light? What do you see… as we continue our perilous fight? What do you see… looking down at two holes in the solemn ground? What do you see… forever searching and maybe still not found? What do you see… nineteen diligent years later? What do you see… as you peer into those deep craters? What do you see… from an airplane’s crash? What do you see… past all the fire and burned ash? What do you see… past the smoke and dusty air? What will you believe… as people begin to not care? And do you still hear… that valiant band playing through the quiet air? And will you bear witness… to those fighting still and forever as they must? As the next round starts... and we have to keep rolling past all the dust. What do you see… through twilights shining gleam? What do you see… past all those forces unseen? What do you see… through those shining bright stars and breathtaking broad stripes? What do you see… through the horror of all those bombs bursting this very night? What do you see… through pollution and the reddest of red blood? What do you see… as free men - and women - stand here in the mud? What do you see… past Liberty’s smile? What do you see… from sea to shining sea all those miles? What do you see… though concealed fighting to be disclosed? What do you see… as foe’s strike their continual battle blows? Do you see there is proof? That our flag is still there? Oh Say Darling Can You See… her most beautiful story? As she stands here - proud… in all of her glory? Yes - I do. I do see it all. Yes even in war’s havoc and confusion and nineteen years later. I even see Heaven on Earth and God our Creator. I see that reflection shine above all and very tall. I see Angels in the sky… And God in our hearts as we bawl. I see reflection bounced off millions of broken chains. Forever more - unconfined. I see all those who paved our very way. With their very lives - they all gave. Yes, I see those next pages of her remarkable story be flipped. As her bright blazen stays now - and forever - lit. And, I STILL see the land of the freest of free… and know that this is God’s Country home, of the very, very brave. ~  'A September 11th Afternoon - 2020'
9/8/2020 1 Comment #81) The Forgiving Gift of Time 'Blooms of Wartime' 36x48 Acrylic on Canvas [SOLD] ~ So Long Summer Sabbatical, Hello Sweet September ~ Remember when you had to learn - or rather, memorize - the dates of seemingly countless historical events, while growing up in school? I mean - does anyone ever really forget that the U.S. Civil War took place from 1861-1865? Or that World War I lasted from 1914 until 1918? Added on to that one - y’all know the historical significance of November 11th, right? And let’s never forget that our country was founded in 1776? July 4th - to be exact. Throw together just a few more for the heck of it... How about World War II lasting from 1939 until 1945? How many of y’all know when we first landed on the Moon? Or let’s go even farther back here - way back. When was Jesus born? When did He die? And - why did the event of His death have to happen in order for humans to be where they are today in God’s image??? Are any and/or all of those dates burned into your memory at this point in your life? Whether you ever spend a moment thinking about them throughout your daily activities, or not? They - and an infinite number more days, periods, and good ol’ fashioned chunks of time - helped change the course of human history. All those dates, and every infinitesimal thing in between - they were, and are, all moments in time. Placeholders in time. Bookmarks in time. Moments of time that were simply one page... of a much grander, and larger, novel. If you flip to page ninety-nine of a very thick and heavy, weighty and bulky, five hundred and forty page Tom Clancy book… but you read only that single page - you’ll definitely not understand the context of what came before, and will never know what happens later on. Or - even much, much later on. And let’s not forget about those lucrative sequels. What will happen to our beloved hero then?... Once a new book deal is signed. If Jack Ryan has to jump out of a burning building on page two hundred, but the story doesn’t explain why he’s doing that until you flip to page two hundred one… and all you’ve ever read was page two hundred... You’ll never find out that maybe he was escaping a bomb explosion. A small fire bomb that would be igniting an even larger bomb. Or that he may have been jumping from the first floor - and he’s just fine to continue on with his work after the jump. The spy operation that he being in the middle of - would make no sense to you - the context - having not read earlier chapters. Context is relevant. To every story. And context is relevant to the entire story of humanity. So, ohhhhh... with all that being said - Can you believe that Memorial Day weekend was over three months ago now? I can’t, really. Do you remember that weekend? And the days… weeks, and trials we’ve all had to face, since then? Memorial Day seems like it is one of those placeholders to me. The unofficial start to summer fun. Just as Labor Day is another placeholder - or bookmark. The unofficial end of summer, and the beginning of the autumnal season and beauty and grandeur of fall. Along with a change of routines, school days, and pumpkin spice and apple cider. A whole heck of a lot has happened since this last Memorial Day weekend - in this, the grand and mighty year that is, our dearly beloved beast - 2020. This summer was loaded with pages of a massive and thick and complicated novel. We all witnessed a different sort of start to the summer season, we then witnessed a completely different summer altogether, and now we are beginning a different sort of autumn. Yes, it’s been a definite year, and we’re not nearly through with it just yet. I mean - what else can possibly come next? ALIENS. Yes - my dear friends - Aliens. With all that has happened - I would not be surprised by such a blurb in an upcoming news reel. So much has changed. And then, quite sadly, so much is still the same. But - the context of the events that are taking place is imperative to the story at this point. That Memorial Day holiday weekend started out as any other. And, my hubby and I ventured out to a lovely meal during the patriotic and memorable date. We chose a local German restaurant - the German Schnitzel Haus, located at 13475 Atlantic Boulevard, in Jax. And, just because… well - for no reason other than because I wanted to, I went ahead and vlogged the experience for you. We ended up enjoying our meal, the entire patio outside to ourselves, grabbing some monstrously sized dessert afterward at Whataburger, and then made our way over to what I call The Bridge. Jacksonville is a city by the water. Ocean, rivers, creeks, swamps, intercoastal, etc. - so bridges are everywhere throughout town, and I absolutely love them all. And really, I just seem to call every bridge and any bridge in town - the bridge. I’m quite a huge fan of bridges - by whatever name they happen to go by though. They absolutely fascinate me. Their structure, color, height, curvature, where and what and whom they are branching together in their arch, and then, even what happens to be hanging out underneath them... it’s all equally exciting and thrilling to me. So we went to The Bridge after we ate. And we just - hung out. Utilizing the shade from the structure, we relaxed. We watched all the activity taking place beneath the massive structure. And I captured a bit of this and a little bit of that, on video, for you. But since that fateful weekend, America has not been settled. She is very sick right now. She is broken-hearted. And my heart breaks - for her - and with her. Sure, I saw many, countless precursors to the actions that are currently taking place. I read, and understand the context of the previous pages. But I believe it was that weekend - Memorial Day Weekend - 2020, that helped ignite a flashpoint. I’ve previously discussed this event with you. I’ve even questioned if we are a world at war with one another? But when one is at war - the actual name of it is actually quite irrelevant at the time. After all, are we at war today? Does anyone know the answer? Many say yes - and many say no. Are we at war today if people deny it? Some say it's a cultural war. Some say a revolution? My brain is trying to tell me that all wars are unique. They all have a different appearance. They all have their own reasoning and context. And with any war - there will be those who it doesn’t affect as much as others. Could our national heartache and upset actually be such a fight? Taking place, right now? I really don’t know. But I do believe wherever we are - that we are at a tipping point. I do believe we’ve been in a lead up to THIS for a very long time, though. This - being whatever THIS is. And I’m talking years here - not days, weeks, or even months. I’ve seen the writing on the wall, and I’ve read the pages. And, sadly, yes... I do believe we may be currently living on the razor’s edge. I believe we are about to cross the event horizon line of a black hole. And we may be about to go past the point of no return. And just like a real black hole, way out there in outer space… It’s size, shape, power, grasp, and gravity… Some will never see it. Some will never understand it. And many - will never even read the books written about it later. But whether the books are written and read, or not, may be irrelevant to whom and when it is actually taking place. Because, when you’re being sucked into a black hole, your most likely only concern at that point is for your own survival. And as happens with every single thing that is sucked into a black hole - there comes a time, just before reaching the event horizon line, that one can still escape from its force. It’s that moment I am referencing here. With an extreme and heightened awareness of one’s immediate surroundings and what is happening. But it also may be very confusing. As such a force is so powerful and vast, that up close and personal, things may appear quite strange. Kinda like right now... What’s happening all around us - is literally and actually happening all around us. But - What’s been done is done. And we have to figure out how to continue onward. And it’s up to people to choose to see it. Or not. And people can definitely turn a blind eye. And people can deny all they want. And far into the future, many will just remember the numbers: 2020. And maybe not the significance of all that has occurred in that time period and during this exact time. And the event horizon line I’m talking about here is FORGIVENESS. Remember how I asked you earlier WHY Jesus rose from the dead? It seems there is currently a vast lack of forgiveness taking place in this world right now. We left forgiveness outside the black hole - if we did indeed cross the event horizon line. It didn’t join us on the next pages of our journey. We need to find forgiveness in our hearts - once again. And it is this lack of forgiveness that makes me question this relationship we have with one another. Once forgiveness is lost, there’s not much left to keep us tethered together. As a People. As a Nation. As a community. As global sovereign states and neighbors. And as a civil society. As peaceful patrons inside a grocery store. When someone does something or someone wrong, we have a very civil way of handling the situation. It’s pretty basic… and it’s called an apology. And after the person who wronged another apologized, this very basic and very humane thing usually occurs. And it happens on the opposing side… The other side of the wronged - by the person or persons who were wronged. This is where Forgiveness always factors in. On the side of the wronged is where forgiveness always matters the most. And forgiveness is sometimes, and most of the time, the more important part of the transaction amongst two beings. And if it happened today - right now - would that be a miracle? Because, is it forgiveness that has been lost? I see the anger. I feel the sadness. And heartache. But to top it all off - everyone wants everything in the entire world fixed overnight. Seemingly and literally. But real and lasting change doesn’t work that way. Who can solve such complex issues? Only you can bring about real change. Yes, that WHO - is YOU. You - hold all the power. You - hold the answers deep in your heart. You - have to understand context and reality. And - You - HAVE to give… You have to forGIVE. And that’s the only way out, and that’s the only way forward. Forgiveness. But, beyond forgiveness, there is something much bigger, larger, grander, than any one human - of which you also have to give. And yes, you have the power to give it. You have the power to give... the gift of Time. These are big Asks. They are monumental. But wars and revolutions and cultural change and new ways of living are never won easily. And not without great sacrifice. Forgiveness. & Time. And you have to do ALL THAT - while having the strength and will power and patience and diligence to sit through the five hundred and forty page novel... And keep reading. While you’re tired. And when you don’t want to. And even when it gets really boring. And really, really sad. The gift of TIME is a powerful thing. Of all the aspects in our technologically advanced society we are now home to here on Earth - Time is something we have yet to master. It is something that our infinite universe even doesn’t have the power to ultimately control. And it wants to - really bad. As space and time unite in other worlds, and time itself is bent around curvatures of distant planets and stars and galaxies. Time is still there. It just flows differently. We may not recognize it there if we stumble across it way out there. But it is there. And it never ends. Time is in itself indestructible. And TIME - holds many - and ALL the answers to this here little problem we are facing today. So as the summer season began this year, in this year - 2020... And I beared-witness to sadness and heartache throughout the world with my own eyes and ears… I decided to give to myself - and you - something very special. I gave Time. I gave myself Time. I watched Time pass. I let Time flow all around me. I blew a wish into Time. I cursed in the face of Time. I yelled at Time. And I cried many tears - over Time. But I also relished Time. I took advantage of Time. I used Time. I made deals with Time, and I placed bets with Time. I bargained with Time. And I even tried to manipulate Time to my advantage. I talked to Time. I listened to Time. I willed Time. I pleaded with Time. And ultimately, I let Time take over all five of my senses. And I let come what may. All through the passage of Time almighty. Yes, it was because of both national and global events that seemingly ignited over that holiday and the days immediately afterward, that I stepped back from my online presence in the world for a while. A lot of people have asked when I’d be writing once again. As it has now been three months since my last publication to y’all. I guess you could say I sorta closed up shop for a bit. And I enjoyed a Splendid Summer Sabbatical. Away. Away from publication. Away from deadlines. Away from technology in a sense. Sure, I’ve been on social media. Yes, I’ve been perusing the internet - probably the same as most others in the world. Of course, I’ve been checking the news. I’ve been chatting with friends and family on Facebook. But it’s all been very brief. And as I escaped from technology on one hand, I delved deep into my new YouTube channel with my other. I gave my very own website a little break. And for some strange and unknown reason that God understands, I now crave the art of filmmaking. Of pasting together clips, to summarize a story. To show viewers the beauty that lies on the other end of my camera. But for the most part, I lived entirely and exclusively OFF-line for a chunk of time. And instead, I worked. On myself. Yes, I still wrote. I still planned, and plotted. I filmed. I painted - and I painted with intention. And passion. And I painted purple. I painted “Blooms of Wartime” the nights of national and international heartache. The paint and color pouring onto the canvas. My reprieve from sadness overflowing in our world. I prayed. I exercised. I sweated. I read. Books. Lots and lots and lots of books. Books of all sorts. Books made from paper - printed on wood from a tree. I read - not by the light of a Kindle. I flipped the pages and smelled the scent of ink and paper. And I rested my eyes far less on the blue screen, and more so on the invisible air around me. I’ve done this all before. And I’ll do it all again. I’m not sorry in the least for stepping back. Because - Sometimes, you just need to go a different way. To regroup. Refocus. Reset the internal compass… to True North. I lived my real and true Summer Sabbatical. And I watched everything taking place around me. And I highly recommend it. In fact, I stayed so far away from the online world that I literally let my Macbook Air sit in a corner on a bookshelf and collect dust for quite some time. It sat there, for weeks upon weeks. It powered down. It lost all its energy and strength. I touched it not once. It literally gathered wispy dust bunnies on top itself. As if a magnetic force. Trying desperately to maintain its power in this world, and to suck life out of the room, and life back into its own body. Dust pooled on top the shiny gold and reflective apple. Yes - my precious and trusty laptop gathered as much dust as she could reasonably handle… until one day - She finally screamed at me. And I picked her up. Like a piece of sunken treasure. And I plugged her into the wall. And I breathed life back into her body. And began writing, once again. So... yeah, while months ago I said goodbye to the online written word... And for someone who runs a website in 2020 - the internet is a very crucial thing to be nestled safely amidst. It was definitely risky to say goodbye to all that. But I love risk. And I loved saying goodbye for a while to the daily digital grind… of website maintenance. I said goodbye to that oh-so-fancy, and lucrative, techy word - engagement. I followed no statistical numbers on how my website was doing. I didn’t check my likes, my hearts, my comments, for quite some time. And while I said goodbye to all of that and then some - I gave myself something in return. Something huge. Something as powerful as a black hole. I gave myself that funny thing called: TIME. The gift of Time. I personally needed to process everything that was taking place in the world. In my own way. In my own Time. In my own head. And none of that abides by a publication schedule. So, what the heck... I said goodbye to that while I was at it, too. I know, I know, you’re saying that as a blogger I need to publish according to schedule. But - just because I wasn't on a publication schedule, with normal posting dates and times, doesn’t mean I couldn’t write. And didn’t mean I could no longer publish. It simply meant I put the ball even more so in my court than it was before. I won! Yes, I won myself over, and I do win here, in a way. And I’m winning - while America is currently losing. And she’s losing - real bad. I ache for what is happening in our beautiful and breathtaking and magnificent country. The country I write about. The air I breathe in. And the magnificent melting pot of people who live here under the flag of freedom. I don’t have any answers to any of America’s problems right now. But I know one thing we can give her…. And we can give her this graciously…. Time. She needs Time. Have you ever wondered why the Civil War did end up lasting from 1861 to 1865? Why did the war have to last that many years? Wars are not won overnight - you say? It took from 1861 until 1865 because the world needed from 1861 until 1865. Period. Time. What was solvable in 1865 had no context in 1861. And as I mentioned way back at the beginning - context is crucial to any story. We don’t even know if we should be rooting for Jack Ryan - as he jumps out of the burning building - or not - unless we read the whole story. Is he the hero - or the villain - at that time? Is he jumping from the 98th floor, or from the 1st floor? There is no magic wand that puts ideas into heads of the past. Thereby granting them the magical power of hindsight - to solve their worldly problems overnight, instead over the course of years. But today - living in this digital, instant, speed-of-light lifestyle that humanity has enveloped itself in and gladly swallowed whole without checking for side effects first, there’s not a whole lot of room for TIME to actually do its thing, at the same time - no pun intended. Its - almighty and ever-powerful - thing - that may ultimately help - something. Anything. We need time. Yes, and we need patience. We need MORE patience. We need to respect the virtue of patience more. And the only way to learn that is to give - yourself - time. There’s an old saying that you may have heard in one form or another… Fast change leads to no change. Or - Fast change is not lasting change. In other words…the other old saying... Slow change is the best change. Or - The only good and lasting change... is slow change. And I’m not saying I necessarily agree or disagree with those sentiments in some way. I’m just saying those sayings are old because they themselves have withstood the test of their time. And I am saying a new way of thinking is required to get past all of this heartache. I am saying risk and change are both good. But I am also saying that by stepping back for a few months - I respected that chunk of time. What I am writing to you today, I could not have written to you in the middle of the night, crying myself to sleep, three months ago. After only one night grieving for our nation… no ideas were in my head to solve any of our problems that we continue to face. But after three months of grieving for our nation… I have now - new - perspective. I have hindsight. I have reflection. I have brainstormed. I have contemplated. I have lived. And I have new thoughts. And ultimately, I have new ideas - only because of that precious and miraculous gift of time. If you check my YouTube channel information page, you’ll see the date of release of my channel was just before all this sadness began in 2020. After the beginning of the pandemic - but just before our further national upsets that have triggered so much heartache across the world. And if there is one thing at all that 2020 has taught me, as well as my amazing life in Florida - that is to never give up. So, Memorial Day weekend came and went - my channel had just started publication - and then I punched out for that lucrative Summer Sabbatical. BUT - I did NOT close up shop. I did NOT delete everything I worked for. No…. No…. And that’s definitely something the old Christine would have done. I would have given up. And I would have hit the delete button. But, I have since learned of the power of perseverance. The power of patience. And most imperatively, that forgiving power of TIME. So I did not hit DELETE. And I did NOT give up on my dreams. I merely put the oxygen mask on myself first. And then simply breathed for a while as my airplane found a safer flying zone - so to speak. Yes - I’m in this for the long haul. My website and branding and channels and social engagement is all still alive and there and breathing. And I respect the time and patience my dreams need in order to grow. Just as I value time itself. I value my very new and very small channel and my precious eight subscribers on YouTube. I am in no rush here. Nor would I want to be. I value where I am at presently, as much as I value life itself. And I will continue to give myself the gift of time. All. The. Time. And I’ll do it again any day, and twice on Sunday. Even if it's risky to my business. Even if I risk everything. Because TIME is imperative. And because, ultimately, my personal and business goal and my real DREAM of Christine’s Floridian Dreams - is to help you in any way to make your very own dreams come true. To kick you in the behind with some soft, yet, tough love, and persuade you to get off your couch. To pull off the covers… and get out of bed. Well before you want to. To: March Before You Feel Like It. And take your own action in this world. To live your very best life. Each and every single day. - And, yeah, twice on Sunday - just for the heck of it. So, after three months of my summer sabbatical coming to a close, and after three months of thought and reflection and glancing into outer space... Dreaming of black holes that lead to other magical and distant worlds. I look out toward the sky and ponder… There may be no better gift in the entire world for us to give to one another… as that seemingly magical gift of time. So it is my hope for America today - that we all will grant her some time. That we all can exude the patience of saints. As wheels turn and flowers bloom. And as we sprinkle pumpkin spice on top of our latte foam. America needs time to process everything, just as we all do. And just as I couldn’t do it all on night one, neither can the rest of the world do it in a few months. Everyone will have all their own ideas, at their very own pace, and at their own time. We all have to make sense of things. We all have to process. We all have to give. You may not see much giving in front of your own eyeballs right now, but know it’s there. Just as I know that black holes exist but I cannot see them for myself - I do know there is more goodness in this world than bad. More love than hate. And more forgiveness than we think we have within us to give. So go ahead and give yourself some time. Shut down that iPhone. Say goodbye to your blog subscribers if need be. Say hello to a new way of doing business. Yes - close your laptop - a very needed tool in our dearly beloved 2020. Close it up and let it gather a bunch of dust bunnies if need be. Stop receiving - stop Receiving texts and likes and hearts and follows and tweets… and Give instead. Give to others in the format of real life. And NOT with the Like button. How? In your own way. Give… to yourself. And Give… to America. And the world. And after a new chunk of time - time far into the future from right now and today - I can only hope that we will all look back upon this time period. And we will have that new perspective. A perspective unavailable today due to the vast and mighty power of time. And it is my sincere hope that I have been all wrong here. That we are NOT really at war with one another, or on the verge of. That the shot heard round the world of today has not been released from its trigger. And that war was not in our future together. And that instead we all came together. And we saved burning forests and trees and buildings. We salvaged all the plastic in the oceans and the baby sea turtles thanked us by swimming freely into the ocean. We breathed clean and non-suffocating air. We made true and lasting and realistic reforms to challenges that we are currently facing. That school children twenty, fifty, one hundred years from now will study the numbers 2020 in mesmerization of what we SOLVED - together… Oh so very long ago. And we all walked down the street hand in hand. And not gun to gun. Weapon to weapon. Evil to Evil. Hate to Hate. Heck - I’ll still welcome those aliens I mentioned earlier, with wide open arms. Besides, those aliens... they do come in peace. Duh! No it’s Love to Love that I’m rooting for inside my brain. But, as an old adage and quite familiar saying so goes… Only time will tell, my friends. Yes - Only time will tell. So give her some time, why don’t ya? Just give all of it and then some - Time. ~ 
 I’ve written to you before about telegrams. For some unknown reason, that maybe only God understands - they absolutely fascinate me. But really, they were just another form of human written communication. Of their age. We used to write STOP. Now we write with Hashtags. Writing. It has been around forever. And it will never die. Just as cavemen wrote on earthen walls back in the day. The Blogger, of today, writes on a website. And just as much as governments, and those in positions of high power, try to censor human communication. There will always be those who fight the censor. Always those on the side of freedom of human expression. Writing is an art. Not a science. Writing is a freedom of expression. Writing is freedom of speech. And I write this….. I write this as America burns. I write this to say ~ Goodbye. 80 posts. I never knew where 80 posts would take me. I never knew what would be coming. In my wildest dreams I couldn’t fathom writing this 80th post for publication. Or, even moreso, I could never imagine the subject of the content that I am sharing with you today in this post. Looking back, I never knew what I could and would be posting about on this date into my blogging future. I never could even imagine or wrap my head around it. Because, you see, each and every day, each and every post, I merely let the writing itself drive me. I was in the passenger seat half the time as my other half drove the car. Maybe it was God who was in the driver's seat. Yes, that’s who it was. And we took my car to many, many places. 80 stories. Boat rides. Air planes in the sky. Southern Living House. The Keys. Christmas. Baking. Recipes and lots of cooking. Markets and shops and fairs and fests and parties. And now, a global plague... A Civil War. 80 intentions to spread inspiration, hope, love, and something else. Tough love. True Grit. Self-Determination. Motivation. Movement. Momentum. Massive Action. In that exact order. To inspire YOU - to give yourself a kick in the behind, and get yourself out there. To Live. Why? Because tough love and true grit makes one stronger. And we need strength in this world. Resiliency. With what and how was I going to do this? By showing up for myself. With: Poetry. Art. Paintings. Many of which were gifted to loved ones. Painted from my heart. Specifically swiping every stroke for the person I gifted the piece to. And many others were painted equally from the heart, passion onto canvas, and placed up for sale on my Etsy Shop. Stories. Truth. Fiction. Challenges. Debates. Dining reviews. Breakfasts. Lunches. Dinners and Diners. Coffee Shops. And donuts. Ohhh, all those gosh darn donuts... I certainly ate a whole heck of a lot of calories - especially carbs - purely for the benefits of my readers. For the sake of the written word - but of course. And… Adventure. Because, I guess I was trying to tell you, that the ADVENTURE of visiting a donut shop, is the Adventure of life itself. The adventure of waking every day, and you deciding what to make of the day, is life itself. The small things are the important things. And there’s just no way to say that to you in words. Sitting with the best of friends, poolside, having a laugh. Meeting others for dinner. Talking to loved ones on the phone. Ladies exchanging little trinkets and jewelry and candles for birthdays and Christmas. Men sharing a beer and talking ‘shop’ by the barbecue grill, while all the women gossip about other stuff. Spending the Fourth of July celebrating the birth of pure freedom. Independence. Liberty. Watching your nieces and nephews and God children grow up. Photos. A simple text exchange with forever friends and kindred spirits, on the hardest days of your life. And, yes, even being Facebook friends with your friends and family. I could go on all night. I could pull out creative wording and imagery to convey what I want to say. But I don’t want to. And I don’t want to spend the time on it. Because, this week, I’m still out there living. I’m still out there showing up for myself. And, I’m still not letting anything stop me. And this post is... what it is. It’s the middle of the night. We are in a Civil War. My heart is broken in half. And I’m crying. The “Goodbye” in the title of this post is… what it is. But it’s also something else. The “Goodbye” is the real thing. And the “Goodbye” is the creative wording and imagery I’m trying to convey. Specifically, the “Goodbye” is aimed directly at my Subscribers. If you are a Subscriber, you, and only you, have received emails from me, twice a week. In those emails I have greeted you with a great, big - “Hello, My Bright & Shiny Sunshine Friends!” Happy Monday, I’d say. Happy Friday, I’d say. Ohhhh, the secrets of the CFD Subscription is out of the bag now - the benefits of being a Subscriber of Christine’s Floridian Dreams! I tried. I really did my part to help inspire you with those words, didn’t I? Did I inspire you to love your brothers and sisters? Did I inspire you to love those brothers and sisters back, who don’t even love you? In return? No, probably not. I suppose. But, maybe, just maybe, I inspired you to get out there, and live your life… Maybe, I inspired you to visit a Krispy Kreme, and try a hot-off-the-fryer donut. Or to go to Dunkin and get some munchkins. Or drive through Starbucks… and get a puppuccino for your own furry angel. Or to go out to dinner, and order some fries. And, if I did inspire any of that? Great….. If I made you cry a tear. Great. If I made you laugh. Great. If I inspired you with a post that you loved so much that you actually passed it along to someone who you thought may benefit from it in some way. Great. I suppose that I, then, at that point, technically speaking, really did my job as a Blogger well - if you shared even one of my posts in some way with someone else. For someone else to benefit from, who you thought could use the words. My words. My writing. My telegram - of today. And for that, you’ll never know how much that action means to me, and I am eternally grateful. Cause, I did my job well. As a Blogger. If for that reason alone. And - basically, what else I’m trying to say, is that, if you have consumed even one donut in the last year because I have written about them, then I have done my job successfully. And today, my job - is to say Goodbye. The good news of this Goodbye… and yes, there is good news… is that the Goodbye is only to my Subscribers. You know, those bright and shiny Sunshine Friends? The ones I mentioned above. Who maybe don’t love me or think I am bright and shiny - but, maybe - they received an email from me twice a week. To those Subscribers, and to those Subscribers who love me… this Goodbye is for you: And here’s the meat of it - I am saying Goodbye because I intend to stop emailing you. Twice a week. Once a week. Whatever it is. Whatever it was. I will not be sending emails on behalf of Christines’s Floridian Dreams out any longer. Your inbox will not arrive with a stamped letter. You will not be receiving a telegram from me any longer. But - and here’s the good news…. That’s the only gosh darn thing that’s changing. You will still be able to reach out to me - any time - at: Christinesfloridiandreams@gmail.com And www.christinesfloridiandreams.com Plus, @beansfldreams on Instagram and Twitter. As well as a Pinterest board and a Facebook page at Christine’s Floridian Dreams. And now a YouTube at Christine Pieper. Christine’s Floridian Dreams is still alive. Christine’s Floridian Dreams is still breathing. Christine’s Floridian Dreams is bright and shining in the sun? Who in the H E double hockey sticks knows. Other than God. But, either way, my point is that my website is not dying. My website is my home. My website is my property. My (only) little piece of property, that I and I alone - own - on the Internet, is alive. I just won’t be emailing you any more. Why? I don’t want “Christine” flooding your inbox twice a week anymore. For many reasons. And for all the oh-so-experienced Bloggers out there... if you’re reading this... you’re probably gasping from that one sentence in this article that ultimately destroys my online business. You’ve probably spit out the drink you’ve just swallowed. You’re probably laughing your donkeys off at me. She’s making the biggest mistake out there, I KNOW you are thinking. What a rookie - you’re thinking? How pathetic can she be?! Hahaha. Stop taking subscribers? Stop emailing those subscribers? That’s less clicks. That’s less page read through. That’s less communication. That’s less engagement. Less ways to know what content your subscribers love and what they hate… That’s less time on her site. Ha haaaa. She’s over. Going out of business sale is on. Come and get the clearance items. There’s a great deal going on in the purse department. Yeah, well, call it whatever you will. Call it just another small business failing you say. Call it being a victim of the plague, or this mess of the hate in the aftermath. Call it a soldier down in this War. Of the anything, and everything, going on out there. This moment. Today. Did I mention we are in a Civil War? - Call it all what you will. I know why I am making this decision for my business. And that’s the plain art of this paragraph. I do know that this post will probably be shared around the Internet on Blogging Tutorials… As the prime and number one example of What Not To Do To Grow Your Blog. A Blogger searches out Subscribers, right? A Blogger lives and dies by Subscribers, right? Well, I’ve never been your typical Blogger... and I don’t ever intend to be, either. And I say “Intend” because I mean to intend. I mean to continue. I’m merely not emailing out the content anymore. But, I still will be creating content. And I still will be publishing content. You see, the great thing about property ownership - is that I can do it all. You know, it’s sorta like how if you’re renting a house - you can live in the space, and breathe in the space, but you can’t really remodel the place? You can’t paint the walls pink without checking with the landlord first. Or, ya know, like, let’s say - take a jackhammer to a wall, and blow it out. Or, ohhhh - What the heck. Add a second bathroom, why don’t we? Take the bathtub and move it to the other side of the house? Sure, good luck with all that - if you’re renting. But when you own it, you actually CAN take that bathtub and move it from the bathroom to the living room and place it directly in front of the fireplace, why don’t we? Sure. Whatever, who cares. My decision. I own the house, I can decorate the living room any way I choose. Heck, I have the power to hire a plumber and redirect the pipes. If I wanna take a bath next to the television. My choice. So, as with my domain, my website - I own it. I decide on the content. I can be the writer. I can be the editor. I can be the publisher…. And in the end, I can be the moderator of my site, too. And - I can decide if I want to continue putting a stamp on the next envelope, lick the flap, and drop it in the blue box, or not. So I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m still doing my investigative research, I’m still writing my reports, I’m just not broadcasting the resulting content out over the AP any longer. I’m not visiting the Telegram Office. And on a side, but related note, that I’m slapping atop this envelope with a yellow post-it - I have decided to terminate my Etsy Shop today, and effective today, also. All art, craft, and creation, may be going up for sale under my own website domain that you are already familiar with, at some point in the future. Some paintings will not go back up for sale at all though. And this decision regarding Etsy is already final, and already in effect. And - If you know me at all, you know how stubbornly and fiercely independent I am as a human. I know what I want. And what I don’t. And I am assured in my decisions. So I can tell you this was not a decision I made lightly. Each and every decision I am announcing today came from my heart and soul. And I can tell you with great and sincere confidence, that God directed me toward this path today. He, and He alone, is guiding me down my journey in this life. Since the day He saved my life, the rest of my life has been, and will forever be, devoted to Him. It is with His help, that I just, moments ago, closed my Etsy Shop. And it is with his footsteps in the sand, carrying me, right now, as I send this letter to post. And then, I’ll hop back down to solid ground, and keep going myself, after you receive my last and final email. So, to sum it all up in some creative or word-flowy and imagery kind of way… basically, if you like Christine’s Floridian Dreams, and if you enjoy checking out my strangely arranged living room, it’s still there for you to see. You’ll just have to drive on by yourself, pull up into the driveway, get on out of the car, and ring the doorbell. And, after you ring, it is then that you will see if I’m home, or not. And even if I’m not home, even if you missed me, even if I happen to be at Dunkin having some Munchkins and a large Iced Latte while you stopped over, just by visiting, you'll be able to enjoy the garden that’s on display in my front yard. So, if you want to see my dreams, you can simply type in the letters w w w . c h r i s t i n e s f l o r i d i a n d r e a m s . c o m …. Into your browser, and you can find me there. After 79 posts, and then and now this, my 80th, I’ll reiterate right here that there will be a post 81 - probably. - At some point. For any of you who are looking forward to it. Because that’s where I live. And that’s where I’ll be dreaming. I don’t know if I’ll be bright and shiny. I don’t even know if the sun will be shining. But I do know one thing, and one thing only, Goodbye. Oh yeah - and Happy Wednesday! To all my bright and shiny Sunshine Friends! Don’t forget to get out there and make today the best day of your life. And then, do it all over again tomorrow. Hashtag God Bless America. Stop. ~ 
5/27/2020 0 Comments #79) At A Crossroads... When you come to your next fork in the road, what way will you go? There’s a favorite Seinfeld episode of mine - where George Costanza does the complete opposite of what he usually does throughout the entire show’s running. For example, if George would normally be shy in front of a woman, he does the opposite. So, in this episode, he would go right up to her and ask her out on a date. He says that he always orders tuna on toast at the diner. But, he ponders, nothing exciting ever came from tuna on toast, for him. So he’s going to go ahead and order the exact opposite of tuna on toast…. And see what happens. And, if he normally does absolutely and literally nothing, all day long, then he now would do the opposite - meaning he would do SOMETHING! Whatever it is in his entire life that is his usual REACTION - he decides he will now go ahead and do the absolute opposite reaction. And in turn, he gets a whole heck of a lot done, accomplished. It may not have all turned out the way he wanted, but he was acting, living, and most importantly, trying. I tend to think that George considered himself a failure in life, most of the time. But in this episode, as is usually the case in sitcoms, everything changes, for a single show. And Jerry tells him, “If every instinct you have is wrong, then the opposite would have to be right.” With this realization, George gets out there and kicks some major behind. And for 22 minutes - George is living his best life. He is successful. He is alive. Because doing something, he realized, was better than doing nothing. And making that hard choice was better overall, than making the easy choice. The usual choice. So, maybe go ahead and watch that episode, or even just some hilarious clips from it, online, if you have a few moments to spare. Or even if you have a pending decision to make. Because there’s a Seinfeld episode out there about every single decision in life. And this one is a Hallmark Classic. Bringing me to the question I have for you today… When you are at a crossroads - which way will you go? Which way have you gone when reaching crossroads in your past? When you reach the very next junction in your life… Do you know which direction you will be choosing? I’m here to remind you of that tiny, little voice inside your own head… directing you… to…. The Opposite. If you do the absolute opposite of which you have always done, won’t you theoretically get the opposite results from which you have always received? Thus, leading your life in a completely new, and foreign, and challenging, direction? Stimulating growth, new ideas, and therefore, completely new results, in your life. And it is with that question in mind, that I hope you enjoy this week’s vlog of Christine’s Floridian Dreams... My newest YouTube video that I’ll be sharing with you later this week. In it, I’m merely taking you along on a little, minor, daily adventure. For some small, and simple, choices in daily life. Where do I go that day… where will we eat… what do we order? What dessert location should we go to? And - how will we get there?... Because - There are multiple bridges to cross along the way too. And sometimes, it’s the actual bridge that becomes the best part of the day. Not where you have gone, or where you are headed to next, but simply stopping along the journey, and enjoying the junction itself. So, what direction will you choose - at your next fork in the road? What way will you turn, and therefore, which route, will you take, at your next crossroads of life? When that fateful question begs inside your own head - Maybe it’s time to consider the absolute opposite of tuna on toast - to you - and choose that. ~ 
*What’s your favorite Seinfeld episode? Do you always order tuna on toast, like George does? I’d love to know. Drop me a comment down below: Also, if you’re enjoying my Floridian Dreams, adventures, writings, ramblings, poetry, challenges, and reviews, you can go ahead and check out some more, right here: 77] The Lost Art of the Phone Call 75] The First Supper @ Palm Valley Outdoors Bar & Grill 73] What I’m Missing Right Now 71] My 69 Week Break From Social Media ~ Why I Left & Why I Came Back 68] A Sunday Stroll 63] Mercy & Comfort 62] PERSPECTIVE @ Seaside Sculpture Park 61] Bean’s Idea List ~ 15 Daily Activities For Well Beyond 15 Days 59] REACTION ~ To World War 19 57] First Watch on the First Coast 56] Shell World ~ Key Largo 51] Life Is Full Of Pasta-Bilities ~ Bean’s Red Sauce Recipe *Part of - Bean’s Kitchen - series 46] Key Largo, Montego, Baby Why Don’t We Go? 40] Visiting The Florida Cracker Kitchen ~ Jacksonville 36] The End Of A Decade & My New Year’s Wish To You 5/25/2020 0 Comments #78) The Best Part Of Waking Up... The best part of waking up... Is Folgers in your cup… Sorry, I had to. If merely because I love coffee so very gosh darn much. But right now I’m actually literally stuck on Folgers. It’s cheap. It’s basic. It’s good. Buying at least one pound worth a week, and making it every single morning. In my trusty ol’ Mr. Coffee coffee maker. Just like the one my grandparents used to use every day. And all those massive amounts of coffee beans got me thinking... about mornings. And how important they are to how one’s entire day will eventually turn out to be. If you are literally rolling out of bed every morning, strolling over to the bathroom and getting right in the shower, then heading directly off to work, hair barely dry from being shampooed and conditioned - I’m here to put a thought bubble above your head, and let it pop... You may be doing mornings wrong - in my opinion, that is. For the past few years I’ve been taking my mornings quite seriously. Meaning, I devote a huge chunk of time to myself - at the start of every single day. Whether it’s exercise, reading, or a bit of both and then some, I am absolutely certain to do something just for me each and every morning. This simple act sets the path for a better day forward. I talk to you a lot about momentum - And mornings mean momentum, my friends. I take my mornings so seriously that I rise well before I need to - a good chunk of hours ahead of time actually. And the morning activity I partake in may differ as much as the day itself does. But the one act remains the very same and true each day. It’s the activity of time for self that is imperative. So, if rising early is something that you haven’t been doing, but are interested in getting started with, I’ve got a few ideas and examples to help you begin, right here: 1-Grab a book: Read. Even if it’s just five pages. Or ten. That’s how a book gets read, doesn’t it? One page at a time? 5 pages at a time? Just pick up a copy of the latest book you’ve been dying to read, put it by your bedside table, and when that alarm goes off the following morning, grab Grishman’s latest novel, Camino Winds, and read the first few pages. [Spoiler-not-spoiler - it takes place in a fictional town based on an island exactly where I live here in the Jacksonville, Florida area. And - It’s a sequel to Camino Island.]  My current read.  Just finished this one. 2-Exercise: There is nothing better to kick your day into high gear than to get your body moving. Even if moving simply means stretching. If you haven’t been doing a whole lot of exercise lately, I’d highly recommend you start with some simple stretches. Add onto that routine a bit at a time, and then start walking. Days, weeks, and months later, you’ll have a solid walking routine down. And - if you miss a day, you may actually really be missing it!   “March Before You Feel Like It” - apparel for sale on my Spreadshirt shop! Click on the above image to take you right on over there, my friends. 3-Gain Mental Strength: I believe that mornings to myself help my mentality, my overall mental state. By doing what I mentioned up at the beginning… rolling out of bed, hopping in the shower, and driving off to work… that doesn’t allow much time for the mind to wander. Freely. So set your alarm early - far before you have to be in the shower… and simply light a candle, if that’s the best you can do at the moment. And maybe breathe. Or journal. Meditate. Make a cup of hot coffee. Sit in a hot bath - maybe, with a podcast. Chill… just…. hang out… with yourself. Your mindset will lighten. Your shoulders will become unburdened. It may take some time. And repetitiveness. But that load will lighten, I promise. Just keep at it. And let these minor, daily actions build into momentum, which will build movement, and massive action will then follow.    4-Creativity: If you are a creative person, mornings are a phenomenal time to get it all out and onto the medium you may be working with at the time. Don’t wait till the end of the night, after work, after dinner, and after dessert and night-time television, to open up your creative side. Because your best work might actually be done in the mornings. When you can rise early, to devote the time just to yourself, without any of the upcoming day’s distractions to block your outlet. If you paint, get on over to your studio. If you write, pull open your laptop, and get typing. If you are merely planning ideas and brainstorming, open up your bullet journal and get those ideas onto paper. Draw. Sketch. Apply for art shows. The list is endless. Whatever it is that you don’t have time for during the day - the time is now, to work on that. Which brings me to my own latest announcement I’d like to share with you today:  Christine’s Floridian Dreams now has a YouTube Channel! It’s out there, public, and with one whole solid freaking subscriber to date… plus, one whole, whopping 49 second video, just sitting out there, waiting for you to go ahead and watch it. Wahoo! :) You can access my channel by clicking on the link below: Why YouTube? For myself, personally, It’s part of what I mention in bullet number four above - creativity. There’s a creative outlet there for me that I want to brainstorm. Explore. And paint a new picture with - so to speak. The app is the easel. The mind is the creator of the artistic content, and the video is the canvas. I see it. I envision it. And now, I’m just going ahead and doing it. YouTube has been something I’ve been wanting to do for quite a very long while now. And why have I finally decided to start it? Because I’m here to take my own gosh darn advice, y’all. The only one stopping me - is me! I have no excuse not to do something I really want to do. It’s free. I already have a smartphone. And I have a whole heck of a lot of ideas that I’m currently filming for y’all. Again - did I mention... it’s free? And this brings me back to my own creativity and how to get started with your own creative ideas... Christine’s Floridian Dreams is alive as my creative outlet. And my ultimate goal, by sharing all of my writings, paintings, Etsy shop, inspirational tee-shirts, blogs… my entire website, and now - my videos, with you - is to help you get out there and live your own dream. I’m living my dream, and I want you to know that you can live your own dreams, too. There is nothing stopping you. You are the one who has to make your own dreams come true. And once you truly understand and comprehend that fact, there will be nothing stopping you from living out your wildest and happiest dreams and goals in life. Dreams just don’t miraculously come true with the waving of a magic wand. They come true through hard work. Visualization. Planning. Plotting. Sweating. And maybe even by lighting a candle, sitting in the bathtub, and listening to a podcast... instead of sleeping in…. They come true because you took the action of getting out of bed - well before you may have been ready to. So go ahead and get started on yourself. Give yourself that momentum to a better day ahead. Give yourself the gift of your morning. When you hear that alarm go off, jump out of bed, and begin your day. Whether you want to or not... March before you feel like it. And while the best part of waking up, may very well indeed be Folgers in your cup…. it’s really the best part of the day by simply just doing whatever you want to do most in your life. You merely need to get up, dust off that big and heavy thought bubble that’s just hovering around patiently above your head like a cloud, pop it, and get started. ~ 
*How do you spend your early mornings? Do you allocate a good chunk of your day entirely on yourself? I’d love to know. Drop me a comment down below: Also, I’ve got some more of my ramblings and writings and adventures for y'all to check out, right here: 77] The Lost Art of the Phone Call 73] What I’m Missing Right Now 71] My 69 Week Break From Social Media ~ Why I Left & Why I Came Back 68] A Sunday Stroll 63] Mercy & Comfort 62] PERSPECTIVE @ Seaside Sculpture Park 61] Bean’s Idea List ~ 15 Daily Activities For Well Beyond 15 Days 59] REACTION ~ To World War 19 55] The Shamrock 51] Life Is Full Of Pasta-Bilities ~ Bean’s Red Sauce Recipe *Part of - Bean’s Kitchen - series 49] A Picture Worth A Thousand Words ~ Happy Valentine’s Day, World 48] Love & Donuts In The Air @ Beaches For Australia *Part of - Bean’s Coffee Shop Challenge - series 46] Key Largo, Montego, Baby Who Don’t We Go? 39] The Very Official & Quite Serious Donut Debate Of 2020 *Part of - Bean’s Kitchen - series 24] In Real Life ~ My First Visit To A Southern Living Idea House  Go ahead and admit it - with great pride and your head held high… you’ve been spending more time on the phone lately, haven’t you? It may be one of the single greatest positive acts that has resulted from the coronavirus pandemic. People have definitely been talking to one another on the phone, more than they had been in any of the recent past. And all this talking, it got me thinking... about Lucy Ricardo... Because Lucy always spent massive amounts of time on the phone. I’m a huge ‘I Love Lucy’ fan. I have been, my whole life. My grandparents turned me onto it, and when I think of Lucy, I think of them. I have memories of being with my Papa and Grandma - in person - in their house, with Lucy playing in the background. While we visited, and talked, and laughed, and cooked, and baked, and played games, and read, and celebrated holidays, as well as a whole heck of a lot of regular days, Lucy tended to be there right alongside us. And whether you’re a fan or not, my point about Lucy is this: She spent a lot of time at home. Inside her house. She wasn’t quarantined. There was no active plague. But she was at home, a lot. But home, or not, she always seemed to get herself into some sort of trouble. Big or small. There was always a crisis, many times of her own making, that needed solving. And with problem solving comes communication. And so she was always on the phone. Trying to solve one problem - while creating many others in her wake. Lucy talked so much on the phone that it might have well been her speciality... Her art. Her unique talent in life. But I also tend to think she used the phone simply to help pass some of her time - in between and amongst those many problems, of course. And Ricky was always making fun of her for that time spent. He’d be reading the paper, and she’d be on the phone - for hours at a time. Ricky couldn’t understand it! He couldn’t fathom how a person could spend so much of their time talking into that odd-shaped device? And most of the time it was all just chit-chat. Lucy gossiping with her friends. Rumors spreading, and lots of laughing. And always getting herself into scrapes - of varying degrees of that trouble I mentioned. And a lot of those phone calls were between her and Ethel Mertz. Her best friend, landlord, and close neighbor. They lived one floor apart in the same apartment building - directly above and below one another - for years. And even though they lived so very, very close, they spent hours on that telephone, with each other. After hours - of gabbing away - as Ricky might say, one of them would come to the realization that they needed to borrow a cup of sugar from the other. They’d then hang up the phone, and go up or down the single flight of stairs, to get the cup of sugar from the other, in person. And Ricky would then be even further confused… thinking - why couldn’t they have talked in person that whole time? So today, while people are keeping some seriously major distance from one another - they have been seeking new ways of communication. And it’s almost like people have re-discovered the phone, and what it’s original intended use was for. Cause it certainly wasn’t originally intended to get your news, your emails, your social media notifications, or to play video games. It was to talk, using voice. Maybe a lost art? Because people just don’t really do it anymore. Instead, people rely almost solely on the following: Tweets. Texts. Telegrams - oh wait, we don’t have that one anymore, do we? Snaps. Tagging. Email. Private Message. Facebook. Insta. Video. Zoom. Stories. Etc, etc. etc. Digital communication - and a lot of written digital communication - rules. But on the worst days of the plague, when I was still out and about and working, I noticed something I hadn’t seen in a very long time… And I heard something I hadn’t heard in a very long time either. And that was the act of people talking to another over the phone. And this is what I heard them saying into those devices... “I love you.” “How are you?” “Is everything ok?” “How are you feeling?” “Where are you right now?” “I’ll be there soon.” “I’m scared.” “What can I bring you?” “Hang in there.” “I love you.” - I mentioned that one already. But you know what? I heard that one so many times, it was most definitely significant. And if I wasn’t out of the house during the plague, I might not have believed what I heard myself. As now many articles have been written regarding how phone calls have made a real and significant comeback during the pandemic… Stats, numbers, and charts giving authoritative proof to that numerical statistical change - I only needed to see it first-hand, in my own little corner of the world, to know how true it really was. With people’s necks constantly bent down, eyeballs looking at their phone screens, for years upon years now, then quickly adapted into actually seeing their heads up, and talking from their mouths, and listening from their ears, the change was real. Maybe talking on the phone has become so rare that the act of doing so has become an actual gift - to another. A gift of time… Especially today, in this ever-innovative, fast-paced, and digital age. Tweeting… and texting... it’s all so very fast, so instant, and so non-commital of a person’s time, that a quick bubble of letters and numbers and symbols and emojis has seemingly replaced real, verbal communication, enmasse. But a phone call means commitment too. In a way the digitally written word does not. A phone call means really taking that time and sitting down - to chat - with another - one-on-one. Devoting one’s personal time and voice and ear to another human, for a specified chunk of one’s time. While the written word, and the internet, is, as they say - permanent, or cannot be taken back after it’s out there in a sense, the phone call remains something permanent as well. Because it means you gave that time away to another person in a way that cannot ever be taken back. You cannot recall it. You cannot hit the Delete button. You cannot erase it. You cannot unpin it. You cannot wipe it. So the phone call has, in a pandemicy kind of way, become a valuable, and non-regiftable, present. And not to say that there are numerous societal benefits to texting and instant messaging, but the phone call is now special in its own way. With entire generations currently growing up on social media and digital communication being the norm, the phone call is seemingly less and less important to society as a whole. But, just like war, plagues have a way of changing things... Of amending the trajectory of society. And, thus, the way people communicate. For better and for worse. And while most all of the plague lies in the worse category, for obvious reasons, there are most definitely some good aspects of global change that have developed out of this crisis... And that is the clear and present fact that people the world over have started talking to another once again. And I got in on the act myself, too. Talking on the phone is actually one of the things I had been praticing myself these past few years of living far away from friends and family. I knew that, with moving away from everything and everyone I knew, I would need to rely on the phone more so than I had in the past, to stay in touch with those I love. So over these past few years, after my move to The Sunshine State from Illinois, I had already been trying to be in better, one-on-one communication, with many, many people. But the coronavirus ended up only strengthening that resolve further. During the course of this virus, it sometimes feels as if I spoke with more friends and family from afar on the phone than I had in the whole time since I moved away. And I think maybe that feeling is actually true. I have reached out to loved ones, and they have also reached out to me. All, over the phone. No, it wasn’t email. It wasn’t Facebook. It wasn’t Instagram. And it certainly wasn’t TikTok or SnapChat. Crisis does bring people closer together. And sometimes a text just doesn’t count. Sometimes hearing another’s voice is all the more important, and valuable, in a time of fear, loneliness, crisis, confusion, and loss. And whether we lost someone we know personally, or not, during these past months of crisis, we all lost a whole heck of a lot…. of a whole heck of a lot. Life is changed. Forever. And it’s up to us to Adapt to those changes. Modify. And Proceed. And it is now my call to action - to you, fellow humans out there in InternetLand - to pick up that cellular phone. Today. And call someone you haven’t talked to in a while. Flip through your digital Rolodex. Choose some digits. And talk. Use this long, holiday weekend… And maybe spend a long while on the phone with that person. And maybe even if that person lives just around the corner from you. Maybe even if they are your Ethel, and you are their Lucy. Even if they live so close to you that you can reach out your arm, maybe by standing on your own balcony, stretching less than six feet apart, and swap with them a cup of sugar - in exchange for a stick of butter, or a cup of flour. Even if you are that close. Pick up the phone. And give them a call. Let that cup of sugar be your excuse if need be. Because while the entire world keeps on changing, and keeps on spinning, some things just never change… Plague or no plague… There’s still more problems that need solving… And Lucy and Ethel still need to gossip… And there’s still another celebration on the way - another cake to bake - and yet still another cup of sugar to borrow. ~  ‘Welcome To Florida’
*Have you picked up the phone more so lately, during the coronavirus? Who have you called recently that you haven’t talked to in a very long time? I’d love to know. Drop me a comment down below: Also - if you’re enjoying my ramblings, my writings, and my Floridian adventures, there’s some more for ya, right here: 75] The First Supper @ Palm Valley Outdoors Bar & Grill 73] What I’m Missing Right Now 71] My 69 Week Break From Social Media ~ Why I Left & Why I Came Back 68] A Sunday Stroll 63] Mercy & Comfort 62] PERSPECTIVE @ Seaside Sculpture Park 61] Bean’s Idea List ~ 15 Daily Activities For Well Beyond 15 Days 59] REACTION ~ To World War 19 55] The Shamrock 51] Life Is Full Of Pasta-Bilities ~ Bean’s Red Sauce Recipe *Part of - Bean’s Kitchen - series 49] A Picture Worth A Thousand Words ~ Happy Valentine’s Day, World 48] Love & Donuts In The Air @ Beaches For Australia *Part of - Bean’s Coffee Shop Challenge - series 42] Where Does The Chicken Cross The Road? 41] Minnie The Daschund Mouse & Her Birthday Wish 24] In Real Life ~ My First Visit To A Southern Living Idea House 21] Cinotti’s ~ And Why Life Is Too Short To Not Eat Donuts 18] Sea & Sky Jax Weekend ~ Fun In The Florida Sun, Sea, Sky & Sand  *Part of - Bean’s Coffee Shop Challenge - series I’m always trying to do something I’ve never done before - to try something new. Whether it be a new recipe in the kitchen, read a book I never thought of reading, drive a different route to get where I’m going, expand my taste buds with a new brand of coffee, or visit somewhere I’ve never been… Well, in the spirit of that continued search, we finally made it to The Grom… Angie’s Grom, that is.     We had visited Angie’s Subs for the first time a while back - before the plague - and had intentions to then get ourselves on over to The Grom as well, but then everything shut down. And it only took us some freaking years to finally make it to the most local of local establishments in town here at the beach. Located at 204 3rd Avenue South in Jacksonville Beach, The Grom describes itself online as a colorful and quirky sandwich joint. They serve breakfast and lunch and coffee and sodas. And on weekends they also have a Sunday Brunch menu.  With a Facebook page and an Instagram, social media is the way to stay connected with the Grom online. So if you’re looking for an online menu before going in, check them out on social for the latest and their daily specials. The Grom is a daytime cafe - of which there are a lot in town. Their hours are normally 7am-4pm on Monday through Friday, plus 7am-5pm on both Saturday and Sunday’s, with dine-in, takeout, and delivery having some limitations right now during the coronavirus situation we all find ourselves in.   Described as a local dive, or the beaches dive, I knew I wouldn’t need to be dressed in my Sunday finest to visit. A tank top, shorts, and some flip flops are more than dressy enough, and most people get their food while going or coming to the beach for the day. And with the early morning start, it’s a great, quick stop to get coffee on the way to work for the day. Angie’s also sells reusable drink mugs too for hot coffee refills to go. On this day, we were once again out on a morning walk with the pooch. And decided it was finally time to pay them a visit.  The vibe is fun and most definitely beachy. Silly, and most certainly colorful. There isn’t a dry or boring space on any wall. Service is fast-casual, paying at the counter, then waiting for one’s order to be called. Out the front door and around to the side, there’s a cute little outdoor seating alcove that we found ourselves situated at, enjoying the beautiful morning. I’ve been in love with the tall palm tree being hugged by a table and chairs forever and glad to finally sit at it.  For purposes of this visit, we ordered two hot coffee’s, to go. Plus hubby ordered the breakfast burrito/wrap meal - which comes with home fries. They also offer iced coffee - already premade and sweetened. We opted for the hot coffee, adding cream and no sweetner.     Our total for two coffee’s at $2.50 each, plus the single breakfast meal at $5.99, was $11.76, plus tip. The price for a cup of coffee is certainly one of the cheapest around, and the cup a generous size as well. Actually, word of mouth has it that Angie’s offers generous portions and remains extremely inexpensive. I would say that rumor is true. With our cups of coffee being quite large - comparable to a Starbucks venti size hot drink, and the portion of food in the to-go box, we definitely got our money’s worth. In fact, my coffee was so large I didn’t finish and put the rest in the fridge, to reheat the next morning. Fast, simple, and in and out. We took our order home to eat on the balcony. Another Sunday at home. Another week on the way. And another place I’d never been checked off my imaginary list… What something new did you do this weekend? And what something new will you be trying this week? ~ 
*Have you been to Angie’s Grom? What’s your favorite item on their menu? I’d love to know. Drop me a comment down below: Hey - you there - If you’re looking for the rest of Bean’s Coffee Shop Challenge, check out the links below: 72] Breezing Through Life @ Breezy’s Coffee Shop 69] Chaunie’s Coffee Truck 67] Delicious & Delightful Days @ The Delicomb 60] Welcome To Muffin Land ~ The Ugly Cupcake & Muffinry 48] Love & Donuts In The Air @ Beaches For Australia 44] Nothing Finer Than Coffee In The Keys ~ The Coffee Plantation Cafe 39] The Very Official & Quite Serious Donut Debate Of 2020 9] Sago Coffee: A Cup Of Friendly & Flavorful Florida Also - you may wanna browse through some more of my ponderings, and poems, here: 73] What I’m Missing Right Now 71] My 69 Week Break From Social Media ~ Why I Left & Why I Came Back 68] A Sunday Stroll 65] The Sea Life ~ Happy Easter 64] Stay-At-Home Sunday ~ Palm Sunday 63] Mercy & Comfort 62] PERSPECTIVE @ Seaside Sculpture Park 61] Bean’s Idea List ~ 15 Daily Activities For Well Beyond 15 Days 59] REACTION ~ To World War 19 57] First Watch on the First Coast 55] The Shamrock 54] Um, Open @ Angie’s Subs 51] Life Is Full Of Pasta-Bilities ~ Bean’s Red Sauce Recipe *Part of - Bean’s Kitchen - series  When The Last Supper took place - no one, except Jesus, knew what was to come. Because, sometimes, you just don’t really know that it’s actually The Last Supper, until The Last Supper is completely over with. Done. Finished... Time, and actions, have both passed. Jesus hung on the cross… and then it hits you - that was the last time you were able to dine with Him. Would you have done something differently? Had you known it would be the final time? The final meal? Would you have asked Him a different set of questions? Would you have had a different sort of conversation? Had a second helping of bread and butter? Would you have ordered every dessert on the menu? Because - what the heck - it IS The Last Supper, of course. Of all the meals in all the world, now is the time to order the chocolate lava cake, with vanilla ice cream on top, draped in chocolate syrup, and then topped with sprinkles and a cherry on top.  Over the last few months, #lastsupper might have well been trending every single day. Because with every conversation I have had with another human being - this meal - this act - was a topic of conversation… Where was your last dinner out? What did you order? Who were you with? And even - what did you talk about? Ahh, who were you with??? Before quarantine took us all over. Were you with the ones you are with right now? Were you with loved ones you now have not seen in eight weeks? Separated by an invisible plague. A plague that is wreaking havoc on civilization itself. Were you celebrating a special occasion during that final meal? Or was the dinner out nothing special at all?... Just another day, just another outing. Not really having given it a passing thought.       Yes, everyone has their own Last Supper right now. We all dined out one last time before shut-down orders took over the globe. And restaurants shut their doors. Some for a short time. And sadly, some forever more. And at-home cooking and dining became the new way of life. Either that, or a whole heck of a lot of take-out, delivery, and curbside service, which started enmasse, in the wake of the pandemic.       There are lots of meaningful moments in a person’s life. Many moments that, when they are taking place, the person does not know it’s the last time. That’s why the old adage… Live each day as if it were your last. OR You don’t know what you’ve got, till it’s gone. So, maybe now is the time to ask yourself: Are you living each day? Yes, even during quarantine. Are you fully alive? Each and every single day. Regardless of place? Circumstance? Location? Setting? Situation? Finances? Limitations? Roadblocks? Mystery? Scarcity? Hope? Fear? I am. And I have been, living, each day. For three years. I am fully ALIVE. Pandemic… Or no pandemic. I am alive. And I am living my very best life. I was fully alive before the world changed, and I am extremely grateful to be fully alive during it. And I’m still completely and 100% alive, as the world awakens, opens up their front doors, and steps off their front porches… many, for the first time, in a very long time. You see, I was already out there… standing in the street… looking inward, toward humanity, inside their houses. Just waiting for y'all to come on out again. And join me. In life. Because life - in Florida - means fresh air. While it was winter, and a cold and rainy spring, in many areas of the country, during this horrific shutdown, living in Florida during this plague was an extra special blessing to be from God Himself.  I was able to still walk outside, and get fresh, warm air, every single day. I was able to sit on my balcony, outside, every single day. I was able to literally soak in my vitamin D. The vitamin they keep discussing in the news as being imperative to fight CoVid19. So, I’m happy to FINALLY see and hear of many other people starting their own venture outward. Yes, even New York is seeing signs of hope and life again. So, as the weather turns warmer, and brighter, in other parts of the world, many others can now also soak in their daily vitamin D. Have their coffee on their balconies. And get outside. I’m happy to be joined with the sea of humanity as they open their front doors. Many are afraid. Many are terrified. Many are following guidelines, plans, and executive, gubernatorial orders, or newly enacted city ordinances. And, yes, many are stepping off their front porch steps at the very same time. So, I’m out here to say to those who are starting out right now... Hello. Welcome back. And - There’s a life to live out there. Life is happening - whether we know it or not - whether we like it or not - and whether we want it to or not. And life is, merely and once again, your reaction, to other actions. I am showing you my reaction.  As the national guidelines, and statewide safer-at-home orders were slowly and gradually lifted in The Sunshine State… businesses started opening back up. Over these last many weeks, signs of optimism grew by the day. Little by little. They opened their doors. Many, very many in fact, are still shuttered, didn’t make it. But just as many, have once again opened. With limited indoor seating, and tables spaced safely apart from one another, and nearly unlimited outdoor seating in the fresh air, lots of outdoor patios are having the times of their lives right now.      People are craving normalcy. People want to socialize. And people want to go out to eat. Well, we, in Florida, were able to finally do just that. For the first time in over two months. We dined out. We sat outside. We were far away from other humans. And we had a great meal. As we gazed at a gorgeous, waterfront setting. We traveled down the winding Palm Valley Road toward the bridge. Nestled and tucked under that large expanse of a hovering bridge is the Palm Valley Outdoors Bar & Grill. Located at 377 South Roscoe Boulevard in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, the location really is perfect as well. On a bright and shiny and blue sky day, we arrived at the Grill for a lovely lunch outing. We planned our outing to go earlier in the day, rather than later. My work schedule has me going to bed early, so we usually end up with a lot of lunches out - instead of dinners. But considering this was a first meal of sorts, and it was a birthday celebration, both hubby and I were extra excited to arrive - no matter what the time was. We knew it would take a while. We knew they had just recently opened to the public once again for dine-in service. We were prepared to wait, long. And all their signage around the building told me another story… That they were open during the worst. That they were doing curbside pick up - and even dock side pick up, for boaters. I was extra grateful to be a dine-in patron that day. We had about a one and a half hour wait… They had told us about 35 minutes, it ended up being a lot longer, obviously. No problem. We knew what we were getting into by dining at a restaurant just after an official re-opening to the public. In my mind, I treated this outing as the equivalent of visiting a restaurant on their first day of operation - a new business. A restaurant’s first day is always a huge mountain to climb. Always a challenge. And yet, no one seemed to be bothered by the wait. But it’s kinda hard to be bothered with anything at all when this is the setting:  Besides, what can one expect during a global plague, with food supply chains completely disrupted… We went more so for the experience, and what food we got - we got, in our book. And the wait - was the wait. During that extended wait, I ordered two lemonades from the bar, and hubby ordered a birthday margarita, and then a beer on tap. The lemonade was very, very small, and I drank it in about three gulps. Hubby’s alcohol lasted much longer than both my drinks.     We sat, in the partial shade on the wooden dock, feet hanging over the water, for a long time. After a while of watching boats go past, quite peacefully, we found some wooden adirondack chairs and decided to move. The entire wait was pleasant and calm and very enjoyable to watch all the activity going past. In that time period, we saw countless boats arrive and depart the dock. I’d say as many boats as cars coming and going from the parking lot. So this is definitely a popular spot for boaters to stop enroute. The sun was at its hottest and brightest part of the day overhead. After seeing the dining area patio baking in the afternoon sun, we then asked for a table in the shade. They told us the wait would be much longer. All the tables had spaces for umbrellas but there were no umbrellas to be had. When we finally sat at our shaded table we were quite hungry and very much ready to order. Our hostess had gloves on. Our server had gloves on. We ordered two side salads with a balsamic dressing. A delicious salad that, for the first time in two months, we didn’t have to prepare and cut all the fresh ingredients ourselves.  For our main course, we then each ordered two burgers with fries. Um, because, no fried food at home for two months - need I say more? Hubby had the bacon and cheese burger, and I had the original burger. It was served hot and fresh, straight off the grill. Medium well, and perfectly done. Fresh lettuce, tomato, and onion. It was superb.   I cut my burger in half, and had the other half for dinner that night - my way of watching calorie intake during that outing.  The steak French fries were from Heaven. Because - again - key word being - fried. We chose not to have dessert there, as I had special-ordered a few cupcakes from Cinotti’s Bakery to act as the birthday cake dessert, that we would eat at home later that evening. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal. But the setting was what we especially enjoyed. And it was the action itself of dining out. Leaving the house, driving to a restaurant, reading a menu, and dining amongst others, that was most important to us on that date. Overall, the Palm Valley Outdoors Bar & Grill was a lovely experience. A great birthday outing. And a fabulous place to try if it happens to be your First Supper as well. The tables are spaced plenty distance apart, and the restaurant is following all the cleaning protocols in place. With employees wearing gloves, and lots of santitzing tables between customers. The setting is more than ideal, with the Intracoastal as a backdrop, and tucked just under and off to the side of the Palm Valley Bridge. You’ll enjoy the boats coming and going. Paddleboarders going north and south. And you may especially enjoy the countless doggies - sitting on the edge of their owner’s boats. Also taking in all the sights and sounds… and smells… of the salt life, and good food. It is my sincere hope that for those of you in states where restaurants have also been approved to reopen, just like in Florida, that you use the experience of my First Supper, as a push to get out there yourself. For those still anxiously waiting for your own First Supper. Go ahead and get ready now. Your time is coming. To start your own venture outside. To open your own front door. To step off that front porch. Find yourself an open restaurant. Wait All The Minutes. Get seated. And have a lovely meal. Have your very own First Supper. And, what the heck, maybe even order dessert while you’re at it. It’s ok to be scared. And by all means, it’s also mostly certainly ok - to be very uncertain. And, just like The Last Supper, it’s ok if you don’t yet know when your First Supper will be. Just keep it in mind. Plan for it. Get it in your head. Because one day, and maybe when you least expect it, it will come to you. And you can ask yourself - will you be fully alive on that fateful day? Will you be living that day like it’s your last on this Earth? Will you remember the moment - so you know what you’ve got, when it’s gone? And then, finally, who will you be with when that date arrives? ~ 
And for many more dining out opportunities in The Sunshine State - check out the variety of my restaurant reviews, right here: 57] First Watch on the First Coast 53] Totally Terrific & Tasty Thai @ Blue Orchid Thai Cuisine 45] Dessert First, My Friends ~ Cantina Louie 40] Visiting The Florida Cracker Kitchen ~ Jacksonville 35] Happiest Of Holidays @ Hawkers Asian Street Fare 29] Dinner & A Show ~ The 26th Annual St. Augustine Nights of Lights 15] V Pizza ~ The Very Best Pizza In Jax Beach! *Part of ~ Bean’s Best ~ Award Winner 2019 11] Eleven South Bistro & Bar ~~ Supper Club Of The South 5] The Reef On SR A1A: Worth Pulling Over For 4] The Boathouse @ Disney Springs ~ Disney Dining At Its Best Plus, you may be interested in some of my other pandemic related thoughts, theories, activities, and other such ponderings - down below: 73] What I’m Missing Right Now 69] Chaunie’s Coffee Truck *Part of - Bean’s Coffee Shop Challenge - series 68] A Sunday Stroll 65] The Sea Life ~ Happy Easter 64] Stay-At-Home Sunday ~ Palm Sunday 63] Mercy & Comfort 62] PERSPECTIVE @ Seaside Sculpture Park 61] Bean’s Idea List ~ 15 Daily Activities For Well Beyond 15 Days 59] REACTION ~ To World War 19 5/11/2020 0 Comments #74) Rita’s vs. Whit’s ~ Bean’s Battle For Best @ The Beaches ~ Ice Cream Edition 2020 Always and forever in the search of the best dessert on the planet - today, I’m bringing you two more ice cream adventures: Rita’s vs. Whit’s In a battle of wits… for Bean’s Best @ The Beaches 2020 ~ Ice Cream Edition ~       As of May, 2020 - you can now dine outside in Florida at restaurants.  For the purposes of today’s competition, I went to both Rita’s and Whit’s, almost back-to-back. Two ice cream outings in less than one week’s time. I might at well become a formal dessert critic - because my tummy knows a good dessert when it meets one, that’s for sure. We started out at Rita’s. And by we, I mean hubby and I. We planned our visit for directly after he picked me up at work back on Monday, April 18. Keeping in mind, this challenge took place during the worst of the worst of the economic shut down. So as you may be able to tell, we were in desperate search of a food outing. With a whole ton of businesses and restaurants completely shut at that time, I was determined to patronize as many local businesses as possible that were still open. And I’m happy to report that both Rita’s and Whit’s made it through, intact. And both are still open today. The only offering not available to us at that time back in April, was not being able to dine inside - but - Florida - we don’t really need dining inside here in The Sunshine State. Plus, Rita’s is strictly outdoor grab-and-go counter service anyway - no dine-in option available - with a drive-thru around the side of the building. Also, note that if you are interested in drive-thu at Rita’s, you’ll want to make note that the transaction window is on the passenger side of the car.  Rita’s: Drive-thru on the left, view from the back of the parking lot.  Rita’s: Drive-thru view from the front of the building.  We opted to skip the drive-thru, parked and walked up for the counter service option, for purposes of my review. I ordered one large soft-serve chocolate/vanilla swirl with extra sprinkles for myself, and one large cherry Italian ice for the hubby. He is a huge fan of Italian ice, in any flavor, and I am a big fan of chocolate - anything.   Both of our treats were delicious. Our total came to $11.64, plus tip. My large was not “large” - to me - I would say more like a size medium at the biggest. But for the Italian ice, Bryan received a huge, generous cup of cherry flavored ice. Either way though, I was simply happy to have something cold, because is there anything better than something cold after a long and sweaty shift? We love Rita’s and go there semi-frequently. Sometimes we are fortunate enough to find the $2.00 off coupons in the monthly coupon mailer, but we haven’t had any lately. Always extra creamy, and always delicious. Rita’s remains a fabulous and inexpensive dessert outing, and the location can’t be beat. Three blocks from the beach, and directly on A1A, Rita’s location is directly in the heart of Jax Beach. You can easily grab a cone, and head straight out onto the sandy shores a few minutes later. Moving onward to Whit’s, we ventured over there, on Beach Boulevard, on the evening of April 20th. Once again, after hubby picked me up from work. Our second ice cream location of the week. And after another long, hot shift at work. Whit’s also usually has $2.00 off coupons in the Jax monthly mailers, but, of course I am always without my coupon clippings and am forever ill-prepared to save a buck. Yet, always prepared to spend... Why is that, by the way?   Back entrance of Whit’s.          And while Whit’s does not have a drive-thru, or window service, their dining room remained open for to-go service. So, there we were at Whit’s, for our second ice cream adventure of the week. We ordered a large chocolate Whitsper (their version of a Blizzard) for $7.00, and a medium Butterfinger Whitsper for $6.00, for a total of $13.91, plus tip.     While both of these outings took place smack in the middle of the Presidential Guidelines of 30 Days To Stop The Spread of the Coronavirus, in my opinion, it was fabulous that so many dining establishments remained open and available for take-out. Especially for everybody still working… long, hard hours outside the home. Restaurants and coffee shops and treats have been imperative and a literal lifeline to making it through an extra-long, extra-stressful shift. I love Rita’s and always have. We continue to go there on a regular basis. But, in my dessert foodie opinion, Whit’s win’s the award here. Their portions remain solidly larger than Rita’s. Large - to - Large comparison, you get way, way more ice cream at Whit’s than at Rita’s. Even if you ask for more at Rita’s, their largest does not compare to Whit’s. And when I go out for ice cream, give me the largest size please. Whit’s is also very pet-friendly, and even has a doggie menu. My furry baby has had their ice cream/dog bone sundae, and she very much approves. And now that the 30 Days to slow the spread are complete, and businesses are resuming operations, here in Florida we are at 25% dine-in occupancy. And outdoor dining feels fairly normal. Meaning, if you grab ice cream at either of these locations, right now, you can once again grab a bench, grab a chair, pull open the umbrella, and eat under the sun. Or inside - if you need the air conditioning. Ahh the little things in life… 25% occupancy. Overall, Whit’s definitely wins the day for me, simply on their sizing. I love ice cream, maybe as much as donuts… and coffee, oh jeaz. I think I just love a lot of things. But when I pay for a large, and then get a really generous helping, they win. Hands down. Plus - doggie menu. Any place that keeps some dog bones on hand, is a winner in my book. So, congratulations to Whit’s Jax Beach for being the very Official Winner of Bean’s Battle For Best @ The Beaches - Ice Cream Edition ~ 2020. And an amazing and huge and heartfelt thank you to both locations, for being open during the worst of days, and feeding us good and conforming treats to brighten our saddest of very sad days. ~ 
*Have you been to Rita’s or Whit’s? Which do you like better? Are you more of an Italian ice person, or an ice cream swirl sorta person? I’d love to know. Drop me a comment down below: Also, for more dueling dessert/debates around Jacksonville, check out some more of my flavorful Floridian adventures, below: 70] Peterbrooke Chocolatier ~ Bean’s Battle for Best @ The Beaches *Bean’s Best Award Winner! ~ Chocolate ~ 2020 39] The Very Official & Quite Serious Donut Debate Of 2020 And, if you’re searching for a fabulous diner while in town, you can check out a variety of my local Jacksonville area diner reviews, right here: 57] First Watch on the First Coast 54] Um, Open @ Angie’s Subs 50] Sundays Are For Diners ~ Super Diners 40] Visiting The Florida Cracker Kitchen ~ Jacksonville 19] Another Broken Egg Cafe ~ A Taste Of NOLA @ The Beach 16] Beach Diner ~ If You Feed Them They Will Come |
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