3/20/2020 0 Comments #59) REACTION ~ To World War 19So I went to Publix the other day. And just like any other day… I parked my car in the parking lot, and went inside. And just like any other day, I grabbed a cart. But not just like any other day, there were things I could not buy. And when my eyes first met up with the bread aisle, I was extremely grateful that I had the foresight to freeze my previously purchased and older loaf. Living through hurricanes taught me as much. So, I could not buy the bread that I wanted. I kept shopping. I could not buy toilet paper. And, living through hurricanes - did not teach me or forewarn me on that one. Nope - no one really saw the toilet paper challenge coming our way. Not even those already prepared for days without power and those who’ve lived through many hurricanes. In fact, there were a lot of things I could not buy. I won’t name them all here, as that is not my point. My initial point is this - I made do. I adapted. I pushed on. I stayed positive. I shared my ideas with others on how I am coping. I still joked about it all. I remained silly and sarcastic. And I kept talking - despite how differently we all might perceive our new reality. Because at the same time, there were many items I could buy… many items in my shopping cart. Many items the cashier scanned through their purchasing system. Many items now settled nicely inside my very cold refrigerator and freezer and pantry and medicine cabinet. You see, how we react to what is placed in front of our eyes, is sometimes more important than what is actually placed before our very eyes. I did not cry these past weeks. Although I wanted to. I did not give up. Although the thought did cross my mind. I did not fight over perceived differences. I only joked about it all. With sarcasm and humor yes, but truly just joking around. And many others are now doing the same. I have been in contact with countless individuals each and every day these last weeks. And what I witnessed - has been the absolute best of humanity. Each person who I speak and interact with is nice. Kind. Optimistic. And yes, scared. But all of them keep their composure in public. All of them do not want to spread further fear. And panic. There was another common theme to every person I recently met. They said that people are talking to each other once again. People are civil. People are reaching out to those they have not spoken to in years. And then, other people are responding in kind. Specifically, people are putting their differences aside. And communicating like human beings again. At the end of one conversation, one man thanked me for speaking with him. We took time to pause for a few minutes. We took the time to genuinely inquire about each other’s well being. Any politics and beliefs and religions and all other differences aside. We are speaking to one another. But most importantly we are caring for one another. And as the conversation with that one gentleman came to an end, he said that this was the best conversation he had in a long time. I said I completely agreed. He went on his way. I don’t know his name. I probably will never see him again. But each person an individual meets and interacts with has the crucial ability to set our future toward a different path. A more optimistic path. If merely, we react to others in a better way. When I exited Publix, the very first thing that caught my attention while walking to my car was a beautiful dog. One of God’s special creatures. A creature who bestows special gifts onto the living world. This precious doggy was sitting at attention. He was watching the exit. Waiting for his owner to leave the store. This angelic pup could not be swayed. This canine could not be distracted. He or she only had eyes for his partner in life. He could not be disturbed in any way. And yes, I did try. How could I resist? The little cutie pie! I said, “Oh hello!” And then told him how cute he was. I said, your owner will be out shortly. But, you know what? His gaze never waivered. His look was of determination. His spirit and love - fully alive in his soul. Waiting. Being diligent. And forever faithful. I said a few more nice things to this adorable little creature and then went on my way. His gaze never once removed. His eyes locked on the front doors of Publix. As we were loading up the trunk, I noticed the next people coming out of the store. Individuals, couples, families. Each of them stopped to talk to the adorable doggy. Each of them wanted a response from the dog - just like I did. I watched the humans. And I watched the dog... Each of them saw pure love in a golden hew. But that dog’s gaze never strayed. I will not forget that dog. He made such an impression on me. Enough of an impression, obviously, that I felt compelled to take a photo. To capture the spirit in his eyes. To soak in his determination and faith and unwavering love for another human. These weeks have been a challenge. Not just for me. Not just for those I have talked with. But for everyone. Every single living human being on this planet is now touched in some way. Touched by a faceless evil. An evil we are now at war with. Yes, we are at war - with a virus. An evil that knows no discrimination. An evil that has destruction in its wake and in its path. An evil that knows no age, no race, no creed, no ethnicity, no sex, no gender, no hair color, no appearance, and certainly doesn’t care whether we look like a million damn dollars, or if we - uh hmmm - could really use a manicure or a hair cut. No - CoVid 19 does not care. It only cares about eating us alive. It only cares about its own survival. And growth. And spread. And mutation. And adaptation. And to gain even further power over us. To swallow us whole. To suffocate us. And in order for us to survive against this evil we will have to suffer. And in order for it to be destroyed - we also have to suffer. You see - we - every single human being - has now been called to action. We not only have to act. But we have to REACT. We have been summoned. We have been tasked. We have been deployed. In order for our evil to be destroyed - it will require the will and determination and action and reactions of every single human on this planet. Not just a single city. Not just a state. And not just a single nation. This evil requires countries. Nation states. Global powers. The entire world. We are all called to battle. Yes, everybody has to sacrifice. I tend to talk a lot about the following key words: ACTION REPETITION ROUTINE MOMENTUM MASSIVE ACTION And then... REACTION And, in the end - It’s always our reactions that win the day. Or worse off - it’s our reactions that lose the day too. And thus - the war. We’ve REACTED to evil many times in the past. On one very special Christmas during World War I, troops on both sides of the trenches put aside their different causes for a single night. Far in the distance, the songs of Christmas could be heard. Song. And then, once heard, many reacted to the sound of song, and joined in themselves. Soon, trenches were abandoned, and humanity came together. The two sides were no longer at war with one another. They stood in no-man’s land, as equals, and as humans. Sharing their different worlds they lived in. Even speaking one another’s language with each other. Think about that. Their extremely passionate differences put aside, all to make it through a somber time, together. We reacted to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. And it was a REACTION felt round the world. And after that bombing, we were told that the only thing we have to fear - is fear itself. We reacted to North Korean aggression - as they crossed the 38th Parallel, and attacked South Korean sovereignty. We REACTED once again, to September 11th, 2001. America - invaded - by a foreign enemy. We did not initiate. We did not ask for war. We did not want violence and evil and death and destruction and very horrific terrors. But all those evils came our way anyway - and, thus, we reacted. With the full military and civilian might built and instilled and festering inside our souls. By coming together. Yes - We’ve reacted many a time throughout human history. And we must now react, once again. American’s must come together. In fact, the entire world must come together on this one, folks. Yes, our evil is a virus. Yes, our evil has no face. There are no planes crossing the Pacific in secret, set out for destruction from the sky above. We are not focused on the 38th Parallel dividing line on a map. I am not talking about an enemy so determined to fly a plane - but not at all determined to land it. Yes, our evil is completely and utterly invisible. And sometimes, and making this all the more scarier, is the need for awareness in the fact that it’s those invisible evils which are the strongest ones to battle against. They require all our will and force. All of us to be very brave. All of us to sacrifice in some way. And all of our humility. All of humanity. It’s sorta like when you’re playing a video game. And then in the final battle scene of each land within the game, you face the evil villain. Ahhh, that climactic battle scene. With scary music, and scenery, and sounds in the background. All leading you to the horrific villain. That villain is ruthless. That villain has eyes as red as the devil himself. Sometimes that villain breathes fire. And burns his opponent. One life down. One less life left in the game. And sometimes, that evil villain inside the final battle scene… literally POPS out of nowhere. Hidden behind a corner. As you are running up, up, up, sword in hand, to save the Princess in the Castle. You round that final corner, on your way to certain victory, when you are shocked to near death and awe. That evil, red-eyed, fire breathing dragon was invisible. Waiting in hiding. And absolutely and utterly camouflaged into the dark and desolate and dirty brick and mortar of the castle walls. Hiding there. Biding his time. Just waiting for you to come at him. And then… Attack. You are shocked. You are down on the ground. You fall deep into a hole. Or down a green pipe. You have to struggle out. Climb up. Fighting for air. HE - EVIL - has the advantage. EVIL - has the upper hand. EVIL - is one up on you. EVIL - caught you off guard. EVIL - watches you in shock. And EVIL… waits for your reaction. Yes, your REACTION. When you get knocked down, the always and forever question is - will you get up again? Will you - live to die another day? Will you - put up the fight of your life? Will you - hit back? And ultimately - will you - do all this, while keeping your humanity? While keeping civility? While following guidelines? While educating yourself about that fire-breathing dragon? How does he live? How does he survive? And thrive? And what is his weakness? What scares him back into the brick and mortar? What burns him to death? What is required for the destruction of his evilness? Because you can’t fight fire with fire, right? One fire pitted against another in the same small room only makes that fire more powerful and more quickly devouring the entire area. And then - it spreads. Gaining power. Beyond one room. More powerful, more heat, more burn, until it burns the whole house down. Left unchecked with nothing standing, nothing left alive in its path. Eventually swallowing the house itself. Or - it can be snuffed out. Somehow... No - you can’t fight fire with fire… You fight it with water. You fight evil with life itself. Our federal government has called us to action. All of us - living and breathing humans. The challenge and ask is for fifteen days. 15 days to help change the world. 15 days to react to the summons. 15 days to follow repeated guidelines. Every one of us is mentioned in this summons. Every one of us plays a part. If even one single person did not partake in The Christmas Truce of 1914, the entire spur-of-the-moment event would have ended in carnage and bloodshed and death all around. As soldiers sang Christmas Carols and played cards and swapped cigarettes and talked with one another as fellow human beings, if merely one single person on either side brought out their weapon of war and started shooting - there would be a completely different outcome to that all-important day in The Great War. And today, we all must play our part too. No one is sitting on the sidelines on this one. No one gets a free pass. No one is going to the penalty box. We are all in play. Whether we want to play or not. And some roles are quite different from one another. In fact, some roles could not be more different from one another than if we were all sitting in opposing trenches on a muddy and frigidly cold battlefield on Christmas of 1914. We may feel like we are fighting different battles. But we are all on the same team. Yes - In order to win - we must come together. We must play our roles on that same team. We MUST wear the same uniform. All while, I’d say, for most all of us, this has been one of the most challenging times of our lives. These days bring much uncertainty. These days bring destruction and loss. These days bring the feeling of defeat. And today may feel very hopeless indeed. But if we all do our part. The hopelessness doesn’t have to win the day. And our roles vary greatly: Some of us should stay home. All of us should social-distance from one another. Some of us should shelter in place. Some of us should be completely and utterly and formally quarantined. And then, on the complete opposite spectrum - Some of us should report to work as usual. And absolutely none of us should be having the party of our lives right now. Yes, put the kegs away my friends. Spring Break will always be there after we weather the storm. We have been asked to sacrifice. We have been asked to give - of ourselves - for the sake of humanity. This is not the time for selfishness in any way. This is not the time for bickering. This is not the time for politics. This is not the time to give here, but take there. This is simply a time for sacrifice. Sacrifice of all kinds. Some of our sacrifice will be financial. Whether it’s a loss of money, investments, various business opportunities. Some of us will lose the very job we love. The job we need. The job we rely upon. And then, knowing what’s reasonably coming ahead of us, this loss will happen to many more people than most alive today can possibly comprehend at the current moment. Our society forever changed by this war. Some of our loss will be social. And some of our loss will be our education. A class. A graduation. Some will lose out on a magical life experience that can never be fully replicated or replaced in any way ever again. Some of it will be medical. Some will postpone elective surgery. Some very needed and quite necessary surgeries will be gone without. Patients in urgent need will be triaged. A disrupted supply chain leading to lack of medicine and a PPE shortage. Ventilators used at maximum capacity. Pharmaceuticals on demand. And some people, sadly, will lose their very lives. Because there is no war, without loss of life itself. But, And there always is a but. And it’s a big BUT. But If - we do our part. If we play our roles. If we answer our summons, and sign on for duty with all our hearts and energy and strength and determination and will. If we cross the trenches, and come together. Heed the guidelines. Follow the rules set forth by our governments and world leaders. Listen to the scientists. Support our first responders. Pray for our military. Help those who are on the front lines of this battle, all those still needing to be in contact in some way with people who could be infected. Support them, by doing your own part. Fight our own battle and play our own role in this war. And then, after all that, to continue to have faith in humanity. We then have 15 days… 15 days to help change the world. Yes, 15 days to bend the curve. 15 days on a path toward destruction of evil. Who knows where we will be at the end of 15 days? It may be but a single, small step in a larger and grander plan. In a long and drawn-out road map. We may be asked something else of us at the end of 15 days. I have no idea. And neither do you. But it is a start. And I do know one thing. Our start - our reaction - is imperative to our success. The bipartisanship I have seen this week has given me hope. And it has given countless others hope as well. Yes, I have come in contact with many people this week who have said the same exact thing. People are really talking to one another. The common foes are trying to come together. They are speaking. They are supporting one another. They are working together. They are even praising one another, and asking each other for help. But better yet - each of the other is actually answering the call to help from their supposed foe. Yes, I said that right. They are working together, my friends! And all THAT - is true leadership. THAT - takes courage. And I know something else. If they do NOT work together - we will not win this war. Let’s all put our differences aside. Again, for the sake of humanity. Let’s all follow their lead. Let’s all follow the guidelines. Let’s all do our own part. Our own part - in this - Our very own World War 19. As the fire-breathing dragon tries to burn us down with his fire. Let’s fight back with water. Let’s all be human again. Let’s all be civil. Let’s all be humorous, and funny, and sarcastic, and just plain silly. Let’s sing together, and let’s laugh together too. Let’s play cards together and speak each other’s languages. Because we can’t win the war by using fire. We have to breathe life - into life itself. And let’s also all be that golden doggy. The precious creature sitting in the back of a golf cart. Watching humanity walk in and out of a grocery store. And as the dog witnesses shoppers stocking up on what goods they can buy, with disappointment and sadness in what they cannot buy. Let’s all have the unwavering faith of this yellow furball. Sheer will and absolute determination. Forever faithful and absolutely in love. Not caring what others think of his actions. Doing the right thing. Sitting on guard. Not distracted by any temptation. Hopeful and fully believing that at any moment his owner will come walking out the door. A dog - who would give his own life to protect his loved one. Knowing only love, and forgoing all fear. Facing the world head on. Faith on his side. World War 19 literally happening all around him. Belief and love in his heart. Waiting - desperately, and passionately waiting - to react… to love, coming out the front doors of Publix. ~
Hey there you fine folks - feel free to check out these other stories down below - yes, right here: 2] 3 Wows Plus 1 Piece Of Magic I Experienced At Jacksonville, Florida’s Cummer Museum Of Art & Gardens 3] The Dog Days Of Endless Summer 6] Nine Eleven: Before & After 21] Cinotti’s ~ And Why Life Is Too Short To Not Eat Donuts 23] Faith ~ And Life Lessons Learned Living With Wild & Untamable Hair 24] In Real Life ~ My First Visit To A Southern Living Idea House 26] Deck The Chairs ~ BE THAT CHANGE YOU WISH TO SEE IN THIS OUR VERY OWN AND SHAREABLE WORLD 28] The Scent of Christmas in the Air 34] Merry Christmas ~ And How To Buy For That Person On Your List Who Saved Your Life ~ 36] The End Of A Decade & My New Year’s With To You ~ 39] The Very Official & Quite Serious Donut Debate Of 2020 41] Minnie The Daschund Mouse & Her Birthday Wish 49] A Picture Worth A Thousand Words ~ Happy Valentine’s Day, World 51] Life Is Full Of Pasta-Bilities ~ Bean’s Red Sauce Recipe 55] The Shamrock 58] Bean’s Corona Kickin’ Chicken
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Did you know? It’s hot in The Keys. Very Hot. But maybe the whole world already knows that? Yet, just in case you’re planning a trip to Key West, Florida - and haven’t been thinking of the heat while planning that trip. Let this be your reminder… You WILL want to COOL OFF while you’re there. And while Key West in the winter is simply perfection on an island. Key West in the summer is hot coals - hot off the grill. Grilling hot dogs over those coals. Flatbread pizza in an open oven. Lava flowing from a volcano. The heat of the apocalypse. The end of days. Basically, if you’re just standing around in Key West on a random day in, oh, let’s say - mid-July - then you’ll do almost anything, and I mean anything, to cool off. To stop the sweat from pouring down your face. To stop wiping your brow. To stop drying off the moisture accumulating on your sunglasses, over and over, from the humidity. To see. To live. And to stay alive. Need. Something Cold. Right. ‘Something’ Now. And that’s where the old-fashioned standby comes in quite handy. Ice cream. Or, shall I say? The new-old-fashioned way. Wicked Lick, located at 335 Duval Street in Key West, Florida, serves an altogether different type of ice cream than anything I’ve ever had before. And, residing straight in the heart of downtown Key West, the location doesn’t get any better than this. The unique production of each serving of their cold, creamy and quite cool concoctions are custom-made, and churned in a stand mixer. Yeah - a stand mixer. While each order really is made-to-order, on the spot, be prepared to wait just a bit. But it’s worth the wait. Made with pure liquid nitrogen and custom flavoring put in to the mix, no two scoops and no two cones will ever be quite the same. Quick service meets personalized service. The liquid nitrogen, at a temperature of -321 degrees Fahrenheit, instantly freezes what it touches. Anything it touches. And while your ice cream is being prepared and spun and blended in the Florida heat, a magical looking steam flows off the mixer, enveloping the surrounding area. I ordered the chocolate, size large - with sprinkles - of course. And hubby ordered the coffee flavor - medium…. My dessert stomach has always been bigger than his. As we chose two pretty standard flavors of cream, they had many other unique flavors, both sweet and savory. Like bacon. Bacon flavored ice cream, anyone? And as this unique type of frozen fun served to us was very new to me, I would say that there was one thing about this place that was sorta strange to me… and that’s the price. Well, maybe the word isn’t strange, it was more shock. And yes, the menu was right in front of us, and it was entirely our fault for not really adding it all up ahead of ordering. But, it ended up costing us over $20.00 for two servings of their ice cream. And after being told our total, swiped our credit card and paid, we walked away to find a seat. I reviewed our receipt, as we strolled. At this point we were both slightly shocked that a dessert on-the-go was that expensive. And basically it boils down to this: For each order, there are two, possibly three or more, charges associated with it. There is the basic ice cream fee, which is the largest charge on the order. Then there is a cup size fee. A medium cup adds a $1.00 fee on to the itemized ticket, a large - $2.00. The third fee added onto our order was for sprinkles. They cost $1.50 per each cup. And we were charged this fee for both cups, despite the sprinkles being added to only one of our orders. I am used to being up-charged for sprinkles onto an order, as we love going out for cold treats, and I love sprinkles just as much. But I'm not used to paying for sprinkles on an order that was not supposed to have them in the first place. And I’ll assume this was a mistake or oversight on behalf of the store, and not a deliberate up-charge. But either way, the math boils down to this. After paying $6.50 for a large chocolate. And $6.50 for a medium coffee. Plus a $2.00 charge for a size large cup. Then a $1.00 charge for a medium cup. Then the sprinkle fee at $1.50 - per cup. Plus $1.43 in tax. Our order came to $20.43. Plus a tip we added on after that. Expensive cold treat. And, I know. Many would say, well... It's Key West. It’s a small island. We’re tourists. Expect to pay more… Especially on vacation? Well, we did a lot while on the island. And this outing was the only venture in which the price shocked us as it did. And it happened to be one of the least expensive things we paid for on our entire traveling and road trip adventure early in 2020. And it happened to be the only place, out of everything we did, that we did not desire a return visit. So, while we enjoyed our treat, due to the so-called sticker shock of the receipt, we determined that next time we’d probably be trying a different dessert shop. However, I only mention this not as a complaint, but to thoroughly and completely honestly review this outing for you. And make you aware of the cost and/or up-charges as you consider your own outings in the Keys - as you may also be considering and factoring in pricing to your outings if you are traveling there. Regardless of price though, the ice cream itself was still very, very good. It just wasn’t out of this world good, or $20+ good, but it was still very good indeed. Plus, we enjoyed walking around after our purchase. And we found a lovely little place to sit, and just chill out and enjoy our wonderful and unique surroundings, as we quickly ate our cold treat before it melted. As, yes, maybe when we’re talking about Key West, one other thing might go without saying… It’s a fabulous spot to do some good, old-fashioned, people-watching. And there’s many options on Duval Street alone for a cold treat. So whether it’s Wicked Lick, or another treat shop, grab yourself a cone or a cup, and cool yourself off. Wipe all that sweat away with a cold one. And enjoy a night out, walking the streets of America’s Southernmost Point. You can’t go wrong on Duval Street. All you need - is The Keys. ~ Have you spent an evening walking Duval Street? Enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells of pure Americana at its finest? I’d love to know. Drop me a comment down below. Howdy Y’all ~ Check out more of my adventures in the Florida Keys, right here: 42] Where Does The Chicken Cross The Road? 44] Nothing Finer Than Coffee In The Keys ~ The Coffee Plantation Cafe 46] Key Largo, Montego, Baby Why Don’t We Go? And feel free to check out these other accounts and narrations as well… all straight from my Floridian Dreams: 1] Happy Birthday America! ~ 4 Simple Steps To Help You Have An Easy Americana 4th: 2] 3 Wows Plus 1 Piece Of Magic I Experienced At Jacksonville, Florida’s Cummer Museum Of Art & Gardens 3] The Dog Days Of Endless Summer 5] The Reef On SR A1A: Worth Pulling Over For 8] It’s Fall ~ In Florida ~ Y’all! 18] Sea & Sky Jax Weekend ~ Fun In The Florida Sun, Sea, Sky & Sand 22] Saturday On San Pablo Island 24] In Real Life ~ My First Visit To A Southern Living Idea House 29] Dinner & A Show ~ The 26th Annual St. Augustine Nights Of Lights
2/6/2020 2 Comments #47) Bean’s Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnut Recipe ~ A Super Food For A Super SundayIf you’ve never had bacon wrapped water chestnuts in your life, I suggest adding them into your life - as soon as humanly possible. There’s a reason I continually make this delicious dish on special occasions. These terrifically tooth-picked creations are most definitely a quintessential party food… A happy food. A celebratory food. They are such a delicious treat that the dish garners a special occasion to quite naturally go along with it. So, I tend to make this dish on the Christmas Eve holiday, on a night of casual and easy and most importantly, tasty, appetizers in my home. I also recently decided to make this on Super Bowl Sunday. A day which is Holiday in America - Holiday with a capital H. And, although I don’t even watch the game… I know, I know. I am one of those people who don’t even watch. Or should I say, I just don’t pay attention. I only watch the Puppy Bowl - if that. And the National Anthem. But - it’s Super Bowl Sunday in America - and I have to celebrate along with the rest of the country. If I must - I must. I’m forced into it by tradition, whether I like the game of football or not. I’m just there for the puppies. And the commercials. With that in mind, I’d highly recommend this dish if you need something to bring to a Super Bowl party, or any fun party really. It’s a great take-along dish. Something you can either prep entirely in advance and bring, hot, to a party that’s close to your home. Or, you can prep all the steps in advance except the final one. And then, once you arrive at your destination, bake the final step at the home you are bringing it to for the party. The chestnuts can then be served fresh and hot at your party location. Either way, this dish is easy, quick, and a fabulous party food. And guess what else, I absolutely promise you that your dish will be the highlight of the party. No other dish will bring such praise… The bacon alone will create quite a stir, but add in all the other flavors, and you are the hit of the party - guaranteed. So prepare for this dish to go fast, whether you want it to or not, I promise. Ingredients:
Directions:
For more of Bean’s Best Recipes, go ahead and check out these creations below: 10] Bean’s Soulful Southern Chili 38] The Year Of The Sweater ~ Bean’s Minestrone Soup Recipe 43] Bean’s Bold Beef Stew Recipe Do you love incorporating bacon into your recipes? Go ahead and step foot in your kitchen and make this dish; then - tell me how you like it? I’m so curious - go ahead and share with me in the comments down below.
*Part of - Bean’s Coffee Shop Challenge - series Is it me, or does everyone debate EVERYTHING nowadays? We have: Flip or Flop Who wore it better? Kate vs. Meghan Netflix vs. Hulu Disney vs. Universal Coke vs. Pepsi What came first… the chicken or the egg? Who played the best James Bond ever? Jelly vs. Jam Is breakfast the most important meal of the day? Paleo vs. Keto Do plants have feelings? Blake or Miranda? N’SYNC v. NKOTB (wow, that’s a tough one).... Oh wait, I think I’m starting to date myself over here… Moving onwards… pay no attention to me sitting in front of a square box tv watching NKOTB. Wait, they are still really together! Yes, the list could go on forever… Because, guess what? Everyone does seem to debate everything nowadays. Ha, would who have thought? We even debate on Twitter if an award show was totally awesome? Or was it horrible and the worst award show that ever aired on network television? In fact, now we debate not only who the host of the award show should or should not be, but if there should be a host at all? Huh? And we have all this before even mentioning politics. The dreaded word. Lest we all forget the upcoming presidential debates ahead of us this year - yes, an official presidential election year. It looms ahead of us, taunting us all. Ahhhmmm… whether we like it or not, it’s all coming, and it’s all coming for us. Yes, we are alive during a very interesting time… Or wait, is this time period actually interesting? Maybe we’re not even really alive? Maybe we live in a simulation. You’ve heard about that one, right? Or maybe we’re living and breathing inside an alternative universe - right now. And yep, you can easily fall into a YouTube rabbit hole on that one… Do we live in a UNIverse or do we live in a MULTIverse? THAT - is the question. Or do I have too much time on my hands? That - might be the question also. But any way you shake it, if you are in need of a debate topic for a school project, the list is nearly endless. NO ONE should fail debate class nowadays. It should be a minute and mere impossibility. Or should it? So with most everything and anything up for debate today, I’m throwing my hat in the ring. With all the seriousness going on everywhere, how’s about a good old-fashioned and silly and completely useless and utter waste of time and ridiculous debate. A debate that no matter who wins and who loses, the world won’t end. The loser won’t cry. And the winner didn’t actually even win anything? Cause, guess what else? I Don’t even have a trophy to present. So to the loser, I say here and now: No hard feelings. It’s all just for laughs… Well - and to give me something to do... So earlier this week I decided to go on a couple of outings, all involving donuts... I wanted to conduct a taste test and experiment of my very own. So, my husband and I played out my first ridiculous challenge of 2020. And I am hereby calling it: “The Very Official And Quite Serious Donut Debate of 2020” Nope, I’m not here to talk politics. Nor the Golden Globes. Nor the Oscars. Nor the Twitterverse. Nor even the Universe V. Multiverse theory. I’m simply here to talk about donuts. Got it? And to make matters even more nonsensical and useless and to waste even more of everybody's time and efforts - I was completely biased going in, and I had many preconceived notions... How dare I? I thought I knew who was gonna win, and I was overly confident in who I thought would lose. Yes, I was completely biased. And bias is allowed. Cause guess what? It’s all for F.U.N. I mention my bias, my preconceived notions, etc. because at the end of the day the winner actually surprised me. Honestly. Yes, I was wowed by one, and I was under-wowed by the other. And the winner was NOT at all who I thought it was going to be. Here’s my bias: First of all, I LOVE donuts. Yes, I love donuts so much that people have made fun of me about it many times in the past. I am the donut girl. Long story. Not relevant. No big deal. But, anyways, I love donuts. So, naturally, I love Dunkin Donuts. Or, ‘Dunkin’ as they are calling themselves nowadays. I know and love their coffee, and I know and love their donuts. I know how many calories are in their donuts and how to plan their donuts into my day no problem without gaining a bit of weight. Cause since we’re talking scientific theories today, weight maintenance is all about the Calories IN V. Calories OUT theory. And, here’s my preconceived notions: I always assumed Krispy Kreme was THE BEST. And I have NEVER ever, once ever, been to a Krispy Kreme. Did I mention never? I know, I know…. How does someone who loves donuts not once have stepped their feet inside a Krispy Kreme? It’s possible. Because I have never been to a Krispy Kreme until this week, for this challenge. And, again, I just assumed through my preconceived notions and probably through their very good marketing strategy throughout the years that reflected upon me a highly sought-after and nothing-like-it-on-this-Earth quality donut. So, I decided that I wanted to finally try Krispy Kreme, and see if they measured up to my beloved Dunkin. My forever faithful, my forever reliable, my delicious, and my heavenly, Dunkin. So, naturally, step one of my challenge meant that I needed to go to Dunkin. Because it all starts at Dunkin. I needed to purchase their plain original glazed Dunkin Donut to try before trying the exact same at Krispy Kreme. And yes, we ate a lot of donuts this week, and all for the sake of the written word, or for science. My tummy thanks you for the opportunity to present this completely educational and very scientific information to you. So off we went to Dunkin. One large hot latte for myself at 130 calories (my favorite drink of the moment), and one large iced latte for the hubby - who doesn’t need to count a single calorie... so none will be listed here. We each tried one original glazed, which clock in at 260 calories per donut. Good. Great. The best ever. According to me. Hubby thinks they are just fine - he is not at all passionate about donuts like I am, so this answer was exactly what I expected from him. Dunkin is busy. Always. Very busy. We always wait in a line - during the morning commuter rush. No complaints, just mentioning because they seem to have a large fan base. There are always customers. And, most all of the tables are taken inside the small shop on Beach Boulevard in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. As just as many people sit and linger, and talk, or work on the WiFi, as they do take their orders and run out the door with them. After all, American Runs On Dunkin, right? Up next - Krispy Kreme. The next morning - same time of day. To finally try my first original glazed, fresh out of the fryer. The original. The classic. Since 1937. So there we off and went, and actually left the island… “Over the Ditch” as the locals say. So over the river and through the woods we went. Or over the Intracoastal and through the swamps. Same thing. Until I had finally arrived for the first time in my entire life at a Krispy Kreme. Specifically, the Krispy Kreme in the city of Jacksonville, Florida - the one on Atlantic Boulevard. They were busy but not too busy. There was always someone placing an order, but only one table out of all the many was actually taken. Almost the entire dining room area was empty. Most everyone took their orders to go, and no one stayed, or lingered, or worked or conversed, even for a second. It was buy and run. And most ordered a box of a dozen - Just as we did. We asked for two coffees and a dozen original glazed @ 190 calories per specimen placed atop the Bunsen Burner. They immediately proceeded to inform us their coffee machines were broken and they could not serve us any coffees, lattes, espresso, or even any of their delicious and temptation-filled-looking frozen drinks - etc. I was crushed. I can’t even tell you how crushed. If there’s anything I love more than donuts - it’s coffee. My laboratory might have well just exploded in my face. Ouch! So, minus our coffee, we proceeded to sit at the counter overlooking the bright and sunny day outside the window. And we took our dozen shiny specimens and tried them hot and fresh, straight out of the fryer, and straight off the belt. They were good. But that’s just it. They didn’t wow me! They were simply good. Immediately I was completely shocked at myself. I was expecting to be blown away. I was expecting to tell myself that these were the best donuts I ever ate and that I would be needing them in my life, every single day. For the rest of my life. But, Nope. They were just “fine” to me. And not only were they just fine, they had a strange aftertaste. In each bite. I naturally attributed this taste to the donut coming straight off the conveyor belt? And I thought I’d wait it out before trying another one. To see if that taste went away? So after I ate one whole donut very, very hot, and had this realization, I immediately decided I would try my next one well after they were cooled off. To taste the difference based on the temperature of the donut. All for research purposes, of course. So we went home, and I placed the donuts delicately on top the kitchen counter. And there they sat… thumbing their fingers at me... just waiting… yep, begging to be devoured. And still fresher-than-fresh mind you. They were just letting off some steam, I guess. So, later that day I succumbed to all temptation and tried my next specimen, my room-temperature Krispy Kreme original glazed donut. And to my sincere shock and great surprise, that donut utterly and completely WOW - ed me. It really tasted a literal THOUSAND times better than the first one! Ok…..? So, I just don’t like HOT donuts? I asked myself. I guess I like ‘normal’ temperature donuts? And without even mentioning as much to the hubby… he then came along and tried his second donut. And he said the same exact thing. Wow! They are much better cooled off. So, there ya go. We were both in agreement as to the fact that we did not care for the hot donuts. But we both loved them cooled off, after they had a chance to breathe fresh air before consumption. And then… Turn the page, will you? The very next day came along. And we both tried ‘day-old’ donuts... Even better, yet again. 1000% better than the previous 1000% upgrade! Wow! So basically, I came to the conclusion that the hot ones tasted like fried dough, from a carnival booth, which I love, but also with some strange and funky aftertaste. And the older ones tasted like a real, normal donut. A really good donut, an amazingly good and delicately frosted donut. And the older the donut got, the farther away that aftertaste was in my mouth. So after all that, I really was genuinely surprised. I challenged myself to try Krispy Kreme for the first time. I sincerely thought that after one bite I would fall in love and tumble into and under a terrible spell and never to be awakened. But alas, that was not the case. I still loved Dunkin better. Yes, even though Krispy Kreme did WOW me. I guess it’s all because they didn’t WOW me right away. I went all the way there to truly be wowed by their donuts. But that didn’t happen till much later on. And let’s not forget about the coffee - although I understand they can’t help that their machines were down. But Dunkin - omg - I love their every donut, I love their coffee selection. And I love that they are just about anywhere and everywhere you need them to be. And I love that their coffee machines have never been down on me once. I just - LOVE them. And even though I loved the Krispy Kreme better the older it got, I still favored Dunkin after all that. After all said and done. And eaten. Of course, I’m being completely biased, and to be completely fair I totally understand that I may have arrived at a Krispy Kreme for the first time in my life on the very day their coffee machines went down, and much to my detriment. However, the donuts just weren’t that ‘special’ to me. They were normal. They were not “leveled up” as I sometimes say. They did not wow me in any way - except - in the act of comparison to itself as it changed temperature - the thing that did WOW me was the difference in taste between a hot donut and a room temperature donut. That was the only real and true wow Krispy Kreme gave me. I did like them enough that I will go back though. In fact, we purchased the dozen this week on a coupon they sent us in the mail for $5.99 per dozen. And our receipt revealed that deal gave us $3.00 off. And then, so ironically and only one day later after our scientific experiment concluded, and after never receiving Krispy Kreme coupons in my life until just this past month, yet another coupon arrived in the mail. Giving us a few dollars off a future dozen. So, I’ll be back. And I’ll get that coffee I missed out on too. And I’ll be sure to try some other flavors in that dozen… like some frosted, and some sprinkled. And I’ll fill you in, if you want to be filled in on my future findings? After all, what’s a scientific experiment without repeat trials? But for now, I’m sticking with my reliable and consistent Dunkin Donuts. Dunkin - who is never far away from me. Donuts - that always wow me with every bite. Latte - that is my drink of choice for the time being. All in all, and to summarize my findings, I hereby present and give to ‘Dunkin’ the award for best glazed original donut - over Krispy Kreme, coming in a not-far-behind second place, with a very doughy taste. Both were wonderful. But Dunkin is my go-to, and like I said... I guess I’m just completely biased. I went into it all thinking Krispy Kreme was going to win, hands down. Thinking I’d be awestruck by them. To go over the moon for them. But that did not happen. And Dunkin it was for me, and still is. And that shocked me too. So while this was all for fun, and our tummies consumed much deliciousness and many calories all for nothing really except this herein stated conclusion, maybe we all can take something away from this today. Maybe we all can just laugh at ourselves more… and hate ourselves less. Maybe we all can be nicer to one another… and more forgiving of one another... Maybe we can all sit atop the counter for a while… and let off some steam before taking our next bites. After all, things might taste very different after some time has passed. And so to conclude today’s task at hand, while I can tell you which donut I like better - please, please, PLEASE - don’t ask me to choose between Kate and Meghan. I’m begging you. That’s much too serious a topic; and I just can't do it. I love them both equally... There are some things in this world that just aren’t up for debate. ~ Hey! You there - For more stories like this one above, check these out while you’re at it, why don’t ya: 21) Cinottis ~ And Why Life Is Too Short To Not Eat Donuts 17) Fall Flavors ~ Six Simple Steps I’m Taking This Fall To Maintain My Massive Weight Loss 7) My ‘Before & After’ ~~ How A Single Act Of Kindness, Lime Bubly, And MyFitnessPal Helped Me Lose 77 Pounds In One Year
What a most lovely of lovely and long, holiday weekends. Everywhere we went, everything we did, everything we saw, was surrounded by the feeling of Christmas in the air. And while I am one who does not partake in the Black Friday festivities that so many Amerian’s do count as part of their holiday traditions - because, as one of my friends posted on her Facebook that day with what I deem to be the utmost accurate declaration ever regarding the day that is so very Black: “It’s too PEOPLY out there!” Yes. In fact, besides the accuracy of that comment, it also might have been the funniest thing I read in a very long time. My concurrence with that statement led me to be busy doing many other fun and festive things - instead of shopping. Black Friday came and went for us, without purchase of any material goods. A most wise decision if I do say so myself. I have no interest in waiting in long lines for something that I can purchase any other day of the year, without such a line. Free snow globe included? No thank you; not worth it. Instead - we went to Jimmy Johns. How simple and basic and quite boring of an outing indeed. And boring was just what we were looking for. I decided that any store that would most likely have the biggest crowds and the most ridiculous lines would be all the ones we would skip… And that most restaurants would also most likely be quite busy - due to needing to feed food to hungry shoppers - so those would all be the restaurants we would skip as well. That eliminated basically everywhere on the face of the planet from my list… Where would be open - but completely and utterly EMPTY??? Jimmy Johns! And guess what? I was right. We drove our car into the parking lot. Not a car around. We walked in. We were their only customers. It was fabulous. We ate at the window counter, bar style seating, as we always do. I’m a regular there. And we watched the traffic go on by up and down Beach Boulevard. Slowly. Yes, it was crowded out there, even in our flat and sandy and salty little corner of the world. But not so at Jimmy’s place. In fact, it was so slow inside Jimmy Johns, as we listened to tunes blaring from their speaker with today’s best hits - i.e. music of this very own decade we are currently living in. I mention this because almost everywhere else plays music from the 80’s? Why? Universe… why? Yes, it was so slow the staff member said something along the lines of, I knew it was going to be slow today, but jeazzzz…. I never imagined it being this slow. Yes, we picked the most perfect place to eat a sandwich in the entire United States of America on Black Friday. I tended to be of the opinion that not many American’s have an interest in lining up outside the front doors of a sandwich shop at four in the morning, fighting to get in when the doors are opened, just to buy some deli meat? My opinion tended to be correct, at least from where we sat. No, they were out buying expensive and fancy and enormous TVs, and iPads, and clothing, and more clothing, and appliances, and more appliances. Everything I didn’t feel like waiting in a line for on this Black day. Yes, we made a great decision. It was a simple and pleasant and peaceful outing. Next time you’re looking for a quick - and healthy - lunch on Black Friday, stop in Jimmy Johns, and avoid the crowded everywhere else of this world. Right next door to Jimmy Johns and across the small and narrow street, I could see from the window we were watching the world go by from… Is a place called Rockaway. A greenhouse.. A garden center... A Christmas tree lot. We go to Jimmy John’s a lot. We see Rockaway a lot, sitting from the window of the sandwich shop. I had never ventured over there to date however. But that blackest of clear blue sky days was different from any other. Something told me that day was the day to visit. I tend to think my nose told me it was time. We witnessed car after car pulling up and loading one live tree after another onto the roofs of their vehicles. I had always wanted to venture over there and check it out. They were busy, yes, but they were not busy at all compared to the big box stores everywhere else in the nation. We finished our simple lunch and walked across the street to the greenhouse. Instantly! - I smelled Christmas! If you’ve never smelled yourself some Christmas before, I highly recommend finding some, and put it up to your nose, and smell it. I could smell the scent of pine and balsam and fraser fir from the road. And the scent only intensified as we got closer and walked into the garden, feet on top of gravel, dirt, and pebbles. I was in a dream. I had found a slice of heaven. I wanted to bottle it all up, take it home, and keep it forever. Never out of my sight - or away from my nose - again. We walked through the entire greenhouse and its property. It’s quite a large place! From the exterior, it appears that Rockaway is just a small, single story red farmhouse. A small house, with a vast plot of land surrounding it, all surrounded with various greenery for sale. But once you traverse inside its quarters, it’s quite larger than its tiny exterior makes it out to be. I was immediately met with rows and rows of flowers of all kinds. Grasses of all kinds. Greenery of all kinds. Ceramic pots and wall trinkets and other such decor for sale intermixed. But I went there for the Christmas. So the Christmas I was going to find. Never fear, my nose led the way. My nose led me to the far back area of the greenhouse. You know, it’s just like when you need a dozen eggs or gallon of milk or tub of chocolate ice cream from the grocer… The simplest and most basic and most necessary of items needed at the time, they always put in the back of the store. Silly us, they think we don’t know what they’re doing… It’s all strategic? In order to get to that gallon of milk, that dozen eggs, those tubs of chocolatey and icy goodness, we all have to traverse past every other item in the store first in order to find our basic essentials in life. To get to all the good stuff, you have to pass up anything else that might tempt your eyes. Ohh, I need that bag of chips. I really could use a loaf of bread… since I’m here. Are we out of juice at home? We better grab some bananas... while we’re at it. And toilet paper. We can’t forget that, heaven forbid. Yes, it’s Black Friday every day at the grocer. They always know how to make a sale. Have you ever seen anyone leave a grocer empty-handed? Certainly not in my lifetime?! Just put that toilet paper display out prominently on the end cap, where it can’t be missed, slap a yellow sign over it referencing something along the lines of a sale… or even better… 12 = 36… ???... and we’re gold. Jack Pot. Hence again, why would I ever shop on Black Friday? When I’m buying all that bread and all those eggs and all those tubs of ice cream, and carts loaded FULL of rolls upon rolls of toilet paper, on sale, every other day of the year, anyway? So my nose led me all the way to the back of the greenhouse. I was met with the most intense fragrance of Christmas. It was naturally the most fragrant standing amongst all the various trees for sale. And I never wanted to leave. Maybe my husband would have to drag me out of there kicking and screaming all the way? Ha - maybe I am ready for Black Friday… Fighting for a chance - screaming to be the one. Can I stay here forever? And never part with the dreamy aroma surrounding me. Can I win the prize? Where are all the doorbusters? I’m NOT going home. We checked out all the trees. Standing there, I immediately imagined myself in Michigan. Years and years ago. Happy memories; very happy memories. I was quite young, so the memories are somewhat fuzzy. But there I stood; on a Christmas tree farm. With all the family - moms and dads, aunts and uncles, cousins, etc. We took a hay ride (don’t remember if pulled by horse, but my dreams say yes, there were horses present). The ride took us out onto the farm, to pick out our very own living tree. It was beautiful. It was farm country. It was quiet. It was peaceful. Nature everywhere. It was the best day. It was Pure Michigan. Looking back, I’m so grateful for my family. All the things we did growing up. All those memories. It doesn’t matter if I can’t remember if it was horses who dragged me out to the tree farm or not. Maybe a tractor was pulling us? Either way, I know I was there. I know I was with my entire family. I am grateful for the time we all spent together. I am grateful for that outing. A lovely outing, that I can remember all these years later. I’m grateful that they, as adults, spent their time, with us, very young children. So that we could have these memories, as adults, today. I’m grateful and thankful… So much so that as I stood in a small red farmhouse barn, far removed from the farm country of Michigan, three blocks from the Atlantic Ocean, in sunny and hot coastal Florida, on San Pablo Island, in Jacksonville Beach, kiddy corner from Jimmy John’s and opposite the local Publix, living a completely different life, and after meeting God himself, on Black Friday, in Rockaway Gardens... roughly thirty years after that family Christmas tree outing, standing there within and amongst that dreamy scent of Christmas… which evoked such happy memories of my Christmas’s past. Only because of that past am I standing right there, right then. Only because of that past, am I capable of smelling Christmas in the air, right there, right then, and with that scent also evoke all those happy memories. We toured the entire greenhouse, inside, and out. We saw various styles of holiday wreaths and swags. The swags are my favorite. Oh wait, scratch that. The wreaths shaped into candy canes are my favorite. Oh wait… Never mind. I can’t make up my mind. If it’s green, smells of pine, balsam, fir, is reminiscent of Christmas - that one is my favorite. What did you say? You asked if I particularly like the Hallmark Channel this time of year? Yes, I’m a fan. We still don’t have cable, or streaming, though. I can dream. We turned a corner and were met face to face with an entire room of poinsettias. Just poinsettias. All looking very poinsettia-like. White and red. And one type I never before saw in my entire life. A white, red, and pinkish, mixed and beautifully blended color poinsettia. I love that one the most. Oh, wait. I thought of my grandma right then, in that room. Every Christmas she was alive and I knew her, she always gave everyone a poinsettia. I was given one when I still lived at home with my family growing up. I put it on my dresser in my bedroom. I got married, and hubby and I were given a poinsettia each Christmas. We were also given more poinsettias to pass on to others for her. She’s been gone for some years now already. Time does fly. But I can’t see a poinsettia, without seeing Grandma. Moving on, there was an entire area of succulents. Orange trees. Lime trees. Palms. Etc. If it was alive and growing, and taking our carbon dioxide away from our lungs, it was at Rockaway. And since we were in Florida. And since it was hot outside. Most all of these beauties were all just sitting there soaking in the outdoor sun. Some in the actual greenhouse, some under netting. But mostly, I toured and browsed and strolled through a beautiful outdoor piece of winding garden property; a garden much larger than I expected. After thirty some years of Christmas’s up in the Chicago area, my brain still has a difficult time grasping and understanding the concept that I am still outside, wearing flip flops, shorts and tank, big sunglasses, hot and sweaty, and it’s Christmas time? Where’s the snow?! I’m not complaining though. We were nearing the end of our tour. Our informal browsing. We came upon tables set for an upcoming event. I wondered what was going on? There were drink cups out. Many. They were expecting lots of people. At some point in the very near future? Table clothes spread and draped over the tables. Something was happening? I looked up. At the clear blue sky. At the bright and blinding hot sun. I saw the dark evergreen cloud in the sky from the corner of my eye…. Wait. There were no dark green clouds on such a clear blue sky day. My fuzzy vision faded in and out from the bright sun laser-beaming into my eyes. I was looking up at a large Christmas tree - on the rooftop! Yes, they put a tree up on the roof. I could tell it had lights strung all about it. My memory snapped to attention. I knew what was going on! They were setting up for a party. Rockaway has their own tree lighting, each year… a tree, up on the roof! How cute. Oh rats! We went there during the day! Not at night. We could always come back that evening to see the festivities. Oh wait. Maybe it would be too peoply out there. It was still Black Friday after all. I wasn’t supposed to be out shopping today. I was just out to grab a number sixteen with no mayo and a cup of unsweetened iced tea at Jimmy Johns... I lost 86 pounds eating that exact sandwich - roughly once a week. It was my weekly “carb” treat. No I did not do a carb-restricted diet to lose the weight. I ate everything, in moderation. But I do tend to consider white bread a treat, so I only ate it about once a week. And somehow throughout my weight loss journey that has since turned into weight maintenance, I started going to Jimmy John’s once a week... You could say my nose led me there. Not out of routine, not out of desperation or a feeling as if because I lost the weight eating Jimmy’s sandwiches then I must keep doing it to keep the weight off? Not that at all. I just like it. That’s all. Someday I might tire of good ol’ Jimmy, but not yet. To be fair, it is kind of hard to tire of fresh white dough raised into fresh white perfect bread. So yeah, we were out for lunch. We were NOT out to witness a tree lighting. Box shaped stores, or anything else that day. It was the dreamy scent of Christmas that led me to Rockaway. But it was also the thoughts and dreams of my own Christmas which told me to now go home. After all, it was Black Friday. Yes, it definitely was very peoply out there. I’ll go home and put an ol’ Yule Log… on the ol’ You Tube, and trim my own tree. No, I didn’t buy anything at Rockaway that day. Pennies are tight sometimes. Pennies are watched. I do consider myself a professional shopper and there were many things I wanted to buy there, including swags and candy cane wreaths and poinsettias galore, but I resisted all temptation... I reminded myself that after losing 86 freaking pounds, my wardrobe is still a cluster of nothing that fits me because it was long ago donated to charity, and what remains are only a few quite simple repeating new and fresh outfits that do now fit. I’ll save all the pennies I can for new clothes. 86 pounds of work reminded me I’d rather buy clothes that last a long longer and will come in very handy for me, than a piece of clipped greenery that will surely die by season’s end. So all purchasing temptations were managed! ‘Tis a rare day indeed for such a pro of a shopper! But I didn’t leave Rockaway empty-handed. No. The scent of Christmas came home with me. It was all over my hands, inside my very light and empty and missing shopping bags, steamed into my wild hair, and mostly, it was in my nose. In fact, the scent was so strong, I still smelled it on me and on all those new clothes that I had been wearing, later that evening when I got ready for bed. Yes, it’s very important to surround oneself with such a magnificent and dreamy scent. Don’t let this beautiful and festive and happy and difficult and challenging and magical season go by without smelling some Christmas into your nose. Don’t waste a moment to catch a breath of fresh pine-scented air. Whether you are standing on a vast and beautiful and picturesque farm up in Michigan cutting down a green tree for your living room, or standing on a coastal barrier island in the south while eating a number sixteen with no mayo… be sure to breathe it all in. Remember all the good times and all the good people in your life that come into your brain when you inhale that special aroma. Then - bottle it up, keep it forever, store it somewhere special where you keep all your treasures, and never remember where you put it. ~
Sea & Sky Jax - What a fabulous Florida autumn weekend! I knew it was going to be a significantly large event in Jax Beach, with preparations starting weeks in advance here on the First Coast. And with countless banners on every street corner, reminding us of the festivities any which way in town we looked. Then, as the event finally arrived, I realized, and made my own determination and educated guess, that this was the single biggest event I’ve been able to witness since moving here a few years back. So many people came to The Beaches community to see all the sights that there was off-site parking, and lots of shuttles moving people all around. In fact, even the off-site parking and shuttle service reached their capacity on Saturday. Everyone had to see this event - and it was definitely worth the trek for those who came from far away. I have never seen the local community or the beach itself this populated, and that includes on various 4th of July festivities. And Jax, Neptune, and Atlantic Beach sure know how to pull off a festive 4th! 1st Street is always closed off on Independence Day, with an unofficial/official bike parade, and various bounce houses, hoses and sprinklers running, coolers full of fun and cold drinks that everyone shares with their neighbors, and front yard parties, galore. And this weekend definitely made me think of the 4th in Jax. It was the event of events here at the beach, and I’m extremely grateful to have had my very own front seat to all the action - never even having to get in the car once to witness all the excitement. Living in downtown Jax Beach offers many perks, and this was definitely one of the best. And while the show took place both on Saturday and Sunday - living right in the midst of it all offered me a unique perspective. On Thursday and Friday of this past week, all the various styles of airplanes took many practice runs of the Sky portion of the show. And I must admit that this part of the entire experience was somewhat even more exciting to me than the actual show. I got to see it all, before all the massive crowds of people did… And not knowing what the practice schedule consisted of, I really had no idea what was coming next through the Sky. Another individual who, for certain, had no idea what was going to happen next, was my dog - Madeline. To her, I think she must have thought that World War III had started and that the literal end of life on Earth had arrived in Jacksonville, Florida. She was absolutely and utterly terrified, and I made the smart decision of keeping her home and inside all weekend. I know we could have had a lost dog if I didn’t do just that. And at times, the planes roaring through the air at lightning fast speed did sound like it was the end of the world. There were various moments that, due to the cloudy and overcast gray sky, the planes and the smoke they dispersed were camouflaged in to the atmosphere. Add to that, the strange sounds and echoes bouncing off all the buildings as the planes passed overhead, and all this equated to me not knowing where the planes were coming from at any given moment. It definitely was like missiles shooting through the sky. Yes, a war - of pure excitement and thrill - flying overhead. A mix of some Florida afternoon rain, and then pops of Florida sun - the Blue Angels took to the skies about a half hour late for Saturday’s show. They flew through a massive rainbow shining above the Sea. It was breathtaking to witness, and my iPhone camera would not capture the scene at all, and what it did attempt to capture did not do the rainbow any justice whatsoever. The light and bright and delicate colors floating over the salty water were merely a mirage, and if you blinked, you might miss it. I’ve never seen more rainbows in my life than I have in the few years I’ve lived here in the land of endless summer - the Sunshine State. And each one is as special as the next; but this rainbow was most stunning and breathtaking with the Blue Angels flying above and through it and coming right at me. All of the excitement was absolutely and utterly fascinating to watch, and to see it all take place, at home. I could only imagine, myself not knowing too much about these fancy planes at all, what this event means to someone who is in the business, in the military, or flies for hobby etc. And all the little children running around in the sand with their souvenir toy model versions of the Blue Angels, with dreams of piloting these speculator machines when they grow up… young and old alike were equally fascinated by this most exciting of spectacles. The only thing I know and understand about these planes for certain is that they are awesome. Pure and simple. The entire experience - of witnessing the massive beast of its engine roar, in all its power, flying overhead, in coordination, and so close together it appears from the ground that a mere piece of string could connect the planes quite easily. The dedication, teamwork, the best technology on the planet, all in coordination. All of that at its absolute best, on display for all to see. And it was a free show! At one point, while my husband was out shooting these photos, he was interviewed by a Youtuber; I found this hilarious. If only we knew, as my hubby of course failed to inquire, which channel interviewed him, I could watch what he said to the internet vlog world about his personal experience with Sea & Sky Jax. Sadly, Sea & Sky weekend is now over, and won’t be back in Jax Beach for a few more years. The location of this show rotates, and goes to NAS Jax as well. And now that things are calming down in our household and returning to normal for Madeline and all her fellow dogs in town - she doesn’t quite know or realize that Halloween is next on the agenda this week. It’s a big and chaotic week indeed in the life and mind of a small and sensitive little pooch. But it was a most exciting weekend of weekends for us spectating humans… looking up to the Sky, and out toward the Sea - with our feet in the Sand. ~ [ *Editorial Note: All published photos of Sea & Sky Jax are provided by my hubby - Bryan Pieper of www.BEPREADY.com ]
7/4/2019 0 Comments #1) Happy Birthday America! - 4 Simple Tips To Help You Have An Easy Americana 4th:July 4, 2019 It’s Independence Day! Go ahead... run that race you’ve been wanting to run. Eat that slice of pie you’ve had your eye on. Wear that red, white, and blue hanging in your closet. Or, better yet, wear that perfectly 'instagramable' and completely pre-planned spirit wear you knew for months was going to be your Independence Day apparel. Celebrate! Live free! And do everything you please, and nothing you don’t. The 4th of July can be an easy holiday to celebrate, or a hard one, just like any other holiday. It’s you and your mindset that make all the difference. You could work all day in the kitchen, serve a bbq to a hundred people in your backyard, and never sit down once all day. Which is great! - - If that’s your cup of tea. Or you can do a slightly different version, which I’m calling the Easy Americana 4th. Don’t get me wrong, I’m calling it easy, but I don’t necessarily want it too easy... or lazy. I like a challenge, I like to be busy, and I like constant improvement. But after so many very busy and chaotic holidays celebrated in the past traveling to multiple locations in a single day, I found that it’s the simplicity of a holiday that will make it the best one ever. Living in Florida has done that for me. And every single holiday I spend in this great state is my best holiday ever. Yes, I did wake up at my usual five am before sunrise hour. I got a great workout in by running a race, I walked the dog, got ready, made coffee, and l wore my favorite new spirit wear from Old Navy’s 2019 Americana clothing line. As well as going out to lunch and work in my studio. We also ate my completely fabulous dinner, all Americana food themed, yet utterly simplified. I can accomplish all that while at the same time absolutely NOTHING about the day is chaotic, and nothing about the day is anything but celebrating the reason for the day and chilling out of course. 1) Choose ONE Event To Attend: First, choose one event, ok, maybe two, that you want to or need to attend. Then, bypass everything else and make some time to yourself. No is the answer to every other invite you get. For example, I planned that I would run my local 5K at 7:30 in the morning. I knew after that the rest of my morning was open. I ran in the Celebration Run 5K which routed through the quite streets of the Baymeadows neighborhood in Jacksonville. I then was able to go home, walk the pooch, get ready, and get a bit of work done. The one other thing I knew I wanted to do was go out to lunch - and go somewhere fun. I left the place wide open, to have some spontaneity and for my hubby and I to pick the place when we left the house, no reservation needed or wanted. We chose Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers, a local restaurant at the beach with a very casual vibe, has multiple locations, and headquartered in Georgia. We had never been so that was part of the fun, trying somewhere new. And we ate lunch in a bus! 2) Make Time For Yourself: Then, make some down time. Holiday or no holiday, it’s really important to have time to focus on what you love to do. The remainder of the afternoon I worked in my art studio. I finished off an 8x10 red, white, and blue themed piece while my puppy sat right next to me. She was terrified of the brief afternoon lighting and thunder that came through as usual on a steamy hot Florida summer afternoon. And whenever it storms she becomes my shadow and looks up at me and says with those precious eyes, ‘Is everything going to be ok?” Yes, I say. We’re all good here, no worries. Eventually, even she settles in, falling asleep by my feet, and took a long nap... Dogs are natural pros at making time for themselves. 3) Have Dinner - Simplified: When dinner time came around, I was all ready for my quick and Easy Americana meal. I chose the time in my studio today over cooking from scratch. So on July 3rd, along with every other person in town, I went to Winn Dixie and bought my holiday meal, working mostly the perimeter of the store. First, the bakery = because dessert is imperative. I grabbed a Winn Dixie Bin Apple Pie from a display very near the front of the store. Next, the deli - I grabbed a tub of potato salad. I walked past the meat fridge and grabbed the hot dogs. We use 100% wheat bread as our buns so then I grabbed a loaf of bread. Two more quick aisles in to grab frozen steamable corn and a can of Bush’s Baked Beans. All we had to do when dinner time came on the 4th was to quickly heat things up and our meal was set. 4) End the Evening with some Relaxation:
And as we quickly prepped our meal and binged watched some Scandal on dvd, I decided to call this evening my how-to-get-dinner-done-in-two-minutes-flat plan. I’ll choose this holiday meal any day if it means doing what I want all day long before the meal. Because I got to spend the morning with my hubby at a road race, the afternoon with my puppy in my studio, and an evening at home with both - all together, no stress. I watched the local town fireworks show literally from bed, looking out my bedroom window, which granted me the perfect end to my Fabulously Simple Florida 4th. *****Now get out there and have YOUR best 4th - ever. Easy as pie.***** |
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