Category: Atlantic Ocean

2/24/2026 5 Comments

555) Her faith was as big as the oceans ~ In loving memory of Jennie G. Buhs

This story is dedicated to the life and memory of Jennie Buhs - a dear family friend, who is now with God and Jesus in Heaven above.

February 17th was a different sort of day for me. My day was completely out of routine. And I try to live by routine, so it didn’t take me long to quickly notice that my day was totally out of order.

First, I painted the above canvas. This painting is unique to me because I now paint almost exclusively in watercolor. And the above image is an extremely large (3 foot by four foot) canvas in acrylic paint. We even had to rearrange the house a bit so I could paint what you see above here.

As someone who loves the ocean, I really enjoy painting ocean scenes, in any medium, in any size, and I never tire of it. This painting took all day, and I was absolutely over the moon excited with how it turned out. And compared to my much smaller watercolor paintings I have all over my art studio, this ocean was simply enormous.

Secondly, February 17th was a different sort of day because of my Bible reading for the day, and my experience while reading the Bible on that particular day.

For 2026, I had set a goal to read the entire Bible in a year. I felt a strong calling to do this. I’ve read the Bible before, but never cover-to-cover, and never every single page. I’m reading it as part of a group Bible study, and I’ve never done anything like this before either. I must say I love it.

Being more than fifty days in, I would say it has been a very rewarding venture thus far. I have read every single assignment, I have read every single day, and I already feel so much closer to God. I didn’t even know I could feel closer to God until this undertaking.

Since the beginning on page one of Genesis back at the beginning of the year, I’ve now settled into a nice routine. I usually read my Bible before it’s bright and early, first thing in the morning, and well before the sun comes up. Rarely, once in a great while, I’ve had to deviate from that plan, due to a particular day’s happenings. February 17th was one of those days - due to me being absolutely and totally engrossed in this painting most of my entire day. And before that I had taken a very long walk alongside the Atlantic Ocean.

So on February 17th, just after I completed the above painting, I sat down at this rare time for me to read the Bible - in the middle of the late afternoon, before dinner.

February 17th also happened to be a very special day for my reading assignment, as on that day I found myself reading about Jesus being crucified. Considering it has been many years since I last read this story, there was much that I had forgotten about the details surrounding the crucifixion.

I found myself reading about the death of Jesus. And I read about the surrounding events that took place while Jesus was on the cross…

I read in Matthew 27:51-54 ESV - here the Bible states:

‘And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” ‘

As I read this page in the Bible during that late afternoon, I gasped. I was in awe. I had to re-read this section. And then I had to read it once again. How did I never know this part of the crucifixion story? Did I know, and simply forget? It had been so many years. Many bodies of saints were raised…

It was at this point in time that, while contemplating my Bible reading, I looked up at my new ocean wave painting that was drying quickly right in front me on my easel. I gazed at the ocean waters, and I thought of Jennie Buhs, a dear and great family friend.

I had been thinking about her a lot lately. She was suffering so greatly.

Jennie G. Buhs - born 1955, of Illinois - had cancer. She was in great pain, and her body was failing her. I found myself thinking of her continually, top of mind, and I was very worried. I didn’t want her to be in so much pain.

Jennie’s time on this Earth was coming to an end, and she was going up to Heaven.

As I read those important words of the Bible, and as I stared at my brand new ocean and thought of Jennie, it was at this time on the afternoon of February 17th that Jennie went up to Heaven to be the Lord. I didn’t know that at the time though.

Later that same evening on February 17th, I was informed of her passing, and that it took place in the afternoon, and I was given the time of her passing. Exactly when I was reading about Jesus dying, and the saints rising. Exactly when I looked at my new ocean waves, and I thought of the lovely and dear Jennie Buhs.

When my mom told me the news that evening, I was devastated, but equally shocked. I was thinking of her as she passed on from this world. “Bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised.” It was truly one of those God moments - that no one on Earth can ever explain.

So as our hearts were all broken on February 17, 2026, Jennie made her way straight up to Heaven. And she’s telling us it will all be ok. We know this because her faith was so grand. Her faith was as big as the oceans.

Jennie was someone I knew most of my whole life. Jennie and her husband had two children, and her daughter is a wonderful friend. Jennie’s husband and my father worked together, and her daughter and I shared a similar sport - ice skating. I ice skated for many years, and Jennie’s daughter and I spent much time on the ice together. As Jennie’s daughter and I grew up together, our parents also became wonderful friends. So Jennie was someone I knew from very early in my childhood, onward.

As I was growing up and time passed, one random evening when I was a teenager, I got in a terrible, nasty car accident. I had to go to the hospital. I was young, scared, and confused. I was fine, my collar bone was not fine. The car was broken.

To this day, I remember being so cold in the hospital. I was so confused, and so cold. I remember coming home from the hospital, and going into my bedroom, crying. Actually, I didn’t drive for a very long time after that. My mind was really and thoroughly confused.

But I remember coming home to beautiful flowers, and a card filled with prayers - from Jennie Buhs.

I was sixteen years old, and it was the first time that I remember Jennie praying for me. I say that because, at that time, I had no idea that over the coming years she would go on to pray for me many, many other times.

I’ll always and forever remember being upset with what had happened to the family car, sitting on my bedroom floor, looking at my beautiful flowers from Jennie Buhs, and her card filled with prayers.

That was when I was a teenager. I then grew up, went to college, and got married. And then I started working. I had two jobs after college before I got sick. It was a very normal and lovely existence. Just work, home, hubby, and we had a cat at the time.

But then I got sick, and ended up in great pain. And I was very confused about being sick. Why was I in so much pain? I’ve been sick ever since, living in chronic pain for way too many years now.

There were so many years of doctors, tests, scary treatments I didn't want to do, and awful medicines I didn’t want to take. But I did. I did everything I was told to.

And then, when nothing got better, there were much longer trips to different hospitals.

During all of this time, Jennie prayed for me.

I spent most of my time in bed, completely unable to live any kind of life. I lost a lot during this time, but that’s ok.

At one point, there was a very dark period when I spent a bit of time in the hospital. It was during the Christmas holiday season, and I was very, very sad. There was a Christmas Tree down in the courtyard outside my hospital window. Except I couldn’t see it from where I laid in bed. I love Christmas. The entire situation was extremely difficult.

I came home from the hospital well before Christmas. I did not come home because they fixed me. I came home when they could not fix me.

It was simply an awful, confusing time. I was sad, and I felt defeated.

But when we arrived home - my husband gathered the mail. I sat down on the couch as my husband began cooking dinner for us. And I opened the mail.

And would you believe that I came home to prayers, once again, from Jennie Buhs.

This was so many years after she sent me those prayers that I read while sitting on my bedroom floor when I was a teenager. As I sat on my couch under a blanket reading these new prayers, I immediately thought of those very old prayers from her, so many years ago.

I held this piece of mail in my hand, and I kept these new prayers very close to me - and I was very, very confused. I did not understand why any of this was happening. But I understood just enough to keep her prayers close to my heart.

Why did I have to live my life in so much pain?

I knew God. But Jennie knew Him more at this time, and her faith was so strong. Somehow, deep in my heart, I knew at that time that if Jennie was praying for me, those prayers definitely found their way all the way up to Heaven. You see, Jennie had great connections with Jesus, she always had a direct line. Her faith was always so strong. In fact, her faith was grand… it was as big and as strong as the magnificent oceans on this beautiful planet Earth.

So I kept her prayers close to me, and close to my confused heart.

And Jennie believed in me - so much.

At a time when I was so confused and in so much terrible pain, Jennie had so much faith in me.

I’ll never, ever forget how much faith Jennie had in me.

But even that wasn’t the end of her faith and belief in me.

Some more years passed, and after visiting every hospital under the sun, my husband and I decided to move to Florida. That was when God saved my life. And I attended the Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Clinic. My life changed forever. I am still a patient to this day.

And I still live in the same chronic pain, but God is now truly with me every step of the way. As I started a brand new way of life, very foreign to me at the time, God guided me, and helped me navigate. During all this time, still in so much pain, I remember receiving cards, and prayers, from Jennie Buhs.

But would you believe she still wasn’t done praying for me yet?!

It was at this point in time that I started painting. Art started as a distraction from the pain. Mayo Clinic taught me cognitive behavioral therapy. And Mayo Clinic taught me how to get out of my own head, and how to continually distract myself. This pain was not going away, and I had to figure out how to live with it.

And I did learn how to live with it. Mayo Clinic gave me so many tools to get through my day. Painting was simply one of those tools that I discovered. I never imagined I would become an artist and paint every day.

It was then around this time, as I was growing as an artist, that I found out the terrible news that Jennie Buhs got diagnosed with cancer. She then had cancer for way too many years. It broke my heart. I prayed for her. I prayed for her a lot. Jennie, who had sent me so many, many prayers, through the course of so many years, was now in this terrible pain. And my heart ached for her.

It hurt my heart to hear of every update.

Yet Jennie remained strong and faithful to God and Jesus, during the entire time.

Jennie went through a very long battle with cancer. And as Jennie continued living with the cancer, she did something that absolutely amazed me!

Jennie held a Bible Study group at her home. My mom became a member. Jennie’s faith was so strong, even in the face of a cancer battle, that she was still leading people to a life closer to Jesus. As she faced that awful cancer, she still helped bring people closer to God.

It was entirely because of this Bible Study group that I was connected with the future author of ‘The Adventures of Mrs. Breadsticks’ - and after our connection, I became the illustrator for the book. Jennie believed in me, the author believed in me, and a dream came true for me - I became a children’s book illustrator.

And Jennie was so excited for us that we produced this book together! I remember telling Jennie that it was all because of her that the author and illustrator found each other, and that therefore it was entirely because of her that this book came into fruition in the way that it did.

And Jennie’s response was that it was God who brought us all together.

More time passed.

And after that, would you believe that even then, Jennie did not stop her support and prayers for me?

After that first book was published, it was because of that accomplishment that I went ahead finally with another dream of mine, to write and illustrate my own children’s book. So, as soon as ‘The Adventures of Mrs. Breadsticks' went to print, I went full steam ahead on my own children’s book.

I worked day and night on it, for months and months on end. I only was able to accomplish this because of the first book. I told myself that if I could illustrate a thirty two page children’s book, never having done that before in my life - that I could write, and illustrate, one of my very own.

After much good blood, sweat, and tears, my own book was published in 2025. Looking back, I have no idea how I had the strength to do that.

‘Genevieve’s Journey Through Jacksonville’ takes place on the shores and horizon of the Atlantic Ocean, traveling all the way into the inland swamplands of wild Florida. It’s about friendship, and nature, and my dog Genevieve is the main character. It’s filled with original watercolor illustrations, and I’m so happy with how it turned out.

As it went to print, I immediately thought to myself, I desperately want to publish yet another book. I felt so much determination to continue. Should I? I thought to myself… And, all the doubt and hesitation entered my mind once again. How could I possibly keep going?

It was at this time that Jennie Buhs reached out to me. Even though she was terribly sick, and in pain. She told me that she read my book, and she loved the story of friendship. She told me to continue writing and illustrating. And she told me that it was a gift that God has shared with me.

I’ll never forget that.

And I won’t stop.

No matter how hard life is, and how difficult life gets, I won’t stop. In fact, I have endless stories in my head. I could publish children’s books the rest of my life, and never produce all the stories I want to share with the world. The list of stories I have inside me is as big as the ocean. I’ll never, ever accomplish all that I want to. But that doesn’t mean I should stop.

So, I won’t stop writing. And I won’t stop illustrating.

There’s so much to share with this beautiful world.

And as I work, I’ll think of Jennie. And when things get really hard, and when life gets really difficult, or when the pain gets even worse, I’ll have to remember and really soak in all the prayers she sent my way over the course of so very many years. As I don’t know a life on Earth without Jennie Buhs’ prayers in it.

I’ll have to remember all her words of encouragement.

For some reason, Jennie continually believed in me, just as she supported me with prayer, during so many of my life’s hardest moments.

Jennie had so much faith in God above. Her faith was as big as the oceans. So big, that when God looked down on her from Heaven as she lived her life, He could see her as clearly as could spot all the magnificent oceans.

And now, just as the saints rose out of their tombs in Matthew 27:51-54, Jennie went up there to be with God in that very same moment. She is up there with Him right now, and with Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

And she is most definitely, one hundred percent, looking down on all of us as a guardian angel.

So for those who knew and loved Jennie Buhs when she was on this Earth with us, and if you miss her dearly on this day. Simply have faith. Grow in your faith. Listen and look for Jesus in life’s darkest moments, and in life’s everyday moments as well.

Anticipate the birds singing each morning. Follow the light as the sun rises every day. Observe the rain dripping into a puddle. Feel the wind on your skin as it blows across the land. See the leaves as they rustle above your head.

And lastly, watch the beauty and strength of the ocean waves as they crash ashore. Let your faith grow as big as the oceans. And Jennie will always see you clearly from Heaven. She’ll be with you forever, as she watches over you from above.~

Obituary - Jennie G. Buhs:
https://www.kurtzmemorialchapel.com/obituaries/jennie-buhs

5 Comments

2/20/2026 0 Comments

554) Hurricane-Proof Your Paradise ~ A Florida Landscaper's Guide to Coastal Living

Southside Outdoor Services LLC

Hurricane-Proof Your Paradise ~ A Florida Landscaper's Guide to Coastal Living (Without Losing Your Mind):

Guest post by:
Adam Boulineau, Owner of Southside Outdoor Services LLC

Hey there, fellow Floridians!

Let me start with a confession: I've been in the landscaping business for years, and I still get a little nervous when I see that familiar cone of uncertainty pop up on the weather map. You know the one – that swirling mass of "maybe it's coming here, maybe it's not, but you better prep anyway" that sends us all into a frenzy of bottled water hoarding and generator testing.

But here's what I've learned after countless storms, countless cleanup jobs, and countless conversations with homeowners staring at their once-beautiful yards that now look like Mother Nature threw a tantrum: the secret to surviving Florida's mood swings isn't just luck – it's smart landscaping.

The Great Florida Paradox
Living in coastal Florida is like being in a relationship with someone absolutely gorgeous who occasionally throws your furniture out the window. We get 300+ days of sunshine, stunning beaches, and the kind of natural beauty that makes people pay ridiculous amounts of money just to visit for a week. But then hurricane season rolls around, and suddenly that palm tree you thought was "so Florida" is doing interpretive dance in your neighbor's pool.

The good news? You don't have to choose between having a beautiful yard and having one that can survive whatever the Atlantic decides to throw at us. And with the relatively quiet 2025 hurricane season behind us, now is the perfect time to plan smarter for the future.

Lessons from Recent Storms
While last year gave us a much-needed break, we're still learning from the one-two punch of Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024. Those storms taught us some hard lessons about what works and what doesn't in coastal Florida landscaping. I spent months after those storms helping homeowners rebuild, and I saw firsthand which plants laughed in the face of 140 mph winds and which ones... well, let's just say they didn't.

The Reality Check: Even after a quiet season, we can't get complacent. Climate patterns are shifting, and the next active season could be just around the corner.

Native Plants: Florida's Original Survivors
Here's something that might blow your mind: Florida plants have been dealing with hurricanes a lot longer than we have. Shocking, I know.

When I first started in this business, I made the rookie mistake of thinking "tropical" meant "any plant that looks like it belongs in a Corona commercial." Wrong. So very wrong. I learned this the hard way when the next hurricane season turned a client's expensive exotic garden into what looked like a very expensive salad bar for confused manatees.

The Florida Native All-Stars (Proven Hurricane Survivors):

Cabbage/Sabal palms – According to University of Florida research, these are hands-down the most hurricane-resistant palms in Florida. They've been here since the dinosaurs and have zero intention of leaving.
Coontie palms (Zamia integrifolia) – These cycads are basically the Navy SEALs of the plant world. They survived recent storms like champs and are now the #1 recommended native for coastal areas.
Silver Saw Palmetto – After Hurricane Milton, I watched these bounce back within weeks. Their underground stems are virtually indestructible.

Firebush (Hamelia patens) – Attracts butterflies, survives storms, and has a name that sounds like a superhero. What's not to love?

Green Buttonwood – Coastal resilience champion that actually gets stronger with salt spray exposure.

The Salt Spray Struggle is Real
Living near the coast means your plants are basically getting a daily margarita rim treatment, minus the tequila and fun. Salt spray can turn even the toughest plants into crispy critters faster than you can say "beach day."

I once had a client who insisted on planting a row of beautiful (but salt-sensitive) azaleas along their oceanfront property. Three months later, they looked like they'd been through a very expensive dehydrator. We replaced them with native marlberry, and now they're thriving while providing berries for the local wildlife. Win-win, and no more plant funerals.

Hurricane Prep That Actually Works
The "Oh Crap, There's a Storm Coming" Checklist:

1. Trim your trees BEFORE storm season – I can't stress this enough. The 2024 storms showed us that proper pruning can mean the difference between minor cleanup and major reconstruction. Waiting until there's a hurricane warning is like trying to lose weight the day before your high school reunion.

2. Know your wind-resistant champions – Recent studies from UF's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences show that Pygmy date palms are surprisingly more wind-resistant than our native Cabbage palms in certain conditions, though Cabbage palms still reign supreme overall.

3. Secure or remove projectiles – Your cute garden gnome might look innocent, but at 75 mph, he becomes a very unfriendly missile. After Milton, I found a client's decorative flamingo three neighborhoods over.

4. Plan for storm surge AND wind – Recent storms reminded us that it's not just about wind anymore. Sea level rise and intensifying storms mean we need to think about saltwater flooding too.

The Post-Storm Reality Check
After every major storm, I get calls that go something like this: "Hi, my yard looks like a war zone, my pool is full of palm fronds, and I think there's a traffic cone in my hibiscus. Can you be here in an hour?"

Here's the thing about storm cleanup – it's not just about making things pretty again. It's about safety first, then assessment, then rebuilding smarter. That tree that fell? Maybe it was trying to tell you something about where NOT to plant the replacement.

New Reality: We're seeing more "wind burn" and "sea spray" damage than ever before. Plants that survive the initial storm are getting hit with secondary damage from salt-laden winds that can travel miles inland.

The Coastal Advantage
Despite all the challenges, there's something magical about coastal Florida landscaping. The way morning light filters through a properly placed coontie palm, the sound of native grasses rustling in the sea breeze, the satisfaction of knowing your landscape can handle whatever Mother Nature throws at it – it's worth every bit of effort.

Plus, there's a certain pride in having a yard that not only survives hurricane season but actually looks better afterward. It's like having a garden with a black belt in karate.

My Favorite Recent Success Story
Last year, I worked with a family in Neptune Beach who had just moved from Colorado. They wanted their yard to look "tropical" but had no idea what that meant in practical terms. We designed a landscape using entirely native plants from the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ program recommendations, focusing on the latest hurricane-resistance research.

When we had those tornado warnings in October (thankfully nothing like 2024's major storms), their neighbors were dealing with fallen branches and scattered debris. This family? Their biggest concern was whether the cooler winter weather meant they should cover their new plantings. (The answer was no – native plants laugh at our "cold" snaps.)

Looking Ahead to 2026
As we head into a new hurricane season, the quiet year behind us gives us an opportunity. Use this time to plan, plant, and prepare. The latest forecasts suggest we might not be so lucky this year, so now's the time to get your landscape hurricane-ready.

The Bottom Line
Living in coastal Florida means embracing the beautiful chaos. Your landscape should reflect that – gorgeous enough to make you smile every morning, tough enough to survive whatever the Atlantic decides to throw at us, and smart enough to work WITH Florida's natural rhythms instead of against them.

Because at the end of the day, we're not just maintaining yards – we're preserving little pieces of paradise. And paradise, as it turns out, is a lot more resilient than you might think.

Stay safe, stay smart, and remember – if your plants can survive Florida, they can survive anything.~

Sources:

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension
Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program, University of Florida
Florida Department of Environmental Protection Coastal Plant Guidelines
News4JAX Hurricane Research and Storm Coverage, 2024
Troy's Tropics Hurricane-Resistant Plant Database
National Weather Service Hurricane Database

Adam Boulineau is the owner of Southside Outdoor Services LLC, a Neptune Beach-based landscaping company specializing in coastal Florida landscapes. When he's not helping homeowners create hurricane-resistant paradise, he can be found testing the storm-worthiness of his own yard (results vary, but getting better every year). For more information about coastal landscaping or storm preparation, visit www.SouthsideServicesLLC.com or call (904) 629-1167.

References to research and programs are for educational purposes and do not imply endorsement by those organizations.

You can check out Southside Outdoor Services - right here!

https://southsideservicesllc.com/

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You can check out Southside Outdoor Services - right here!

~ Located in Neptune Beach, Florida ~

YouTube Test & Compare:

YouTube Test & Compare:

YouTube Test & Compare:

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To view the YouTube Short video - click the YouTube link below!

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Portuguese Man O' War close-up 4.29.25:

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