Returning to the Puzzle Metaphor

 

Those of my readers who are students of the Bible are familiar with the above verse. Truly, in God's calendar, there is the right time for everything. It may not seem like the right time to us, but the God of the universe is in charge and even the most untimely events are in His ultimate control and for accomplishing His purposes.

Me (yellow) and Sister D (orange)
watching a Colorado rodeo during a rain storm
2017

It's just been an odd-feeling time. I'm starting to lose count of how many of my peers have recently died, but the number has increased even in the short time since I began composing this post!! 

Sister D and I (pictured above) have been close BFFs since, I don't know, maybe 2003? We met at church in Denver. Then sometime after that, 3 more gals became close with us for a total of 5. We got together often to celebrate our birthdays and for anytime we just needed girl talk, food, and laughter. Oh my, the laughter!

Then one of our group, a single gal, suddenly died. Probably a heart attack or something similar. She had put her dinner into the microwave and stepped out to her patio to wait for it to cook when Jesus came to get her. She was found a day or two later after her employer reported she had not shown up for work. 

We all sat together at her memorial service and bawled out loud together. We knew she was in a much better place, but her absence was deeply felt by all of us.

Years went by and 3 of us moved out of Colorado but still kept in touch. One remained in Denver.

left to right: BeeBee, Peggy, Sister D, me

The year after I moved to Florida, the 4 of us all got together at my home in Jacksonville. At the time my house was huge, so I could accommodate my 3 guests each with their very own bedroom and not everyone had to share a bathroom! (!!! those were the days!)

L-R: me, Peggy, BeeBee, & Sister D

My late husband was the designated chauffeur and he rented a larger vehicle so we could sightsee together in comfort.

L-R: me, BeeBee, Peggy, & Sister D
St. Augustine

We took them to Jacksonville Beach, walked the pier, and ate lunch. On another day we went to St. Augustine. Lunch on St. Simon's Island was a big hit, too. The laughter was frequent mixed with occasional tears as we remembered our dear Sandy and shared tender things one tells only the closest of friends.

A photo moment on St. Simons Island, Georgia, 
L-R: me, BeeBee, Peggy, & Sister D

Then a few years later, after a mighty battle with health problems, our Peggy was called to Heaven. Her battle was long but my understanding was that her actual passing was gentle. Again, we have no doubt where she is today.

This past week another one of us slipped off to eternity. BeeBee's service was today and although Sister D and I could not make it to Texas for the observance, we were there in spirit (and also in the slide show of photos from BeeBee's life). 

BeeBee had a strong ability to make us all laugh so hard that we ached. One year for Sandy's birthday, she invited us to her apartment. Just as lunch was finishing up and we thought it was time to leave, she told us to stay. A visitor was coming. 

She had hired an Elvis impersonator to come croon his songs to us. It was so real and kind of intimidating as he got right into our faces to sing and carry on. We will still be talking about that for all of eternity, I'm sure of it!

In the mix with all these memories, Gary and I have been informed of the recent deaths of others. When news of 2 more long-time family and/or friends came just this afternoon, I felt almost inconsolably sad. As many of us at this season of life are discovering, this is when many in our peer group come to their earthly end. That's just the way life works.

I'll be honest and just admit it. Food provides a measure of comfort. Recently I commented about the benefits of pasta. Today it was ice cream topped with blackberry jam -- and TWO scoops, please! Gary suggested this. Very timely.

I was texting with Sister D (who is not my relative except we have called each other Sister D and Sister B for years because we are sisters in Christ). Sister D said her dessert of choice today is a peach dumpling (because the Palisade Peaches in Colorado are out right now -- I miss that!).

Getting back to the subject of jigsaw puzzles (my last post), Gary and I completed one the other day that had 6 missing pieces! SIX!! Today I returned it to the library in our community center with a note.

Sometimes in our lives there are losses that make us feel incomplete. Yes, as Christ-followers we know we will see our saved loved ones when we get to Heaven. We have no doubt about that.

But to be real for those of us still standing on earth's dirt, the absence of our loved ones is real. It's left to us to learn how to get along without them and that's no easy task. 

Sometimes (often, actually) those of us left behind don't handle the situation very well. Things are said and done that are regretted later. "Mistakes were made," to quote a current grocery store commercial. 

But eventually the sting of the loss softens. People need to relax and let go of the fear, the anger, and all the negatives that came into play. We are all doing our best to cope and to be at peace with ourselves and with each other. 

If we do that, the picture tends to come together and even become beautiful. 

Until next time, grace and peace be yours in abundance. (I Peter 1:2)

Barbara

August Summer in Florida

Raspberry Sorbet on a hot July evening 
at an outdoor Oldies Music dance event

Welcoming August with the Hodgepodge questions. If you want to link up with your blog, click here.

1. What's something on your August calendar you're looking forward to? Or dreading if that's easier to answer. 

Just today Gary made reservations for us to attend a musical concert later this month featuring beautiful music from opera and theatre. The advertisement shows suits, tuxedos, and tasteful evening gowns.... sounds like a classy event to me.

VOICExperience

2. August 5th is National Oyster Day...do you partake? How do you feel about pearls? 

I have had both fried and raw oysters (although I don't remember the raw very well). The fried oysters were good, but deep-fry anything and it's usually very good. 

As for pearls, I love to wear pearls for dress-up. They look good with my graying hair.

3. Tell us about a time when you felt like 'the world was your oyster'. 

In 2017 when I moved to Florida, it felt like "the world was my oyster" with new beginnings, new places to explore, a new climate, and the delights of living close to the ocean (well, a 30-minute drive). 

On an interesting note, that "oyster" began to dissolve a little a couple of months later when Hurricane Irma marched across our city. For safety, we had to huddle in our laundry room, as the storm raged on for hours outside. 

"Spaghetti models" for Hurricane Irma 
2017

Hunkered down and praying for the best gave me time to re-assess the decision to leave Colorado. That was 9 years ago and I'm still a Florida resident, although I have moved farther inland.

4. Trip Advisor lists seven islands in the US that require no passport (for US citizens). If you're answering today from outside the US you'll still need to produce yours. An-y-way, have you been to any of the seven? Let's pretend you get an all expense paid trip to one this month...which one do you choose and why? 

Catalina Island California~Martha's Vineyard Massachusetts~Mackinac Island Michigan~Key West Florida~South Padre Island Texas~or Kauai Hawaii

I have been to 2 of the islands listed and a 3rd location that is very close to one of the others. 

Catalina Island, California in 1965

In the summer of 1965 my family lived in the San Fernando Valley of Southern California. Sister and I attended the teen version of Vacation Bible School at our church. We were part of a challenge to memorize a number of Bible verses. We both learned them all and found to our delight that the reward for all of us who "won" was a daytime trip to Catalina Island. We rode a ferry boat from the Los Angeles area to the island. Once there, we just wandered around the main area, found lunch, and shopped. It was a delightful experience I have never forgotten.

Mustang Island, Texas 1994 (which is just north of Padre Island, off the coast of Corpus Christi)

The summer of 1994 we drove south from our home in Colorado Springs to a luxury resort on Mustang Island, off the Coast of Corpus Christi. (Drive a little farther south to reach Padre Island.) It was a beautiful trip with gorgeous water views, and wonderful seafood.

Key West 2025

Us at the famous Southernmost Point Buoy
in Key West, Florida

We drove to Key West in February of 2025 after having spent time the previous day at the Florida Everglades. We didn't get to see as much as we would have liked due to the large crowds and looong lines of people enjoying the mild Florida winter. 

Lunch under the umbrellas

My favorite memory is our outdoor, beachside lunch with colorful chickens at our feet, pecking the ground for snacks.

 

The water close by, a cloudless sky with brilliant sunshine, and perhaps the most tropical atmosphere I've ever experienced.

Dessert that day:

Key Lime Pie in Key West, Florida
OF COURSE!!
with an added "crema" specialty by the chef

5. Sylvia Plath is credited with the following- 

"August rain: the best of the summer gone, and the new fall not yet born. The odd uneven time."

Agree or disagree? In other words, how do you feel about this month? 

This graphic from Facebook says it really well. Our high temps may moderate a little in August, but October is the best month of all.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance. I Peter 1:2

Barbara

Puzzles, Pasta and Peace

 

Our newest pastime: jigsaw puzzles

Is it only Wednesday? It's been a mind-occupying few days for me and I feel like this should be Friday afternoon. I'll fill in some of the specifics as I respond to Joyce's Hodgepodge questions for this week. 

To put you at ease, I will say that even with the challenges of late, it's all good. So don't read thinking that I'm leading up to bad news, because I am not. 

👍🏻  👍🏻  👍🏻  👍🏻  👍🏻

Gary and I are really into jigsaw puzzles these last couple of months. Both of us enjoy them so much, assembling them out here on the brightly-lit lanai (only in daylight hours, that is). At times we work on a puzzle together, but sometimes that means one of us has to work the pieces upside down, and that's tricky, of course. I'll share some of our works both in finished and incomplete phases.

my friend Joline had a puzzle with a missing piece!!

I've been giving a lot of thought as to how these puzzles are similar to life with necessary problem-solving and how to handle as much as we can with calmness and good sense.

a particularly crazy design that was tucked
into Gary's cabinet when I moved into his house

Today I'm comparing puzzles (jigsaw puzzles, to be clear) with life, problem-solving, and handling that with calmness. 

Looking for a red head with a yellow shoulder scarf
(this is some of my personal puzzle-assembly strategy)

Much of life seems to be a puzzle. How well we separate the pieces, sorting them into groups, and then fitting them into a neat design tends to say something about how well we cope with the dilemmas of life. 

Here are my responses to Joyce's Hodgepodge questions for this week. If you want to connect with your blog, click on this link: http://www.fromthissideofthepond.com/2026/07/hodgepodge-questions-volume-664.html

1. What was the last thing you celebrated? 

While it was not a celebration with cake and party hats, I had plenty of reason to rejoice yesterday AFTER a techie-type problem with huge implications for disaster found me and I was able to not only get it resolved in about an hour's time, but I was CALM about it. 

Then today I had extensive follow-up work to complete repairs from the mess encountered yesterday. I can say with pretty good confidence that I believe all the i's have been dotted and all the t's are crossed. Of course, time will tell.

So to get back to Joyce's question about "celebration," I am just very thankful that the Lord is maturing me with confidence to handle adversity better than my past history has shown. For me, this is celebration.

2. July 29th is International Day of the Tiger. Besides the wild animal itself, when you hear the word tiger what's the first person-place-thing-whatever that comes to mind? 

Orange Tiger Lilies. In 1974 we moved into military housing at the Air Force base where my husband was stationed. It was a spacious 3-bedroom duplex with a single-car garage and a front flower bed filled with gorgeous Tiger Lilies planted by the previous occupants. 

3. The expression 'eye of the tiger' describes someone with intense focus, determination, and the drive to succeed. What area of your life are you currently bringing that kind of energy to?  

one of many peaceful scenes
in our +55 retirement community

In my current season of life as a retired senior citizen, I do my best to not get 'wrapped around the axle' nearly as much as I used to. This week's test with techie things was a "pop quiz", so to speak, but as indicated above, it's gone well.

4. What was the last meal you cooked? 

Gary does most of our cooking but from time to time I give him a break with things like quesadillas, egg salad sandwiches, grilled ham ’n cheese sandwiches, quiche, and Pasta Alfredo. 

The last time I prepared a meal for him was probably about 2 weeks ago. There are times when I need to refresh my culinary skills and let Gary just sit. 🥱😴💤

Speaking of pasta, I bought this refrigerator magnet when we were visiting Terri D in May. Carbs can provide a calming effect when we are stressed out.

I love to combine a pot of cooked pasta (any kind, any shape that's in the pantry) and smother it with a heated up jar of Alfredo or Marinara sauce, topped with shredded Parmesan cheese. I serve it in pasta bowls (the wide diameter and curved sides make chasing the noodles so much easier) and sometimes eat with a spoon instead of a fork.

5. Describe your July using exactly five words. 

Puzzles, food, contentment, peaceful sleep

Us enjoying lunch at
The Whistling Duck

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

In closing, I've done some research on the benefits of jigsaw puzzles.  

Sorting and connecting pieces forces us to mentally rotate shapes and assess how small parts fit into a larger image.

sorting puzzle pieces into categories

Assembling these puzzles strengthens working memory, helps with goal setting and systematic planning, and step-by-step problem-solving. (really???)

cheerful designs make it so much more fun

This hobby also builds long-term cognitive reserve, a protective factor against cognitive aging. (quoting Artificial Intelligence here) It aids in creating a “cushion” that helps the brain better compensate for age-related decline or symptoms of dementia. (!!!)

a car puzzle for Gary

Who knew such a pleasant activity could benefit us so much?!!

You make known to me

the path of life;

in Your presence there is

fullness of joy;

at your right hand there are

pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16:11

Until next time, grace and peace!

Barbara

Seeking the Cool Places

 

Early Floridians were surely made of sturdy stock. That has to be true since they persisted in settling here in spite of nearly year 'round heat, insects, reptiles, and hurricanes. 

Of course we have central air conditioning now. Otherwise, I would not be a resident of the Sunshine State and the Lightening Capital of the United States.

Oh wait! I just now did a fact-check and learned (to my surprise) that Oklahoma (the land of my birth, by the way) has recently unseated Florida as the lightning capitol of the USA; this is according to recent annual environmental monitoring reports. 

Returning to my reasons for this post, we have not allowed the daily heat and humidity to stop us from getting out and about -- as long as our destinations have air conditioning, of course. But we are spending a little less time on the lanai because it has only windows and fans, no A/C. Time spent out there has been abbreviated in spite of the new furniture that we love.

In "Seeking the Cool Places" we drove across town to the Appleton Museum of Art. It is a part of the College of Central Florida, here in Ocala. Admission is free for the entire month of July. 

I have been to this museum several times in the past 7 years of living here, but Gary had not. These whimsical  elephant sculptures playing in the fountain were a fitting welcome on a hot summer morning.

In addition to the appeal of an air-conditioned venue, we wanted to see the advertised patriotic display for our nation's 250th Birthday. One long wall was devoted to a time line of Florida's history from [way back when] to present day. That was tricky to photograph, so I don't have that to share, but it was very informative.

Of particular interest to me was this quilt (below) made entirely of Prairie Points (uniform squares of fabric folded to make points) and sewn together:

Those who do not quilt may be surprised to learn that a piece such as this is quite heavy. There is no way a person could comfortably sleep under this even on a cold Florida night!

There were references to wars of the past, which always catches Gary's interest.

The museum has many other exhibits but we saw what interested us the most and then exited through the gift shop. 

Keeping up with my usual habit, I bought a refrigerator magnet to remember the occasion and also a post card to send to my sister-in-law. She lived in this town for many years but now lives farther north. She has encouraged us to visit this museum, so I sent the post card as proof-positive that we had.

the boy, Jody Baxter, main character in
The Yearling

On another day we took a couple of neighbors to lunch at The Yearling, an "old Florida" restaurant that I included in a post this past April. Named in honor of the well-known book by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, The Yearling is quite rustic with a lot of dark wood, many antiques, taxidermied (is that a word?) animals, countless old books for sale, and several dining rooms of varying sizes. This place is an icon.

"Old Florida" has grown on me over the years since I moved from Colorado. It portrays this state before the Mouse bought up a lot of land, followed by Sea World, Universal, and others. Especially for those of us who have "been there, done that, bought the T-shirt" at the flashy theme parks, these quieter historical locations hold a lot of appeal.

When I moved to Florida in 2017 (and then to Ocala in 2019), I barely remembered the story from my younger years of The Yearling. 

I knew nothing at all about the book, Cross Creek, also written by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, until our late blogging friend and New England resident, Vee of "A Haven for Vee" assumed I was aware of all that. I checked the book out of the library, bringing myself up to speed. 

I also watched two movies that have been made, based on the book, Cross Creek. I enjoyed the second (newer) film more than the first, although it did depart from the book. Here is a link to that one, the 1983 movie trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC7ikRDWkwg

The menu at The Yearling serves venison, gator, cat fish, and other exotics as well as burgers and more traditional fare.

Gary and our friend Darryl had burgers and fries. Vickie and I chose salads. We joked about our choices. Gary and I have a personal rule that we "don't eat scavengers." 

When I say that some of the walls are lined with books, I am not exaggerating in the least. There is a sign that says the price of each book is inside the cover, so you can buy them if you want.

Those who read my blog post last April will remember the 13-foot gator on display. But for those of you who didn't see it, here he is:

And then, just to be a bit macabre, here's another view I took this week: 

This is the gator's gaping open  mouth -- truly the stuff of which nightmares are made!!

While I'm most definitely not a lover of reptiles of any kind (ok, maybe turtles are an acceptation ....), you may agree that they do make for interesting "blog fodder."

We all thoroughly enjoyed both the food and the atmosphere. I brought home about the last 1/3 of my salad to enjoy for supper that night. Among the choices of salad dressing was Mango Cream. I took a chance with that and was not disappointed. It was all so very good!

As I conclude this post on seeking the cool places, a verse from the Old Testament comes to mind:

The Lord watches over you,

the Lord is your shade at your right hand.

Psalm 121:5

A commentary I read explained it this way, "God is close by to protect you from the heat and heavy burdens of life." I like that. We all need the safety and comfort of His protection. I seek the Lord daily for those very benefits.

Until next time, stay cool in grace and peace.

Barbara