Celebrations Soon and Later

Internet illustration

America is celebrating a birthday this year, a "big one," as we like to say, 250 years. Today's post begins with a reference to this birthday. The questions are provided by Joyce from her Hodgepodge blog. 

Smithsonian Air and Space Museum
(internet photo)

1. America celebrates turning 250 years old this year. Primary cities set to lead the celebrations on July 4th are Boston, Philadelphia, New York, and Washington D.C. Other significant locations for celebrating will be Charleston SC and the 'historic triangle' which includes Jamestown-Williamsburg-Yorktown Virginia. 

Internet photo

Of the cities listed how many have you seen in person? Of the cities listed which would you most like to visit this year? Any plans to do so? What's one place in America you think everyone should see? 

as a 6-year old I climbed to her crown 
with my family and we looked out at the city and harbor

I have been to 5 of the cities listed (Boston, New York, Washington DC, Charleston SC and Williamsburg) and lived in 2 of the cities listed. 

from our trip in 2023

an example of Charleston, SC charm
from our trip May 2023

Let me amend that. I have lived in New York City and just outside of Washington DC in a Virginia suburb. My husband commuted into DC in a carpool.

George Washington's home, Mount Vernon
(internet photo)

I would like to make a return visit to Boston and much of New England but I have no plans to travel that far any time soon. Visiting the sights of Florida keeps me busy enough!

Old Ironsides in Boston Harbor

Everyone should see Washington DC. The Smithsonian Museums and surrounding historical sites are wonderful.

2. Three sounds you love to hear? 

1) I love the sound of my husband's voice because at least 25 percent of the time, whatever he is saying makes me laugh!

2) Christian hymns played on the piano and sung in a cappella harmony.

3) hard rain on the roof while I'm sleeping

3. Three sounds you hate to hear? 

1) gunshots out in the distance

2) the chirp of a smoke alarm when the battery needs to be changed

3) profanity

4. February 24th is/was National Tortilla Chip Day. Are you a fan? With salsa, guacamole, queso, or just plain please? Do you like nachos? With what on top? Is there anything (besides nachos) you make that calls for tortilla chips? 

Yes, I'm a fan of tortilla chips in any form with any of the dips listed. Yes, I like nachos. Melted cheese is enough, but if chili is added, that's even better. I like a taco casserole that calls for tortilla chips. Here is what I made for lunch today:

In a shallow pasta bowl for each serving, spread Fritos or tortillas, etc. 

Brown 1/2 pound ground beef. Set aside and keep warm.

Combine in a saucepan over medium heat 1 can of Campbell's Cheddar Cheese soup with 1/4 cup milk. Heat until it simmers. 

Top the Fritos with the hot cheese sauce, ground beef, and chopped tomato. Sooo good (and quick and easy!).

5. We March into March with next week's Hodgepodge...what's one thing on your March calendar that makes you smile? 

My husband has made some REALLY NICE PLANS to celebrate my birthday and I'm definitely smiling about that!

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

For the first 2 years of my widowhood, a family member took care of my bookkeeping. Then the duties became mine alone. Embarking on that big responsibility was an unknown "wilderness" to me. 

Dealing with finances, accounts, usernames, passwords, and all that goes with it was scary terrifying. In retrospect over 3 years later, I have learned A LOT and am able to navigate through that "wilderness" with surprising capability, even a fair amount of confidence.

A little song I learned as a teenager in youth choir has been a wonderful encouragement to me when despair tried to overtake me...

"My Lord knows the way through the Wilderness, 

All I have to do is follow.

Strength for today is mine alway

And all that I need for tomorrow

My Lord knows the way through the Wilderness

All I have to do is follow."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9w-n6D_im0

How thankful I am for the Lord's help in the worst of times! May we all take advantage of the abundant grace and help the Lord has for us when confronted with frightening challenges. He is there for us.

Until next time, grace and peace.

Barbara

If you would like to link up with this week's Hodgepodge, click here.

 http://www.fromthissideofthepond.com/2026/02/hodgepodge-questions-volume-642.html

Grateful For Yesterday, Blessed With Today

The first thing I need to do is to clean up [clarify] an impression I left with readers in my previous post. I was writing about a state park we visited where a couple of women were swimming in the warm mineral spring. 

I also mentioned alligators and unintentionally left the impression that the gals were in the same body of water as the gators. They were not. 

A dam with a waterfall separated them and they were safe from the reptiles. While it is true that here in Florida one must always be aware of the possibility of gators in virtually any body of water, in this mineral spring great care is taken to ensure the swimmers are safe.

Thanks to those of you who commented concern for the swimmers.

the mineral spring is to the far left;
gators (unseen) are in the lake to the right

I continue now with Joyce's Hodgepodge questions. If you want to link up with this meme, click here.

1. The Hodgepodge lands on Ash Wednesday, which is the first day of Lent. Do you mark this season in some way? Will you be giving something up or adding something to your life in this Lenten season? 

While I have observed the Easter season all of my life, the church denomination in which I grew up did not talk much (if at all) about Lent. As a result, I don't typically "give up" anything while leading up to Easter Sunday. I do try to worship the Lord with a holy life every day of the year. Some days I'm more successful in that than others. 

Give to the Lord the glory due to His name;

bring an offering,

and come before Him:

worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

I Chronicles 16:29

2. Pancakes...are you a fan? Syrup or no syrup? Plain, blueberries, chocolate chips, bananas, or some other add in? Are pancakes on your menu this week? 

                               

Yes, I'm definitely a fan of pancakes. For years I used Bisquick to make them but now prefer to use another brand of a boxed mix that requires just water combined with the mix. Very simple and I like the taste better, too. I like to use a sugar-free maple syrup (any of several brands), and margarine. Other add-ins are fine but just with the butter or margarine and syrup is enough for me. 

In my last blog post, I talked about cooking our own pancakes at our table in a restaurant. If you missed it, click here. 

3. Tell us about a time recently when you felt 'spread too thin'. 

We are well into our retirement years here, so feeling spread too thin doesn't happen often with us. On occasion it turns out that we have several medical, dental, hearing, and eye appointments in one week. We try to avoid that as much as possible.

4. What's your favorite jewel or gemstone? In terms of your wardrobe would we find more gem tones, pastels, black and white, or primary colors? 

Do I have a favorite gemstone? I like them all but my current favorite is the garnet-and-diamond necklace Gary gave to me for Valentine's Day. I love it and will be wearing it year 'round.

As for what colors I wear: jewel tones (the cool colors) with black when dressing up, and blue or white denim for casual. In the 80s the book, Color Me Beautiful classified me as a "winter."

5. What responsibility do you think is hardest about being in charge? 

I try to make choices people are less likely to second-guess. My success rate with that is about 50/50.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Glimpses and comments regarding Valentine's Day at my house:

When Gary was paying for this big box of chocolates, the cashier commented that some gal is very lucky. But his reply was, "I'm the one who's lucky!" (gotta love that! ❤️)

Our Valentine outing was the lunch at the pancake place earlier in the week, so on the 14th we dined at home. I prepared Billie Jo's Sloppy Joes for our lunch. They were really good! (click here to see her blog post with the recipe) 

We slow-danced in the lanai to "our song," Have I Told You Lately [that I love you?]".

link to our song on Youtube

Then of course, we exchanged cards....

Gary has a delightful ability for finding cards (for any occasion) that say the most wonderful things. The opening words on his card to me address the subject of "love the second time around." As I read the card aloud my voice wobbled and nearly gave way...

Yesterday's love is a sweet memory.

Today's love is happiness unfolding...

This is our 5th Valentine's Day together, but we continue to treasure the good times of our previous marriages. In total, those relationships came to nearly 100 years. In large part, who we are today is because of those who loved us before they went to Heaven. They essentially taught us how to be married.

a permanent display in our home
honoring our late spouses

Love is patient, love is kind.

It does not envy,

it does not boast,

it is not proud.

It does not dishonor others,

it is not self-seeking,

it is not easily angered,

it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil

but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects,

always trusts,

always hopes,

always perseveres .....

And now these three remain:

faith, hope and love.

But the greatest of these

is love.

I Corinthians 13:4-7 and 13

Until next time, grace and peace.

Barbara

-------------

for further reading, visit The Christian Lounge.

"A Lesson in Gratitude"

https://thechristianlounge4u.blogspot.com/2026/02/a-lesson-in-gratitude.html

The Fountain of Youth

"Us" (well, sorta)

As I compose this blog post, Valentines Day is fast-approaching. We don't like to get into the gridlock of highway traffic (or city traffic, for that matter!) on the weekends, so mid-week we celebrated this holiday of love at a state park about 90 minutes southeast of our home.

posted in one of the gift shops

Perhaps you remember that the famous explorer of past days, Ponce de Leon, was in search of the Fountain of Youth, said to be located in what is now Florida. 

De Leon Spring

I have heard that more than one place in Florida claims to host that "fountain of youth." For our Valentine outing, we decided to check out one of them.

entrance into De Leon Spring

Located southeast of our home via about a 90-minute drive, De Leon Springs State Park has a very inviting pool of water fed by natural springs some 35 feet at the bottom. While we did not see any signs proclaiming this pool to be our hoped-for source of renewed youth, it did look inviting. 

the Spring is to the left, with a waterfall
into a large lake on the right

There were two women swimming in the 72-degree water (I touched the spring water to verify its warmth). the actual air temperature that day was edging toward 60. 

bridge/dam separating the spring from the lake

After paying $6 for parking (the fee is based on the number of occupants in the vehicle), we found clean restrooms, walked past the Sugar Mill Pancake House (more about that later), and went across the dam to buy tickets for a boat tour on the lake.

Tour Boat

Tickets for seniors like us were about $18 each. We had arrived early, so to pass the time we visited the gift shop, where I bought a magnet for our refrigerator (per my usual habit). 

Along with the expected T-shirts and assorted tourist-type memorabilia, there was a display in the gift shop of historical information and artifacts.

a sign by the lake

Back outside, the signs gave appropriate warnings. It is widely known among Floridians that any body of water the size of a bathtub or larger has the potential of harboring a gator. We are to ASSUME there were no gators in the spring, but one must always be cautious just the same.

manatees

There was this, too, which is a big draw for coming to this park (besides that fountain of youth...). There were no manatees in the spring where the women were swimming.

We boarded the boat and listened to the obligatory messages about marine safety. This is good but we were told the lake water is only 2-3 feet deep.

Gary

I chose to sit beside the cute guy wearing the United States Air Force Veteran hat. The boat holds maybe as many as 50 people. On this day it was just Gary and me, the boat pilot/tour guide, and his apprentice. The scarcity of passengers was surely a benefit of going on a school day, mid-week. 

the dam with waterfall and spring in the distance

Although the lake is not deep, we were advised to not try to walk in the lake because the muddy bottom will suck your shoes off and behave much like quick sand! (and as stated earlier, there's the matter of the gators ....)

our first manatee siting

Exiting the boat into the lake was not our intention, so we followed the pilot's pointed finger to see our first manatee of the morning. They come up for air every so often and then submerge again. That white spot out in the water is the back of a manatee. We quickly learned how to spot these huge creatures all around us without our guide having to point them out to us.

State park people fly a drone above the lake about once a week to take pictures of the manatees from the air, which is a much easier way to see them. On this particular day we were told there were about 25 manatees and 4 calves (babies) in this area.

plants growing out of the lake bottom

One way we know the shallow depth of the lake is that these plants, anchored to the lake's muddy bottom, only grow about 3 feet tall.

Snowy Egret?

I'll be frank in telling you I can't begin to remember the names of all the birds we saw on this boat trip -- there were many! They are all beautiful and so peaceful to watch.

Something of interest our guide told us is that the Snowy Egret has the white feathered body with black legs and bright yellow feet. This bird uses his feet to catch the attention of prey, and then grabs the fish for dinner! 

a blue bird 

Not only did we see a lot of birds, but we got pretty good at spying them out. Nature has created them to blend in well with their surroundings, for protection purposes, of course.

Our guide pointed out birds, and a couple of alligators (of which I was not able to get a good snapshot), and then went on to talk about the plants and trees.

Much of the forested area was still in winter clothing (yes, even here in Florida, trees lose their leaves), but the Maples were putting out red buds that will become green for summer and then go back to red in the fall. 

We learned the value of so many Cypress trees that help to prevent erosion of the soil. Spanish Moss draped from branches was in abundance, too. This moss has a beautiful grace when the breeze wafts through it. 

hurricane leftovers

These trees with the horizontal markings show how high the water flooded during a hurricane a couple of years ago. 

airboat

The engine on our tour boat was relatively quiet but our peace was invaded by the very noisy yellow airboat speeding past us. 

Our boat tour was an hour long, very informative, comfortable, and the guide with his apprentice not only gave us a lot of information but were very pleasant in answering our questions.

Once deposited on land, we made our way across the dam to the Old Sugar Mill Pancake House.

Old Sugar Mill Pancake House

Note the large paddlewheel, which is turning. I intended to take another snapshot up close, but I forgot. It is so big, however, that this may be the best distance for capturing it anyway.

reading the menu with coffee

Inside this rustic setting one can order both breakfast and lunch fare, but this place is best known for its pancakes that guests cook for themselves at large cast iron griddles imbedded in the center of every table. 

can you tell that my mouth is full?

When Gary took this picture, we were cooking our second helpings of the pancakes (which we took home in a box to enjoy later). After the waitress took our order, she turned on the griddle and gave us each our own spatula. We ordered a side of bacon and then a tall pitcher of pancake batter was brought to the table. The rest was up to us!

the Fountain of Youth (hmmm.....)

Now to (finally) get to the "hook" that grabbed you to read this post (especially if you're a senior like me), after our pancake lunch, we walked over to the Fountain of Youth.

After we got home, somebody asked Gary about this fountain. His reply was something like, "Well, it didn't do me any good, but Barbara looks pretty good!"

He has referred to himself many times over our years together as "an old geezer." While it's true that he was in kindergarten the day I was born, I always say with absolute sincerity, "I love a mature man!"

sign beside the Fountain of Youth

Here's the deal. I know you can't read this sign beside the fountain (and neither can I), so here is what the Internet has to say about it:

De Leon Springs State Park is often confused with Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine, Florida. (click on the name of each park for the website of that park)

Following the Civil War, the area known as Spring Garden was renamed "Ponce de Leon Springs" to boost tourism, with locals promoting it as the legendary fountain.

Long before European arrivals, indigenous people recognized the spring for its 20 million gallon daily flow and supposedly healing properties.

The real Spanish explorer, Ponce de Leon, did explore Florida in 1513, but there is no evidence he ever visited this specific spring. 

The spring's power was used for a sugar cane mill and a grist mill in the 1800s.

Today, the site is a state park where visitors can swim in the 72-degree, 60 foot diameter, mineral-rich spring and take boat tours to learn about the area's history.

Wow. Now we know the truth! In spite of the confusion about this "fountain of youth," we had a very enjoyable day at a place neither of us had visited before. It was a fun way for two seniors to spend both quantity and quality time together, and especially as Valentine's Day approaches. 

May it be a sweet day for you spent with those you love, be it a romance, family, friends, or even pets.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,

forbearance, kindness, goodness, 

faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. 

Against such things there is no law. 

Galatians 5:22-23

Until next time, grace and peace.

Barbara