Scrapbook of Sabbatical Snapshots

 

wild flowers in abundance currently along highways
in North Central Florida

My collection of snapshots from recent weeks has grown so big that it's time for me to bring the sabbatical to an end and return to blogging. 

The purpose of my sabbatical was to get a better idea of where I'm headed, make decisions with that regard,  determine what changes were needed or desired, and to act on all of that. It was a time of personal assessment and course adjustment that had to do with my opinions, attitudes, preferences and goals. 

It was like getting off the bus and standing still to just look around to understand where I am, where I'm headed, and how to best handle my journey. Beyond that, I won't explain because it's all very personal. 

I made some small design changes to my blog. If you follow me on your phone, you may not even see the changes; the view from a computer screen shows them a little better.

Here, below, is a visual re-cap of my time away from blogging:

puzzle purchased at Home Goods last year

Jersey Girl, came over one afternoon to help get me started on the above puzzle. She is a jigsaw puzzle maven!

This book (which I'm still in the process of reading) is helping to guide my evaluations on [everything].

In preparation for some visitors, I made a trip to the laundromat to freshen up the guest bedding. This is a place I seldom visit. It cost $14 to wash a queen-sized quilt and 4 quarters to dry it. 

(just a little FYI from one homemaker to another 😉)

Our guests came from the far north, flying into Florida and then renting a car to get to our house. This is Gary's son and wife. They spent time with us here in "the Horse Capital of the World" and then headed to a sandy beach before their return to the springtime snowstorms of the north.

We took our guests to some of the "old Florida" sites we have enjoyed in recent years (all of which I've shared on previous blog posts in recent years).

Around here, one does not need to depend solely on the loud, flashy (and exorbitantly $$$) theme parks for entertainment. A belligerent rooster was very upset and loud about ??? One of the tour guides in historical dress had to herd him back to his place with some harsh reprimands.

the rowdy rooster was beautiful

Our timing that day did not allow us to include the guided tour inside the well-preserved home of the author, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, but I have dredged up a snapshot I took from our last visit:

The above is her screened, front porch where she sat at her typewriter. (one could say I follow her example as I compose my posts with an Apple computer on my lap while sitting on a wicker chair on the lanai.... 🙄🙂 ) 

currently...

It is said that she briefly taught creative writing at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

Gary and me

As is typical, we took pictures of the kids and they took pictures of us. Here we are on the back porch of the home.  The architecture is typical of the first half of the last century, country, homey.

be sure to notice gator, frog legs, and venison

Lunch that day was at The Yearling, located (as the crow files over forest land) about half a mile from Ms. Rawlings' home. By car, it's a little farther.

If you examine the menu pictured above, you see some of the more exotic offerings: alligator, frog legs, and venison. The four of us ordered more conventional entrees, although our son is an avid hunter a connoisseur of venison.

Speaking of gators, you can see one on display in that same photo above, courtesy of a skilled taxidermist. This creature is some 13 feet long.

A LOT of other members of the animal kingdom are on display throughout the restaurant, this bear being one of them. Bookshelves line many of the walls with volumes on many topics and there is an gift shop of small antique items. It's a very interesting place to peruse while waiting for food, or after the dining is done. Everything is rustic, and to use the term again, very "old Florida."

On another day we took our guests to a huge sandstone rock quarry that, over time, has been converted to a stunningly beautiful garden with ponds, water falls and fountains. Again, this special place has been a topic on this blog in the past and was certainly worth a return trip.

Williston is less than an hour's drive from our home. With good walking shoes, one can explore many trails over rocky paths and steep steps past lush green trees, flowers, over bridges with huge orange, white and speckled koi fish swimming below.

Our daughter pointed out the rainbow as I snapped this picture. Do you see it?

There were at least two (probably more) of these quaint birdhouses tucked into the forest.

In the past I've mentioned Gary's years spent in Japan as a young military airman. This red structure is called a Torii, which is defined according to AI as follows: 

"A torii gate is a traditional Japanese gate marking the entrance to a Shinto shrine, symbolizing the transition from the mundane human world to the sacred, divine realm of the kami (spirits). They act as a boundary to protect, purify, and signify a shift toward a life of grace."

While Gary and I were raised with traditional Christian values, we can still appreciate the beauty of this architecture in such a lush garden setting.

Lunch that day was at Red's, another of our favorite haunts. We always ask for an umbrella-covered table outside, on the deck, which stands over a swampy portion of the Oklawaha River. Gators are underneath the deck, and in past visits we could hear them below us making their low grunts. On this day we could not hear them at all. A large group of women (i.e. NOISY!!) filled the airspace. But our food was very good, as always and the kids took our word for it about the gators.

Internet photo

On the last night of our company's visit, the big story on TV's national news was the violent weather sweeping through tornado alley. The storm hit a town where some of my family lives. I am thankful to report none of them were injured, and I don't think their property got any serious damage; but the above photo shows the carnage others experienced in their town.

This happened late on Friday. I was pleased when my sister sent this photo of a flyer distributed by her church announcing the arrival and practical help of the Christian ministry, Samaritan's Purse. This is a ministry that shows up at disasters all over the world to lead and guide with the most practical of help needed. When you contribute to them with monetary gifts, you can be sure you are helping those who truly need it.

The first puzzle that was completed earlier has been taken apart and returned to its box. I'm giving it to Jersey Girl, one of my two girlfriends who LOVES them. My friend, Joline, has completed some 165 puzzles since the pandemic!! This is what old ladies do in their latter years! 🤭

"They" say puzzles are good for seniors -- they help to keep our brains sharp. With that said, I've begun another one. My method is to complete the border first and while doing that, I divide the other pieces into containers according to the more outstanding features of the puzzle picture. Do any of you do it this way?

Our days are gradually getting warmer, which means the snowbirds of our community are evacuating for cooler climes. Some left just this morning, another is leaving tomorrow, another next week and more leaving by Mother's Day.

her reading my blog made us neighbors!!

One of my snowbird friends from up north enjoyed a picnic lunch with me the other day. This gal is remarkable to me because she began reading my blog before I even came to this town. Little did she and I realize back then that one day we would become residents of the same community. 

As she and her husband considered where they wanted to spend their winter months, she recognized from my blog pictures and writings that I was living in one of the places they were considering! Isn't that wild?!!! 

our back yard

This concludes my scrapbook of the Sabbatical snapshots. I missed writing these past weeks but the break was good and time was well-spent. I've got a clearer vision of what I'm supposed to be about and am eager to get back into the swing of things.

"Where there is no vision,

the people perish."

Proverbs 29:18 KJV

Until next time, grace and peace.

Barbara

Also check out The Christian Lounge, where occasionally my devotional writings are featured.

https://thechristianlounge4u.blogspot.com