The Whites of Winter

a winter sunrise at Daytona Beach, Florida 
2022

This week Joyce's Hodgepodge questions focus on winter. If you want to link up with her blog to answer these questions, click here.

1. What kind of winter person are you-snow lover, fireplace snuggler, winter adventurer, or indoor hibernator? Elaborate. 

My preference over the years has changed from the thrill of being in snow to just observing it from inside a warm house. After years of living in snowy climates (Upstate New York, New Jersey, Colorado, South Dakota, Northern Virginia), when asked if I miss snow, my reply is I don't miss shoveling it. 

my last month in Colorado, May 2017;
6 inches of snow to be cleared from our deck

Been there; done that. Now my preference is the white caps of ocean waves.

collecting sea shells at Florida's Atlantic beach
after moving here in 2017

2. The Pantone color of the year is cloud dancer, described as a gentle, billowy off white shade. The color symbolizes 'peace, clarity, quiet reflection, renewal, and a soft reset'. Of the terms just listed which do you need most in your life this winter? 

I choose "clarity." Some baffling issues have been on my mind in recent years that could benefit from some clarity. 

I'm seeing that there are things in life we just need to accept, make our peace with as much as possible, and move on. 

God has everything in his control. I'm learning to trust His loving character in my life.

1957 "Colonial White" Ford Thunderbird

As to the subject of white, here is a gorgeous car we saw at a show this past November. While I much prefer driving newer vehicles for the techie additions they provide, I am also partial to T-birds since Gary dated me in his 2002 T-bird (a turquoise that was called "Thunderbird Blue").

December 2021

3. Every cloud has a silver lining, on cloud nine, head in the clouds, storm clouds gathering, or cloud of suspicion...which 'cloud' idiom do you most relate to currently? Explain. 

Thinking of current events in our world, "storm clouds gathering" is very accurate. We need to be praying for our leaders and asking God to bring calm to our streets.

4. Coconut, cauliflower, cottage cheese, mayonnaise, onions, ranch dressing...of the white foods listed, which would be the hardest for you to give up? Do you like all or any of the foods on the list? 

Without a doubt, mayonnaise would be the hardest of the listed foods for me to give up. I grew up with Miracle Whip, which I loved at the time, but my desire for that has long since disappeared. Now it's Hellmann's Real Mayo for me!

5. Thomas Wentworth Higginson is credited with this quote-

"How many lessons of faith and beauty we should lose, if there were no winter in our year." 

Agree or disagree? Tell us why. 

Yes, I agree. Winter teaches us to slow down, review where we are, and to consider if adjustments should be made. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Here are the words to an old hymn that fit well with today's theme of winter whites:

Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;

I want Thee forever to live in my soul,

Break down every idol, cast out every foe;

Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

Whiter than snow, yes whiter than snow,

Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

James L. Nicholson United Kingdom/USA 1828-1876

Until next time, grace and peace.

Barbara

Reflecting on Challenge and Success

a very cold Daytona Beach sunrise
December 25, 2022

Today I am answering the timely writing prompts from Joyce's Hodgepodge that has some emphasis on challenges we face.

1. What's a winter memory you treasure (can be from any winter in your lifetime)?

Aside from the 8 years I spent growing up in Southern California, I have experienced a lot of snow in several states. One of my earliest snow memories is from upstate New York when my father bought a metal saucer and attached a pull rope to it. He sat my sister and me (ages 4 and 6) in the saucer and pulled us across the unshoveled snow to the corner grocery store to buy bread. We enjoyed that, of course.

Now I am retired in Florida where a snow shovel is not normally required. A couple of years ago we spent Christmas in Daytona Beach where had to cut the trip short due to extreme cold. 

This week Florida's record-breaking snowfall is north of us, but we're still wearing long pants, long sleeves, and warm socks!

2. Tell us about the last time or a recent time you were caught up in red tape. Does it send your frustration level off the charts or is it something you've come to expect when dealing with any sort of bureaucracy?

my desk

Caught up in red tape: Four years after my late husband's death I thought I had dealt with all the closing matters in our finances, property, etc. Things were running smoothly until I decided to trade in my cell phone for a newer model. In the process of that transaction, I discovered the account was still in his name, even though the bills have been coming to me with my name and at my new address, etc. for nearly 4 years. "My" account was actually his and my status was an "add on" as a family member.

It took seven trips to the phone company store to get this changed, including having to show them a notarized copy of the death certificate and unfreezing my credit to verify that I'm in good standing. 

It was a frustrating experience. Did I handle it well? I'll just say I was thankful to have Gary as my sounding board and chauffeur as I made my way through the tangle of red tape. That was over 3 months ago. All seems to be running smoothly now.

3. Do you eat/like fish? Do you cook fish at home? What's your favorite fish dinner? Ever been ice fishing?

Yes, I like fish, especially salmon and shrimp. We often have fish sticks and shrimp here (the heat-and-eat kind from the freezer). Gary can grill salmon very well, but any fish prepared from an uncooked state tends to make the house smell bad, so salmon at a restaurant is preferable. Texas Roadhouse and Long Horn Steak House both grill and season salmon so well.

The closest I've come to ice fishing was when I lived in South Dakota with a fisherman who probably tried it a time or two while I stayed warm and snug at home with our babies. If you want to see how that's done, check out one of my favorite wintertime movies, "New in Town," with Renee Zwellweger and Harry Connick, Jr. Here is the link to the movie trailer: New in Town

4. Did you watch any of the US President's Inauguration coverage on Monday, Jan 20? On a scale of 1-10 (with 1 being not at all and 10 being very much) how interested are you in you in politics in general? Do you follow/keep up with/get involved with local politics?

On Inauguration Day we were on a trip out of town, so all we got to see were replays of it later that day. FOX News is on our TV daily, so yes, we are interested in politics. We have been members of the Republican Club here in our +55 community, but we don't get involved more than to vote and talk about politics with neighbors who tend to agree with us.

5. What's the coziest thing you own and what makes it so?

I'm not sure I can narrow it down to just one thing that feels cozy. I have arthritis so in cold weather, wooly scarves are often draped around my neck to keep that area comforted. If the scarf has a hood attached, that helps keep the upper back warm and relaxed.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Regarding Red Tape and morphing into the subject of Tax Season: I did my own taxes a few times as an older teenager when I had part time jobs but when I got married at the age of 20, my husband took over. 

When he passed 50 years later, our finances had understandably become more sophisticated than the requirements of my teen years. My personal bookkeeper at the time (my daughter) and her CPA took care of my taxes for me. After a couple of years, that arrangement changed. Gary encouraged me to use a nationally-known tax prep business. This will be my third year to use them because I've been very satisfied with them. H and R Block

My biggest stress has been to be sure I have all the necessary documents to submit. Last year after my taxes were filed, I typed up a list of all the documents that were used and put that list into a file folder for this year. Now, as the documents come in, I check them off that list and file them all together in one place. It's a beautiful thing.  

To some this may seem to be a small thing; to me it's huge. It's also a practical illustration of God's promise to me to bring the help I need when I need it and through capable people.

Do not fear, 

for I am with you;

do not be dismayed,

for I am your God.

I will strengthen you,

I will help you,

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

Until next time, grace and peace.

Hodgepodge Volume 586 for January 22

To link up with this week's Hodgepodge, click here:

http://www.fromthissideofthepond.com/2025/01/hodgepodge-questions-volume-586.html

September Summer

 

"Balloon Glow" in Colorado Springs, CO
September 1, 2024

Today's post is titled, "September Summer" because, while many of my blogging friends are posting the very first signs of approaching autumn in their locales, daily temps here in North Central Florida continue to easily register in the low to mid-nineties. There has been some relief with a little less humidity, and believe me, I don't take that for granted. 

While I don't miss shoveling winter snow, I could do with a bigger indication of changing seasons. Ah well.

I have lived in Colorado Springs twice in my adult years (1977-1979 and 1988 - 1995), so one of the thrills that came with Labor Day weekend was the annual hot air balloon festival. Not as large as the one in Albuquerque but still very impressive, the display of lit-up balloons at dusk was a treat. After parking the car, we would walk to the scene and wander between the balloons with the crowds. At that time of evening, all the balloons were securely tethered to the ground but the burners were running full blast, illuminating the scene with wonderful color and even filling our ears with the noisy blast of the fires. I do miss that.

Pikes Peak from the perspective of
Garden of the Gods

Before I leave the topic of Colorado Springs, here is another photo recently posted on FaceBook of a much-loved, familiar scene. Pikes Peak is one of many "fourteeners" as Coloradoans call them (mountain tops at 14,000 feet, or more, in elevation). On a clear day (which is easily at least 325 days out of the year), the city can see the Peak that looks down as if in charge of all that is going on. 

Well, so much for that stroll through some memories. It's been seven years plus two months since we left Colorado in the rear view mirror to retire in a state closer to the grandchildren with a lower cost of living. I have no plans to go back, especially now that the last of my family we left behind have also moved on to another state.

downtown Jacksonville on the
St. Johns River in 2017

A lot of memories have accumulated since coming to Florida, many of them documented in my blog posts. I won't go back to visit them right now except with the insertion of a couple of snapshots.

light house in St. Augustine

My life's destiny has been to relocate to new places (10 states and Canada, 13 schools Kindergarten through high school graduation). I learned long ago it's best to accept what I cannot change and live by the adage to "bloom where you're planted." 

Little Birdie Blessings blog

This Bible verse attests to the benefits of acceptance and has tutored me during the more difficult changes put upon me:

But godliness with contentment

is great gain.

For we brought nothing into this world,

and it is certain

we can carry nothing out.

I Timothy 6:6-7 KJV

wall decor in my last house
(probably from Hobby Lobby)

Thus far the memories I've made in Florida can be described as both eulogy and rhapsody and a lot in-between. As far as it may depend on me, I intend to remain a Floridian because no place this side of Heaven's gate is perfect (and moving is a lot of effort for this retiree).

dead ends at the beach
https://www.floridaforboomers.com/retirement-spotlight-daytona-beach/

We made a pleasant memory this past week when we drove east of here to Daytona Beach. While the town boasts itself as the World's Most Famous Beach, our trip was for a more banal reason: I needed to return a pair of shoes ordered by mail that did not fit well. There is a large outlet mall several miles west of the hard-packed beach that allows car traffic. We got no closer to the ocean than that on this particular day.

(it's amazing what bloggers will capture for their blogs!)

With that task satisfactorily completed, we wandered in and out of several more shops and then decided to find lunch and head back home before traffic got heavy.

Buc-ee's Daytona Beach
on I-95

As one would expect, many of the popular restaurant chains and fast food eateries were represented at the outlet mall. Gary was interested in going to Buc-ee's because he'd not been inside one and we are told our town will be getting one soon. But as it turned out, although Buc-ee's has a lot of great food offerings, there was no place to sit inside the air conditioning and in Florida's heat, dining in our car held no appeal that day.

Gary with one of the eye-catching Fords

As we were arriving at the outlets, I had spotted this place with an automobile theme. Since Gary is definitely a car aficionado, and Buc-ee's was not going to work out this time, decided to suggest we dine at Ford's for lunch.

my plate

Affiliated with the Ford Motor Company, this restaurant franchise was a fun departure from our usual choices. We both had the half rack of pork ribs. Gary ordered French fries on the side and I had steamed broccoli. The food was great. But the decor was fascinating, too.

napkin with napkin ring

This swank place had cloth napkins -- an oil rag with a metal hose clamp for the napkin ring. Car engines and tools were in prominent display, setting the theme very well. 

rest room sink

In the rest rooms, the sinks were tires with a metal bowl in place of the hubcap. The water came out of a gas pump. I will say that the handle to turn on the water, which is not seen in this snapshot, was a test of my ingenuity to turn on. The lady at the sink tire beside me was as baffled as me, but together we managed to figure it out. The rest of the day went very well and since then we have been enjoying the Labor Day weekend comfortably here at home. 

cheese quesadillas

We have been enjoying the Labor Day weekend comfortably here at home. Still thinking about food, my quesadilla maker had been shoved to the back of a cabinet but I happened to spy it the other day. We had a light supper one evening of shredded cheese between the flour tortillas, dipping the wedges in fat free Fage yogurt.

burgers and fries

On Saturday Gary grilled his World Famous Hamburgers with all the fixin's on the buns, and accompanied with potatoes from the hot air fryer.

brownies 

Speaking of things forgotten in the pantry, I came across a box of Betty Crocker Brownie mix. I LOVE to cook with my cast iron wedge pan, so this was the holiday weekend dessert. 

I mixed the batter and after emptying the bowl, I gave it to Gary to finish off. Since he was involved with watching football on TV,  I told him to just call me when he was done. This was his response:

My man knows how to put a smile on my face and a chuckle on my tongue!

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

    He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

 

    he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

    for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk

    through the darkest valley,[a]

I will fear no evil,

    for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

    they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me

    in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

    my cup overflows.

Surely your goodness and love will follow me

    all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

    forever.

      

Until next time, grace and peace.