Celebrating a Birthday!

where I'm sitting to blog

We sit out here on the lanai many afternoons to read, enjoy the view of the back yard, and I compose these blog posts. During the depths of summer's heat or in our short winter months, time spent here is brief, if at all. Twelve large windows help to regulate the amount of heat or cold.

Today is perfect. The overcast sky emits fleeting rain showers that are gone before they really get started, and a brisk breeze is fluttering softly through my hair. We're wearing shorts and short-sleeved T-shirts. One of us is wearing sandals and the other is barefoot.

Gary is in a nearby chair, talking on the phone with his son while I type on my laptop and inject an occasional comment into their conversation. 

It's birthday weekend here, for Gary. If you're asking if it is a Big One, my response is that at our age, every birthday is the big one. 

To celebrate another trip around the sun we prefer to go low-key. On Thursday we had lunch at one of our local favorites that sits absolutely on the very edge of the Rainbow River. I took the snapshot you see here (below) to give you an idea of how casual this place is: corrugated metal decor, lots of beer advertisements, and most of the dining area is open-air with huge picnic tables and metal patio furniture. The serving staff all wear blue jean cut-off shorts.

The hostess always asks us where we prefer to sit. Our usual response is on the outer deck within a few feet of the river. 

our first table

We had driven through a blustery rain storm to get there, so we brought our jackets and the umbrella with us to the table. It's good that we did!

That same storm caught up with us, so we grabbed the menus and found a drier place to sit. This time we stationed ourselves on bar stools that had us sitting side-by-side, which I usually avoid, preferring face-to-face conversation with my dining companion.

However, our view of the river from the countertop and stools was excellent. When it's just the two of us, we may ask to sit there all the time in future visits!

We have kayaked and canoed this river together in the past. It's a "lazy river" kinda thing with slow-boat traffic, inner tubes, paddle boards. Be sure to note the gray Spanish Moss draped from the huge oak trees above the canvas awnings. "Swampy's" is aptly named!

As for what we ate, the Birthday Boy had sausage and shrimp over grits with a spicy cheesy cream sauce. He said it was sooo good!

I had the grilled chicken sandwich with all the available vegetables and a side of cole slaw. Sweet tea, too. (Always sweet tea when we eat out.) Very good; we enjoyed it all.

So that was on Thursday. Since the actual birthday was on Saturday, and we generally try to avoid weekend traffic, we did the eat-out-lunch celebration on a weekday. (Friday was my Bible study and a pedicure appointment.)

On Saturday morning I gave Gary this card when he brought my first-of-the-morning coffee. By mutual agreement early in our relationship, we decided to not usually exchange gifts, preferring shared experiences instead. At our age, we have: 

had it all

have it all

have either worn it out, sold it, or donated it

just don't need it

My son from Out West texted this snapshot of his family (minus the 2 cats) with his greeting for Gary's birthday:

This is their mule, the one who jumped the ranch fence twice a couple of weeks ago. They tell me she's not done that any more, so hopefully that escapade won't be repeated.

Gary also received emails and text messages from his family, some of his former co-workers and even a couple of high school classmates!

Although we stayed home (Gary rode his bike after breakfast; I'm still grounded from that for a few more days), we maintained a festive feel throughout the day. I wore my ice cream shirt that was purchased at Jekyll Island last year. Gary wore his souvenir shirt from Billy Bob's in Fort Worth (acquired before we met).

Gary cooked hamburgers on his indoor grill and put together a French Fry - Tater Tot combo in the air fryer. Yes, I caught him in this picture with his mouth-full! 

We watched the Air Force vs. Navy football game. Our favor leans toward Air Force, since Gary and members of my family are veterans. But Gary has also spent a fair amount of time at the Naval Academy with his investigative career after USAF retirement. 

Late in the day we had German chocolate birthday cupcakes with a candle and Klondike ice cream bars. As you can see we are big party animals and we like it this way.

Returning to the topic of giving each other shared experiences instead of gift-wrapped presents, I spent some time reminiscing about the fun places/trips we've taken since his last birthday. Here are just some of the snapshots taken:

Gary's Birthday lunch at Flagler Beach 2024

Christmas 2024 model train
and miniatures show

Valentine's Day 2025 @ Tarpon Springs
(sponge diving excursion)

Barbara's birthday lunch 2025
Crackers on Crystal River

Everglades, Florida 2025

Key West, southern-most tip 
of Continental USA
April 2025

spring 2025 
Dudley Historic Farm, Newberry, FL

Mermaids @ Weeki Watchee
April 2025

49th Avenue biking trail
Summer 2025

National Corvette Museum, Bowling Green, Kentucky
September 2025

It's been a good birthday celebration. Every year, every day, every breath -- all are gifts of mercy from our Lord who has blessed us more than we can possibly know this side of Heaven.

Teach us to number our days, 

that we may gain a heart of wisdom. 

Psalm 90:12 

Until next time, grace and peace.

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P.S. Anonymous comments need to include your name and/or website or the comment will be deleted.

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The Ministry of Green

multi-purpose path in my neighborhood

The current rainy season has just deposited another deluge of water in my neighborhood. It is mid-to-late afternoon, the usual time for a storm at this time of year. Per our usual habits, we were able to schedule our To Do List so that we were comfortably back at home before the storm began. 

 

Rainbow River
Dunnellon, Florida

I needed to do some business at the bank and since we were out in the right direction for it, Gary suggested we get lunch at one of my favorite spots before heading back home.

Swampy's

Not a stranger to my library of blog fodder, Swampy's is a very casual grilled burger (and other foods) place planted on the literal edge of the Rainbow River on Hwy 484 in the town of Dunnellon. My readers may remember my accolades of the place in previous posts.

seating options

The hostess walks us through an open-air, covered dining room to get us to where we request to sit, at an umbrella table overlooking the water. 

Rainbow River
Dunnellon, Florida

There are a few tables set indoors but in my opinion, why even go there if you don't want to sit outside? Yes, here in Florida, it's usually hot if the choice is to eat outdoors, so we come to Swampy's when the temperature is more amenable. This was a good day for that.

watching the boat traffic

The number of actors in the "show" on the river vary every time we go there. We have even been a part of the show a couple of times in the last couple of years when we rented a kayak, and another time a canoe, to paddle up river to the natural springs that create the river and then turning around to travel down river. Moving with the current was a lot easier, allowing us to just float and enjoy the flora and fauna all around us. Birds, turtles, fish ..... probably gators were close by but mid-day, they prefer to hulk in the weeds and that's just fine with us.

my plate

The menu is good but I usually get the hamburger with sweet tea (the way Southerners brew it). I opt for steamed broccoli while Gary gets fries. I got the chicken wings one time and they, too, were very good. 

source

Getting to the subject of "green" (referring to my post title), just for fun I'm given Kermit a brief cameo as a nod to the happy years when my family watched The Muppet Show. It was our habit on Saturday nights to get everybody's bath and hair washing out of the way, followed with pizza at the coffee table so we could watch Jim Henson's creations on television.

As for the psychology in the lyrics of his song, that's for another article another day. I included him only because he is green.

image source

My mother liked to say that God gave us so much green in nature because it's the most relaxing color for us. I decided to research that, coming across an article titled, "Why We All Need Green in Our Lives." 

Did you know the human eye sees green better than any other color in the spectrum? "Compared with residential regions where plants and greenery were sparse, [green] proved to be beneficial to mental health."

This fascinates me and once again confirms how our Creator has so carefully formed us and our world with great compassion. He gave us more green in horticulture than any other single color to aid our emotional and mental well-being.

my visit to Custer National Cemetery in
Little Bighorn Battlefield, Montana
2016

I say that green has been used in horticulture to calm us. Beyond the plant world, blue skies help a lot, too, along with abundant sunshine.

Humans have learned to use the color green when comfort is most needed. Green makes a wonderful background for the other vibrant colors of nature.

Cosmos in one of my raised gardens, Colorado

All of the houses I've lived in since moving to Florida have had abundantly green landscapes on the back side of the floorpans. 

my back yard in Jacksonville

It's fascinating how these views have had such a calming effect on me -- and most especially over the past nearly 4 years when grief has affected my state of mind to one extent or another. 

our current view of green 
on the back side of the house

We're told when our faith falters, we should review what God has done for us in the past, taking note of the blessings. I see how our Creator has used green to minister peace and calm to rebuild my injured psyche. What a faithful God He is to provide all that we need. 

Blue Daze in our yard

Psalm 23:1 says in one translation, "Because the Lord is my shepherd, I have everything that I need."

Sometimes the most simple things around us have been divinely positioned for our good but we are oblivious, choosing instead to spend money and time on more involved remedies. It captivates me to think how simply some of our troubles can be resolved.

A song by Selah has been playing in my thoughts with these lyrics:

Be still my soul

The Lord is on your side

Bear patiently

The cross of grief or pain

Leave to thy God

To order and provide

In every change

He's faithful will remain

Be still my soul

Thy best, thy heavenly friend

Through stormy ways

Leads to a joyful end.

Until next time, grace and peace.