Milestone Achieved - 75 years of Phenomenal

On July 10th, I celebrated my 75th Birthday.  It has been a phenomenal journey if you consider I was born two months premature, and only survived because incubators for babies had been invented.  But in spite of the odds against me, with incredible parents who never gave up on their dream to have children, I thrived and I am here all these years later.  Sometimes, it feels incredible that I have been given this amazing life, and even more so during the past twenty years shared with my dear husband, Jimmy.  God surely saved the best for the latter years of my existence.  Being seventy-five years old isn't so bad.  I can still think, and do most activities I wish to do-well almost all of them!  Anyway, here's how we spent the day...

There is a restaurant near us called "Skillets" that serves breakfast and lunch, and I have wanted to try it for some time.  The atmosphere is bright, fresh, and inviting.  The staff is attentive.  The food turned out to be yummy, and beautifully presented.  Happy kickoff to the day-no cooking, no dishes, and out with my guy!

 

 

 

 

From there we traveled south on I-75 across the Peace River to Punta Gorda to a gallery called the Visual Arts Center.  Not only is there a gallery and gift shop here, there are also a number of class rooms where classes are given for a wide variety of artistic endeavors.  The gift shop displays the products of those classrooms for artists desiring to sell their work, and includes multiple options from jewelry, pottery, wood carvings, stained glass, and every medium of artwork you would expect-watercolor, pastels, acrylic, and oil renderings.  Between the gallery rooms and the gift shop, we spent considerable time taking in the entire venue.  Lovely, inspiring, cool (air conditioning), and a totally relaxing experience evolved out of this trip.  (Jim was motivated to take up wood carving since, and I may try an entirely new medium called alcohol ink painting.  More on both of those in a later blog.)

 

We continued the day with dinner at Olive Garden, arriving during the start of a heavy downpour of rain, laced with loud thunder and flashing lightning.  It was a relief to get inside the restaurant.  Being one of our favorite restaurants, we opted for our usual selections-Eggplant Parmesan for me and Tour of Italy for Jim.  The inclement weather continued throughout our meal in a total downpour with wind pushing the rain horizontally across the parking lot and into the restaurant's windows.  So a shared tiramisu dessert and coffee completed the meal before we braved the walk to the car.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And what's a birthday without a birthday cake?  Jimmy had gone out early in the morning before I awoke, and hid a beautiful cake in the refrigerator unbeknown to me.  This surprise finished up a beautiful day spent leisurely and memorably in honor of my 75th birthday.  I couldn't have asked for, nor planned, anything better.  

 

July 4th - 250th U.S.A. Birthday

We enjoyed the holiday right here at home.  The condominium association where we live held an Independence Day gathering at our clubhouse with a mid-afternoon potluck at 2 p.m.  Fried chicken, water melon, sausages, and a variety of side dishes that yet again were too tempting to taste for us to stick with our diets.  

 

It was a fine opportunity to get to know some more of our neighbors, as the usual afternoon thunderstorm poured down outside while we conversed with those at our table.  By the time our dinner was over, the sun had returned and everyone headed home to nap, watch the celebrations around the country on television, or in our case following a nap-a short excursion over to Dairy Queen for ice cream.  (See what I mean about the impossibility of dieting over a holiday weekend?!)

We stayed up until 1 a.m watching the celebration in Washington, D.C., after rain delayed plans there.  But it was worth it.  Here, fireworks were banned due to dry conditions and brush fire potential.  Lightning causes enough fires here without adding to the potential hazard.  So when forty minutes of spectacular fireworks rewarded our late night vigilance, we were thrilled.  It's been a different kind of holiday this year.  We're feeling very patriotic and proud, and it's nice to recognize how blessed we are right now in our lives. 

 

Before the World Wakes

 7/3/26

Friday was one of those rare mornings when I awoke at 6:30 am, and actually felt like getting out of bed.  I quickly went out for a walk, avoiding the direct rays of the rising sun and enjoying a temperature a few degrees cooler than what an hour or so later would yield.  Two doves were just outside our door, roosting on the sprinkler pipes that run along the ceiling of our outside walkway.  They aren't used to me disturbing them at this hour of the day and they flew away from near our door up to the roof of the stairwell that takes one down to ground level.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The angle of the sun makes for good shadows and I played around with photos of my own shadow as I walked.  The light was also good for textures revealed by the almost white and black appearance of the base of a palm tree.

 

 

 

With the inspiration of painting a watercolor version of a red flower I photographed, and the reluctant company of one of our many rabbits along the way, and after a lengthy break from exercise-this early morning outing seemed like a perfect way to start the day.  

 

But Jim made the morning even better.  We went out for breakfast at Waffle House, and ignored our diet plan for at least a few yummy moments.  Now back to behaving!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Midyear and Baked Eggs Breakfast

Here we are at the end of June and midway through the year!  It's been a fast ride thus far, but good.  This past week sped by with doctors (getting established in a new area), car service, thunderstorms, and a few errands accomplished amid our daily chores.  With no other stories to report, here's a good recipe for breakfast eggs you might try from my B&B ownership days.

Baked Eggs Breakfast:

Gather/measure out the following ingredients into separate small dishes, or measuring cups and spoons:

5 eggs, 1/4 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup butter (melted), 1 cup cottage cheese, an 8 ounce package of Italian blend shredded cheese,  and your choice of either 1 finely chopped red pepper, or 1/4 cup cooked sausage pieces, or 1/4 cup crispy cooked bacon pieces, or your choice of any combination of those three for a total amount of 1/4 cup.

Spray six small ramekins, or a six hole muffin pan, with a vegetable oil spray (like PAM).  With a small handheld mixer, beat the eggs in a medium sized bowl until light and fluffy.  Add flour, baking powder, and salt to eggs and beat again until smooth (don't over do this part though), then stir in gently the melted butter, cottage cheese, Italian blend shredded cheese (retaining a 1/2 cup for garnishing the top of the eggs later), and a 1/4 cup of either red pepper, sausage, or bacon-whichever you are using to flavor the egg dish.  Remember, you can also use any combination of those three ingredients if desired, just add an amount that equals 1/4 cup in total.

Divide the mixture evenly into the six ramekins or the muffin pan.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.  Reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees and bake for 15 minutes longer.  The eggs will rise in the ramekins or muffin tins as they cook.  Top each with a tablespoon portion of the remaining Italian cheese and bake for another 5 minutes, or until golden brown.  This works in a conventional oven, as well as an air fryer oven if it has temperature controls as pictured above.  

Loosen the edge of the baked egg with a small spatula, and lift the baked egg out and onto a serving plate if using a muffin tin.  If serving the baked eggs in the ramekin, place the ramekin on a plate taking care to use an oven mitt as the ramekins will be very hot to the touch.  Add sides of some fresh fruit and an English muffin for a completed meal. Remaining servings may be refrigerated, then reheated in a microwave on high for a minute or two over the next couple of days and will again taste great.  

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.  Happy to help.  Enjoy and cheers!

Lightning, Brush Fire, and Smoke

As is usual this time of year, thunderstorms and lightning are common especially in the late afternoon.  We had both yesterday.  After a particularly strong bolt of lightning, I noticed dark black smoke rising to the north of our condominium.  The plume of smoke spread wide in the air currents despite the heavy rain immediately to the east of the fire.  

Eventually, we were able to determine that a brush fire had been caused by the lightning.  It consumed sixty acres quickly fed by dry underbrush in a park and undeveloped area to the north of us.  No buildings or vehicles were involved.  No people have been injured.  

Today they report that firefighters have about 85 percent of the fire contained.  You can still smell the smoke from our lanai, but neither the lake nor the foliage across the lake from us have been affected.  It is amazing to think fires are possible in this tropical place with its daily rainstorms, but indeed they are common.  Lightning is the main perpetrator.  Hopefully, as summer progresses, the rainstorms will yield enough moisture to lessen the risk, but I am thankful we only got to experience it from afar. 

 

Father's Day: Clocks, Cracker Barrel, and 19 Years

June 21, 2026:  Father's Day and our 19th Wedding Anniversary.  Both fell on the same day this year, and being the summer solstice, Sunday was the longest day of the year as well.  When we chose the summer solstice as our wedding day, it symbolized the aspiration of this marriage becoming our longest union since both of us had been married previously.  We have achieved that goal happily, and hope for many more. 

  

The measurement of time is something special when considered to be the result of a now functioning grandfather clock that Jim constructed entirely from a kit perhaps fifty years ago.  The clock survived its move across the country for yet another trip.  Jim, being well versed in the mechanics of its functioning, was able to put its weights and pendulum back in place and after setting the time, we have the pleasure of listening to its lovely chimes throughout the condo. 

We also spent time on Sunday hanging pictures all through our home.  Somehow pictures, which have traveled with us to every home we have made together over the years, complete the feeling of constancy in our lives from place to place.  They represent memories and create a final establishment of "home" unlike anything else.  We may be miles from family, friends, and familiar locales, but these framed images create a feeling of belonging when everything else is unfamiliar, and relationships are yet to be created in this new place.  We have each other, and now we are surrounded by what feels like "us" in this new space we call home.  And that is a good thing.  

  

We ended the day with an early dinner at Cracker Barrel.  We frequent this restaurant routinely because it feels like a friendly place with homestyle cooking.  There's a saying, "time goes by fast when you're having fun", and that is so very true.  It seems like only yesterday we were married on a boat in Friday Harbor, Washington, yet here we are nineteen years later already!  We're still having fun everyday, and for that I am so very grateful.  

Bella Napoli Pizzeria - For the Love of Pizza

 

When in the mood for pizza, we like to try small and local pizzerias.  An electrician working on a few electrical issues in our condo last week suggested Bella Napoli Pizzeria.  It's a very short drive west of our condo on King's Highway in Port Charlotte, so we tried it after the electrician finished his work.  Turns out it was a good choice.  Situated in a small shopping center, we might not have noticed this venue without the recommendation.  Even at almost 7 pm, the restaurant was crowded and obviously popular.  We chose a small table in the bar with a clear view of the pizza oven, pizza dough twirling in the air, and order after order passing over the counter to the wait staff.  There's a brisk takeout business interspersed with the sit-down diners.  The decor and energy swirling around us couldn't help but make one feel as though they were at a party.

  

There was thin crust, thick crust and very thick pan pizza to choose from which made the final choice difficult.  Ultimately, we decided on thin crust and individual size pizzas with veggies on one and meat on the other.  Both were good choices.  Paired with a beer, this was pizza heaven.  We'll go back there I'm sure to take a break from our low-carbohydrate diet that our doctors would prefer.  After all, there are things in life that are just plain necessary.  Pizza is one of them.  But there are other Italian dishes also on the menu there.  I suspect we'll find excuses to eat out there often so that we can work our way through the menu.