A New Season

Oh how we love pumpkin season. You did know this gourd-ish squash has its own season, right? Winter, Spring, Summer, Pumpkin.... We anxiously anticipate it every year. -Trader Joe’s Fearless Flyer, October 2010

Hawks Pumpkin Patch

Move over roses - everything is coming up pumpkins! It goes beyond pies, muffins and lattes. There are pumpkin spice marshmallows, English muffins, bagels, cream cheese and yogurt, but it doesn't stop there. There is even a pumpkin spice kahlua. Want more pumpkin? Check out this list of foods for the pumpkin season.


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Still Going

Celebrating 6 years at Roses to Rainbows.

What is blogging? Blogging began as a web log, an online journal of whatever you wished to write down to share with friends, family or just for yourself.  Over time the web log has evolved into the blog, or blogging, and one who writes a blog is called a blogger. Our thoughts are now shared on a much larger scale as we try to reach out to people all around the world.

Why do people blog? For some blogging may be an extension of a business website; for others it may be a means of staying in touch with family and friends. 

Some bloggers get recognized for their content and go on to write books. I've watched bloggers go from small sites to national recognition, magazines and TV shows. Is this the norm? Nope. It is the few of the few, so why do the rest of us do it? As self expression, a creative outlet, or as some people state, "I can't not write".

These are some of the things that got us started, but what keeps us coming back to the keyboard? What keeps us pressing publish, sharing our thoughts, our words, our stories?

I have previously shared this quote "Better to write for yourself and have no public than to write for the public and have no self." I often wonder what Cyril Connolly was thinking when he said those words? Born in the early 1900s, he was a widely published British author, so apparently he was not lacking a public for whom to write.

For whom am I writing?  For anyone who takes the time out of their busy lives to read my posts. For anyone who reads my words and smiles. For anyone who happens by on their way to somewhere else. 

What is my goal? To reach out to people, to make them smile, make them think, to encourage and motivate them. I serve up a mixture of facts, fiction and anecdotes, tossed with humor and inspiration and sides of pictures and poetic ponderings. 

What keeps you writing or reading?

The quote of the week returns next week.

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Nature's Way

I go to nature to be soothed and healed, 

and to have my senses put in order. - John Burroughs

Nature affords us the simple pleasures that relax and soothe us, and make all right with our world again. Whether we gaze out over the ocean, hike a wooded trail or while away shady hours beneath an old oak tree, nature brings us back in touch with ourselves.




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Shine On!

I wish I was a glow worm,

A glow worm's never glum.

'Cos how can you be grumpy

When the sun shines out your bum!

- Unknown

Have a safe and happy Labor Day!

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Golden Sunset

St. Augustine Beach, 2015

Sometimes Nature saves the best for last! This was taken on our final night at the beach.

Posted for Photo Friday prompt, Clouds.








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Walk With Me

The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul - Robert Wyland

St. Augustine Beach, June 2015

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Who Are You?

Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is

 no one alive who is you-er than you! - Dr. Seuss

Well said, Dr. Seuss. You otter just be yourself.  Go on, revel in your you-ness.

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Photo Friday: The Mighty Oak

Giant Live Oak on Anastasia Island in St. Augustine, Florida

June 2015

Posted for Photo Friday prompt, Trees.






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Being Yourself

The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are. 

- Joseph Campbell

Don't waste it trying to be someone else. Just be the best you that you can be.

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The Slow Lane

I regret less the road not taken than my all-fired hurry along the road I took. - Robert Brault

It's not so much which road you take, as what you do on the way. It is like taking the Interstate in an effort to get where you're going fast versus taking some back roads and just enjoying the ride. 

Sometimes life is better in the slow lane, so no matter which one of life's roads you're on, take time to appreciate the journey.



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Turtles Go Round and Round

We love to vacation in Florida, and Skipper's Fish Camp is one of our favorite stops along the way.  We go there for the food, which is outstanding, but we also love to just stroll around and enjoy the critters. Here are some of the turtles drifting lazily around the pool.

It was a beautiful sunny day, perfect for taking pictures.  I just love the shadows cast by the swimming turtles.

Hi there. Aren't you cute! I used to have turtles when I was a kid, back in the day when you could get turtles at the pet shop. I called them Perky and Flipper. Now I just enjoy them in their natural habitat, or in this case, their swimming pool.

Here's the little fellow, up close and personal. 

"Hey, where's my shadow?"

No, that's not a real alligator, although there was one in the river. I'll get to him in another post.

Please enjoy the turtles going round and round, and as always, thanks for visiting!

If you can't see the video, click here.

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It's Your Life

Sometimes I lie awake at night and I ask, "Is life a multiple choice test or is it a true or false test?"...Then a voice comes to me out of the dark and says, "We hate to tell you this but life is a thousand word essay. ― Charles M. Schulz

Life is not a series questions and even if it was, they could not be answered with a simple Yes or No, or choosing by A, B, or C. 

Life is a series of events and experiences that cannot be expressed in monosyllables or by filling in the blanks. Lives well lived can produce not only thousand word essays, but literally fill volumes.

It's your life to live and your story to tell.






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The Little Elf

I met a little Elf-man, once,

Down where the lilies blow.

I asked him why he was so small, 

And why he didn't grow.

He slightly frowned, and with his eye

He looked me through and through.

"I'm quite as big for me," said he,

"As you are big for you."

- John Kendrick Bangs

Don't judge people by what you expect them to be. Give them a chance to be who they are and maybe both your lives will be richer.

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Spooning?

During our recent trip to St. Augustine, we had several opportunities to dine near the water. While we were having lunch at the Conch House restaurant one afternoon, this fellow was panning for his lunch in the shallows near the marina. 

This is the same location where we saw the manatee, pelicans, baby sharks and a sea turtle. Click the link to read about that...don't worry, I'll wait.

Okay, let's meet today's special guest.

This is a Roseate Spoonbill. From a distance we were reminded of a Pink Flamingo, except for his flat, paddle-like bill. For more information on the Spoonbill and hear what he sounds like, click on the link.

The Spoonbill is a wading bird of the Spoonbill and Ibis family, and is found in the Caribbean, Central and South America, Mexico and the Gulf Coast of the U.S.

They feed in shallow fresh or coastal water by swinging their bills from side to side as they walk, often leaving a trail behind them as they sift through the mud.

Their diet consists of aquatic insects, frogs, newts, crustaceans and fish too small for other wading birds.

After lunch, I got some video of him feeding and leaving a trail in his wake.

To see more of my videos, visit my YouTube channel here.

The music in the video is called "Squiggly Line" by Podington Bear found at http://podingtonbear.com.  I think you'll see why it is so appropriate for this video.

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Nobody's Perfect

A good garden may have some weeds. - Thomas Fuller

You weed your garden today and tomorrow you find you still have weeds. Our imperfections are like weeds. We will never be free of them. Not to worry, nobody is perfect and just as we still get a good crop from our garden in spite of the weeds, and we can be good, productive people in spite of our imperfections.

Let's accept each other, flaws and all, and watch our garden flourish.




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Watching the Waves

My connection to the earth is reinforced 

through the rhythm of the waves. - Mike Dolan

St. Augustine Beach, June 2015

I often refer to this as recharging my internal batteries. To sit and gaze at the ocean relaxes both body and soul. Maybe it is the rhythm of the waves, or the layers of sand, water and sky, or the life-sustaining power of the ocean. Whatever the cause, the effect is the same.



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Linda Meets the Manatee

Here we have a couple of Pelicans hanging out looking for a handout. Fishermen were cleaning fish and tossing the remnants into the water. They are competing with a couple baby sharks for their lunch. Also present at this party was a sea turtle.

The star of the show, however, is the Manatee. Unfortunately these gentle giants are on the endangered species list. If you boat in areas where you may encounter manatees, please take a moment to read this.

This manatee likes to hang out where he can get a fresh, cool drink of water.

Here you can see his tongue and whiskers, and the algae and barnacles covering his tough skin.

I turned up my pants and got down under one of the fish cleaning tables to get a closer look. The hose to the right of me is where the sink drains.

Photo Credit: Ashley Morris

Such a gentle creature for one so large.

Yes, I petted the Manatee, and to answer one of the most asked questions, no he was not slimy. Although he might have been where the algae was growing. I felt the whiskers and they are like very thick hairs, flexible and not at all sharp.

Photo Credit: Ashley Morris

Bye-bye Mr. Manatee.  It was an honor to meet you!

Photo Credit: Ashley Morris

I compiled the video we got so you can see how he interacted with people and how much he enjoyed the fresh water. They truly are magnificent creatures.

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St. Augustine Highlights

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. - St. Augustine

St. Augustine is the nation's oldest city, founded by the Spanish in 1565, and named after the Catholic saint, St. Augustine. Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles named the area thusly since land was sighted on the day of the feast celebrating St. Augustine.

Our destination.
It had been many years since I had been to St. Augustine, and then we were merely passing through on our way to Daytona. I was pretty excited to get to spend time exploring the city and basking on the beach...well I don't actually bask anymore, but still it was great to hang out and watch the waves.

Our traveling companions, with my hubby in the back.
Everything in Twos - two couples, two cars, two kids (theirs) and two condos. Ashley and I had been looking forward to the day when we could all vacation together. This year it became a reality.

The gang

Where we stayed.
Pier Point South Condos at St. Augustine Beach on Anastasia Island. Our unit came with everything we needed, including beach towels and chairs. A big thank you to the thoughtful owners for such a well-provisioned condo.

Pier Point South Condos

What we did.
We struggled with high temperatures and high humidity so to see more of the city with less effort, we took the Old Town Trolley tour. You paid one price for three days of rides, getting on and off as much as you like. Our first stop was the St. Augustine Distillery. We all agreed that a tour, free tasting and A/C would be a welcome break from the heat.

After a brief tour of the distillery, we were taken to the tasting room. There we were treated to a Florida Mule made from their own vodka, and their version of a gin and tonic, again made from their gin. Everyone was offered a sample of both the gin and vodka neat. This was my first distillery tour and spirits tasting.

St. Augustine Distillery

On another day we toured the San Sebastian Winery. We arrived in time for the tasting that was just starting. We were given our choice of two wines on each round and we decided I would take one and hubby the other so we could both taste each wine. The first two were a dry white made from several of Florida's hybrid grapes and a dry red described as full-bodied, but I felt it was rather light. These were the driest of the wines offered. There were several made from their Native Muscadine grape, which were sweeter. Lastly we were served cream sherry and port styled wines.

San Sebastian Winery

We climbed the St. Augustine lighthouse which is 165 feet tall with 219 steps to reach the circular walkway around the tower just below the lens. This tower was constructed in 1874 and was automated in 1955.

St. Augustine Lighthouse

The view from the top was fantastic in all directions from the Atlantic to historical St. Augustine.

At the top - all 219 steps.

No trip involving water would be complete without a boat ride. We cruised the scenic waterways of St. Augustine aboard the Victory III. Visitors have been cruising these waters since the early 1900s seeing such sights as the Bridge of Lions and the St. Augustine Lighthouse.

The bridge of Lions

Scenic Cruise

Where we ate.
A unanimous favorite was the Conch House restaurant. Fish tacos, fish and grits, blackened Wahoo and fried shrimp were among some of the entrees we ordered. We also sampled conch fritters, gator bites and hot wings. We sat at large picnic tables beneath thatched huts overlooking the marina. As we enjoyed our lunch, we watched wading birds fishing for theirs.

In the hut at the Conch House

The Conch House - a view from above.

The Sunset Grille, about a block from our condo, served up tasty fare as well. We shared fish sandwiches and fish and chips outside on several evenings.

Sunset Grille

Other places we ate at along the beach were Antonio's for pizza, Rita's for Italian ice (the mango was delicious), The Salt Life, and Little Margie's. In town we had breakfast at The Bunnery, and lunch at the Ice Plant (next to the distillery).

Stay tuned for my manatee adventure!



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Friendship

Let’s swear each with our pinky

We’ll be the best of friends

Until we are old and wrinkly!

Good friends and good times make memories for a lifetime.

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I've Been Away...

It's been several weeks since I've posted, and no I didn't fall off the planet, get abducted by aliens or even swallowed up by a whale. I just took some time off to recharge my batteries, and in doing so, gathered lots of pictures and videos for blog fodder. I hope you will check back to see what I've been up to.



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