The Rising Sun

It's past midweek and I want to get out of the house.  I also want to get away from the garden.  Oh!  This is not E for Escape?  What the heck!  Let's go grab a large cup of hazelnut coffee and go down to the beach and greet the rising sun.



I need to go down to the water's edge to see the sun rise.




Let's make ourselves comfortable on a sand dune and listen to the waves crashing in ever so gently.  Let's listen to the seagulls scream for a good spot to hunt for food.  Let's skim the horizon for dolphins as the sun is making its escape from the blue and dark waters.



It's all right to kick your flip flops off and wade in the water.  Chase some waves and let the water get your pant legs wet.

Nah!  Don't chase the birds!

Then there is the haunting House of the Rising Sun!
Oh, sweet Lord!  What did I tell my sons?

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Quality Time

There are too many times when the house is a mess; I didn't take anything out for lunch; and we have been working in the garden and around the yard:  we are tired, we need to get away.  Mayport!  We come back refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to go back to work.

We pick up a pizza or sandwiches from fast food stores, bring our own iced tea, and drive out to the boat ramps in Mayport where we sit quietly in the car and take in the view of St. John's River flowing by ever so quickly.

We check for dolphins frolicking in the river.  The dolphins usually go out with the tide and come back when the tide returns.

The pelicans make themselves comfortable on the ramps while waiting for the shrimp boats to return with chum or "trash" fish.  The seagulls have learned a long time ago not to beg from us.  They let us know what they think about us not giving them even a small crumb.

We watch fishermen and pleasure boaters put out their boats without mishaps.  We are always surprised how expertly they handle their boats.

A few times, we have caught a glimpse of a loon diving under the piers, fetching his own lunch, and minding his own business.  It is time to leave, when he starts laughing at us.

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The dolphin is a borrowed picture.

Papaya

The other day when I was in the grocery store, I decided to buy a papaya.  The cashier said that it looked very nice and should be just ripe for eating.  The papaya was more yellow than green but still firm to the touch.

When I got home I took out my sharp kitchen knife and while holding the papaya in the other hand, I wondered what to do with it.  

I began cutting it in half, lengthwise, and removing the small black seeds--a surprising lot of them.  

I continued to cut wedges lengthwise and then slicing them up into bite size pieces without cutting all the way through the green papaya shell.  

I finally ran the knife from one end to the other of the wedge and ended up with some nice pieces of sweet papaya. 

The only drawback about the papaya is that it mostly comes from Hawaii and that is a long way to travel to reach the east coast of Florida.

Don't even think about planting the seeds unless you live in an area where the soil temperature is 80 degrees F year round.

The reason I got the papaya was really to show that I am quite able to try new things once in a while.  Aside from that, I enjoyed the papaya immensely.  It does have a fresh and intense but pleasant flavor.

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Blogging for the A to C April '16 Challenge.

Orange Blossoms

 The orange blossoms do give out an intense and distinguished aroma that will knock your socks off.  Floridians only wear flip flops and now you know why.

It seems that the citrus trees have been in bloom for a long time this year and there have been tons and tons of blossoms attracting large bumble bees.  Hopefully that is an indication of lots of fruit for much later this year.

The strong aroma is easily carried on the wind and when it hits you, there is no escaping.  We don't have an orchard out on the Back Forty but the smell could easily fool you.

 On the way to the garden, we pass two small trees putting us in the middle of essential orange blossoms--uncut.

We have one Parson Brown on the left and on the right is the lovely and sweet Valencia.  The latter gives us juicy oranges in February.

Writing about the orange blossoms reminds me that it is time to fertilize the citrus trees to provide them with nourishment and minerals to give them a boost of energy for their fruit production.  A gardener's work is never done.

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Northern Cardinals

The Northern Cardinals are the most beloved and best recognized birds in the south eastern part of the United States but they have also been seen up north.  The lure of bird feeders filled with sunflower seeds have spurred on their flights to a cooler climate.  No less than seven states have the red Cardinal as their state bird.

This past week a couple of cardinals have visited my Crepe Myrtle tree many times.  It is difficult to tell which one of the birds follow the other, but they make an interesting team.

What I like about the Cardinals is that they stay together for life and that the male is very protective of the nest and the young ones, even feeding them.

The cardinals have been building a nest in the Crepe Myrtle tree, the same tree with the hummingbird feeder.  It seems to me that the less colorful, brownish, female has done all the building.  She carries small branches and straws and strings to the nest.

The Cardinals that come and visit the Back Forty are my working birds:  they work for the privilege of having a safe environment with access to water and "food" free from pesticides and herbicides.

The birds hunt for insects and bugs on the ground, in the trees, and in the air.  They like berries and seeds, beetles and grasshoppers and so much more.

We don't feed the birds or other wildlife on the Back Forty:  we do not want them to become dependent on us.  But the brilliantly red cardinals keep coming back along with their less colorful mates to feast on what is available in our backyard.  They are so welcome.

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Mayport Shrimp

Mayport is a small fishing village at the mouth of St. John's River in Duval County, Florida.  There is nothing fancy or quaint about the village.  It is rustic with good working people.  The shrimp that comes out of Mayport is out of this world:  it is sweet; it is outstanding.  It is good!

Whenever we have company, we take them to Singleton's Shrimp Shack for a treat--steamed shrimp.  The interior consists of unpainted tables, odd chairs, and plywood floors.

Before seating or after the shrimp feast, it is always interesting to take a look at the many carving of various shrimp boats on display.

Any time I go out to Mayport I buy a pound or two of shrimp from the fish market.


Well at home, I put the stock pot on the stove and fill it with water and add Old Bay spice and sometimes a bundle of fresh dill from the garden.  Once the water is boiling, I dump the shrimp in, head and all.  When the shrimp is pink, it is ready.

Other times, I may cook the shrimp in beer if available.  If not, I also like to cook the shrimp in water with apple cider vinegar added.

There is no need to doctor up the Mayport shrimp too much and there is no reason to even try elaborate recipes.

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The picture of the shrimp boat coming into Mayport is yours truly,

the other two are borrowed.

My Labyrinth

We had looked forward to having a Labyrinth near our garden on the Back Forty.  We had the plans for it, but it was not that easy to construct.  My husband, the mathematician, figured on a 24 inch wide path that would be easy to cut with the lawn mower.

We initially outlined the Labyrinth with pine cones and small branches.  They soon disappeared into the earth.  We tried large seashells.  They looked nice but they made an awful racket when cutting the grass.  We finally decided to go with grass on grass.

The entrance to the Labyrinth was at the north end and we walked to the east, following the sun.

The "middle" of the Labyrinth is really not the "Middle".  We had a difficult time figuring out how to mark that spot or rather what do we mark it with--something special, for sure.  Our dear friends came to our rescue and gave us a sundial that fit perfectly.

Time went by and we found the Labyrinth to be a lot of work.  We didn't particularly like cutting the path in +100 degree F weather with high humidity.  The Labyrinth finally grew out of control and became a maze

Seeds for a Labyrinth

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