Thinking about fruitcakes this time of year? Well I'm posting this early so you can get in on some of the best Fruitcake you've ever tasted which comes from a small monastery in Missouri. Assumption Abbey Fruit Cakes are a dark, rich traditional style of a fruit cake. Made by Trappist Monks in a small monastery in Ava, Missouri, who oversee all stages of production. This rich, dark and spicy fruitcake is spiked with burgundy wine and rum & studded with English walnuts, pecans

T-11 hours and holding... T-Count Down Is In Progress T-11 Weather briefings Planned instruments inspection and hold Crew equipment stow Move structure to "park" position Activate the Vehicle inertial measurement units and communications systems Perform ascent run list T-11 hours and counting Activate & Monitor all fuel Clear the take off area of all nonessential personnel Switch gaseous containers to full Stow location. T Countdown St

Beaches as far as you can see along Hwy 19. Rich histories of these communities. For instance Tarpon Springs, a city on central Florida’s Gulf Coast. Greek eateries line waterfront Dodecanese Boulevard, locals say it is a legacy of the Greek sponge divers who settled here in the early 1900s. Along the water, the Historic Sponge Docks are a reminder of the once booming industry. The 1940s St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church has stained glass and a Grecian marble altar.

In 2020 I needed another day off road to recharge and enjoy the roses. I found a quint little town of Perry, FL. They had a town of friendly people and proved to be a great place to stay another day and enjoy the sunshine. It's not like I had to be anywhere right then so there is where I planted myself for some relax time. My talking with the locals had me on top of the features of this community. Perry is tucked into the Big Bend region, or better know as Florida's Nature Co

Today is a busy day so my philosophical wanderings had to be delayed which got me to thinking about life". “There is not one big cosmic meaning for all; there is only the meaning we each give to our life, an individual meaning, an individual plot, like an individual novel, a book for each person.” Maybe it’s because of the recent popularity of “True Detective” or our culture's aversion to religion, but there’s been a lot of discussion about life lately -- the meaning of it, t

It seems the Castle build is making a come back. Over the last decade I have seen several Castle builds around the country. In fact there is one such structure in Florida. You can visit the home, galleries and workshop of internationally renowned artist Howard Solomon. Tour the Castle, walk the beautiful nature trails and enjoy a delightful lunch at their Boat in the Moat Restaurant. A Day Well Spent! While the number of people who still live in castles is small, their presen

The coastal scenery beckons me closer today as we roll along. As I pull into the one of the beaches approaching Port St. Joe, FL, I envision a scene that must happen as the sun shine happily on the cool, rippling surface of the sea. Like us... those in their cars drive towards the nearest parking space like they would never have another chance to see this exquisite scene. Their children I sure would be the first out, and they run frantically towards the sea, as if competing f

I left my warm comfortable home because my philosophy in life is "Better an Oops than a What If". I found out "Life was meant for good for great adventures. "This month has be fabulous moments exploring new territory... From driving around & seeing the sights, to great conversation with my daughter and good cooking for suppers on the range. I'm grateful at the hospitality & world they graciously shared with me. I will never forget this journey. It will be hard to leave but

Well, maybe between the hard times things can be enjoyable times like this week & year. I've had a blast resting & eating breakfast at my hotel with the rest of the day vegging in front of the TV watching movies galore. 😂 Then though this year I couldn't climb my butt on my Trike, I can enjoy the North Florida temps even though it has been cold for Florida standards. Hotels prices were not too bad so I rolled into a Days Inn in Marianna, Florida to enjoy pampering myself fo

As now an old lady trying to live my best life I have come to an issue with my own child. I have tried to understand just how our family got to a point where Love & Devotion to them got forgotten & memories are distorted. A talk with an expert in the field of Children Psychology has explained that children's memories are often inaccurate and reconstructive, easily distorted by emotions, suggestions, or later information, leading to "false memories" where they recall events th

Cold temperatures make me want to think of warmer days. One such day comes to mind. I decided to take a run down the local Hwy 14 to see the field of Sunflowers near Billings, MO. They were a sight to behold. Breathtaking beautiful! I then meandered over several roads before stopping in the small community of Sarcoxie, MO. I noticed I was almost to Carthage, MO again so the stomach ruled the decision to ride on over to Iggy's Diner to eat lunch. I tried the special of the

An day in the Crazy World. Including my health and sciatica, future worries for Americans. Shooting by ICE, protester making a living from billionaires paying for Protesters. Everything is still unknown. I pray that God will be with us through this year. May we all emerge stronger and able to regain a semblance to a life we once knew. Here on my new winter home front I have the last minute irritations upon me of colder weather. I had hoped to have a travel expedition that wou

I'm In Love!!!! Florida's canopy roads are historic, tree-lined routes, famous around Tallahassee, Florida, featuring stunning tunnels of ancient live oaks and sweet gums draped in Spanish moss, remnants of old plantation paths, now protected for scenic beauty and quiet drives like Meridian, Miccosukee, and Old St. Augustine Roads, offering a unique glimpse into Old Florida. It takes you back to a time you can only imagine! Nana

Weeks ago... Southward I drove with a few rain drops greeting me along the way. However, I was definitely rejoicing the warmer temperatures. Then as I started to notice the changing scenery I realized that my "truck was going to my switcharoo" to the normal trip from Missouri. I brought additional little items to make camp at my daughter's house. The Ole Blue was going to need new wiper blades and along with more snacks at the ever so plentiful Wal-Marts long the way. Iron

Here’s a fun little guide to recap a little of what I’ve discovered so far: A - Alligators You can't write about Florida without mentioning the state reptile... They are everywhere! B - Big-Na$$ Bugs They seemed to be everywhere too! C - Coastlines   Florida is the state that can boast the second-most coast in the U.S. after Alaska. However does Alaska even count? It's pretty and all, but most of the time it's a little cold for a day at the beach. D - Dinosaurs Just kidding.

Another day was meandering along coastal Route 98. Destination was Apalachicola, Florida. Apalachicola was a small settlement at the mouth of the Apalachicola River when President James Monroe appointed a Port Collector in 1822. By 1828 steamboats operated between Apalachicola and Columbus, Georgia carrying manufactured goods to upriver towns and plantations and returning with cotton destined for mills in New England and Europe. In 1836, 50,000 bales of cotton were shipped fr

Almost 21 million people call Florida home. I've grown to love the Sunshine State these past few years. I’ve called Missouri home for 68 years. I love learning new things about where I visit. I was sitting in dry during a horrific rain storm and started thinking about weird facts, urban legends and other strange stuff about every State. I started doing research and found some cool and weird facts about Florida that I wanted to share... The beaches of Palm Beach County houses

Sunday I found another country church just about 6 miles from my daughter's house, Magnolia Baptist Church. It seems to have unusual bell placement I had never seen before. The Church has been there since 1873. A lot of worship & families in Christ in those 153 years! Everyone was so welcoming & accepted me as another sister in Christ. This last Sunday I was even escorted to my truck by a gentleman to make sure I got there safely. I think I'll be going back while I'm here. N

I love me some Tropical time near the ocean. I'm enjoying my Fried Fish Filets & hush puppies... yum! Did you know that I had wanted to be a Naval Officer after college? However my family threw a fit when I pitch them my ideas. Plus I had also just met my eventual husband so as evident now... I never left for the Navy. I guess I'll watch my Popeye and be content. Few people know that Popeye’s character really existed. His real name was Frank “Rocky” Fiegel. Born in Poland in

Last November I went to my annual Dr appointment. I asked for something for my pain in my back.... 4 Ibuprofens was not really working. I am apprehensive to start the Tramadol that was prescribed. The warning are a little scary and if any thing happens then it wouldn't be the way I wanted to spend my earmarked vacation money if something goes wrong. Plus a hospital won't have the room service I was thinking about this year either. So far so good with the meds. I found the la