Saturday, January 29, 2022

Seth And Monkeys



 Seth loves monkeys. He has many stuffed monkeys, but he always carries around his small black monkey (whose name, of course, is Black Monkey). He was pretty excited to get to see real life black monkeys. He was also happy to take a picture with stone characters from one of his favorite movies, "Up."

Kisses


 "Stop moving. Your sugar plum is trying to kiss your cheek."

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Joel's 23!


First-born children are special.  Everything about the whole parenting experience was brand new, and being part of every stage of a little person's development was so interesting and exciting.  Joel was a sweet, smart, funny, cooperative child and grew to become a compassionate, intelligent, hard-working man.  I love every second that he shares with me.  Being his mother is a privilege!
HAPPY 23RD BIRTHDAY, JOEL!!





 

Monday, January 24, 2022

Make Us Dinner


 Jason: Hey, Seth!  What are you making for dinner?
Seth:  Dinner?!  I'm not a parent!

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

The Secret Garden



I love the hidden fairy doors in the "Secret Garden" within the botanical garden!!!!  These are not on a paved path, so many people probably miss them when they visit the garden.  The Secret Garden also has a little library with benches especially for younger visitors.  Tap on each picture to see it large enough to see the details.  They're beautiful!

Tuesday, January 18, 2022

White Garden



The White Garden is a small section of the botanical garden.  I couldn't sit on this bench and read because today is so chilly and that bench is in the shade.  Most of the benches are in the shade, and this makes sense because it's usually outrageously warm.  We're just having a little "cold snap" (in quotes because an Alaskan can't seriously call sixty degrees COLD).  I will admit that I wore a hoodie and long pants because I've been chilly.  Still wearing my flip-flops, though!


Friday, January 14, 2022

New Blooms

Hydrangea --------------- Sweet William
Plumed Cockscomb ------------- Red Powderpuff
Impatiens -------------------- Begonia
Begonia Leaves ---------- Yellow Passionflower Vine

Sandy found two more fairy doors!!!!!!
I found my next two reading spots.



 

Thursday, January 13, 2022

Fountain

One of my favorite aspects of living in Florida is "eternal summer."  I love to be outside IF I'm not too warm, not too cold, and not overrun by non-human creatures.  Florida winters are very similar to Alaska summers, so I'm LOVING life from November to March!  Today I went to sit next to this beautiful fountain to read and drink a yummy treat.  I'm currently re-reading Little Women and enjoying it more than I did the first two times I read it when I was much younger.

 

Tuesday, January 11, 2022

Seth Logic

Mom, you still have celiac disease?
Yes.
You still 49?
Yes.
All right!  Oreos it is!
That's Seth logic at its finest!!

 

Sunday, January 9, 2022

The Garden

 We've been having some beautiful weather, and I decided to enjoy it at the garden. I picked seven different benches throughout the garden to sit and read and look at the gorgeous plants and flowers.  This first one was off the path under some nice shade trees.

My favorite part of the garden is the rose garden.  It has a big four-tier fountain surrounded by benches and various colored rose bushes.  This bench was the only bench that I chose in the sun.

After reading a chapter in the sun, I moved over to a bench in a gazebo in the rose garden where  I could still see the fountain and roses.
By the time I sat to read at bench #4, I think several people had noticed that they'd been seeing me sitting at different benches all over the park.

Benches #5 and #6 were only a few feet away from each other, but they were in such beautiful spots that I had to sit and appreciate.
My final bench was almost completely secluded.  A small bridge crossed over a little ditch and led to a clearing surrounded by trees and plants.  I could see people walking on the paved path, and they could probably see me; but no one else came into this clearing while I sat there.  The only drawback was that I couldn't quite touch the ground while sitting on this bench.
I'm hoping this is an activity that I can do regularly because, as my mother-in-law mentioned when I told her what I was doing, this is definitely my happy place!



The Hofacker Family 2008