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Home for
the Holidays
 It
is always great to "be home for the holidays." We enjoyed a quiet but
busy Christmas. Mom and Paul joined us for Christmas eve and we
enjoyed a nice dinner together and then exchanged gifts. The day after Christmas,
we enjoyed Toxic Audio, a great a cappella
group who performed
at the local theater. Then the following day, we enjoyed the Christmas
show featuring the New York Radio City Rockettes. That was a
spectacular and enjoyable performance. Click on
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS to view
the photos.
Florida
Has "ICE" (The Attraction)
Just
before Christmas, Sam and I ventured down
to the Gaylord Palms Resort, not too far from Disney World. Each year,
over 2 million tons of ice is carved by artisans from China. They
spend over 6 weeks in a nine degree air conditioned pavilion carving and
coloring spectacular displays. We visited ICE once before about 2
years ago, but this year's display was much more colorful and enjoyable to
view. Boy was it ever cold inside. Those of you from the North
may say, "hey, we get 9 degrees or colder and the wind blows too - what's
the big deal?" It is much different when you are literally inside a
big refrigerator. Even with the big parkers they issue, feet, hands
and ears get very cold, and they don't have to worry about people lingering
too long around the displays. Anyway, judge for yourself, click on
FLORIDA HAS "ICE" to view the
photos, or better yet, come to Florida and see it in person!
New
Landscaping
It
may be in the mid 90's now, but we had a colder than normal winter. At
one stretch, we had three consecutive days of below freezing
temperatures. For our neck of the woods, this is devastating for plants,
water pipes, and electric heating bills! Even though I covered most of
our plants, some I missed. As a result, we lost most of our flowering
Ixora. We also had a beautiful Create Myrtle tree that mysteriously
died. This is a very hearty tree and it is unusual for them to
die. We speculate that perhaps it was hit by lightning.
So
in mid-July, we had our landscape company replace the tree, bring in new cold
tolerant but flowing plants (Knock Out Roses), remove and replace some old
bushes, and put down new mulch. It's a never ending process, but it
looks good for now and as the plants and tree mature, it should look even
better. Henry took some before and after photos. Click on NEW
LANDSCAPING to see them.
July
4th on "The Romance"
We've
come to enjoy celebrating July 4th on a small river boat called "The
Romance." It holds about 150 people and it sails on Lake Monroe and
the St. John's River. On the Fourth of July, it does a special evening
cruise that provides for a wonderful view of the fireworks without the challenges
of the large crowds. The crowds are there, but on shore - about 100,000
of them!
For
a very reasonable price, you get dinner, a cruise on the lake, and then an up
close view of the fireworks along with a regatta of other small boaters.
We shared the experience with our neighbors, Lance and Astrid who got married on May 30, 2009. See that
story below. To view Henry's photos, click on JULY
4TH ON "THE ROMANCE."
Lance
& Astrid's Wedding
Our
neighbors, Lance and Astrid got married on May 30, 2009. They got
married at their home which is right across the street from us. While
many of their family and guests traveled great distances to attend (Germany,
New Mexico, Connecticut), we only had to walk across the street! Henry
helped out by taking some photos of the ceremony and the day. All
weddings are glorious days filled with love and hope for the future.
While you may not know this wonderful couple, I think you will enjoy the
photos and it may remind you of your special day! Click on ASTRID
& LANCE WEDDING and enjoy.
Sam's
First Photos
This
Christmas, Henry surprised me with a new digital camera. It's not the
big fancy one like Henry's Nikon, but it is small and compact, easy to
operate, and of I size that I can carry in my purse or in a small carry
bag. As you know, I'm not a gadget person, except when it comes to
cooking! So I decided to take some photo classes at the local camera
store. They teach basic camera operations, composition, and
lighting. I have several more classes to take, but here are some of my
first photos. The one with me in it, Henry took! You'll also note
that some of the subjects are our favorite four legged friends. Click on SAM'S
FIRST PHOTOS to view.
"Sam's" Cooking Links
The web is full of cooking
and recipe sites. Sam's Recipe Links
provides a nice selection. Henry and my favorite site is the Kraft
Diabetic Choices site. It not only has great recipes, but it
has some wonderful health tips as well. Please send me any sites that you
enjoy and use, and I'll add them to the list. Enjoy!
"Sam" Has Own Email Address - - Get it
Now!
Yes, I am responding to email. My address is Sam@henryscarfo.com. Write it down now! Or, click on Sam's E-Mail
to contact me. I have to admit that not much progress has been made in my learning the PC. But, Henry checks my email daily and I'll reply to all email with Henry's help or by writing you a personal note the ole fashion way - by the US Post Office!
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