Tenth Street Walk Out Atlantic Beach, FL – September 6, 2021Sand Art Atlantic Beach, FL – September 6, 2021Choppy Waves Atlantic Beach, FL – September 8, 2021King Tide Season Begins Atlantic Beach, FL – September 9, 2021It’s A Hell Of A Day At Sea, Sir Atlantic Beach, FL – September 9, 2021Passing Storms Atlantic Beach, FL – September 10, 2021Pink Skies At Night Atlantic Beach, FL – September 10, 2021Bloom Where You’re Planted, Tenth Street Walkout Atlantic Beach, FL – September 12, 2021
In The Gardens:
Upcycle Balcony Victory Garden, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – September 7, 2021Honey Nut Squash Upcycle Balcony Victory Garden, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – September 7, 2021Orange Bell Peppers Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – September 8, 2021Honey Nut Squash Upcycle Balcony Victory Garden, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – September 8, 2021Gateway Greens Moistenland Hydroponic Garden, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – September 9, 2021Snowball Cauliflower Upcycle Balcony Victory Garden, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – September 11, 2021 Guitar Case Greens, Honey Nut Squash, Red Bell Pepper, Celery, San Marzano Tomato Upcycle Balcony Victory Garden, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – September 11, 2021Eggplant Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – September 12, 2021Gatherer’s Gold Pepper, Orange Bell Pepper, San Marzano Tomatoes, Bumblebee Tomatoes Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – September 12, 2021Orange Bell Pepper Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – September 12, 2021Honey Nut Squash, Guitar Case Greens Upcycle Balcony Victory Garden, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – September 12, 2021
On The Streets Where I Live:
Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – September 6, 2021Palm Avenue Atlantic Beach, FL – September 6, 2021West Third Street Atlantic Beach, FL – September 9, 2021
Parks and Recreation:
Tideview Preserve Atlantic Beach, FL – September 7, 2021Spanish Pond Trail, Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve Jacksonville, FL – September 11, 2021Spanish Pond Trail, Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve Jacksonville, FL – September 11, 2021Lake Loop Trail Jacksonville Arboretum and Botanical Gardens Jacksonville, FL – September 12, 2021
Codee Cam:
Snuggle Bug Close Up Codee, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – September 8, 2021Watching The Waves Atlantic Beach, FL – September 9, 2021 The Ripple Effect Atlantic Beach, FL – September 11, 2021
On The Plates:
Roasted Cabbage, Sweet Onion, Golden Beet, and Chicken BreastPotato Cabbage Chicken Salad, Sugar Snap Peas, Gatherer’s Gold Sweet Pepper
Sky Art Atlantic Beach, FL – August 28, 2021Sky Art Atlantic Beach, FL – August 28, 2021
Painted rocks are huge in my tiny town and lots of people get into the game of leaving them for people to find! They are hidden or randomly placed around the town to bring smiles, mantras, and creative tiny creatures. I find them everywhere and, this morning, these guys were hiding under the pier. I’m always the most impressed with the rocks from the artist who painted the elephant, but for some reason the duck, especially stashed under the pier during this dreary weather, really brightened up the morning. Thanks for the fun, #abrocks!
Even the ducks are hiding from the storm… Atlantic Beach, FL – August 28, 2021Painted Rocks Atlantic Beach, FL – August 28, 2021
In The Gardens:
It’s time to start getting some plants in the ground over at the garden even though it’s still a bit early in the fall season. I am definitely going to run out of time before Dear Evan Hansen starts again, so I started to clean out the garden a bit. Typical me, I’m going to plant anyway because…well, why not? I considered not having a garden this season because I thought it might make it harder to leave, but I decided that I would rather make the most of my time off. Plus, it’s not like it could get any harder to leave…are you starting to sense that I am having mixed emotions about packing up?
Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – August 28, 2021Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – August 28, 2021Mammoth Sunflowers, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – August 28, 2021
About The Town:
While I I live in Atlantic Beach, technically speaking, my little bubble includes Neptune and Jacksonville Beach as well. We’re all connected in a strange government consolidation that happened in 1968, yet each town still maintains their own municipal governments… Let’s not go down the politics road yet, though…There are so many things to love packed into the trifecta of towns we call “The Beaches”, especially if you are into cooking and great food. Goodness knows, with four farmers markets, a natural foods market, and an urban hydroponic farm in the area, I really don’t need to grow plants for the harvest…which leaves me more time for sunflowers. 🙂
Penman Park Jacksonville Beach, FL – August 28, 2021Hydroponic Farm and Market Atlantic Beach, FL – August 28, 2021
Sweating It Out:
I fear that I might be getting a bit too comfortable kicking it at this pace, but I have increased my weekly mileage as I have decreased my speed. Plus, this feels right for right now and I think that’s what matters.
What I Watched:
Okay, this show came out last summer, but it is worth a revisit. You could blame it on my admiration for Reese Witherspoon, but this one is so much more that than. An incredible novel, Little Fires Everywhere, was made into an extraordinarily compelling, limited series on Hulu. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it.
On The Plates:
I haven’t made a big grain/legume salad in awhile, but I got out the big bowl this afternoon. Normally at the condo, I keep all of the components separate because I like to make something slightly different each time. This way, no one dish gets stale in the rotation, but during a conversation about meal convenience earlier this week, I was reminded that I am going to have to get back into my tour batch cooking ways soon. As a little practice, I put together some roasted beets, canned chickpeas, sprouted lentils, roasted zucchini, and some homemade pickled carrots and onions. I am also working my way through the jar of mayo that I made, so I whisked a little of that with some pickling juice to make something like a dressing for the whole thing. For supper, I put a couple of fried eggs on top of a big serving to bump that protein up.
Keeping Guard at Town Center Atlantic Beach/Neptune Beach, FL – August 26, 2021
There were some rough seas this morning and not many people were braving the water, but our lifeguards were looking out just the same. Remarkably enough, I have not braved the water above my knees this summer, but I come to the beach almost everyday and it’s one of the places that I will miss the most when my time off comes to an end. I just keep reminding myself that I bought my condo and that it will all be here waiting….fingers crossed, of course.
Atlantic Beach, FL – August 26, 2021
In The Gardens:
Team Beautification, Beach Blvd Atlantic Beach, FL – August 26, 2021Dreary Day Sunshine, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – August 26, 2021
Back To The Beach:
Atlantic Beach FL – August 26, 2021
There was a break in the storms that made for a beautiful evening stroll and a little “bird” watching. I know it sounds a little like something an 8 year old boy would say, but I think that helicopters are so cool. We get a fair amount of air traffic over our beach because there is a Navy base 3.5 miles up from my place.
Atlantic Beach FL – August 26, 2021Atlantic Beach FL – August 26, 2021
Sweating It Out:
I had pretty mixed emotions about my cardio goal when I first set it. First, I thought it was too easy. Then, I was concerned that it was going to be too hard, but I think I hit it right on. The freedom of pace makes it not an overwhelming daily task and I think that I have found an awesome rhythm this week. I used to be so concerned with pace and distance. Right now, I am concerned with consistency, fun, and a feeling of accomplishment. Plus, it’s a truly great way to spend a rainy hour.
What I Watched:
I wouldn’t say that I am a fan of her music, mostly, because, well…I just never really listened to it. BUT….I am a big fan of hers. What is there not to love about a business woman, positive role model, and artist. I really enjoyed watching some of the story of her rise in the industry. I hate how right she can be about the perceived length of time that the American public will tolerate a woman being successful, but I hope that she sticks around for a few more decades. It turns out, she’s also a great storyteller.
On The Plates:
I don’t think that I have had this green drink consistency before. I am thinking about mixing it up once tour starts again and trying Athletic Greens. I don’t usually consume things with stevia because I have read some conflicting reports…surprise, surprise, right?…But convenience might win out a bit more on this upcoming tour. Drop me a line if you are an Athletic Greens supporter. I would love to hear your opinion of the product. Goodness knows that I hear all my favorite podcast hosts rave about it. Anyway, for the first food food meal of the day, I had chicken breast with roasted cauliflower, eggplant, and grape tomatoes. I also had a few extra herby bits kicking around, so there is a bit of basil and parsley in there as well.
See? Sometimes, I want to shout, “I eat things out of a package!!” 🙂 I’m just kidding, but it does happen. It’s a complicated food system out there, but I do think that a few companies are really trying to put out quality products. I really like the Applegate Organics Chicken and Apple Sausage. The chickens are raised in a certified humane way and the majority of the ingredients are organic which is about as good as it gets, barring knowing the farmer, of course. Plus, they are fully cooked and tasty. Tonight, I had one sliced into some coconut milk buckwheat and green beans. Less than 15 minutes to the bowl!
Okay, I’m going to keep working on it, but I have always had a difficult time getting these to photograph as delightfully as they taste. I pretty much end every night with a version of one, though, so…there you have it. I’m trying to get into this single ingredient pea protein that I bought and, it turns out that blending it with banana, strawberries, coconut milk, and basil helped me not care that it’s a little grainy. Like so many, I might be a little addicted to sugar…😉 and, like so many things in life, my recovery from it is a long and bumpy process. I like the way the addiction manifests itself in this phase, though and, historically, I have had very few regrets from indulging in natural sugars in whole fruit form. I can guarantee that my blood sugar wasn’t into the Jameson or the ice cream phase of my life, so progress, not perfection, right?
“We’re going around again?!?” – Codee Atlantic Beach Dog Park Atlantic Beach, FL – August 23, 2021
After the morning on the beach, a little nap (not for me), and lunch (also not for me), I decided to swing past the dog park. While Codee was doing those other things, I was typing so I was looking for an excuse to get out as much as he was. We like the dog park when it’s empty, especially while Codee is still on prednisone, and today we lucked out. Another silver lining to practice retirement (what I sometimes call my pandemic experience) is that we can go at random time during the day, so we typically luck out a couple of times a week and find the park vacant. The town just completed a renovation of the park where they installed a rubber track, filled in large holes and replaced all the grass. It’s better than ever.
“Is this a food thing?” – Codee Atlantic Beach Dog Park Atlantic Beach, FL – August 23, 2021
On The Streets Where I Live:
Neighborhood Car, 6th Street Atlantic Beach, FL – August 23, 2021Neighborhood Car, Ocean Blvd Atlantic Beach, FL – August 23, 2021
Sweating It Out:
Mondays are my weekly cardio rest day, but I did a little resistance work to keep the tide moving. It’s not that I don’t like a complete rest day, but it’s more important for me to gain momentum this month. A body at rest and all that…Plus, I started really small and I’m feeling good.
On The Plates:
I finally made it through the bag of chia seeds that I had in the freezer, so I have moved on to having flax seed meal in my brunch green drink. They certainly aren’t interchangeable all the time, but for my purposes (healthy fats including Omega 3s and fiber), they are and I am in the process of actively trying to empty my freezers. Yes, plural…I am going to remodel my kitchen and situating freezer placement is definitely a part of that. Anyway, because this is already ground flax meal, nothing about the blending process changes. The drink has a slighting different taste, but I’m into it. Dinner and dessert were kind of a combo meal because that’s how the evening worked out. I love love love fruit and sometimes, I over buy it and sometimes, I definitely over eat it, but I used to drink my sugar in whiskey form, so I’m heading on a positive trajectory. The point is that I made a little (not really) fruit salad because it sounded yummy and I had a few pieces of ripe fruit. Then, I had some…and some more…and then I realized that I should go ahead and add some protein since it seemed I was going to have fruit for dinner. Because I was in the process of prepping chicken for the week, it was easy to add a serving of baked chicken as side to my fruit salad. Is now a good time to remind you that I am 100% NOT recommending that anyone eat how I eat?? I think it is.
The plated meal today was so delicious that it’s definitely going to top the weekly rotation for quick dinners. These are little packets of grass fed beef, cubed steak with a touch of mayo wrapped in a turmeric coconut wrap. I picked some greens from the balcony to put under a few matchsticked rainbow carrots and some grape tomatoes for color, crunch, and all that other veggie goodness. I choose to use my fat portions in the wrap so I skipped the olive oil, but I definitely seasoned all the veggies. Don’t skip that part.
Cronometer:
Garmin Says:
In terms of my overall challenge goals, not hitting the step goal one day per week doesn’t constitute a huge failure in my book. I didn’t want to adjust the goal because in two months, I am not going to have much of a choice. Better to keep aiming for it, right, but I have to admit that I really didn’t focus on it. I was completely solid on every other goal, so maybe I needed a rule that was meant to be broken. I think I picked the perfect one. 🙂
Just as the antidote to distance is connection, the antidote to loss can be creation.
These can feel like horrible days. For too many people to count, they truly are the most horrible of days. Sickness, fear, loneliness, anger, and sadness can overwhelm the day. Things don’t make sense right now, so sometimes, I escape to a different world that doesn’t make sense, but at least it makes me giggle…
What can you see in the photos? Print some out or take your own sky photos and then grab a pencil to play along! The possibilities are endless and judgement can’t thrive here. As Peter would say in Finding Neverland, “It’s just a bit of silliness…”.
Meet my COVID Cloud Creatures…
Atlantic Beach, FLTaking OverAtlantic Beach, FLSending Down LoveAtlantic Beach, FLHugs Are HardAtlantic Beach, FL Swimming to Safety
Inspired by “For Forever” from Dear Evan Hansen, “Giants In The Sky” from Into The Woods, and “The Art of Play” by Joan Stanford.
