Changing Lenses

Speaking of change, Alan let me get a dream camera for Christmas last year. The only problem was, I was too cheap to buy a new lens, so I bought an adapter, making it possible to use an old Canon lens with my new Sony camera. Actually, it wasn’t the old Canon lens I’d been using; that one couldn’t be adapted but fit perfectly with my son Jonathan’s Canon (same model as I’d had), so I gave him my best old lens and used an even older one from several camera generations previous.

It wasn’t until after we returned from our trip around the Southeast that I realized just what a serious error I’d made by being too stingy! The old lens had no built-in “stabilization,” and over the course of the past 15 years, I’ve become less steady (read that: I had trouble with blurring images). Other problems included 1. A more narrow focus range (landscapes weren’t as wide and closeups weren’t as close) 2. Much less light (had to brighten every image I wanted to use) 3. Bad color (had to color correct, which wasn’t always even possible). Such a pain!

So, a couple of days ago, in honor of my approaching birthday, Alan sent me back to the store to buy a good lens. He is wonderful. He reminds me of my heavenly Father, who often offers me more than I will take. Why do I resist Alan’s goodwill? I’m not sure. I don’t want to impose. I don’t like to “take advantage.” Mostly, I chronically fight the urge to worry about running out of money before we die. I suspect if you’re over 70 like I am, you might identify.

Humanly speaking, it’s realistic to be thoughtful of other people’s generosity and be wise stewards of our resources, but with God, there’s no reason to refuse His magnanimity! If we’re worrying about taking advantage of Him, we’re wasting our worry! Go to heaven just by asking? Shouldn’t I work my way to heaven by trying to be perfect? No. Jesus was perfect for us; all God wants us to do is repent of our sins and trust Jesus as our Savior. God wants us to grow in grace and become a better person as a result of loving God and wanting to please Him . . . not out of fear that we’ll go to hell if we’re bad!

And, what about this? Remember the parable Jesus told the Pharisees when they objected to his eating with questionable people? Jesus pointed out that you can’t put fresh wine in old wineskins. It just doesn’t work! Old wineskins are brittle and burst rather than expanding as needed. (He was speaking of the “Old Testament/Covenant Law”—trying to work our way to heaven by keeping the law perfectly—versus the “New Testament” in his blood: being saved by faith in the work of Christ on our behalf.)

Old lenses, even with an adapter, don’t work either. I missed a lot of potentially great photos because I refused to get a new lens. All that potential gone to waste.

Some of us are like me: We’re willing to get a new “body” (by faith in Christ) but then fail to get a new lens on life! My new camera body could never fulfill its true potential as long as I was trying to adapt it to an old lens. Similarly, even those of us who have become new creations in Christ will fail to reach our true potential until we also change out our old way of looking at the world! I made the change (rather slowly) to a new camera and finally a new lens. Want to join me? The results will be a more focused, broader, brighter, and more beautiful life!

“New wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved” (Luke 5:38).

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

TWA (64): Changing Landscapes

The day we visited Magnolia Plantation (April 27, 2021) was the day America’s government officially lifted COVID restrictions for fully vaccinated individuals (for outdoors and in small groups).

Magnolia Plantation

Alan was standing outside the restrooms talking to a man from New Hampshire when the news came through. What a great relief for all of us after months of restricted interaction to have this change in our social landscape!

Enjoying the sunshine in the Barbados Tropical Garden

Last Thursday I tried to give a brief overview of Magnolia Plantation, but today I want to share a few more photos and highlights from that day, just in case you might want to go—or would like a virtual tour because you can’t go! (Educational landscaping?!)

Such heavy algae it looks like pavement.
Tourists have tried to drive on it and sunk their vehicles!

For instance, some of the landscapes at the garden were so foreign it was hard to interpret them! At first glance, I thought this was a paved parking lot.

The Biblical Garden was a real highlight for us; they’ve carefully nurtured and labeled dozens of plants referenced in the Bible which are uncommon in America because they can’t be grown in colder climates . . . although they’ve worked hard to provide a landscape where spiritual fruits can grow!

Red footbridge
(one of seven bridges over the Audubon Swamp)

Although Monet’s Giverny (in France) excels all other gardens I’ve personally visited, the quiet beauty of Magnolia Plantation’s water gardens and footbridges did remind me of Giverny landscapes.

Soothing pools and pathways

Cheerful border or snapdragons along the Ashley River at Magnolia Plantation

There were also numerous plaques explaining the historical background of the area, including both America’s Revolutionary and Civil Wars.

Cabins used to house enslaved people before the Civil War

I praise God that slavery has officially ended here, and in most of the world, but I grieve for the millions who are still illegally enslaved and oppressed. This is one “landscape” that we all need to help change.

Boat tour through Cattail Wildlife Refuge

Probably the single most fascinating “changing landscape” for me was our trip through hundreds of acres of what was once Carolina Gold rice paddies but have now been repurposed as the Cattail Wildlife Refuge.

Creating the rice paddies was grueling, dangerous work, not only because of the heat and swamp, but also because of all the poisonous snakes and alligators. (Those are not logs floating above, but alligators.)

Alligator basking in a sunny pool

There are literally hundreds of alligators that enjoy the hospitality of Magnolia Plantation’s wildlife refuge from time to time, and dozens live there permanently, many of whom have been given names.

Heron staring down at an alligator not 10 feet in front of him

(There will be alligators in each of the rest of my photos [if you can spot them] . . . all taken that sunny afternoon.)

“Boots” the alligator

We’ve taken hydroplane rides through the Everglades and gone on many a boardwalk, but on this short guided tour, we met more fine alligators than we’d ever come across on any travel adventure.

“Wallet” coming out to see if he can get a hand out

I was surprised to learn that adult male alligators—just the average guy— weighs almost 800 pounds and is 13 feet long . . . and they grow as they go. Record-holders are nearly a thousand pounds and 19+ feet. Prizes for old age go to those in their 80’s! Alligators can have all the teeth they want, and as their teeth wear out, new ones emerge . . . to the tune of up to 3,000 teeth. Don’t you wish we humans could do that?! Thankfully, we have dentists. 🙂

“Belt” giving us a beguiling smile

“Boots, Shoes, Wallet, Belt, Purse!” I’m a little slow, but I finally caught on. (Although, speaking of changing landscapes, it’s now out of vogue to use items made from alligator leathers.)

“Purse” the Alligator at Cattail Wildlife Refuge

While on the tour, we met a couple. AH . . . so fun to be meeting people again! The husband was from Daytona, although they’ve been living in Charleston for most of their married life. He was very disappointed with the changes in Daytona since he was a boy (60 years ago). Back in the day, it was a small, safe town with lots of open spaces. When we visited (April 2021), most of the glorious shoreline where you could chase waves with your car are now closed to vehicles since so many people are getting run over!

This sorrow over change and loss was also true of John Steinbeck’s recollections concerning his hometown in California (Travels with Charley). Landscapes and cityscapes are changing all across America—and much of the world!

Two alligators in the swamp

Alan and I met in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan almost sixty years ago. Believe it or not, nothing seems to change much there! It’s been a small town of about 13,000 for as long as we can remember, and it makes Alan and me just a little sad when we go back, because the town seems so static. 😦 Guess there are pluses and minuses! I like change when it’s something I like, but I don’t like change when it’s something I don’t like. Do you suppose you’re the same?

Now there are three!

Here’s my thought: Change is inevitable here on earth, so like the fifteen generations who’ve lived on the Magnolia Plantation, it’s vital that we learn to adapt to these ever-changing landscapes—both internal and external.

Am I trying hard to change and be willing to change! You too?

Statue in the Audubon Swamp Garden

“If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come” (Job 14:14).

“Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end” (Psalm 102:25-27).

“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:52).

Thankfully, the one constant in the universe is God:
“I am the Lord, I change not” (Malachi 3:6).

Just Peachy Cobbler

Two things make me think of peaches: Georgia and August. We didn’t buy a single peach while we were in Georgia (being April), but this August we’ve been enjoying an abundance of excellent peaches—must have been just the right combination of warmth and rain to make the crops especially sweet and juicy. Here’s a super simple recipe that’s bursting with flavor, rich, and moist:

Just Peachy Peach Cobbler
(Makes 12 servings)

Ingredients:
7 large, ripe, juicy peaches, peeled and sliced
1 white cake mix
1 stick (4 oz) softened, salted butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Peel and slice the peaches, arrange in the bottom of a 9X12″ baking pan.

White cake mix (any variety works fine)

Sprinkle the white cake mix evenly over the peaches.

Slice the butter into thin pats and dot the entire surface of the cobbler.
Sprinkle the surface with cinnamon.

Bake at 350°F. for 40 minutes, until bubbly and starting to look melty and juicy, then add 1 cup brown sugar by spoonfuls to the top and stir in gently, making sure all the cake mix is wet and has turned into a “batter” (although it won’t be at all uniform).

Actually, a little bit of irregularity will give the final dish more distinct taste points and add to the experience, so mix thoroughly but only until the batter is wet and some brown sugar is happily present in what will become each piece.

Place back in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top and looking suitably dreamy! I had very ripe peaches this time, so it took 35 minutes.

Serve warm with ice cream and/or whipping cream

“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:37-38. Harvesting peaches is good, but participating in the Lord’s spiritual harvest is even better!)

TWA (63): Magnolia Plantation

The Magnolia Plantation and Gardens in Charleston, South Carolina—from its inception in 1676 until today—has been under the wise care of 15 generations of the Drayton family.

Anhinga drying his wings beside one of the 7 bridges
that grace the gardens at Magnolia Plantation

It’s one of the oldest plantations in the South and on the National Register of Historic Places, although she claims her fame as “America’s Oldest Romantic Garden.” I can definitely go with that!

Flower arrangements on the porch of Magnolia Plantation

The Drayton family originally owned 5,000 acres along the Ashley River, but 2,000 acres were given as a wedding gift from father to son to establish Magnolia Plantation. According to legend, Rev. John Grimke-Drayton (who inherited the plantation in the 1800’s), expanded the gardens to attract his true love (a sophisticated Philadelphian) to join him in the South.

Azaleas blooming in the spring sunshine

This enterprising pastor is credited with introducing azaleas in America, and he was one of the first to use camellia japonica in outdoor gardens. (There are currently nearly 900 varieties grown on the estate!)

Magnolia Plantation, beautifully prepared for yet another romantic wedding
(April 2021, when we visited)

The day we visited was gorgeous. Magnolia Plantation is vast, varied, and elegant. We only had a few hours, but it’s worthy of more than a day’s attention and enjoyment. The day pass which includes tours of many of their 10 outdoor gardens and the house is well worth the price.

Alligator lounging in the rice paddy of Magnolia Plantation

We saw more alligators than we did in the Everglades (and at closer range, although happily from the safety of a boat).

We saw more anhingas than we had on the Anhinga Trail in Florida!

Road into Magnolia Plantation lined with ancient live oaks

We learned more about the South than at any other single venue on our trip. We visited 18 years ago, and we’d visit again anytime. It’s on my list of favorites for sure!

Massive 300-year-old live oaks hanging with Spanish moss surround the house.

Spanish moss overhanging yellow irises in the swamp

Native Americans called it “tree hair,” and then “Spanish hair” (because the indigenous people were impressed by how hairy Spanish men were), but it eventually became mistranslated into English as “Spanish moss.” Spanish moss, by any other name, is still as romantic and memorable to those of us who don’t live in the deep South and enjoy watching it hang like graceful, grey lace.

Turtle in the swamp at Magnolia Plantation

The nature train was awesome and the guide full of fun facts I’d never heard! Did you know that otters have underarm pockets? They often carry a favorite stone for crushing crustaceans under one arm and snacks under the other! DId you know there’s a type of turtle that can breathe through its anus?

Nest of Great Blue Herons Squawking

Egrets and herons were roosting and nesting in trees, and a few choice (poisonous, I think) snakes were curled up within sight of the train. The swamp was alive with action!

Remnants of Carolina Gold Rice, now growing wild at the estate

We also took the boat tour, which circumnavigates 150 acres of what used to be a rice paddy. Back in 1860, Charleston was the richest city in America, and rice called “Carolina Gold” was prized in America and throughout Europe!

Yellow irises and delicate forget-me-nots line the edges
of the waterways through Magnolia Plantation

Well, I must close for today, but it was one of those days that provided a month of memories! Have you had any days like that? I’d love to hear about a place you visited and what you learned.

Several varieties of birds roosting in the same tree!

Each of us is so limited in what we can experience and learn, but by sharing, we can broaden and deepen our understanding!

Purple irises along the pools at Magnolia Gardens

I guess that’s one of the things I love about the Bible. I read about the experiences of hundreds of people over thousands of years, what they did, and what they learned. Have you read the Bible through? If not, think about it! Did you know that the Bible (based on the number sold over the past 50 years) is the entire world’s #1 best seller? Writer James Chapman researched the top-selling books in the world, and designer Jared Fanning created an infographic based on Chapman’s research that looks like this:

Infographic by Jared Fanning on world’s most popular books

“Now all these things happened unto them for examples:
and they are written for our admonition” (1 Corinthians 10:11).

TWA (62): Savannah: The Doughnut Peddler and Other Esotericisms

I’ll try to make this short and sweet, but not before I mention that Savannah deserves to be much more than a donut stop! It’s a city of 150,000 and the oldest city in the state of Georgia. Their Victorian Historic District and twenty-two squares comprise one of America’s largest historic landmark districts and still retains most of its original design. I hope to return someday, but probably via car or plane rather than RV. On this trip, TWA (Travels with Allie), I’m concentrating on “America the Beautiful,” and most of her greatest beauty lies in the rocks and rills created by Our Father.

Therefore, we skirted around Savannah, only stopping at a gas station to fill up and look for food. I have to admit to having a terrible penchant for doughnuts, and we’d yet to indulge in any during our entire trip, so on this particular day we’d been keeping an eye out for a doughnut shop. However, we hadn’t seen one all morning. The cherished Elevenzies came and went, but at 12:30 we pulled into a small gas station with a Subway attached in search of lunch. The Subway was closed, and at first, I only spied (for gas station offerings) three wizened cheese dogs that looked like they might have been rolling on the broiler for 2-3 days. Ah, but they did have a case with doughnuts, although it looked fairly full, which I took as a bad sign. At the last gas station where I’d tried to get a doughnut, the cashier told me they’re routinely sold out by 9:00 am. BUT, we were very hungry and needed a little fuel in case Magnolia Plantation’s café (our next destination) was also closed. I asked the cashier if she had any cream-filled doughnuts.

She shrugged, “I have no idea.”

Not a good sign. The display looked like Dunkin’ Donuts—one of my favorites. “Are the doughnuts from Dunkin’ Donuts?”

The young, chubby lady didn’t look up. “Donut Peddler.”

Apple Fritters (from the Donut Peddler Website)

I wasn’t sure if that was the name of their local dealer, or she meant they came from somebody who peddled donuts. The labels were clearly not correct, but I chose two long johns, hoping for a Boston cream-filled (Alan’s favorite) and a vanilla cream-filled (my favorite). Both were topped with chocolate frosting—one with sprinkles and the other with stripes of white frosting. As a stop loss, I also got a huge apple fritter (another of Alan’s favorites) and a giant cup of English Breakfast tea. I would have gotten coffee, but there was no cream in the “cold, fresh” cream machine. I returned rather sheepishly to the RV, afraid Alan would be disappointed with my selections, especially if they turned out to taste like yesterday’s leftovers.

However, to my surprise and delight, the doughnuts were not only fresh, they were delicious, as was the tea! Who would have thought you could get such great doughnuts in an obscure gas station? How was it that the cashier had no appreciation for the quality of her doughnuts?

Since returning home, I’ve learned that the Donut Peddler provides fresh donuts for wholesale and retail outlets across the South, making over half a million deliveries each year. I definitely hope to find them again on our travels!

I keep thinking about that young cashier. Did she simply not care about the food she sold? Did she dislike doughnuts? Was she depressed generally? Am I like her? How often do I take for granted God’s incredible kindness and mercy in my life? Do I fail to appreciate the quality of his provisions? Am I totally unaware of what He offers? I am an ambassador for Christ! Do I love him and commend Him to others, or am I uncaring and mindless?

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” (Psalm 34:8).

Racks of Donuts from the Donut Peddler (website)

TWA (61): Trouble in Paradise

From St. Augustine, we traveled up the coast to Charleston, South Carolina.

The coast between Saint Augustine and Jacksonville is magnificent, and I found myself feeling “at home” in the peaceful atmosphere . . . wishing Alan and I could find a rental for a month in the winter some year just to walk the beaches and enjoy the beauty.

Alan, on the other hand, had fantasies of his own. He noticed a gorgeous copper-colored M240i BMW, convertible with brown leather seats. He was thinking about the fact that we could trade in our present cars and almost afford an xi (all-wheel drive), maybe in “estoril” blue. (I can’t even find this word in the dictionary, but he reads all the car mags, so he’s doubtless right.)

Napoleon B. Broward Bridge
(or “Dames Point Bridge”, as it is more commonly known)

We crossed the wide St. Johns River in Jacksonville, and I sighed with contentment watching the great stretches of blue above and below as we skirted the city. Jacksonville is the largest city in Florida by population and the largest city in the contiguous 48-states by land area, with a whopping 874.67 sq miles (includes both land and sea). Hence the nickname, “The River City.”

Such a gorgeous day. My mind was floating as free as the sweet, salty breeze. We crossed the Turtle River. The Turtle River? Why had I never noticed this wide, wondrous river before? How is it that I know so little about “This is my country, land that I love?” I remembered my first visit to China some 25+ years ago. We visited Shanghai and Beijing. I’d studied a bit about them. But, we also visited Guangzhou and Shenzhen—enormous cities (larger than New York City) that I’d never even heard of! Did you know there are 10 cities in the U.S. that now number over one million people? In order of population: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas, and now San Jose. By way of comparison, there are over 100 cities in China with more than a million residents! It’s mind-boggling! As of today, the two most populous countries in the world are China (#1 at 18% of the world’s population) and India (#2 at 17.5%). Together, that’s more than a third of the world’s entire population living in two countries. I can’t wrap my mind around that! America is #3, with 331 million people, just 4.23% of the world’s population. And, if you want a look into the future, statisticians from the Pew Research Center predict that by 2100, Nigeria will overtake America in population and Africa will have five of the world’s largest cities. The world is changing!!

Tree-lined road along A1A in northern Florida

Well, not to be compared with Hugo’s excursus on the sewer system of Paris, but my mind was wandering. Alan was driving. All of a sudden, I heard him gasp. I looked up to see a man tumbling out of a car on a side street off to my left. It all happened so fast we were passed before I knew what was happening, but Alan had seen the whole thing. Two people had been riding together, but the woman (driving), suddenly jammed on the brakes and jumped out the left side and ran off. The man, trying to catch her, jumped out the right side door, but because the car was moving again, he rolled. He did get up, but the car was still moving down the street. That was all we saw before they were out of sight, so I don’t know the ending, but I hope she got away!

Vilano Beach, Florida

Even in the most ideal locations, sin and sorrow exist! Happiness is not dependent on wealth or beauty, but it is dependent on learning contentment. And for me, contentment comes from resting in Christ.

“Surely vexation kills the fool, and jealousy slays the simple . . . For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble sprout from the ground, but man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward. As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause” (Job 5:2,6-8, ESV).

P.S.—We recovered from our Solla Sollew yearnings, thankfully! Both of us are committed to trying to follow the Lord, so we don’t know what that means for our future, but we find ourselves (four months later) completely content and grateful for the cars and home we have!

Yellow flowers on the beach where we stopped to take a morning walk

TWA (60): Blueberry-Cream French Toast Casserole

During our trip through the Southeast, I made french toast several times, as it’s my favorite way to use up crusty old bread. The best resulted from some Cuban bread we bought in South Florida. Cuban bread is sweeter than typical American bakery bread, and the result was something special.

I think that was still on my mind when Alan read to me the other day (now August) from the daily devotional called Walking by Faith. The entry told about a woman enjoying the amazing aromas of vanilla and cinnamon in a “french toast casserole” baking for breakfast at a ladies’ retreat. My daughter was coming with her family to visit for the week, and I knew french toast is one of her favorite breakfasts, so I decided to come up with a recipe for french toast casserole.

The casserole in the story had pecans and creamed cheese, but Kathryn’s kids don’t like pecans, so we needed something a little different.

Alan and I had just picked fresh blueberries at Hilltop farm, and the kids love blueberries, so we decided to swap out blueberries for pecans (although I’ll definitely try it with pecans next time). Kathyrn thought a loaf of crusty, French bread might make the casserole even yummier, so she brought a bakery loaf. (I couldn’t track down Cuban bread in Grand Rapids. Probably need to figure out how to make my own!) I had planned to make blueberry syrup (and might try that sometime), but Kathy offered to make an almond glaze, which her kids love, so we went that route. In all, it was very much a combined effort, but the result was nothing short of wonderful, so I’ll share it with you!

French Toast Casserole with Blueberries and Cream Cheese
(Makes 12 servings)

1 loaf french bread, cubed, arranged in the bottom of a 9X13″ baking pan

Whisk together and pour over the top:
6 eggs
2.5 cups milk
1.5 teaspoons cinnamon
1.5 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup sugar

Add 3 cups blueberries (fresh are best, but frozen can work too)
1 eight-once package creamed cheese, cubed and arranged over the entire top

Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. (We put it in the refrigerator overnight, and I’ve since read you can prepare the bread as much as two days ahead, although I’m not sure I’d recommend that.)

French Toast Casserole with Blueberries and Cream Cheese

Bake covered (aluminum foil) for 30 minutes at 350°F., then uncover it and bake at 375°F. for another 20-30 minutes (depending on how wet the blueberries are) until the top has a few crispy, golden edges.

Blueberry-Cream French Toast Casserole
(with Almond Glaze available in a dish above)

Pour Almond glaze (which will be somewhat thin) over the top (or serve in a bowl for people to spoon out) while still warm:

1/2 stick butter (2 oz.)
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring
1/4 cup milk

Blueberry-Cream French Toast Casserole with Almond Glaze

It can be served as your entire breakfast with coffee and tea (like a coffee cake), or you can supplement it with a side, like scrambled eggs, yogurt, or meat. It makes 12 servings, but most of our family had seconds, so if it’s your entire meal, it serves more like 6-8 adults.

Blueberries at Hilltop Farm in Grand Haven, Michigan

“She prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.”
(Proverbs 6:8, speaking of the wisdom of ants!)

TWA (59): St. Augustine Hot Shots

Alan and I have visited St. Augustine numerous times, and every time we’re impressed again by the city’s history, beauty, and pizazz.

The Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse in America is in St. Augustine, Florida

Founded in 1565, I was taught that St. Augustine was the oldest continuing town in America—although a few more adjectives have been added over the years to make it perfectly PC: “the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the contiguous 48 states.”

Historic Working Waterwheel on St. George Street in St. Augustine

It’s a small town (only about 15,000 population) but rich in history and culture.

Beautiful Spanish Architecture at Flagler College in St. Augustine

St. Augustine served as the state capital for over 200 years until Tallahassee took over that responsibility in 1824.

Because of its heritage and historical significance, St. Augustine is a tourist destination, and the town definitely caters to visitors, complete with upscale shopping opportunities and great cuisine.

Artistic gardens grace downtown St. Augustine

However, every time we visit, I get the impression this is a “real” town with “real” people . . . a quaint but wise community that attracts and hosts many visitors rather than being “a tourist town.”

Boats on Matanzas River, St. Augustine

If you’re ever looking for a quiet refuge in Florida with a lot of class, consider visiting St. Augustine!

Burgeoning jasmine along the street in downtown St. Augustine

An artist painting the Castillo de San Marcos
(Yes, she gave me permission to take her picture and post it on my blog!)

Castillo de San Marcos National Monument

So, if a hotshot is “a person who is conspicuously talented or successful” (Merriam-Webster), then I could fairly argue that St. Augustine is full of hotshots. However, what really prompted the title for this article was learning about the historic meaning of “hotshot” rather than its present-day usage.

Walls and moat surround the Castillo de San Marcos

St. Augustine was so critical to the development and defense of Florida that in 1672 the Spanish built a huge fortification to protect the city: Castillo de San Marcos (St. Mark’s Castle). It is the oldest masonry fort in the continental U.S. and stands like an eloquent sentinel guarding the past.

Map of the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument

However, 400 years ago, the Castillo de San Marcos guarded the harbor and was anything but a romantic venue for paintings and weddings!

Sizzling Salvo to ward off intruders!

During those years, the castle was defended with canons and stockpiled with “hotshot” cannonballs that were heated to 1500°F before firing them out to sea in an effort to set the enemies’ ships aflame. The soldiers trained rigorously to become proficient and precise in this type of warfare.

However, before they actually had a chance to use their new, high-tech defense, the British started building iron-clad ships. The hotshots bounced off the sides without breaking or burning the ships, rendering the Spaniards’ ingenious hotshots ineffective.

The Fortification at St. Mark’s Castle

In our personal and societal warfare against what we consider “evil enemies,” I would like to suggest seeking God’s wisdom and help more than putting our hopes in our own ingenuity and strength. “The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord” (Proverbs 21:31). Yes; it’s necessary to prepare for battle, but ultimately, it is God who reigns as sovereign, and “the king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will” (Proverbs 21:1).

Worried about our present? Our future? As believers, we need to pray for our leaders but also learn how to love our enemies, “for he [God] is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil” (Luke 6:27).

“Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16).

TWA (58): East Coast Florida— Living on the Edge

Alan and I have been honeymooning in Florida since our first honeymoon nearing 50 years ago, but our beach days have been almost entirely on the east coast where vast stretches of sandy shoreline and turquoise ocean blend, reflecting white caps from the sky and sea.

View of the Atlantic Ocean from Ormond-by-the-Sea

I think of this as living on the edge. The edge of Florida. The edge of America. The edge of the world.

The edge of the Atlantic Ocean. I feel as free as the shorebirds scurrying along the edge of the waves, chasing tiny shellfish that burrow into the sand. A tasty lunch, free for the taking (with a little hard work)!

This trip, we headed over to the ocean at South Daytona and traveled all the way up to St. Augustine on A1A, which to me is one of the most exhilarating drives in America.

For most of our married lives, we’ve thought of Daytona Beach as “the” best beach in America, I think because it seems to stretch for endless miles of powder sand as far as the eye can see both north and south, has a 500-ft.-wide beach to the west (at low tide) and a seemingly endless expanse of deep blue sea to the east. (Over 3,000 miles to Europe, but that seems like forever!)

From our many years of vacationing and taste-testing, we’ve developed a few classic places that we hate to miss, and in Daytona, one of our favorite lunch spots is Hog Heaven.

Menu for Hog Heaven Bar-B-Q in Daytona

It was a gorgeous day, and we decided to order takeout. We traded $25 for enough food to last through both lunch and dinner: Beef brisket, ribs, pork, chicken, french fries, garlic bread, and fried okra with 4 hot sauces!

Of course, after a feastly lunch, the obvious thing to do is take a hike down the beach, and this is the other reason I think the east coast of Florida is the best of the best!

There are numberless free parking areas for beach access. I don’t know anywhere else in the civilized world where this is true (although I’ve heard rumors that it may be true in Australia).

Because this freedom to walk for miles (like about 80 if you want) was always available, I was surprised and frustrated to discover that this is not true along Florida’s west and southern coasts, where you have to work hard and fight a lot of traffic to find access to a clean, sandy beach.

This is also true of Florida’s state parks. Although they were uniformly clean and interesting, they were almost universally not on the beach! So, I’m going to tell you my best-kept secret for those of you who’d really like to live on the edge, if only for a few days.

The only state park I personally know of that’s directly on the beach is Gamble Rogers Memorial State Park. (If you know of any others, please let me know!!) You have to call on the first day it’s available (11 months in advance) and be lucky, but I still dream about being able to camp there some year!

Although I wasn’t foresightful enough to get reservations to camp, we did stop along the way for a long, leisurely walk near Flagler beach, soaking in the hot sunshine and the chilly surf.

I guess if I lived on the edge of the ocean all the time, it would become challenging, and I’d have to learn to keep my face to the wind. 🙂

Actually, we’re probably all living on the edge to some extent, and we have to learn to keep our face to the wind. Alan and I will doubtless never live on the edge of some golden beach with nothing harder to do than chase tiny shellfish. (Although, I suppose it’s a pretty tough way to make a living if you’re a bird.)

Sailing on our little lake last weekend

However, I am exceedingly grateful to be living on the edge of our tiny lake, where we only need gentle puffs of wind to sail, and where nothing rocks the boat very often.

Some of our kids—on the other hand—are living on the edge in much more difficult circumstances, and maybe you are too. As I’ve been praying for my kids, I’ve thought about how much they’re accomplishing, and a verse came to my mind. I thought it might encourage you in your journey as well: “If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed” (Ecclesiastes 10:10). Alan and I are living on a blunt edge, where it’s easy to balance. But, we aren’t moving mountains, either! So much more can be accomplished by you who are living on a sharper edge . . . as long as you can keep balanced. Are you balancing?

“We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chronicles 20:12).

TWA (57): Hobe Mountain—Climb Every Mountain?

Florida is the flattest state in America. At 345 feet above sea level, Britton Hill has the dubious distinction of being the highpoint of Florida . . . but the lowest highpoint of any state. So, when we heard there were lovely sunrise views of the Atlantic coast if we’d climb up the observation tower at the top of Hobe Mountain, “the highest point in Southern Florida south of Lake Okeechobee” . . . well, we weren’t too intimidated.

Sunrise view from the Mount Hobe Observation Tower

We just missed sunrise (6:50 am) but arrived at the top as the sun was emerging above the clouds at the horizon. It was a crystal clear morning— a balmy 72° and sunny.

Hobe Mountain is 86 feet high and looks like a small hill to me as a Michigander. However, my home state—Michigan—has even more water than Florida and is also basically a sandbar, so there are no “real” mountains there either. Actually, Michigan is made of two huge sandbars rising out of the Great Lakes. Our highest point is Mt. Arvon, which is just under 2,000 ft. Double that, and you get to Mount Sunflower in Kansas at 4,000+ ft. Double that, and you’re at Guadalupe Peak in Texas at 8,000+ ft. (Notice how we’re moving from East to West.) You can’t double that and still be within the 48 contiguous states, but there are some mighty high mountains out West!

Mt. Rainier out my left window on a trip to Seattle, Washington
to help with a new grandbaby

I was taught (60 years ago) that Mt. Rainier was the highest peak in the contiguous states at 14,411 feet, but this morning I’m reading that California’s Mount Whitney now holds this distinction at 14,498 feet.

Denali out my right window on my way to South Korea
Yes! To help out with a new grandbaby

Americans have to go all the way to the far, far west and north to find America’s highest peak: Denali in Alaska, at 20,310 ft.

Alaskan Range near Mt. McKinley/Denali

Did you know that there are over 100 mountains higher than 23,000 feet? But, you have to keep going west all the way to the other side of the world to find most of them.

Our view of Mt. Everest at 10,000 feet
No, we weren’t on our way to help out with a grandbaby this time!

As you probably think you know, Mt. Everest is the highest mountain in the world: 29,031.7 feet!

Despite its incredible height, mortals (like Alan and me) can’t see Mt. Everest from the ground or out a hotel window. . . . or even from some convenient roadway. I could never climb Mt. Everest, but we took a flight from Nepal to get high enough so we could see it out the window and “touch it with our hearts.”

Poster at the top of Mt. Haleakala in Hawaii

Now, depending on how you count the height of mountains, Hawaiians claim that if you go even further west (or east, depending on where you were last standing), you will come to Mt. Haleakala, which they claim is really the world’s tallest mountain. Why? Because even though it’s only 10,023 feet above sea level, there are 19,680 feet below sea level, making it a whopping 29,703 feet tall from the floor of the ocean. So, if you’ve been to the top of Mt. Haleakala (and we have—on a nicely paved road), you might be able to say you’ve stood at the top of the world’s tallest mountain.

Sunset from Mt. Haleakala

I guess it’s all in your perspective, but I’m being a little playful in the hopes of making a few points. After medical school, Alan almost took a job working with a physician in Stuart, Florida (very close to Hobe Sound and Mount Hobe). It’s an affluent, gorgeous area of the country, and you might say it would have made a good “mountain to climb,” but we’re glad we stayed near our parents in Michigan. As a girl, I was greatly inspired by the song “Climb Every Mountain,” but I think the real point is to keep trying “until you find your dream,” and the best dream for each of us is whatever God dreams for us. So, in the ensuing 60+ years since first hearing Mother Abbess’s advice, I would modify it to say, pick your mountains very carefully, as most of us only have the time and energy to scale a few. Alan and I chose our mountain (medical practice in Michigan) after many months of concerted prayer and study.

Denali rising like a giant from the clouds on our way to Denali National Park

Even now, as we’ve entered our retirement years, we’re wondering and praying about which “mountain” (or “mountains”) to try to climb.

Walkway to the observation tower at the top of Mount Hobe

I’m not as strong as I was 60 years ago, and my next “mountain” may seem like a molehill to some folks.

But I am thankful for God, our Father, who has a plan for each of us and will reveal it to us if we search for Him with all our hearts! Do you have a dream? Do you know what God’s dreams are for you? Are you asking Him which mountain would be the best for you to climb next?

“Now, therefore, give me this mountain, of which the LORD spoke.”
(Joshua 14:12, JUB)