Spring Flowers in Florida

  

Yes, there are flowers all year around, but this time of year is the sweet spot.  The warmth starts to hit again and everything that might have been a bit dormant begins to give me beautiful blooms.  There is no wilting from too much heat and it all looks so tropical and beautiful.  

It’s a different kind of gardening than in the north and it took me a few years to learn and adapt.  I have learned that drought tolerant plants and Florida natives are the way to go. Plants that would only be indoor plants in Michigan, thrive in the outdoor heat and humidity.  Anything I plant must love full sun and even with that, I am sometimes watering every day.  It’s been a lot of trial and error, but that is the fun of gardening. There is always a new flower or plant to try.

Pictured plants from top to bottom are:

Tibouchina

Dipladenia

Mexican Petunia

Flax Lily

Oyster Plant

Crown of Thorns

Croton

Salvia

Penta

Areca Palm

Oleander

Asparagus Fern

Variegated Snake Plant

Persian Shield

Happy Gardening no matter the variety and whatever planting zone you live in!

 

#floridalife

 

Whenever I post a pretty beach or pool or blue sky photo on Instagram, I always use the hashtag #floridalife. I just think it perfectly describes this life of mine in the past five years since our empty nest move here.  It’s a lot of being outdoors, being on the water and mostly, being present in the moment and realizing how fortunate I am to have this lifestyle.

I often think about how fortunate I am to live this life everyday when I see the tourists enjoying their precious week in the sunshine.  There are many choices every day of what outdoor activity I can do, which walk along the coast I can take, or which course I want to golf on.  There is year round gardening and I can visit the plant nursery and plant something every week if I choose.  For someone who loves to get their hands in the dirt, it suits me.  It’s a relaxed vibe that means I wear flip flops everyday and bright Lilly colors are my norm.

It look a leap of faith to move here; far away from family and friends, but as we approach our five year anniversary of leaving Michigan, there are no regrets, only sunshine.

Good Reads

 

I have mentioned before that I am finding really good books few and far between lately.  I’m still reading of course, but quite underwhelmed with the choices.  All that said, to my surprise, there  have been three really good books I have read in the past month; two I stumbled across on Amazon and one was my book club’s February selection. 

First, the book club selection was one I probably would not have picked to read, but a I ended up finding the subject matter quite interesting.  It deals with race in the deep south and how different shades of skin color have a hierarchy.  Most of the story is told in flashbacks to pre Civil Rights days and is quite insightful into that era.  It is primarily the story of twins and how their lives diverge when one leaves the other behind to pass as white.

Next, is the story of a mail order bride from Ireland who travels to San Francisco to marry a wealthy widower. She takes over the care of his young daughter and grand home, but slowly comes to realize all is not as it seems.  Set during the massive San Fransisco earthquake of 1906, it is a story of survival and women helping each other in extraordinary circumstances.

Finally, the setting of this book is the star and a different type of WWII story.  Set in Casablanca both during the war and in present day, it is the kind of book you can’t put down because you know the story is leading to a dramatic ending.  And one of my favorite literary devices; the use of an unreliable narrator, leaves you shocked when all becomes clear.  

Happy Reading!

A Perfect Florida Morning

 

It was one of those perfect weather mornings in Florida that we think about fondly when the heat and humidity hit in the summer months.  Sunshine, warm but not hot and just a bit of a gulf breeze.  This kind of morning called for a coffee run and a trip to the water to sit at the jetty, watch the boats go by and appreciate where I live.  And, if that wasn’t enough, I took a long walk on the beach too.

We have experienced an exceptionally cool winter for a longer than normal stretch, but we have broken through that and a warm up is happening.  Beach days, pool days, outdoor dining and many comfortable rounds of golf are in my immediate future and a day like we just had brings it all into focus.  The world has gone a bit mad, but in my corner of paradise, the sun is shining, the gulf waters are blue and life is good.