Florida Crops!

We are known for our orange groves but Florida grows so many fruits and vegetables that end up being shipped all over the country and the world.

I did a google search and got this info from the Fresh from Florida website HERE.

“In 2013 Florida had 48,000 commercial farms, using a total of 9.55 million acres; Florida ranked second in the U.S. for value of vegetable production; first in production value for oranges, fresh market tomatoes, watermelons, grapefruit, fresh market snap beans, fresh market cucumbers and squash; second in the production of greenhouse and nursery products, bell peppers, strawberries, fresh market sweet corn, spring potatoes, tangerines and avocados; 12th in beef cows; and accounts for 63 percent of total U.S. citrus production. Florida ranks eighth in agricultural exports with over $4 billion.”

We see lots of fields of peanuts and melons in our area as well as all kinds of fruits.

The watermelons look ready to pick!

I like this sign!

And the website HERE has a chart to see what is in season each month of the year.

Of course you don’t think of hills here in Florida either but we have a few.

You say you get car sick?

Move over and sit by the window!

And enjoy the view!

There’s a Swallowtail Kite in the center of the photo below but it’s hard to see.

I'm joining Tex for Good Fences!

Bring your Pillows for Wednesday Wee Ones!

The girls are having a summertime slumber party!

They have on little shortie pjs that I made and matching pillow cases.

Of course they have their pets to add to the fun and lots of books to read late unto the night.

They probably wish they had a record player too but I’ll put that on the dollie wish list!

 

Don’t your love their sweet ‘paper’ dolls?

 

(they are made out of lightweight wood)

I was changing her clothes and just have to show you her ‘undies’!

 

My girlfriend, Pat made them for me. Thank you Pat!!! You are a sweetheart!

I hope you’ll visit JoAnn today! She’s showing off her cute dolls HERE!

Don’t forget to stay cool and

Take Time to PLAY!!!

What’s for Lunch?

It’s always a challenge to eat healthy year round but I think it is easier in the summer months.

A big meal at lunch can leave you feeling heavy and sluggish in the hot weather so think ‘salads’.

Whatever you might choose for a sandwich can be used in a salad.

We grill something almost every night and I use the leftover meat for my salads.

Grilled chicken, steak, even hamburgers are perfect for adding to a garden fresh salad. And if you have fresh veggies, you can make all kinds of variations.

We cooked a whole chicken on the grill a few days ago and that made several nice lunches!

Just start with a bed of lettuce (I like Romaine), add tomatoes and fresh veggies and then some meat.

A salad will not be filling or satisfying without some protein. (I don’t eat crackers, croutons, pasta or bread with my salads)

Some of my favorite combinations are a salad with steak, blue cheese crumbles and blue cheese dressing.

Chicken with Havarti cheese, dried cranberries and almond slivers sprinkled on top.

Hamburger crumbled on top with shredded sharp cheddar cheese, avocado and dollops of salsa is good too.

And if you are tired of the usual salad dressings, I have a new favorite.

I take a tablespoon of Kraft mayo, squeeze fresh lemon in it to thin it and add a tiny amount of Truvia to sweeten and drizzle it over the salad.

(what did you think I would serve? Gator bites? heehee)

I’m joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J HERE!

Do you have a favorite salad or dressing to share?

It’s Florida! ‘The Inglis Locks on the Withlacoochee River’

So when you get to swampy areas…

you LOOK for alligators!

Let’s walk out onto the overlook to see if we can spot one.

It was a super bright day but the sun and water cooperated and I really got some amazing details.

These were some of the best photos I’ve ever taken of this prehistoric looking creature.

If you don’t want to SEE the details, jump to the end of the post for a bird photo!

And I’m zooming…believe me, I wasn’t close to this guy!

We made several stops at boat ramps and overlooks on the Withlacoochee River and this is the only alligator we saw.

But he really posed for photos!

This Anhinga was perched on a nesting platform.

I was too far away to get a crisp photo but he sure had beautiful markings.

Okay..I tricked you! Just one more I promise!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.

A Drive to the Gulf Coast of Florida “Withlacoochee Bay”

I was wondering how I could use these photos in a Good Fences post!

But if you make it to the end, you’ll see I’m in good shape.

Since it’s SO HOT here in Florida, we are enjoying a few day trips.

This is only about an hour from our house so it’s an easy drive.

Looks like a lot of people put their boats in the water today!

And it’s always beautiful! We even saw some dolphins in the water but I didn’t get any good photos of them. Every time I clicked a photo, they went back down!

Oh, and did I mention a ‘good fence’?

This was on our way out to Withlacoochee Bay.

So I'm joining Tex for Good Fences!

A Day at the Beach for Wednesday Wee Ones!

Well, how about a day at the pretend beach!

Because if you are contemplating a trip to Florida right now…

WAIT!

It’s HOT! Hot AND humid!

Of course it always feels cooler right on the beach but it would still be HOT! (mid 90s for highs)

So we are playing inside again today!

These are little W*almart dolls and aren’t they sweet?

I made the outfits AND collected the shells.

I hope you’ll visit JoAnn today! She’s showing off her cute dolls HERE!

Don’t forget to stay cool and

Take Time to PLAY!!!