ginnyonfire

Perhaps one of the advantages of living in Florida is its proximity to the tropics and the bounty it offers. Watermelon, pineapple, mango, passion fruit, lychee, papaya and passion fruit are just a few of the stars. Our fruit bowl tends to overflow with more than we can consume. Different ways to utilize all the extras have been employed as we always end up buying buckets for some reason. Maybe because they are so fresh and too tempting to walk away empty handed. With the heat of the Florida summer, anything cold is a sure way to go. It is hot here. Really, really hot here ... It is our first full summer in Florida in its entirety. The heat index has been about 100 degrees F just about everyday for some 4 weeks. The only saving grace is the afternoon thunderstorms. Everything cools down with the clouds and the rain leaves us with clean fresh air for the evening; which heats up again with the rising sun the next day. The distinguishing humdity here is hard to ignore. Just ask my ha

As a foodie, I always bring back ideas from our favorite dishes while away into our daily meal plans.  This time, I wanted to feature this amazing warm smoked salmon that we had while on Sanibel Island, Florida. It was dinner at Timber's Restaurant and Fish Market. The seafood was fresh and deliciously prepared.  The star that night was their Squaw Candy Smoked Salman appetizer. It was to die for.  We were able to recreat it after coming home. Without a smoker, Mr. worked hard at creating a smoky environment for the salmon so we can smoke it on a charcoal grill in the park. Yeah. In the park! Check out his home made gadget!!  The salmon was marinated overnight in lemon juice, salt, brown sugar and black peppercorn. The fillets were then placed on top of the "rack" Mr. created and covered in foil. We placed the covered container on the cool side of the grill for about 45 minutes. The cool side had a thin layer of charcoal that kept it warm and smoky but not too

Eggs, eggs, eggs. Each year as Easter approaches, I find myself buying a lot of eggs for coloring. Easter eggs in all shades of the rainbow are fun and festive. I just could not resist coloring them and displaying them throughout this season. Yes. We eat a lot of eggs as a result using all kinds of recipes calling for eggs.

OK. OK. I lied. We did not get to swim with manatees. The swimming area was closed on the day of our visit. However we did get up close and personal with them at Blue Spring State Park in Orange City, Florida. What are manatees anyway, you ask. Adorable, with a stubby nose, manatees are peaceful marine mammals that graze mainly on water plants. They often swim upstream to warm Florida spring waters during the winter. We have only seen them in Florida. But supposedly they are also found in the Caribbean and parts of South America. Some eighty plus manatees were sighted on the day of our visit.

My baby boy once slept right by these Japanese iris blooms. My dear friend brought me to this charming garden one May day many years ago. True to its portrayal in the Greek Mythology as the personification of the rainbow, the irise at the Presby Memorial Iris Garden in Upper Monclair, NJ proudly display myriads of vivid shades of hue; mesmerizing all alike. Iris holds historical significance throughout the ages. Whether it be Claude Monet or Vincent van Gogh, iris had been featured on the canvas of many renowned artists. The stylized iris, fleur-de-lys, had been associated with monarchy and can be found in the coat of arms in Florence. Even Hubert Keller's famous San Francisco restaurant bears this name. This garden boasts a phenomenal collection; including beardless Japanese and Siberian iris varieties.  Meticulously maintained by the volunteers and staff of the non-profit Citizens Committee, the Presby Memorial Iris Garden draws record crowds each year. Blo