Local Adventures

Having an adventure doesn't necessarily mean that you need to pack up and head to a far off place. Sometimes it just means discovering something new. This week, for example, we discovered a few local family owned businesses that gave us a taste of other cultures. We also made new friends and discovered interesting art forms- all within 20 minutes of our house! See? Adventure can be anywhere and anything!

I've told you how diverse Florida is and that there's a large British population here. Because of that, we decided to do some research to see if we could find authentic British fare. We didn't have to look far because just down highway 27 is a small shop named The Proper Pie Company. They make all kinds of things you don't normally see on our American menus. They're masters at the art of Cornish pasties (pronounced (past-eez), which are savory hand-held pies. They also offer fresh fish and chips (fries) served piping hot from the fryer, which I like dipped in malt vinegar. The shelves tempt you with various candies and the fridge is stocked with drinks like "Ben Shaw's Dandelion and Burdock", which has a flavor that reminded me of root beer, but it had another taste I couldn't identify. My kids loved it!

Their homemade shortbread was dense, buttery, and crumbly and everything was fresh and perfectly seasoned. We'll definitely be visiting again before we leave. If you go to their website they advertise a traditional English Tea (not the Americanized version) that I can't wait to try!

We wanted to make chicken enchiladas with green sauce this week but couldn't find tomatillos anywhere. After another search we ended up at El Zocalo Supermarket in Haines City, which is probably the best Hispanic market I've ever been to. Because we grew up in California, my husband and I have been to many, so we have a pretty high standard of what authentic Mexican looks and tastes like. This family owned market is exactly what we were looking for! It's clean and the staff are friendly and knowledgeable. They offer a great selection of everything and their pastries are soft and fresh. I even saw a restaurant area with a tortilla factory... fresh tortillas!!!! I've found myself looking for reasons to go back all week, although I may not bring my youngest. He's bound to see the piñata's and want to bring one home. I'm not sure it's a good idea to trail a piñata out the back of the trailer when we drive up to Maine in a few weeks..... although we'd probably be the most festive on the road! I wonder what the dogs would think?

You see that red filling? That's guava! So, so good!

I'd be lying if I told you my kids are as outgoing as I am. The youngest, maybe. But all three are more comfortable at home with the people they've grown up with, in the routines they've grown up with. Meeting new people on this trip has really been a stretch and I'm so proud of them for moving outside of their comfort zones. It's taught them that they're so much more capable than they ever thought and that there are so many more things in this wide world than what they see on a daily basis.

One way we've been meeting new people is by visiting local scout troops wherever we go. They can interact with kids their own age and see how they do things. For example, my oldest visited the Boy Scouts in Alaska and my youngest and I and camped with the Cub Scouts. In Idaho, my daughter carved pumpkins for Halloween with the Girl Scouts. At Christmastime in Arizona, we all helped the Boy Scouts set up luminarias at Tlaquepaque for the Festival of Lights.

This week my daughter and I visited a local Girl Scout troop at the park. They have a mixed troop, which means they have girls of all levels in one troop. The little girls just loved my daughter and they all had a great time running around the park together until long past sunset. It was fun to watch.

We also attended a leader meeting for the Girl Scouts of West Central Florida with them and were just in time to participate in a World Thinking Day event. The local girls made some really beautiful displays and their creative treats gave us some fun ideas to bring home with us when we return in August. The scouts everywhere have been so hospitable and we've enjoyed our time with them.

I had my own little adventure this week too. A quilt group has started meeting at the library, so of course I had to check it out. The group includes everyone from students to international snow birds. One woman came and showed some beautiful pieces of mixed media art that she had made. My favorite thing she showed was her ice-dyed fabric! It was amazing and now I'm on a mission to learn how to do it myself with the kids. You can visit her Etsy shop here to see some of the other pieces she's made.

She decided to test what would happen if she used bleach granules on her fabric. It ended up looking like constellations, but faded the fabric overall. I love her curiosity! She's definitely a kindred spirit!

The quilt group is figuring out which direction they want to go, but for now they've decided to have a weekly show and tell and work on individual projects. The woman who started the group is teaching some people how to make quilts from start to finish. Many have also agreed to make quilts for local charities. Quilters are generous like that. Here are a few works in progress:

We leave for Maine soon and will be traveling up the Eastern Seaboard. We'd love any tips or ideas you may have! Have a great week!

- Jen

Illumination

Christmas songs are usually written about scenes with Rockwellian nostalgia. There's a certain image associated with this holiday that most of us are familiar with and many long for- trees, snow, sleds, mittens, garlands. I'm not sure what I expected this year, but being here in the American Southwest for the holidays has been a wonderful, and different, experience!

Last Saturday we joined the local Boy Scout troop to help set up for a tradition I'd never heard of. We helped set up over 6,000 luminaria at a local center for the arts called Tlaquepaque (tuh-lock-ay-pock-ay. It's a Mexican word that derives from Nahuatl and means "place above clay land".). Apparently this is a Christmas Eve tradition in Mexico and the American Southwest. People line their houses, driveways, and everything else with paper bags that have a little bit of sand in the bottom and tea lights placed on top. When everything is lit, it's breathtaking!

This is what it looked like when we were setting it up in the morning.

Tlaquepaque hosts an annual event called The Festival of Lights. Around 3pm people start to arrive, and as dusk approaches they all begin to light these luminaria. Not just a few designated people- everyone! The soft glow from the luminaria along the walkways gives way to the bright lighted stars and strings of lights overheard. Music from live musicians, bands, and choirs fills the alleyways and courtyards. Nativities and small displays are set up here and there. Shops are open. People are dancing and laughing. Warm cider is freely given out in paper cups. It's a feast for the senses and a festive gathering of community. It's different from what I'm used to (with our wind and rain, this would probably be a disaster!) but it embraces everything I imagine the Christmas spirit to be and it was a privilege to be able to participate in and witness it.

And this is what it looked like at night when everything was in full swing!

My oldest helped set up the cross! <3

This one is actually from the night before. The chapel was closed for the event. This man was the only one in the chapel playing Christmas songs on his guitar. The acoustics were magnificent and I could have listened to him all night!

The Boy Scout troop set up their own display. It was fun to see Santa in his tent. ;-)

We made the drive to Petrified Forest National Park  and the Painted Desert last week through old route 66. Of course, we had to spot a few fun landmarks...

The forest isn't covered in trees, like the name implies, but instead it looks closer to something you might see on another planet! In this landscape, trunks of trees litter the ground. They look like dead wood when you drive past them, but when you get closer, they are much, much more interesting!

Our younger two...

These trees were once floating in a swamp, where they absorbed minerals like silica. Over time the swamp dried up and these trees were petrified. They were transformed into stone and gems by the minerals. They may have been trees before, but now they are fascinatingly beautiful!!

The painted desert was no less amazing. To see all the colors and layers...well, I can see why there are so many artists here. It's inspiring! The various colors are due to the minerals in the rock layers.

This area is protected and is home to many fossils and dinosaur tracks, as well as petroglyphs left by people who have live here over it's long history. You can view them from several viewpoints. I'm happy to say that my husband brought my camera back after his last trip home, so I was able to use the zoom lens!! (HOORAY!!!)

We took our time and saw the Painted Desert Inn, which was built during the depression and furnished by local youth in the CCC Camps. Their masterful artwork is featured throughout the Inn, which is now a museum. I thought that was interesting because my husbands grandfather was also in a CCC camp in California during that time.

Oh! Before I sign off, I wanted to let you know that we finally saw a javelina! One trekked through our yard just a few days ago. It was about the size of our beagle. One more check off the list!

No! Not these ones!

This one!

Wishing you all a fantastic, non-harried week! And be sure to steer clear of the javelinas!

- Jen