Stuck On Flat Ground

Featured by stephsimply, posted in Simple Observations and Musings

“What you do makes a difference.  And you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”–Jane Goodall

Photo by Christina Morillo on Pexels.com

Sweeping ArounD 🧹

During the pandemic, I purchased a Roomba, an iRobot vacuum for which I could set a schedule for regular sweepings of the house.  There were three of us at the time, working from home and interacting a whole lot more with our two cats.  Thus, there was more than the normal amount of traffic in the main areas of our house, so the Roomba seemed like a good investment. 

It was great fun watching that little disc, affectionately named “Spot,” zip around the house whisking away the hair and dust while we worked.  At first, it seemed to move throughout the house in no certain order.  However, once its internal navigating system became familiar with the layout of our house, it didn’t take long for it to begin trekking over the carpet in precise patterns. We watched it move with intention, seemingly knowing where it was, where it wanted to go, and where it wanted to end before the battery needed to be recharged.

Photo by Kindel Media on Pexels.com

Stuck AGain 🤔

Lately, however, it’s been sending me messages that it ended its job, “stuck.”  At first, I wondered how it was possible for Roomba to be stuck on a flat surface? I supposed its battery simply didn’t have the strength it once had. Now, the problem has grown even bigger, not only is it still sending me messages that it is “stuck,”  but it is also no longer functioning properly, pushing the cat hair into multiple mini-piles all over the carpet.  Now, we come home to find the Roomba, at a stand still in the middle of an open, flat area of our house.  It’s as if it is so focused on getting finished before its battery dies that it’s not taking to properly execute its job–sweep the dust and cat hair.

 This reminded me that sometime in life, it’s not necessarily the challenges that get us,  but instead, it’s the everyday routine that can cause us to get stuck in a rut.  Our own internal navigation system focuses so much on the destination–be it the end of the day, the end of the work-week, the number of days until a holiday/vacation, the number of years to retirement, and so forth–that we forget to pay attention to the road over which we travel. Navigation systems require two things: Knowing where you are, and where you want to be? However, if you don’t pay attention to the route, you won’t get to your destination.

No Stopping until We Reach our Destination ✈️

Too often we are so focused on our self-defined destination that we forget where we are and overlook not only the pothole in the road or traffic jam ahead, but we also ignore the beautiful scenery that lines the route. Our eyes become so fixated on “the end” that we will blunder and stumble through the motions of life, forgetting that we have a purpose in the here and now, not just once we reach our destination. In the same way that part of traveling is paying attention to the route in order to arrive safely, we too cannot fully and satisfactorily arrive at any self-determined destination without fully focusing on the route in between.

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Agency over Urgency🚘

As a young teenage driver, my parents often advised me to,  “Give yourself enough time to arrive safely at your destination.”  This is a great reminder for moving through life.  It reduces urgency, so that we can have agency.  Remembering that we have a certain level of agency in situations, no matter what our jobs/roles/responsibilities are, serves as a reminder that we have a certain level of choice as to where we put our attention and how we choose to react to the proverbial potholes in the road of life.

When we were new drivers, we needed to master small tasks, such as, navigating traffic, how/when to turn at a stop sign, how to safely pass another driver, and so forth. Working on these skills over time was part of the process to becoming a successful driver.  Likewise, as young adults, we approached life and our newly found adult role with the trepidation of a newly licensed driver.  Over time, just like with driving, the more we participate in our new roles, the more our knowledge increases.  It’s only natural that we begin to modify and adapt our navigational skills as we gain a better understanding of where we are and the direction our life is taking.

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Inner Tune Up 🔧

However, it is easy to get stuck in the routine and lose sight of the actual route over which we travel.  We go through the motions, driving through life, but not really engaging with it. That’s when, like my iRobot, we need to reach out for “I-support” and perhaps do some trouble shooting.  We can do this through meditation, self-examination/reflection and also by connecting with the faith-based community of our choice, a trusted friend, family-member, or fellow mentor.  Through the process of self-reflection and reaching out to a trusted group or person, we can tune-up our inner-GPS, ensuring we are focused on our values and traveling, aka working, in alignment with them.

People-Centered Living 😃

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When we focus more on our values, it helps us adhere to our destination’s route, but with less emphasis on the journey’s end and more emphasis on what is in front of us in the here and now. By observing who, or what, is in our day-to-day encounters, we might begin to see that we are more than our work.  Instead, we begin to live a more people-centered life, and not just work-centered lives.

Additionally, when we truly take the time to refocus on our values, we are taking time to also tune-up and adjust our own inner world, our internal navigation system. In the same way a fully functioning navigation system gets our cars to our ultimate destination, our internal pilot will wander all over the place without a robust, healthy internal world.  When our internal navigating system is off, we, too, become stuck on flat ground like my Roomba.

There’s nothing wrong with a daily routine.  They are necessary to complete life tasks.  However, let us not allow their regularity to cause us to overlook the very things that can feed our souls and enrich our life.  Let us take time to remember our core values, so that we are mindful of the destination without urgency, and use our agency to engage with the opportunities along the way. 

Cottage Pudding with Vanilla Sauce with gluten-free options

by stephsimply, posted in Uncategorized

“At home, my food is just sort of comfort food. It’s not super fancy, but it’s certainly tasty.”–Anne Burrell

Serve it up with strawberry sauce or any other fruit sauce.

When I read the above quote by TV celebrity chef Anne Burrell, I realized I do not know much about who she is or the type of foods she likes; her words simply resonated with me. Therefore, I am not sure if my idea of comfort food is the same as hers, but most of my favorite comfort foods are budget-friendly, including the recipe from my childhood I am sharing with you today.  I think this recipe is especially comforting on cool evenings like the ones we experience during the fall time of the year.

I grew up surrounded by women who knew how to cook, what I considered comfort food, and it was definitely low-cost.  Two of these women, my grandmothers, came of age during the depression and the World War 2 era that followed, so you know they had to learn to manage with few resources. And though my own mom did not grow up during such challenging circumstances, as the mother of four children, she definitely had to learn to cook as inexpensively as possible.

Don’t let the plain canvas fool you, the vanilla sauce is rich and thick!

Cooking on a budget does not have to equate with not eating well.  Some of the best and healthiest foods are quite often budget friendly–although I know this recipe is an exception with regards to “healthy.”.  In fact, this recipe uses common ingredients most of us have on hand if we bake with any regularity.  

As best as I can tell, based upon my limited research, this recipe originated in the mid-1800s in North America. “Cottage,” refers to the fact that the recipe was considered simple and affordable for common farmers and laborers of the time period.  “Pudding” is a word that dates back to England, and it was, and still sometimes is, used to refer to any dessert.  However, given this cake is served with a sauce, lending it somewhat mushy, perhaps the word pudding was intentional.

This shortbread-like cake lends itself to a wide-array of toppings, such as chocolate sauce.

Regardless of its history, I believe there is a time and place for celebratory, comfort food, and it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg to make it.  This simple dessert is one my mom used to make on rare, but special occasions for the family when I was younger.  In fact, it was often made in honor of birthdays or other special events.  

I remember feeling excited as a youth when this was served.  Perhaps, it was the warm syrup served on top of it that made it feel special as if we were eating a thick, dense pancake for dessert.  Then, again, maybe because with six of us eating–four of which were kids, and only nine servings–I knew I had better enjoy and savor the dessert on the day it was made. (There certainly weren’t any leftovers that I can recall.) Plus, there was that simple vanilla flavor that was warm, comforting, and oh-so-tasty.

Load this cake up with your favorite fruit; it can hold up to it because it has more of a shortbread consistency.

I was reflecting on my impending birthday when this recipe came to mind.  I rooted around my old recipe box and dug this oldie-but-goodie recipe card. Since I had not baked it since well before my diagnosis of celiac disease, it occurred to me that I should create a gluten-free variation to celebrate my birthday. 

(My celiac disease went undiagnosed until my late 40s, so my mom would not have known I needed a gluten-free variation.  Besides, celiac disease was not really well-known/understood in the era in which I was raised.)   

I hope you will give this simple recipe a try.  The cake is quite similar to shortbread, or an old-fashioned biscuit–so it lends itself to a wide-array of toppings.  It’s traditionally served with a glaze or custard sauce, but you could certainly use any fruit toppings, or other traditional sauces, such as brown butter, caramel, lemon, or chocolate.  I certainly came across several recipe variations for sauces.   

The cake is a versatile canvas–welcoming all flavors and types of sauces.

Cut this cake into nine pieces.  Serve the cake warm and then drizzle plenty of sauce over it. Feel free to poke holes in the top of each piece before drizzling with syrup, as we used to do as kids, to soak up the maximum amount of syrup. It’s perfect with a cup of hot coffee, tea, hot cocoa, or even milk–if that’s your thing. 

From my home to yours, I wish you stories and memories filled with comfort food.

The original recipe written down for me by my mom. Notice there are three difference variations for the sauce.

Cottage Pudding with Vanilla Sauce

Ingredients:

1 ¾ cups flour, gluten free if needed

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup soft shortening

¾ cup sugar

1 egg or plant–based egg substitute

1 tablespoon vinegar

¾ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Sauce:

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch (ensure it’s from a gluten free facility it needed)

2 cups water

2 teaspoon vanilla 

¼ cup butter, can be vegan 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Prepare 9×9 baking with nonstick cooking spray

Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl

In a mixing bowl, cream together shortening and sugar until light and fluffy

Beat in egg and vinegar until mixture is creamed together

Measure milk into cup and stir vanilla extract into it

Mixing slowly, add in about ⅓ flour mixture and ½ milk mixture

Once incorporated, add in another ⅓ flour mixture and rest of milk mixture

Add in remaining flour mixture until batter is smooth and well blended

Spread into prepared pan

Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean

Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving with warm sauce

Makes 9 servings

To make the sauce:

Meanwhile, mix sugar and cornstarch together in a pan over medium heat

Gradually stir in water

Bring to a rolling boil for one minute, stirring constantly

Stir in butter and vanilla extract

Once butter has melted and all ingredients are blended, sauce is ready to serve

Save leftover in airtight container in refrigerator

Warm sauce to serve over cake whenever eating leftovers

This sauce makes great syrup for pancake, waffle, or french toast  

The Stardust of Grandparents Twinkles like their eyes

Featured by stephsimply, posted in Simple Observations and Musings
Papaw, in the backyard of my childhood home, with my hand resting on his shoulder. I am not sure what the moment or occasion was, but this photo captured a moment between the two of us.

A Light from the tunnel of times past 💡

My mom found and gave to me a picture of her dad, Papaw, as I called him.  In the photo, he is in the foreground, sitting at a table on the patio of my childhood.  In the background of that picture are several small details of my childhood home.  Gazing for some time at that picture transported me backwards through a tunnel of times past.

To begin, I noticed the infamous backdoor that we weren’t supposed to slam as children heading out to play.  Then, there’s the wooden fence my dad built, which reminded me that he also designed and poured the concrete for that patio. Additionally, I can see part of our clothes line with its bag of clothespins.  I recall my mom teaching me the proper way to hang clothes, sheets, and towels to minimize wrinkles and shorten the drying time. 

He ultimately sold his grocery store business and worked for C & O Railroad.

Papaw 👴🏻

Once the surge of those background memories drifted down the stream of remembrances, another torrent of emotions began swelling–Papaw.  In the photo he sits in one of his classic jumpsuits that he wore nearly every day of his life except for yard work and church events. His smile is tender in this photo, and despite the not-so-great quality of the camera, the picture still manages to capture that twinkle in his eyes.

 I adored that man. Now, as an aging adult, I am certain that Papaw was full of flaws.  Family rumors of the daredevil antics of his youth, his hobo days after marrying my grandmother– leaving her for weeks at a time to raise two young boys and manage an independent grocery store with its own lunch counter by herself– his issues with depression, and perhaps even some philandering, were whispered stories among the family adults.  As kids, we gathered bits and pieces of these stories, as one does a torn up letter, but we were simply too young to put the pieces together.  He was simply our Papaw.

Papaw and me in his backyard.

Traveling Backwards through the Tunnel of time 🔙

Staring at the photo of this complicated man that I am only now beginning to see in a realistic light, I assess the other person in the photo.  She is a college student with her hand on Papaw’s shoulder–a habit I recognize because it is me.  I tend to place my hand on the shoulders of people who are seated at tables, or even desks in a classroom.  I suppose it is my way of saying I care about you; how can I help; or, can I get you anything?  It took my breath away upon first seeing it.  So much is captured in that frozen image of time.

Papaw often called me a Kewpie-doll or China-doll. I am sure this was because of my size.  I was small for my age for many of my younger years.  I was also often sick during this time period, and I recall being hospitalized at least twice.  Both memories are blurs of oxygen tents, IVs in my thighs, dimly lit hospital rooms, and Papaw’s worried face when I would wake with bleary eyes from sickness induced sleep.  

Papaw and me. I am sure I just “helped” him wash his car.

Purple Hazy memories 💜

I remember during one of these stays, he gave me a purple popsicle.  Purple was my favorite color–a color he hated because he associated it with Christ’s crucifixion–but when faced with two granddaughters (my cousin and I) who both loved purple, he came to terms with that color. But, I digress. 

Anyway, he gave me that half popsicle.  (Remember how adults would break those double-stick popsicles into two?)  I was lying on my side, with the hospital bed rail up, trying to lick the popsicle for him.  He said it would make me better, but I couldn’t keep my eyes open.  The popsicle melted, and I remember waking enough to experience a short burst of fear that I would get spanked for making a mess.  (Not that Papaw would have ever laid a hand on me, but I was sick, and logic eluded me.) 

There was another time I woke up in a hospital bed crying because there were needles in my legs (IVs) and I was scared.  Papaw patted my hand and told me not to be afraid as he wiped away his own tears. 

During one of those hospital stays he gave me a bouquet of pink plastic flowers that my grandmother sprayed with perfume.  Once home, I kept it in my bedroom for years, and I would sniff it countless times to see if I could still catch a whiff of that perfume.

Runaway Story 🏃‍♀️

Another time, Grandmother and Papaw came to stay at our childhood home while my parents were out of town.  I became mad at my grandmother for some reason–that part eludes me–but I decided to run away.  I lived on a small cul-de-sac in the country, surrounded by hills, so I am not sure where I thought I would go.  Nonetheless, I took off running in my headstrong way down the street until I got to the main road with fast moving cars and no real safe space to walk.

Tail tucked between my legs, I slowly trudged back to my house, and I slumped against one side of it, arms crossed, still mad, but losing steam.  Out of the house came Papaw. I don’t know how he knew I was there, but there he was.  I am not sure precisely what he said, but he did tell me a story about a time he ran away. He added, with great solemnity, that running away never solved problems.

Looking back on that now, I wonder if there was more he was confessing, but I would not have been old enough to catch the symbolism of his words.  I do recall Papaw encouraging me to be more understanding of my grandmother.  He further added that as the oldest child, he counted on me to be her biggest helper.  He wanted me to apologize to Grandmother and be “his girl” by being her helper from then on.

Even in high school, I still adored my Papaw.

A Grandfather’s Love 💖

And that is what it came down to.  When I studied that picture, I was reminded of being “Papaw’s girl,” something he probably also told all the other grandchildren.  Nevertheless, I believed he loved me most of all, and that made me feel special.  It now seems naive and silly, but that is how he could make me feel.  A feeling that has never left me, even now as I look at that image.

Young, handsome, and daring . . .

The Abundance of his legacy ✨

 Wiping away my reminiscing tears, I gaze at this man who was complex in ways I never knew. He only had a 5th grade education, but he still managed to educate himself through his endless curiosity. Papaw was complicated, and yet simple. He managed to ultimately live an abundant life. 

Papaw traveled all over the world with my grandmother visiting and staying with missionaries, and he also traveled through his hometown as a teen standing on his circa 1920s motorcycle. He was the trusted treasurer of his church for as long as I can remember.  Papaw played football before there was all the protective clothing, and he loved the game until Alzhiemer’s disease took his mind. He retired from C & O railroad, and he once owned a grocery store that was flooded twice by the Ohio River. It was the ‘37 flood that ended those retail days and inspired him to build a house on a hill.  Yet, this same man once swam across the Ohio River from South Shore, KY to somewhere near Portsmouth. 

He had three children, my mom being a late-in-life surprise, and he had nine grandchildren.  He loved us all. 

There are stars which I regard in the mornings when I walk or run.  They line heaven’s boulevard.  They twinkle their good mornings to me like Papaw’s eyes once twinkled his love.  I’d like to think he is part of their stardust. 

I wish I could give every child a grandfather like mine.

Pushing through limiting beliefs: the case for contemplative practice

Featured by stephsimply, posted in Simple Observations and Musings

“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways.”–Corinthians 13:11 NRSV

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Push or pull 🚪

Years ago, when I first started dating my husband, we traveled to a local town center and parked in its parking garage.  In order to access the stairwell from the garage, you had to go through a set of glass doors, but we encountered a problem.  

The doors would not push open for us.  John tried.  I tried.  For the life of us, we could not get those doors to open.  We nervously stood there wondering if we would spend the entirety of our second date standing in a parking garage.  Finally, one of us, and by now, I do not remember who, read the sign on the door, “pull here.”  It was really that easy.  The doors opened as if by magic.

Sometimes we are focusing our energy on continuing to open doors that keep our beliefs limited.

This past week, I was reminded of that memory.  Throughout my workweek as an educator, I travel between the high school and the middle school, in order to teach classes.  Structurally, the two buildings are designed quite differently based upon the era in which they build.  Therefore, their doors are designed differently as well.

While I don’t have an issue, as you may have predicted, between pushing and pulling the doors open for either building, instead, it is remembering, on the high school side, which of the double doors leading to each floor is the correct door to pull to open.  Exiting any floor, both doors push open, but when entering the floor, only one door pulls open, and you guessed it, I tend to grab the wrong door and try to pull it open.  You’d think by now, I’d have it down.

When I once more tried to pull the wrong door open again this past Friday, I thought back to that second date with John, and I began to reflect on all the ways life can be like those doors.  How often do we continue to push through something in life, when really we only need to gently pull.  Or, how many times have we reached for the wrong door to open, when the “right” door was there all along?

How many times do we continue pull ourselves through the same doors in life, when all really need to do is pull open a new door.

Those unidentified LImiting Beliefs 🤔

Many of us, at one time or another, have allowed limiting beliefs to influence our choices and actions in life.  These beliefs could have been established in our childhood, steeped in the culture of our local environment, or even part of time-specific attitudes of a specific decade.  For example, you may have been raised in one set of faith practices and remained faithful to that belief system because it seemed like the “only one.”  Another example might be that you were raised in a community with a limited mindset, and therefore, that influenced a large portion of your choices in early adult years.  Then, again, due the decade or family situation in which you were raised, you may have only felt as if you could only pursue specific career paths.

None of the scenarios, or any of the other hundreds of examples, are inherently bad or wrong.  In fact, for many people, it works out just fine until one day it doesn’t.  Specifically, I recall a young lady I once knew. Throughout her young life, she was pushed by parents and their social group to focus on her looks, and she was encouraged to have boyfriends from a young age.  This young lady was beautiful, but she was also bright and kind hearted.  Still, the message she received was that her purpose was to finish high school, marry, and be a mother.

Again, there is nothing wrong with beauty, dating, marriage, and motherhood.  It was the fact that these ideas were valued and encouraged at a young, impressionable age, and indeed, she did what was expected of her. However, when she became pregnant by her senior year of high school and dropped out of school, she was suddenly the object of gossip and rumors.  Her parents were furious with her, unable to see their role in this situation.

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Coming face to face with limited Beliefs 🧐

In one fell swoop, the young lady appeared to lose her support system, and her shift suddenly shifted from what she had been taught her whole life to the well-being of herself and her child. Eventually, she went to live with a friend and her family. 

It took her years of struggling, but eventually, I am told, the young woman moved out of the area, worked numerous part time jobs in an attempt to support herself and her child.  As her child grew, she began to take online classes.  First, she earned her GED, and later, she earned her associates degree in business.  Some years later, I learned this tenacious woman married and worked for a fairly large business firm.  She never had another child, and she rarely sees her family.  Her child, at last count, was in graduate school.

What I do remember about this young woman was that she once shared with me, early in her pregnancy, how she felt pushed to meet what she thought were the expectations of her.  She reflected that she had spent most of her teen years starving herself to maintain a certain size.  Her education was not prioritized, but rather her social life, specifically dating.  She was pushing through her youth to meet what she thought was her family and community expectation.

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Recognizing internalized beliefs 🤨

This is only one example. When we only know one way to push, that’s how we open doors in life.  Racism, sexism, bias against other religions or religious bias, prejudice, limiting beliefs about gender roles, and the list could continue, can be restrictive, and even detrimental, ideas that we may not realize we have internalized. These types of belief systems typically occur due to the way in which we were raised, the groups with whom we socialize, the community in which we live, or, the social media platforms we choose to follow.  

Many of us don’t recognize that we may have these internalized limited belief systems until something changes.  All of the sudden, we come face-to-face with a situation in which our beliefs will no longer open the proverbial life door.  For example, years after the young lady moved away, I ran into her mother.  Her mom was divorced, living in a different community, and added she was attending a completely different type of church.  

The mom openly shared with me her regrets about the way she raised and treated her daughter.  Hindsight–and a perspective shift–caused her to see life differently.  At that last encounter, she said she was trying to re-establish a relationship with her daughter, son-in-law, and grandchild.  I hope it worked out for her.

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The case for Contemplative Practice 🙏

This is where having contemplative practice is important. Whether you do this through meditation, praying, formal scripture study with a trusted mentor, or simply set aside time to be with your own thoughts.  Self-examination and reflection of our actions and attitudes is critical for our personal growth as well as our spiritual growth. This includes taking time to identify areas in which we may still exhibit childish or limited beliefs, attitudes, and actions.  Once identified, the key is to consider the ways in which we can work to replace them with more mature, open-minded, and loving ways.

 In the end, we can keep moving through life pushing through doors based upon untested assumptions, or we can pause when we begin to feel resistance and ask ourselves if it’s time to pull, or at the very least, push open another door.  

Wounded Light: How our wounds, injuries, and hurts illuminate us

Featured by stephsimply, posted in Simple Observations and Musings

“The wound is the place where the light enters you.” Rumi, Sufi poet

Photo by Anastasiia Chaikovska on Pexels.com

Pain-handler 🔥

My daughter once made an off-hand remark about the way I handle pain. She said something to the effect that my legs could be broken, my hair on-fire, and I’d still claim to be fine because my arms were still working. Of course, she was exaggerating because I am definitely not immune to pain.

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I do, however, possess the ability to distract and/or redirect my focus away from discomfort.  On first glance, this can seem like a good thing, and I suppose, at times, it is.  Tolerating pain and challenges is what allows humans to get through tough times.  And while I could offer plenty of examples of the benefits for “shouldering through the pain/trauma/difficulty,” I think it is important to also recognize that by “shouldering through,” not only is it possible to create a bigger issue, but we are also missing an opportunity to see the Light within.

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Accepting Limits 🛑

There are times when it is necessary to acknowledge and accept our wounds/injuries.  The pain is signaling that, at least for the time being, we need to accept new limits and boundaries in order to enhance the healing process.  This is true not only for physical pain, but also true for mental health trauma.

However, for many of us, myself included, sitting with and accepting pain is often difficult. Whether it is genetics, environment, or society, many of us would much rather suffer through our pain with a smile painted on our faces, than truly feel and acknowledge that we are hurting.  For some, this is a matter of pride, for others, it may mean admitting defeat and/or imperfections–while for others it is simply an extension of their stoic nature.  

Then, there are those who know that to feel the pain would mean to feel their own brokenness, quite possibly forcing them to name their suffering.  This is often a result of the connotation society has attached to specific words associated with pain.  Words such as, injury, hurt, pain, broken, surgery, depression, anxiety, recovery, often have a negative association attached to them causing many to recoil in fear and resistance at such an identification.  For others, there is an association with weakness if identified as having one of those.

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Self-Compassion ❣️

It is with that understanding, I encourage all of us, myself included, to take time to acknowledge our wounds, our injuries, and our mental anguishes, past or present. Additionally, it is important to acknowledge the limitations and/or pain those hurts created.  Finally, it is most important to do these while offering ourselves compassion.  If a loved one was suffering with an injury, we would want to help them in any way we can, so let us begin to treat our own pains with the same level of tender-heartedness.  Taking time for our own healing is not a selfish act, but an act of seeing the Divine Light working within us.

I came across a line in a poem that said, “We are wounded healers,” and it really gave me a moment of pause.  The poet had a point, we have all been injured in some way, from scraped knees and elbows when we were children, to broken bones, illnesses, or a mental health crisis as we moved through our teens years and continuing into our present adulthood. It is important to note that each hurtful event informed and shaped us, whether we realized it or not. Unfortunately, there are many of us who have and/or continue to suffer silently through multiple painful experiences and traumas, past and present. 

 Our bodies and mental health have limits. When pushed past our natural boundaries, our injury or trauma signals us with pain in an attempt to get us to take time to allow the body and/or mind to heal. Given certain situations, there are times, events, and circumstances in which we lack the power to grant time for healing. This is often the case in childhood trauma and abusive relationships.  

Other times, however, we prefer the quick-fix route–give me a pill and make it stop method–so I can move on with my life. However, quick-fixes don’t always create an optimal environment for healing. Instead, they tend to mask the underlying issue, allowing the injury/pain to fester in silence. 

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Wounded Healers ❤️‍🩹

This is regrettable because in those moments of injury, when we allow our bodies or minds time to heal and recover; we begin to bear witness to the miraculous creations that we are.  The same Source that created us is the same Source that can help heal us, in tangent with a healthy dose of prescribed treatment.  Our bodies and minds have been uniquely fashioned with astonishing proportions of resilience, strength, and fortitude.  We can be wounded, but we can be healed.  We are all, in the words of the poet, wounded healers.

Numerous writers and poets have written that our wounds and injuries allow the Light to enter us.  This Light enlightens us.  In fact, the more we have been scared by life’s injuries, the greater our understanding of the fragility and preciousness of life.  Further, our capacity for empathy with those who are suffering also increases, thereby granting us the added insight to words and actions that may provide comfort to those experiencing similar injuries and wounds.

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The Light within 🕯️

Our many wounds and scars offer us greater illumination from within. Our True Source of strength resides in those areas. Those old wounds serve as reminders of our survival, growth, and our own knowing.  The knowing of how it feels to truly hurt, and the full joy of knowing what it means to heal and recover.  There is the additional  knowing that healing can sometimes hurt as tissue and mental faculties are fashioned together in a new, often more durable manner.  And there is the ultimate knowing that nothing, not injury, not pain, and not even us, lasts forever.

Therefore, the next time injury, pain, or suffering comes calling, can we challenge ourselves to allow it?  Can we learn the lesson it may be offering us? To be sure, the process is not easy, and it requires patience as well as a heaping portion of trust, especially when the other side of healing may not mean a pain free life. However, in the same way sunlight can illuminate even the smallest of cracks, we too can hold tightly to the faith that the Light, our True Source, can heal and shine through our wounded selves. 

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Melbourne, Florida, a GREAT Place to Visit Along the Space Coast of Florida

Featured by stephsimply, posted in Travels

Melbourne is known as the “economic engine” of Brevard County and is regarded as one of the area’s most bustling cities.–Garden Communities FL Blog

Space Coast 🚀

When you think of Florida’s space coast, Cape Canaveral is often the first town to come to mind, and why not?  With its Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral is rich with space history and full of attractions.  However, Florida’s space coast is a 72 mile long coast full of charming, family-friendly beach towns, including Melbourne, Florida.

Melbourne Beach🏝️

My husband, John, and I had the opportunity to visit Melbourne during late July in order to spend some time with my dad and step-mom, Pam.  Melbourne, Florida is approximately one hour east of the infamous Orlando, Florida, it is approximately 90 miles south of Daytona, and it is a mere 25 miles from the space king, Cape Canaveral. Although Dad and Pam technically live in Palm Bay, John and I stayed in an adorable AirBnB in Melbourne in order to be within walking distance to the ocean. This was our second visit to this walkable, historic beach town, and it won’t be our last! 

Of course, our main purpose for visiting Melbourne was to spend time with family; however, John and I both agree that it is definitely a town we recommend for anyone to visit–even if you don’t have family living in the nearby vicinity.  In addition to its close proximity to the Kennedy Space Center and beautiful beaches, there are numerous other reasons to visit the Melbourne area.  Furthermore, it has an interesting history to boot. 

But first, a Bit of History 📘

It is believed that Paleoindians were the first to enter and inhabit the area that is now considered Melbourne during the final glacial episodes. Time-travel forward thousands of years later, and one sees that the town was officially formed in 1867 by former slaves. One of the more colorful settlers include freedman Captain Peter Wright, known as the “sailing postman,” who sailed to and from the various riverside towns around the Melbourne area delivering mail. 

At first, the area was known as Crane Creek.  However, the name was later changed to Melbourne.  This name change was a nod at another early settler who also served as the first postmaster.  His name was Cornthwaite John Hector, and he had spent most of his life in Melbourne, Australia, before moving to Florida.  Therefore, Melbourne was ultimately chosen to honor Hector’s life.

Melbourne, Present Day 😎

Presently, Melbourne boasts a population of 86,678 residents, with its largest demographic being millennials. It is situated on the barrier island that separates the Indian River Lagoon from the Atlantic Ocean.  In fact, it is accessed by the Melbourne Causeway which crosses over the Indian River Lagoon. Despite being surrounded by all that water, Melbourne, and the surrounding area of Brevard County, is one location in Florida that is not prone to sinkholes.  Now that’s reassuring information to residents and tourists alike!

Did someone say Beach? 🏖️

Due to the fact that Melbourne is ideally located, there are many attractions for visitors to experience while staying. One obvious attraction is the beach.  In fact, there are numerous beautiful, less populated beaches throughout Brevard County and the space coast, but many consider Melbourne beaches to be some of the best.  Plus, Melbourne offers plenty of public parking, making it easy to access the beach if staying a little farther from the coast. 

Juan Ponce De León Landing is a popular choice among local residents for its surf fishing, paddle boarding, and surfing. This 25+ acre recreational beach park offers visitors plenty of parking, public restrooms, as well as two beach crossovers.  It also has a pavilion, which can be reserved for special occasions and events.  

Melbourne Beach Pier is located in Ryckman Park on Indian River in the historic section of Melbourne. The pier was built in 1889 and is an ideal location for an evening stroll, photography, or simply relaxing as you watch a spectacular sunset over the river after a day at the beach. This pier and park are considered a U.S. National Register of Historic places.  This same area also houses the community center, town hall, and several gazebos for unwinding.

For those who are fans of baseball, Space Coast Stadium is also located in Melbourne.  It is home to the Brevard County Manatees, a Class A Advanced Affiliate to the Atlanta Braves. Moreover, it is also the spring training home for MLB’s Washington Nationals.

If wildlife viewing is your thing, you might consider booking with Camp Holly Airboat Rides.  These airboat rides take visitors along the St. John River for a 40-minute wildlife viewing tour.  They also offer nighttime rides for those interested in viewing alligators up close.

Another popular local attraction is the Brevard Zoo. Built in 1994, the zoo serves as a conservation center where people can visit and learn about animals and the importance of preserving them as well as their natural habitat/environment. The zoo is home to over 900 animals, including 195 species from all over the world. It offers a center for sea turtle rehabilitation, and it is also involved in efforts to restore mangroves and native oyster beds to ensure cleaner waters and more stable shorelines.

This bird-of-paradise plant symbolizes the bit of paradise one can find in Melbourne, Florida.

Melbourne offers several historic sites including the Historic Rossetter House Museum and Gardens which is available for tour, but can also be reserved for private parties.  Additionally, there are several hotels in the area that are considered historic, including the Hotel Melby, in the Historic Downtown section.  The town is also home to Florida Institute of Technology, a school of engineering that started with a .37 cent donation in, but it is also known for its diverse and stunning botanical gardens open to the public for leisurely strolls.

Do ghosts haunt these shores?

Dem Bones, Ghosts, and a bit of Fame . . .

Other random bits of Melbourne, Florida information and trivia include the fact that it is situated on a bone bed of fossils 10,000 to 20,000 years old that includes mammoths, camels, and mastodons to name a few.  While staying in Melbourne, you can also visit a haunted business, Hell ‘n Blazes Brewery, which is said to be haunted by the building’s original owner from over 100 years ago.  Furthermore, Melbourne has its own airport that once served as a military base.  Finally, one final piece of Melbourne trivia includes two celebrities once calling it home. Jim Morrison, of The Doors, and American Author and filmmaker, Zora Neale Hurston both, at one time or another, lived in the area.

No trip to the Space Coast of Florida would be complete without a visit to the original and historic Ron Jon’s Surf Shop!

We’ll Be Back ☀️

Melbourne, Florida is rich with opportunities for golfing, walking, biking, shopping, dining, history, and art viewing in addition to its numerous, colorful points of interest.  It is a vibrant, inviting, and accessible town in which  John and I truly enjoyed spending our time.  There were so many dining options, and we had a one block walk to direct access to the beach.  Best of all, personally speaking, we were able to spend time with family with Melbourne as a lovely backdrop. We highly recommend this quaint town of seaside paradise and hope to travel back soon.  Perhaps, we will see you there!

Until then, I wish you safe and happy travel adventures.

P.S. Special thanks to Dad and Pam for the stunning pictures from Melbourne Pier at sunset!   

Downtown Melbourne from Melbourne Beach Pier
Downtown Melbourne from Melbourne Beach Pier

Grapefruit Smoothie: Refreshingly, tasty nutrition on the go

Featured by stephsimply, posted in Recipes

“In 1993, Texas chose the red grapefruit as its state fruit. The red grapefruit was chosen because it was the first fruit ‘invented’ in Texas, and grapefruit trees have built more revenue than any other fruit tree in Texas!”–Wintersweetz.com 

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The forbidden Fruit🏝️

I was absolutely surprised to learn that the grapefruit was once named the “forbidden fruit” in the mid-1700s by a reverend searching for the identity of the original tree of good and evil from the Garden of Eden in the Caribbean Sea.  Years later, that same “forbidden fruit” tree was brought to Texas by Spanish missionaries in the late 1800s and given to local farmers in the southern area of the state.  Little did those Texas missionaries know that the Rio Grande Valley possessed fertile soil and subtropical weather, creating ideal growing conditions for grapefruits. Now, Texas is the third largest citrus producer in the United States, and it is especially known for its red varieties of grapefruits, such as Rio Star and Ruby Sweet. 

Personally, ruby red grapefruit is one of my favorite fruits.  I especially appreciate its sweet tangy flavor.  Red grapefruit seems to bring my tastebuds to life with its clean, refreshing, and light taste.  

It is that sweet tart taste that adds extra zing when combined with other flavor profiles in recipes.  For example, spread ricotta cheese over toast, add a few slices of ruby red grapefruit, then drizzle a bit of honey over that, and you’ve got a light refreshing summer breakfast.  Toss slices of grapefruit, along with walnuts, goat cheese and a few slices of roasted beets, into a salad of leafy greens with a light vinaigrette, and you’ve got a tasty lunch or light dinner. You can even make delicious light desserts and baked goods with grapefruit, such as grapefruit buttermilk muffins, grapefruit bars, or even chocolate covered grapefruit slices!  

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Smooth Nutrition 🍍🍌🥝

Then again, grapefruit can be added to smoothie recipes for an instant burst of flavor AND nutrition.  I created the recipe I am sharing with you today during the weeks following neck surgery this past spring.  Despite the fact I am fully recovered, this is one smoothie recipe that I still frequently make.  

During my recovery process, I was hyper-fixated on the nutritional content of the foods to enhance healing, but I was having difficulty swallowing.  Smoothies, therefore, became a go-to source of nutrition, and this recipe is uber-refreshing and jam-packed vitamin, mineral, and fiber content.  Specifically, it combine the goodness of grapefruit, which is packed with vitamin C and fiber, with strawberries and one of three fruits–frozen pineapple, banana, or kiwi–depending upon what I have on hand at home.  

One half of a grapefruit contains six grams of fiber and the total daily amount of vitamin C needed by our bodies. The grapefruit gets tossed into a blender with strawberries, which are also high in vitamin C and fiber as well as antioxidants, magnesium and phosphorus.  Then, I take my pick of pineapple, banana, or kiwi, and pitch one of those into the blender. No matter which of the three of those fruits I choose, they are all full of potassium, fiber, and a whole slew of vitamins and minerals. 

Light and refreshing, grapefruit smoothies are perfect for nutrition on the go!

Blend and Go nutrition🥛

Sometimes, for a touch of sweetness, I add in a medjool date, a bit of maple syrup, or pomegranate juice as well as a bit of ginger for its antiinflammatory properties. Depending upon what I am eating that day, I may also add vanilla protein powder, which gives the smoothie a creamy, zesty-sweet taste.  Once all desired ingredients are in the blender, I give it a whirl for about one minute and divide between wide-mouth mason jars or smoothie containers.  And in less than five minutes, I have two refreshing, nutritionally dense smoothies.  Perfect for on-the-go nutrition or a quick, healthy snack.

While grapefruit was once known as the “forbidden fruit,” there is nothing forbidden or evil about it!  Grapefruit is budget friendly, full of tangy zest, and nutritional goodness for your body.  I hope you’ll give this recipe a try!  You just might be surprised!

Zesty sweet, budget-friendly goodness, bursting with flavor AND nutrition, in less than five minutes!

Grapefruit Smoothie

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen riced cauliflower 

1 large ruby red grapefruit, peeled (with some pith remaining), quartered 

1 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen

1 cup pineapple, fresh or frozen (or 1 banana or 2 kiwi)

1 medjool date (or 1 teaspoon maple syrup or ¼ cup pomegranate juice) for added sweetness 

¼  teaspoon ginger powder, if desired 

2 cups water (or other favorite liquid)

Optional: 1-2 servings favorite protein powder

Combine ingredients in a high powered blender, adding water last.

Blend for one minute.

Divide between two large smoothie containers or jars.

Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; shake well before drinking.

Can also be frozen for up to 3 months, set in the refrigerator overnight to thaw ahead of time.

How Gratitude Can Help Us Face Adversity with a bit more Grace

by stephsimply, posted in Simple Observations and Musings

“Gratitude is the antidote to fear.  When we focus on what we are grateful for, fear loses its grip on us.”–Michael J. Fox

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Curse those unexpected events 🤬

I can’t help but feel the irony that my most recent piece of writing centered on the topic of unexpected, terrible events that seem to break our lives’ direction, only to find myself once more experiencing another one of those frustrating events. Perhaps, Divine Providence feels I still haven’t learned enough.  Then again, maybe it is all part of life’s continuous process of change and learning.  Regardless, I am once more a humbled student of life.

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My husband, John, and I, had just completed our first day of professional development for the 2023-2024 school year in Charleston, WV.  It had been a long day, and we still needed to go vote in the Ohio special election before heading home.  Facing over an hour’s drive to get to the polling location, which was not our normal precinct due to this unusual nature of this election, John and I navigated congested Charleston roads, making our way towards Interstate 64.  

We stopped at a red light on WV 119 with three cars in front of us.  John had just commented on the amount of traffic when, BANG! CRUNCH! SCREECH! Only seconds passed, and as the shock of suddenly being whipped quickly forward and backward began, several thoughts flashed through my head in staccato fashion.

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You know from the sound, it can’t be good 🚦

What is happening? What was that sound? Is John ok? Did we just get hit?  We just got our car fully repaired from a February incident when a spooked deer collided into the rear bumper and passenger side door.  This. Can’t. Be. Happening.

“Are you okay?” My husband asked as the reality of his voice slapped my thoughts back to my surroundings.  

I was okay. He was okay.  We were both buckled, and seemingly uninjured.  First point of gratitude.

There’s no Choice But surrender 😩

Sometimes there’s nothing to do but surrender.

I could go on, but many of us have been there–that sickening moment when you have no choice but to surrender to the bad event that is happening and let go of any future thoughts and planning.  There is nothing to do, but remain present in the moment at hand.  It sounds simple, but it is incredibly difficult.  My mind kept racing to future events, such as the evening ahead, the impact this would have on the coming days and weeks as well as the amount of time and money that would be lost as a result of this incident. 

However, none of those racing thoughts would help me at that moment. Instead, I had to focus on the needs of the moment.  Call 911. Check on the person who hit us.  Call insurance.  Retrieve our registration and insurance information.   

Gratitude in the midst of chaos ✨

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In the midst of the din of traffic and my galloping thoughts, I began assessing and readjusting to reality as a moment of clarity occurred.  We were at the bottom of a hill.  There had been three cars ahead of us at that red light.  If the person who hit us had been speeding down that hill, the impact, and the numbers affected, would have been so much worse.  Second point of gratitude.

The person who hit us appeared uninjured, but they were confused.  This person honestly spoke to John and I as well as the police officers at the scene.  They did not remember hitting us. Specifically, they did not know if they had, “fallen asleep or zoned out or what.”  They were profusely confused and also sorry.  This person could have lied, but they did not.  Third point of gratefulness.

Traffic, along this corridor of multiple lanes and exit lanes, was heavy throughout the time our two cars (the person who hit us and ours) were pulled off to the side of the road.  The August sun beat down on the blacktop; and yet, it was an unusually cool day for the time of year.  While no one stopped to offer help, neither did any vehicles collide into our cars, despite the fact that the berm, onto which we were pulled over, was narrow. Fourth and fifth points of gratitude. 

Emotional Rescue 🚑

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Don’t get me wrong.  I wasn’t a saint at that moment, cheerily ticking off happy, grateful thoughts like petals of a daisy–not by a long shot!  I wanted to cry, or even scream at the heavens, “Why us, again?”  My emotions were vying to rise to the surface, but I managed to keep them in-check. 

 But, really, those emotions were nothing but fear.  Fear of the impact on John. Fear of the unknown costs. Fear of the unknown impact on my body as I recently had surgery.  Fear of losing our family car once again. Fear of the change this would cause. Even the fear of inconveniencing others to pick us up and help us get home since our car was no longer driveable.  

Grace and Gratitude 🙏

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However, the grace of the moment was that gratitude kept nagging me like a persistent toddler pulling on the hem of my shirt.  It could have been so much worse.  So many other people could have been impacted by this.  We were safe and alive, how could I not be grateful?

My car was broken, but not my body.  My car was taken away on a flatbed tow truck, but neither John, nor the person who hit us, or me, had to be taken away on the flatbed gurney of an ambulance.  The police officers who attended to the scene were professional, courteous, and efficient.  Indeed, one officer shared that our accident was their sixth car accident of the day on that stretch of road. Miraculously, not one person had been hurt in any of those fender benders. More points of gratitude.

I was able to text my daughter, Maddie, who is now a co-worker, and happened to have carpooled with a couple of other teachers to the same professional development as John and me. The three of them were able to turn around and safely pick us up.  Once at Maddie’s apartment, she was able to drive John and me directly to the polling center before it closed, and then take us home, where we have two other old vehicles that we can use in a pinch.  More points of gratitude.

Gratitude is a practice 😊

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The rest of the day, and the days that followed, were not, nor will not, be all rainbows, kittens, and puppies.  I still struggle with change.  However, this real life experience offered a reminder that bad days will happen, life can change in an instant, change is ever present, and it is an illusion to think we are in control.  But we can choose to practice gratitude.  Practicing gratitude can help us put bad days into perspective, appreciate what we already have, quell our fears, and remind us that even though we cannot control events in our lives, we can control our attitude and find things for which to feel grateful. 

Like the broken pieces of a chocolate bar

Featured by stephsimply, posted in Simple Observations and Musings

“ It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.”–Judith Voirst

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“It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day” 😥

Years ago, when I taught Kindergarten students, I used to read to them a book entitled, “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day,” by Judith Viorst.  It is the story of a boy, Alexander, who is really having a lousy day.  He wakes up with gum in his hair, slips on his skateboard, is corrected by his teacher at school, discovers he is only someone’s third best friend, and has no dessert in his lunch–to name only a few of the bad events of Alexander’s day.  As Alexander’s day worsens, he quips, “I think I’ll move to Australia.”

For my young students, the book provided a springboard for rich conversations centering around two concepts. First, students shared/compared their own bad day experiences. Through the process of hearing each other’s bad day examples, they discovered and affirmed that everyone has bad days. Secondly, it allowed students the opportunities to discuss strategies for handling, or at the very least, surviving terrible days.

This is not what you expect to see your chocolate bar when you slip the foil wrapper open.

Broken pieces💔

I am sometimes reminded of this story when I am having one of those “terrible, horrible” days.  This was the case, in fact, on an evening of a very long and disheartening day. By the time I arrived at home, I couldn’t wait to console myself with a few pieces of dark chocolate from a bar I kept squirreled away in a kitchen cabinet.  

The bar is typically divided into six rows of five pieces each.  I typically break off a row and put the rest of the bar away.  Then, I snap one piece off at a time, savoring each piece, allowing it to slowly melt in my mouth before moving on to the next.  It is a silly ritualistic habit, but one in which I take great comfort, especially at the end of a tough day.

Only on this particular evening, I slid my finger down the back side of the wrapper to remove the adhesive, folded back the paper and inner foil, only to discover that my beloved bar was shattered.  It was not symmetrically broken along the lines produced by the manufacturer.  Instead, the bar was broken in a random spider web of lines that could never be put back together–certainly not into the neat symmetrical rows to which my methodical habit was accustomed. 

I stood there for a stunned minute or two wondering if I could even eat such a mess, much less enjoy it. How would I know how much to eat?  What if I ate more (or less) than I normally would? Did I even want to eat it if I couldn’t break it into perfect little pieces?  I know, it sounds so silly and irrational, but at that moment, things were not going as I had hoped and expected.  Even my chocolate bar could not be relied upon on this day! Maybe, like Alexander, I should move to Australia!

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Going for Broke🚦

After debating my dilemma, I took a leap of faith and decided to, ahem, go for broke! I grabbed a paper towel, folded it in half, and gently placed upon it a few oddly shaped pieces, all the while feeling conflicted if I still had the “right” amount.  Pushing the rest of the pieces together enough to refold the paper and foil, I stowed the remaining chocolate bar away for another time.  Then, I sat down with my herbal tea, sighed, and placed one of those broken, unsymmetrical pieces of chocolate in my mouth.

Much to my surprise, an alarm did not sound.  The couch, upon which I sat, did not collapse. A sinkhole did not open within my family room and send me, and the room’s furniture, spiraling down a black hole towards an alternate universe.  The world, in fact, kept spinning on its axis. Most surprising of all, the chocolate still tasted heavenly!

While this is all good dramatized fun, sometimes “no good very bad days” are not so silly. Life’s pieces can sometimes get broken like my chocolate bar with breaks that don’t seem to make any sense. These events feel like seismic jagged lines that you know from the onset will never be put back together. We rail against the unhappy change, resisting and pulling as if engaged in our own personal tug-of-war with life.  Often, we create so much strain, we physically, mentally, and/or emotionally hurt to the point of breaking ourselves.  We simply can’t see beyond the broken pieces.

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Nudged in a new direction🔄

These are the times that force us to look at life with new eyes. We are nudged, not so gently, to rely upon our faith and listen to that inner voice urging us on. Life is still before us.  Only now,  it is now arranged differently than we had hoped and expected, but life remains nonetheless.

It is only when we release our grip and accept there is nothing to do–the pieces are broken and will not be reassembled.  This acceptance doesn’t mean we are powerless, it simply means we are moving forward, in faith, in a newly arranged direction that isn’t as straight as we had hoped, but travel-worthy nonetheless.  Gradually, one step, or one piece, at a time, we begin to see the pieces of life can still be assembled.

 It doesn’t happen overnight, but over time, a new way of being emerges that somehow begins to make a new kind of sense, one that had not been imagined, but can work. When the tug-of-war-with life rope is dropped and acceptance moves in, we begin to see that somehow the collection of the broken pieces can still taste sweet, perhaps not the same, but still sweet.  It is then that our hearts begin to mend, we find newfound strength in our new life-shape–even if we were to move to Australia.

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Niagara Falls does not disappoint

Featured by stephsimply, posted in Travels

“In 2022, According to Niagara Falls Tourism Association, Niagara Falls, Ontario, hosts approximately 13 million visitors per year, and according to New York State Parks, Niagara Falls State Park in New York received over 9 million visitors putting the total combined international visitor count at over 22 million visitors for Niagara Falls.”—Falls guide

A view to remember from our hotel room.

Welcome to the World’s Greatest Livestream ⛲️

As a child, my parents had a large reference book about great wonders of the world.  I have a vague recollection of sitting with that tome covering my lap and gazing at stunning photographs of Niagara Falls. It was those images, along with a few others, that were romping around in my mind as we drove towards Niagara Falls, Canada, on our return trip home from a week-long stay in Canada.  Seeing the falls in person, however, proved to be an entirely different experience.

It was the evening energy, vibrating off the streets when we first entered the streets of Niagara Falls, Canada, that caught me by surprise.  Bumper to bumper traffic. Horns honking. Hoards of people milling about.  The flashing lights and signage. This was a tourist attraction for sure, but an attraction for people all over the world.  That was the thing. A sea of colorful people surrounded us; a wide variety of religious attire and accouterments; a profusion of languages; the heady miasma of cigarette, cigar, pipe, and marijana; stroller, wheelchairs, bicycles, mopeds; laughter, baby cries, shouting, talking–it was all there mixed up like one collective humanity stew. 

Up on the 18th floor–we dropped our luggage and walked straight to the window.  Before our eyes, in the air conditioned hush of our room, was the most awe-inspiring view I had ever before seen.  All three falls.  The American, Bridal Veil, and Horseshoe Falls flowed with a torrent of water that seemed nothing short of miraculous to me!

More views from our hotel. ⬆️

Niagara Gorge 🌊

Specifically, according to the Niagara Falls, Canada, website, it is the height and water flow that make the falls so breathtakingly beautiful. Horseshoe Falls, for example, is 180 feet tall (57m) and during the peak tourist hours, over 6 million cubic feet of water is falling over its crestline EVERY minute. These ancient creations are estimated to be over 12,000 years old and formed gradually over time, starting first as a river flowing over the Niagara escarpment (cliffs).  Eventually, the water wore back the rock, forming what is known today as the Niagara Gorge–the deep river basin at the bottom of the falls.  In fact, the falls are continuing to wear back the rock approximately one foot per year.

Niagara Gorge in foreground with double rainbows. Left to right: Niagara Falls International Rainbow Bridge. American Falls, Bridal Veil

Given we only had two nights, we had to make the most of our time.  We ambled along the full length of the upper walkway along Niagara Falls. Starting at the Love-Lock bridge across from Bridal Veil and Horseshoe Falls, John and I followed the walk’s full length until we were across from the American Falls, frequently pausing to take in the views of all three falls.

We chose not to add a 🔓 as there already seemed to be plenty! 😂
View from our first walk alongside the falls
Another view from that first stroll alongside the falls.

These gorgeous beauties lined the walks along Niagara Falls.

Food and Such 🌮 🥞

Afterwards, we walked to a locally owned, vibrant, upbeat eatery, Taco and Tequila. Once seated with frosty beverages and oh-so-tasty fresh food, we loosely planned for our upcoming one-and-only full day of Niagara adventure.

Taco and Tequila did not disappoint–so, so good!

After dinner, we enjoyed a nightcap across from Bridal Veil Falls.

Next morning, John and I were ready to go full-tilt tourist mode.  Therefore, our first stop was breakfast at an IHOP known for its panoramic view of the falls.  It did not disappoint; we felt as if we could reach out and touch the water.  Then, our, ahem, livestream adventure continued flowing!

Dining at IHOP with unbelievable views!

After breakfast, we head over towards the star of the show!

Going Down!⬇️

Crossing the Love-Lock bridge once more, we purchased two-way tickets for the Niagara Falls Incline Railway.  This falls’ view, year-round, climate-controlled ride, gave us easy access to all of the park’s attractions. The incline railway took us down to Bridge of Flowers pedestrian bridge, allowing us to walk across to the Table Rock Center , a perfect jumping off point for all things Niagara.

View from the Niagara Falls Incline Railway.

And still another view from the Incline Railway

Table Rock Welcome Center 🤓

Table Rock Center is spacious, welcoming, and full of dining and shopping opportunities for those who can’t walk away from souvenirs.  It also serves as an information and ticket center for various Niagara Parks attractions.  Plus, it housed the first attraction we wished to experience–Journey Behind the Falls.

Table Rock Welcome Center at Niagara Falls, Canada

Journey behind the Falls 💦

In order to get behind the falls, we queued up with hundreds of other visitors for our turn to ride an elevator 125 feet below in order to traverse through dimly lit dank tunnels that are over 130 years old.  We peered through a portal as Horseshoe Falls’ powerful profusion of water raced past, filling the bedrock around us with a thrumming sound that could not only be heard, but also felt.  Little did we know was only the beginning of the numerous sensory experiences the day had in store for us.

Yellow ponchos make us silly, as we spy through the portal behind the falls.

Take a look through the portal with us!

Moving away from the underground viewing portal and towards the upper deck, the sound of rushing water grew in its intensity.  We felt it before we saw it. The closer we moved, the faster our hearts beat.  Then, as if stepping behind the greatest of all water faucets, our ears were filled with the thunderous sound of water cascading down.  You could feel the falls’ potency vibrating throughout.  It was extraordinarily incredible.  Stepping down to the lower deck, we felt, saw, and heard the falls’ breathtaking force.

From the lower deck, taking in the combined force of Bridal Veil and Horseshoe Falls.
From the lower deck, American Falls were to our left as a rainbow began forming over the water.
Feel the power of Horseshoe Falls.
Short, but up-close clip of Horseshoe Falls
This clip to gives you a feel of the falls and the tourist energy of the lower deck of Horseshoe Falls.

Hornblower Cruise 🚢

An or so later, we headed out to the sunshiney walk, we made our way through the milieu of tourists ambling along walks, pausing for pictures, and reclining in the grassy lawns lining the Niagara walks.  After a long, but fantastically scenic, walk, we purchased tickets and lined up once more, this time for a ride on Hornblower Niagara Cruise.  (The U.S. has its version, Maid of the Mist.) What an adventure! 

And away we go . . . 🛳️

Our voyage to the falls lasted approximately 20 minutes, but our memories will last a lifetime. Our up close and personal views of Niagara Gorge, American Falls,                    and Bridal Veil Falls were astounding, filled with a continuous surround-sound of various degrees of intensity and volume as the boat thrashed about the water. However, it was the face-to-face encounter with the prodigious, pounding waters of Horseshoe Falls that left us vibrating from head to toe with its sheer volume of power.  By the end, we were soaked, and left feeling grateful for such an immersive, unforgettable experience.

American Falls from the deck of the Hornblower.
Heading towards Bridal Veil and Horseshoe Falls.

View from the deck of the Hornblower Cruise.

Parting view of American Falls.
Feel the cool rush of Horseshoe Falls.
See what it’s like to cruise in the gorge below Bridal Veil and Horseshoe Falls.
How awesome are Bridal Veil and Horseshoe Falls.

niagara’s Fury 💧

Once on solid ground, John and I retraced our footpath back to the beautiful, historic Table Rock Center where we started our day.  We decided we should go see one more tourist attraction– Niagara’s Fury.  

This 4D motion theater, in which visitors must don ponchos and hold onto bars, envelops viewers in the geological history of Niagara Falls.  Inside the theater, the temperature drops, the floor trembles, snow falls, rain falls in sync with what is occurring on the room-surrounding screen.  It is a family friendly attraction, but adults will enjoy it too.  This feature is highly entertaining, but also educates viewers about the formation of Niagara’s great fossil waters.

Time to put on blue ponchos from this immersive 4-D attraction

We wrapped up our day by taking our return trip on Niagara Falls Incline Railway. Once again, I sat upfront, like a child, drinking in the riveting view of the falls.

Inspired Turtle Thoughts 🐢

Over a quiet dinner at a restaurant called Turtle Jack’s, John and I reflected on the magic of the trip.   Having seen both Lake Huron and Lake Michigan on our extended trip north, and driven by run-off waters for Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, it made the following fact more meaningful: four of the five Great Lakes (Huron, Michigan, Superior, Erie) flow into the Niagara River.  Meanwhile, the Niagara River then empties into Lake Ontario. All told, the water of the five great lakes makes up one-fifth of the world’s freshwater supply, and we had the privilege of observing its vastness. 

Full of thoughts and food by the evening . . .

Memories remain 🧠

In the end, Niagara Falls was worth the price of admission.  I wish we could have stayed longer, as both the Canadian side and the American side had many more scenic attractions.  Maybe one day, we will return.  In the meantime, if you have never made the trip to Niagara Falls, I highly encourage you to take it.  You will not regret it!

Fireworks over Niagara Falls as viewed from our hotel room.


Live actions view of fireworks over the falls, colorfully lit in honor of Pride Month, that occurred on our last night at Niagara.

More live action views of Niagara fireworks over falls.