Here's something else that's blooming a lot around here at the moment -- the Virginia Spiderwort. It's a type of Tradescantia, just like the purple heart plant in our living room back in London, as well as the well-known houseplant wandering jew. (I just read on Wikipedia that some people have begun calling it "wandering dude" to avoid the ethnic reference, but that hasn't reached my ears yet.)
My brother and I went back to see Mom yesterday morning. I sat with her out on the patio while my brother took care of some Mom-related business, and then we went to get pizza for the staff. My brother wanted to do that to show appreciation because apparently some other families have been hard on them lately over changes being made to the facilities.
We went to a local pizza chain to pick up the pies, and there was only one guy working there -- he said he was usually the driver but apparently the baker didn't show up for work that day. He kept up a steady flow of conversation as he made the pizzas, and when he got around to the situation in Ukraine I abandoned my brother to go for a walk. "I hate you," my brother said.
Perhaps I'm lacking in patience, but I really thought I might lose my mind if I had to listen to the pizza man's opinions about Ukraine. Even though he seemed to be on the right side of the issue, from all we could tell.
Anyway, after delivering the pizzas my brother and I went to Alpine Groves, a park and historic homestead in the village of Switzerland on the St. John's River. It's the subject of today's Florida video. (I think I'll call them "Florivideos" -- copyright pending.)
The pink flowers blooming amid the ferns are oxalis, which Dave and I also have in our garden in England. And while I'm not usually a fan of graffiti in a natural environment, I was amused by the big smiley face on the log by the river.
We went to dinner last night at a barbecue restaurant (barbecue is something I never get in London) and I had pulled pork and collard greens, for the true Southern experience. My youngest niece, Kate, insisted on wearing one of my brother's oversized hoodies, with the hood pulled up, and my big sunglasses -- we joked that she looked like the Unabomber. In fact we called her the Unabomber all night, even though she has no idea who that is. I hope she doesn't go to school today and say, "I'm the Unabomber!"
After dinner we went down to the river in San Marco to catch the sunset:
Kate was especially impressed with how red it looked through my tinted sunglasses. She eventually took them off because she started to get a little freaked out. The water, she said, "looked like lava."
Today I'm headed back to Tampa.
47 comments:
It sounds like a great day with family.
It look beautiful there Steve, enjoy your stay.
I know what you mean about Ukraine, its kind of taken over from Covid in the conversations hasn't it?
Personally I've had enough of all of it, I'm practicing being a hermit,lol
Briony
x
Another lovely video. You are getting good at this. However, there was no background music. May I suggest that you sing while filming in future? This video would have benefited from you singing your own version of "We've Only Just Begun" by The Carpenters:-
And when the evening comes, we smile
So much of life ahead
We'll find a place where there's room to grow
(And yes, we've just begun)
That was a nice gesture your brother made - buying pizzas for the staff. Such carers are worth their weight in gold.
That was a very nice video! I had to look up Switzerland, FL to find out why it was named that. According to a couple of Wikipedia searches it was named after "Francis Philip Fatio (Spanish Francisco Phelipe Fatio) (1724-1811), born in Switzerland, was a soldier for France, a viscount in Sardinia, a merchant in London, and a prominent planter in East Florida during both the British period and the second Spanish period."
Fabulous Video There Brother - Pleased Hearing About Time With Your Brother - Safe Travels Down To Tampa - Olga Girl
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Family time is wonderful. Even if one of them is the Unabomber. :D Your videos are so peaceful.
I do love a Florida sunset.
Great family time. I hope your Mom was happy with your company, and your brother. Good idea to look after her staff. It helps with her care.
I love your doc videos. I think I've been to this region of Florida. What strikes me is how very flat it is. Hardly a rise in the ground.
I wonder if any of your readers love these videos as much as I do? Is it because I live here that I think they are so beautiful or do I live here because I find these scenes so beautiful?
Majestic live oaks. Beautiful tannic-stained river.
Have you ever eaten any of the oxalis? They are also called "sour flower" for a reason. The kids love them.
Be safe.
For nearly the entire post I'm pondering how barbecue and the Unabomber are going to be worked in and then you sock it to us in the end. I admit I was hoping for something more dramatic as one of the staff at your mom's facility was related to the Unabomber.
I have a hard time believing there is no barbecue in London. There was plenty of American foods there in my previous visits so it seems a shame that barbecue hasn't made it across the pond.
Beautiful sunset! I liked the video too. I think you should have included a picture of your niece, the renowned Unibomber :)
I love watching the videos and seeing places that I know I will never visit. It really is beautiful there.
It's been very gray and rainy here so it is a true delight to see that sunset photo.
So pretty!
A very nice gesture to buy pizza for the staff. Carers everywhere are stressed more than usual now.
Everything looks so lush there. Do you think growing up in Florida affects how you have set up your garden in the UK?
Those huge trees in the video are amazing to see. I wonder how old they are. How nice to bring pizzas to the staff! They have a tough job that requires a lot of patience and caring.
You will be flying back home before you know it! It looks like you have been having nice weather so that's great! Enjoy and safe travels, Steve!
I enjoyed this installment in the Florivideo series. So what is your favorite type of BBQ? It can vary so drastically by region. (and collards are good, but I prefer turnip greens)
It sounds like you're having a wonderful time and I'm glad you are getting good mom and brother time in. The pizza is a wonderful idea. And I do love the spiderwort!
Beautiful sunset and great adventures. But...can anyone make a pizza?
What a nice, relaxing video! You know you are in the south when you see all that Spanish moss. That was nice of you to get the pizzas. I'm sure that was appreciated.
That's a wonderful video though I keep thinking that the photographer might be tempting some lurking alligators. Didn't see any, though. That's funny about the Unabomber.
It was so wonderful to see the huge live oaks with the Spanish moss hanging down. I haven't been in that part of the world for a long time and it is one of the most beautiful and serene environments I have ever experienced.
Mmmm, Barbecue. There is no better smell anywhere when a person is hungry.
I like the way Florida looks, but I wouldn't want to live there. The humidity would do me in within a week.
Great video, but I miss your piano accompaniment.
It was! :)
I agree. I'm happy to talk about anything but politics these days.
I love that song, but I'm not sure my singing it would be very appealing! LOL
I left the ambient sound in that video because I liked the birdsong and the sounds of the breeze on the river.
Interesting! I knew it was named after a Swiss settler but didn't know who he was.
Dave reports that Olga is doing fine, BTW! I know you're wondering! :)
You never know what kids will aspire to! LOL
Me too! They're hard to beat as sunsets go.
Florida is a pretty flat state overall, particularly around the edges. The center of the peninsula and the northern panhandle can be hilly but there are no very high points.
I've never eaten oxalis! I have to try that!
Oh, I'm sure we HAVE barbecue in London -- I just never get it there! And I'm sure barbecue aficionados would debate its authenticity.
I have some pictures of her in her garb, but my brother has prohibited me from posting pictures of the kids!
It IS beautiful here. It strikes me anew every time I visit.
Isn't it?!
Maybe! Actually Dave was the one who wanted a very "lush" look. I think it's why I like plants with big, broad leaves though -- like tropical plants.
They must be a hundred years old anyway, but probably older than that. And they've stood through hurricanes and flooding and all kinds of natural disasters.
The sauce I got last night was a tomato/vinegar type, but they had lots of choices -- including Carolina mustard. I like turnip greens too!
I love the spiderwort too. I remember trying to pick the flowers as a kid but they only last a few hours.
Well, it LOOKED good, but I confess I didn't taste it!
The moss gives those big old trees such an elegant look!
I haven't seen an alligator yet on this trip!
It IS really beautiful, though I always associate Spanish moss with chiggers. My childhood babysitter insisted it had bugs in it. I have no idea whether that's true or not.
It's pretty rough in the summer -- heat AND humidity. It's pretty humid even now, but at least the temperature is manageable.
I wanted you to hear the birdsong!
Perfect And Thank You - Such A Doll On Her Favorite Pink Blanket
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