(Ice Cream (Anne of Green Gables) – Norman Campbell, Elaine Campbell, Don Harron)

Went to Sunliner Diner for lunch. Richard had fish 🐠 and chips 🍟. He said it wasn’t as good as the last time. The fish batter was much thicker and heavier today plus it was more expensive. We noticed all their prices had been increased. Guess they’re no longer in the off season. I spotted an ice cream sundae on a neighbours table and opted to have an ice cream 🍨 sundae for my lunch. 😮 Not the healthiest option but certainly a delicious one. 😋

This is what I enjoyed.

TURTLE SUNDAE

Chocolate ice cream with room temperature caramel, whipped cream, pecans and a cherry. (I had them also add a bit of hot fudge sauce.) It was sooooo 😋 and only my second ice cream this entire vacation. So glad I worked out 💪 🏋️‍♀️at the gym for 90 min. this morning. I know it doesn’t cover all the calories but still it’s better than no workout 🏋️‍♀️ at all.

Not very sunny 🌥 this afternoon but still warm enough to sit and read on the deck. I love listening to the sound of the waves 🌊.

Loving my time down here.

Nite y’all 😴

(Alabama – Neil Young)

An easy day today. Off to the gym for cardio and pilates, then Starbucks and immediately right back home. Weather forecast for this afternoon was sunny 😎 and 13C which on our deck can be extremely hot so I didn’t want to miss one minute of deck time.

Southern Meal #9

Alabama Camp Stew and Cornbread

If you go to the grocery store in Alabama to get the ingredients for this I’m told the cashier may say,” You’re making camp stew.”.

Alabama Camp Stew is a traditional dish, popular in the American south, generally involving a tomato base, local beans, vegetables, and originally small game meat, though today often pork or chicken. (I used chicken.) The origins of the stew are currently unknown although it seems to have received this name as it was easy to make while camping.

The recipe site I used said Alabama Stew is as old as the hills and is often also known as Brunswick stew. Works for a Maritimer.

I had some leftover cornbread that I had previously frozen so decided to use it rather than make a fresh batch.

The stew was delicious, so flavourful. We both agreed that we’d make it again. Richard had his with Naan bread and I ate the cornbread. The cornbread wasn’t as good as when it was freshly made but still tasted great.

We had a stunning sunset tonight. Our local friend also enjoyed it. 🥰

Another beautiful, amazing day.

Nite y’all. 😴

(Pensacola – Joan Osborne)

A cooler day but sunny so we decided to take a day trip to Pensacola.

Pensacola, the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and approximately 13 miles (21 km) from the border with Alabama (33.4 miles/53.75 km), is a waterfront city in the north of the U.S. state of Florida. It’s separated from the Gulf of Mexico by Santa Rosa Island, and its protected beaches make it a popular holiday destination. The city was one of the earliest European settlements in the U.S., and Historic Pensacola Village is a museum complex containing original 19th-century buildings.

The original inhabitants of the Pensacola Bay area were Native American peoples. At the time of European contact, a Muskogean-speaking tribe known to the Spanish as the Pensacola lived in the region. This name was not recorded until 1677, but the tribe appears to be the source of the name “Pensacola” for the bay and thence the city.

The area’s written recorded history begins in the 16th century, with documentation by Spanish explorers, who were the first Europeans to reach the area.

In the age of sailing ships Pensacola was the busiest port on the Gulf of Mexico, having the deepest harbor on the Gulf.

Pensacola is nicknamed “The City of Five Flags”, due to the five governments that have ruled it during its history: the flags of Spain ( Castile), France, Great Britain, the United States of America, and the Confederate States of America.

As you can see we did our own walking tour around the city. We saw several monuments/plaques: General Andrew Jackson,William Dudley Chipley,and T. T. Wentworth, Jr.

I don’t think he’d have made it as a minimalist. Lol. Wonder if today he’d have been called a pack rat or a hoarder. 😉

We had a wonderful, healthy lunch at Carmen’s. I had a kale salad with a side scoop of chicken salad, and Richard had a chicken salad plate. Delish. After lunch we walked a bit more and then headed home for a nice sunny time on our deck.

A few other things we saw. It’s plaque reads,” A Tribute to our First Nations Artist Dave Kessler”.

An amazing day.

Nite y’all 😴

(La Danse de Mardi Gras – The Balfa Brothers)

Today’s post is about Mardi Gras. We went to our first Mardi Gras parade this morning. (Of course we got up early to fit in a yoga class and some gym time before the parade.) Going to the gym gave us a perfect parking spot as it was then only a few minutes walk to the parade start.

Knowing very little about Mardi Gras before wintering in Alabama I did some research. Here’s a tiny bit of my findings.

Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, refers to events of the Carnival celebration, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday (known as Shrove Tuesday). Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday”, reflecting the practice of the last night of eating rich, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season.

The festival season varies from city to city, as some traditions, such as the one in New Orleans, Louisiana where they consider Mardi Gras to stretch the entire period from Twelfth Night (the last night of Christmas which begins Epiphany) to Ash Wednesday. Others treat the final three-day period before Ash Wednesday as the Mardi Gras. In Mobile, Alabama, Mardi Gras–associated social events begin in November, followed by mystic society balls on Thanksgiving, then New Year’s Eve, followed by parades and balls in January and February, celebrating up to midnight before Ash Wednesday.

In 1703, Mobile was the capital of French Louisiana. French Catholic settlers brought with them their “carnival” traditions of feasting, revelry and merriment on the days preceding Ash Wednesday, which was followed by fasting during the somber, sacrificial season of Lent. In 1703 these French settlers in Mobile established the first organized Mardi Gras celebration tradition. The first informal mystic society, or krewe, was formed in Mobile in 1711, the Boeuf Gras Society. It’s said that Mobile’s first parade was held in 1711, when 16 men pushed a cart carrying a large papier-mâché cow’s head down the street, kicking off a big outdoors party.

Mardi Gras Colours

The colours traditionally associated with Mardi Gras are green, gold, and purple: Purple Represents Justice, Green Represents Faith, and Gold Represents Power.

Beads

Mardi Gras beads have been popularized for their widespread use on Fat Tuesday. These Mardi Gras “throws” were similar to the festival customs of the English Renaissance era. During the late 1800’s, inexpensive necklaces made of glass beads began to be tossed into the crowds by the parade krewes.

Moonpies

Some say these should be called Mardi Gras pies. The Chattanooga Bakery began making moon pies in 1916. They first came in graham cracker cookies with a marshmallow center. Now, the famed cookies come in chocolate, banana, coconut, orange and vanilla.

The first to throw moon pies were the krewe of “Maids of Mirth” in 1974. Soon other krewes were following the action as the throw caught on.

Costumes

Mardi Gras, as a celebration of life before the more-somber occasion of Ash Wednesday, nearly always involves the use of masks and costumes by its participants. Many costumes today in this area are simply elaborate creations of coloured feathers and capes.

Mardi Gras 2019

2019 brought a late Mardi Gras season, with Fat Tuesday falling on March 5. Consequently, Mobile’s parade season didn’t start until Feb. 15.

March 5 is almost as late as Fat Tuesday can fall, given its fixed relationship to Easter. It’ll be 2031 before it again comes this far into the year, and in 2038 it’ll land on the latest possible date, March 9.

In the Mobile area (of which Gulf Shores where I’m living is a part) there were 61 parades. What! We only went to the Gulf Shores parade. It was interesting. The parade look approximately 30 minutes to completely pass where we were standing. There were floats, the local high school marching band,dogs, cheerleaders, fire trucks and police vehicles, and lots of people in costumes.

Out to the crowd they were throwing coloured beads, moon pies (look to me like mini wagon wheels), plastic cups, t shirts, cup holders, and mini footballs.

I got two moon pies and of course I had to sample them. Not my favourite item to eat. (My kids never really like wagon wheels even though their Grammie Ruby kept buying them.)

I also got some beads.

No flashing to get them. Lol.

The streets were lined several deep with spectators (right out in the middle of the street – no one really stayed on the side of the street) carrying bags to collect their goodies. I even saw one family with a big Rubbermaid tub on wheels for their parade spoils. Incredible! What was even more incredible was watching everyone clamouring over each other to grab these items.

Here’s a few more parade pictures.

Hope you enjoyed sharing my first Mardi Gras parade.

Nite y’all 😴

(I Forgot – Clara Mae)

Back to the gym this morning. Then groceries for a few things we forgot for dinner tonight and then Starbucks.

We had our neighbours Joanne and Jeanne over for dinner as they’re leaving on Wednesday. 😢

We had a marvellous time. Dinner was delicious even if I do say so myself. 😋 Richard made a variety of kabobs with meatballs, mozzarella balls, cheddar cheese, pineapple, grapes, and cherry tomatoes. Plus we served veggie chips, celery and carrot sticks, and rice crackers. But we forgot to put out the yummy cheese sticks. Oh well. They’ll get eaten. And that’s not the only thing we forgot. Huh. We forgot to take a picture for the blog. I’m so disappointed. It looked so colourful. Next time.

For dessert I made key lime cheesecake. It tasted divine. Very proud of myself.

We will miss our neighbours. They’ve been an added bonus to our staying here. We exchanged emails and Facebook so we will keep in touch. And fingers crossed we’ll all be here again next year. 🤞🏼

Tomorrow is Fat Tuesday and a Mardi Gras parade day. Fat Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday. It is also known as Mardi Gras Day or Shrove Day. It is a day when people eat all they want of everything and anything they want as the following day is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of a long fasting period for Christians. Looking forward to tomorrow.

I hope my family and friends at home have weathered their most recent snow storm. I know you’re probably sick of snow. 🙏🏼 Sending good thoughts your way.

Nite y’all 😴

(Everything’s Alright (Jesus Christ Superstar) – Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber)

Just a quick post to let everyone know that we’re fine. The tornado in Alabama was not near us. Whew!

(Thunder and Lightening – Chi Coltrane)

You guessed it. That’s our afternoon. And when it rains here boy does it rain! It pours so hard and so loud. Unbelievable!

I’m glad we went out this morning. First we had breakfast at Sunliner Diner. We enjoy it there. Our waitress couldn’t believe we were from PEI. It’s on her bucket list. A former colleague of hers was from Halifax. I had my usual omelette but now I omit the grits and hash browns and just get a fruit side. Richard had his corned beef hash. (Tender house-made corned beef hash, green and red peppers, sweet Vidalia hash browns topped with two eggs your way, horseradish cream and a Sunliner biscuit.)

To Publix for a few groceries as our neighbours are leaving Wednesday so we’re having them to dinner tomorrow night.

Here’s a tiny bit of our storm. ⚡️🌫 At least it’s not snow. ❄️☃️

Nite y’all 😴

(Warm Weather – Pieces of a Dream)

Just a small post today.

Update. Richard got back safe and sound last night (after a five hour drive there and then back) around 9:00 pm from the record show near Birmingham. He was very happy with his purchases. He bought lots of records.

Saturday is Richard’s soccer game day. He can’t miss watching his England home town team Nottingham Forest so off I went to the gym. Did my treadmill and pilates. Home again and then we went out for groceries and Starbucks. Not extremely exciting, right?

It was warm and sunny so we immediately headed back to sit on the deck. Heavenly. Around 3:30 clouds filled the sky. No more sun. 😢 But still much better than the snow storm scheduled for PEI.❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️☃️

We are enjoying it here. Already thinking about coming again next year.

Bundle up PEI. Hope you bought your storm chips. 😉

Nite y’all 😴

(White Rabbit- Jefferson Airplane)

“Rabbit rabbit rabbit” is a superstition found in Britain and North America where a person says or repeats the words “rabbit”, “rabbits” and/or “white rabbits” aloud upon waking on the first day of a month, to ensure good luck for the rest of it.

Richard introduced me to a variation of this superstition. For him it’s saying “white rabbits” first thing in the morning on the first day of the month but only in a month that has an “r” in it. Well March has an “r” but we both forgot to say it this morning.😩Time will tell. Lol.

I’m giving you two songs today. (In case you haven’t noticed I always give you a song tied to the posting title.)

(On My Own (Les Misérables) – Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil

Well today I was on my own.

Richard left around 5:30 this morning to drive to a record show near Birmingham. I decided to stay here. That way he could do his record hunting without worrying that I was bored and feeling he had to rush. Records, ones that I grew up calling 45’s but he calls 7 inch records, are a major, major interest of his and he’s extremely knowledgeable about them. He enjoys buying and selling them.

Without a car today there was no gym for me. I didn’t want to give up an exercise day so I found yoga and pilates videos on you tube to do in the living room.

This may sound a bit odd to you but I like to clean. So that’s what I did for another part of the day. I like getting it done all at once. Maybe it’s not so much the love of cleaning but that great feeling you get when you’re done. As Anne of Green Gables would say, “It gave me great satisfaction.”. Yes it did.

My next plan was to go for a nice, long bike ride.

I didn’t go.😢 I couldn’t remember the bike lock combination. Haha. Imagine that.

Of course I finally found it when it was too late to go. Bummer.

The saddest part of the day was that the neighbours knocked on my door to invite me to supper but I didn’t hear them. Shoot. That would have been so nice. They leave on Wednesday so we’ll have to get together before then.

I hope this post finds everyone well and enjoying an amazing life.

Nite y’all😴

(Succotash – Herbie Hancock)

I know I haven’t posted in a few days. Oops. Sorry. We’ve just had a few quiet days so there wasn’t much to share with you. Just going to the gym and then lazing around the house/deck reading and drinking tea. Super relaxing.

The other day we went for an early morning (6:30) beach walk. It was beautiful. What an amazing time of day. A perfect way to begin. Here we have a lot of herons, gulls, pelicans, and sandpipers on our beach. That morning the locals’ resident heron flew by us and landed oh so close to us. Unbelievable. Richard walked up to it thinking it would fly away and he’d get an inflight picture but the heron had other ideas. On the plus side Richard was able to walk right up to it to take this photo. How beautiful.

Last night we were invited to the neighbours for dinner. It’s been wonderful meeting them and sharing meals and engaging in lots of interesting discussions. They’re here for one more week so we plan on getting together again before they leave.

I’ve been looking for southern recipes. When I saw a recipe for succotash the first thing that came to mind was the cartoon character Sylvester the Cat and his trademark exclamation “Sufferin’ Succotash”. Funny how the mind works. Took that as a sign that I should make it.

Most kids love cartoons. I certainly did when I was a child. I especially love the old ones: Bugs Bunny, Looney Tunes, Disney, and Merrie Melodies to name a few. As a kid they were funny. Getting older I appreciate them for all that they entail. When I was teaching elementary school music (37 years) I appreciated their incorporation of classical music. It was such a joy to share some of these with my students and observe their amazement and their enjoyment of them. There are so many wonderful cartoons. Here is just a small taste.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5-fP4QpL0A&feature=share

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1laz-7C2KM&feature=share

https://youtu.be/bYM84n-2Sas

https://youtu.be/wnYpUuMGLrM

https://youtu.be/qWJ-kGuOA_Q

Southern Recipe #8

Blackened Chicken with Succotash and Cornbread

When I chose to make the Succotash recipe I knew I couldn’t just have it alone. Since we like chicken I decided to have blackened chicken. Seemed more southern to me. Maybe it is and maybe it isn’t. Is it?

Heaven help me! 🙏🏼 I decided to try cornbread again. This time from scratch. 🙀 In my first venture with cornbread I made it from a mix and it was a total disaster. 😝 I should have know better. Mixes are not usually the best.

The meal was delicious and we’ll definitely have it again when we get back home.

I hope everyone has had an amazing week.

Nite y’all 😴