Our Neighbor's White Crepe Myrtle

    

Crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia) is a genus of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs native to the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, northern Australia, and other parts of Oceania, cultivated in warmer climates around the world. They thrive in full sun (6+ hours daily), well-drained soil, and warm climates (USDA Zones 7–9, with some hardy in 6). They prefer slightly acidic soil and are drought-tolerant once established. They bloom on new wood, making late winter/early spring the best time for pruning. The flowers can be white or pink.

 

 On the side of the parking lot behind my condo building is a wooden fence separating our neighbor's yard. He has a beautiful white crepe myrtle tree in bloom. I had to share some photos taken from our parking lot. Flowers, blue skies, puffy clouds, and beautiful trees are gifts from God.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Happy July!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Easy Pineapple & Cucumber Salad

  

 

Sometimes the best things are just plain easy. For a fast and tasty side dish during the summer heat, try an easy Pineapple Cucumber Salad. It works well with a cookout or a sit-down dinner. Spend 5 to 10 minutes to throw it together. Chill it.  Then devour it.

This makes a great lunch or snack too. Yum!  Halve the cucumber lengthwise and slice. Dice the pineapple in cubes. Add cilantro and lime juice with zest. Easy peasy. (If you don’t like to cut up a pineapple, buy it sliced at the grocery store and just cut in smaller pieces.)  Hate cilantro? Drop it and substitute fresh mint for a great flavor.

 

 

 

 

Pineapple Cucumber Salad

Use organic when available; serves 4 to 6

 

Ingredients

• 1 pineapple peeled & chopped (2 1/2 to 3 cups)
• 1 English cucumber halved & sliced
• 2 limes – zest and juice
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro diced
• 1/4 cup Optional fresh mint diced
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• Optional tomatoes

Instructions

• Combine pineapple, cucumber in bowl
• Mix lime zest & juice, olive oil, and cilantro separately
• Drizzle dressing over salad
• Toss gently
• Add salt and pepper to taste
• Chill until served  

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Nature & History at Phillipe Park

 

 

Philippe Park
2525 Philippe Parkway
Safety Harbor, FL 34695

 

 I was going through old photos and discovered these forgotten photos from Philippe Park, Safety Harbor, Florida.  I hope you enjoy this trip from the archives. It is a lovely park in Pinellas County; it's also the oldest park in Pinellas County, Florida.  The land in the park was once part of a large plantation built by Count Odet Philippe, one of the more colorful figures in Pinellas County’s past. Odet was the first non-native, permanent settler on the Pinellas peninsula.  He owned a 160-acre plantation and introduced citrus growing to the area in 1842. (Pinellas County is a peninsula on a peninsula. Fun Fact)

 

 

 

The original inhabitants were a people known as the Tocobaga Indians of Tampa Bay. The Tocobaga lived in small villages at the northern end of Tampa Bay from 900 to the 1500s.  In approximately 1528, Pánfilo de Narváez, a Spanish explorer, arrived in the Tampa Bay area. He and his men discovered the Tocobaga. Like many other indigenous people, the arrival of Europeans  brought disease and violence to the tribe’s peaceful existence. The Tocobaga were hunters not warriors. As a result, the Tocobaga Indians became extinct within the next 100 years.

 

  

In the park, there is a Temple Mound that was built by the Tocobaga. It is the largest remaining mound in the Tampa Bay region and is listed in the National Register of Historic Landmarks. The mound was made of alternating layers of shell and sand. Remains of posts indicate there was at least one structure on top, possibly used for ceremonial purposes or the chief’s dwelling. Archaeologists believe the ramp led to a “town plaza” at the base of the mound.  For more information, click here.

 

 

The park has 8 shelters, a playground, fishing, a boat ramp, a softball field, and a mile of Tampa Bay shoreline.

 

 

 

 I like sitting and watching the bay. It’s a lovely place to spend some quiet time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Majestic shade trees welcome visitors.

 

 

 

 It’s also a great place to watch a Florida sunset.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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One Pot Ham & Veggie Pasta

Today’s recipe, Ham & Veggie Pasta, is a hearty meal but easy to make for busy weeknights. What makes it superb for summer is all the cooking is in one stove top pot. For summer, I suggest you buy a center cut ham steak of about 1 to 2 pounds. 2 cups of chopped ham is approximately 1 pound; you’ll need 2 1/2 cups for 6 servings. When fall and winter comes, use leftovers from your baked ham. I used a defrosted frozen green peas and carrot mix for my veggies, but you could just use green peas or another vegetable.

I like cute bow tie pasta (Farfalle), but you can change up this recipe by using a different pasta shape or switching out Parmesan for another cheese. If you don’t eat pork, substitute bite-sized pieces of other cooked protein. The sauce is based on low sodium chicken broth and half-and-half. Half-and-half comes in variations, including low-fat and fat-free varieties. Regular half-and-half is 10.5% to 12% fat. Low-fat has 50% less fat than regular half-and-half. Fat-free half-and-half has one-tenth the fat of regular half-and-half. I suggest low fat half-and-half to cut fat but retain the creamy flavor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One Pot Ham & Veggie Pasta

Use organic when available. Serves 6.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups cubed cooked ham
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/4 cup low-fat half-and-half
• 1/4 cup flour
• 16 oz package farfalle (bow tie) pasta
• 2 cups frozen peas and carrots defrosted
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• optional chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat
• Add onion and ham
• Sauté for about 3 minutes
• Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds
• Stir in Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper
• Cook for 2 minutes
• Whisk together chicken broth, half-and-half, and flour in a bowl until smooth
• Pour into the pot of ham mix
• Stir in farfalle pasta, cover, and cook for 15 minutes
• Add peas and carrots
• Cook until pasta is cooked through, about 8 more minutes
• Stir in Parmesan cheese
• Optional garnish with chopped parsley
• Serve immediately with bread and a salad   

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The Many Lakes of Lakeland, Florida

 

 

When you drive around Lakeland, you pass lots of lakes. The City of Lakeland says that there are a total of 38 named lakes within City limits, as well as numerous smaller lakes. Sizes among the 38 named lakes range from 2.5 acres (Lake Blanton) to 2,272 acres (Lake Parker) of which 17 are natural and 21 are man-made. Lake Parker is the large lake behind my condo development. Today I’m sharing a few photos of another lake I passed in my drives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Peaches with Cheese

 

 

Summer is the time to cook food on the grill. Meat, vegetables, and fruits all have their flavors enhanced with the high heat that seals in all the juices.  Magic seems to happen when we grill fruit. Today’s recipe uses ripe but not soft peaches wrapped in prosciutto. Grilled prosciutto wrapped peaches are a perfect sweet and savory dish for an appetizer or even a dessert.  Serve with mozzarella or burrata. Drizzle the platter with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle a little salt and pepper, and garnish with fresh basil strips.

Grilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Peaches With Cheese

Use organic when available. Serves 4 to 6. Platter above shows doubled recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 ripe peaches pitted and quartered
• 4 thin slices of prosciutto halved lengthwise
• 8 toothpicks or small skewers
• 6 oz mozzarella or burrata cheese
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• salt pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp sliced fresh basil

Instructions

• Preheat grill to medium high and oil grate
• Make prosciutto ribbons and wrap each quarter peach
• Secure prosciutto with toothpick or small skewer
• Place wrapped peaches on grill
• Grill about 6 minutes until peaches start to carmelize and prosciutto gets crisp around edges
• Remove from heat and discard toothpicks/skewers
• Place cheese onto serving plate
• Place grilled prosciutto-peach quarters around cheese
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper
• Drizzle with olive oil
• Garnish with fresh basil slices
• Serve immediately  

Enjoy!

 

 

 

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Summer in Central Florida

 As I reported recently, Florida is experiencing a severe drought, marking its most significant water shortage since 2012. Driven by massive rainfall deficits and collapsed groundwater levels, regional authorities have enacted strict water restrictions. We're now in the rainy season and are getting showers more often. This has helped but has not solved the problem. We need frequent short showers to build up groundwater levels. A heavy rain doesn't really help as the sandy soil cannot retain the moisture. 

 

Image via Facebook

 

 

 

 

 

  

Today I'm sharing summer skies here at the condo with increased darker clouds. Many afternoons moisture builds up over the Gulf and moves across Florida with showers. Sometimes there is thunder and lightening. I sit and listen as it moves in and out.  I don't really go outside to capture storms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope you're enjoying summer wherever you are!

 

 

 

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