Quick Trip to Orlando

 

I have been to Orlando many times, but since we moved to Florida, have not made it there. It’s a 2-3 hour trip depending on the traffic on I-4, but unfortunately, you can usually count on the traffic as you approach Orlando from Tampa being quite ridiculous.  So, unless you are a big Disney fan, which I am not, it’s not worth it.

But, my husband offered a night there to see Paul McCartney in concert and I couldn’t say no to that.  We decided to stay near the concert venue downtown, but stop on the way for lunch at Disney Springs.  I have not been to any Disney location in over 10 years, and did not realize how much things have changed.  It’s very nice and there is now a lot more shopping available, besides Disney merchandise.  The newest section is an outdoor mall without a hint of Disney.  We had lunch and a cocktail, but after walking around for a bit and being tired of the crowds, headed to the hotel to get ready for the concert.

My husband loves the Beatles and I am a fan, but really only know the most well known songs. But, Paul McCartney is a music legend who is getting up there ( he is 79), so it realistically might be his last tour.  The football stadium/concert venue was close to a sell out, so others had the same idea.  It was a beautiful Florida night, he put on a great 3 hour show and I will never forget the night sky full of the lights from the concert goers phones with his still distinctive voice singing my favorite Beatle’s song - Let It Be.  

Tropical Frozen Yogurt Bark

 

This is my favorite kind of recipe.  It’s so easy and it’s so healthy, but it spite of that, it’s so delicious.  And, the method can remain the same, but the ingredients can be changed any number of ways.

To make: spread 1 cup of vanilla fat free greek yogurt on a sheet of non stick foil.  Drizzle all over with honey. Top with small chunks of mango (I used frozen) and key lime pie granola. Freeze until set, break into large pieces and store in freezer.  

My daughter and I came up with other possibilities like vanilla yogurt, strawberries and chocolate granola or coconut yogurt, coconut flakes and mini chocolate chips.  How fun, right?

The key lime granola I used was a gift from my daughter and I highly recommend the brand.  It really does have a strong key lime flavor ( my favorite ) and is lower in sugar than most other granola.  I do read grocery store labels to check for carbs since I am diabetic and granola is one that will shock you.  You can order this one or other yummy flavors here.

Happy Monday!

May Book Club

 

My neighborhood book club met for the last time this “season” during the first week in May and had a very animated discussion about our book choice - The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah.  As book clubs sometimes do, the discussion went on a bit of a tangent and got a little too political for my taste in that setting, but there were some topical themes dealing with immigration that I’m not sure the author intended when it was written.

I did like the book and I was happy about that since I find this author hit or miss.  The Great Alone is one of my all time favorites, while some of her others are too close to traditional romance novels.  The main theme of the story is the survival of a family in the dustbowl era.  It begins in West Texas (almost exactly where I just traveled to, so that was interesting) and ends in southern California.  Many harrowing things occur, but the characters are well written and that time in history is something I was only slightly familiar with and the author’s detail was strong. 

All that said, the ending was a weak point for me, because it felt way too far fetched.  But, don’t let that stop you from reading this, because the other ninety nine percent is worth your reading time.

Happy Friday!

Family Hike in Texas

 

The day after the wedding in Lubbock, we planned a hike for the whole group and there ended up being 14 who braved the desert sun in Palo Duro Canyon.  It was quite the experience and definitely not an easy hike, with many elevation changes, loose rocks and being close to the edge of the canyon in most spots.  But, the views were incredible and we all did it together and encouraged each other along the way.

After the hike, because “when in Texas”, we found an authentic Texas barbecue joint, just outside Amarillo and had our fill of brisket and ribs.  We lived in Dallas many years ago and I have missed everything about Texas, but maybe the food the most.

Coming from Florida which is fully green and tropical, the dusty desert of West Texas was like traveling to the moon.  We all commented on how amazing that one country can have such different, but beautiful landscape. It made me thankful for the opportunity to travel and experience new places.  And, doing it with family, was the best part.