Adventures beyond time

Adventures beyond time

Friday, November 26, 2010

Thanksgiving 2010

Thanksgiving Day is a birthday bonanza in the family: MaryJo, Mike Gage, and Gramma Mae. Plus Karen and Vic's Anniversary. Lots to be thankful for, before we even start counting what has come our way this year.

We started our Thanksgiving Day with morning walk at gorgeous autumnal San Felsaco Hammock, near home. We took the 5.6 mile loop and enjoyed some Florida-style hills, some pine forest, and some natural grow woods. The weather was perfect; we did not even need long sleeves. The animals were hiding at the beginning. But as the trail warmed up some tree lizards came out to bask, then the woodpeckers appeared, and finally four armadillos, all of whom posed for photos.

Back home we completed the cooking that we'd started on Wednesday. It was a Bon Apetit marathon two-day meal preparation, resulting in our best, most juicy turkey ever; great stuffing made with a three pound mix of Anaheim, poblano, and jalapeno peppers, Monterey Jack cheese, and masa corn bread; maple syrup basted butternut squash; new potatoes roasted with onions and garlic; and blueberry-cranberry pie! Worth all the chopping and sauteeing, and almost all the dish-washing. 
Friday and Saturday we spent in Cedar Key. The Community Tree Lighting and sing-along were Friday at the beach and the Jingle Bell Hop on Saturday. The holidays are definitely here, island style.
 
 
 

Monday, November 22, 2010

Cedar Key Gearing Up for The Winter Season

The Artist Poses with Her Work
Cedar Key is always sleepy in some ways, and almost always hopping in others. At this time of year, many seasonal residents are returning and the social scene gears up.

The Cedar Key Arts Center began its 2010-2011 Season Saturday Night, November 20, with the opening of "Mosaic Magic" by Valerie Bretl. She is a local artist and often uses tiles made by another local artist, Amy Gernhardt, to create her works. Valerie has just had a piece chosen for an international juried show in Austin in a few months. Inspired by the beauty and intimacy of our natural surroundings, she has transformed the ancient art of mosaics with her own contemporary style that flows between the real and the surreal. The exhibit featured 20 new creations. Just because we are on an island in the Gulf, and miles from the nearest chain restaurant or shop not owned by local folks doesn't mean we are short of pretty nifty artists.

After the opening, we wandered over to the Black Dog Wine and Tables with friends to sit on the deck outdoors.  The water slapped against the shore and a nearly full moon lite up the Gulf. Pretty good way to spend a Saturday evening.

This website shows a couple of the art pieces:
http://cedarkeynews.com/All/4865.html

This one is the featured artist:
http://mosaicworksbyvbretl.com/index.html

And this one is the artist whose tiles are sometimes used in the mosaics:
http://www.cedarkeypottery.com/galleries.html

A Cedar Key Evening 11-20-2010

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Fall Decorations in Cedar Key

It seems as if we just put up our fall decorations and it is already time to think about when we will be packing them away and getting out our Christmas finery. The term "finery" may be a bit overblown because our recent practice has been to retire some of our less favored ornaments and migrate them to Cedar Key. This seems to us to be a good match because we think cottages and funky decorating seem somehow to go together.