Summer's End

Wow! I feel as if I have been on a roller coaster since May. It is always a busy time for us...between May and July we had four trips with the Board of Governors. I'm not complaining...just playing catch-up with life.

I wanted to share with you a few pics from our travels. One of our stays was at The Biltmore in Coral Gables...basically, it's a suburb of Miami. Coral Gables is home to the University of Miami and it is beautiful! Lots of "old" Florida homes with red tiled roofs and jacarandas blooming in the yard. 

Our favorite sight at the Biltmore...the two large bird cages in the lobby. 

They are inhabited by many finches. The bright colors of these birds, and their antics at feeding time are well worth watching. Annie and I watched them for a long while one afternoon.

Sleeping Beauty

Annie, with a couple of guy pals. The young fellow on her right is her cousin. He is a member of the Young Lawyers Board. He was elected last year and it's been fun getting to see him at a few meetings. The two boards have one combined meeting once a year. The fellow on her left is the next President of the Florida Bar, Bill Schifino....a Tampa attorney...yeah! Can you tell Annie enjoys seeing all her pals?

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The next week, we were in Palm Beach at The Breakers. This is my favorite hotel in south Florida. It's where Mr. MW and I went on our honeymoon thirty three years ago. Of course, it has been redone several times since then. We love the old world elegance of the place...but the informal family tone makes it fun...not stuffy. 

I thought you might like to see our color-coordinated digs. Don't mind the mess. Our rooms look lived in in short order. 

The sitting area above matches the...

sleeping area..that matches...

...the room service table...that matches...

...the box of chocolates they put on your pillow as part of the nightly turn down service. Love it! Everything has an ocean theme...and the same colors! 

Like I said, it's my favorite! 

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Thanks for all the kind comments left on my last post. It was good medicine! 

As I have mentioned in a past post, I have been struggling with some auto-immune issues. I have researched and read everything I can get my hands on about these debilitating maladies that seem to come in multiples. Once you get one...it snowballs and before long you have many. 

My big wake up came with my "frozen shoulder". Researching causes and cures, I realized I had to make changes. Stress has a major impact...as does diet and lifestyle. 

I am now gluten free...no bread, pasta, pizza...anything with wheat. I am caffeine free...though once in a while I will have a little green tea. I was sugar free for a few months and then slipped. I'm working on it, but it's the hardest for me. I eat a little chocolate here and there. My husband is plant based diet all the way, and I was never a meat eater, but I do eat fish and shellfish, and a bit of chicken. I try to walk thirty minutes everyday. I drink chicken bone broth in the morning rather than tea or coffee...an acquired taste to be sure, but now I love it! I know it sounds crazy, but I feel so much better than I did this time last year. My frozen shoulder is almost totally gone, with most of my range of motion back to normal. But, mainly, I can function again. I have more energy. I can get off the couch!

Auto immune disease starts with your "gut". A leaky gut allows food particles to move into places in your body where it is perceived as a foreign substance and your body attacks it as such. This sets off a whole series of mishaps that present as auto immune disease...adrenal fatigue, Sjorgen's disease, arthritis, thyroid malfunction...check, had them all. All sorts of bad things happen when your gut is unhealthy. Heal your gut, and a lot of problems resolve themselves. 

I know...you think I'm crazy. But...my husband and I are of the school that believes...food is medicine. Eat right and it can help...eat wrong and it can hurt.

So...that's what I have been up to this summer. It feels good to have my shoulder (almost) pain free...to have some energy back...to be able take care of my home and family again.

Have a great weekend...and thanks so much for all your lovely comments...they really do make a difference!

Enjoy the day,

Robyn

August Kitchen Window

My August kitchen window is in it's natural state...it's catch all mode. In other words, I didn't do a thing to it. I just put things I like in this window as the days pass. Rather than "stage" this is how our window looks this month.

I recently found this quote (I was told it is from a country song, don't know who wrote it or sang it) and since it is the very essence of what we think about our little home, it's perfect for the window. It's been hanging there for weeks and I still enjoy reading it.

Dried roses from my anniversary flowers...thirty three years on August 8th. They were too pretty to toss.

Fruits of the season...complete with leaves...a hint of autumn.

Wise words with which to begin any day!

Peering out the window, if you look closely, you can see my hooking chair (sorely vacant as of late) but gone is the white mantle. I needed a change. I am, however, missing it. Perhaps it will pop up elsewhere. 

 I've been staying very busy. Annie turned twenty nine on August 9th. The fun lasts all week. We've taken four trips this summer...all with the Board of Governors. Back and forth to south Florida all four times. I've been sewing for the holidays...for my friend's shop. Trapped in a car crossing Alligator Alley I can get some sewing done. 

I had seriously considered not blogging anymore. I took a hiatus...didn't read or comment much...and finally decided I'd miss you all too much.  

It is as hot as Hades here. Only mad dogs and my husband the runner go out in the Florida sun in August...and apparently...our Mr. Cardinal and a beautiful finch???  Guess they thought a day at the pool was in order.

Hope summer is treating you well!

Enjoy the day,

Robyn