Cookies and Milk, Anyone?

I did a watercolor painting of chocolate chip cookies and milk.



I like the way it turned out . . .

But I think I still like the real thing better. 

Ruby Red Means Ruby Red!

 
I have always loved to start any day with fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice. It's always seemed a bit of an oddity to me that Ruby Red grapefruits are never Ruby Red. They are always pink, where I come from, anyway. 

But recently I got some Ruby Red grapefruit that really live up to their name. Mind you, no filters on these photos. This is the real thing. And the taste - I've never had any grapefruit juice like it. 

I believe they came from the Grapevine Orchards, just up the road from me. So tasty. I'll be back for more. 

Another surprising thing was the color of the outside. All this red inside and it was still green on the outside. Kind of makes me wonder about those pale things in the store. Are they pink because they are gas-ripened before their time? I don't know. But I sure do love this treat. 

Sunset at the Docks

Today I though I would wait for the sunset at the Jetties, as I've done a few times now, and I've never been disappointed. But today I opted to check out sunset at the docks, and I sure wasn't disappointed there either. It was lovely. 

Just before sunset, I drove out north of town, and the grasses were very pretty against the setting sun as well. Another peaceful evening on the Laguna Madre. 

And Away It Goes

Well, I went and done it. I'd been playing with the idea of cutting my hair since coming to this warm climate. I like to drive with the windows down and my long hair was always whipping around and getting in my face, even if I remembered to put it up. So I finally did it. Funny that I didn't get around to it until almost time for "winter." It feels good. I have moments of regrets, but overall, I'm pretty comfortable with it. 

Sunset at the Jetties

Well, I have been so pleased to finally have a county park pass and be able to drive right up to my favorite place, Isla Blanco Park and the Jetties.  

Tonight's display was lovely and peaceful, with a boat sailing through the glorious sunset. What  nice way to end a day. 

I have been feeling so downright depressed because of not being able to see any family for so long. Of course, I knew it would be this way, but it's different when the reality hits. I'm glad that my health is much better, but there are times when I wonder if it would be better to just deal with the sickness and have family around. Of course, now that my family is all spread out, I can't be around them all. But I sure do miss them. 

And, even a beautiful sunset can't take that away, although it does provide a distraction for a while. 

Beautiful Waves on the Jetty

 

Tonight at the Jetties, the sunset had a little competition from the magnificent waves. Absolutely glorious crashing against the boulders, with the setting sun in the background.  

I had a nice front row seat on one of the short rock pillars, just close enough to get a little splash now and then. 

A couple of fishermen got a little close for comfort, though. This wave caused them a little unsteadiness, but thankfully they weren't hurt. 

My Cameron County Park Pass

For some time now, I've been wondering if I should spring for a Cameron County park pass. Would I use it enough to make it worthwhile? With the park pass, I could come straight to the Jetties through Isla Blanca Park, rather than my 2-mile hike down the beach from the public accesses. Not that I mind that lovely walk along the beach . . . and back . . . but sometimes I'd rather get right to that southern tip of the beach and spend a little more time watching the pelicans and egrets. 

Not only that, but with a park pass, I can check out the other parks up on the north end of the island. And, one big advantage is that I can always have very nice, clean bathrooms nearby. 

Well, I finally got a 30-day pass to check it out, and it took me about half a second to know it was going to be worthwhile. Very worthwhile. 

I'm so impressed with Isla Blanca Park! I'm sure I will be visiting here a lot. 

A Trip to the Fruit Stand

A while back, on my way to check out Harlingen, I came across a rather sizable covered fruit stand, and it doesn't bother me one little bit to make a special trip out there every so often to stock up on some produce. It's so much better than the grocery stores' produce. I love the baby bananas, and I almost always get a watermelon. This time they had some Texas oranges and Texas ruby red grapefruit. I do love to start the day with fresh citrus juice, whenever I can. I also got some fresh corn, a pineapple, some garlic, and some taco fixin's, including avocados, salsas, and queso fresca (a fresh cheese).

Unfortunately, my fruit stand addiction encourages an invasion of those teeny, tiny, miniscule ants that just love to be around here anyway. Always something. 

My Favorite Walk - Heading to the Jetties

My favorite and most frequent walk along the beach is the one that starts at beach access #1 and ends up down at the Jetties. Not that there's anything particularly special about access #1, but it's the closest to the Jetties, so I start there. 

I love the look of the Jetties. I love seeing the boats and ships from a distance as I start my walk, and often seeing them cruising through by the time I get there. I love seeing the fishermen and women lined up on the barrier and the wildlife that tends to hang out around there. I can usually get a better glance at the pelicans from here, which I truly enjoy. 

I have been curious as to how long my walks along the beach really are, since I pretty much just go from one beach access to a certain point and back. My health has improved significantly since coming here five months ago. A few years ago I was barely able to walk a few blocks without needing to use a walker. Then a year ago, I moved to Spokane and improved a great deal, so that I was able to walk blocks - and eventually a mile or more, on more than one occasion - without a walker. 

My walks along the beach have steadily increased, day by day, and I have been wondering just how far I can walk these days. Going from beach access #1 to the Jetties is pushing my limits a bit. I can walk it with no problem, but once I stop, get home, and plop down, it starts catching up with me very quickly. I definitely can't walk that two days in a row. 

I don't use one of those step-counter apps, since I generally walk with my phone in airplane mode, but with the help of Google Maps, I was able to calculate my walk at just about two miles each way. A four-mile walk, done on a fairly regular basis, is quite an accomplishment for me. But I would say that most days I walk about two miles total. And I'm still very happy with that, considering where I was a few years ago. 

Today there were three egrets  - one gray-brown one, wading in the waters, and two snowy egrets making their way to the barrier. One was larger, one smaller, so possibly some mother-child bonding going on here. Very nice to observe them for a while against such a beautiful backdrop. 

A Little Roadside Shopping

 

On my way home from my walk today, I passed by this little roadside shopping adventure and I just happened to have a little cash on me, so that was a happy little happenstance. 

My plants have been kind of taking off lately - anyway, they're doing better than they were, so I decided to treat myself to a ceramic pot. I'm not yet sure which plant will have the honor of residing in it, but I decided on a medium-sized tan with an orange flower. A little different, since I really don't have any orange about, in or out of the apartment. 

I'm thinking it might make a nice resting spot for my aloe vera plant, which is certainly having a few problems. I've been told the problem is too much water, but I don't think so, as I have laid off watering and it's getting worse, turning more brown. 

I hope I will see this roadside crew again when I have a little more spending money. 

A Jellyfish Invasion

 

The last few days, I have been coming across an unusual number of jellyfish washed up on the beach during my walks. They are called "moon jellyfish" and they are pretty strange-looking. This one happened to look like a grumpy face, which I found amusing. 

The tropical storms sure have been washing up a variety of marine life, shells, and trash. It's always an adventure. 

Italian Ice Cream at Mirage Cafe

I don't go to the Island enough later in the day. It's usually very early in the morning, to see the sunrise and walk. But every once in a while I get over there in the afternoon. When I do, I marvel at seeing the different colors the Island presents while crossing when the sun has made its way to Port Isabel. It's a whole different view. 

Today I stopped at the Mirage Cafe for an Italian ice cream. So many flavors, it was hard to choose. I settled on the churro, and it was very good. 

I haven't really found what I consider a great spot for viewing the sunset. I know the sun makes a beauteous display. For me, it's just finding it in a place where there aren't condos and businesses in the way. There are a few restaurants that boast a nice view from their outdoor seating areas. I just haven't made it there yet. I have caught a few glimpses of the sun going down with the buildings in between. I'll see a great view yet. 

Laguna Vista Nature Trail

 

I have known about the Laguna Vista Nature Trail since I first moved here, but I guess in the beginning I was too afraid to venture out alone - worried about creepy crawlers and such. But finally, after a friend told me that she had often gone walking on the trail without being attacked by any giant spiders or snakes, I decided to brave it. And it was just fine. 

A nice trail for walking - plenty of sunshine and very quiet. I can't say much for its beauty, as it is quite overgrown. But it is pleasant enough and provides an atmosphere for deep thought. I enjoyed it. 

A Hidden Sunrise

 

Today's sunrise was hidden behind the clouds, for the most part, with just a very brief showing of the sun once it was fairly high in the sky. But even without the usual glorious sunrise, it was still a very pretty walk. With the tropical storm Delta pushing into the Gulf, the waves were making it a lot further up the beach, and that water was, OH, SO WARM! I can't think of a better way to get some exercise. 

A Whole Lot of Goodness at Burger-Fi

While the first week of the month is the time for bill-paying and other such necessities, it's also the time for a special treat - my monthly splurge at trying a new eating place. I had planned on it being a Mexican place each month, until all the local spots were tested, but today, after my errands were over, as I was trying to decide which Mexican place to try, I passed by Burger-Fi on Padre Boulevard, and suddenly a burger sounded so good. 

Trying to remember the last time I had a burger that I didn't make myself, I recall that it was in Spokane about six or seven months ago, and it was pretty tasty. I rarely eat burgers out, as I really like my own burgers, which I fry up in a frying pan and top with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, and sometimes more. Now, I know most people are in favor of grilling, but I don't like all that flavorful fat to drip away. I like it to cook right in. And I always use organic, grass-fed beef.

But I hadn't made one in quite some time. In fact, I don't think I have had a burger in the five months I've been here. To be honest, the Burger-Fi place never seemed appealing to me before. It has a very modern look. I don't know. It just never popped out at me before. But it did today. 

As I walked up to the door, where people were enjoying their meals at tables outside, I saw a sign that read "natural burgers." That was a plus. I decided to go all the way and have the top of the line, CEO burger, which was a double burger with some tasty barbeque sauce and two kinds of cheese, and I added lettuce, tomato, and onion. 

It was some kind of yummy, for sure! And so filling, which is what I have come to expect from natural food. I had to stretch it out, eating about half the burger and one big onion ring at the table outside, then finishing the onion rings up on the drive back home, and the other half of the burger when I got home. 

I don't usually order onion rings or anything fried in a restaurant, since I know that they keep re-using the oil over and over, which I don't think is a good thing. And, while the onion rings could very well be the best fast food onion rings I've had in quite a while, I like my own better. But, all in all, I was very pleased with the meal, though next time I will do my belly a favor and settle for a single.

Salmon Salad - A Favorite of Mine

I really love fish and I've been having it a lot lately. It's different every time, depending on my mood and what I have around. I often do blackened salmon with a lot of greens, onions, and maybe some nuts and dried fruit, and I always make my own dressing - usually a basalmic vinegar dressing. Today I just kept it simple with a grilled salmon filet with butter, lime juice, and some sea salt atop spinach and onions and walnuts. Yum. 

Who's Been Eating My Plant?

Who's been eating my mother-of-thousands plant? That's what I have been wondering lately, so much so that I have been keeping the plant inside nights and putting it out in the daytime. When I went outside to water, I noticed a trespasser leaning over the edge of the planter. Could this little guy be the culprit or is he just here to sell me car insurance? 

Well, I did a little investigating and got mixed results. Some websites said that lizards don't eat plants, while others said that they do sometimes. So I don't know what to think, but for now I will continue keeping the plant inside a lot more, where it can keep company with all the little new plants I have started from it. I haven't wanted to put those baby plants outside, as I'm quite sure the tender new leaves would be a big temptation for whoever has been feeding on this mama plant.