Making Room For Retirement

Beautiful weather here in Florida, the temperature is breaking records - unseasonably warm for January - the high's are in the mid 80's (F) and for those of you who are accustomed to Celcius that would be about 28 or so.  

Now for those of you that aren't connected to my facebook page, I should give you a 'gator update.  We saw the larger alligator yesterday, this momma, (or poppa) is considerably larger then the one we saw before.  He/she kept a little farther from shore, but I am certainly not venturing too far off my deck when he is out there.  

Last night we went to the dance at the clubhouse and practiced our ballroom dancing skills that we are cultivating at the classes we take on Friday night.  Alf is becoming much better at leading, and I am finally learning to follow. (I always thought the woman was supposed to lead, lol) 

I slept in this morning, Alf awakened first, and it was 7:32.  Church starts at 8 and we made it.  10 minutes to get ready, must be a record for me.  But I didn't have a chance to eat breaky before we left so I was hungry by the time we got home.  

I put the slow cooker on to make Havanna Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin and then we left to go to Bok Tower Gardens.  Spring has definitely sprung in Florida, the camilia's and magnolias were in bloom.  

Bok Garden Towers is such a lovely place to go for a walk, so peaceful and calm, 











no traffic sounds, 
only the sounds of the birds,
and the carillon ringing out.  




 





And the scents of the flowers were subtle and sweet.   













We will have to make sure we go back regularly to see what else is in bloom and to explore some more of the trails and nooks and crannies.  










I really enjoyed taking pictures of the blooms.   












So colourful and exquisite -  





 





 

God certainly created good work when it comes to flowers.  
























 










There are also lots of lovely places to sit and relax and just enjoy, or take a good book and just have a relaxing afternoon.  I found a gazebo with a very comfortable Muskoka type chair.  

 

We had lunch at the Gardens at the Blue Palmetto Cafe. 
We both had salads, and they were delicious.   This is a Chicken Blueberry Salad, with strawberries, toasted pecans, gorgonzola cheese and a delicious whole wheat roll of the side. 







 Our membership gives us 10 percent off on our meals and anything we buy at the gift shop.  I bought a book entitled Florida Water Birds, and I now know that the bird we nicknamed the Dell Lake Monster is the Anhinga.  So maybe we will call him "Hinga" for short.  



 
Bok Garden Towers, we will return.  And this sign sums it up so well in just a few short words.  

"I come here to find myself, it is so easy to get lost in the world."  
                                John Burroughs 

 So long for now, it is getting close to the time for Downton Abbey

We came home, and were greeted by wonderful aromas wafting from our kitchen.  The Havana Pork Tenderloin was delicious, and a definite do again.  And we have leftovers for another day.  Yummy, yummy.