Early Christmas

We drove to Bonnet Springs Park in Lakeland to met up with Kristina and her family who are visiting her in-laws for the holidays. Peg came over with Robert, Patten and Ryann drove up, and Stephanie, Kyle, and Clara joined us. An early Christmas picnic lunch in this brand new park. After sandwiches, my deviled eggs, a salad Peg made from veggies picked at Robert’s school garden, Patten’s 7-layer dip, and way too many cookies, at least on my part, we walked around for a while. (6,283 step according to my phone, but who’s counting?)



I hadn’t realized most of my cookies were white and chocolate, until I put together plates to give away and bring to the picnic. Definitely need to plan better there. 

Baking them is another project I must spread over more days. Trying to mix and bake on the same day is too much. Plus my attitude towards fancy decorating goes way down. I’d thought I’d make many-colored iced sugar cookies; they ended up all white. N the other hand, the pink and green pinwheels turned out nice. Maybe more of them, and not their brown and white checkerboard cousins.


Peg said this area was the old rail yard which had layers of polluted soil. That was all dug out and new earth brought in to make high berms around the park edge. In the middle of town, an oasis of wetlands with board walk, huge grass lawns, innovative playground equipment, and trails. We didn’t even go in the children’s museum, botanical gardens, or welcome center. Next time.

That morning while we were getting ready to drive over, I noticed a humming bird taking a bath in the dew collected in a bent banana leaf. It was so sweet. As I watched, a blue gray gnat catcher and a palm warbler joined in, bathing in the lychee tree next to the banana. Peg said she’d seen birds do that that when they were out hunting.

Last week, I took Clara to the Orlando Ballet’s Nutcracker, even though I’m not a fan. I was amazed! I’d read the company spent $20 million on this new production, and I believe it. It has turned the traditionally boring first act into a joy. The dancers were great. The scenery was beyond beautiful. There were cute bits with geese as a running joke. 

Perhaps a new annual tradition with my granddaughter.


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