Christmas in Florida

On our way back to my folk’s house we stopped in to see my aunt, uncle and cousin outside Naples. They have a beautiful piece of property they have worked into a fruiting paradise. Because they are such incredible gardeners they are able to purchase fruit from the store, eat it and then plant the seeds. In addition to loads of flowers, they have banana, avocado, grapefruit, papaya and pineapple growing all over their property.

Banana Tree (My aunt took a load of bananas to the homeless shelter just before we arrived. So even though we didn’t get to see any ripe bananas we got to enjoy some homemade banana bread she made from them.)

Aunt Carolyn, Uncle Gene and Cousin Christian

In addition to the pretty flowers and fruit growing in their yard, my aunt and uncle have also planted luffas at the base of many of their tall pine and palm trees. These are the luffas you commonly use in the shower instead of a sponge. We always thought luffas come from the ocean. Turns out they grow on a vine. Before they ripen they are green in color and tend to be heavy from all the water in them. As they begin to dry out, they turn brown and then fall from the trees. It is pretty easy to peel the skin off them, tap the seeds out and cut them up for a multitude of uses, like the shower, to clean pots and pans, even tires and rims. They sent us on our way with a few of them and we are excited to think of even more uses for them.

Luffa (Am I spelling that right) Still Attached to the Vine
Notice the Brown and Green Ones

Back at my folk’s house we were treated to a ride in a Rolls Royce. Someone in their neighborhood bought one for themselves as a birthday present. He doesn’t get it out too often and dave and I will probably never get a chance to ride in one anywhere else so we accepted when they asked us if we wanted to go for a ride. The owner’s wife said I should jump on the hood of the car for the photo but I settled for just taking a photo of it after we got out.

Rolls Royce

It was really hot while we were in Florida. (Well … hot by Alaska and dave and my standards!) Poor Sprout was having a hard time in the heat and we would not allow her to swim in the pond behind my parent’s house. There are alligators in it and it catches all the fertilizer and nasty run off from the surrounding yards. So we called up one of my parent’s friends and asked if Sprout could go swimming in their pool. They have a small pool in their backyard and the only one who uses it is their large yellow lab, Bosie. Sprout had the time of her life swimming and jumping into the pool after the tennis ball. She kept going until she was about to fall over from exhaustion.

Sprout Swimming in Pool

This year we decided to make Polish food for Christmas dinner. (My family is 100% Polish.) So on Christmas Eve we started the tedious task of making pierogi and stuffed cabbage (Golumpki in Polish). Normally this is a once or twice a year occurrence in our family and we make a lot at one time to ensure they last. My folks, dave and I pulled up our sleeves and spent the morning doing what many Polish women have done before us.

Dad and dave making the Pierogi Dough

Filling the Pierogi. We made a) potato and cheese and b) mushroom and onion.

Dave Boling the Pierogi

Mom Making Golumpki

Enjoying the Fruits of Our Labor

My sister Jenny and her fiancé Tommy came in on Christmas Day. We had a great Christmas holiday catching up and as always, eating way too much food. This was the first time the whole family has been together since we met up in Alaska in June 2005.

Family Photo

Jenny and Tommy

Chloe (Our family’s dog)

Sprout got a huge box full of tennis balls for Christmas. She didn’t know which one to start with.
The weather went downhill for Christmas and didn’t look like it would improve for the rest of the time we were all together. So when we woke up and saw a clear blue sky and lots of sun we loaded up the family and headed to the beach. This was Sprout’s first time swimming in the Atlantic Ocean. The waves ended up knocking her down and she swallowed a bunch of salt water, so I don’t know if she thought it was a good experience or not.

Dogs Ready for Beach

Otis on Beach

Sprout Swimming and Otis Saying No Way

Dave and Sprout Hanging on the Beach (Dad in background)

Tomorrow we are off again. This time we will head towards Saint Petersburg, Florida to the Salvador Dali museum. Then we will make our way to East Texas to pick up work. We will stop in and see some old friends along the way in Mississippi and Louisiana.