Happy New Year

"The happiest people find peace in simple things...a walk in the woods, a breath of fresh air, a moment with nature. It's how they keep the world's chaos in check." -Unknown

Looking Back at 2025

January is always a slow month spent mostly visiting with our Texas family and a few friends. It usually, as it did this year, includes a few days of frozen weather. Not a big problem for us since we are self contained....no water, not electricity...no problem. Luckily it doesn't last long.

February was spent enjoying the beach, beautiful sunsets and visits with friends. Even a few from out of state. Watching our Texas grand daughter and daughter in-law run in the Whooping Crane Strut was also fun.

In March we made our way back to Lewisburg. The weather was still a bit cool, but we truly love spending time with our family and that keeps us warm enough.

April brought better weather and lots of time to play outside. We enjoyed watching our yard come alive. Every day brought new flowers and a bit more spring to our lives.

May was full of graduations...Graham from elementary school and Hattie from Kindergarten. More time in the yard, the amusement park and we even found time to launch The Pearl.

June was about spending time on the water. We had a family vacation on Cayuga Lake and Cora got to spend some one on one time with us on the boat.

In July Hattie and Graham got to spend time on the boat and Stan and I celebrated our 44th wedding anniversary. We spent a long weekend in southern Pennsylvania at the Inn at Whitewing Farm. 

August was the best month of the summer. We spent an awesome week at a house on Keuka Lake. The weather, the water and the company was wonderful. We also celebrated Hattie's 6th birthday and her accomplishment at mastering the two wheeler. No more training wheels in our family.

September was a very busy month. Stan and I took a small vacation to the 1000 Islands and Montreal. On our way back we met up with the kids and spent a week in the Adirondacks. 

We had some great photos taken of our family when we were in the Adirondack. Here are just a few of the ones I like. 

October was a bit slower as we enjoyed the fall colors, fall festivals and more time with the family. October also means the end of the boating season in New York. Kind of hard to believe this was our ninth season in Ithaca.

November brought colder weather, shorter days and even a bit of snow. We could tell it was time to move south. Before we left we enjoyed some of the wonderful winter squashes the area provides. We had a slow trip south...we took our time and visited with my good friend Karen in Iowa. 

We spent December enjoying our boat, our Texas grandkids and a Christmas trip to Belize.

Belizean Cuisine

"You learn a lot about someone when you share a meal together." -Anthony Bourdain

One thing that I love about traveling to a new place is trying the local dishes. Specialties the people in the area love. Belizean cuisine is a vibrant mix of Mayan, Creole, Garifuna and other cultural influences. It's a delicious blend of tradition and fresh, local ingredients. Here are some of their key dishes. Seafood is also very prominent. 

Rice & Beans With Stew Chicken - Is a staple in Belizean households, this dish features seasoned stewed chicken served with rice and beans in coconut milk. It’s comforting, flavorful and a true taste of Belize. It was our first meal on the island and it was very good. 

Fry Jacks - Fluffy, deep-fried dough triangles often served at breakfast. Enjoyed with honey, jam or stuffed with savory fillings like eggs and beans for a satisfying start to the day. We all enjoyed these.

Ceviche - Belizean ceviche is a refreshing appetizer made with fresh shrimp, conch or fish. It's then marinated in lime juice with onions, cilantro and tomatoes. Alex fixed us ceviche as an afternoon snack. Made with conch and shrimp. 

Panades – These are Belize’s version of empanadas — fried corn pastries filled with fish, chicken or beans. Served with a spicy onion relish, they’re a popular snack among locals. We had these several different times filled with chicken and beans. 

Tamales - Belizean tamales are a comforting classic made from seasoned meat and masa, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. The flavors are bold and hearty, offering a delicious bite of tradition. We had these with our Christmas Eve dinner. Which made us feel like we were at home. 

Hudut - A Garifuna specialty, Hudut is a fish stew cooked in a rich coconut broth and served with mashed plantains. It’s a flavorful dish that showcases Belize’s coastal bounty. We had this for dinner on our last night in Belize. It was full of lobster, conch, fish and shrimp. Very good. 

Salbutes – These are fried corn tortillas topped with shredded chicken, cabbage, tomatoes and avocado. Similar to the Mexican chalupa.

Chimole (Black Soup) - This savory soup gets its rich color and flavor from black recado (a spice blend), and is made with chicken, hard-boiled eggs and vegetables. It’s a hearty dish that’s popular in Creole households. We didn’t get to try this dish. 

Coconut Tarts - For a sweet treat, try coconut tarts — flaky pastry shells filled with sweetened grated coconut. These desserts are a staple in Belizean bakeries.

Belizean Rum Cake - Made with local rum, this moist and flavorful cake is a dessert that perfectly encapsulates the essence of Belize. I love rum cake, but I didn’t find any in Placencia.