The Gratitude Of A Firefighter's Daughter

This picture is our immediate families last family portrait taken in April of 2005. Within 4 months of this picture both my parents went to meet their maker, mom in May and dad in Aug. It took years for my first thought of them to not be of their last days, but of happier times.  Yet today, I was reminded by a facebook "memory", that following my dad leaving this world, our family was show a deep love, loyalty and kindness by the firefighters  at the Fruitland Park Volunteer Fire Dept, Villages Fire Dept & Leesburg Fire Dept. 

In recent years I have tried to go back to focusing on peoples birthdays, even if they are celebrating it in heaven, which I believe to be a healthier expression of love. Maybe this story is just something I need to tell because my father's foresight was shown as it all turned out.

My dad's work with the Fruitlad Park Volunteer Fire Dept was not for the most part as an active firefighter, although he never hesitated to suiting up in his turn outs & jumping in the game. He attributed to the department through training and administrative assistance. There were plenty of young strong men & women to  handle the hoses on the front lines.

Firefighter Jim knew what a fire dept needed from his many years in the fire service and fire protection administration. His service during his career was rewarded when he was inducted to the Navy Fire & Emergency Services Hall of Fame one month before he died. Many of the firefighters at Fruitland Park Volunteer Fire Dept could tell you "Fireman Jim" stories, but the following story was revealed to me in word from my dad and in action from the fine fire fighters of Fruitland Park & the Villages Fire Dept.

 Fireman Jim knew they needed a new fire truck, but that's a very expensive piece of equipment. It took quite a while before it came to fruition. Pleading the case to the City Counsel, showing the justification and finding the resources was something right up Fireman Jim's ally. Then finally it happened. 

On a bright sunshiny day this beautiful fire truck pulled up in front of the house. Chief Gamble and a few of the fire fighters brought it by to take Fireman Jim for a ride. Dad had been sick for quite some time, but he was having a good day. He invited them onto the back porch for a cup of coffee and some firefighter chatter (fire house protocol). When they urged him to go for a ride, he said, "that's okay boys I think I will save it for my last ride." The disappointment was visible on their faces but they just smiled and said. "OK Jim" and on their way they went.

On the day dad died, he was under hospice care and had been in a comatose state for not more than one day. Mom & dad had "prearranged " all the funeral arrangements, so it was just a matter of calling the funeral home. Another call was also made to Chief Gamble.

As the funeral home was loading him into their van, that nice new fire truck pulled up in front of the house and provided escort to the funeral home. On the day of the funeral, that same fire truck loaded with Fruitland Park's finest met us at the funeral home to take dad to the church. He indeed finally took his last ride on board that new fire truck. 

There was also another fire truck. It was the ladder truck from the villages. It was one of two that had provided the Ladder Truck Flag Arch at the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at Fruitland Park City Hall

just one month before. The other Ladder Truck was from Leesburg Fire Dept. When our procession arrived at Fruitland Park Community Methodist Church we passed under an American Flag hanging from the extended Villages Ladder

Truck. The Leesburg Truck was not available that day (or maybe was on a call) but that didn't stop these fire fighters from making sure this honor was displayed.

I am forever grateful for the love, compassion, loyalty and honor shown my dad and our family during that difficult time.  Eleven years later, I still miss our chats on the porch Dad. Here's to the men & women of the fire service that my dad loved so much!

 

In the Garden

There have been many sermons preached using the metaphor of weeds in your garden that speak to spiritual health. Let me tell you about my garden. The words in the hymn In the Garden are true for God placed these words on my heart just this morning while in the garden with him.

Gardening is a passion of mine and healthy green grass surrounding it is icing on the cake. Matter of fact, fresh cut grass is my all time favorite smell in the world. I continue to use a phrase my dad used when people compliment my garden, "Thanks, it was grown by me & God". Because I live in Central America my gardening passion is affected by the fact that we have two seasons - WET & DRY.

During wet season everything grows leaps & bounds. Its when I do all my planting, transplanting and reseeding from flowers I harvested the previous year. Yes, even in the rain. It's God's water from heaven, glorious life giving rain, so dance in it! At the peak of rainy season it does get challenging finding a window to cut the grass, but what is a challenge other than an opportunity to stretch your ability to find solutions. Wet season for me is during fall & winter in North America

Dry season on the other hand is a tough time of year. The ground actually cracks from lack of moisture, the grass turns brown and many of the flowers I grow just do not survive in that kind of heat. I have to resort to using city water, which has a high content of lime & chlorine so I only use it to keep the fruit trees and my roses alive. Even my cactus plants start to shrivel up, that's how hot it gets.

Now back to the weeds.There is a weed that grows in my grass, that seems to grow best during dry season and it is very invasive. The branches that grow from the main stem are like a Christmas tree, broad at the bottom, tapering at the top where it grows seeds. If left alone it will spread & choke out any healthy grass. It has to be removed by pulling it up being sure to get the roots. I was traveling one year and when I returned it was everywhere. By the time I got a handle on removing it, there were 6 foot by 8 foot sections of bare dirt. It took some time for the healthy grass to spread in to fill those sections.

In our spiritual lives, God yearns to bless us with all that is good in life: growth, prosperity, joy, love & happiness (like rainy season). Be ever so grateful and try to maintain a reservoir of gladness. It doesn't mean we won't experience tragedy, hard times, challenging times like dry season and the invasive weeds that come with it. Weeds that start small, spread and grow, like resentment, despair, & hopelessness. Rid yourself of those weeds and be sure to get the roots for left unattended will destroy even the goodness you sow. Pray for rain and then, ........... learn to dance.

It's A Lifestyle Change Not A Diet

First, let me just say how very proud I am of our daughter Sonia Wilson.She and all our children make me proud for many reasons, each one for different reasons, but today I want to share the latest reason for pride: Sonia's ongoing success as she experiences a lifestyle change that ultimately is improving her health and subsequently changing her figure. That distinction is very important.   For years she has struggled with her weight and dealt with  health issues (migraines, kidney stones & gestational diabetes during both her pregnancies). She has dreamed about her figure from high school and

has always been a picky eater, trying many "diets"without success, but her weight never interfered in her happiness. She married a wonderful guy and has a beautiful family. 
 








Her discovery of Team Beachbody & Shakeology has really made a difference. As a mother of 2 with a busy career that involves a lot of travel, life was just, ........ exhausting. She knew she needed a healthier lifestyle and she found it.

What is Team Beachbody?  

It's not just "here's the stuff, good luck", it comes with a support team, coach, and accountability. Sonia has been involved in this for more than 45 days. She swears by it and says: I have never stuck with other programs, this one WORKS" The greatest value for her is more than the physical change, it's the lifestyle change, the increased energy and improved health. Even her 3 year old joins her for the workout when she is home. What a great time they have together. When she travels it is easy to take it with her and stay with it.
So of course I ask her, "What about us old foggies who have bad backs & arthritis?" WELL, it seems they have a program for us too. Take a look at this video -  PiYo Fitness

Sonia has been noticing a change in the way her clothes fit but on day 45 she got the courage to do another full length photo and this is what she discovered she has accomplished along with the increased energy & just feeling great-

Pretty impressive! They currently do not ship to Mexico, but she tells me as soon as they do, she'll be signing me up!! Could be fun! Sonia has reached Emerald Coach Status! You go girl! If you would like more information about Team Beachbody & Shakeology, I know this great coach who would be happy to share more information with you and be with you on your journey to better health & fitness. Email her sonia.wilson79@gmail.com

Self Propagating Gardens Part II

The next flowering plant that will reproduce on its own is one I call Dawn & Twilight Bloomer. 

The stem reminds me of the geranium family in that you can break off a branch at the ribbed joint, stick it in dirt and it will sprout roots & grow, but it also produces seeds (following a bloom), that will naturally fall to the ground to grow or you can harvest these seeds and plant elsewhere. As in my last post, all I do is spread them on the ground where I want them to grow. There is no need to do all that fancy potting & transplanting business. I just let mother nature do what she does best.

The seeds look like peppercorns (black & tan variegated). Most of them are solid black, but out of an estimated 25 seeds, one will be striped and be more oval. I do not know the meaning of this other than maybe there is a male & female plant. Yep, I make this stuff up as I go along, but wouldn't be surprised if I am right. The new seedlings look all the same regardless of whether it started from a black or striped seed. 

The new seedling germinate and its first few leaves will look like this.  They grow & bloom best in shady areas and around the base of larger plants than shade it. If they have something supporting them, like up against a wall they can get as tall as 3 feet and have a spread of 2 feet. 

Next blog (Part III), will be about creating new plants from a stem of an existing plant. So easy to do and you may never go to the nursery again to buy plants. Instead you may find yourself knocking on a neighbors door to ask if you can have a "clipping" of one of their plants. It's a common practice here in Central America.

Happy Gardening!

"Time in the garden, rejuvenates the earth & soul" 
Catherine Thomas March 2015

Everything You Need for a Beautiful Garden, Part I

Living in the tropics is a wonderland for gardeners, but I am beginning to believe that a beautiful garden can be had by anyone who looks closely at the plants that grow close to home. Developing a garden that reproduces itself is a gift from God. You don't need fancy plants from a nursery or to buy plants every year to fill the beds and this blog series will show you several examples of plants that are in my yard that self propagate. I mean think about it, how did the earth flourish without Home Depot Garden Center?
I am by no means an expert and have a simple common sense knowledge of gardening, but it works for me. Plants reproduce by way of seeds, roots and many will re-create themselves from just a section of a branch in the right environment. Lets look at flowering plants in my yard that reseed themselves and no I do not know their botanical names, all ya'll flower experts can do the identification if you like. Me, .... I call them what they look like to me.

This looks like a Zennia to me, but someone here called it a Marigold. Anyway, they can grow multi-colors on the same plant and are long lasting clipped & brought in for vase arrangements. They are beautiful in the yard and butterflies LOVE them, so if you like flowers that bring you butterflies plus can be used in cut flower arrangements this one is perfect. As the pollen is removed from the bloom, what's left will go through these stages: 

This is when the butterflies like it best. Note the mount in the middle, it produces the little yellow flowers that are like candy to butterflies. As they are all used up the petals then start to dry out as well as the mound in the middle as seen in the following 3 pictures

 

Petals fall off, center mound dries and starts to separate. At this point I clip it off and spread the seeds that are inside the mound where I want them to grow, Versus letting the wind carry them away. as in this last picture. 

I do not seed them in little pots or any of that silly stuff. They were designed to lay on the earth and with water & sun they sprout on their own. How much easier and just think, letting nature do what it was designed to do, .................. amazing!!!
Sometimes if I want to plant a whole bed of them I will pick the buds as the petals start to dry and put them in a little uncovered container on the porch until they are all dried and spread them in a large area all at once. I love how nature works! Oh & identifying the new sprouts is easy, just look closely at the leaves.
Full Grown

<Young plant

 <Seedling



Next in this series will be my "Morning/Evening Bloomers" NO I do not know what they are really called. Stay Tuned!!

A Most Unique Mexican Vacation

Tourists visit Mexico for a variety of reasons: Beaches, Water Sports, Wildlife, Hiking, Mayan Ruins,

Historic Sites, and some just to escape the cold winter. In the Midwest of the United States, Dude Ranch Vacations have become a popular destination for travelers wanting a unique experience in wide open spaces with horseback riding. What if you could combine the best of both of those worlds? You would then find yourself at Num Kaan Ranch, a jewel of the south between Bacalar & Chetumal, Mexico.

Num Kaan Ranch is situated on 40 hectares of land, much of it still jungle. Right off Hwy 307, the ranch property stretches all the way to the Lagoon. Our lagoon is the same body of water as the well known Bacalar Lagoon (The Lake of Seven Colours) although our section of the lagoon is considered Xul-Ha, part of the nearby village of Xul-Ha. On the ranch we offer affordable lodging from economical palapa roof cabanas to air-conditioned family suite casitas boasting full kitchens, TV, dining room and sleeps up to 6 people.

We are about to open Num Ka’an Bunkhouse consisting of 8 air conditioned rooms for a total of 32 beds and capacity to sleep 36. All total Num Kaan Ranch can lodge up to 62 people. The Jungle Horse Restaurant & Cantina is a favorite spot for a great meal & refreshing drinks for our guests hailing from all corners of the worlds as well as the local community and surrounding area.
On-site amenities for our guests include a beautiful, pristine multi-level pool, volley ball court, horse shoe pits, access to the laguna, kayaking and, of course, our horses. A favorite for the kids is the rodeo paseo, spending 20 minutes in the corral riding or being guided by one of our wranglers. We also offer a paseo to the laguna, which is a 2 hour ride through the jungle stopping half way at the laguna for a refreshing swim. Num Ka’an Ranch is currently home to 15 horses, 7 of which we use routinely for the paseos. In the near future we plan to offer horseback riding lessons and we may be acquiring additional horses to add to the herd, so stay tuned for more

on that.

While staying with us, we can also arrange for local tours of the Mayan Ruins, Historical Sites in Bacalar and Guided Wild Life tours, so be sure to bring your camera. A 3 to 7 day stay would give you time to experience the sites that draw many to the Yucatan peninsula, all the while enjoying western style hospitality on a ranch. What a fabulous vacation for your family. There is something for everyone at affordable prices.

Num Ka’an is a perfect location for groups. Upon request we can work with you to package lodging, activities & meals for groups of 25 or more to fit a reasonable budget. Num Ka’an works perfectly for company meetings, tour groups, family events and special occasions. Our large event hall can easily seat 60 people for meals, meetings and other group activities.

Contact us for more information by emailing us (inquiry@numkaan.com), calling us 983-157-7483 (English), 983-139-0493 (Espanol) or visit our Facebook page (Num Ka’an) 

and website (www.numkaan.com) You can find us on skype, just search for Num Ka’an

Happy Trails,

Catherine Thomas

Num Ka’an Guest Services

Num Ka’an Ranch km 5 on Mexico Hwy 307 Xul-Ha Quintana Roo, Mexico

Joey's Birthing Story

I have been in on many births of babies, but NEVER puppies and let me tell you, I have a whole new respect for female dogs. Holy Moses, it was AMAZING!! Humans go to all this reading of books, buying the latest in birthing & baby equipment, take classes on breast feeding. Then we moan, scream & groan during labor and it takes a team of people to deliver one child (more if there is a multiple birth). Having had children myself I am in awe of the tenacity, spirit & strength of a birthing female dog. Attribute it to anything you want, doesn't matter, plain & simple they go through the process with dignity & strength!
I knew Joey was going to deliver last night. She was being snippy with the other dogs and staying away from them. I went up to bed, but I couldn't fall asleep, I kept going down stairs to check on her. Finally she followed me upstairs to the guest room where I had a pad & bowl of water set up for her, but when she saw Annie laying there she growled & barked at her, as if to say, "Hey, get the heck off my birthing pad", but Annie was not going to budge, so Joey went back down stairs. 
A little while later Annie did move to the other room & Joey nested down on the pad next to the bed. I watched her for a while  then dozed off to sleep.  I figured I would hear Joey when she started laboring. She never made a sound.
Long around 4:30 am I awoke to the sound of whimpering, I looked over & she had already pushed

out 2 puppies. The whimpering was coming from the puppies. I got up and sat next to the pad. Joey didn't seem to mind, she almost seemed to be pleased. I rubbed her back and could tell she was about to push out another. The process was nothing short of astonishing. 
They come out in the sac, she tears it open, eats the sac, slurps up the fluid and then thoroughly cleans them, drying them in the process. They find her nipples on their own and start nursing. She lays

back to take a break and 20 min later here comes the next one, the next & the next. I felt around her belly & knew there she wasn't done. 30 minutes go by and she starts contracting again. I thought maybe this was the placenta, but no she had one more to birth. 6 pups in all.
So for 3 - 4 hours she is contracting pushing, birthing, cleaning and feeding puppies ALL AT THE SAME TIME and then eats the placenta. Amazing!! 
The first 2 were white with black spots (obviously looking like the heathen that got our little Joey

pregnant), then 2 black with bronze/white feet & a little spit of white on the chest (looking like Joey), then the last 2 looking like the first two. I named them Uno, Dos, Tres, Cuatro, Cinco & Seis. Uno & Dos were determined because one was wetter than the other.

Joey cleaned up as she went along, other than moisture on the pad, you would never have known puppies had just been birthed there. (But I will send that out for cleaning)
I got a few pictures and left Joey to rest with her puppies. Since she is upstairs she is safe from the

other dogs nosing around her puppies. After she rest a bit, I will take the birthing box up and help her transfer into that. That way when Joey needs to go out or eat, her pups will not be able to "roam around" while shes gone. We won't really know how

many males & females for a few days, but the lines are open for anyone wanting to lay claim to their favorite (hint hint).
 

Many of you have probably witnessed this with dogs or cats and think I am making too much of it, but for me it really had an impact. I guess animals escaped Eve's curse, so nice for them. I had planned all kinds of projects for today but I think I will just let the house stay quiet for Joey, she deserves it after all that work. I love how she has them all snuggled up together and lays her head over the top of the group to keep them warm & safe. 

Stay tuned for the Chronicles of Joeys Puppies.