Golden Cottage Days

                                      

Greetings Gail-Friends!  Yes, I've been busy again, but my heart is full of JOY!  No time to do posts because I've been working on  Jem's second book.  It is done!  Finished!  Published!  It's been a long haul to get to this point.  His book, Shenanigans, is about his adventures (and mis-adventures) as a US Navy sailor back in the 1960's.  It is so funny, y'all.   You can read a sample at the link below.  

It's available in paperback and as an e-book.   Here's the link:  https://a.co/d/8IaGWRy

We hope you'll buy it, read it, and if you like it, do a review on Amazon.  

Now, I'm working on finishing up my book about Proverbs.  Hopefully, it will be finished by mid-September. 

So other than this, we've been enjoying the garden.  The heat has been terrible, but we were able to have a small harvest of the Everglades tomatoes.  They are about the size of the tip of my pinky finger and sweet as sugar.  They re-seed themselves and (supposedly) come back every year:

 Here are some of our beautiful flowers:

 

I think the zinnias are about finished.  May have one more bouquet.  They have brought me so much JOY!

I've also enjoyed sitting on our back porch (with a fan blowing on me, of course!).  I'm hoping the buntings will be coming back this month, but you never know.  But, we had a tit-mouse couple come by and the cardinals are regulars, along with the woodpeckers and blue jays.  The birds and butterflies are such a joy during my morning quiet time. 

 

 

Today, I sat out there with Tonnie Woo.  He loves the porch.  Stays out there all day long.  I don't know how he stands the heat, but he loves it.  He sleeps in my office at night, though. 

 

We celebrated Jem's birthday this month.  He'seventy-nine and said he never thought he'd live to be so old.  Well, he did and I'm so glad.  We spent the week celebrating and one place we returned to was the Pig n Whistle, a British pub in Cocoa Beach.  Jem had the fish and chips and I had a Reuben.  It was so huge I took half of it home.  We saw this sweet little Mini Cooper there and had to take a picture. We sure do miss our Minnie (that was her name) and talked about maybe getting another one. 

 

 

I liked the bunting and the portrait display of  King Charles.  We're so sad to hear the news this week that he is leaving the throne due to late-stage cancer.  His son, William, will take over soon.

 

There was an homage to the late Queen Elizabeth.  I've always admired her.  She was a real lady, and I think she was faithful to her duties as queen in spite of the hard things she went through.  

Another day, we took a slow ride down the river and visited a very nice restaurant in Titusville.  It's called Shiloh's and it's directly across the river from the space center.  Jem had the salmon and I had the fish and chips.  We even ordered a key-lime cheesecake to share, but took most of it home.  

All of this kind of rich eating is rare for us of late because we are dedicated to eating healthy.  I've lost fourteen pounds and he's lost thirty-six, which makes me so upset.  Why do men lose weight so much faster?  Any way, I am faithfully eating healthy every day and night.  Veggies are my friends.  Speaking of veg, I thought this was so funny.  I opened a new bag of baby carrots and found this super-sized baby:

 We had a picture made at the restaurant and I can really tell we've slimmed down.  Praise the Lord!

 Maybe next month, I'll share how I've lost weight.  

Oh, I forgot to tell you about our new car.  A 2025 Honda CRV.  It's just like our 2016 model, except for the updates:  

It has alarms galore:  when you get too close to the side of the road, slows you down when you get to close to the car in front of you, tells you if there's a car in your blind spot, heated seats and steering wheel, you can turn on the AC and cool it off before you get in - and my favorite - the wonderful backup camera. It has so many bells and whistles, it took us a month just to figure it all out. What a blessing.)

So, life at Golden Cottage is golden . . . and easy . . . and we treasure every day together.  I love our prayer and Bible time together in the mornings.  Toonie does, too.  He's a very scholarly cat.

We've been doing Shabbat at home on Friday nights and I love that.  On Saturday morning, we tune in to the online service from Shalom Macon.  

 I hope all is well in your world.  God bless you and keep you, and may His face shine upon you.

Bye for now. 💗 

Golden Cottage Happenings

 

Greetings Gail-Friends!

We've been busy bees around Golden Cottage, so I have lots of good news and praises.

Jem and I celebrated nineteen years of happy marriage in May.  I am so thankful for my husband.  I know I go on and on about how wonderful he is, but he really is the best husband in the whole wide world.  I ask him sometimes, "How did I deserve such a good husband?"  He always says, "You said 'yes'!"  I often think how different my life could have been if I'd recognized his amazing qualities  way back when we dated fifty-plus years ago.   

I received a lovely bouquet of flowers that day and, here we are in June, and they are still giving me JOY!

My gift to him was a shopping trip to Ollie's (GOOD STUFF, CHEAP!) to pick out stuff for Golden Cottage Garden.  He found a nice ceramic pot the yellow-ish one with pink flowers and a flamingo wind chime. When we first married, we would buy a wind chime on our anniversary, but we ran out of places to put them (or they fell apart, etc.) So, we're starting a new tradition -- buying something for the garden. The flags were placed there for Flag Day.

 

We went out to an authentic Mexican dinner at a new place in Cocoa Village.  Jem really enjoyed the meal, but it was way to spicy for me, so never again!!! But we enjoyed our time together, and walked around the village shops afterward. We found a new business - an old-timey butcher shop called The Forgotten Block. They have fresh meats, cut to your order, as well canned preserves, salsa, jellies and jams. Jem bought this for his breakfast biskits.  

 We enjoyed our stroll because the weather was perfect that day - warm with a nice breeze off the river. 

 A perfect day in paradise!! 

Another part of our anniversary celebration was our vacation to the Florida Folk Festival and, as always, it was great.  It was really, really hot, but the festival always prepares for that.  Big fans are placed at each venue, and free ice-cold water is available in coolers in each area.  The stages are all covered by tents or shade.   But, this year I decided to be even more prepared for the heat.  We had neck fans!!  Wow - they are amazing!  And they are re-chargeable!

 

 

I also bought some new clothes - all linen or cotton/linen blend.  This makes a remarkable difference.  I had a good time shopping online for the clothes.  Had to return / exchange some, but I discovered a whole new way to shop.  And I love it!!!

Speaking of online shopping, we now order most of our food and supplies using our Walmart+ benefit.  They deliver for FREE if you sign up for the program. You do have to do a minimum order, but that's not hard to do for us.   It really is a help when we have to order heavy stuff like twenty-pound bags of birdseed and Black Cow for the garden.  It's helpful, too, for the heavy kitty litter jugs.  We love it.  

And...we're getting excited because Aldi is coming to our neighborhood in August.  It is much closer than Walmart, so we'll be using it a lot.  I like to order everything I can from them and then order the remainder from Walmart.

  Golden Cottage Garden is doing really well with flowers.  My peace plants are blooming, but again, the weather conditions are affecting them.   Our grass looks bad, but Jem's working on it. We'd bought some stuff that was supposed to help fill in the bare spots, but it only made it worse.  Gardening is hard in Zone 9 of Florida.  We're near the coast, too, so that plays into it.  And our soil is pure sand, so we decided to just do pots.  Jem works so hard in the yard and he amazes me with his strength.  He'll be seventy-nine soon and yet he keeps going like the energizer bunny.  I tell him he's a tough old bird.

 Here are a few pics - Jem had decorated with flags. 

 

The peace plants are doing okay, but not as good as in the past.  The heat is brutal.

 

The zinnias are so pretty.

I bought a package of wild flower seeds, and this is all that came up.  I don't know what it is, but it's so pretty.

 Veggies - not so much.  I picked my first lettuce harvest.  It was enough for a salad. But our other veggies have not produced - peas, squash, zucchini, and peppers did not work out.  I don't know if it was the seeds or the heat or the rain, but the lettuce is the only one that made it. :(

 Jem and I have started a healthy-eating plan and veggies are a big part of it, so we load up with those when we shop.  I feel so good when I stay away from sugar and prepared foods.  We are getting healthier and losing a few pounds at the same time.  

This is my favorite lunch these days - turkey, cheese, and pickle wraps with veggies on the side.

Well, Gail-Friends, I'm going to close out 'cause this post is getting long.  I've got more to share - like what we saw and did at the Florida Folk Festival, our grandson's concerts, and what's new with Toonie and Lucy. Oh, and I never did post about our Passover and Shavoat celebrations.  I'll be back soon.

Blessings to you all. 

 

 

Happy Flag Day and Happy Birthday!!

 

Saturday, June 14 is Flag Day in America.  It is also President Trump's birthday. He will be seventy-nine years old.  It is also the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army.  A big celebration and military parade are planned for Washington, D.C., so be sure to watch it.  

Until I was married to Rabbi Jem, I'd never celebrated Flag Day, but boy has that changed.  Yesterday, he spent hours, in the hot sun, decorating the front yard of Golden Cottage with flags - 100+.  Flags are in the grass, in the trees, and in the flower pots.  Oh, and on our flag pole, too.  

 

These flags are faithfully put in place on Flag Day, Independence Day, Memorial Day, and Veterans Day. We love our country and hope to inspire our neighbors to follow suit.  We do have about half a dozen neighbors who put out American flags, too.  God bless them all.   

Let's all show our love for the flag, our country, and our president by sending him a message on Facebook, Instagram, Rumble, X, or Truth Social.  Tell him how much we appreciate his firm resolve to protect our families, cities, country, and our Constitution. And let him know you are praying for him.  He carries a heavy load of concern and care and seems to never tire in his work.  And he does it ALL for free.  He does not take the salary for his tireless attention to duty.  What a man.  What a president.  The most amazing one I've seen in my seventy plus years.  He deserves our respect and encouragement and even more, he needs our prayers

So, tomorrow is a big day for America.  I'm sad to say that there are those who want to spoil it all.  Protests are planned in 1500+ cities across the country.  They say they are protesting Trump's over-reach, mainly about the deportation of illegal immigrants.   If you watch the mainstream media, you will hear great sympathy for the riots in L.A.  They don't seem to grasp the truth - that entering this country without documentation is a crime.  They are criminals.  And, the state of California is aiding them in their lawlessness.  But I agree with this post on X:  "The truth is, these upcoming protests aren’t about illegal immigration, ICE, “Free Palestine,” or anything else. They’re about destroying our way of life, anti-cop sentiment, bringing lawlessness and anarchy to our doorstep, and bringing down the greatest President of our lifetime."

Gail-Friends, we live in a time of great delusion like the Bible prophesied.  Never did I dream that we would hear people defending crime, lies, abortion, homosexuality, transgenderism, pedophilia, and other perversions.  Not only that, but when they're told THEY are wrong, we are called hateful and judgemental.  It's no wonder, really, because the modern-day churches do not teach on these things. Or, believe it or not, they defend and allow those things in their churches. These things are condemned in the Torah, and the New Testament (see the book of Leviticus, especially) and the world is suffering because WE have been told to sit down, shut up, and be nice.  

I understand Job's suffering like never before.  Like him, my soul is vexed every day as I see the lawlessness,  the hate, and the evil played out before me every day on the news.  I watched a video on YouTube of a "protest" in NYC.  It was night, and most of the people were dressed in black with black masks.  They were screaming and cursing and carrying flags and signs that spoke evil and perversion.  To me, it was like I was seeing the demons of hell filling the streets.  I was horrified to the point of tears. These people are lost, blind, deaf, and incapable of seeing the truth.  

Only God's power can set them free. Every one of us was in the same state. . . but God, in His mercy, caused His truth to shine like a light into our souls.  We saw that we were lost and without Him....and we had to make a decision. . . to turn to Him . . . or to turn to the evil one.  

I often read the story of the prodigal son Luke 15:11-32.  He went his own way, to do his own thing . . . and he wound up in a pig pen, covered in feces and filth.  But, he "came to his senses".  He suddenly saw his situation with new eyes.  And he decided to return to his father's house.  That is repentance, my friends.  It's realizing that our way had led to misery.  We had heard about the Father and Yeshua through preaching, teaching, or reading of the Holy Scriptures.  And we made the decision to go to Him and follow His Word and His Ways.

Oh, how I wish I could make people see the truth and turn to God, but I can't.  All I can do is share His Truth, which is love by the way, and pray.  And I do.  I pray daily for lost loved ones, friends, neighbors, leaders, lawmakers, and especially for those who share the good news of God's Word, His Will, and His Ways.  Turning to those things will make America great again.

  

 

 

 

Memorial Day

 

This Facebook post by Brevard County, FL Sheriff Wayne Ivey  says it all:

 

On this Memorial Day, I ask that you take the time to remember what this holiday is truly about and that you share with your children that while today may be a holiday filled with barbecues and beach time, it’s true purpose is to honor the great men and women who gave their lives for all of ours!!

 

In fact, on this Memorial Day, if you woke up in the United States of America, you owe the very blanket of freedom you slept under last night, to those brave and courageous souls who “gave it all” in the protection of their country!! Regardless of the uniform they wore, or where they came from, they fought beside strangers, all for the same cause, our freedom!! 

 

These heroes gave their lives for millions of people they would never know, and in return gave us our freedom, our safety, and quite frankly, our ability to celebrate birthdays, Easter, Christmas, graduations, weddings and so on!! 

 

So today as you have friends and family over for a BBQ, go to the beach, hang out by the pool, or just enjoy a day off from work, look to the sky and remember those who sacrificed their life for us to have the freedoms and security we have!!

 

Say a prayer for those we lost, those who were prisoners of war, those who are still missing today, and their families, while remembering that Memorial Day is about honoring them for their sacrifices and trying to live your life everyday as a proud American as proof that it was all worth fighting for!!

 

God Bless The United States of America and We Shall Never Forget Our Fallen Heroes!!

 

Sheriff Wayne Ivey

Let's Join in The National Day of Prayer

 

Today is the National Day of Prayer! I hope you will join me and others in this annual day of praying for our country.  Let's also praise God for all of the blessings He has poured out on us this year.  We now have a president who is keeping his promises:  reducing illegal immigration, uncovering fraud, waste, and abuse in our government, working to make us energy independent again, and so much more.  We have had so many prayers answered since January 20.  You can watch his address here:  https://www.rsbnetwork.com/video/live-president-trump-participates-in-national-day-of-prayer-event-5-1-25/

 

Here is information and a prayer for today:

 

2025 Theme: Pour out to the God of hope and be filled. 

 

2025 Verse: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Romans 15:13 ESV

 

2025 National Prayer:

God of hope, fill us with all joy and peace

in believing, so that we will abound in

hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

You have caused us to be born again to

a living hope through the resurrection of

Jesus Christ from the dead; therefore,

we hope in what we do not see.

This world is not our home or reality,

but the Lord is our Rock,

our Truth, our certainty.

 

God of hope, we pour out our praise

and are filled with Your powerful presence.

 

We pour out repentance of sin and are filled

with forgiveness and righteousness.

 

We pour out pain from the attacks of the

enemy—anxiousness, fear, anger—and You

fill us with courage, assurance, and love.

 

We pour out our needs, the desires of our

hearts, and are filled with Your Kingdom

provision and purpose.

 

We pour out our hearts for our nation, for

the people and places, relationships and

responsibilities the Lord has established: the

Church, Family, Education, Business,

Military, Arts, Entertainment, Media, and

Government. May all who live, serve, and

steward in these be filled with Your purpose,

wisdom, strength, and truth.

 

Let Your lovingkindness, O LORD, be upon

us, as we have hoped in You.

In abounding hope, anchored by our hope

in the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen!

 

Written by National Day of Prayer Task Force President, Kathy Branzell

Find a local prayer gathering or watch the national observance broadcast tonight (8 pm ET) at nationaldayofprayer.org.

Golden Cottage Happenings

 

Greetings Y'all - I hope your week has been good.  It's been a Haleluyah week here at Golden Cottage.  A long-awaited prayer has been answered, and we are praising God.  We even went out to eat at a very expensive restaurant to celebrate.  My sense of frugality was hurt, but I pushed through!!  It was well worth every penny!!

We celebrated all week, and went galavanting down to the beach where we visited an English pub.  We love all things British, and were thrilled with the fish and chips we had for lunch.  They even serve it with mashy peas.  I didn't care for that, but Jem loved it.  He ate them when he visited Malta during his Navy days.  I like the doorway and wanted my picture made with the faux phone booth.  Nope...Dr. Who wasn't in there.  We'll visit again because on Sundays they have Premeir League soccer playing in the mornings.  So, we'll go back for a "full English breakfast".  Can't wait!

 Hi-Yah!  (as they say in England)

We've been working in the garden, planting lettuce and other veggies.  Here's a photo of my lettuce.  They'll be ready for harvest in a few days.

 

 The "reds" are showing off in the front garden:

  Amaryllis, caladium, poinsettias, busy lizzies (aka impatiens)

 

I found this little orange smiling up at me from my fruit bowl yesterday and it made me smile.  Can you see it?  She's happy! 

Rocket launches are commonplace here, but last week I got a great pic from our front yard.

 

Lately, I have ventured into the world of AI --  been creating images using AI websites like Grok.  Here are some that I've that I made: (plus the one at the top of this post)

 

 And this is my favorite:

 

I mentioned last month that I'd post some pics from our Purim celebration at our new synagogue, so here are a few.  

One of the ladies helped design and write this beautiful magillah.  It is gorgeous.

 

 

The whole magillah was read out loud by different people, and the main characters play-acted their parts.  Jem played Haman and I played Esther.  I didn't get any pics of us, sadly. 

 Some people dressed up, and my pic for the best costume was Mordecai.

 

 Here are a few others:

 This family was, by far, the funniest! Fred, Pebbles, and Bam-Bam. Check out Fred's feet!  Do you remember the Flintstones??

 

 

And, of course, we had lots of fun, food, and fellowship. (Too much food, as always.)

 

In the week ahead, I'll be throwing out the leaven in my house and from my heart -- getting ready for Passover.  Jem and I are looking forward to our first seder at our new synagogue. This will be the first time in almost twenty years that we haven't been in charge and that feels GOOD!  We're enjoying retirement!!

 

I won't be posting next week, so Chag Pesach to you all.  See you week after next with news from Golden Cottage. And I'll be sharing about our Passover observance.

 

Blessings and Shalom!