Golden Cottage Happenings

 

 

 Welcome back to Golden Cottage y'all!  November is almost over, and I'm only just now getting around to doing an update.  October was so busy, y'all.  I made that photo above with AI on Facebook.  Don't ask me how.  But it was fun, and looks pretty good...except my eyes look a bit scary.  

We celebrated Sukkot at home this year, and we had our sukkah on the back patio again.  Here are a few pics.

We waved the lulav and did the water pouring.  We remembered Yeshua's words at the Temple when he said, " "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink."  I can say, "Yes. He quenches my thirst daily when I draw near to Him, read His Word, and listen to His voice." Haleluyah!

 I always enjoy eating meals in the sukkah.  Lucy was always waiting for a handout and Toonie had a great time rearranging the table decorations.

My high school class held a seventy-fifth birthday party in Jacksonville, so we went and I was so blessed to see old classmates.  These ladies are long-time friends.  Elizabeth (top left) was in my first grade class.  Rita (front left) and Brenda (front right) have been friends since high school.  We all reared our children together and now we're enjoying grandchildren.   I love these ladies so much.  They are exceptional Proverbs 31 women. I call Brenda a Wonder Woman because she has health concerns and yet is still  caring for both her husband and her mother in her home.  Both could be in a nursing home, but she is determined to keep them at home.  She's an amazing caregiver.  Please pray for her and them. 

Yes, I turned seventy-five in October.  Jem and I spent the day shopping and eating out.  We went to Ollie's and bought a new carpet shampooer.  When we were checking out, Jem told the clerk it was my birthday.  She frowned and said, "And you bought her  a vacuum cleaner?"  I laughed out loud and said, "Yes. It's what I wanted!"  He gave me these beautiful flowers, too.  I had lunch with friends and got many sweet cards, greetings, and gifts.  My dear friend, Gail, gave me a smart birdhouse.  I'll have to tell y'all about it later. We have to learn how to set it up and use it.  I feel so blessed to be this old.  It's good to be healthy and strong and I count my blessings every day.  These truly are the "Golden Years" in many more ways than one.

We had a wonderful trip to Pensacola Beach, Florida for Rabbi Jem's Navy reunion.  Being wise, I packed clothes for cold weather and boy was I glad I did.  It was so COLD that week AND overcast and rainy on a couple of days.  Here are a few pics from the trip:

We went to Veterans Memorial Park.  Jem is a Purple Heart recipient, so I wanted his picture by the memorial.

My hero

Memorial to the dogs who served.

We had dinner at Maguires Irish Pub - it was fun!

We went on a boat trip to watch the Blue Angels practice.  Here's Jem and a buddy sharing sea stories, and him with a friend on their visit to the battleship Alabama.

It was so cold, y'all.  In the 50's the day I took this pic.  These people must have come down from Alaska, right?  Maybe it was warm to them.  Or maybe ya gotta go swimming in the gulf if you come to Florida.  I never did get down to the beach because it was too cold for this Florida girl.

  The only thing I forgot to bring was my gloves.   I lived most of my life in north Florida and used to always pray that if I ever had to move, I'd move SOUTH!  Well, God answered that prayer with a move to central Florida thirty plus years ago.  Our temps are almost always ten to twenty degrees warmer than up in north Florida.  Brrrrrr!! 

 

Jem had so much fun talking with his buddies.  

He did really well selling his new book at the reunion, too.  This is his second book, called Shenanigans: Adventures on the Shangri-La.  It's a hilarious memoir of his adventures as a sailor and chief petty officer in the Navy.  You can read an excerpt at the  link.  Everybody says it should be a movie or a tv series.  Wouldn't that be great, y'all?  

Well, this is getting long, so I'll do another post about November soon.  We stay so busy that I wonder how we ever had time to work.  God is good and we are blessed.  Every day, I count my blessings, especially for health and strength.  The "Golden Years" are truly wonderful in more ways than one.  

Till next time, God bless and keep you all. 

  

My Newest Book

 

 

Join in me in praise - shout Haleluyah!  This project has been a long journey.  It is an interactive journey through the book of Proverbs.  I share personal lessons I've learned through obedience to God's Word and Ways.  It is interactive in that I encourage the reader to join me in reading and seeing what God speaks to you regarding the daily passage.  It also encourages the reader to journal with questions at the end of each day.  

I say the book was a long journey because I wrote most of it in 2013, but only began to work on publishing it within the last year.  I had so much difficulty in preparing this book -- formatting, computer, and internet problems.  There were days I thought about giving up, but I persevered because the message is so very important.  I think it was the old devil fighting against me because the message is so important.

The book is available as an e-book or paperback.  You can read a short portion of the book and purchase it through Amazon at this link:  Golden Reflections on God's Wisdom

I hope you will read and be blessed by this book.  If you are, I would greatly appreciate a review on Amazon.

Blessings to you all  

A Pivotal Time in History

 

 

 Be aware. This is a pivotal time in history. 

 

 God is moving. 

 

 Demons are stirred up, causing violence and mass shootings.

 

 Fear not! Pray.

 

 And believe that God is in control. 

 

 Repent -- Turn back to God's Word, Will, and Ways -- Obey His commandments.

 

 He has shed His grace on America. 

 

 Pray for traitors to be revealed and brought to justice. 

 

 And pray for a new Golden Era of holiness and obedience.

 

From General Flynn on X: "They (@BarackObama and his gang of subversives) betrayed their oath and sold out their country. That’s treason and they know it. This isn’t about politics. It’s about right and wrong, good versus evil. They chose evil. They thought they could hide behind power, titles, and media cover. The truth always comes out, and when it does, the American people will know every single name of those involved in subverting our Nation from within. It’s only a matter of time before accountability hits their doorstep. There is NO escape.

And there must be ACCOUNTABILITY. "

Rosh Hashanah 5786

 

Yom HaDin

On Rosh HaShanah, we attend synagogue wearing the nicest of clothes as it begins a New Year (lit. “Head of the Year), praying through lengthy prayers, while hearing the call of the Shofar. What typically comes to mind of Rosh HaShanah is the ‘sweet’ New Year, where we dip apples in honey and eat delicious round challah loves symbolizing the spiral of time and us moving forward into a new circuit, we can lose the essence of what Rosh HaShanah truly is: Yom HaDin, ie. “The Day of Judgment.”

Many times, we think Yom Kippur is the Day of Judgment because that is when we fast and pray and seek atonement for our sins, however, according to Jewish sources, it is Rosh HaShanah, that each and every individual is judged by HaShem. “On Rosh Hashanah all of mankind pass before Him like sheep -they pass by Him one by one, one after the other, yet He scrutinizes them all with a single glance.”(Rosh HaShanah 8a). This is the Day HaShem judges each and every one of us. The sages say, it is this day that HaShem records whether we will be inscribed in the Book of Life or Death, or have our judgment delayed until Yom Kippur. It is this day that  echoes  the Master’s teaching, that when He comes and sits upon His Throne (to judge), all nations will be gathered and He will separate them as a shepherd separates sheep from goats (Matthew 25:31-32). This is why it is extremely important to do the deep work of Teshuvah BEFORE the Call of the Shofar. Moreover, it is through those 100 Blasts of the Shofar,  our soul is stirred to even do greater Teshuvah before Yom Kippur, where our final judgment is officially sealed. It is on Rosh HaShanah, the Head of the Year, that everything is written for our lives in the coming year. Heaven makes Its judgment, but it is in our hands if we sweeten that judgment through our Teshuvah, our repentance.

This is the day that the Spiritual DNA is coded into the year, and HaShem gives us the ability to help Him write it. The choice is yours, will you know before Whom you stand on Rosh HaShanah, having done all that you could do, so that HaShem would remember your deeds for life? May we do the deep work of Elul, so that we can write a beautiful symphony of a Year with the King of the Universe, proclaiming Him King, following His Son, Yeshua, King Messiah, and actualizing the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. “Leshana tovah tikatev v’tichatem,” “May you be inscribed and sealed for a Good Year.”  

from www.shalomacon.org

 

Golden Cottage - Life Changes

 

 

Greetings Gail-Friends:  

Rabbi Jem and I have going through life changes. Nothing serious. Nothing bad.  We have changed our way of eating.  I mentioned last month that I would share a little bit about it.  Jem has lost over thirty pounds.  I've lost fifteen.   (Trying not to be jealous, but he loses twice as fast as me.)

This recipe is one I keep on hand, so I thought I'd share it with y'all.  I call it Gail's Easy Pickles: 

Makes about 2-3 pints

Ingredients:

1 package of baby cucumbers (equals 3-4 cups)

red, yellow, and orange pepper strips

alternative sweetener of choice to equal 1-1/2 c sugar

1-1/2 cups vinegar 

OR

I like to buy bread and butter pickles and save the juice. I start with that as the base and add vinegar to equal 3 cups. 

OR

sometimes, I just use the jar of leftover pickle juice and add the pickles and peppers. Then I add vinegar to cover the cucumbers.

OR 

if I don’t have leftover pickle juice, I add these spices to the vinegar/sugar solution:

½ teaspoon mustard seeds

½ teaspoon celery seeds

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

If I have any pickling solution left over, I just save it till I make pickles again.

Optional: I add a spicy pepper to one jar – for my husband because he likes spicy.

Directions:

Cut cucumbers in spears – I do 4 spears per cucumber and this fills up about 2-3 pint jars. I put the cucumbers in and pack them loosely. Then, I put the pepper strips in. I save my jars (all sizes) so if there’s not enough to fill a second quart, I just use a smaller jar.

Combine sugar or sweetener, vinegar, salt, mustard seeds, celery seeds, and turmeric (or your leftover Bread & Butter pickle juice) in a bowl until sweetener and salt have dissolved; pour evenly over cucumbers and peppers. Cover jars with lids. Refrigerate for seven days before serving.

 ~~~~~~~~~~  

One of my changes is to eat more veggies, so I keep this tray in the frig filled at all times.  I also keep a small container of homemade ranch dip (made with yogurt and mayo) in the tray.  I'm reading labels and trying to stay away from additives, preservatives, dyes, artificial ingredients, and genetically modified stuff.  It's amazing how much of that junk is in our food these days.  Tip:  if you can't pronounce it, don't eat it, y'all. 

 And I roast big pans of veggies with spices:

 

 

Turkey, pickle, and cheese roll-ups with homemade ranch dressing is a favorite lunch.  Or, sometimes I have a big smoothie with collagen, almond milk, and chocolate.

 

Oh, and I have to tell you about my new best friend:  Palmini pasta.  Made from palm hearts.  I buy these at Aldi, but you can get them online.  My favorite is the angel hair pasta.  Jem's not in love with them (yet).  He prefers the regular wheat noodles.  And I guess I'll never know why he can eat bread, pasta, rice and pretty much everything else and still lose weight. When I moan about this, my friends tell me men just lose weight faster than women.  Ugh!

 

 And for a low-carb treat, I make "forgotten cookies."  Made with egg whites.  They melt in your mouth.

  

I've been super busy.  Now that Jem's book is finished, I'm working on my next book.  Coming soon, y'all.  His book is doing really well on Amazon. I'm amazed at how many copies he's sold in the last two weeks. It is so funny. You can get it in paperback or as an e-book:   https://a.co/d/8IaGWRy

 

All is well at Golden Cottage and we're enjoying the cooler weather this week -- highs in the 80's and lows in the 70's.  Fall is in the air, Gail-Friends.  And the goldenrod is blooming.  Mama always said when it blooms winter is on its way.  YAY!

Toonie Woo and Lucy Loo are doing good:

 

The last few days have been so emotional.  I've been closely following the events surrounding the assassination of Charlie Kirk.  We're still praying for his wife, children, friends and family.  And I'm praying for this to be used for good -- for the glory of God's Kingdom.  I believe it is happening.  I read that lots of people attended church the Sunday following the murder.  

I've seen signs that say, "I Am Charlie Kirk" and this one really impressed me:  

 

 

That's what Charlie did.  And he did it so well.  You can see his speeches and interviews on YouTube.  I admire his ability to confront lies with courage, patience, and clarity.  He has impacted many lives in his thirty-one years on this earth.  He loved God, his family, and his country.  I believe his legacy will be like that of Martin Luther King. 

I saw this week that Charlie was writing a book about observing the Sabbath. I'm looking forward to reading it when it's released.  The title is Stop, in the Name of God: Why Honoring the Sabbath Will Transform Your Life .  The book has already topped Amazon's Christian and religion/spirituality bestseller lists due to pre-orders following Kirk's death.

Shalom and blessings to you all, Gail-Friends.   

Turning Point

 

photo flickr

Yesterday a martyr was born. A young man, only thirty-one years old.  Charlie Kirk --  murdered while speaking God's Truth about conservative issues.  His legacy will live on, though.  Please pray for his wife and children and for all who are grieving this great loss of a man who loved God, his family, and his country.  

I've known of him through Turning Point USA podcasts, television, YouTube, and the internet.  I've heard him speak and admired his ability to make concise statements and to debate issues without hostility.  I admired his rock-solid belief in God's Word and his passionate desire to enlighten high school and college students.  He was dedicated to teaching the Constitution and encouraged people, young and old, to become politically involved.

Charlie Kirk, I believe, will be remembered in the way Dr. Martin Luther King has been.  Charlie stood for speaking truth without violence.  I also believe his videos and podcasts will influence many generations to come.

May his death be a "turning point" for America.  Dear Lord, please heal our land.  I read this post today by Stephen Miller on X and it is so true: 

There is an ideology that has steadily been growing in this country which hates everything that is good, righteous and beautiful and celebrates everything that is warped, twisted and depraved. It is an ideology at war with family and nature. It is envious, malicious, and soulless. It is an ideology that looks upon the perfect family with bitter rage while embracing the serial criminal with tender warmth. Its adherents organize constantly to tear down and destroy every mark of grace and beauty while lifting up everything monstrous and foul. It is an ideology that leads, always, inevitably and willfully, to violence — violence against those uphold order, who uphold faith, who uphold family, who uphold all that is noble and virtuous in this world. It is an ideology whose one unifying thread is the insatiable thirst for destruction.

We see the workings of this ideology in every posting online cheering the evil assassination that cruelly robbed this nation of one of its greatest men. Postings from those in positions of institutional authority — educators, healthcare workers, therapists, government employees — reveling in the vile and the sinister with the most chilling glee.

The fate of millions depends upon the defeat of this wicked ideology. The fate of our children, our society, our civilization hinges on it.

Now we devote ourselves, with love and unyielding determination, to finishing the indispensable work to which Charlie bravely devoted his life and gave his last measure of devotion.

Here is the information about Charlie's background (from Grok today):

 Charlie Kirk, born on October 14, 1993, in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and raised in Prospect Heights, was a prominent figure in American conservative politics. He co-founded Turning Point USA (TPUSA) in 2012 (when he was only nineteen years old) with Bill Montgomery, a retired marketing entrepreneur and Tea Party activist.

 Kirk's background includes a focus on political activism from a young age, leading him to defer college to engage full-time in this endeavor. TPUSA aims to promote conservative values on high school, college, and university campuses across the United States.

Turning Point USA, a nonprofit organization, has grown significantly since its inception, advocating for conservative policies and influencing student government elections. Kirk also founded Turning Point Action, a political advocacy arm, and Turning Point Faith, which mobilizes religious communities on conservative issues. He hosted "The Charlie Kirk Show," a daily radio program on Salem Media's "The Answer" channel, and was involved in various media projects aimed at engaging younger audiences, particularly Generation Z.

Tragically, Charlie Kirk was shot and killed on September 10, 2025, while speaking at a TPUSA event at Utah Valley University. This event marked a significant moment in the organization's history, as Kirk was a central figure in its operations and public presence. The organization continues to operate, maintaining its mission to promote conservative ideals among young people.

When he was shot that day, he was speaking about mass shootings and gun violence.

Let's Do This

 

  

WOW. What a powerful moment from President Trump’s rally. HUD Secretary Scott Turner took the stage and spoke words this country desperately needs to hear right now.  He said:

 

“Think about this. What if 1 million people prayed for our country every single week between now and next July 4th?”

 

“What if believers all across this great nation got together with 10 people…10 people each week, to pray for our country and our fellow citizens? Let that sink in.”

 

“1 million people, every single week…think about the miracles that would take place over the next year. Think about the transformation you and I could witness.”

 

“Families coming back together, health being restored, financial needs being met, mountains being moved. THINK ABOUT IT. If a million of us, every week, got together…how many know that God is well-able to do it? Amen.”

 

⸻

This is exactly the kind of leadership we need: calling America back to faith, back to family, and back to prayer. The elites in Washington and Hollywood laugh at the idea of prayer. They mock Christians for putting our trust in God. But deep down, we know the truth—this nation has only stood as long as it has because of the prayers of the faithful.

 

We’re in a cultural and spiritual battle. The left wants to erase faith from the public square, rewrite history, and replace God with government. But the American people are hungry for something real, something eternal. Imagine the power if one million of us committed to pray every week. That’s not politics. That’s not policy. That’s raw, unshakable faith in action.

 

Think about it:

 

• A million people lifting up this country to God.

• A million voices asking for healing, protection, and revival.

• A million Americans standing together in unity, not division.

 

That would move mountains. That would shake Washington. That would bring families, churches, and communities back to life.

 

And let’s be honest, this is what terrifies the establishment most. Because when the people of God rise up in prayer and unity, no political machine, no corrupt bureaucracy, no media empire can stand against it.

⸻

This isn’t just about prayer… it’s about action. Prayer leads to courage. Courage leads to community. And community leads to real, lasting change.

 

President Trump is giving believers across this country the microphone. He’s showing that faith still matters. He’s reminding us that the answer isn’t in another government program or another bureaucrat’s desk—it’s in God Almighty, and in His people standing together.

 

So let’s do it. Let’s take Scott Turner’s challenge seriously. Between now and July 4th, gather your friends, your family, your church, your neighbors. Ten people each week. One million Americans crying out for our country.

 

This could be the beginning of the greatest revival America has seen in generations.

(source: Facebook) 

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. 💗