Monday April 4 2016  OH WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY!

Dave turn coated on me today.  He actually told Rebecca and Neil that he could live in Florida.  I didn’t say a word.  But I will admit that today was one of those picture perfect days that would cause anyone to want to live here.  At least until they went through a summer of heat, humidity, and hurricanes.  Dave went on to cover his tracks by saying, but he wasn’t planning on moving here.  Whew!

Neil and Rebecca both had the day off and we had an adventure!  Mine and Dave’s began at the gym while they caught up on their sleep by sleeping in.  They have both been working long and hard.  While Rebecca went into work for a short time Neil took Dave and me to “The Society of the Four Arts Garden” in Palm Beach close to where Rebecca works. 

The Four Arts Garden was originally planted in the late 1930’s as an example to those living on Palm Beach Island as to the kind of plants that would grow in their own gardens.  World War II saw the garden’s demise.  In 1954 the Garden Club of Palm Beach had it redesigned into segments exhibiting the floral displays in room-like enclosures.  Hurricane Frances and Jeanne once again destroyed the gardens.  Again the garden was replanted only to be destroyed by Hurricane Wilma.  Hurricane Wilma brought with it “micro bursts” that decimated all the plant life in the gardens.

In 2007 a beautiful new garden was opened and a few of the old trees were saved.  The new gardens were planned around the old trees which influenced the project’s design.  The members of The Garden Club of Palm Beach work in the garden to keep it up.  The garden’s self-guided tour is open free to the public.  It is a rather small garden with separate enclosures showing off the meticulous room designs.  I will include some of the photos I took today.  I did not have time to go through the entire garden because I had the opportunity to meet a kindred spirit.  And guess what, we talked a lot. 

My new kindred spirit is Susan from New Jersey.  I could tell immediately she would be a person I would like to know better.  I asked her my famous question:  What is your one wisdom you would share with the world if you had a platform to do so?  Here is her response:

“I think my  one word of wisdom would be LOVE, and to love every person and to take the time to care, to be kind, and to spend a moment to look into each person’s eye.  I think that is what the world is really all about. LOVE!

What stood out to me was Susan’s phrase, “…and to spend a moment to look into each person’s eye”.  Perhaps looking into a person’s eyes is not important to a lot of people, especially those of a stranger.  Looking into another’s eyes is always important to me, especially those of a stranger.  Not everyone will return my gaze, but at least they will know that someone else sees them as an individual person.  I especially enjoy doing this as passengers debark from an airplane at the airport.  I look into their eyes and smile.  Rarely do the adults return the smile.  The children’s faces almost always break into a great big grin as they crane their necks to hold my gaze as they led away quickly.  When our children were little I would take them to the mall with the soul purpose to smile at people in order to see how many smiles they received in return.  Some smiled in response, but not everyone.  And several would stop and have a short conversation with them.  Would I do that now?  I do not know.  People are different.  Life is different.  As a parent I would be on high alert at all times as to their protection.  I always was on high alert, but I think I would show even more due diligence in today’s world.

Susan, thank you for sharing your heart with me and listening to mine.  Our spirit’s connected connected even deeper when we discovered that we are sisters in Christ.  Somehow, spirits identify with spirits that are similar.  If I never see you on this earth again I’ll have a rendezvous with you someday in heaven!

After we left the gardens our family went to lunch. We ate at a place where Neil and Rebecca go quite often.  Wherever we go Rebecca and Neil always seems to know quite a few people who work and manage the businesses we use.  The owners and managers always seem to know them and after Rebecca introduced us to those she knew we ordered our food.  The entrée salads were huge.  A few moments after our order arrived we received an unexpected delivery.  It was a gift from the management which included two small cold slaw salads, two apple desserts with chocolate toffee dip, and four huge cookies.  What a terrible treat for me!  I ATE TWO OF THE COOKIES.  One cookie was consumed after lunch and another one after dinner tonight.  My dinner was my leftover salad, which I still could not finish.  However, I had no trouble finishing off the cookie!

We left the restaurant and drove to the “Busch Wildlife Sanctuary”.  The sanctuary has a hospital which treats thousands of sick, injured, and orphaned wild animals each year with the goal of returning them to the wild.  Nearly 90 % are returned to their natural habitat.  The animals we viewed were beautiful, well cared for, and some were permanent residents of the park.  There is no charge for admittance and the park receives donations that allows it to stay open.  We did not have access to the “hospitalized” animals but could see some from afar off.  It was well worth the trip to visit such beautiful and interesting wildlife.  Be sure and click on the photos above to see some of the pictures from today.

From the Wildlife Sanctuary we traveled to the beach.  There was a beautiful ocean inlet lined with spectacular homes.  We walked out on a pier that went beyond the inlet.  It was from this inlet that two 14 year old boys were last seen leaving for a sail on the open sea.  Perry Cohen and Austin Stephanos, were last seen leaving the Jupiter Inlet on July 24, 2015.  You may remember the story from widely broadcast and printed news stories last summer.   It was at this same place where we went today.  There was a small memorial placed on the pier.  (See above photos).  Such sadness for a parent’s heart. 

On a more positive note, I walked by a beautiful parrot sitting on the railing of the pier.  I have never been so close to such a beautiful bird unless it was caged.  The bird’s name was Augie.  Augie is eleven years old and has been owned by his handler since he was 5 weeks old.  He was a rescued bird.  Someone found an egg and cracked it and lo and behold, there was little premature Augie struggling to survive.  He was raised in captivity due to him being orphaned.  I asked if I could hold him and his owner said Augie would like that.  I rolled up my sleeve so he could cling to my arm.  He gently stepped on, gave me a good sideways scrutiny and settled in to enjoy himself.  Of course my daughter took some pictures.  The men were long gone so they missed all the excitement.  It was thrilling to me!  It was another one of those little GOD-GIFTS to me.  I hope you enjoy the photos I will included above.

All in all, it was a beautiful, lovely, day.  And Florida just came up a notch or two in my eyes!  The weather was perfect!  That helped with the increased rating.

OH WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY

By Kathleen Martens

April 4, 2016

God in His goodness

Bestows beautiful gifts

To those who seek

Their souls to lift.

When least expected

Beauty just comes,

Like a refreshing breeze

Or the kiss of the sun.

So many presents

To unwrap each day

As we walk hand in hand

Along our way.

Brilliant colors

On a feathered wing,

Visual poetry

Of which to sing.

The expanse of ocean

Lapping the shore,

Opening the heart

Reaching its core.

That we might reflect

All God’s creation,

Designed specifically,

For our elation.

Lord, I thank You for two healthy children and for the joy of having them all these years.

Lord, thank You for your beautiful creation.

Thank You for the opportunity of meeting a kindred spirit today.  It was Your countenance I recognized on her face.

Thank You Father for Your unending and amazing love for me.

Thank You God that you created those in this world that really do love others and care for them.

Thank You for the Garden Club that works so diligently that your beautiful creation is displayed.

Thank You for Your unending designs.

Thank You for colors beyond imagination.

Lord, thank You for TIME.

Thank You Lord for refrigerators.

And thank you Father that my daily bread comes from You.

GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS YOU THIS DAY.

Oh, what a wonderful day!