Small Town USA

Small Town Church, USA 

As in any small town USA, a community church, post office and several small structures may command the landscape! 

Recovering from a bad cold, Judy called and asked if we would attend a strawberry festival in a neighboring town. Cooped and confined for a week, I eagerly agreed. My trusty Canon in for a tune up, I had my little point and shoot as a backup. 

The town so tiny we weren't sure if we missed it or not. A small wooden library, adorned with chipped white paint and several tented vendors confirmed that we had indeed arrived. The church quite beautiful by comparison, stood proudly across the street. 

Strawberry shortcake being served under one tent only. YUM!

"We are sold out," explained a mature little lady, loaded down by character. It's only 11:30AM, I thought. Oh well let's make the best of it, as we all seem to do very well! Husbands along for the excursion, I am sure wishing they were on some golf course about now! 
Plants for sale along with a few crafts around the west side of the well weathered structure. The air perfumed by grilling hotdogs, manned by a few younger residents. Children running amuck and screaming were the melodious tunes of the day.

The library beckoned us in, much to our amazement we discovered a plethora of vintage artifacts. Although tattered, dusty and reeking of a moldy sent, that old items seem to own collectively. We were intrigued!

Town matriarchs guarded the door and creaking floors danced under our dusty feet. Appreciating the labor of love and pride it took to create this hidden treasure, we meandered about. What a discovery! 

Glass cabinets housed old wedding gowns, high topped buttoned shoes and vintage jewels. A rusted metal dentist chair, instruments along with a well used doctor's bag were on display for all to see and touch. Items to numerous to mention captured our attention for quite some time. Some even a little creepy, rendering us a few chuckles. 

The day finished up at a local vineyard for a wine tasting and of course a late lunch at the local diner. We were assured that they served the best broasted chicken in all the land and that they did! 

Well there you have it folks, a wonderful day enjoyed by four retirees discovering Old Florida, one town at a time. 

Using an action, .atn file, for the first time. Created by The Coffee Shop Blog. Thanks Rita!
A whole new world to me. 

Madeira Wine!

Benjamin Franklin & Madeira Wine

Benjamin Franklin wrote an autobiography of his life, explaining the various adventures he went through on the road to Independence. In 1744, he began writing about the need of the colonists to maintain a militia, to help protect its citizens against the many attacks that were happening at the time. Spain and France were both in a war against Great Britain at the time, and the colonists were a natural target of hostilities.
The colonists responded to his encouragement with great enthusiasm, and soon there were companies and regiments being formed up and down the coast. Now they just needed some heavy artillery with which to man their forts. They had a few cannon in Boston, but not nearly enough to keep their cities safe.
Benjamin Franklin and a few of his friends therefore headed up to meet with Governor Clinton of New York, the English-appointed ruler of that state. Here are Ben Franklin's own words about this meeting:
"He at first refus’d us peremptorily; but at dinner with his council, where there was great drinking of Madeira wine, as the custom of that place then was, he softened by degrees, and said he would lend us six. After a few more bumpers he advanc’d to ten; and at length he very good-naturedly conceded eighteen."


You have got to love it! Just a little bit of historical trivia from the internet, to store in that useless information department of your brain.
If I interpret this correctly or at least appeal to my warped  sense of humor I'm guessing that Madeira Wine, is in some way responsible for saving the Colonies!
It is also considered to be a fortified wine, placing it in the Wheaties category of alcohol!