Last week, I touched an alligator and a flamingo, waded in the Gulf of Mexico, and saw real coconut trees for the first time. My sister and her family had invited me along for a vacation in Sarasota, Florida. We had lovely weather all week, and I was blessed with many opportunities to take photos. Venice Beach and Siesta Key Beach Partly because a Penny Letters reader recommended it, we spent a morning at Venice Beach, and I went looking for shark teeth. I didn't take any of my … [Read more...] about What We Did in Sarasota, Florida
Travel
Seashine Pictures
While looking up the word seashore, I found a new word by accident: seashine. According to Merriam-Webster, seashine means "the shine of the sea, especially the light reflected off the sea." I'm going to Florida for the first time in a few days, where we hope to enjoy both sunshine and seashine at the seashore. Thinking about going there inspired me to share some of my sea pictures in a blog post with you all. (Plus, I really don't have time to write a long post this week!) Except for … [Read more...] about Seashine Pictures
Flying with the Snowbirds
"We're going to Florida, but we're NOT going to Sarasota or Pinecraft," my sister and I agreed when we began planning our February Florida trip. "Absolutely not. That's where all the other Mennonites go, and we're going to be different." "Not Sarasota, and not Pinecraft. All the plain people go to Pinecraft to visit other plain people and play shuffleboard." "What a silly reason to go somewhere on vacation." "We can see plain people at home in Lancaster County." "We can see plain … [Read more...] about Flying with the Snowbirds
Christmas Caroling in Washington, D.C.
"We're looking for individuals willing to make a joyful noise " reads the email written by a pastor in Baltimore. "...Here are a few more details and a list of songs for our 10th annual Washington Mennonite Chorus on December 15th." Wonder if we're going to sing the song that goes "There is no peace on earth ...For hate is strong and mocks the song, Of peace on earth, good will to men". But the line about anyone "willing to make a joyful noise" is enough for me, and so Sunday evening, … [Read more...] about Christmas Caroling in Washington, D.C.
Eleven Time Zones and Eleven Years Later
"I went to Bangladesh once," I told my nephew recently after Cordell told me about hearing a man in church speaking about the south Asian country. "You were? I didn't know that." I told Cordell that his uncle Ken and I had gone in 2008 with a rebuilding team to a cyclone-damaged village in southern Bangladesh. Looking back eleven years later, I realized that the most interesting part of the trip was the actual traveling to Mirzganj, Bangladesh and back. During the two weeks at the … [Read more...] about Eleven Time Zones and Eleven Years Later