It's Not Christmas Without...

Snow?
No...
Peanut Brittle

My mom makes the best peanut brittle. Growing up we had a batch nearly every year. As she put together the seven-ingredient recipe, it was the moment when the peanuts actually start roasting in the sugary syrup, that the spirit of the season sank into my soul.

When I started my own family, I asked my mom to teach me her recipe and we spent several years making countless batches to share with family and friends. Since we moved to Palm Beach this June, I'll have to make the batches on my own. I made 8 this year and for the most part, it was the same here as it was living at 5,280 feet. As a little Christmas gift to you, here is the recipe. Please enjoy the visual even if you can't smell it. Merry Christmas!!

In a large pan, heat on medium high heat the following:
1 Cup Light Karo Syrup
1 Cup Water
2 Cups Sugar

Heat, stirring occasionally, until the syrup spins a thread. While it is cooking, take a moment to stir together a teaspoon of baking soda and 2 teaspoons of vanilla. Set aside.

Do not rush this step, if you add the peanuts too early your "brittle"--won't be. {"Peanut Soggy" is not very good.} When it's ready, stir in 1-1/2 Cups raw peanuts.

 

Cook, enjoying the emanating fragrance. The candy will slowly turn to a light amber color.

At this point, work quickly, add 1 Tablespoon of butter and stir until melted. Remove from heat and add the vanilla/soda mixture. {I re-mix the concoction quickly before adding or the soda settles on the bottom and stays.}

Pour out onto a large cookie sheet that has been thickly buttered.

Allow to cool and harden. Break apart and enjoy!

 

No matter where you spend your holiday--on an island, on a mountain or in a field of waving wheat, that you will enjoy the traditions that help you recall all the season means to you.

And for those of you who live hear, I hope to see you at Bethesda tomorrow for Christmas Eve Service.

Accumulation, Part II: Tropics Defined

Now that I live in Palm Beach, I've discovered what accumulation means here {at least what I have noticed}: how deep the piles of overgrown greens, palms and other natural products are.

It astonished me after five months, seeing bushes bloom numerous times. Back in Colorado, many bushes bring out their splendor in the spring or summer but only once.

Blooming tree in the front of the house with a hungry visitor

Early on in my time here, I began to notice piles of green debris in neighborhoods. These piles, comprised of clipped hedge leaves, fallen palm fronds, discarded limbs and dried bits of flora, piled up at the end of driveways all over the island.

Around our block, these piles magically disappeared on Thursday afternoons.
I mean, I know it's a magical place here but that is going a bit far. On the other hand, I wouldn't put it past the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County to make middle-of-the-night round ups.

After weeks of wondering, I finally saw the claw along with his truck and gentlemen who made the magic happen.

Apparently this crew is out on the Island five days a week to keep the accumulation cleared away...all year.

Smiling! I think he couldn't imagine why I was taking these pictures.

What I want to know? Where does it all go when the truck is full? Feel free to comment if you know.

Thanks and see you next time, Eli

Accumulation, Part I: Mountain Defined

Growing up in Colorado, accumulation meant one thing: how deep the snow is! Over many years I've experienced the gamut, from a dusting to the St. Patrick's day Blizzard of 2003. HB was small enough that the mounds of fallen flakes would have covered her head. Here we are sitting in it {pink cheeks and noses included}.

March Blizzard of 2003

The city was shut down for several days. It was dreamy.
I met people walking down normally busy streets that were eerily silent, pristine white and void of traffic. I saw gigantic pine trees topple with the weight of dense snow and frozen, injured roots. We cooked chili and warm cornbread and basically stayed inside for three days. This trash can shows what 2 feet of the white stuff looks like.

Every several years, the skies open up and the snowflakes, quiet, beautiful and harmless on their own decide to gang up for a serious party and BAM! It happens again: furious flakes and flurries.

December 2006

So, how do you get rid of all this mess/beauty?  

Snow plows by the Colorado Department of Transportation, these bad boys can kick some serious drifts!

{source}

On smaller streets and some long driveways, the following boy toy removal system can be found.

{Source}

Then there's the two wheel version. Don't be deceived by its size. These can pack some serious power.

{source}

And finally, the grocery store special, break your back, snow shovel.

{source}

 So, if it comes down, is cold, sticks and accumulates better get some good tools to make a path through it.

Next time, I'll be sharing "Accumulation, Tropics Defined"
Until then, Eli

Build a Bridge and...

December 5, 2011, 10:30am, begins the reconstruction of the Flagler Memorial Bridge, affectionately called as the North Bridge.

It is one of three bridge that link Palm Beach and West Palm Beach, over the Intercoastal Water Way.

From December 5 through 16, the bridge will have one lane closed from 10:30am to 3:30pm. You'll want to plan extra time to cross and remember to factor in extra time for draw bridge openings which can happen any hour, at quarter past and quarter til.

I thought I'd share some photos of the North Bridge's current beauty. What will happen to these lovely accessories once the new bridge is built?

One interesting bit is that the old bridge, after being completely removed, will be recycled as "a structure within an existing artificial reef site in the ocean just to the southeast of Lake Worth Inlet." (source)

So enjoy; tomorrow they may be gone...

 

Can you see a small, yellow "heart"?

 Thanks for joining me today. Until next time, Eli

No More "what's your sign" It's "What's Your Plate?"

Growing up in Colorado, we had one license plate. Green mountains with white background...

 {source}

Sure, you could customize it with some quippy letters and numbers to actually "mean" something but a solitary image ruled the roads. Recently, the state inverted the design. There are lots of varieties of this plate which tout your university, colonial status or others but the central design of white mountains with a colored background is the way it is.

 {source}

When I arrived in Florida, I saw dozens and dozens of plate designs, beginning with the most common:

{source}

Then the list explodes with Universities, Armed Forces and causes. Last month I kept a list of all the different license plates I saw. I think you'll be astounded at the giant diversity and each is designed completely differently. Here goes:

1. Agriculture
2. Air Forces
3. Aquatics
4. Challenger Columbia
5. Choose Life
6. Disabled Veteran
7. Discover Florida's Oceans
8. End Breast Cancer
9. Endless Summer
10. Family First
11. Family Values
12. Fish Florida
13. Florida A&M University
14. Florida Panthers
15. Florida State University
16. Florida Whales
17. The Gator Nation
18. Go Fishing
19. Golf Capital of the World
20. Helping Sea Turtles Survive 
21. Florida Panthers
22. Miami Heat
23. Hospice: Each Day is a Gift
24. Imagine
25. Indian River Lagoon
26. Miami Dolphins 
27. Play Tennis
28. Police Athletic League
29. Protect Children
30. Protect our Reefs
31. Protect the Panther
32. Protect Wild Dolphins
33. Salute Firefighters
34. Salute Veterans
35. Save our Seas
36. Save the Manatees 
37. Share the Road
38. Sportsman’s Natural Land Trust
39. State of the Arts
40. State Wildflower
41. Stetson University
42. Stop Heart Disease 
43. Support Education
44. Support Families
45. Support Law Enforcement
46. Support Soccer
47. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
48. United we Stand
49. University of Central Florida
50. US Army
51. US Navy
52. US Paratroopers

I found this fab link to a gallery on the Orlando Sentinel website. It has images of 114 specialty plates. Cool! They also have a link that includes news on license plates.

On a final note, if you are curious about vintage plates, like I am, check out this site: PlateShack.

While you are out on the road, check out the over 100 funky images on the license plates in Florida...

Until next time, Eli

Color-fall Palm Beach

Being from Colorado and living on old city streets full of rugged deciduous trees and near hillsides packed with a banquet hall of quaking aspen trees, I delight in the colors of fall and the cooler weather that goes with it.

In the Rocky Mounatins, it brings with it their "Season", Ski Season!

Believe it or not, several ski areas are already open: Wolf Creek, Arapaho Basin, Loveland, Copper Mountain and Winter Park {30 minutes from where I grew up}. If you want to know how good the snow is, check out the Snow Report.

Living in Florida, as you might imagine, is a little different. I just shared a post about The Season in Palm Beach but what about the signs of fall here. I can tell you...they are everywhere, you just have to pay attention to see its beauty. Let me help you, below are a number of "Color-fall" images from Palm Beach.

 

Thanks for visiting today and Happy Fall!
Until next time, Eli

Palm Beach, The Four Seasons

Need a gown, this season's hottest 
trend includes lots of mini layers

The four seasons are:

1. The Season
2. After the Season
3. Hot and Humid
4. Awaiting The Season

Unlike Vivaldi, who actually has four seasons,  Palm Beach really only has one, affectionately called "The Season." After speaking with several natives, I found a consensus that the true beginning of the season is November 1st.

Around the Island, the evidence is already being seen through increased traffic, hot cars around town,  impossible reservations at local hot spots and ramp up of philanthropic events. Apparently the ebb and flow of seasonal residents gets started now and builds most of November and December, although many go North for the holidays. Then January through April, depending on the date of Easter, are the height of it all, offering a frenetic pace for tennis matches, lunches at the club and festive fund-raising "balls."

Historically {late 1800's} The Season was fairly short, taking cues from the leading island hotels,

Long or short the style is gorgeous,
and you don't need to spend a lot
to look smashing. Try Overstock.com

The Breakers, open from December to May and the Royal Poinciana, open January to April.

Year-round residents, however,
recalled [the season] closing on the 22nd of February
after the annual Washington Ball,
held alternately at the two grand hotels.(source)

Here are just a few of the many grand events that one can look forward to this Season:

November 8, 2011

to benefit the Center for Creative Education

uses the arts to enrich and transform children’s educational experience

November 12, 2011

to benefit The Hanley Center: an institution dedicated to helping

individuals and families affected by the disease of addiction (source) 

November 17, 2011

to benefit Susan G Komen South Florida:
save lives and end breast cancer forever
by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all
and energizing science to find the cures

Looking for a calendar of other events, try these links:

Palm Beach Social Calendar (Palm Beach Galas)

Palm Beach Social Calendar (The Shiny Sheet)

Palm Beach Society Magazine Social Calendar

I, for one, am looking forward to my first "Season." I hope you are looking forward to it too.

Until next time, Eli

West Palm Green Market

Now that "the Season" has officially started in the Palm Beaches, some fun events are coming back to the community. One such event is the West Palm Beach Green Market which you can find right here.

We had family in town this weekend, so we all made our way over for a couple of hours of fun. Check out some of what you'll find there.

Plenty of shady seating for having a snack or lunch.

Many four-legged furries enjoyed the day

It was a feast for the eyes...with colorful hydrangeas, roses, potted plants, orchids and more.

Gorgeous blooms from Flowers to Go

Brilliant specimens from R&R Orchids

A feast for the palate, including delicacies such as teas, spices, baked goods, Cuban food, fresh lemonade, vegetables, guacamole, and so much more.

Such a beautiful display at Organic Teas & Spices

Colorful, thick honey from The World's Finest Raw Honey company. So beautiful!

Mouth-watering sweets from Lorene's Loving Oven

"Eating the rainbow" (fruits and vegetables from all the colors of the rainbow)
has never been easier with D & D Family Farms

Parking can be a little challenging so riding one of these to the market is a great, green idea.

 Dates open: Now through April 14, 2012

Hours: 8am to 1pm

at 101 South Flagler Drive

Until next time, Eli