Backyard Bliss, Even in the Drought

June brought us hardly any rain, yet our Florida backyard continues to thrive. Even during the drought, nature has found a way to flourish. Every day brings the cheerful songs of birds, the graceful flutter of butterflies, and the sweet reward of homegrown treasures.

Zebra Longwing and Monarch butterflies dancing around. 🦋

Zebra Longwing butterflies love this firebush plant

bleeding heart

Bluejay and rabbit

My aunts' four mango trees are absolutely loaded with fruit this year. My own mango tree, on the other hand, had a much smaller harvest, producing just ten mangoes. The tree is the Thai variety Nam Doc Mai, prized for its rich sweetness, smooth texture, and thin pit. Something—most likely squirrels—helped themselves to two of them (sigh!), but we were able to enjoy the remaining eight, and they were incredibly sweet. Moments like these are a reminder that even during a Florida drought, nature still offers delightful surprises.

cherries and strawberries are store bought

The two mangoes on the left are from my tree

Our mango tree has a story of its own. About ten years ago, when we bought our house, my aunt gave us a young mango plant she had started from a pit. It was only about three feet tall at the time, but with a little patience, it has grown into a beautiful tree.

For much of those ten years, we were living aboard our boat, so we rarely had the chance to enjoy its harvest. Now that we've sold the boat and traded our sea legs for gardening gloves, we finally get to savor the fruit of that little seedling.

The mango tree in 2016

Blue skies after the rain—a happy mango tree (2026).

Not many mangoes this year, but every one is a treat.

While we're looking forward to the return of Florida's refreshing summer rains, I'm grateful for the life that continues to fill our backyard. Even in the stifling heat and dry conditions, there's still so much to appreciate—from colorful birds and butterflies to the simple pleasure of picking a perfectly ripe mango straight from the tree.

Just thinking about those sweet, juicy mangoes is making my mouth water!

How's your summer harvest coming along? I'd love to hear what you're growing this season, Stay cool and enjoy the rest of your summer!

This post is shared on Skywatch Friday and Through My Lens.

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Montpellier: A Sunny Gem in Southern France

In mid-April, we embarked on a two-week transatlantic cruise from Port Everglades, Florida, to Barcelona, Spain. Since we'd already explored Barcelona on a previous trip—and hotel prices were especially steep this time—we decided to skip the city and head straight to southern France by bus.

We'd always wanted to visit Provence, so this was the perfect opportunity to explore its charming villages, medieval architecture, and beautiful countryside. Our cruise had ended, but a new adventure was just beginning. 

Our first stop was Montpellier. While it isn't in Provence proper, Montpellier sits just west of the region and makes a convenient gateway to Avignon, our next stop. Before planning this trip, we'd barely heard of Montpellier, but it turned out to be a delightful surprise. A lively university town with a rich history, Montpellier is home to the oldest medical school in France. Who knew?

The medieval-looking medical school

We found the people to be especially friendly. My husband, who studied French from first grade, was a bit rusty after not speaking it for years. As we puzzled over Montpellier's tram routes, a kind local came over and pointed us in the right direction.

Colorful tram

One of Montpellier's top attractions is the Jardin des Plantes, the city's botanical garden. We took the tram there, only to discover it didn't open until noon. While waiting, we wandered around and stumbled upon the University of Montpellier's Faculty of Medicine, housed in a striking medieval-looking building.

Narrow, winding streets led us to Place de la Canourgue, where we stopped for coffee.  

coffee break at a cafe in Place de la Canourgue

From there, we walked to the Arc de Triomphe. A flea market had been in full swing earlier that morning and was just packing up as we arrived.

Arc de Triomphe

Aqueduc Saint-Clément

The aqueduct—an engineering marvel that continues to amaze us.

Promenade du Peyrou

Place de la Comédie, Montpellier's main square, was quiet when we arrived. Since it was Sunday, most shops were closed, though the restaurants were open. Later in the day, the square came alive as a group gathered to dance to lively Latin music.

Place de la Comédie

Les Halles Laissac, a covered market filled with local food vendors, was open, so we stopped in to pick up a few snacks. One surprise was meeting a young woman selling nuts and dried fruit who spoke Chinese!

Chatted with this young lady in Chinese

Outside the market, we took in the area’s distinctive architecture, pausing to admire the striking murals that adorned the surrounding streets.

creative street art mural

We strolled along the Esplanade Charles de Gaulle and enjoyed a crêpe from one of the many vendors along the promenade.

Yummy crepe

Pretty pigeon house.

We ended the day where we started—the garden. One day in Montpellier, especially on a Sunday, barely scratched the surface of this vibrant and captivating city. We'd happily return for a longer stay. Stay tuned—our next stop is Avignon!

This post is shared on Skywatch Friday ThroughMyLens and Monday Murals.

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Transatlantic cruise from Port Canaveral, Florida to Barcelona, Spain

In late April, we set sail on a two-week transatlantic cruise aboard the MSC Grandiosa, sailing from Port Everglades, Florida, to Barcelona, Spain. Along the way, we stopped at Miami, St. Maarten, and Funchal on the beautiful island of Madeira before crossing the Atlantic to Europe.

MSC Grandiosa

 sunset at St Maarten

This was our first time crossing the Atlantic by sea and our first cruise with MSC. We didn't know it at the time, but apparently this is one of the biggest ships when it launched in 2019. It can accommodate a maximum of 6,334 guests, although we heard there were only about 4,000 passengers on this sailing. The elegant atrium hosted live musicians throughout the day, while the spectacular LED dome ceiling stretching over the indoor promenade made it the ship's hub of activity. Lined with restaurants, bars, cafés, and boutiques, the promenade was a lively place to stroll at any time of day.

We splurged on a balcony cabin, which was perfect for enjoying the fresh air and endless ocean views. The only downside was the constant salt spray, which meant wiping down the chairs and railing before relaxing outside.

We crossed the Strait of Gibraltar at night. Aside from the lights along the shoreline, there wasn't much to see, but it was still exciting knowing we were sailing between Europe and Africa.

our cabin and balcony view of Funchal

MSC has Italian roots, and often times we had trouble understanding the captain and other announcements over the PA. Check-in was slow, and disembarking in Barcelona was even slower. 

On the plus side, the buffet was excellent, featuring Mediterranean dishes and an impressive selection of fresh tropical fruits, including kiwi, papaya, mango, pineapple, watermelon, guava, and even dragon fruit.

Excellent Pizza!

papaya, fig, dragon fruit

Delicious prime rib

The dining room meals were hit or miss, although the service was consistently impeccable. We chose the early 5:30 p.m. seating, which suited our schedule but often meant missing the sunset and the chance to watch the ship sail away from the ports we had just explored.

Since we'd explored Miami extensively by boat years ago, we decided to stay on the ship rather than head into the city. With most passengers ashore, we planned to relax by the pool and hot tub, only to find the entire area closed for cleaning and maintenance. So much for a quiet pool day!

This was our second visit to St. Maarten, and its beautiful beaches were just as stunning as we remembered.

Madeira was the biggest surprise of the trip. We had no idea how large and beautiful the island was. Funchal's colorful murals adorned the narrow cobblestone streets and alleyways, giving every corner of the city its own unique character.

Colorful murals lined Funchal's narrow cobblestone streets.

Interesting fruit

Perched high above Funchal is the Church of Our Lady of Monte, one of Madeira's most famous landmarks. We took the cable car to the top, enjoying spectacular views of the city along the way.

See the MSC Grandiosa?

Church of Our Lady of Monte

inside the church

The entertainment was a mixed bag. The dance performances were outstanding, while the singing was only average. The Flamenco show and the sand art performance were definite standouts. After the first few days, reservations were required for the theater shows, which caused some confusion among guests. 

Unlike many cruise ships, the MSC Grandiosa has limited open deck space beyond the pools and hot tubs, which were almost always packed. Since we're from Florida, we didn’t mind skipping the sun. Instead, we walked laps around the ship each morning, joined a few Zumba sessions and dance lessons, and I also enjoyed playing ping pong with some very talented players - until my back decided it had had enough, forcing me to quit. ☹️

One of the highlights of the cruise was meeting so many wonderful people of all ages. It was a small-world experience—we met people who lived in the same community as a friend of ours and another who grew up in our old neighborhood. Looking at you, Misty and Christine! 😊

Another fun story came from the ping pong table. One gentleman told us he had met another player on a previous cruise, and by pure coincidence, they both ended up on this sailing without planning it. What a small world!

After six consecutive days at sea with no land in sight, we were more than ready to get off the ship. That says a lot coming from someone who lived on a boat for 25 years!

Have you ever taken a transatlantic cruise? We'd love to hear about your experience in the comments!

Some related links:
Foods of Portugal
Barcelona Reflections
Smelling the roses in Miami
Top 5 things to do in Miami
How to avoid gaining weight while on a cruise

This post is shared on Skywatch Friday and Monday Murals.

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