Back from the South

We returned from Florida last night; our cat has been showing his joy by alternately purring and howling ever since.

It was rejuvenating to be in a place where there is warmth and greenery! The flora of Florida is so different from here in the Midwest -- azaleas, hibiscus, Spanish moss, not to mention the ubiquitous palm trees. There is a beautiful Episcopalian church just a few blocks away from where my grandparents live, where we attended an Ash Wednesday service and a Welsh hymn concert on Sunday afternoon, in honor of the coming St. David's Day (March 1). With the help of my grandma and mom, I was also able to experiment with some new seafood recipes -- shrimp and mango pizza and sea bass with papaya salsa. Yum!