Next Blog: Sunday, May 4, 2025
Still so much Doom & Gloom on Facebook, I have no new pics. But here are a few of my daughter's photos to illustrate why I am so glad I live EAST of I-4, that 6-lane bear deterrent that runs through the heart of Longwood. To the WEST, however, is the Wekiva Forest, bear habitat supreme.
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| Bear exploring Halloween decorations |
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| Bear tore pool screen, opened fridge - 9/16 |
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| Same night |
The Reale family moved to an area in Sanford (10-15 miles north), where the houses were closer together, thinking it unlikely they'd see any more bears.
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| Mother bear on right |
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| Photo tagged 7/21 |
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| Not sure where this was taken. Tagged 7/21 |
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| Not surprising message from UPS |
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| Sanford, 11/22 |
Shortly after this, the family moved to the far side of I-4 near Sanford-International Airport. That did it. No more bears. To tell the truth, I miss the fun. (I was at Susie's house the day a mother bear and two cubs decided to stroll down the sidewalk across the street.)
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RECOMMENDED SERIES - FANTASY & MYSTERY
During my aggravatingly long bout with my "Connecticut" cold, I've done a lot of reading and made some interesting discoveries. You may remember my warning a few weeks ago about books with fancy ads on Social Media. And there's no doubt you have to be really careful - clicking on the ad, examining the blurb, maybe checking the reviews. BUT it is also possible to come up with a gem or two along the way. Some of the series below are relatively new; some simply new to me. But they have been good companions during my illness, and for lovers of Fantasy or Mystery (Police investigation or Cozy), I definitely recommended the following.
1. The Immortal Merlin Series by Emma Shelford
Hard to beat Lindsay Buroker for Creative Fantasy but Emma Shelford's Merlin series comes close. Picture a handsome, thirtyish college professor who is actually a 1500-year-old Merlin. A Merlin who is not only plunged into a series of modern crises (heavily affected by the spirit world), but also dreams memory flashbacks that not only include the time of Arthur but his role in such later drama as rescuing Jews during World War II. Highly recommended.
2. The Inspector Graham Series by Alison Golden
After a family tragedy, a DCI from London's Met transfers to the Channel Isle of Jersey, the setting for the series. The characters are diverse and extremely well-drawn. DCI Graham is frequently a dynamic catalyst in the background as we see the action through the eyes of his small police force and other residents of Jersey, including a "journalist" blogger who manages to step on everyone's toes. NOT a Cozy. Some of the details can be graphic.
3. The Verity Kent Series by Anna Lee Huber
A highly dramatic depiction of Britain in the years just after World War I and the devastating flu epidemic that followed. Verity Kent seems to be the classic upper-class widow, just one among the vast number who lost their husbands to the war. She is not, having worked for the Secret Service throughout the war, including missions into occupied Belgium. Not surprisingly, despite her reluctance, she is drawn into a house party mystery. And the series takes off from there. I am eagerly awaiting Book 4.
4. Cafe Cozy Mysteries by A. R. Winters
I am not a cozy mystery fan, but this series is too well done to be missed.
After a female London private investigator is badly wounded, a lung permanently damaged, she and her former employee move to a small town with the intention of setting up a pastry shop. Needless to say, things do not go smoothly. (It takes the whole first book to get the shop's doors open.) But the series abounds in humor as well as drama. And even though our heroine has a highly macho boyfriend, she remains at the front and center of every scene. Even if you're not fond of cozies, you might want to try this series. (Which, I should add, is not as zany as some of the antics in Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series.)
5. The DCI Ryan Mysteries by L J Ross
Happily, I discovered Book 23 of the DCI Ryan series was now available, and I am currently devouring each page. This is a series that has been around forever and just seems to get better with each book. Marvelous characters, challenging mysteries. Not, however, for Cozy Mystery fans. Details can get graphic.
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Signing off with a last-minute addition to my Picture files—posted to Facebook Easter Sunday morning. (My long-time readers have been watching my grandgirls grow since 2011.)
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| Mike, Cassidy, Hailey, Riley, Susie |
Added Monday - taken from Susie's "memory" post to Facebook (2015). This was when the State of Florida was considering allowing a Bear Hunt. (As they are considering again in 2025.)
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| Cassidy, Riley, friend Bryce, Hailey |
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Thanks for stopping by,
Grace (Blair Bancroft)
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