Birthday in Davie, South Florida

 So here we are, our 3 nights at the Hyatt Place Fort Lauderdale/Plantation in South Florida.

The weather was perfect all our days in Florida!

We once stayed here before, during the weekend of April 16-18 in 2011.

Starting out with this picture from the front entrance of the Hyatt Place Fort Lauderdale/Plantation in South Florida.

Do you see the 'skinny' palm tree trunk between the 2nd and 3rd palm tree?

That was right in front of our room on the 6th floor...

There was a hole in the broken off palm tree... we suspected a Woodpecker had taken up residence.

But look who was the palm tree resident: A cute squirrel.

He/she later hopped onto the green palm leaves of the other trees.

Quite daring at such a height!

So that's why I captured that top photo afterwards to see from where it looked out.

This photo shows said stump palm tree more clearly.

Approaching the Colonnade Outlets at Sawgrass Mills Circle in Sunrise, Florida... 

Just wanted it to show on my Relive video.

It was our goodbye, as they appeared to be nearly abandoned... some of the upscale stores had closed down, as was my favorite place of Escada.

Bye bye Last Call by Neiman Marcus...

It was very easy for finding a parking space the day before.

Our entire economy is looking rather bleak; let's hope, we will live to see better years to come!

My Birthday supper at Whole Foods Market in Davie, FL

Fish (small piece as I'm only allowed very little protein intake for my CKD stage 4), some rice and veggies.

Pieter's selection of some Indian curry, fish and chicken...

Regardless of being also diabetes type 2, I did have my Birthday dessert!

A heavenly chocolate dessert, called Midnight in Miami...

It was SO GOOD!

Yes, I'm a lifelong chocoholic but most times I restrain myself, except our daily piece of dark chocolate with tea.

Wearing my set of pearls with antique silver pieces, artfully done by a dear friend that made jewelry.

Pieter enjoyed his yummy dessert, called Cappuccino...

He is lucky for never having been diabetes type 2 as he sure has a sweet tooth! 😏

Enjoy this short 1:08 min Relive video:

{My BLISS = Tea, Chocolate & Flowers}

For taking time to sip tea together with preferably chocolate and some fresh flowers really is My BLISS!

Don't you agree?

These fragrant Narcissus Obdam we had on March 5th...

A time to slow down and savor the goodness of chocolate with tea.

Having a nice conversation and feeling blissful!

Wishing you all a lovely week ahead and thanks for stopping by.

Related links:

{Fragrant Narcissus Obdam} | previous post by me
{Lady Alexander Rose by Queen Anne & Obdam Narcissus} | previous post by me
{Fragrant Double Narcissus Obdam} | previous post by me

{WHY are our spring bulbs NOT blooming?}

Happy to be feeling a LOT better and after one week I had a complete night sleep without excruciating upper/mid back pain. What a relief!

While walking yesterday around our property we were discussing WHY in the world we don't see flowers on our Snow Drops; Crocus and Daffodils?!

Pieter thinks it is because of some interaction between the roots of trees...

Makes one sad as we had hundreds of bulbs that performed so well the first couple of years.

We miss seeing our vases filled up with fragrant daffodils.

Even though we do have the chocolate letters with our cup of chocolate...

Does any of you have this problem of only having daffodil foliage but NO blooms?

And NO, we have NEVER EVER cut the foliage off!

Happy February!

Hate to say that my back pain is back again after just one day of relief...

Planting & Care | Bulbs need phosphorous being mixed into the soil below where the bulbs will be located! Bonemeal or superphosphate...

{Making Healthy Chocolates}

If you have to follow a strict diet, most store bought chocolates are either too sweet or contain cream or other things you try avoid eating.

Well, that makes you have to make your own Healthy Chocolates!

So here we go, with two pound tablets of 72% dark chocolate from Trader Joe's, placed in a double boiler, Au Bain Marie. The lowest part is filled with some water and remember; only melting the chocolate NOT boiling it!

It is a messy job so I always make large batches at once.

This time I'd boiled some fresh cranberries first and set them aside.

Later I will blend in this flaked unsweetened coconut, again from Trader Joe's. 

To sweeten it up a bit I use Agave Nectar and also add some healthy Chia seeds and Lecithin Granules.

In the batch above, I added Pomegranate Seeds that I bought at Costco.

You just have to feel for yourself, depending on what you are using, if you also want to add some Almond Meal to give it some body. It should however be rather smooth!

Next I will scoop the chocolate into these Flexipan molds.

For the USA this link to Demarle at Home will show you some items.

I've bought mine mostly in France...

Also they have a FB Page: Demarle at Home

 This is slightly smaller in diameter and I filled another tray in heart shapes.

Each such Flexipan mold is being placed on an aluminum tray.

Using my Rösle spatula for filling the molds.

Covering up with a sheet of Press'n Seal that doesn't stick.

That way you kind of smooth them out.

This is the one I use...

After they have hardened up inside the refrigerator, this is how they look like...

For gift giving you can use some special cellophane bags with a gold fastener.

This is the end product and it tastes good with a coffee or tea!

All healthy ingredients but rather messy for creating...

Do you make your own chocolates as well?

{A Happy Saint Nicholas with Chocolate Letters + Update}

        A very stressful week with a Happy Ending!

Dad is home again and did NOT need any heart surgery at all.

Prayers did get answered big time and we all feel so blessed.

My sister Gerd with daughter Lindsay did bring Dad home this afternoon.

Perfect timing for Saint Nicholas!

This is last year's order of Chocolate Letters for Friends and Extended Family...

Most people prefer MILK chocolate; what is your preference?
Mine is DARK...

Husband Pieter's is MILK or MELK in Dutch...

Before my sister Gerd, with her daughter went upstairs to Dad's room at the VieCuri hospital in The Netherlands, Lindsay did IMPROMPTU play at the Grand Piano:
Lindsay's version of Comptine d'un autre été l'après-midi by Yann Tiersen
Just click the above link... ENJOY! Sorry but Gerd has deleted said video...
And last but not least; THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Chocolate letters are great gift ideas for Santa Claus...

Related links:
{Chocolate and Silver Alphabet Letters for Saint Nicholas} | previous post by me
{Since 1896 Dutch CHOCOLATE LETTERS - Have YOU Tried Them?} | previous post by me
{Chocolate Letter LOVE} | previous post by me

{Fragrant Heirloom Daffodils & My Chocolate Addiction...}

Just being frank and honest; YES I am addicted to DARK Chocolate... On February 23, I did enjoy my LAST (!) piece of dark chocolate letter 'M' with my hot tea. They are all gone and I'm about to make me something chocolaty to enjoy. Do you like chocolate as well? Yes, I know I'm diabetes type 2 but I will NOT give up my dark chocolate. Hell no!

That's a dream, even with the sunshine lacking... 

Fragrant Heirloom Daffodils and a CHUNCK of Dark Chocolate!

If any of you out there love those chocolate letters, try to get some on sale at The Dutch Store Vander Veen's in Michigan, USA. 

Because of those dark days I had to go out on our balcony for having some light...

And there is the sun!

Perfectly teamed up with the  Mason's Mandalay Chartreuse vase and teacup.

Those Heirloom Daffodils are oh so fragrant!

Lovely for having some different fragrant varieties outside as well...

Lovely view from our bay window during breakfast...
We just made a long walk at 4:30 PM till 5:30 PM and look how warm it still was:

Yep: 28°C or 82°F at 16:23...

{The Surprising Power of our Social Networks}

Quite interesting book and subject in general...
Reading with a cup of coffee, fine chocolate and fragrant paperwhite flowers is such a bliss!

Connected

The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives

This is the book that I purchased after reading about it in the Dutch Nouveau magazine from June 2010...

Connecties hebben grote gevolgen - Connections have large consequences

 How Your Friends' Friends' Friends Affect Everything You Feel, Think, and Do 

Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives ←(click it) by Authors: Nicholas A. Christakis  James H. Fowler  

Excerpt from the above link; just click the pink line above...

"Quite interesting how everything we do or say tends to ripple through our network, having and impact on our friends (one degree), our friends' friends (two degrees), and even our friends' friends' friends (three degrees)."

"Instead of simply knowing who our friends are, and perhaps our friends' friends, we can peer beyond our social horizon and see our place in a vast worldwide social network."

This book is available in many languages:

TRANSLATIONS ←click it

{The Birth of Santa Claus}

We are nearing Christmas, so this story about the Birth of Santa Claus is interesting...

English speaking readers can read the text below:

The American Santa Claus has developed strictly on his own to the point where he is now stationed on the North Pole and drives a team of reindeer. 

All that remains of his Dutch phase is his name: Santa Claus is a direct derivation of Sinterklaas.

Popular Dutch folk song...

For the Dutch Sinterklaas Eve...
Large chocolate initials serve as place settings along with the so-called 'lovers', tall men and women of speculaas, a crisp and dark brown pastry rather like ginger bread.

From De Nederlandse COURANT

The mailing of St. Nicholas cards was in the beginning of the 20th century a tradition in the better circles.

Related links:

{Of Sint and Santa} | previous post by me
{How the Dutch Brought Us Santa, Presents, and Treats} | previous post by me