US - Key West and Dry Tortugas

We had a day trip by ferry from Key West to Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas islands.

   

$165 included breakfast and lunch.

It would be nice if by air.

 

The Yankee Ferry company staff provided a guided tour of Fort Jefferson.

The sunshine divides the gates.

Story about cannon...

A boy felt bored sitting there while his mom was listening to the tour guide.

A girl walking on the moat wall, she and her family going to snorkeling.

After the tour, Steve and I went snorkeling, very beautiful coral.

We could see the coral also when we were walking on the moat wall. 

Ferry back to Key West arrive around 5.30 p.m.

We headed to see sunset, with a crowd of people.

A couple having a sunset cruise wedding.

So romantic and beautiful.

Sunset gone, the street performances begin.

These two guys' performance was really awesome, 

and they have good strategy wanting tips from audiences. 

It seems they are successful. 

 The next morning, I said to Steve nicely, I want to see The Southernmost point before leaving Key West. But he said no, and driving about 5 miles then. 

He turned back after my voice louder.

Here, I see the view, southernmost in the continental USA. 

If I didn't see it at that moment, I didn't know when I will back to this place again.

First time we flew by Southwest airline, I love it.

Not only because of their heart shape logo, but their service is good.

We were in nice warm weather at Fort Lauderdale airport but coming home we saw the ground covered in snow.

US - Everglades and Coral Castle

I thought we lost our rental car's license plate. 

We didn't.  Cars don't need a license plate in front in Florida. 

Spanish moss hanging from the trees in the parking lot at Flamingo Point in Everglades National Park.

 Wild life, many kind of birds.

The Great blue heron is the largest of the wading birds.

Special adaptations enable the Anhinga to swim underwater in search of fish. Because its feathers become too wet to fly, it spreads its wings to dry.

American alligators.

A stall having some tropical fruits, like papaya, ciku, etc.

 I had never seen some of the fruits in there.

  

I tasted these two new fruits as they got ripe enough to eat.

  

 This Coral Castle was built by one man, from 1923-1951.

At that time, the visitor just paid 10 cents for admittance. 

2013, the entrance fee is $15.

The chair, carved out of coral, is quite comfortable.

Definitely, I love the big and small hearts-shaped coral 'Feast of Love Table'.  

And I found a heart shaped souvenir in their gift shop.

Double V Rainbow on Valentine's Day

Valentine's day flower from my love

We went for a walk, and I always wondered about a neighbor who dresses up his wooden boy.

Here we've got....

Cupid

The owner has a Facebook page: Nathan Wooden Boy Heisler

The sunset reflected a very beautiful double V rainbow 

We simply have a very happy Valentine's day.

后記：

當我回到我的電腦看到有一紅包，我問相公：Valentine's AngPow?

他說：愛神給的。

哈哈。。新年財神爺給紅包；Valentine day愛神給紅包。

I miss my family's traditional Chinese New Year

旺來!!!!
黃梨的福建話聽音是旺來，所以馬來西亞福建人喜歡過年有黃梨，旺來！
雖然我不是福建人，但旺來。。。人人要的。

買了－粒新鮮的黃梨，切、削、煮成醬、制麵粉團、烘焙。。。
香脆爽口的Nastar黃梨酥出來了！

我的華人新年餅，請朋友吃。。。一起旺來吧!!!

上星期開始回憶，我父母在生時，過年媽媽是煮什麼。。。

讓我想到'quen jiang'（潮州話），很久沒吃了，我差點忘了這媽媽過年過節常會做的小食，卷煎。我媽初－十五持素，她做的是素'quen jiang'，那時住跟父母，常會吃到，但並不怎麼想念，即使外面食檔從沒看到有人賣這潮州卷煎。突然想起就特別懷念了。。。
買了材料，豆腐皮、豆薯、芋頭、香菜和麵粉。調味料，胡椒粉、五香粉、鹽和糖。切、削、混合所有材味料（除了豆腐皮）、包卷、蒸、煎。

我媽的做法是整條油炸煎後切塊。
我不想油炸，改為切塊煎。

我做了冰凍保留，新年時就是我的小食了。

另外我也想起我的家人在新年時，飯後喜歡吃的甜湯，白果／銀杏和桂圓／龍眼乾甜湯水。
白果是馬來西亞進口貨，價錢越來越貴，我們一年只吃一次。

今年我才知道美國這裡有ginko（銀杏）樹，朋友在她家前的公園有很多ginko樹，樹結果熟跌下，棄除果取子。她給我一些。

做法，要先煮，擊烈外殼、剝殼、剝皮膜。我的相公是好幫手。

放水加糖煮至白果軟，加桂圓和香葉 (pandan leaves)。
看來這次的新年，有點我們傳統家人過年的味道！