Wednesday Hodge Podge a 2nd post for Wednesday

For those faint of heart who may find the previous post today troubling .. here is an easier to take Hodge Podge post for Wednesday.
Join in Hodge Podge at  From This Side of the Pond.
 I am not doing Haiku since the last Haiku received no interest and sits like an unloved orphan.

Let's jump right in to the Hodge Podge:

 A Garden State Hodge Podge

1. Security or freedom? Can you have both? Explain.

Yes, but only if you have a government that is not corrupt.
Corrupt government  limits freedom while using tight control. Corrupt government would be all about removing the Bill of Rights.  If one of them go.. they will all go quickly like a house of cards.
Security comes from  standing firm and enforcing law.

2. If you could visit any historical American site what would it be? Why?

Washington's Winter Headquarters, Morristown NJ

 I would  go back to  Gettysburg. It was a wonderful trip but sad.
I would love to visit Plimouth Plantation in Plymouth, Massachusetts, especially for Thanksgiving.
I also enjoy going to Washington's winter headquarters here in Morristown, NJ.  There are a lot of Revolutionary War sites in New Jersey.

3. Free as a bird, free reign, be free of, free enterprise, free trip, walk away scot free, free for all...which 'free' phrase can best be applied to your life in recent days or weeks? Explain.

None of them seem to apply to me right now.
 
4. Something in your frig that's red? Something in your house that's white? Something in your view that's blue?
Refrigerator:an apple
House: my bedroom curtains
In my View: my top is navy blue.

  5. July 27th is National New Jersey Day. Have you ever visited The Garden State?

I live in the Garden State!
 If so where did you go? 
Everywhere except Secaucus, which, sorry, but is probably no big loss.
 
Are there diners where you live?

Yup. Tons of them. NJ is known for them.

Taylor Ham, fried egg and cheese on a Kaiser  Roll.

 Have you tried Taylor Pork Roll?

Actually, though I don't eat pork, I have had it. Its very New Jersey. 

Taylor Ham with a fried egg and cheese on a roll  is huge in NJ.

Do you like to play Monopoly?
Yes. Not a bad game.

Salt water taffy-yay or nay?
Its okay but I wouldn't go out of my way for it.

How do you feel about shopping at the mall?

I feel just dandy about it, especially around holidays. I love the crowds and decorations, music, etc.
Its dying out now. The mall by me is not doing well.

Springsteen, Sinatra, or Bon Jovi-you have to pick one.
I like one Bon Jovi song.. most of Sinatra. Not a huge Springsteen fan. Sorry Bruce.
Have to just go with Sinatra.

Raise your hand if you know why these add-on questions are appropriate on National NJ Day.
Ooo..OOo..."hand raised"..all are Jersey stuff.
 

6. Insert your own random thought here.
How about a nice NJ photo here taken  in my neighborhood.

New Jersey vs Florida

Snow birds are what we call New Jerseyans who have homes in both NJ and Florida. They winter in Florida and summer in New Jersey.
 The states are very similar as you will see.
Click the photos to see full sized.

Both states have pine barrens 

Millions of acres in fact.. the rest of both states is farms and a few cities thrown in for good measure, though NJ's cities are really New York City and Philadelphia since we are much tinier than Florida.

  Here are the pine barrens in Florida. It is identical to NJ with the same plants  and sugar sand.

photo from Florida web site

Here they are in New Jersey... same sand, same plants:pine, holly, cedar, swamp maples etc.
Either photo can be said to be in Florida or NJ... Georgia lowlands and Carolina lowlands as well for that matter.

photo from nj web site

 Both states have cedar water creeks and rivers which are crystal clear.

 We both have cedar water, that is creeks and lakes stained tea-colored from cedar trees that grow wild amongst the pine trees and hollys. The bottoms of these shallow creeks are white sand and the water is crystal clear.

 Here is the cedar creek right across from me...It and its tributaries crisscross throughout the pine barrens and some are rivers as well.

photo credit unknown

Here is a cedar creek in Florida...
same identical look.

  Here is a photo of the creek by me taken this past autumn:

my own photo

 Bothd have salt marshes

 Florida's salt marshes...

from Pinterest

New Jersey Salt Marsh

My own photo

Both States are peninsulas and have good beaches.

But.....NJ beaches are found in the top 10 beaches in the USA every single year!
New Smyrna beach in Florida has the deadliest shark attacks each year.

 Florida beach on the Atlantic Side:

internet photo of Florida beach

 New Jersey beaches on the Atlantic:

Island Beach, part of my town .. NJ Parks photo

Both states demand bare feet in the sand, summer or winter!   

 New Jersey calls for pink polish:

When in Florida you must opt for red!

What are the differences/disadvantages:

New Jersey White Winters.

If you hate the cold, stay in Florida for the winter! You won't see the white stuff falling.

If you love the idea of a white Christmas and chestnuts roasting on an open fire.. come to New Jersey.
As an extra bonus you will get blazing autumn colors as well.

Which state if more expensive to live in?  New Jersey by far!

While Florida is cheaper to live in with lower taxes and home prices, there are some distinct disadvantages.

For example,  Florida has  humid hot weather for a far longer period of time, worse hurricanes because of higher ocean water temperatures, sink holes, and unlikable, nasty , pushy neighbors.

 Pushy, nosy, Florida style neighbor demanding lunch




New Jersey neighbors also come for lunch by they are by far more loyal,  friendly,and wash their hands before eating.They will also give you a wag of the tail and a kiss if you are lucky.

internet photo

Both New Jersey and northern and central Florida are sub tropical climates with humid, hot summers.
Southern Florida, from Vero Beach and Lake Okeechobee down, is  a tropical climate

If you are here looking for Friday Foto Friends or Sky Watch  Friday, that post is HERE

A Walk Through the Neighborhood

Let's take a walk around my area using photos taken at various times of the year.
Are you ready to go?
 Walking shoes on? You will need a warm jacket today as it is 38 F and windy out today.
 Remember, March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb and along the coast it can be more windy than inland and the sea breeze is icy.  We will be walking through the seasons a bit though, so it won't be bad at all 😊

We will begin here  in my little neighborhood. and just walk along...

 Oops, better open the door so we can actually walk outside!
This is better...

Below, the Salt marsh flows into the bay

In the photo below,the open bay is just beyond the dark cedars in the background. The salt marsh is home to Osprey, otters, mink , deer and tons of soft little rabbits!

Above is a close up of the little meandering paths through the salt marshes. Phragmites is starting to grow.

I don't have a telephoto lens so the photo above is as good as I can do with my little camera.

You are looking at a little cove off the open bay and the buildings and water towers in the distance are on the barrier island with Seaside Park, Seaside Heights and Island Beach State Park.

Our towns ocean beach is over there.

I live here on the bay side. The ocean is just on the other side of the narrow barrier island.. It isn't  very far at all as you can see.

If the barrier islands breach, we'd have ocean front property or maybe underwater property.

Below is where the creek empties into the bay to the left.

What creek you ask?

This creek where Miss Little swims like a fish. It is crystal clear  cedar water.

The creek is brackish (part salt water) and its called cedar water because the cedars that grow along it stain the water the color of a cup of tea.

The creek is on one side of me, the bay on the other.

 In the photo below you see the open bay. Barnegat Light House is to the right, but not in this frame.

  Below you see that things look brighter in the summer time. Yes, on our walk we've moved through seasons! Amazing isn't it?

If you head straight due East from the shore here, where do you think you would end up?
It might surprise you that due east of New  Jersey is Brazil. Yup.  You can look it up and see it is not my idea, its a fact.   Greenland isn't huge as Mercator maps make it to be and Africa is absolutely super huge!

It's getting late so why don't we head  home now.....

I love how this photo turned out and its one of my favorites.

We can have a cup of coffee or tea if you would like.

 



Join in with us for Friday Foto Friends, won't you? Debbie is the hostess.

Through the Year

Friday brings a  collection of photos for Friday Foto Friends on a stormy, windy day at the New Jersey shore.
Winds sound like a freight train passing on through.
The Famous Anonymous kid  has a tour of Rutgers U today. I went there myself. We are waiting to hear from Columbia U.  Her interview at Columbia went very well.
Hunter in NYC accepted her also but for her it is a choice between Rutgers and Columbia, both excellent schools. She wants to be a doctor like her grandfather so both have wonderful medical colleges.
Now, here is a small collection of photos taken throughout the seasons.
As always you can enlarge any photo to full size by clicking on it.

We are having a Nor'easter here at the Jersey shore.
Gale warnings are flying

Stormy clouds roll in while rain falls, winds howl

The picture on the little leather topped desk says it all.

On stormy days the kitchen is often the best place to be,
brewing fresh coffee or tea. A cheery apron brightens the day

Or, just stay in bed.....

Below, from autumn, a portrait of two neighbors of mine.

dockside regulars... these two characters are here every  day along with other regulars looking for a meal or a handout

And looking back: waiting for fireworks on the 4^th of July...

Curls at sunset.. the Little's curls found their way into this sunset photo taken on the lagoon.
The open bay is to the right

Water color depends on the weather and the sky.
It was navy blue this day and clear to the bottom.

Winter skies can be so pretty.

Powdery pink sky in winter.
Trees are bare but cedars never fade

Looking across salt marsh

Spring begins to show her face on the salt marsh

Lastly, we look back at the depth of winter....

Blue and White snow storm, cold and deep

Sorry friends, but I will miss Winter!