As I thought about a theme for March’s Sunday Editions, I looked outside. I have to say that early March around here (southeastern British Columbia, Canada) is Mud Season at best and Snow Season at worst. Or maybe that’s the other way around. Either way, I thought you’d like to see photos of mud about as much as I’d like displaying them. Not at all.
But! When I looked back at the Sunday Editions I’ve hosted in the past year, I realized I never shared our trip to Florida in June, 2019! So here you go. This March, we’re going to pretend we’re all visiting Florida. Now, I know some of you live there, and that’s great, but up north in March, we’re only dreaming about warm sand and balmy breezes!
Today’s photos are taken at Castillo de San Marcos in St Augustine, which began construction in 1672 and owns the title of the oldest and largest masonry fort in the continental United States. Jim and I spent several hours prowling around the fort. Sadly, no one was allowed up on the gun deck the day we were there since there had been several thunderstorms, and they didn’t want anyone struck by lightning! Fair enough, I guess. Being struck by lightning isn’t on my bucket list.
The fort’s moat is a lovely green space these days. Was it once filled with water and maybe snapping alligators? Could be!
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The fort’s inner courtyard is quite large, with lots of spaces to explore.
Last Week on Inspy Romance
On Monday, Jackie Castle invited us to escape to beautiful places.
On Tuesday, Lindi Peterson cordially invited us (somewhere)!
On Wednesday, Marion Ueckermann shared what it is like to write Americanese with a British brain!
On Thursday, Merrillee Whren chatted about writing a love triangle.
On Friday, Angela Ruth Strong shared 10 things she’s learned from a decade of writing romance.
On Saturday, Liwen Y Ho offered 4 common misconceptions about romance readers… +and #Giveaway
Next Week on Inspy Romance
Monday: Ginger Solomon (You Are Not Just Anything + #giveaway)
Tuesday: Deb Kastner (Why I Write Inspirational Romance)
Wednesday: Sally Bayless (New Release Alert! Love Once More)
Thursday: Narelle Atkins (Hot Tea and a Good Book?)
Friday: Laurie Larsen (Getting it Right)
Saturday: Julie Arduini (What God Always Knew + #giveaway)
The fort is situated on the western shore of Matanzas Bay, so it’s protected somewhat from the Atlantic. I hope you enjoyed this mini-tour today! Do you enjoy visiting historical monuments and parks? What’s your favorite?
New Releases
March 2020
Making Believe (Imagination 8) by Staci Stallings
Look for Me (Vacation Sweethearts 4) by Jan Thompson
Accept Me (Chapel Cove Romances 8) by Marion Ueckermann
Love Once More (Abundance 4) by Sally Bayless
February 2020
Glimpses of Gossamer (Urban Farm Fresh Romance 8) by Valerie Comer
The Texan’s Promise (Cowboys of Diamondback Ranch) by Jolene Navarro
Jayne: Fair English Rose (Connections Collection 1) by Marion Ueckermann
Michael: Man on a Mission (Connections Collection 2) by Marion Ueckermann
A complete list of Inspy Romance books by our authors is always available on our BOOKS tab. Find our audiobooks, our permanently free e-books, and our thank-you gifts for newsletter subscribers there as well!
Valerie Comer is a USA Today bestselling author and a two-time Word Award winner who writes where food meets faith and fiction. She injects experience laced with humor into her green clean romances. Her life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie and her family grow much of their own food and are active in the local foods movement as well as their church. She only hopes her creations enjoy their happily-ever-afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters.
Good morning and happy March! I love the fort, have been there several times living near it and all. I wish you could have gone to the top, one year we took the kids on a school trip there and they fired the cannon…full uniform and display, very awesome!
Here in South Carolina we have had some freezing temperatures overnight still, but 50 ‘s during the day. Not too bad!
Thanks for sharing your pictures. I have never been to Florida.
We wished we could have gone up top, too, but… sometimes that’s just the way things are! I guess we’ll see if there is a next time!
You’re getting a little warmer during the day, Patty, but not by a lot. It’s been quite pleasant for February, and we’ll see how March plays out. The last 3-4 years we’ve had significant snowfall in March!
One of my sisters lives there, having married a native Floridian, and the other three sisters and I have gone in 2016 and 2019 for family reunions. Otherwise, I’m not sure it would have hit the top of our list! June isn’t the ideal month, but that’s what worked out for my family both times.
FL hasn’t been so warm the past few days, thankfully!!! Our high today is to be 70! The last three or four days we’ve been in the 40’s at night and the 60’s during the day. I’ve been loving it!!! Wednesday Orlando may hit 90 for the first time this year! As long as my city doesn’t, I’ll be ok!! At least it’s been sunny the last three days, too!!
That does sound pleasant!
Given the Florida weather, it may have been the 3 o’clock thunderstorm. I used to work for a company based on the Atlantic coast south of St. Augustine. When I had to visit the home office during the summer months, even if the day was otherwise sunny and hot, there would be a thunderstorm come rolling through around 3 pm, last about 20 minutes then move on, just like clockwork. There are so many interesting historical spots sprinkled along the east coast of the US. I’m glad you got to enjoy your family reunion.
My sister lives in Sanford, so that particular day we drove east to the Atlantic then followed the A1A up the coast to St Augustine, with lots of stops. There were quite a few storms in the morning and through to midafternoon!
A week later, when we were flying out of Orlando, our flight was grounded/delayed due to a tornado cloud over the airport. Looked mighty impressive to this PNWer! Thankfully it did not touch down, but it made for quite the adventure getting home.
I’ll be away the rest of today on a family adventure, so I won’t have a chance to check in again until late tonight or even tomorrow. Happy Sunday to you all!
I spent a couple of hours in St. Augustine almost 2 years ago but it was late in the afternoon and the fort had just closed when I arrived. It was cool to see the outside of it though. I do usually enjoy visiting historical landmarks. It often seems to make history seem more real to me.
Spring is here!
Beautiful picture.
Thank you for sharing!
When we lived in FL, we visited St. Augustine numerous times. I love the history of the place.
I should have said I’ve been there, too!! We went there for Mom’s Birthday get away weekend when she turned 80. Just my three sisters, Mom, and I. We had a blast!! The B & B we stayed in was only a short distance from the old cemetery, and the house was on the ghost tour. Our first night there, the five of us sat out on the 2nd story balcony and one sister grabbed a white tablecloth and started “oohing” at the ones on the tour. They started taking pics, and when she finally tired of doing that, if someone on the next tour asked, she told them the ghost went back to the cemetery. The next morning, she told the owners at breakfast about it, and they said supposedly one of the rooms was haunted, and it turned out it was the room she had!! The owners got a kick out of it. And, Sanford isn’t the horribly far from me! I’m on the Space Coast!!
I’ve been seeing a number of people post about St Augustine recently and I’ve never been there. Looks like a great vacation spot.
Are the trees blooming in BC already? I love going to Stanley Park or walking along the seawall in spring.
It’s snowing and blowing here today. :( In like a lion, out like a lamb? One can hope.
We had 14” of snow over three days with intermittent sunshine so it would melt and get more. Today was sunny and most of it melted.
When we were down in 2016, we spent a day at Kennedy Space Center. I’d been on a private tour there back in 1979 as well. My brother-in-law grew up in Cocoa Beach.
Ah, at least we got to see the inside! Certainly an impressive fort. Yes, it sure does bring history alive.
Thank you!
Nice! Yes, that was fascinating. :)
Trees aren’t blooming in the southeast of BC, not sure about the coast. Stanley Park is lovely! We generally don’t spend a lot of time in Vancouver – we’re more into the ocean than the city. :)
Yikes! You never know what kind of weather you’re going to get in February/ March around here, either.
I can be at the Castillo de San Marcos in less than an hour, so I have enjoyed the fort and other sights of St. Augustine many times. My husband and I sometimes go there just to enjoy a change of scenery for an afternoon.
Happy March! My son just returned from his first trip to Florida. He was there to attend a teacher’s conference. March is special for our family. He will turn 30 on 3/21!!!
I heard a joke about lightening this weekend.
When a mother saw a thunderstorm forming in the midafternoon, she worried about her seven-year-old daughter who would be walking the three blocks from school to home. Deciding to meet her, the mother saw her walking nonchalantly along, stopping to smile whenever lightening flashed.
Glimpsing her mother the little girl ran to her, explaining enthusiastically, “All the way home, God’s been taking my picture!”
I put this in this weeks newsletter. I thought it was a new way to look at lightening.
Great photos. Yes, I enjoy visiting historical places.
Looks neat! I’ve been to Florida quite a few times, but never to St Augustine. I think my family would enjoy visiting the fort.
What lovely photos! Thank you for sharing, Valerie! 🙂💕
You’re welcome :)
A beautiful change of scenery! We have a gold rush frontier fort not far from where I live – it is cool to have a historic landmark within easy range of a visit!
Happy March birthday to your son!
Oh, how sweet!
Thank you!
We were looking for a day adventure out of Sanford… and to meet a friend, so it was the perfect spot. Great spot for families!
I love Florida! We have been to Destin several times and always enjoyed it. Great Pictures!
Yay! Thanks for enjoying :)
That’s not far from me! About half an hour to Cocoa Beach, depending on traffic!!
I’ve been to a lot of National Parks, Monuments, museums, and sites. I guess my favorite museum is the Smithsonian Institute (covers a lot of museums and the zoo, plus other properties), and I love the Smoky Mountains.
My brother-in-law is from Cocoa Beach! Their house was right where the Ron Jons parking lot is now. I’ve been there a few times.
Sounds cool! Places I haven’t seen :)
Thanks for the pictures I have never been to Florida but my Oldest Daughter has In-laws that live there she is there this week! I Love seeing different pictures of places!
I hope she enjoys her visit :)