Barry Day – Barry's Adventures Following Retirement

Come, for Everything is Now Ready

In the Book of Luke, Jesus tells a parable about a master preparing a great banquet and inviting many guests, saying “Come for everything is ready now.” After numerous invitations were turned down for various excuses, the master had his servants go into the streets to “bring the poor, crippled, blind, and lame so that his house would be full.”

After doing so, there still was room at the banquet so the servants were sent far and wide to bring people to attend so the house would be full. Finally, the result of the invitations was to feast and fellowship at a banquet given by God.

The parable provides much for our individual spiritual growth in today’s Great Banquet where the purpose is to know Jesus as Lord and Savior and to make him known.

When we accept God’s invitation to invest 72 continuous hours at the Great Banquet we learn that God’s love and grace can only be described as a spiritual banquet.

This blog story is about the Great Banquet and how it has impacted me as a guest.

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My Axe Throwing at The Axe Haus

When I was a youngster growing up in Western Pennsylvania, one of my favorite TV shows was “Daniel Boone.” I watched the Daniel Boone show every week but remember very little from it. I valued my coonskin cap and my “cork” gun and when Daniel Boone was on TV, I was prepared with each.

Be Careful With the Neighbors

In previous blog stories, I have written about Discovering Critters in My Backyard. That story about the small owls living underground led to additional stories about other critters including the iguanas in trees beside my pool when I lived in Cape Coral, Florida in the USA.

Because of Hurricane Ian, I had to evacuate further north of Cape Coral and Fort Myers about 140 miles to Palm Harbor which is also in Florida. My evacuation is now in the eighth month and I have grown accustomed to new critters in this neighborhood. This is a story about the creatures in the hood.

My “Tiny House” Adventure in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Staying in a “Tiny House” has been on my bucket list for a few years. I recently found one on Airbnb in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains and I jumped at the opportunity to stay a couple nights. Staying in this tiny house satisfied my curiosity about it and has now been checked off my bucket list.

I likely won’t repeat staying in one again!

Two Months After Hurricane Ian

Hurricane Ian came ashore just over two months ago near Cape Coral and Fort Myers, Florida. Favorite vacation and seasonal destinations such as Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, Captiva, Pine Island, and Matlacha were devastated. Nearby communities of Punta Gorda and North Port which were in the path of the category 4 storm were drenched with unrelenting rain and extreme winds nearing 150 miles per hour.

In my other blog stories, I often went somewhere to “feel” the story so it could be written with authenticity. The difference in this story is that in this adventure, Hurricane Ian came to me. At least 146 people perished in this massive storm.

Author note: with my appreciation, the photos used in this story were taken by several people including Bri Barker, Nathan Wood, and myself. Published photos were provided by The Free Press, the US Army Corps of Engineers, and The Indianapolis Star.

Steamer on the Caloosahatchee

Edison 1 Fort Myers, Florida, is a small city in the United States of America. When I was a child, my memory of it was where the Pittsburgh Pirates conducted their professional baseball “Spring Training.” The Pirates have long gone north on the Gulf of Mexico coast to Bradenton, Florida.

However, aside from my childhood musings, Fort Myers is better known as the location of the winter estates for American icons Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. This story is about Edison. Continue reading “Steamer on the Caloosahatchee”

Anchors Aweigh at the Cardboard Boat Regatta

Previously, I have written blog stories about wacky events in Southwest Florida such as the Mermaid Parade and the Turtle Races. But on a wacky scale for local events, the races at the Cape Coral Cardboard Boat Regatta vie for first place.

Yet Another Critter in My Backyard

Florida has an abundance of curious animals. I have written about underground-living Burrowing Owls and the prehistoric-looking Green Iguanas that have been in my neighborhood in Cape Coral, the Florida city where I live. Along with common rabbits and grey squirrels, a new critter has shown up at my house… a gopher tortoise.

It is Raining Iguanas – A Sequel

It seems to me that there are several sequels in the world today. Batman, Spiderman, Rocky, and so on have more to offer based on an original production. Last year I wrote a story titled “It is Raining Iguanas in Florida” when it is below 50 degrees F.

In the past, I have produced sequels to my blog stories such as “Discovering Critters in My Backyard” and “Nurturing Giant Pumpkins.”

But after posting this very story on Facebook today, I decided to memorialize it in order to share with my friends around the world who get a glimpse of what I am observing only through my blog that they subscribed to. As the title of this story indicates, this story is more information about pre-historic looking iguanas falling out of trees in Florida.

Iguana (Credit: Pinellas County Economic Development)

This is what I posted on Facebook:

It is cold today here in SW Florida. When the temperature drops below 50°, like today, iguanas fall out of the trees. I read there is a guy on Sanibel Island loading his car with stunned green iguanas that have fallen to the ground. He is probably pretty smart. They can be eaten or turned in for a bounty! I have been told they are good on the bar-b-que.

Iguanas are an invasive species. They are not native to Florida and they are destructive and kill native animals. Did you know that Florida homeowners can legally shoot iguanas on their property without needing a license? The best place to shoot them is between their eyes! I kid you not! That is from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC)!

The FWCC also hires part-time “wranglers” to shoot green iguanas on public lands. Pay is $18 to $22 per hour. The job comes with some benefits (maybe you can take them home to eat them). I wonder if the pay rate is based on accuracy to shoot the iguanas between their eyes? Or shoot them as they run away.

Well, I am sure you are amused! Have a wonderful day.

Ramblings About Autumn in Florida

Many of my readers are aware that I have permanently relocated to Florida in the USA. People from the northeastern parts of the USA often think of Florida this time of year because of our warm, sunny weather, beautiful beaches, and numerous attractions like Disney World and Kennedy Space Center.

Having lived most of my life “up north,” I have some observations to share about Fall in Florida.