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Happy Monday, Friends!! Picture of the Week. Yesterday, on my morning walk, I watched the pre-setup of scull crews getting ready for a race. It reminded me of watching the Kentucky Derby and the trainers getting the horses and riders into the starting position. My thoughts also went to: I wonder what the 4-crew team was thinking at that moment. They’ve warmed up; the adrenaline is pumping ; they've probably studied their competition and have a strategy in mind . Then there

Happy Monday, Friends!! Picture of the Week . Sunrise, Easter morning, April 5, 2026. A deep religious meaning to millions, around the world. However, to many young children, it’s all about the Easter Bunny bringing candy. Another false narrative told to young children is that a Stock delivers babies to your doorstep. So, you can imagine my surprise and confusion when my youngest brother was born on Easter Sunday, some 6 + decades ago. I expected an Easter basket but got a br

Happy Monday, Everyone, Picture(s) of the Week. On one of the routes of my morning walks, I across a pedestrian bridge, which is actually nicknamed: “The Turtle Bridge.” You can look over one side, and there is a small concrete spillway where, when the water level is low enough, the turtles line up along the whole length and sun themselves. I thought I had a picture of many turtles sunning themselves, but could only find a picture with one turtle, but you get the idea. I’

Happy Monday, Friends!! Picture of the Week. I couldn’t NOT take this picture!! I was pleasantly surprised to see this palm tree-lined walkway, all lit up with green uplighting, leading to the new Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium in Sarasota, FL. www.Mote.org . Actually, the aquarium building is washed in a lighter blue than the photo shows, but it's still a beautiful sight. This photo was taken just before sunrise. The other picture was just after sunrise with a lone scul

Happy Monday, Friends!! Picture of the Week. This picture of the moon was taken at 7:10 am, 3.14.26. As you can see, it’s still dark , and I’m still using my flashlight , primarily so I don’t trip over any wild animals . It amazes me why some rabbits and squirrels will hop/run right across our path to get away from you, rather than turning around and hopping/running in the opposite direction. Any thoughts? The other day, there was a duck right in the middle of the path , and

Happy Monday, Friends!! Picture(s) of the Week. As I sprang ahead this weekend, I forgot what it was like to walk using my flashlight again , and it really wasn’t that long ago, as the seasons go. I went out about the same time, but I was pretty much alone . Of course, there were the usual herds of bunnies , noisy birds, and squirrels , but the regular walkers I usually see and talk to weren’t there. I guess I’m the only one who didn’t get the email: same route, different ti

Happy Monday, FB Friends!! Picture of the Week. Yesterday, on my morning walk, I came across a half dozen people with some very expensive camera equipment , all using tripods and telescopic lenses. I was told there was a nest of baby owls being fed by their parents. Of course, with my iPhone, I couldn’t get a good picture; actually, the nest was so high up in a pine tree and camouflaged so well that I could barely see the action. As I continued walking , it made me think of t

Happy Monday, Friends!! Picture of the Week. As many of you know, I’ve been walking most early mornings since I retired in 2023. In doing research on the benefits of walking for my first book, “Empower Your Golden Years,” I found that, as a senior, if you can build up to 2-2.5 miles an hour, you’re doing great. As you can see from one of the speed signs on my walking route, I built up to 3 miles per hour. Psychologically, that felt good. Since the first of the ye

Happy Monday, Friends!! Picture of the Week. Yesterday morning, as I watched the sunrise, a thought came to me: “The sun comes up every day. It all depends on if you want to see it or not.” The opportunity is always there. The difference is whether we’re looking for it. Perspective is a Choice. Make it a good one. I hope everyone has a great week! Peace and Blessings – Jack

Happy Monday, Friends!! Picture of the Week. “Teamwork or Maybe Not” Here in the sub-topics, I haven’t been able to get out for my early morning walks the last few weeks, due to temperatures in the low 40’s and upper 30’s. No judgment: it’s an age thing. This may sound like a complaint, but it’s not, because I could be back in my hometown, south of Boston, MA, experiencing the “ wicked” bad snowstorm they just lived through. I can vividly remember the “Blizzard of 78” wh

Happy Monday, Friends!! Picture of the Week . I’m going to share a different kind of picture this week , not one I took on one of my morning walks, but one tha t every older Boston Bruins fan remembers very well. I know exactly where I was on Sunday, May 10, 1970, at 40 seconds into sudden death overtime, that the great Bobby Orr scored the winning goal to win the Stanley Cup. The picture is of Bobby Orr flying through the air, horizontal with the ice, seconds after he p

Happy Monday, Friends!! Picture(s) of the Week. To all your friends in Texas and in the New England area, our thoughts and prayers are with you as you deal with this terrible winter storm . Patricia, and I remember them well. I hope each one of you is safe and warm . Today’s pictures may be the last sunrise and morning walk I experience in the next few days. Here in we now have a “Severe Weather Advisory” with nightly temperatures predicted to fall into the 30’s.  No mat

Happy Monday, Friends!! Picture(s) of the Week. This week, I’m going back into my photo archive to post a couple of really cool pictures I’ve taken on my morning walks. For those of you who have followed my posts, I didn’t walk last week due to the weather. This morning it was 39 degrees. When I retired and left Texas in 2023, I donated my very warm LL Bean clothing. I should have remembered from when I lived here before that there was about a month or so where I couldn’t wea

Happy Monday, Friends!! Picture(s) of the Week. I’m going to share something a little different today. Most of my Pictures of the Week are photos I’ve taken outside on my morning walks. To give you some background, in 2021, Patricia and I met Megan Howell, Founder & CEO of Second Heart Homes, a non-profit that supports the homeless, at an after-hours function at an art gallery in Sarasota, FL. I overheard her give an elevator speech about her nonprofit housing program for ho

Happy Monday, Friends!! Picture(s) of the Week. Well, the first weekend of the new year is on the books. For us, after a busy holiday season, it was a nice time to reflect on what was and look forward to what can be. I’d love to hear what your goals may be. For those of you who have followed my post, you know I try to walk every morning, weather permitting. Sometime last summer, I set a goal of walking 1100 miles in 2025. I surpass that in November. I then upgraded my goal

Happy Monday, Friends!! Picture(s) of the Week. It’s hard to believe there are no more weekends in 2025. For me, and I’ll bet for most everyone around this time every year, we wonder where the year has gone. As I mentioned last week, looking back on 2025, we’ve experienced both negatives and positives; however, I chose to dwell on the positives . I hope you’ll do the same. I have a number of goals for 2026 , and I’m excited to get started. For those of you who follow my post

Happy Monday, Friends!! Picture(s) of the Week. This has been quite a weekend! There were many “last events” for 2025. • Friday, 12/19, was the new moon. Sunday was a big day on two fronts: the First Day of Winter or Winter Solstice. • Also, the beginning of the last major meteor shower(s) of the year, known as the Ursids, lasts through December 26th. • And, needless to say, the l ast weekend before Christmas. For most of us, there were positives and negatives this past year

Happy Monday, Friends!! Picture of the Week . On my Sunday-morning walk, I wasn’t sure I’d get a new picture this week. Even though I walked every day, the weather just wasn’t cooperating. Last night, another cold front swept through, bringing early-morning temperatures in the low 50s with a wind chill . Not what you’d expect for the sub-tropics. However, there was a sliver of orange sky early; 15 minutes later, it was less orange, grayer, and windier. I’m not going to let t

Happy Monday, Friends!! Picture of the Week. It’s hard to believe that there are only 23 days left in 2025, and we actually had the last full moon of the year. Fortunately, I was able to catch a picture of it on my early morning walk. Enjoy! Many of you know I walk early in the morning every day, weather permitting. Unfortunately, today isn’t one of them. Looking at the weather forecast, the rain should stop and clear up by noon, maybe I can get out then. However, on a posit

Happy Monday, Friends!! Picture of the Week. I hope everyone enjoyed this past Thanksgiving week and you were able to appreciate the positives in your life, and not compare it to others. Unfortunately, if you did that, you’ll never be happy. I felt blessed for many reasons. I know some may think this is a cliché, but I am grateful for living in the country I am in. I’m grateful and appreciate everyone who had to work and be away from their families and friends, including all