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Lee and I have had many wonderful adventures, one of our favorites is our summer vacation in Alaska. We did this trip a few years ago and had a blast. The Salmon Recipe reminded me of the delicious wild caught Alaskan salmon we enjoyed daily. The salmon was so plentiful that every restaurant would present an Amuse Bouche of Salmon upon our arrival for dinner. Each restaurant had its own take on how to serve salmon, salmon bruschetta served with tomatoes, garlic and olive oil, a bistro served salmon tartare with cilantro, cucumber, fresh lime, chives, ginger and sesame oil, and one restaurant, owned by NY transplants, served their bruschetta with smoked salmon, cream cheese, dill and capers. A tasty start to a beautiful Alaska evening. The Alaska evening skies were glorious, and in July the sun just barely set in the evening sky. In our memories we recall hearing the blow of the whales, seeing the pink glowing sky, and loving the feel of the cool evening breezes. A breeze we miss in summer in Central Florida. The energy from the light, or the excitement of being in such a beautiful, wild place kept us going until the wee hours of every day. Now that we are in the middle of COVID-19 we are fondly recalling past adventures, while planning future trips. Now seems to be the perfect time to plan the next bucket list adventure while staying Safe in Solivita. Stay Safe Friends, we will get through this together!

1 TBSP EVOO
1/3 cup Greek Yogurt, low fat, or full fat your choice
2 Tsp Creole Seasoning*
1 Tsp Grated Lemon Peel
¼ cup chopped almonds
4 skinless salmon filets (6 oz ea.)

Preheat oven to 450
Line Large rimmed baking sheet with foil and brush a bit of oil on the foil.
In bowl, stir together yogurt, Creole seasoning, and grated lemon peel. Spread onto 4 salmon fillets, top with almonds.
Place salmon on the pan. Spray salmon with cooking spray. Bake 12 minutes or until salmon is cooked thru.

You can make your own Creole Seasoning with the following dried spices from your spice rack.

2 ½ TBSP Paprika
2 TBSP Garlic Powder
1 TBSP Salt
1 TBSP Onion Powder
1 TBSP Dried Oregano
1 TBSP Dried Thyme
1 TBSP Cayenne Pepper
1 TBSP Pepper

Keep this mix in a jar with a screw top lid

Many of our neighbors, friends and family members are busy with volunteer work, most are now retired and have the time and the desire to give back. The Solivita Quilters are busy sewing masks for the hospital workers, volunteers, the homeless, veterans, neighbors, the Peace River House (a shelter assisting victims of abuse), the H.O.M.E. Project in Kissimmee, and the Sew and Sew Club is busy helping Project Linus. Linus Volunteers are known as “blanketeers,” and they provide new, handmade, washable blankets as gifts to seriously ill and traumatized children, ages 0-18. Other Solivita volunteers help raise money, gather donations, sponsor events, unload incoming grocery donations, stock shelves, and distribute food to help feed the hungry. We have two large food pantries in neighboring communities and our volunteers help the food pantries feed 1,000 plus families on a weekly basis. The SoFees (Solivita Friends of Elementary Education Schools) is another organization that assists with school supplies, clothing, and food for our local school children. We even have a group of volunteers that make and bring food directly to the homeless in Kissimmee. In a typical year, Back to School brings new clothing drives for our local students and during the holidays, we have toy and gift drives. Together our community plans and attends fun events to raise funds for various organizations and celebrates holiday joy. As a fund raiser, Our Veterans Club displays the U.S. Flag on our lawns and public areas throughout our community in recognition of select holidays. The flags proudly fly and are a beautiful reminder of the sacrifices our men and woman in uniform have made throughout history to provide us with the freedoms we enjoy today. The residents of Solivita provide, staff, and assist many organizations, I have only named a few of the organizations that I am familiar with to show how active and caring our community truly is. Do not think of retirement as retiring, most of the folks in our community say they are busier now than when they went to work every day, but now Solivita Residents are doing what they love to do and not what they need to do to make the monthly bills. I am proud to live and work in Solivita and invite you to visit, see Solivita, and Share the Joy of Living in an Active, Beautiful and Generous Community.

Get Outside and Ride a Bike for Exercise and Fun. The other day Lee and I dusted our bikes off, put some air in the tires, and hopped on for a ride around the community. We waited till around 7 pm, as the sun was dropping in the sky, and the community was settling in for the evening. We enjoyed a beautiful sky and mother nature treated us to a lovely tropical sunset over the golf course. I am not a golfer, but Lee is, and after witnessing a stunning sunset over the course, I can see the attraction of playing a sport in a natural setting surrounded by ponds, oak trees, and birdlife. We watched a few hawks swoop down to catch their last meal of the day, caught a few deer trotting thru the fairway, and saw quite a few splashes in the ponds. Could have been fish or could have been a gator, but whatever it was, this tranquil scene made for an enjoyable Solivita evening social distancing on our bikes.

Recently I ran a report of 2020 Home Sales for the first 6 months of this year vs the same time frame for 2019 and found that sales are truly trending up in Polk County. Not only has the number of sold single family units increased substantially, but prices are trending up too; it seems that at this time COVID-19 has not infected the housing market.

Our pre-owned home inventory in Solivita continues to remain low in a fast- moving market. The Solivita builders are still busy constructing new homes, and we estimate that the builders will continue to build in Solivita for another 1.5 years, before our community is completely built out. The new models are lovely, and the builders are offering good incentives to buyers. If you are into buying a new home, now is the time to start looking around. I do love the new builds, and some buyers only look to purchase a new home, but do not be deceived, the pre-owned homes in the well-established neighborhoods of Solivita hold lots of charm, are modern, most are open plan design PLUS the older builds are beautifully landscaped too. Solivita has lots to offer residents. You can start your day with a swim in any of our 14 pools, enjoy a cup of coffee or a bite to eat with friends at the bistro, take a class in the afternoon, or play a round of tennis, golf, or pickleball. When you buy a residence in Solivita you are not only buying a home; but you are buying a lifestyle too. Our community is active, socially responsible, and a secure, friendly place to live. You can shoot hoops, grow veggies in the community garden, or garden in your own backyard. Take a ride in your golf cart to one of our state-of the-art exercise facilities complete with licensed personal trainers or spend some time at our spa. Solivita has something to offer everyone. If your interests lean toward quiet pursuits, visit the computer lab or the Solivita Lending Library, join one of our book clubs, learn a new language, or sign up for a class, learn sculpture, watercolor painting, how to quilt, or enjoy one of the many lecture series offered by Lifestyles. There is so much to do here, you can be busy all the time or not busy at all. The choice is yours. Once you live in Solivita, you can join a club, sign up for an exercise class, or just enjoy a walk around our tree lined, beautifully landscaped community. Solivita is social, the perfect place to make and enjoy friends, or share time with family in a safe, peaceful community life surrounded by the beauty of Central Florida. Look around our website and see for yourself the benefits of Life in Solivita. Call to schedule an appointment, one of our realtors will be happy to give you a tour and show you how good life in Solivita can be.