Nancy's Notes From Florida

Maitland Museums

January 19, 2023

Maitland, Florida is a community north of Orlando. The city hosts its own art and history museums on five acres along a shady side street off Maitland Avenue. The Maitland Art Center was originally created in 1938 by artist and architect Jules André Smith as a winter artist retreat. The art center and history museum merged in 2010.

We parked and first went in the art museum. This consisted of several small rooms with a couple of artist’s works on display. I liked the colorful acrylics on wood.

From here, we entered the history museum next door. An antique table and chairs face the outdoor courtyard. We viewed a decorative fireplace, relics from the indigenous populations, and more art works. I wished this museum were larger.

Adjacent to this building is the Telephone Museum. This offers fascinating displays of a bygone era.

Outside is a courtyard lined by visiting artist’s studios.

Across the street, the Mayan Courtyard and Garden Chapel are even more interesting. The grounds, registered as a National Historical Landmark, are a popular site for weddings, and I could see why. Laden with history, the various nooks and crannies are fun to explore with their intricate artistry.

Visit the museums at 231 W. Packwood Ave., Maitland, FL 32751. A small admission fee is charged. https://artandhistory.org

Visit the Maitland Museums of Art & History in Maitland, FL Share on X

• Posted in Blog • Tags: art museum, Florida, history, Maitland, museum, travel | 2 Comments

Kitchen Remodel

January 13, 2023

Remodeling a room can make a big difference. Since a kitchen is the most popular place in a house, renovating this space increases your home’s value and provides a warm, comfortable space for friends and family to gather. Last year, we finished our kitchen remodel. The transformation was amazing and allows us to entertain in style.

Kitchen Solvers of Orlando did a great job. They kept us informed every step of the way, showed up on time, and did meticulous work. I believe their prices were reasonable and they did quality renovations. They even kept our kitchen sink functional until the last minute so that we were inconvenienced for only a short time.

In the kitchen, we replaced the old Formica countertops with quartz stone. We added two lower cabinets. One has a drawer and pull-out garbage cans. The other has a wine rack with shelves.

Old Photos:

New Photos:

These additions extended the countertops so we would have more space for entertaining. We leveled off the counters, getting rid of the height differential and adding inches more to our counter space toward the family room.

Coffee Nook

Regarding the cabinets, we kept the white ones that were here when we moved in as they were in good condition. We did add pull-out shelves to the lower ones.

In the laundry room, we replaced the old countertop and sink. It made an amazing difference. The upstairs bathroom also looked dated with Formica countertops and a wall-wide mirror. We replaced the countertop along with new double sinks and installed matching mirrors from the At Home store in Lake Mary. We kept the cabinets as is because they were in good condition. Laundry room is on the left; bathroom is on the right.

What household projects are on your slate next?

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• Posted in Blog • Tags: household projects, kitchen, remodel, renovations | 4 Comments

Star Tangled Murder Preorder

January 10, 2023

STAR TANGLED MURDER, #18 in the Bad Hair Day Mysteries, is now available for Preorder. Join me on Jan. 15 for an official Cover Reveal at Dru’s Book Musing! I’ll be giving away an advance reading copy of my new book at this event so don’t miss out!

Release Date; March 14, 2023
Copyright © 2023 by Nancy J. Cohen
Published by Orange Grove Press
Digital ISBN: 978-1-952886-24-9
Print ISBN: 978-1-952886-25-6
Edited by Deni Dietz at Stray Cat Productions
Cover Design by The Killion Group, Inc.
Digital Layout by Formatting4U.com
Cover Copy by BlurbWriter.com

Bloggers, Booksellers, & Librarians – This title is available on NetGalley for a limited time.

Story Description

Hairstylist Marla Vail and her detective husband Dalton are having a blast visiting a Florida living history village over Fourth of July weekend. But when a Seminole battle reenactment turns up a real dead body, it sets off fireworks among the villagers. One of the cast members has gone off script to murder the town marshal with a tomahawk in his head.

As Dalton gets involved in the investigation, Marla determines to help him solve the case. Her flare for uncovering secrets reveals that everyone in the village is a suspect. Instead of celebrating the holiday with red, white, and barbecues, she discovers secrets, lies, and false avenues. Did the marshal’s murder have anything to do with a lost Confederate payroll, or did his plans to renovate the park light a fuse that he couldn’t snuff out?

In a place where history comes alive, the dead bodies are piling up. Marla would rather be chilling and grilling, but somebody’s mind is on killing. If she’s not careful, her sleuthing could blow up in her face like a faulty firecracker and she’ll become the next victim. Recipes Included!

Early Praise

“Put this one on your TBR list. The various characters are people you could know, all with their own lives and stories. You’ll like them. In addition, Marla is a strong female character, one determined not to put herself in danger but, well, life happens.” June Price, Sanhusky’s Daisy Reads 2

“A fun read. Grab a cup of your favorite beverage and enjoy!” Renee W., NetGalley Reviewer

ORDER NOW

Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BQS68WS7
Amazon Print: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1952886252/
Apple Books: http://books.apple.com/us/book/id6445207585
BN Nook: https://bit.ly/3vuluKN
BN Print: https://bit.ly/3I6HpyU
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=UICjEAAAQBAJ
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/star-tangled-murder
Books2Read: https://books2read.com/StarTangledMurder
Indiebound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781952886256
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1298730
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3vF2Yiw
BookBub: https://bit.ly/3igyJvj

STAR TANGLED MURDER is now available for pre-order! #mustread #cozymystery Share on X

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Enter Here Jan. 1 – 18 to win a free book at Booklover’s Bench

• Posted in Blog • Tags: Bad Hair Day Mysteries, bookstagram, cozy mystery, holidays, Independence Day, Nancy J. Cohen, new release, Star Tangled Murder | 2 Comments

Holidays at Leu Gardens

January 5, 2023

We visited Harry P. Leu Gardens during their Dazzling Nights display, although we went during the daytime. I love to walk these grounds that remind me of a rainforest. The shady paths wind past trickling brooks and pass by a nearby lake.

The azaleas looked as though they wanted to pop out soon, but the camellias were in full bloom in all different colors. Seeing them made this visit worthwhile alone.