Melody Fitzpatrick's Blog

In her third adventure, In Over Her Head, Hannah Smart sets sail for the Treasure Coast, where she and a team of treasure hunters search for long lost riches, hidden for centuries under the sea.

But what is this treasure and how did it get there in the first place?

 

Early in the book, Patrice de la Fontaine (the flamboyant and high-strung director of Teenage Treasure Hunters) shares the story of The Queen’s Jewels, spinning a wild tale of intrigue, greed, and death.

Although his version of the story didn’t actually happen, it’s closely based on a fascinating, and very real series of events, which came to a horrible end over three hundred years ago.

THIS IS HOW THE REAL STORY ACTUALLY WENT DOWN …

In 1700, when the King of Spain died, Philip V of France (his closest relative) took the throne.

One year into his reign, King Philip V, a teenager himself at the time, married thirteen-year-old Princess Maria Luisa Gabriella of Savoy.

Sadly, thirteen years later, his young wife died of tuberculosis. The king was devastated. Making matters worse, his country was on the brink of bankruptcy after battling a thirteen-year-long war with the English and the Dutch. Desperate for funds, the king sent a convoy of ships to the New World with orders to bring back gold, silver and other treasures, which had been accumulating during the war.

Soon the time came for the king to take a new bride.  He chose The Duchess of Parma, Elizabeth Farnese. She agreed to marry him, but warned she would not consummate the marriage until she was presented with a generous dowry of rare and exquisite jewels.

Urgent word was sent to the New World to gather a magnificent collection of treasures for his demanding new bride. This last minute request held up the convoy, ultimately putting them smack dab in the middle of a pathway to disaster.

On July 24, 1715 twelve ships left Havana, Cuba, each bound for Spain. The convoy, a.k.a. The Silver Plate Fleet, was enjoying fine weather until the evening of July 30, when a violent hurricane stuck off the east coast of Florida. Only one of these treasure-laden vessels escaped the storm’s unmerciful fury; the other eleven were driven onto shallow reefs along the coast, and sank. Massive amounts of treasure, including the Queen’s Jewels, and over one thousand souls were lost that day.

Despite not receiving her dowry, King Philip V’s new bride eventually gave in, and together they had seven children.

It’s said that approximately 550 million dollars in treasure is still scattered along the Florida coast, and for years, treasure hunters have been searching tirelessly to find it.

You can even follow their exciting progress on the 1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels, LLC Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/1715-Fleet-Queens-Jewels-LLC-216051341795177/

Yipee!  Finally, warmer weather is here!  To celebrate the sunshine, I made Gummy Bear Popsicles

First, I started with a cute Popsicle mold.  I love the red handles because they are so bright and cheery!

Then, I put some gummy bears in each section of the mold.  I may have eaten a few too.  Can you blame me?  They’re so yummy.

I really like Mountain Dew, so I used this as my base.  Next time, I might pick a clear juice or Kool-aid.  I didn’t let my soda go flat, but I’ve heard that if you do, you’ll get even better results because there are no little bubbles to freeze.  Totally makes sense!

Next, I poured the soda into the Popsicle mold.  FYI, I filled mine a little too full the first time.  Remember to leave a bit of room for the stick.  They will expand a little as they freeze – it’s just science!

Finally, I popped them in the freezer overnight.  They looked so yummy, I couldn’t wait to taste them!

I was so excited to see what they would look like in the morning.   After running a little hot water over my mold to loosen them up, here’s how mine turned out.

Delish!

Hannah Smart is back! She completed Operation Josh Taylor, but now she’s found herself on a very slippery slope.

You could win this awesome Hannah Smart prize pack featuring the two newest books, iron-on decal, bookmarks and ski tag!

Just click the Rafflecopter link here to get started.The rules are simple, the more you opt-in to do, the better your chances of winning.

Good luck!

O-M-G! Check out this cute video about Hannah Smart Operation Josh Taylor.

 

 

The first time I heard about Friendship Tea was when I was ten and camping with my parents.  I hadn’t met any friends at the campground, so when a girl around my age came over and asked me if I wanted to hang out, I was thrilled.  Later she asked me to come over to her trailer for some “Friendship Tea.”  When I told her I didn’t drink tea, she laughed.  “It’s not ordinary tea,” she said.  “Just come over and try it.”  I’m so glad I did.  It was delicious!

Friendship Tea Mix complete with two steaming mugs of deliciousness!
All the ingredients you will need to make this super-yummy winter or summertime drink: I cup of lemonade crystals 1 cup of orange crystals (like Tang) 1/2 cup iced tea mix 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground cloves
Put all of the ingredients into a bowl or a large measuring cup.
Aren’t the colours pretty?
Mix thoroughly!

 

Pour into a clean, air-tight container that has at least a 2 1/2 cup capacity.

 

Add a rounded tablespoon of “Friendship Tea Mix” to about 6 ounces of very hot water.

 

Depending on how sweet you like your “tea,” you can add more or less mix to the water. Have fun with it. Experiment!

 

If you have them, throw in some cinnamon sticks for fun.

 

There you have it … Friendship Tea.  Great for kids and adults alike, it’s a perfect treat to share with a  friend!  Enjoy!