KTgreen

Good Morning!  Or Afternoon! Or Evening!  Whenever you might chance to glance at my meanderings!

If you are a regular follower, you might note that I posted on Wednesday, too!  Whaaat!  I know, so unusual.  Once upon a time I posted here four days a week and my niece Michelle posted a fifth day.  But things change.  Mostly what changed was that I started my other website/blog, DesignsbyKTGreen.com and that took a LOT more time than I originally thought it would.

And then I started doing the websites for the Homosassa Seafood Festival, the Old Homosassa Heritage Council, and the Homosassa Civic Club along with their facebook pages.

Yikes.  In way over my head!

And then Diane Bedard asked me to write about local happenings on NatureCoaster.com.  How could I say no???

I originally intended to post the same story on both NatureCoaster.com and here.  But then forgot all about it! I was going through my notes while waiting for a hurricane and said to myself “self, why haven’t you been doing that?”  So now if I post there, I will also post here.  It won’t be exactly the same since this is MY blog and I try to be respectful on NatureCoaster.com.

Okay.  And back to my meanderings…..

Headed to the SUITCASE PARTY tonight.  This is TOO much fun.  We have rented a van and taking ten people.  Yes, there is a designated driver!  And he won’t even be tempted to drink–because he doesn’t!

If you happen to be lucky enough to be my friend on FB, you know that last weekend we went to Tampa. It was a double celebration.  Terry’s birthday and our anniversary.  We lived in Tampa for many years and downtown was dead after 5 pm on Friday evening.  Not so now!  Something going on every minute.  Met up with the Tampa kids for drinks and then dinner.

And some cool snaps from our visit…

And on to local news…..

The Homosassa Civic Club is revving up for the 44th Annual Homosassa Arts, Crafts, and Seafood Festival on November 10th and 11th. Terry and I have been involved in the festival for four years now.  Terry’s been chairman for three.  Every year it gets a little better and a lot more organized.  The festival is already sold out on artists, crafters, and food vendors!  I turned my entertainment chairperson job over to a PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN who is doing it as a volunteer.  We will have the best music program ever!

(maybe next year I can get a professional web design person to do the web site as a volunteer!)

Three years ago I was approached by a long time Homosassa resident that complained that the festival was no longer a family event.  And from that conversation we started the “kid zone”.  Every year it has gotten a little bit bigger and a little bit better.  Jessica MacRae and Sami Strait—teachers in the Citrus County School District and Key Club advisors—are the chairpeople for the kid zone.  Most of the booths and activities are free—sponsored by the Homosassa Civic Club.  There will be a few paid booths.  One will be face painting by the Lecanto High School honor students.  And they will be charging $3 – $5 and the money goes back to their program. Win-Win!

If you don’t like crowds or looking for parking, come Sunday morning—the 11th.  This is the slowest time of the festival.  The artists, crafters and food vendors will be there, along with entertainment, but people seem to like to sleep in on Sunday.  Or maybe they are going to church.  Who knows???

Have a great weekend!  Terry tells me that a cool front is coming in soon.

Ha!

Kathy

It’s been a loooong hot summer and fall. Compounded for me by having stress fractures in my left foot. But they are healing—slowly!

But all is good. I’m out and about plus we escaped the wrath of Hurricane Michael and perhaps a little less humid weather has moved in. (or perhaps not!)

This is the best time of the year on the Nature Coast.  Because of the return of temperate weather, every weekend there is at least one or two festivals or events to attend.  Way too many for us to get to all of them, but there are three that my husband and I do not miss.

The first is this Friday, October 19th–the Suitcase Party. This will be our third year attending. So much fun and for a great cause. This event benefits the Boys and Girls Club of Citrus County. The party is at the hangar at the Inverness Airport and every year there is a different theme–this year it is “Honoring Our Veterans”. Along with music, drinks, entertainment, and food, there will be five vacation trips given away! This fun time is for adults only and you can buy your tickets at www.citrussuitcaseparty.com.

On November 3rd we’ll be at the Blues-n-Bar’B Que at the Museum Cafe in Old Homosassa. Great music, yummy food, and it’s outdoors under a beautiful Live Oak canopy. The Nature Coast Friends of Blues put this event on every year and their goal is helping children in Citrus County. This year’s entertainment will be provided by Marquis Knox, Sarasota Slim, Al Coffee & Da Grind, and the Cool Corporate Cats. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door. You may also purchase them directly at The Museum Cafe. Delicious bar’b que and other food and drinks are available on the premises.

Next up is the Homosassa Arts, Crafts, and Seafood Festival on November 10^th and 11^th. The two day event is always the second weekend of November and this is the 44th year! There will be judged art, true crafts, seafood and other tasty treats, and an expanded kids zone along with non-stop music. The proceeds benefit our local community. My husband, Terry Green, is the chairperson so we’ll both be there in our orange volunteer shirts! I’ll tell you more details about the festival as the time gets closer but you can check out the website for additional info.

We have a busy six weeks coming up! Hope you join us for all of these worthy causes!

Last Friday I had no idea that Florida had a hurricane on the way.

And then there it was!

Usually we perch in front of the TV for at least 10 days and watch the slow and destructive approach.

Not this time.  We were a wee bit oblivious since we are crazy busy right now with working on the festival.  But Monday evening we started getting calls from the Sheriff’s department.  We were in the mandatory evacuation zone.  Get out.  Get out now.  Our house phone got at least 6 calls.  One after the other.  Our cell phones got numerous calls. Several Text messages.  Two emails.

12 foot storm surge.  Get out now! Mandatory evacuation.

Meanwhile we turned on the TV and saw our favorite weather guy say 4 to 6 feet. Our house is at 8 feet.  We have a generator.  Several jars of peanut butter.  I filled up all of our containers with water.  We can use the pool water to flush the toilet.

We did not evacuate.  Nor did many of our neighbors. And we probably got a 2 foot storm surge.

Streets were flooded.

If I was in Panama City watching the news reports and knew that there was a Cat 4 on it’s way, I would have also been on my way.

So I guess my point is.  This should have been a “voluntary evacuation”.   We have lived in the south since 1982.  We know about hurricanes. Most of the full time residents here also know about hurricanes.  If I lived in a mobile home or RV, I would have voluntarily evacuated. My neighbors that live in modular homes left.  My neighbors that have houses that are built high and sturdy stayed.

And here we are at the highest high tide.

The floating kayak dock on the left is a whole lot higher than the stationary dock with the boat.  (Those sand trails are not from moles, we just put a new irrigation system in! Part of the whole pool construction progress that will probably extend until next year!)

We didn’t even get any yard debris.  Nor enough rain to water my plants that are in pots. And didn’t lose power anywhere in Old Homosassa! Thank you to WREC and Duke energy!

Also thank you to all the Sheriff’s Deputies that patrolled Old Homosassa.

Okay.  Getting off of my soap box.

My heart goes out to all those in Hurricane Michael’s path.  The devastation is unbelievable.

Kathy

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