Bits and Pieces – Page 72

Friday Meanderings

January 23, 2015January 23, 2015 by KTgreen

I have so much to ramble on about today!

First I have to report that some loser knocked down the neighborhood roosters. So sad.

Roosters

If you haven’t seen them in person, these guys are big.

Me and Maggie by the first rooster after it magically appeared overnight. This was a few years ago–we’re so young! My hair hadn’t suddenly turned gray!

This isn’t the first time that someone has tried to knock them over. But this time they not only got the roosters but several mailboxes and a few street signs. Why?

Jerks.

Good news! I have heard from a reliable source that the roosters will be returned to their former glory. Soon. With some extra reinforcement. Since its always been kind of magical when the roosters appear, I can only hope that I’ll see the process and get pictures!

Yay!

Next important report, it’s Lu’s birthday on Monday. He’ll be 55! Two birthday cakes will be served. According to the Tampa Bay Times, 10 am and 12:30. A great photo op. Hope I can make it.

Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park — Lu the Hippo

The Acoustic Music Meet-Up Group also meets Monday from 2 to 4 at the Coastal Regions/Crystal River Library. All acoustic musicians are welcome along with singers. Or if you just want to sit and listen, that’s fine, too. Since our northern friends have returned, we have a bigger group. And another banjo!

I posted about Ozello on January 12th. Love Ozello and was a bit surprised about all those signs that were warning us to slow down on every curve. It turns out, they were just putting up those signs as we happened on them. There’s been a huge outcry from locals and people that just love Ozello. The state claims that they were installing them because there were so many accidents on the road. The locals say that drivers already know how curvy the road is and the signs are ruining the scenic drive. Some of the signs are coming down! We’ll wait a bit and take another drive out there to see what we can see.

Happy to have Michelle back and posting. She mentioned this week that my blog has changed from its original “healthy living” format. Gotta agree. I’m more focused on local issues. Terry and I are becoming more involved in our community and that’s what this blog is reflecting. Whatever Michelle decides to post on Wednesday is okay with me. I’m looking forward to reading her clever updates!

And now fun weekend events that we’ll be attending….

The first concert for the year will be held at the Old Homosassa Printing Museum and Café. Starts at 1 pm on Saturday and will include a Celebration of Life for Susan Mitchell. According to the Citrus Chronicle, Ms. Mitchell “founded the Nature Coast Friends of the Blues to keep blues music in Citrus County alive after the annual Blues ‘n Bar-B-Que in Old Homosassa was in danger of ending.” She passed in December from ALS at the age of 59.

Sunday the Friends of the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Complex meets at the 1st United Methodist Church on Bradshaw for their annual meeting from 2 – 4. After the business meeting, Chris Anastasiou, Ph. D, chief scientist and the leader of the Springs Team of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFMD) will be the featured speaker. Last year the meeting was quite interesting. John Moran, a Florida photographer, was the guest speaker and State Senator Charlie Dean also talked about how he was a “lobbyist” to save the water. Hoping the Senator will return and give us an update.

Ross Knudsen and John Moran — Ross Knudsen, president of the Friends of the Crystal River, and John Moran, photographer.

So that’s what we are up to!

Have a great weekend!

Kathy

Friday!

January 18, 2015January 16, 2015 by KTgreen

Michelle, Connie and I are off treasure-hunting at Renninger’s Antique and Collectibles Extravaganza today! (I just love saying that word–ExtravaGANZA! That’s what I want my life to be–an extravaGANZA!)

We usually do this event once a season but here we are stepping out of our boundaries! We didn’t decide to actually go until this week so that’s really last minute for us. Because we are planners. And very busy people.

I didn’t feel like we got to see everything last time. We were kind of wandering. Should we have a plan so we hit every booth and building?

Nah!

Wandering is good!

Treasure Hunting 2014 at Renninger's Antique and Collectibles Extravaganza in Mount Dora — My treasures from our last outing–piano stool, crocheted snowflakes, and a really old phone. Still haven’t refinished that piano stool. But my coffee sits on it every morning while I peruse the newspaper in our family room. I thought we could rewire the phone but it might be beyond the “point of no return”. Meanwhile it looks great as a book end on my book case. The lovely cake pedestal is used every day holding fruit.

the front — Here’s one of the snowflakes! The other joined crystal snowflakes in my piano room for the holidays.

I’m not really searching for anything in my treasure hunt but I’m sure something will jump out and grab my eye. And my wallet.

Gonna get on my soap box a bit here. I live way out and the shopping choices are limited. I know–it’s totally my choice to live here. And I love it. Love Publix and get all my groceries there. Besides that we have Walmart. And it’s a very nice Walmart. And we have a lot of local people that are employed there. Plus the company does give back to the community. But if I want anything that Publix or Walmart can’t provide I drive to Spring Hill which is about 35 to 45 minutes away. Not a big deal. There is a Jo-annes Fabric there. I dropped my rotary cutter (which is indispensable to sewist) and it was bent. I needed a new one. I couldn’t order it online because I NEEDED IT NOW! I stood in line at Jo-annes almost 20 minutes. Really? I wasn’t even getting fabric cut. I am all about supporting local businesses. But really. If you are having a sale. And all businesses in the area know that we have a huge influx of shoppers in the winter, wouldn’t you have at least two cashiers? And that’s why I order my fabric and other sewing basics online. Stepping off the soap box now.

This weekend is the annual Manatee Festival in Crystal River. $4.00. Which includes a free bus ride to Three Sisters Springs. And there will be manatees there. If you haven’t been to the spring this is the perfect opportunity to check it out.

With apologies to my northern friends, it will be a beautiful weekend here in Florida, I hope you enjoy it!

Some more of my ramblings….

January 9, 2015January 9, 2015 by KTgreen

Happy Friday!

I apologize to all my northern friends and relatives before I even start whining cause I know that we just got the tip of the iceberg but it was cold here yesterday! And windy.

I went out long enough to get the mail, feed the birds, and fill up the bird baths. Speaking of….

If you look at my Project 365 photos, you already saw this pic.

Every winter we get invaded by robins. Yeah, they are a sign of spring in the north, but here the arrival of 10,000 robins mean lots of bird poo and I have to fill up the bird baths a couple times a day.

Okay, you’re thinking if it’s such a hardship, just let them go empty. But no, those birds depend on me. I put those bird baths out there and those robins are very very thirsty. On those extremely rare mornings that the bird baths freeze over, I put hot water in them so they’ll thaw. I have an awesome responsibility. Those robins need to get north so they can be the sign of spring in a few months! To give hope to my northern friends!

Since I spent 98% of the day inside of the house yesterday, I started on some projects. Unfortunately, perhaps too many projects to finish in one day (or maybe I got distracted and watched a movie instead) and now three rooms have experienced major explosions of stuff and can’t be walked through safely. We can only hope it’s cold again today so I can attempt to get the debris contained.

I searched the paper for things to do this weekend and I got nothing. Okay, there are things to do, there always is. Just nothing I want to do. But I’ll find something, otherwise I’ll be stuck here in the house cleaning up all these messes.

Hope you have a great weekend!