Local Places and Faces on the Nature Coast of Florida
I had planned on putting some photos of the scalloping crowds and the poker run and other such stuff here today.
But then I looked at my photos of the fireworks I snapped in Old Homosassa.
An then I said to myself,
Self,
Why?
This says it all!
Amazing!
I’m addressing this post to our locals that don’t go back off to their Summer homes in the north.
Cause I’m here to help!
Are you getting company this summer?
Most likely you’ll get somebody stopping by for a few days. Since Citrus County is like 99.9% over the age of 60 and we have a lot of kids, grandkids and great-grandkids wanting to visit us. And friends. Yeah, we have a lot of people that live outside of the sunshine state. And they seem to want to visit in Summer. When it’s 99 degrees with 99% humidity. Cause they have the time off and school is out.
Disney and Sea World and Busch Gardens and Universal are GREAT! But they are all about 1 1/2 hours away and WAY expensive. Your guests will want to spend a few days there. And then they are going to come back and want to be entertained.
So let’s look around us and find some inexpensive local fun.
Like Alpaca Magic USA.
Open EVERY DAY from 10 – 2.
And they have so much more than Alpacas.
Although I have to say that Alpacas would be enough for me.
Besides those adorable Alpacas, there are cats….
Chickens….
A butterfly house….
And so many beautiful and healthy plants.
While Piper and I were there I picked up a vine to embrace the fence and some parsley for the swallowtail butterflies. The vine is already twining around and making itself at home, waiting for the swallowtails to find the parsley.
We went into the Alpaca store and watched a demo of turning alpaca fur into yarn.
Piper wanted to see the Alpacas one last time.
Alpaca Magic USA is a unique place and the owners are so friendly and eager to show you the farm and shop. Piper loved it.
I have more places to show you. Not always free but not Disney-esqe pricing. I’ve had lots of company over the years and we’ve done our best to find fun and unique places to show our guests.
I’ll have another spot to share with you next week!
I’ve been hither and thither and yon over the past three weeks.
Off to Minneapolis to pick up our sweet granddaughter Piper.
Then two weeks of kid entertainment. SO MUCH FUN!
And then back to the airport to return Piper to Mandan, North Dakota.
Because her parents wanted her back. Sheesh.
I got to spend a couple of days in the lovely cool mornings and evenings of ND and enjoying the company of grandkids Riley, Piper and Adley. Such cool kids.
Then back to Tampa and Homosassa and a meeting. It was an important one or I would have said “tooooo tired”.
But there I was.
With about 100 hundred other concerned Homosassa residents.
The Coast Guard was there. Giving a presentation. Yeah it was all PowerPoint.
Here’s some very concerned Coast Guard guys.
And some county guys.
And a rep from FWC.
Oh yeah, if you live in Homosassa or use the River, you need to complete this survey. By the end of June. It’s very IMPORTANT to get your views counted.
The audience was invited to participate and the Coast Guard went from table to table and recorded the questions, comments, and statements.
Mostly we need better signage on the Homosassa River and all of those boaters just needs to SLOW DOWN!
So after arriving on the airplane and attending the really important meeting, you would think that I would get a break. Right?
Nope.
I am running for Seat One for the Homosassa Special Water District.
I know, crazy, right? Aren’t I busy enough? Aren’t I retired and shouldn’t I just be enjoying my old age?
Nope.
I had to go to the elections office and sign up and then attend a meeting of the Homosassa Special Water District and introduce myself.
So tired.
What’s going on this weekend?
Hey, it’s FATHER’S DAY. Go spend the weekend with your dad! Or someone’s dad.
Next weekend it’s the Homosassa Fireworks Festival. The Old Homosassa Heritage Council will have a booth at MacRae’s. We’ll have our new 2016 T-Shirt. The design is very cool and created by our own very important member and graphic designer, Laurel Williford. And we have coozies, too! And, of course, golf cart raffle tickets.
Following that fun, the Mullet Toss is on July 9th at the Old Mill Tavern. The proceeds go to support the Homosassa Elementary School. This will be the BEST YEAR EVER!
And on July 11th, we will have the rescheduled “Meet and Greet” with Senators Charlie Dean and Wilton Simpson. Come on out and meet your senators. We’ll have wine, beer, and appetizers too! Fun!
And if we have another tropical storm or hurricane on July 11th, I will accept that a higher power thinks that a “meet and greet” is just not necessary.
I think that’s it!
Have a Great Weekend!
Kathy