Uncategorized

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

---

 

Went out on the boat on Labor Day.  With Terry and Darin.  Saw an eagle!

Took the boat to Two Pop’s Sandwich Shop. Deep in the Heart of Old Homosassa.  Run by two Old Homosassasians.  I’ve been there three times now.  I think they’ve been open about 3 weeks! Yum.

I did not comment on FB about the baby back ribs we had.  They were wonderful.  Found out that Paul was anxiously waiting for my comment on FB and thought I didn’t like them.  Whoops.  I will comment in the future!  They were great!

It takes about 8 minutes to get there by golf cart, 3 minutes in the car, 45 minutes by boat. It’s about the journey not the destination!  When we got there Commissioner Jeff Kinnard was waiting for his breakfast sandwich and shortly after we ordered our friends Rosey and Clyde walked in.  Restaurateurs Lynn and Paul came out to join us.  Just a fun morning that we couldn’t have planned!

I don’t know why, but these were in the trees on the canal right behind River Safaris.

What???

Okay.  I want to clarify the whole dress code thing for wearing white after Labor Day that I posted last week.

I did some research.  Yes.  You can wear white after Labor Day.  Even though my mother, who was a fashionista, said it was a no-no.  But in my vast delving into the subject (it’s called googling), white is now acceptable.  (Over the decades, I have found that my mother was wrong about a few other things, too.)  So if you took my advice, you may get your white pants, shoes, and hats back out!

But I’m not!  For me Labor Day is just an excuse to put all those white pants, shorts, jeans, and capris away and replace them with plaids, blue denims, and sweatshirts.  Even though it’s still 90 degrees and 100% humidity!

And it’s not cooling down anytime soon.  We are at the height of hurricane season.  Rain everyday.  Not just a passing shower but a deluge. This has been the wettest summer I can remember.

Scalloping season continues until September 24th.  This is the time to get out there.  Kids are in school so there isn’t as much traffic on the river or in the gulf.

The learning center starts its new fall program on Monday.  We are starting off small and are centering the new season on music.  There will be a dance enrichment program, guitar and ukulele lessons.  All free.  We even provide the instruments and all dance supplies!

Okay.  That’s it from me!

Have a great weekend!

Kathy