Bits and Pieces – Page 13

Old Homosassa in July……

July 21, 2017 by KTgreen

and August….. and even September…..

Okay, if you follow me on Naturecoaster.com, you’ve already read something about this.

But, I cleaned it up for Naturecoaster. None of my pithy comments or wry personal observations.

There are a couple of big draws back here for visitors to Old Homosassa. (besides the Freezer, of course.)

The first is manatee season. No, you can’t catch and eat a manatee. But we do get a lot of tourists back here in the winter that want to swim with the manatees. Or kayak with them. Or touch them. Or ride them. (both of those last two are illegal)

And the other big event is scallop season.

Such a fun time in Old Homosassa for all those that get out into the Gulf and scoop those future delicious morsels out of the sea grass.

Also a boon for our local businesses which is a very good thing for Old Homosassa because they are owned by our friends and neighbors who in turn employ people from our community. No chain restaurants or stores in Old Homosassa!

But everything isn’t sunshine and roses for the local residents.

This pic is from a traffic back up last year. All the way back to the Homosassa Elementary School. This year at 7:30 in the morning on opening day, traffic was backed up all the way to Kevin Jenkins art studio. And vehicles were driving in the wrong lane to get around the jam while other vehicles were heading out of Homosassa. Very scary.

Several years ago Citrus County started having employees from the Parks and Recreation department direct traffic at the county boat ramp in Old Homosassa on the weekends. This alleviated a lot of the congestion and some of the arguing at the boat ramp as visitors attempted to put their boats into the river or pull them out. Kind of made it boring for Terry and I because we used to bike down there on Saturday mornings just to watch the launch battles!

But there were still too many trucks and trailers to park in the county parking lot. A few businesses and several home owners with large yards allow trucks and trailers to park for a fee.

But still, not enough parking on any Saturday during scallop season.

This is supposed to be a two-lane road. Not during scallop season! Wondering how a fire truck would maneuver around these obstacles plus dealing with oncoming traffic if there was an emergency.

And if the fire truck got through? The fire hydrant is blocked! Along with the gates into the elementary school. And they are parked on our SIDEWALK! We don’t have many and they aren’t supposed to be used as a parking lot!

Here’s another one on the sidewalk.

Note the “No Parking Here to Corner”. The corner is where that stop sign is. Two boats and trailers!

The board of directors of the Homosassa Civic Club decided that it was time to come up with a solution for this ongoing problem. After talking with owners of some of the local businesses and a meeting with Sheriff Prendergast, the board decided that part of the civic club property could be used for parking.

Our first youth group benefiting from helping out with the parking is the “Unstoppable Student Ministries” from the First Baptist Church of Homosassa. This Saturday will be their third time–they are raising funds to go to camp next year! They should already be pretty close to their goal!

Terry and I worked the parking lot on one Sunday. One guy, in his $40,000 truck and $30,000 boat objected very loudly to paying $10 to park so went and parked at the school in front of the fire hydrant. Really.

Streets clear, local youth groups earning money for their causes, and the smart scallopers won’t be getting tickets!

Win-Win-Win!

Friday Meanderings

July 14, 2017 by KTgreen

It’s Friday! Yippee!

I know, I’ve said this many times, but even though I haven’t actually had a real job at a real desk since 1999, Friday is still the BEST!

(Oh, wait, Sunday is the BEST! Same concept, though. When I worked and actually made money, Sunday was our downtime. Read that big paper. Have a Bloody Mary with brunch. Take a nap. Maybe play 9 holes of golf.)

So Friday is second best. (And I’m still stuck on that whole job agenda. I get up every morning at the crack of dawn and am at my computer by 8 am!)

No matter how long it has been since I had a job, Friday is still HAPPY HOUR! And back when I made a paycheck, the very best Friday was when we could get the boss to go to lunch with us and it turned into early happy hour. Seriously. How lucky was I to have a boss like that. Right?

But now I’m my own boss and I can have happy hour any old time.

But I don’t because I volunteer and people would call me a barfly. (ok, that’s an inside joke)

And I love it. I truly believe that Terry and I are making a difference in our community. Along with a whole lot of other people that I can not even list here. OMG. So many have stepped forward.

And with all that hoo-haw, gotta say all that volunteering and trying to change things around is now my priority. (This little blog definitely is low on the list although I continue…..)

Sorry, those few people that still read. (Donna and Jessica)

I love to write and I love to make statements but I’ve been “re-prioritized”. I didn’t even post for the NatureCoaster.com the last few weeks. (Sorry Diane) And I really have a LOT TO SAY!

And I think I’ll start saying it right here.

There is a person out there that has issues. And this person has done a lot to cause problems in our little community. This person dwells in mendacity. This person has made fake FB pages and purported them as real. Some of the local residents do not know that these are fake pages and false words. But. We don’t bother responding. Because good and truth and real always wins.

And always will.

The civic club started yoga classes last week. Every Saturday and Wednesday at 10 am. $5.00. Tiffany West is our yogi and she is amazing. Gotta say that I believe the Universe sent us Tiffany. My friend and cohort Laurel and I didn’t even check out one of her classes. Just talked to her and knew she was the real thing. Thank you Universe. She is so amazing that she has offered to teach on Tuesday evenings. (Just gotta get 4 people that don’t need to start drinking before 5:30)

Our sewing workshop continues and has really turned into a fun place to hang out and just talk. I love this time. There’s some sewing going on. Maybe some knitting and crocheting. But it’s just fun to talk. We have an awesome group. Took two of my granddaughters last week–Addison and Kendall–and they made pillows from the donated fabric and supplies. (They also went with me to yoga and did all the poses–such cool kids!)

The Universe has blessed me. I have made so many great friends. I have a wonderful home, a great husband, and a sweet really old dog. Our children inspire me. My grandchildren amaze me.

Have a great weekend!

Kathy

Friday Meanderings

June 16, 2017 by KTgreen

How cute is Maggie? She actually let me take her photo without a biscuit! We rarely let her off of the leash anymore. Being partially blind and almost completely deaf, she can’t see my hand commands and can’t hear those I shout at her. We rode our bikes down to the Cobia Big Fish Tournament with Maggie in the basket.

SO many boats in every size. All waiting for that 7 am count down and “132 you’re good to go” Seriously, that announcer says that 200 times!

The tournament is a lot of fun even if you don’t fish. BBQ on Saturday and fish fry on Sunday. Plus art, t-shirts, and the OHHC booth! It’s turning into a mini-festival!

It was also the end of the Amazing Race Scavenger Hunt! My friends won 1st and 2nd. And I didn’t give them any clues. Seriously, I didn’t know the answers!

Here’s Melinda and Sue, bloody mary’s in hand, running for the finish line. Doesn’t it look like Melinda will win?

But no, the clue said you had to touch the little water tower. Sue saw it first. Can you see the water tower over Sue’s shoulder. Melinda completely missed it!

The third place winner, Teri Reed, gave half of her winnings back to the OHHC. Melinda told me yesterday that her and Sue gave all their winnings back to the community–with drinks at Old Mill!

If you read my posts on NatureCoaster.com, the following info is not new. (You read it, right? Comes out on Thursday!) Just in case you don’t, I’m giving you a little review…..

Way back in April, two groups from Old Homosassa headed to Tallahassee to show support for adding two bills to the state budget for funding. Both groups, “Access to the River” and “Homosassa River Restoration Project” got bills passed and money in the state budget.

Unfortunately, the governor vetoed the money for the restoration project.

Steve Minguy, president of the Homosassa River Restoration Project, is not giving up. In an email to concerned residents, Steve thanked Senator Simpson and Representative Massullo for their support but the group is not waiting for next year to ask for money from the state. They are staying active. He will be setting up a community meeting plus putting together a brochure. In addition, he is looking for a “good grant writer”.

The “Access to the River” group fared better. $850,000 was put in the budget for what is now being called the Homosassa Heritage Park and that made it past the governor’s veto pen! But much more is needed to buy the property.

As a member of the “Access to the River” committee, I attended Citrus County Board of County Commissioner’s meeting Tuesday (June 13) to find out if the park would receive money from the BP Restore Funds. I’ve attended a few of these meetings and there are several projects seeking that money. That meeting put the park at number two, behind the Crystal River Boardwalk project.

I’m disappointed. The commissioners unanimously voted for Crystal River saying that the boardwalk idea has been discussed for 24 years! The chairperson of our group, Roger Cullen, got up to say that Old Homosassa has been trying to get a park on the river for 70 years.

Anyhow, that’s where we are now. I’ll update you as the park progresses–that’s what I’m here for!

On a lighter note, Terry and I went to lunch before the BOCC meeting in downtown Inverness. We planned on going to Deco Cafe which I’ve wrote about before. Closed! What! That doesn’t leave much on that block. Stumpknockers, Coaches, Subway and Motor City Pasta. We went to the later because that was the only place we hadn’t been yet. Terry and I both had paninis. Very Yummy. Unless something new opens up before our next BOCC visit, we will go there again.

Scallop season is almost on us. Again. The influx of scallopers helps our economy but hurts the river. A typical boater comes in, heads out to the Gulf, snorkels for the scallop, head back to the spring and shuck those scallops. After years and years and years of throwing those shells into the springs, the local community groups have gotten together to stop this activity. Yeah, pick up those scallops but throw the shells in the Gulf. Not our river. After asking the county to step in to help stop this activity, Old Homosassa got this sign at the boat ramp.

That wasn’t good enough for our local residents. They banded together and had these signs made.

Local citizens, community groups, and businesses are placing these signs in prominent spots.

I know. You are thinking. I HAD NO IDEA!

Hey. It’s okay. Just don’t do it anymore!

Have a great weekend!

Kathy