Is it over for awhile?

Niagara

toad floater

gully washer

frog strangler

cats and dogs

January events and planning guide

January events and planning guide

 

Free days in national parks: Get our calendar of free days and make a note that Monday, Jan. 20 is Martin Luther King Day and national park admission is free. 

 

Crystal River Manatee Festival, Jan. 18-19, 2020, Crystal River

Orange City Blue Spring Manatee Festival, Jan. 25-26, 2020, Orange City
These manatee festivals are each located near a site where hundreds of manatees gather each winter. Both locations offer a variety of activities, including opportunities to view manatees. Florida Rambler story on two January manatee festivals

 

Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival, Jan. 16-19, 2020, Fellsmere
This funky festival has been happening for 20 years. Food choices start with one frog leg (a frog “pop” on a stick for $3) up to a gator-tail and frog leg dinner for $14. Music, games, down-home goods.

 

Children's Gasparilla Extravaganza, Jan. 18, 2020, Tampa
Kickoff of Gasparilla Days, featuring a children’s parade along Bayshore Boulevard and “piratechnic” sea battle commemorating the imaginary invasion of Tampa, which is re-enacted next weekend. Family-friendly and alcohol-free.

Homestead Rodeo, Jan. 24-26, 2020
Homestead rodeo is the southernmost rodeo in the continental United States. You may be surprised to learn that Florida has a rich history of rodeos in its small towns.
    

Images – A Festival of the Arts, Jan. 24-26, 2020, New Smyrna Beach
In 2019, Images presented 234 artists from 28 states and Canada in a waterfront setting. It's a free festival that attracts 45,000.

 

Gasparilla Pirate Fest, Jan. 25-26, 2020, Tampa
Colorful, fully-rigged pirate ship Jose Gasparilla magically appears at the south end of Hillsborough Bay, where the invading Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla are met by a flotilla of pleasure craft. The mock sea battle is followed by a Mardi Gra-like parade.

 

Kumquat Festival, Jan. 25, 2020, Dade City

The historic downtown in Dade City fills with as many as 35,000 people for this free event celebrating the tangy little fruit grown locally. Along with dozens of booths and live entertainment, a highlight is tasting kumquat treats, from kumquat pie to kumquat cookies to kumquat salsa. Free shuttles run from two satellite parking areas --the Pasco County Fairgrounds on State Road 52 and next to Jarrett Ford on US Hwy 301 Truck Route. On the preceding Thursday and Friday, the kumquat growers open their groves and packing houses for tours.

 

Tours of historic Nike missile base in Everglades National Park open for the season. In the middle of Everglades National Park is the best preserved Nike missile base in South Florida, a relic of the Cold War and the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Today it reminds us of those days of John F. Kennedy, fallout shelters and Bob Dylan protest songs. Learn more.

Free Homestead trolley gives you free entrance to Everglades National Park. The trolley runs every winter weekend through April 12, 2020. Riders enter free, saving the $35 park admission.  Learn more.

Planning ahead? Check our calendars of the 75 top festivals and special events  and our calendar of Florida's seafood festivals.  

 

not bright

ALERT The large Russian-owned company (Soul) that makes those “5-Minute Crafts” and “Bright Side” videos in your Facebook feed and on YouTube is also pushing pro-Russia, anti-America  propaganda.
They will collect you as followers and use you at election time.
RMS

for dog people

You may prefer this to Patriot game:

Relax

Try Nature Relaxation Films on Youtube on the TV, many different or if you prefer a blazing fireplace with gentle Xmas tunes.

Full English Breakfast

Imagine its a full English breakfast while you eat your oatmeal.

CV Tag Sales

Hello. there will be a flea market at Cambridge D on Sat Dec 7 and another one at Dover on Dec 14. Hope you can make it. There will be something for everyone. Hope to see you there.

More TV

Florida what!

 Florida snow (or Richardia) growing furiously in the secret wild flower garden, Hastings

3rd CV channel discovered

You knew CV community channels were changed from 63/95 to 590/591, but did you know channel 592 is also alive, go look.

Skeleton Dance

https://youtu.be/m6DMflqHfBI
 or danse Macabre
https://youtu.be/z0glOYQBlSA

Moringa trees

Are there any moringa trees, bushes in CV. They would be a healthy addition. Since they are feathery, not fat focus trees they could be along fence lines and would not be overwhelming. You can eat the leaves, and drumstick pods. Valued by people of the Carribeans, E. Indians, Hispanics .. read up online or utube.

FL October events

October events and planning guide   Our 2019-2020 Harvest Festival Calendar has been updated and now you can find the date of the mushroom festival or the kumquat festival or one of the other interesting celebrations of Florida produce.       Destin Seafood Festival, Harborwalk, Destin, Oct. 4-6, 2019 Festival showcases the fishing fleet, harbor and community. Fresh caught local seafood provided by local food vendors.   Oktoberfest, Oct. 11-13 and 18-20, 2019, 2019. Lantana There are Oktoberfest celebrations all around Florida, but this one is celebrating its 45th year and draws more than 35,000 visitors for live music, dancers, food, beer and entertainment.   Mount Dora Bicycle Festival , Oct. 3-6, 2019, Mount Dora More than 1,000 bicyclists converge and participate in rural rides of varying length. Florida Rambler story on the Mount Dora Bicycle Festival.   Boggy Bayou Mullet Festival, Oct. 19-21, 2019, Niceville This is the 43rd year for this Panhandle seafood event, which has expanded to include handmade arts and crafts, amusement rides and top-notch musical entertainment.   Cedar Key Seafood Festival, Oct. 19-20, 2019, Cedar Key This historic fishing village is one of the nation’s top sources of farm-raised clams. More than 100 arts and crafts exhibits, live music, a parade Saturday morning and, lots of great local seafood.    Key West Fantasy Fest , Oct. 18-27, 2019, Key West Multiple events culminate in the annual elaborate costume parade. The 2019 theme is “In Tune But Off Key.” This is the 40th year for Fantasy Fest in Key West!   Naples Stone Crab Festival, Oct. 25-27, 2019, Naples. Stone crab season opens Oct. 15 and this event, which takes place along Naples' waterways, is a good way to celebrate it.   St. Marks Stone Crab Festival. Oct. 26, 2019, St. Marks Gulfside fishing community serves up fresh, local delicacies, and vendors selling everything from custom jewelry to hand-crafted furniture.    Micanopy Fall Festival, Nov. 2-3, 2019, Micanopy Charming Old Florida town near Gainesville attracts 200 arts and crafts vendors with music under a canopy of live oak trees on a historic main street. Florida Rambler story on Micanopy.

Visit the Bulk Candy Store

Today I went to the Bulk Candy store in west palm beach, they stock old favorites, hard candy, they have an international section, and glittery metal colored bubble gum for wedding favors etc.  The staff are lovely friendly people, it is the purple/yellow bldg.
Open to the public, 561-540-1600, 235 N. Jog Rd, WPB, FL 33413
questions @Bulk Candy Store.com

My history, Around 1958 I worked a summer in Swizzels Matlows candy factory, in an old cotton mill by the canal in New Mills, UK (my great grandfather had a bobbin factory behind that building). The Bulk Candy store had the same Matlows candy that I worked on long ago.You can believe I stocked up. Also triple dipped malted dk choc balls in memory of the choc covered brazils I worked on.

Someone from CV has cleaned out the stock of triple dipped malted milk choc balls!!

Lanny Howe

Lanny you deserve 100s of bouquets for your many kindnesses and thoughtfulness for your old friends in Century Village. you are deeply missed.

Scarecrows

Scorched earth

I really enjoyed the one-table tag sale in Northampton today, bargains, friendly neighbors, too bad UCO/security took down their signs. I'm sure the regular group of tag people would conform to UCO rules. It would be beneficial to many CV'ers.

Items needed on poster Part 1

Categories

thank you, ykw

We are at Level 2 !

Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Activation Levels

Level 1 - Full activation. All lead and support agencies are notified. The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is staffed by Division of Emergency Management (DEM) personnel, the Executive Policy Group (EPG), all Sections and Branches, their staff, as well as State and Federal representatives.

Level 2 - Partial activation. Selected Emergency Operations Center (EOC) staff are notified. The EOC is staffed by Division of Emergency Management (DEM) personnel, appropriate Sections, their staff, and outside agencies as required to meet the operational need of the incident.

 Level 3 - Enhanced Monitoring. The Division of Emergency Management (DEM) transitions to this level for incidents or special events that have the potential for escalation.The County Warning Point (CWP), DEM, and/or other emergency management personnel are actively monitoring the incident/event. Notifications are made to appropriate Division and County personnel and support organizations that may be required to take action as part of their normal responsibilities.

Level 4 - Normal Operations. This is the normal day-to-day operational level for the Division of Emergency Management (DEM) and the County Warning Point (CWP), which are continuously monitoring local, regional, national, and international events, evaluating threats, and analyzing their impact on Palm Beach County. Appropriate Division and County personnel and support organizations are notified and informed through a variety of communication methods based on the urgency required of the incident/event.

Ready, steady

news

August

maxine

Ascochyta leaf blight

What Is It?

Ascochyta leaf blight is a fungal lawn disease that attacks grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, and perennial ryegrass. This disease attacks the blades of the grass and makes them appear bleached or brown. It mainly occurs during the summer when your lawn is already vulnerable to being stressed from the heat and weather conditions.

Why Does It Occur?

Leaf blight comes rather quickly and can spread throughout your lawn easily. You might first notice it after you mow your lawn and the areas where the tire tracks are. This might happen because the tires will pick up spores of the disease and spread them across your lawn to other spots and it appears most noticeable in the spots that are driven over.

  

How Can It Be Fixed?

Luckily, leaf blight does not attack the crown or roots of the grass so the damage looks worse than it actually is. However, the grass is still damaged and you should take action as soon as you notice the disease. Start by using a fungicide on your lawn. This will halt the fungus from spreading further. When the disease stops spreading, the damaged areas will just grow out over time. Make sure you continue mowing and watering by following the proper techniques for each. Keep your lawn mower blades sharp and don’t mow your lawn too short to prevent further stressing your lawn. Don’t water too often because that will also make your lawn more vulnerable to disease. It’s always better to water deeply, but infrequently. A good way to prevent your lawn from becoming vulnerable to leaf blight and other diseases is to keep it maintained well! Follow those proper methods for mowing and watering, and keep your lawn fertilized.

Maintenance Co can do.

Neologisms

Taco Tuesday

No Taco Truck - It is a restaurant in Guitar Center shopping ctr.

Tacos Emanuel www.tacosyantojitosemanuel.com  

Taco Tuesday, 3 for $5.50, yum, watch out for HOT green sauce.

Speak Up

Commissioner

Gregg K. Weiss:

301 North Olive Ave. Suite 1201

West Palm Beach, FL 33401

561-355-2202

Fax: 561-355-6277

Toll Free: 877-930-2202

Bye Bye Banyan

hello concrete, for Hastings

new sun glasses

I wonder if these spoil your vision.  My lovely family in CO.

New shooting sport park

A new shooting sport park is opening later this year in western Palm Beach County, and it will be one of the largest in the state.
The Palm Beach County Shooting Sports Park will open near the main entrance to J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area and Everglades Youth Conservation Center Camp.
The park’s administrative building and restroom have been completed and landscaping will be done this month, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
There have been challenges during construction. The FWC is working through getting contractors to finish a drinking water plant. When construction is done, the 100-yard rifle and handgun ranges will be open on weekends.

While park-goers use those ranges, contractors will be working on other shooting lines and the trap and skeet fields, the FWC said.
When completed, the park will have five rifle and handgun ranges, five Olympic trap fields, six American trap fields, nine skeet fields and a 15-station sporting clays course.

Flagler Museum

https://www.flaglermuseum.us/programs/founders-day free on Wed. 

Founder's Day

Wednesday, June 5, 2019
12:00 - 5:00 pm
Free Admission for all Visitors

Free Museum Days

 

Norton Museum of Art, Saturday, May 18   Free Admission, 11 am - 5 pm    Take a Closer Look, Talk on the work by Keith Haring, "Julia"   May 21, 1 pm & May 24, 6 pm

Free Admission presented by Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation and Damon and Katherine Mezzacappa  Experience what the international art community is buzzing about the new $100 million Norman Foster by this world renown architect expansion is all about.. Get inspired and expand your knowledge of 20th-century contemporary masters,  attend a free talk on the work of Keith Haring by Norton Museum staff on Tuesday, May 21 or May 24th.

Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens Delray Beach   Saturday, May 18, 10 am - 5 pm

Spring is in bloom, do not miss a visit to the Japanese Gardens. Join with your friends to Indulge an ancient Japanese tea ceremony "The Way of Tea; Sado Tea Demonstration, Sat. May 18; 12pm; 1:30 pm & 3 pm.  Plan to dine at the Pan-Asian inspired museum's  Cornell Cafe.

Hurricane etc. Alerts

Sign up for PBC alert notifications
https://member.everbridge.net/index/892807736726195#/signup

Scammers May Be Using DNA Testing to Defraud Medicare and Steal Identities

State authorities warn that DNA testers have targeted poor neighborhoods and senior communities.

Authorities in several states are warning about an alleged scam in which people visit senior-living communities and low-income neighborhoods, offering to perform DNA tests and collecting information from people in government health programs.  The alleged DNA-testing scams appear to be a new twist on an old tactic, in which people are tricked into giving away personal information or participating in medical services they don’t need. Perpetrators of such schemes can bill the government for unneeded medical tests and procedures, or use the information they collect — such as Medicare and Medicaid identification data — to commit identity theft and fraud.

more https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-17/scam-dna-tests-may-be-new-target-for-health-fraud-states-warn

Let's dance

Remarkable photo, as far as we know there are none of these bugs in CV.

SIngle use plastic free pledge WPB

Fishing and ..

April events thx to FloridaRambler.com   License-free freshwater fishing.April 6-7 Got a fishing pole ? Bring it out this weekend, when you don't need a license for freshwater fishing in Florida.   Sebring Soda Festival, April 6-7, Sebring Celebration of craft sodas with opportunities to sample hundreds of flavors from around the country.     Delray Affair, April 12-14, 2019, Delray Beach The Delray Affair fills 12 palm-tree-lined downtown city blocks with art, crafts, music and family fun. This event is celebrating 55 years and boasts that it is the largest arts and craft festival in the Southeast United States. Florida Rambler story on things to do in Delray Beach   Venice Shark Tooth Festival, April 12-14, 2019, Venice This multifaceted festival celebrates Venice as the "Shark's Tooth Capital of the World" because of the millions of shark teeth that wash up on its beaches. There’s art, music, kids activities and prehistoric fossils on display and for sale. Florida Rambler story on Venice Shark's Tooth Festival   Fairchild Gardens Spring Garden Festival & Annual Spring Plant Sale, April 13-14, 2019, Miami One of the world's great botanical gardens adds local foods and vendors for this popular event.   Pompano Beach Seafood Festival, April 26-28, 2019, Pompano Beach This city has completed a beautiful makeover of its beachfront area, including the addition of a stunning parking garage. It creates a perfect beach setting for a festival with three stages of music

Remember Vietnam

Find your way home .. in WPB

Did you remember, what?

Daylight Savings Time

Sunday, March 10 at 2:00 a.m. marks the beginning of Daylight Savings Time. Remember to set your clocks forward one hour.

Would you rather ..

CT

CV

CV

Politically Correct

I think sports fans will get a kick out of this letter written to the Chicago Tribune.... Enjoy!

No matter which side you are on in the matter of renaming the Washington Redskins, this is funny. This guy is hilarious...

Here is an e-mail sent to Clarence Page of the Chicago Tribune after an article he published concerning a name change for the Washington Redskins.
 
Dear Mr. Page:  I agree with our Native American population.

I am highly insulted by the racially charged name of the Washington Redskins. One might argue that to name a professional football team after Native Americans would exalt them as fine warriors, but nay, nay. We must be careful not to offend, and in the spirit of political correctness and courtesy, we must move forward.
 
Let's ditch the Kansas City Chiefs, the Atlanta Braves and the Cleveland Indians.  If your shorts are in a wad because of the reference the name Redskins makes to skin color, then we need to get rid of the Cleveland Browns.
 
The Carolina Panthers obviously were named to keep the memory of militant Blacks from the 60's alive. Gone. It's offensive to us white folk.
 
The New York Yankees offend the Southern population. Do you see a team named for the Confederacy? No! There is no room for any reference to that tragic war that cost this country so many young men's lives.

I am also offended by the blatant references to the Catholic religion among our sports team names. Totally inappropriate to have the New Orleans Saints, the Los Angeles Angels or the San Diego Padres.

Then there are the team names that glorify criminals who raped and pillaged.We are talking about the horrible Oakland Raiders, the Minnesota Vikings, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Pittsburgh Pirates!

 

Now, let us address those teams that clearly send the wrong message to our children. The San Diego Chargers promote irresponsible fighting or even spending habits. Wrong message to our children.
The New York Giants and the San Francisco Giants promote obesity, a growing childhood epidemic. Wrong message to our children.

The Cincinnati Reds promote downers/barbiturates.  Wrong message to our children.
The Milwaukee Brewers.  Well that goes without saying.  Wrong message to our children.  

the rest is REDACTED :-)

Forget the Nursing Home

Check into a Holiday Inn, thx to J Karp
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6743907/Man-says-hell-spend-golden-years-Holiday-Inn-not-nursing-home.html

ABB Customer Service

'As of 2/22, fewer than half of Century Village unit owners have signed up for Atlantic Broadband cable television service. With only three months left until our contract with Comcast ends, unit owners are urged to contact ABB Customer Service and make appointments for installation of new equipment. Appointments can be made by emailing Danny Gonzalez, ABB Customer Service Manager for Century Village, at egonzalez1@atlanticbb.com'. LCAM

Several neighbors have found this number very easy 844-489-7509 to set up service.

Its loquat time

American bravery recognized by thousands in UK

I went to school in Sheffield, impressive to see the memories.

A touching event in Sheffield, UK this week.  In 1944 an american B17 bomber plane crashed in Endcliffe Park with the loss of all 10 flight crew. The plane had been on a raid  to Denmark but had been severely damaged by Nazi enemy fighters and had limped back to the UK.  It had hoped to get back to its base in Suffolk  but eventually had to descend through the clouds and found itself  100 miles adrift, over Sheffield.  The park has a large grassy area but in coming down the crew realised that there were children playing there so they tried waving to the children for them to move. The children thought the waving was just for them and they waved back. Eventually, the pilot put the plane into an embankment at one side of the park and all crew perished.

 In 1959 a small memorial was built on the site of the crash and for many years one man (Tony Faulds-- who was one of the children at the time of the crash) has tended it, particularly because of guilt feelings he had. A couple of months ago Tony started to raise the wish that the 75th anniversary of the crash should be marked by a fly-past  and gradually this gained momentum, with the UK-based american airforces  agreeing. This took place and was impressive. Thousands of people turned out to watch it and it dominated BBC TV news broadcasting at the time.

The flypast concluded with a pack of 4  F15 fighters flying in formation with one  climbing vertically and doing a complete roll.

A search on Google looking for the event in Sheffield/Endcliffe Park/ flyover should find info if you want to look further and see video. The plane was named  Mi Amigo.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1090758/sheffield-flypast-mapped-where-to-see-raf-75-anniversary-flypast-Mi-Amigo

About your neighboors from Montréal in the NYT

The New York Times published an interesting and funny paper about the French from France in Montréal. It can help some to know your neighboors better. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/19/world/canada/montreal-quebec-french-in-canada.html