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naturecoaster · 2 months ago

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The 2024 Monarch Butterfly Festival Promises Free Family Fun Oct. 26 in Dade City, Florida

The Dade City Garden Club and The City of Dade City are proud to present the 2024 Monarch Butterfly Festival on Saturday, October 26, 2024, from 10 am to 4 pm in the newly renovated Touchton Park. Bigger and better than ever, this community celebration is back with festivities flowing out from the park into the gardens of the Dade City Garden Club! More good news is that the Jolley Trolley is coming back to town! Visitors will be able to park downtown and hop on the FREE trolley to the Festival from 9:30 am to 4 pm, thanks to the generous support of Community Foundation Tampa Bay. One pick-up/drop-off location will be adjacent to the Robert B. Sumner Judicial Center at 38033 Live Oak Avenue and the other location at the Dade City Heritage Museum and Welcome Center at 37800 Church Avenue. Parking is available in City and county-owned lots and many other areas around the downtown. Free Family Fun at the Dade City Monarch Butterfly Festival Oct. 26 A variety of free family fun is planned throughout the day. The Festival will feature a stunning plant sale and an eclectic vendor market that will satisfy any shopper’s taste. Image courtesy of Dade City Garden Club. Created in 2019 as a celebration of the City’s commitment to becoming a Monarch City USA, the Festival will feature a stunning plant sale and an eclectic vendor market that will satisfy any shopper’s taste; environmental educators, informational booths, and presentations to inspire and motivate; and an interactive Kids’ Zone with arts and crafts and games presented in cooperation with Pasco County Hugh Embry Library. Also in the Kids’ Zone located on garden club grounds will be the Monarch Marvels, this year’s newly launched youth program taking center stage as Ambassadors of the Monarch Project, along with strolling entertainment and face painting by GiGi and Friends and Sky High Stilt Walking with Rebecca. Visitors will be able to view live displays of butterflies, caterpillars, and chrysalis while learning about the life cycle of the butterfly, presented by the Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation. Art is Part of the 2024 Monarch Butterfly Festival - NatureCoaster.com and Traveling Art Parties offer Mini Butterfly Painting Activity For 2024's Festival, Traveling Art Parties is joining NatureCoaster.com to offer mini canvas painting. Image by Dennis Bedard. A colorful feature at the Festival will be the opportunity for visitors to take a hand at painting a mini canvas offered by our media sponsor, NatureCoaster.com and Traveling Art Parties. A new feature honoring the inauguration of the new Touchton Park will be a glimpse of art popping up in unexpected places throughout the Festival as artists paint under the trees or bring a Monarch to life by creating a mural while festival goers watch, all courtesy of Dade City Center for the Arts. Visitors won’t want to miss taking advantage of great photo shoot opportunities at the Monarch Butterfly Festival Photo Booth, a popular tradition of the Festival since 2019. And no one will want to miss the delicious treats offered along the way. Photo ops abound at the Dade City Monarch Butterfly Festival. Learn About Pollinators, Butterfly Conservation, and Much More Mini-presentations scheduled throughout the day will be held in the Garden Club's air-conditioned building and will include talks about “Native Bees vs. Honeybees”; “Butterfly Conservation”; “Landscaping for Birds” and “The Wonders of His Creations”, a fun-fact photo presentation of birds, butterflies, dragonflies. Community booths staffed by Pasco County Florida Friendly Landscaping, Pasco County Master Gardeners, Pasco County Animal Services, and Pasco County Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources will be on hand to meet with the public and share information, resources, and opportunities to enhance their quality of life. And of course, the highlight of the day—a live butterfly display presented by Anita Camacho and the Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation will be located near the butterfly garden at the garden club. Anita will release all the beautiful butterflies into the gardens at the end of the day. Get Tickets for the Opportunity Drawing to Win a Beautiful Monarch Butterfly Stained Glass Panel The Festival Committee has chosen an exquisite prize for this year's Festival Opportunity Drawing. A Monarch Butterfly stained glass panel was custom designed and handcrafted by Patti Wieclaw, a popular local Dade City artist. Look for more of Patti's beautiful work at the Festival itself, as she is one of the Market’s featured vendors. The price is $2 per ticket or 6 tickets for $10. Proceeds from the drawing help fund the Monarch Butterfly Festival and the educational and environmental mission of the Dade City Monarch Project. Tickets will be on sale at the Festival or before the event by contacting [email protected]. The winner need not be present at the Festival to win. Entertainment and face painting with Gigi and Friends. Image courtesy of the Dade City Garden Club. The Dade City Garden Club and the City of Dade City are grateful for the support of their awesome sponsors: MONARCH LEVEL—Lanky Lassie Shortbread, The Canadian Medstore, San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union, Humana, and Thomas J. Touchton; CHRYSALIS LEVEL— Rocycle and TECO Tampa Electric; CATERPILLAR LEVEL—Jarrett Ford, Meridian Title and Publix; EGG LEVEL—Mona and Dave Goossens, Becky Wolf. Our media sponsors are The Laker News/Lutz and NatureCoaster.com. A very special shout out to our Monarch Butterfly Festival Partner Community Foundation Tampa Bay for their generous grant in support of the Festival. It is because of their grant we were able to bring the Trolley back and launch our new Youth Leadership Program, the Monarch Marvels. For more information, contact [email protected] or visit www.dadecitygardenclub.com. Read the full article

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thegreenman · 5 months ago

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Gardening Presentations

My most recent wildlife gardening talk went pretty well, and I’ve decided to share all of the slides (with videos) of my talks here for anyone interested. These are specifically geared to southeast Florida, zones 10 and 11, but people in nearby regions may find them of some use as well.

I think I’ll just create a new page that lists all the presentations here on my blog and link to that later as time allows.

Wildlife Gardening Presentation

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linneatanner · 1 year ago

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N L Holmes The Moon That Fell from Heaven #Hittites #WomenProtagonists #PoliticalIntrigue #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @nlholmesbooks @cathiedunn

FEATURED AUTHOR: N.L. HOLMES I am pleased to host N. L. Homes again as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between October 30th — November 10th, 2023. She is the author of the Historical fiction, The Moon That Fell from Heaven (Empire at Twilight Series), released by Red Adept Publishing on 26th September 2023 (307 pages) Below are highlights of The Moon That Fell from Heaven, the author bio for N. L. Holmes, and a post about her fascinating research on the Bronze Age port city of Ugarit in northern Syria. Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2023/10/blog-tour-the-moon-that-fell-from-heaven.html HIGHLIGHTS: THE MOON THAT FELL FROM HEAVEN The Moon That Fell from Heaven (Empire at Twilight Series) by N.L. Holmes Blurb: Ehli-nikkalu, eldest daughter of the Hittite emperor, is married to a mere vassal of her father's. But despite her status, her foreignness and inability to produce an heir drive a wedge between her and the court that surrounds her. When her secretary is mysteriously murdered while carrying the emperor a message that would indict the loyalty of his vassal, Ehli-nikkalu adopts the dead man’s orphaned children out of a guilty sense of responsibility. A young cousin she has never met becomes a pretender to the throne and mobilizes roving armies of the poor and dispossessed, which causes the priority of her loyalties to become even more suspect. However, Ehli-nikkalu discovers a terrible secret that could destabilize the present regime if the pretender ever learns of it. With the help of a kindly scribe, her brave young ward, and an embittered former soldier trapped in debt and self-doubt, Ehli-nikkalu sets out to save the kingdom and prove herself to her father. And along the way, she learns something about love. Buy Links: Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/mdqeeX Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Moon-That-Fell-Heaven-ebook/dp/B0CGP7B5ML/ Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Moon-That-Fell-Heaven-ebook/dp/B0CGP7B5ML/ Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Moon-That-Fell-Heaven-ebook/dp/B0CGP7B5ML/ Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/Moon-That-Fell-Heaven-ebook/dp/B0CGP7B5ML/ Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-moon-that-fell-from-heaven-n-l-holmes/1143996343?ean=9781958231340 Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ww/en/ebook/the-moon-that-fell-from-heaven AUTHOR BIO: N. L. HOLMES N.L. Holmes is the pen name of a professional archaeologist who received her doctorate from Bryn Mawr College. She has excavated in Greece and in Israel and taught ancient history and humanities at the university level for many years. She has always had a passion for books, and in childhood, she and her cousin used to write stories for fun. These days she lives in France with her husband, two cats, geese, and chickens, where she gardens, weaves, dances, and plays the violin Author Links: Website: https://www.nlholmes.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nlholmesbooks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/n-l-holmes/ Twitter: https://www.twitter/nlholmesbooks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/n l.holmes/ Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/nlholmes Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/nlholmesbooks/ Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/n-l-holmes Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/N-L-Holmes/e/B0858H3K7S Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20117057.N_L_Holmes POST: RESEARCH ON UGARIT My research on Ugarit, the mighty midget of the Late Bronze Age, began eleven or twelve years ago when I taught a course at the University of South Florida called Ancient Near Eastern Empires. Its main focus, of course, was the big players like Egypt and the Hittite Empire, but there's no way to understand the dynamics among such polities without looking at border zones like Ugarit. This seaport and caravan terminus in northern Syria (near modern Latakia) wielded disproportionate influence because of its wealth. Sometimes a vassal of Egypt and sometimes of Hatti, they almost singlehandedly provided the navy of their Hittite masters, a landlocked power. Having always been interested, both personally and professionally, in this part of the world—especially the Phoenicians—I had studied Hebrew and Arabic and found the Ugarites, with their closely related Semitic language, a fascinating bunch. My class looked briefly at the culture and art of the place, but then we got into the snippets of diplomatic correspondence that had survived the fiery downfall of the city in the early twelfth century BCE. That's when my eyes really lit up. Modern historians are indebted to the violent end of Ugarit, because the conflagration that spelled a permanent finish to its habitation also baked the clay tablets that made up its archives. Piecemeal and random though they are, they have given us incomparable glimpses into the diplomatic doings of Ugarit and its neighbors near the end of its days. One of the most interesting events, described partially in a number of different fragments, was King Ammishtamru's divorce from his Amurrite queen, a Hittite princess through her mother. What on earth had she done, that such a prestigious princess would be cast off? It turns out there were inklings of sedition... and adultery. At first, she was sent home to neighboring Amurru. But then the king extradited her and had her put to death. Their small son had to relinquish any claim to the succession. This episode provided the main plot of my first novel, The Queen's Dog. When I set The Moon That Fell from Heaven in the same city seventeen years later, it was fun to speculate about where life had moved the survivors. What had become of the dispossessed little prince, for example? A lot of scholarly attention has turned in recent years to the causes of the so-called Sea People event that brought down Ugarit and many other kingdoms of the Bronze Age. It's almost always agreed that the states that didn't survive the collision had internal flawlines already opening: social unrest, dynastic infighting, flailing economies—here they all were in embryo. The Umman-manda were just one group of roaming dispossessed who wandered from the Aegean to the border of Egypt. By disrupting inland caravans upon which Ugarit depended in its luxury trade, half of the city's economy was dumped overboard. Add to that a pretender with a good claim to the throne, and you have radical instability. The happily preserved archives of Ugarit dropped a myriad of hints, bare one-liners, that could add up to a fuller picture of a society close to the edge. Other kinds of details came to me through more purely archaeological finds. For example, I studied the plan of the palace until I knew it like a native. Of course, that was only the ground floor—the upper stories had fallen in. But evidence of an earthquake was there. The garden and its kiosk were there. The court of the royal dead with its dynastic tombs was there, and the porch, and the bridge between the palace and the city wall. All these details gave me the geography of the action. And readers of The Queen's Dog will remember the creepy sewer tunnel under the palace plaza, which really existed and lent itself so wonderfully to a clandestine crossing. So when people ask "How do you start out a novel?", it's an easy answer. With research. Because there, buried in the pile of factoids about the past, are the outlines of everything an author needs: the events, the characters, and the setting. Instagram Handle: @thecoffeepotbookclub Read the full article

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bongaboi · 2 years ago

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Tennessee: 2022 Orange Bowl Champions

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The sixth-ranked Tennessee Volunteers emphatically punctuated a memorable 2022 campaign on Friday night with a New Year's Six bowl victory, taking down No. 7 Clemson 31-14 in the Capital One Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium.

In his second year at the helm of Tennessee football, head coach Josh Heupel guided the Vols (11-2) to their first 11-win season since 2001. Friday's result marked Tennessee's first victory in a "New Year's Six" bowl game (2014-pres.) and first win in the Orange Bowl since defeating Oklahoma in 1939.

Playing 80 miles from his hometown of Pahokee, Florida, quarterback Joe Milton III shined under the bright lights in his fourth start for the Vols. The redshirt senior completed 19-of-28 passes for 251 yards and a career-high tying three touchdowns with no interceptions, and he was named the 2022 Capital One Orange Bowl Most Valuable Player.

Sophomore running back Jaylen Wright led the Vols in the ground game with a game-high 89 yards on 11 carries, while junior Jabari Small toted 13 rushes for 38 yards and his 13th touchdown of the season. The Volunteer receiving corps was paced by freshman slot receiver Squirrel White who cracked the century mark for the second time this season, finishing with a season-high nine catches for 108 yards and a touchdown.

Tennessee's defense reigned supreme in the battle between top-10 squads, and the Vols were led by senior linebacker Aaron Beasley. The Franklin, Georgia, native feasted with a game-high 12 tackles, career-high four tackles for loss and two sacks along with one pass breakup. Redshirt senior linebacker Solon Page III ended his career with a career-best effort, logging 10 tackles to rank second on the team.

The UT secondary got the job done on the back end, with junior defensive backs Tamarion McDonald and Wesley Walker posting one interception each and Doneiko Slaughter logging a career-high three pass breakups.

Tennessee grabbed momentum early after forcing a turnover on downs in the first quarter, halting Clemson's nine-play, 53-yard drive when redshirt junior cornerback Kamal Hadden and Page combined for a stop on a fake field goal rush. The duo stuffed holder Drew Swinney for a two-yard gain on fourth-and-4 to set up a scoring drive for the Big Orange.

Milton orchestrated an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown series off the turnover, culminating with a 16-yard scoring strike to redshirt junior wideout Bru McCoy who made a strong, two-handed grab on contact in the back of the end zone. Redshirt senior Chase McGrath knocked through his 67th PAT of the year, breaking his own school record from last season to give the Vols a 7-0 edge with 5:17 left in the opening stanza.

The Tigers (11-3) had three chances at points early in the first half but were unable to capitalize after three consecutive missed field goals by senior placekicker B.T. Potter. His 55-yard attempt with 3:05 remaining in the first quarter fell harmlessly wide right and short of the goal post before a 49-yard try with 14:08 left in the second quarter was also pushed wide right. His third kick came from 42 yards and sailed just left of the goal posts, keeping Tennessee's seven-point lead intact with 10:15 to go in the half.

Tennessee quickly doubled its lead after the third kicking miscue, using 1:12 of game clock for a five-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to go ahead by 14 with 9:03 left in the second period. Milton completed four-straight passes on the drive, including a 50-yard deep ball to White that set up junior running back Jabari Small's two-yard scoring plunge.

Small improved his season total to 13 rushing touchdowns, moving into a tie for sixth in UT single-season history. His 13 scores on the ground are the most by a Vol since Montario Hardesty also had a baker's dozen in 2009.

Potter got Clemson on the board with 5:11 left in the first half, hooking his fourth field goal try of the night from 31 yards just inside the left post. Neither side scored for the rest of the period, and the Vols headed to the halftime locker room with a 14-3 lead over the Tigers.

After receiving the kickoff out of halftime, the Tigers doubled their point total when Potter's 40-yard field goal sailed between the uprights with 10:57 remaining in the third quarter. The kick capped a methodical, 10-play, 45-yard drive for Clemson to cut its deficit to eight points, 14-6.

Tennessee's offense stalled on the next two drives before Clemson marched into Volunteer territory. The Big Orange defense held up once again when linebackers Beasley and Juwan Mitchell stopped Tiger running back Will Shipley on fourth-and-2 to force the game's second turnover on downs with 1:27 left in the third.

The UT offense responded with another quick touchdown series, going 70 yards in four plays in 1:22 of game time. Wright broke off runs of nine, 42 and five yards before Milton's second touchdown toss found White in the middle of the checkerboard-painted endzone. The 14-yard throw vaulted Tennessee's lead to 21-6 with five seconds remaining in the third.

Clemson quickly narrowed the deficit with its first touchdown of the night when quarterback Cade Klubnik ran four yards into the endzone on a read option—capping a 12-play, 71-yard drive for the Tigers. Shipley broke through the middle on the two-point conversion to make it a 21-14 Tennessee lead with 10:01 left in regulation.

Milton put the game on ice midway through the fourth quarter on the ensuing drive, connecting with Keyton on a wide open deep ball down the right sideline for a 46-yard touchdown that put Tennessee ahead by two touchdowns. McGrath's program record 70th made PAT doubled up the Vols over the Tigers, 28-14, with 8:34 left in the contest.

Tennessee's attacking, staggering defense posted the game's first takeaway on Clemson's next drive to all but seal the win as junior defensive back Tamarion McDonald leaped in the air and nabbed his third career interception. McGrath put the finishing touches on the victory, knocking his final career field goal attempt from 32 yards between the uprights for the final score, 31-14.

Clemson threatened a late touchdown when Klubnik heaved his 54th pass attempt into the endzone, but redshirt junior Wesley Walker grabbed his first career interception to leave no doubt. Three Milton kneel downs ended the game and the Vols hoisted the Orange Bowl trophy for the first time in 83 years.

The Vols finished the 2022 campaign breaking several single season records, including total points (599), points per game (46.1), total offense (6,832), yards per game (525.5) and passing touchdowns (38) while tying the record for rushing touchdowns (40).

#2022 #tennessee volunteers #bowl season #new year's six #college football #orange bowl

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noaasanctuaries · 5 years ago

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NOAA launches Mission: Iconic Reefs to save Florida Keys coral reefs

The coral reefs at the foot of Florida are legendary, making up a barrier reef that spans more than 255 continuous miles. The reefs are home to lobster, sea turtles, fish, and more, and they have protected the coastline from storm surge for thousands of years. But these coral reefs, like coral reefs across the globe, are in serious trouble.

In recent decades, the coral reefs within Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary have been damaged by hurricanes, bleaching, disease, and heavy human use. The sanctuary and its partners are working diligently to protect the reefs, but our efforts have not been able to keep up with the decline. Now, NOAA and our partners are launching Restoring Seven Iconic Reefs: A Mission to Recover the Coral Reefs of the Florida Keys, one of the largest investments in reef restoration anywhere in the world. By restoring corals at seven iconic reef sites in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, we can change the trajectory of an entire ecosystem and help save one of the world’s most unique areas for future generations.

Why restore?

More than 6,000 species of plants and animals call the Keys home, and many are found on the coral reefs. Recreationally and commercially important fish species shelter and feed on the reefs, as do spiny lobster, sea turtles, and more.

In addition to supporting diverse animal and plant life, the coral reefs of the Keys are important for the survival of human communities throughout this island chain. Structurally, the corals create a barrier between the islands and the open ocean, dissipating wave energy and diminishing the impacts of storms and high tides. And they also form the basis of the Florida Keys economy: 5 million people visit each year – most of whom participate in ocean recreation and enjoy the reefs – contributing $2.4 billion in sales annually. Here, more than one out of every two jobs is connected to the marine ecosystem

But in the last 40 years, healthy coral cover in the Florida Keys reefs has declined more than 90 percent. This decline can’t be blamed on a single cause, but rather a web of interconnected problems. Misplaced boat anchors and ship groundings crush healthy reefs. Pollution makes it difficult for corals to survive, while overfishing damages the fish populations that are necessary to maintain reef health. Storms like 2017’s Hurricane Irma can rip corals from their foundations and smother those that remain with sediment. In recent years, afflictions like stony coral tissue loss disease have killed off huge percentages of once-healthy coral. And if all this wasn’t enough, the coral reefs of the Florida Keys also must contend with climate change: elevated ocean temperatures cause bleaching in corals, which can compromise their health or even kill them.

Seven iconic reefs

“Losing the reef is not an option, but that’s what could happen without action,” says Tom Moore, leader of NOAA’s Coral Reef Restoration Team. This April, NOAA gathered a group of more than 25 researchers, restoration practitioners, and members of state and federal agencies. Together, these experts created a first-of-its-kind restoration strategy that will focus on seven distinct coral reefs within the Keys.

The sites – Carysfort Reef, Horseshoe Reef, Cheeca Rocks, Sombrero Reef, Newfound Harbor, Looe Key Reef, and Eastern Dry Rocks – span the full geographic range of the region, a variety of habitats, and a diversity of human uses. Most crucially, these sites all either have a history of restoration success, or have characteristics that suggest restoration is likely to succeed.

Access regulations to these areas will not change, and the public will still be able to visit these reefs. However, during active restoration, we may temporarily reduce access to allow for the work to be completed efficiently and safely.

This NOAA-led effort is supported by partners at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Coral Restoration Foundation, Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, Florida Aquarium, The Nature Conservancy, Reef Renewal, and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.

How the restoration works

Corals grow slowly, and this coral restoration project will take time. Mission: Iconic Reefs uses several phases to ensure that multiple coral species and other important reef species can be restored over time.

First, we will remove nuisance and invasive species like algae and Palythoa, an invertebrate that grows in thick mats. These species compete with corals for space on the reef and prevent coral larvae from settling and growing. Removing them will let the growing corals avoid expending energy competing for reef space.

Then, Phase 1 of the plan begins. Over the first seven to 10 years of this effort, we and our partners will outplant a variety of coral species. Elkhorn corals will be outplanted first: these corals grow relatively quickly and are not susceptible to stony coral tissue loss disease. As soon as they are planted, the elkhorn corals will create habitat for other animals, and within three to five years, they will reach reproductive maturity and be able to help grow the reef.

As the elkhorn corals take hold, other species will be outplanted, including star, brain, pillar, and staghorn corals. We intend to supplement the reefs with sea urchins and Caribbean king crab, which eat algae that can overgrow coral reefs. Over this first phase, we aim to increase the coral cover across these seven sites from two percent (the current assessed coral cover based on 2019 observations of Iconic Reef sites) to 15 percent depending on the particular habitat zone. Coral cover is a measure of the proportion of reef surface covered by live stony coral, the primary contributors to coral reef ecosystem health. A healthy coral reef may have between 25 and 40 percent coral cover, with stony corals mixed in with sponges, soft corals, algae, and other organisms.

Phase 2 of the plan builds on this restoration. Over approximately 12 years, restoration volunteers and staff will continue to outplant elkhorn, star, brain, pillar, and staghorn corals. They will also outplant other small stony corals like finger and brain coral, helping to add diversity, function, and resiliency to the reef. By the end of this phase, we aim to increase coral cover to an average of 25 percent.

Throughout the entire restoration effort, a workforce of professional and volunteer divers will serve as “gardeners” on these reefs. They will remove marine debris, nuisance species, and species that might compete for space, and also reattach any corals that have been damaged or disconnected.

“Ten years ago, this project would be just a wild dream,” says Ken Nedimyer, Reef Renewal founder. But now, “we’re at a place in time where we have the technology to undertake a project of this size and we have a window of opportunity to do so. Not only can we think about doing it, but the need to do it is overwhelming.”

Coral nurseries

Mission: Iconic Reefs, unparalleled in scope and scale, will require nearly 500,000 stony coral colonies. That number of corals is a huge lift, but by working together, multiple partners are up to the task.

Some partners, including Reef Renewal, Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, and Coral Restoration Foundation, will raise the quick-growing, Phase 1 corals in nurseries in the ocean. Mote and The Florida Aquarium will augment these farms with corals grown in laboratories: these will be slower-growing corals, corals screened for resilience, and corals bred to increase genetic diversity.

“We have been working on scaling up our restoration efforts,” says Scott Winters, CEO of Coral Restoration Foundation. “But if we want to save the Florida Reef Tract, we can be more effective if we work together. We have an opportunity to combine our expertise to have a hugely significant impact on the future of our coral reefs.”

“We are excited that Mote’s science-based coral restoration initiative will be a major component in the plan,” echoes Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium President and CEO Dr. Michael P. Crosby. “This is an unprecedented effort to respond to an unprecedented environmental emergency. Together with our partners, I am convinced we will be able to save Florida’s coral reefs.”

The Nature Conservancy, SECORE, University of Florida, University of Miami, and Nova Southeastern University will also lend scientific expertise. NOAA’s Restoration Center and the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program have awarded $5.3 million in grants for restoration over the next three years. Subsequently, the plan will be funded through many public and private funding streams, coordinated by the new Florida Keys Restoration Council.

Corals for the community

“The reefs are home to this community. They are part of our way of life,” says Sarah Fangman, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary superintendent. “We want to give people the chance to be part of healing the Keys, and we need the community’s support to make this vision a reality.”

Volunteers can assist with invasive species removal and long-term nursery and reef maintenance. Blue Star operators will be key to the continued recovery of the Florida Keys reef tract, as they are committed to responsible tourism, diving, and fishing. Mission: Iconic Reefs will also foster a new economic sector for the Florida Keys region centered around this innovative effort.

“We hope the Mission: Iconic Reefs effort can be beneficial not just in the Florida Keys,” adds Fangman, “but also in other reefs around the world. We hope we can give back and pay it forward.” Coral reefs all over the world are stressed by human use, climate change, and other global stressors. Mission: Iconic Reefs serves as a model for all these coral communities. By working together and supporting these iconic reefs, we can all create a lasting legacy and a physical and financial safety net for the Florida Keys, and help support coral restoration efforts worldwide.

[Image descriptions, from top: GIF of fish swimming above coral reef; GIF of diseased coral; GIF of coral being grown in an on-land nursery; GIF of coral being grown in an in-ocean nursery; GIF of person outplanting coral; photo of coral reef; map of seven iconic reef sites targeted by this program.]

#coral reef #coral #conservation #science #restoration #environment #stewardship #florida keys #noaa #florida

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the-ethereal-serpent · 5 years ago

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Bay Leaves

☽⦁──────── ⦁🌿⦁ ────────⦁☾

Bring amazing amounts of magick to your life, your food, and your wallet! Bay Laurel is an amazing herb that contains the power to grant wishes, clear a space of harmful energy, and bring you prosperity! We bet you didn’t know that gumbo was so powerful, did you?

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Magickal Correspondences

Latin Name : Laurus nobilis

Gender of Bay Laurel : Masculine

Elements that Rule Bay Leaves : Fire

Planets that Rule Bay Leaf : Sun

Signs that Rule Bay Laurel : Leo

Deities that Rule Bay Laurel : Apollo, Daphne, Gaia, Peneus

Chakras that work with Bay Laurel : Third Eye, Solar Plexus

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Bay Laurel’s Magickal Properties & Uses

Grants Healing Abilities :

Wear bay leaves when you are performing healing to have your power amplified.

Witchcraft In The Kitchen :

Its role in the kitchen is to protect the whole family. When we add it to a stew, we can previously enchant it to fulfill this function.

Protection :

Burn bay leaves to exorcise harmful energies, or use the fresh leaves do sprinkle blessed, Florida, or Moon water to create a sacred space.

Psychic Enhancement :

Sleep with bay leaves in your pillowcase to bring psychic dreams.

Divination With Fire :

It is one of the most used leaves for the use of daphnomancy, which consists of throwing a leaf on fire and visualizing the messages of the leaf through its drawings and its crackling.

Success :

Wear or carry bay leaves to help you be successful in any endeavor; visualize yourself as a winner of the original Greek Pythian and Olympic games with a beautiful laurel wreath upon your head!

Wish-craft :

Write a wish on a bay leaf and light it on fire. Visualize your wish coming true as the leaf turns into energy and ash.

Dignified Death :

The bay leaf tree must be planted in the last period of our life to guarantee a dignified and painless death for us.

☽⦁──────── ⦁🌿⦁ ────────⦁☾

Rituals With Bay Leaves

Bay Leaf Purifying Potion To Remove Stress :

You need to add 30 grams of leaves into boiling water and cover them with a lid.

Once you add them, you need to turn the stove off.

It needs to cool down.

Then you need to filter it

During the filtering, it is necessary to squeeze well, drink in sips throughout the day.

Bay Leaf Baths :

Bath To Purify The Aura :

An infusion of 13 bay leaves and three sprigs of rosemary can be prepared and boiled for 10 minutes, then filtered and put into water for a ritual bath.

Anti-Stress Bath :

Put one hundred grams of fresh leaves in a liter of water and boiled for 10 minutes.

Then filter them out and put them into the bathwater. This bath serves as a strengthening of the nerves and fights fatigue and stress.

Special Bay Leaf Talismans :

A garland of leaves and branches of bay leaf wrapped on Sundays and hung above the front door favors luck and fate.

An ancient talisman foresees to tie together three twigs of bay leaf symbolizing the richness, the abundance and the generosity of the earth with a red thread.

Talisman For Household Protection :

Take three sprigs of bay leaves, tie them with a red ribbon and attach some small bells, then sprinkle them with fir-tree essential oil.

Talisman For Work :

Collect three sprigs of bay leaf symbolizing the richness, abundance, and generosity of the earth, three sprigs of sage for health, three tufts of basil against poverty and three white roses for inspiration and new ideas.

Tie everything together with a yellow thread, then sprinkle it with gold dust and hang it over the door of the place where you work.

☽⦁──────── ⦁🌿⦁ ────────⦁☾

Bay Laurel’s Medicinal Properties

Antibacterial

Arthritis reducer

Digestion helper

Fungicidal

Stress reliever

Treat respiratory conditions

Hair care

Heart health

Warnings :

Do not use the essential oil internally except under the prescription of an experienced practitioner.

Do not ingest the leaf whole; it does not break down in the body, and may remain whole and become lodged in your digestive tract.

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About Sweet Bay Leaf Trees

The sweet bay leaf tree (Laurus nobilis) is a 40- to 50-foot tall tree native to the Mediterranean region. It was once made into a wreath to crown the winners of ancient Greek games. The tree is considered to be one of the oldest cultivated tree species.

Sweet bay leaf tree is frost tender and is only hardy to USDA plant hardiness zone 7. It prefers a full sun exposure and blooms in spring to summer. The leaves are leathery and stiff with a strong mid-rib. Crushing the leaf releases aromatic oil that is the source of the flavoring for foods. Bay tree care is very simple and straightforward but protection must be given to these trees in cold climates.

How to Grow a Bay Leaf Tree :

Sweet bay trees should be planted in well drained soil with an incorporation of generous amounts of compost. The trees can be kept at a smaller growth habit if grown in a container, which also allows the gardener to bring the tree indoors or to a sheltered location when cold temperatures threaten.

Plant the trees at the same level in soil that they were grown in their nursery pot. Planting bay trees is best done in early spring when they are semi-dormant. You can grow a bay tree simply as an ornamental plant or as part of your culinary arsenal.

Growing a bay tree from cuttings or air layering is the common form of propagation. Cuttings should be taken in late summer and set into a soil-less medium. Air layering requires the gardener to wound the tree and pack it with sphagnum moss until roots form in the wound. The stem or branch can then be cut off and planted.

Protect sweet bay trees from heavy winds, which are damaging to the weak wood. Bay trees do not need feeding or supplemental watering in winter. Bay trees can be trained to a topiary or other form with careful management when the plant is young. Place a potted plant in an area where temperatures range from 45 to 64 F. (7 to 17 C.) and where sunlight is from a southern or eastern direction.

Harvest & Uses :

Leaves may be harvested at any time but the best flavor can be had from larger, mature leaves. Lay the leaves out to dry and crush them or use them whole but remove before eating. The leaves are a common ingredient in the French seasoning packet, bouquet garni, which is wrapped in cheesecloth and steeped in soups and sauces. It is worth learning how to grow a bay leaf tree for ornamentation and fresh wholesome seasoning.

☽⦁──────── ⦁🌿⦁ ────────⦁☾

Article Sources :

https://plentifulearth.com/magickal-correspondences-of-bay-leaves-bay-laurel-materia-magicka/ https://magickalspot.com/bay-leaf-magical-properties/ https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/bay/sweet-bay-leaf-tree.htm]

Image Sources : https://pin.it/5p1lDOs

Note : I do not claim any of the text or images to be mine. I am simply sharing information for the purpose of learning. I have listed the sources.

#Bay Leaves #Bay leaf #Bay laurel #Wicca #Wiccan #Witchcraft #Witchy #Witchblr #Pagan #Paganism #Green witch #Green Wiccan #Plants #Nature #Spiritual

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gettingoverthemoon · 4 years ago

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First Quarter Review: A Goal Check in With Myself

At the start of the year I made 10 “Big Picture” Goals. After the first three months of the year, here is an update on my progress.

I am doing this to keep track of goals, update the goals, provide myself with some recognition, check in with myself, celebrate my accomplishments, reevaluate goals, and hold myself accountable.

1. Keep track of Monthly spending

Initially (early January) I made an excel document to keep a running tab of bills that I would be splitting with Chris. Now, I have been spending like crazy. This is a goal I need to work on. Having my fixed costs in one organized place is a good start, but I am not holding myself to a budget. Moving forward, I would like to prioritize my spending on needs and wants and also savings.

Just checked in on my 401k and I have saved over 10G’s. Looks like retiring by 60 could be in the cards for me 8D, so that’s a great accomplishment.

2. Get a promotion/raise

I got a 3% raise in March. Which is a good start. I had an in depth conversation with my boss about getting a promotion and think I am on the right track to getting there. I will continue to work hard at my job, step outside of my comfort zone, and learn new things to advance my career.

I have also started an Etsy shop and have officially started profiting from my sales, so I’d like to note that!

3. Run a 5K non-stop

I have not ran a single time this quarter. I did however start walking 10+ miles per week. I think that is a good start, but I need to start pushing myself harder.

4. Do something charitable each month

In January I didn’t do anything. In February I mailed in my hair for children with hair loss and donated several bags of clothing and household items. In March I signed up and had conversations with the Children’s home to volunteer with the orphans.

5. Emphasize Self Care/Love one “Me day” per month

I have had at least one me day per month. In January I went to a pottery studio, celebrated my birthday, took a bubble bath, and journaled. In February I started an Etsy shop, became fully vaccinated for COVID-19, and journaled. In March, I got my nails done, spent time with friends and family after Chris broke up with me, went to Florida, started doing more physical activity, and started this blog.

My Journey for self love is going stronger than ever and for that I am very proud of myself. I will continue to choose myself, do things that I enjoy, say yes to me, take myself out on dates, and treat myself with kindness and love.

6. Build a garden, develop landscaping, make outside of the house pretty

I have a different garden flag for each month to make my house look cute, I have been collecting sticks/leaves/yard debris and burning them. My dad and I built 2 raised garden beds so that I can start my veggie patch when it gets warmer. The daffodils I planted are flowering and look really nice. My dad and I pruned the trees in my yard. I made a plan for getting top soil and grass seed to grow a better lawn. I’ve been building pinterest boards for landscaping projects and doing research on the best plants for MI.

Because first quarter is so cold, I was really only able to plan for this goal. I think I exceeded that by the yard work I did with my dad and by building raised garden beds.

7. Less consumption/waste

I bought a compost bin in January. I compost what I can and have been doing a lot of research on how to live more sustainably. I use reusable grocery bags, recycle, use food wraps instead of single use plastics, and try to limit food waste. This is an area that I can always improve on. I will continue to research more sustainable ways of life and do my best to bring them into action for myself.

8. Stay up to date with current affairs

I get a daily newsletter sent to my email that lists different topics that are going on in the world. But that’s about all I do. I should start to read the news more often and learn about what is going on around me. I feel a little conflicted about this goal because my doctor told me I shouldn’t watch the news because most of it is negative and will not help my mood.

9. Meditate 150 sessions.

For the 1st quarter, I logged 36 sessions with the calm app. I am on a good pace for reaching this goal for the year, but need to take it more seriously and make this a more permanent part of my daily routine. I have been doing really great with daily affirmations. I wake up, stretch, and compliment myself. I also started ending each day with a reflection on the things that I liked about myself for that day. I’ve also been trying to focus on my spiritual journey and coming to peace with that everything happens for a reason, that I need to learn to trust in the universe and be present in the moment. I am getting a better grasp on this practice and though it isn’t meditation by definition, it’s still a process that has the same results.

10. Get accepted into a graduate program

I submitted my *complete application to Central in January. I am waiting to hear back from them. I mentioned it to all of my loved ones and have their support. I will look up other programs and maybe apply to them as well.

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schoolnutritioneducator · 4 years ago

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Seminole County Bites Above the Rest

Imagine, if you can. The year is 1989. You are in elementary school waiting in line for lunch. You grab your chocolate milk. Put it on your green tray and grab a fruit cup. The lunch lady puts a scoop of canned corn and a slab of rectangle pizza on your tray. Those were the days, right? School lunch has come such a long way since I was a kid, eating in my school cafeteria. I am here to tell you it’s not what it used to be and that is a good thing! The 3 reasons you should consider leaving your child’s lunch box at home are that eating at school can help to fight childhood chronic diseases, it is free for everyone right now and we service delicious and nutritious meals every day, here in Seminole county.

In the United States children and adolescents overall are not meeting the current nutrition guidelines. We are fighting an epidemic of obesity in adolescents in this country. The percentage of adolescents that are considered to be obese has nearly doubled over the last 20 years. Chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, high blood lipids and hypertension are being seen in children younger and younger all the time. Eating meals at school guarantees a child has access to healthy balanced meals, twice a day. This sets them up to be on track to meet the nutrition guidelines, that so many adolescents are not meeting.

As a nation we are also battling food insecurity. In 2017, 11.9% of Seminole county was considered to be food insecure. Food insecurity is having limited or questionable availability of a person or family’s food supply. If one person in the family misses out on a meal through the day, because of availability of food, that is considered food insecurity. Food insecurity is a problem at every level, city, county, state, nation and the world. Which, has only elevated overall food insecurity worldwide.

So, what causes food insecurity? One of the biggest causes is poverty. Families living below the poverty line are at much higher risk to be food insecure. There are local, national and worldwide organizations, such as food banks that are there to help families in need of food. This year especially has put a strain on our government, communities and food banks. Causing many throughout our communities to stand up and help by donating food, time and money to organizations willing to help feed fellow citizens.

Some of our high schools have also partnered with a local charity to provide our school leftovers to those in need of food. This not only allows us to give back as a district, but lowers our food waste as well. Hopefully we can get more schools working to help more people truly in need. So, when you are supporting Seminole County Public School’s breakfast and lunch program, you are supporting people locally who are in need.

In Seminole county alone, 47% of our students are eligible for free or reduced lunch, regularly. Eligibility is based on the poverty level. Children in families with income at 130% below the poverty level are eligible for free meals. Those with incomes between 130 and 185% are eligible for reduced lunch, which is $0.40 for lunch and $0.30 for breakfast. So, for example a family with 4 members and with an income of $31,005 would be eligible for free meals and up to $44,123 would be eligible for reduced meals.

There are schools in the district that do offer school wide free breakfast. So, look into your specific school for details on your school’s eligibility. The application for eligibility is fast and easy. If you need assistance filling it out the school staff is happy to help you fill out the application. It is something that needs to be done each year. So, be sure to visit the cafeteria during your schools open house.

One thing the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has done recently to help out families through COVID-19, is they have made school breakfast and lunch free for all children. School Nutrition professionals have worked tirelessly through the pandemic to provide nutritious meals for breakfast and lunch 5 days a week. They have made many adjustments in order to serve as many families as they can. Being flexible and understanding every step of the way.

Allowing your students to eat at school will lessen your burden, as parents. Lowering the cost of providing nutritious fresh meals for 10 out of 21 meals each child eats every week. While students or parents do not have to worry about planning and packing a lunch box every day. Saving them money, time and aggravation.

In order for our meals to qualify for reimbursement through the NSLP, they must meet certain USDA regulations when it comes to nutrition. A district is required to increase the availability of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat free and low-fat milk. They are also required to lower sodium and reduce saturated fats. The lunch menu must contain 1/3 the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for calories, protein, calcium, iron, vitamin A and vitamin C for recommended age of the students.

The School Breakfast Program has its own guidelines, too. These meals must provide a quarter of the DRI for protein, calcium, iron, vitamin A, vitamin C and calories. This program is offered at all schools within the Seminole county district. We offer a hot meal option, cereal or a breakfast bar in middle school and high school. Students can always have milk, juice or a fruit with their breakfast.

In Seminole county, we go above the minimum requirements. Setting the standard high for the quality of food we serve. We have many fresh fruits and vegetables daily. Many that are “Fresh from Florida.” We do like to let our guests know what foods we get that are local to our area. We use whole wheat pizza crust, using a recipe made specifically for our district. We use real tomato sauce and shred our own cheese. Our meats we choose are 100% antibiotic free and are a high-quality product.

Fresh from Florida is a state agency that was started in 1990. They provide up to date in season produce for the state of Florida. They offer recipes ideas using Fresh from Florida items. They also provide gardening tips for plants by Florida zones. In our service lines we like to show what we are offering each day that is “Fresh from Florida.”

There is a government program “Farm to School,” that help local schools access to fresh, local foods. They also help with educating kids by funding school gardens, teaching kids how to cook and farm field trips. Teaching kids about how food is produced and grows sets each student up for making healthy life choices. Utilizing this program helps us get a wide variety of local foods and support local companies.

In Seminole county we do not limit the number of fruits or vegetables a guest takes. We encourage the goal of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Our nutrition team works very hard to provide balanced, nutritious and delicious meals for our students, teachers, staff and guests. We have Registered Dietitians, a chef and a full department working together to perfect our menu.

An example of a breakfast would be a chicken biscuit with a serving of fresh fruit of their choice, and a fat-free milk. For lunch middle and high schoolers can enjoy a burrito bowl. Which is Brown rice, their choice of beef crumbles or grilled chicken, freshly made pico de gallo, corn salsa, sautéed sweet peppers, and black beans. Along with a milk, and a fresh fruit or vegetable of their liking. We also offer a side salad as an option with any meal. We do offer a chicken sandwich and pizza daily in our middle schools and high schools and the kids take a fruit or vegetable to go with it. All schools enjoy our baked pasta. Made with real tomato sauce and our own shredded mozzarella cheese.

I love how ahead of the game our district is when it comes to feeding our children. It truly is a team effort to nourish our kids. With all the programs available to assist schools I would like to see more education brought into the breakfast and lunch process. School nutrition has a very unique opportunity because there are so many children eating in schools every day. If you feed them nutritious meals and teach them important life lessons on how to make healthy choices, you help them make these choices throughout their entire life.

We need to teach our children what healthy foods are and how to grow them. Incorporate basic nutrition education such as, food groups, RDA’s and how to cook and prepare these foods. Adding gardens to our schools and having the kids help maintain them, is a great way to add more educational opportunities. The state of Florida also offers grants and assistance setting them up. Creating cooking clubs and labs would be a fun way to get them involved.

So, as you can see, school lunch is not what you remember from when you were in school. Especially, here in Seminole county where our mission is to nourish and enrich the lives of our guests through an exceptional dining experience. We are not just any district when it comes to education and it is no different for what we feed our kids. We want you to feel confident in sending your children to eat because we know school meals can help fight chronic diseases in children, continue to be free through September and our meals are nutritious and delicious.

Submitted by: Jessica Tillmann, Food and Nutrition Student

Total word count:1621

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bahrlee · 5 years ago

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Suck the Blood From my Wound

Basically Beach Bear simps after Dook. Enjoy

🦇🦇🦇chapter two: dead behind the eyes🦇🦇🦇

After the strange experience from a week ago---he still swore someone put something in his drink that caused him to imagine that whole thing---he decided to stay away from that part of town for a little particularly the place he drove home from, and even more particularly that seven eleven. He wasn't even going to try to comprehend the existence of Mythical creatures in the real world, he was just going to think it was a dream, and leave it up to that. He liked going out at night though during the summertime. He liked to make the most of his warm feelings towards the night before autum and winter came, which sent him down an inconvenient depression. He decided to stay in the vicinity of his town this time, in Hope's of not encountering anything strange tonight.

Well, he encountered something strange that night. He decided to go see a movie. To makes the most out of it, he sat in the back corner, away from everyone. The seclusion gave him the focus he needed to enjoy the movie to its fullest. He didnt buy anything usually, he just came to watch. But when he went for his original spot, someone else was already there. He didnt feel like sharing space with another person today; honestly he enjoyed his alone time more than hed like to admit, even with the lack of real friends, but maybe he could. Or so he thought until the stranger glared at him in an eerily familiar way. Hes never seen him before, either. He wouldve known if he saw a unique looking person like him before.

Sharp blue eyes against dark skin---an interesting combo he really liked. His hair sat on his head in perfect ringlets. Well, the long parts that is. He had a mullet, something odd that hes never seen in awhile. He made out a David Bowie t-shirt under his studded jacket. Wearing leather in the uncomfortable florida summer, a bold choice. It was enough to entice him, and to draw him nearer, even with the glare.

"Go away." He stated firmly.

"Well I always sit here when I come here." He argued back.

"Well I'm new to this town, so why dont you give me a little space, huh?" There was a slight curve at the side of his mouth.

"Since your new, how about you meet people?" He asked sitting down, taking a seat one seat away from him.

"I-I dont like that very much, ha." It was now a full on smile, bringing a gentle presence to his cold hard features.

"You from Louisiana?" He asked him, noticing the Cajun pronunciation that was very present in his voice.

"New Orleans." He said.

Enter, another long dramatic pause.

"Hey, that's cool. What brings you here?" He asked next.

He shrugged. "I dont have to tell you that." He said. "Just know I'm here now." He took a sip of his drink and turned his head to the blank screen for a short moment before hitting him with a question. "You always talk to people like this?" He asked him, standoffish.

"I usually come here for some alone time, but guess who waltzed right into my area?" He quipped back.

"Well god forbid other people like the dark corners of the theater just like you." He shot.

Beach laughed quietly, entertained by this intriguing stranger. "I'm Beach."

He raised a brow at him. "That's your name?"

Beach drew a blank for a moment. He was always good with words, always good at finding a comeback, a return, a rebuddle---but he found himself completely lost for words with this guy. "I mean it's a nickname and I hate my real name so…."

He looked at him spitefully as if he knew his real name. It scared him, but made him want to talk to him even more.

"I'm Dook." He said.

"Hey Dook."

He didnt respond back, he just gave him a look and turned away.

Then the movie started.

🦇🦇🦇

Beach came to the realization he had a type. Men who were completely uninterested in and unimpressed by him. It wasnt really a power thing, it was more of a n equality thing. He liked someone he could play off of, and have fun with. Or maybe it was a power thing and he liked being a weak little simp. He was tall, smart, and sarcastic, so he was always though as someone assertive, and mean, but in truth he wasnt much. He was sweet, he liked to garden and read books, he wasnt nearly as intimidating than what people thought.

Dook seemed a bit shy too. Not a big initiator of conversation. He still talked to him, and joked with him, but the whole time he remained a bit flustered by the presence if another person. It made him mysterious, and he liked it a lot.

Another thing, Dook didnt talk to him during the movie, so he could really actually pay attention to the whole thing like he wanted, even with a person a seat apart from him. Maybe it was because Dook didnt want to give him the time of day in the first place, but he didnt move, so that was a sign he didnt give a completely mediocre first impression.

He didnt even looking like he was watching the movie for thst matter. Just staring off into the distance, through the screen, off in his own world. Maybe he was lost in thought, and he came to the movies to think more than watch. Or maybe he was just zoned out and his head was empty. Either way, he seemed out of it.

But besides all that, he thought he was cute.

🦇🦇🦇

When the movie was done, and the people filed out, he was surprised to see Dook still left in his seat.

"Hey, are you gonna get up?" He asked him, helplessly curious. Now that the theater was lit, he noticed the heavy dark circles under his eyes.

In response, Dook just closed his eyes and shrugged. Would it be pretty dark here at this time of night? He asked.

He looked at his watch. 10:30. "Yeah, it's pretty dark. You think Florida's like reverse Alaska or something? Where we have three whole days of sunlight or something?"

"Quit thinking I'm dumb." He said, a particularly nasty roll to the voice. Maybe it was playful? He couldnt tell.

"Okay, um… seeya I guess." He turned around, but turned back around. "Um…. I can show you around town, sometime." He started playing with a strand of his hair like he always did when he was nervous.

"Like a date?" He blushed, finally showing a sign of being flustered.

"No, it doesnt have to be, it's just that you're new and I know the best places in town, that's all."

"Okay then. Um, I'm flattered, but no thank you. I've been here a week already."

"Oh." He said, disappointed. " then Maybe we'll see each other in this exact spot again soon."

He grinned. "Maybe."

He left the theater rooms, the theater building, and the downtown area, completely mesmerized that night. What a discovery. He was left with so many questions he should've asked, even if he wouldn't have answered. He almost felt like it wasn't a real experience, similar to a night he had before. He didn't remember which one, he tended to be unable to keep track of what he did sometimes---losing time and procrastination and all that---but he sensed a sort of deja vu from that experience. But he hoped it was real this time, because that man, as he shamelessly admitted in his head, was pretty cute.

#rae au #fanfiction #beok #bahrlees beok #dook larue #beach bear #the rock afire explosion

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naturecoaster · 1 year ago

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Gardening 365 Festival & Plant Sale October 7

Free family event filled with activities including a Kids’ Zone Enjoy Gardening 365 Festival & Plant Sale October 7 Grow your gardening skills with the masters! Join UF/IFAS Pasco County Cooperative Extension Service for our 7th annual Pasco Master Gardener Volunteers Gardening 365 Festival & Plant Sale Saturday, October 7, 2023. The FREE event includes a large selection of plants, seminars, educational resources and “Florida-Friendly” gardening information. WHAT: Gardening 365 Festival & Plant SaleWHEN: Saturday, October 7, 2023 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Rain or ShineWHERE: Wesley Chapel District Park 7727 Boyette Road Wesley Chapel, FL This event includes a variety of educational seminars: - 9 a.m. – Working with HOA on Landscaping - 10 a.m. – Herbs and Edible Landscaping - 11 a.m. – Vegetable Gardening - Noon – Plant Propagation for the Home Garden Educational booths and hands-on activities for children will be available. We kindly request certified service animals only. For more information, visit: mypas.co/2023PlantSale Read the full article

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rentorlandoscooters1-blog · 4 years ago

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Rent Orlando Scooters

In any event, when you are composed along your whole outing, there could be minutes where you will end up wandered. Orlando, Florida is no not exactly a paradise on planet earth, and organizing spots to visit could get overpowering and puzzling inside and out.

At the point when you decided to find attractions by Mobility Scooter rental, things become quiet and unwinding and you have all your opportunity to jump further even in the fastidious of subtleties. What's more, to make it simple for you to restrain your pursuit and utilize the hour of the excursion, we have accumulated the absolute most visited places over the city of Orlando, Florida. Investigate!

1. Madame Tussauds Orlando

Inundate yourself in the heavenly network of saints' including the equity group, pop stars, and extraordinary pioneers. The brilliant Madame Tussauds Orlando depicts your most loved superheroes to offer you a concise experience for an extreme selfie. Superman, Aquaman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, Taylor quick, and a lot progressively unmistakable personalities fit to be grasped.

From sparing the helicopter with Superman, presenting with wonder lady, and investigating the ocean experience with Aquaman, your visit to Madame Tussauds Orlando Florida on a rental bike will be incredible triumph. Thusly, join the most incredible clash of your life as the saints of equity association join together yet ensure you're there on your Mobility bike to cheer them as they mop up all the armed forces of scoundrels.

2. Escapology

Take on the Orlando's most astonishing departure gaming experience on your portability bike. With a staggeringly exciting, and testing get away from game in transit, your fervor levels would detonate to offer most extreme joy.

At this spot, you could collaborate with a group of up to 8 players to appreciate the 7 intuitive game rooms with various games. The 7 games are – Antidote, Narco, under tension, Cuban emergency, Budapest express, 7 fatal Sins, and Mansion murder. Furthermore, presently it's on your certainty and aptitudes to break the shackles and getaway.

3. VR Territory Orlando

Stroll into another element of computer generated reality and find a definitive encounter of your life. While you visit VR Territory Orlando on the rental bike, you could take your interest with fan 30+ computer generated experience games. Play solo or collaborate with your loved ones for a very amazing encounter.

Don't simply play the game, live them with computer generated reality, and play them like you never did.

4. WonderWorks

Wonderworks blend diversion and instruction to welcome imagination for hands-on understanding. The whole fascination is an upside experience with roof under your feet, the ground over your head, making it exciting and astonishing totally. The excursion starts with a reversal burrow that must be passed by opposing gravity alongside the investigation. What's more, this isn't it, more rush is in transit as you progress to reach XD Theater 4D Simulated ride and 3-story indoor rope challenge.

The spot has 6 miracle zones – Natural calamities, physical difficulties, light and sound, creative mind lab, space disclosure, and the most distant out of the exhibition. In case you're Hungary after these tiring investigation trip, there are boundless dining experience during the enchantment parody supper show.

5. Chocolate Kingdom – Interactive Factory Adventure Tour

In the event that you need to investigate the food dreams, the chocolate realm is here to offer a dim rich surface in a full-fledge intelligent processing plant experience visit. The entire visit thought would permit you to look in to perceive how chocolate is changed from beans to the marvelous chocolate bar.

The incredible thing about this spot is this it is not quite the same as the sort of spots. You can unwind and appreciate the dim dreams with individual chocolate local area experts who will give you a short diagram of everything upheld.

In this way, join the powers of the sovereign and his mythical serpent and investigate the realm to arrive at Cacao Tree nursery, Chocolate exhibition hall, Mystical River of Chocolate, and Bean to the bar miniaturized scale clump industrial facility that is outfitted with conventional apparatus.

What's more, this isn't all; you will get an opportunity to make your modified chocolate to finish the chocolaty experience.

6. Gatorland

Gatorland is stand-out zoo, aviary, rearing bog, and a spot with many gators and crocodiles. The entire spot is a center point of fun exercises for the total family fun. Available through a portability bike or even a wheelchair, there could be no better spot to be nearest to nature. Feed the gators, take part in a joyful spurt fest with your children at Gator Gully Splash Park, or raise the experience to its top by shouting on the Gator zip line. All these croc's shows and noteworthy rides consolidate to make your excursion to an unequaled level.

7. Detectives Mystery Dinner Shows

At Sleuths Mystery Dinner Shows, you can jump further into the spiritualist experience mix with satire, puzzle, and rush through and through. With heavenly food, drink, and sweet, your night will end up being heavenly social affair. While you roar with laughter or get interested in a wrongdoing secret, never realize you may be picked for an appearance job. Thus, park your portability bikes and appreciate the supper with your whole gathering.

8. Harry P. Leu Gardens

In the wake of tiring a day, invest your energy near nature by turning your versatility bikes to Harry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando, Florida. Spread over a territory of 40 sections of land, this spot is perfect to unwind and quiet your energizing nerves. Grasp the magnificence of wonderful nurseries with more than 40 assorted plant assortments from around the globe that additionally incorporates tropical rainforest. With prized gardens mix with roses, sit and glare the colossal quietness of the Harry P. Leu Gardens. This nursery could be your place to test the full capacities of your rental bikes and rule on to them to explore the territory at the tallness of extraordinary fervor and bliss. Also, this is your opportunity to manage without dread and vulnerability.

9. Orlando Science Center

On the off chance that you are a science voyager, this spot is an absolute necessity visit to satisfy your Sci-fi chasing. The awesome spot is spread across 11000 sections of land and has various display lobbies, workshops, theaters, and observatories. Find eminent spots like kidsTown with your children or go to The Hive: A Makersplace to scale imagination. This spot is a center for science-related occasions, lives shows, and workshops that are directed each day from finger-sewing to 3D printing.

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houston-notlikethecity · 5 years ago

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A Hockey Life by Matt Cullen

Part 1

One of the worst parts about growing up was having to make a malt.

Don’t get me wrong, the ingredients are pretty simple. And I loved drinking them. But if I had to make a malt, that meant one thing: I lost a hockey match on our outdoor rink.

My father, Terry, built an outdoor hockey rink in our backyard. Me and my two younger brothers, Mark and Joe, spent every spare minute we had on that ice. We’d come home from school, change and hit the rink. Every birthday party was on the rink. We hooked up lights onto the roof and would play until it was dark and all we could see were the bright Minnesota stars above.

All I’ve ever known in my life is hockey. My earliest childhood memories were on that rink in Virginia, Minnesota. That’s all I really wanted to do as a kid, was be on the rink and play with my brothers and friends. There was nothing better in life. I know it’s the same story for a lot of guys, but that’s how I fell in love with hockey.

If we weren’t spending our night in the backyard, we were usually attending one of my father’s high school games. From my youth until I was 10 years old, my father was the hockey coach for the Virginia Blue Devils. And I imagined myself being a Blue Devil one day. But when I was in the fourth grade he took over as coach of the Moorhead Spuds.

(I remember being so mad. I didn’t want to be a spud. I wanted to be a Blue Devil! They had such a cool logo. What even is a spud? A potato? We’re going to be potatoes? It’s so funny thinking back at how upset I was at the time).

I still remember going to watch my dad coach. My friends and I collected programs and would tear out the pages. If our team won the game we would count down the final seconds and throw those pages into the air like confetti and celebrate like we just won the Stanley Cup. In between periods my brothers and I would play mini sticks with the team doctor in the hallway.

When we got home there was always one final chore for the night. We shoveled off the outdoor rink and flooded the ice so that it would be nice and solid for the next day. On the nights before a big game or tournament Dad would bring out a bucket of hot water. It was like we were Zamboni-ing it. It felt like big time. The ice would be super smooth after. The stakes were high.

And those tournaments could get pretty intense. My father, my brothers and me would mix teams for a 2-on-2 matchup. The losing team had to make the winning team malts and serve them to the winners.

So if I was making the malts, it meant that I had lost. But if I had won, then the losing team had to make malts for me and my teammate. The only thing better than the sweet taste of victory was the sweet taste of drinking that malt.

Part 2

In Minnesota, high school hockey is king.

We didn’t have NHL on the Fly or ESPN Hockey. The NHL was another planet. To kids growing up in Minnesota in the 80s, playing for your high school team was the dream.

My favorite moments were when my dad would let me in the locker room. I was in awe of the high school players and wanted to be them one day. For me, it was the equivalent of my children being in the locker room with Sid and Geno.

To us Minnesota kids, high school hockey was the NHL. And playing for the state championship was our Stanley Cup.

Every year my family would drive three-and-a-half hours south to the St. Paul Civic Center to watch the tournament, whether my dad’s team was in it or not. I remember it had clear boards and was filled with 15,000 people watching. It was the highlight of my whole year. It was like a holiday.

My best memories of my high school career at Moorhead was playing in that tournament. For a kid growing up around high school hockey, that was the ultimate. I played in the tournament during my sophomore, junior and senior years. Unfortunately, we never won the title, but we were runner-up twice and finished third the other year.

What sticks out most was my senior year. I was playing with my brother Mark and we had a good team. That year I started thinking that I was good enough to maybe play in college and maybe, someday, the NHL. We made the state tournament again that year. We faced Rochester in the semifinal and the game went into double overtime. I scored the game-winner to get us to the final, though we didn’t finish it off in the last game of the season.

Losing was tough. Obviously, I wanted to win. But I think losing in those games was good for me in the long run. Losing in the finals and never quite getting there, I felt like there was maybe more I had. I felt that this isn’t my big moment. There’s maybe more ahead. I don’t know why I thought that. I’m not sure where it came from. But going through my head during that defeat was that my big moment was still to come.

Part 3

I jumped over the boards at Maple Leaf Gardens and skated to the faceoff circle to square off against Hall-of-Famer Mats Sundin. It was October of 1997. Two years ago I was just a high school senior.

Now a member of the Anaheim Ducks, I was about to skate my first career shift in one of the NHL’s most historic venues. I lost the faceoff, a defensive zone draw. The Maple Leafs had a shot on net and the coach called me off the ice. It was a short shift, but I’ll never forget it.

Everything was so new to me. I was living in California on my own, the farthest I’ve ever been away from home. I was balancing all these new experiences from dry cleaning, being on the road and keeping up with an apartment. Not to mention learning how to play in the NHL.

Being a rookie in the league was a lot different back then. I was really quiet my first year, if you can believe that. We had an older group and the rookies were treated like rookies. We only spoke when spoken to. I came home from the rink one day and called my brother and I said ‘You won’t believe this, but I didn’t say one word at the rink the entire day. I was there for five hours, didn’t say one word to anybody.’

My welcome to the NHL moment happened on Day 1. Teemu Selanne walked into the room and took out his skates. He hadn’t skated the entire summer and his skates had rust on them. He threw them on and was the best player on the ice from the first day. I was thinking, 'This is crazy. This is a whole new level of hockey.’ I was on a line with Teemu that first year and he scored a career-high 52 goals - but believe me, it was no thanks to me.

I spent most of my four seasons in Anaheim skating alongside Teemu and Paul Kariya. And they taught me so much about the game.

Teemu was such a fun-loving, easy-going guy. He loved the game. He just played for fun and enjoyed it. Paul was super intense and serious, the ultimate pro. It was super cool to see both sides of them.

But the thing I learned the most that year was from Paul, who was also my roommate on the road during my time there. He taught me how to be a pro. He was super structured and detailed, trained like crazy. He showed me how much you have to commit, how much you had to put in to being a pro if you wanted to be good at it.

Paul would stretch every night before going to bed, so I started stretching every night. I think that was one of the biggest reasons I was able to stay healthy throughout my entire career and play until I was 42 years old. I stretched throughout my whole career.

Coming out of high school I was pretty green. I didn’t realize that in an 82-game season you should be working out. I didn’t do things like that.

I always think back to spots in my career and people that came across my path, I think it’s for a reason. I learned so much from Paul, who remains a close personal friend to this day. Without his guidance I don’t think my career would have gone where it did.

Part 4

My hockey career hit a crossroads in the summer of 2005. I was 28 years old and worried that my career might be coming to an end. My last year in Anaheim and the next year-and-a-half with Florida were unmemorable. Then the NHL lockout happened. I knew if I had another bad season, retirement might come earlier than I anticipated. You can fall off the map pretty quickly in the NHL.

Then came a dilemma. Two teams called me with a contract offer. One was my hometown team, the Minnesota Wild. The other call came from Carolina Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford.

Minnesota was my hometown and was offering more money. Carolina seemed a much better fit and I already had built a relationship with Peter Laviolette, who coached me with the U.S. at the World Championship.

The chance to come home to Minnesota seemed too good of a dream to pass up. Going to Carolina would require a huge risk and huge leap of faith. I talked with my wife Bridget and we prayed. Something told me to take the risk and go to Carolina.

We had an interesting group. There were some unknowns like Eric Staal, Justin Williams, Andrew Ladd, even myself. There were also some older, veteran guys like Ray Whitney, Cory Stillman, Rod Brind'Amour and Brett Hedican. We had Martin Gerber in goal and a rookie, Cam Ward, as the backup.

Sports Illustrated picked us to finish 30 out of 30 teams. But everything came together in a way that I never experienced. We got off to a great start and things just worked out. I scored 25 goals and had one of my best years. We finished second in the East and added guys like Mark Recchi and Doug Weight at the deadline.

We opened the playoffs against Montreal at home and lost the first two games. It was awful. I was thinking our great season was coming to an end. We switched goalies and Cam stepped in and he was lights out. He played unbelievable and won the Conn Smythe.

We beat Buffalo in Game 7 to get to the Stanley Cup Final and faced Edmonton, a Cinderella team that was an eighth seed in the West. We had a chance to win the Cup on home ice in Game 5, but lost in overtime. Then we went to Edmonton and got pounded.

Game 7 was back in Carolina. It was the most fun game I’ve ever played in. The crowd didn’t sit the entire game, they stood the whole time. It was intense. I hadn’t experienced that before. I was nearly 30 years old, but I felt like a little kid.

We battled and held on for a 3-1 win, and you can’t even believe it’s actually happening. After Aaron Ward handed me the Cup, I did a quick twirl. There was a sold-out crowd in the building, but when I looked up all I could see was the Minnesota stars and the hanging lights on that outdoor rink growing up.

All those games I played with my brothers and friends, pretending to be playing for the Stanley Cup, and there I was, holding this trophy high above my head and living that dream.

Our families joined us on the ice for the celebration. And I remember all those times when things didn’t work out. Not winning Minnesota’s Mr. Hockey as the best high school player (with all due respect to Erik Rasmussen, of course). Not getting drafted in the first round.

And I remembered that feeling of losing in the state final my senior year, when I believed that my big moment was still to come. And this was it. This was the big moment I was waiting for. We reached the pinnacle of the hockey world: Stanley Cup champions.

And no one will ever take that away from us.

But what I really took away from that group of guys was leadership. There were a lot of good leaders on that team, and they all weren’t wearing letters on their jerseys. You see it takes a large group of leaders on your team to win.

And for some of those older guys, this was their only and last chance to win a Cup. You see how fleeting your opportunity is for winning a championship. They fought so hard for it. They put so much into it. It was eye-opening to see how much it meant to them.

I know I’ve said it before, but really do believe everything happens for a reason. Instead of playing it safe, taking more money and playing in my home of Minnesota, I took a chance on Carolina. I went into that year thinking it could be my last one in the NHL. And I ended it by lifting the Stanley Cup.

Part 5

There are few things I loved more than coming home after a game and flooding my own outdoor rink. I would drive home, put on my warm clothes, fill a thermos with some wine and go outside and drink it while I flooded the rink.

By that time I was back in Minnesota, having signed a contract with the Wild. My chance to come back home came true after all. And it seemed like the perfect time to go home, play out those three years, retire a Wild and live in Minnesota.

By that time, I also had a family. Three young boys of my own: Brooks, Wyatt and Joey. And for the first time in my life, it was my job to build the rink in the backyard. I had never done it before, but it was so fun. I felt like I was my dad.

I wanted to give my boys all the things that I had growing up, except now I’m the old guy flooding the rink. They were still very young in those years. Joey had just been born a few months before (I actually watched him being born on Skype from my hotel room while I was playing with Ottawa in the playoffs against the Penguins).

When I skated on that outdoor rink, it was the first time I had done so since I left my home in Minnesota in 1997. I was just as excited as the kids to be on the outdoor rink. It was the coolest thing. It certainly brought back a lot of memories, but mostly I felt my life coming full circle.

That included sharing in the Cullen family tradition of attending the Minnesota high school tournament. We actually saw a young Jake Guentzel skating there for Hill Murray on that ice sheet. I definitely didn’t think I’d see him scoring 30, 40 goals in the NHL alongside Sidney Crosby one day. It’s funny how it works out.

But those three years in Minnesota, it was really about family. We spent holidays at home with my boys and the entire family. It was a really special experience getting to play at home. I really enjoyed it. It gave the kids the experience of growing up on the outdoor rink.

It was during that time in Minnesota that they started to really love the game. For me as a dad, that was the ultimate to be able to share it with them.

Part 6

The phone didn’t ring on July 1, 2015, the annual start to NHL free agency. I had just finished two great years in Nashville, but my future was still unclear. I still wanted to play even at 38 years old, but I was pretty sure that it was the end.

That day came and went without a call. Then the next day came and went. Then the next week. Then the next month. Even so I continued to train and keep myself ready just in case an opportunity came up. At least I would be in shape and could make a decision for myself. I didn’t want it made for me because I was out of shape.

One day in early August, the phone rang. It was Jim Rutherford.

Bridget was out for a run. When she got back, I said, 'You’ll never guess who just called.’ And she goes, 'Was it Jim?’ It was crazy. She just knew.

As usual with these decisions we talked for a while and prayed on it. But we felt like we kept getting these opportunities and it would be crazy not to jump on it and give it a try. We took that leap and went to Pittsburgh.

The rest speaks for itself. We won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships the next two years, the first team to do so in two decades. It was a historical run.

I just pinch myself and think about how close it was to not happening. Those were probably the best years of my whole career and life with the Penguins. Going through all that with the boys and Bridget and that group of players, the whole organization, everything was perfect. It was beyond anything I could have ever imagined.

I certainly couldn’t have imagined it the way we started that first season, though. We had such a terrible start that nobody had any expectations. I remember my son Wyatt coming to me at Christmas and crying because we had dropped out of the playoff picture.

Then Mike Sullivan came and we made a bunch of changes. Things started rolling from there. It was a unique group. It was a special group. That first year everything came together, and we were having so much fun. We were like a machine, all the way to the Cup.

The second year it was the same group, but it was a totally different year. We had to really lean on each other the most that year. The expectations were high going in and it brought our group closer together. It was rewarding because we stuck together through so many ups and downs.

I’ll always have the Cups and those memories. But when I think back on those times what really stands out is watching my boys with those guys. A lot of the guys would come over to my house, Chris Kunitz, Nick Bonino, Sidney Crosby, Ian Cole, Marc-Andre Fleury, Phil Kessel, Carl Hagelin. We’d all have a couple glasses of wine and the guys would play mini sticks with the boys (the most intense games were between the boys and Patric Hornqvist; I know you’re shocked).

That, for me, was the coolest thing ever to watch. It was like the boys were part of the family. They’d come in the locker room after practice trying to avoid doing homework. They’d steal gum. One time, Joey hid in Ian Cole’s change stall. He jumped out and scared the crap out of him.

Those are the memories I’ll treasure, probably more than anything. Just seeing them around the room every day. I know the boys will remember it forever.

Part 7

I’ve been in a constant state of almost-retirement for the last few years. But coming into this last season, I knew that no matter what it would be the end. Even if we had won the Cup I would have been done. Playing those last few years really gave me the clarity to know this was it.

It was an emotional time, but I knew it was coming. It just felt right and I was really at peace with everything when it was over.

I felt like it was only right to retire in Pittsburgh with everything that the organization had given me and done for me. I’m so happy I came back and finished my last year in Pittsburgh. I wouldn’t trade that last year for anything.

I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting. More than anything I’m just so appreciative of everybody that helped me along the way. Looking back on it there are people that came into my life at the right time to lead me one way or teach me something. It’s not an easy thing to play for that long of a time. It takes so many people to step out of their way to help you, and I needed a lot of help!

And the friends I’ve made along the way, whether it was Eric Staal or Mike Fisher or Ryan Suter or Paul Kariya or the guys in Pittsburgh. There are just too many to name and I’m sorry if I left anyone out.

I just hope I had a positive impact with my teammates wherever I went. I tried to be the best teammate that I could be throughout my career, and be there for other people, try to be a good example.

But the biggest lesson I’ve learned from my 21 years and 1,500-plus games in the NHL is that you have to take a risk.

By my nature, that’s not me. I’m not a risk-taking guy. I think you’re given certain opportunities in life and if you’re willing to take a risk and throw yourself in all the way then special things can happen. For me, that was the case. We leaned on our faith a lot and took leaps of faith. Thank God we took those chances and opportunities where He was sending us.

I remember waking up in the middle of the night many times these last few years thinking, 'What am I doing? I’m 40 years old. I don’t think I can play another year in the NHL.’ After each time I signed the past few years I woke up in a cold sweat, not sure if I could still play.

Honestly, if I could play forever, I would. All I know is hockey. I’ve never done anything. I never wanted to do anything else. I don’t know anything else.

I may have skated my last shift, but I’m not hanging up my skates just yet. After all, there is a sheet of ice in Minnesota that needs to be flooded every night. That’s where you’ll find me, sipping my thermos. Maybe, even using the hot water to get the surface nice and smooth so the next day me and my three boys can have our own little intense 2-on-2 tournament with a malt on the line, skating in the open air, on the outdoor rink, under the hanging lights, under the Minnesota stars.

For me to be able to take them to the rink and play with them on the ice, as a dad, that’s as good as it gets. I couldn’t ask for more. That’s what I had as a kid and to be able to share it with my kids is my greatest joy.

It’s funny. When I was a kid, I used to hate making those malts. Nowadays, it’s not so bad.

[Whitney’s note - all images are from the original story. Please click through to the source, there’s also a video that goes along with this]

#pittsburgh penguins #matt cullen #PLEASE click through to the source #there are lots of great pictures

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