Author: Debbie Roney Smith

Fall Soups & Salads Cooking Class

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The weather is starting to cool down, and it’s the perfect time for soup! Bodacious Shops is hosting a Fall Soups & Salads Cooking Class this Wednesday, November 11th at 6 p.m..

There will be different soups and salads to make and eat throughout the evening including: Shrimp & Crab Chowder, Roasted Red Pepper & Basil Soup, French Onion Soup, Roasted Fall Harvest Soup, Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing with Chopped Eggs, and Fruit, Cheese, & Nut Salad with Apples & Pears.

Interested in participating? Be sure to dress comfortably as you will likely get messy while cooking, leave your wrist/finger jewelry at home, and look forward to a three-course class with a light appetizer, main course, and dessert! Beer and wine are also available for those of age. For further details on the class including safety precautions, visit Bodacious Shops’ event page HERE. 

National Parents as Teachers Day

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National Parents as Teachers Day is today. Observed annually on November 8th since 2001, it was originally put forth by The Parents as Teachers Centre in Missouri in the 1970s; Missouri educators had witnessed children starting kindergarten with various levels of school readiness in correlation to their parental involvement. Now, National Parents as Teachers Day recognizes the parent educators as well as the organizations that offer parents’ education services across the country. During this trying time, existing amongst the global pandemic, more parents than ever are fulfilling the role of parent and teacher for their children. Parent educators give parents of young children support and information so all children can learn, grow, and develop to realize their full potential. 

Book Lovers’ Day

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Book Lovers Day has been observed annually on the first Saturday of November which falls on November 7th this year! Additionally, the holiday is celebrated annually on August 9th. Books are so good, they get double the love!

Read some fun facts about reading and books below!

  • Children learn 4-12 thousand new words each year through reading (on average). 
  • One tree can produce approximately 50 books.
  • In the USA, 57 books are purchased per second on average.
  • Reading helps reduce stress, keeps the brain sharp, can aid in sleep, and increases empathy. 

Festival on the Boulevard

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Put on by the local non-profit, Washington County Council on Aging, the Festival on the Boulevard will be held November 7th from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.! 

A family-friendly, free event happening in Chipley, the festival will start at 7 a.m. with a 5K event (click HERE for more information about the 5K) and will include entertainment, food, and vendors. There are over 20 vendors signed up to offer such goodies as; jewelry, woodwork, wreaths, chalk creations, yard decor, aromatherapy products, vinyl designs, makeup, and more! Entertainment will be provided by local artists Trish Brannon and Braeden Cooper, and pony rides will be available for the kiddos. 

Cane Syrup Saturday!

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Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Maphis Nursery & Tree Farm in Chipley is hosting a FREE event this Saturday, November 7th.

Appropriate for all ages, this special, one-time event will show you and your family how cane syrup was made in the old days. From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., you can chew some cane, drink the juice, help feed the mill, and more! Additionally, there will be cane syrup available for purchase after the tour AND you can explore the nursery and gift shop for more goodies! 

Visit their Facebook event page for more information: click HERE!

43rd Annual Seafood Festival Is BACK

Debbie Roney Smith on
2020 POSTER ARTWORK BY: JAIME SHEVAT
@JaimeShevatArt

Although it was delayed more than a month due to COVID-19 precautions, the 43rd Annual Pensacola Seafood Festival is back and better than ever this weekend!

Produced by Fiesta Pensacola, this is a free three-day festival that will be held in Downtown Pensacola’s Seville Square and Fountain Park. From November 6th to 8th, this family-friendly festival will include a variety of foods, arts and crafts, and live entertainment. For the specifics of the day-to-day schedule, visit their official festival website HERE! 

National Stress Awareness Day

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National Stress Awareness Day is run by the International Stress Management Association (ISMA), and is held annually on November 4th. 

So what exactly is stress? Stress is your body’s reaction to pressure from a certain situation or event. It can be a physical, mental, or emotional reaction. It can be incredibly debilitating to deal with any kind of stress on a regular basis. The goal of this annual day of awareness is to raise awareness of stress, its impact, reduce stigma, and promote the importance of well-being and stress reduction for individuals and organizations.

Looking for more information? Try this site to begin your search: CLICK HERE!

Election Day

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Florida was among a number of states that experienced unprecedented pre-Election Day voting, likely a trend caused by COVID-19 and increased public awareness of voting rights and processes. As of Sunday evening, 8.974 million ballots had been counted in Florida, nearly matching the entire 9.5 million votes cast in the entirety of the 2016 presidential election. However, if you were one of those who did not vote by mail or participate in early voting dates, today is the day – Election Day 2020! Remember:

  • Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 
  • Need help locating your polling place? Visit the FDS Voter Information Lookup. 
  • For everyone’s safety, please wear a mask when voting in person. Additionally, most locations will have hand sanitizer, masks, and gloves available. 
  • Bring current, valid photo identification with a signature. Approved forms of photo identification are: Florida driver’s license; United States passport; debit or credit card; military identification; student identification; more specific allowances listed HERE. 

Reminder: Daylight Saving Time Ends

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Daylight saving time ends this Sunday, November 1 at 2 AM! Clocks will fall back one hour to 1 AM, which means you get an extra hour of sleep on Sunday morning – a great way to start the month. 

The only state not affected by the end of Daylight Saving Time in Hawaii which has never observed daylight saving. This is because the island state is farther south and therefore close enough to the equator that there is no significant difference in sunrise and sunset times across the year. Additionally, some areas of Arizona might now follow the fallback. 

Daylight Saving Time essentially shifts an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening so the end of DST adds an hour to the beginning of the day instead of the end. Implemented as a measure to conserve energy but research clearly states that any conservation is negated by increased energy usage in the morning. 

Fun fact: the addition of an hour to either morning or evening, aka the switch, is always done on the weekend to limit the amount of potential disruption. Additional fun fact: this year, the reversal of DST falls on the night of Halloween, something that will not happen again until 2026! 

Halloween Fun Facts!

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Happy Halloween everyone! How much do you know about the history of the now 2nd-highest grossing holiday in the U.S.A.?

Check out 3 fun facts about Halloween below!

  1. The infamous movie Halloween (1978) used the cheapest mask available for the character of Michael Meyers because they had a very tight budget. It was a William Shatner Star Trek mask! Do you think they look alike? Must have been an incredibly cheap mask!!! 
    Michael Myers, 1978
    Captain Kirk, Shatner’s character on Star Trek
  2. Trick-or-treating is a devolvement of an ancient Celtic tradition; treats and food were put out to placate spirits who roamed the streets at Samhain, a sacred festival that marked the end of the year. That’s why trick-or-treaters now go door-to-door in search of candy! 
  3. Jack O’Lanterns were originally made from turnips, not pumpkins!