Tonight at 10:49 Spring starts

Debbie Roney Smith on

Spring officially starts tonight at 10:49pm. It feels like we have had spring weather for the last few weeks in this area. On the first day of Spring the sunrise and sunset are about 12 hours apart, everywhere on the Earth and the hours of daylight and night are almost equal. Daylight is a little longer. This is the first time in 124 years the first day of spring has occurred on March 19 nationwide. We are celebrating the earliest nationwide March 19 equinox since 1896. Next year, the spring equinox will return to March 20 in much of the country (it moves 6 hours later each year). But spring will begin on March 19 every leap year for the rest of this century, and the time of the spring equinox in non-leap years will move earlier and earlier. By the end of the century, the spring equinox will fall on March 19 most years.

A few facts about Spring: 1.The fall and spring equinoxes are the only two times during the year when the sun rises due east and sets due west. 2.The first day of spring is called the vernal equinox. The term vernal is Latin for “spring” and equinox is Latin for “equal night.” 3. Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox. 4. Every year, allergies constitute over 17 million outpatient office visits, mostly in the spring and fall. 5.If Pope Gregory XIII would not have established the Gregorian calendar, which most of the world now observes, in 1582, then every 128 years the vernal equinox would have come a full calendar day earlier, eventually putting Easter in midwinter.

 

 

March 17th~Update on boil water in Panama City Beach & today’s holidays

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~The broken water main was repaired in Panama City Beach. Since the repair was successful, the city will not be turning off the water on the beach Tuesday night. Panama City Beach remains under a boil water notice, pending satisfactory bacteriological testing results. The first sampling of water will be Tuesday.

~March 17th is FULL of observance days. A few you may never have heard of but you all have heard of St Patrick’s Day! Saint Patrick is the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland. He is credited with successfully spreading Christianity throughout Ireland.  The symbol of St. Patrick is a three-leaf shamrock, not a four-leaf clover. However, long before the shamrock became associated with St. Patrick’s Day, the four-leaf clover was regarded by ancient Celts as a charm against evil spirits. Did you know blue was the color originally associated with St. Patrick, but green is now favored? The first St. Patrick’s Day parade in the American colonies was held in New York City on this day in 1762. The meal that became a St. Patrick’s Day staple across the country—corned beef and cabbage—was an American innovation. While ham and cabbage were eaten in Ireland, corned beef offered a cheaper substitute for impoverished immigrants.

Enjoy your cabbage, corned beef, oranges and lemons today, while you brag about your absolutely incredible kid while you are wearing green and trusting you doctor-patient relationship!

Southern Fields Brewing~New buisness in Campbellton~opening soon

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Soon Campbellton’s newest business will be open to the public. Their main goal is to be a family friendly brewery in their hometown. So go, relax, and enjoy a variety of hand-crafted beers along with the nostalgic qualities of the 120 year old building. It is family land, the building has been in the family since the great depression. It was a bank built in 1899 and it folded in 1931. William Gilbert had his hardware store in the bank building and after he passed away in the 50’s the only thing the building was used for was actually to store peanut hay. The family has refurbished and appropriated this unique space into an establishment devoted to bringing people together. This business is bringing history to life reusing pictures and historical landmarks from the town to brand their products. Southern Fields Brewing also reused trees damaged from Hurricane Michael to create many of their chairs, tables, and bars throughout the building. The beer taps may be empty now at Southern Fields Brewing but soon they will be making history as the first craft brewery in Jackson County. Right on the border of Alabama and Florida you’ll come across Southern Fields Brewing in Campbellton.

 

Boil Water Notice for Panama City Beach~March 15 to March 17th

Debbie Roney Smith on

A precautionary boil water notice will take effect starting Sunday around 8 p.m.In Panama City Beach. A leak has been discovered in a pipe that supplies the area with about 60% of its water, including unincorporated parts of the city. This means residents will have to go into a precautionary boil water notice. The water is safe for bathing. You boil it or use bottled water for cooking, drinking, brushing your teeth, making ice, and washing raw produce. Officials are advising residents to boil water for one minute and cool before use. Also, avoid contact with cuts or other wounds when bathing.

Around 20,000 customers will be affected by the boil water notice and they expect it to be lifted on Wednesday morning however be sure to check before you stop boiling and using bottled water.

 

Saturday~March 14th

Debbie Roney Smith on

Another busy weekend in the Panhandle. So many events happening all over. Below are just a few of them. Be sure to check under each photo for details on each event. Some need you to register beforehand. This Saturday is shaping up to be a warm and sunny day. And don’t forget the weekly events like the Farmer’s Market in Marianna which is every Saturday morning.

Starting at 7am this yard sale is in Chipley located at 835 Orange Hill Road
Yard Sale March 13th and 14th from 7am to 5pm. Rain or shine. 865 Pine Ave. Chattahoochee. They will have toys, ladders, furniture, clothes, household items, and much more.
OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY!! Garage, Yard Parking Lot sale. ANYONE locally who wants to set up and sell is openly invited to bring your items and sell (FREE, NO COST to set up and sell). Home goods, collectibles, food/drink, charity/fundraiser, crafts, produce etc… ALL ARE INVITED! We have plenty of space in our parking lot, in front of the building/parking lot and along the building off the side street. Saturday March 14th, 9a-2p. Set up starts at 8a. There are restroom facilities in the showroom. IF you need power, contact us as there are limited power drops and we will reserve your space where these are available. Contact Donna Corey at the shop phone number (334)248-6245) to coordinate. CaNDe Customs 701 E. Magnolia Ave Geneva, AL 36340
From 10am to 4pm at Glory Shine Farm located at 11722 Harrington Rd in Fountain. Plan to go and meet the friendly farm pets, get hands-on in our petting pen, feed the critters in the feeding stations, and just spend some time outside with the people you love. They aren’t currently charging admission for Open Farm Days, but donations are appreciated. You also MUST go online to reserve a ticket. They will have affordable concessions and shirts, stuffed animals for sale under the red canopy. Feel free to take snacks and lunch from home to eat at the farm but they ask for no food to be eaten in animal petting area or fed purposely to any animal. *They do have a currently have a cleaned and maintained porta potty on sight. *Hand Sanitizer is available at every pen and in our petting zoo area. You will need to clean hands after touching any animals. Food is sold by: Beachside Coffee Food Truck and FACES by Jo Face will have a Painting Booth. Look them up on FB to get the free tickets.
From 10am to 5pm on March 14th and 15th head on over to Bill Reynolds Sports Park located at 1100 Cox Ave in Bainbridge, Georgia. River Town Days is a free, family-friendly community festival located in Bainbridge, GA, just one hour from Albany, Thomasville, Tallahassee, and Dothan! It will be held at the Bill Reynolds Sports Park in Bainbridge, GA. River Town Days is our community festival that features children’s rides and activities, free stage entertainment, a marketplace featuring multiple types of vendors, including food vendors. The festival began in 2003 as a way for the Chamber of Commerce and local businesses to give back to the community and is held on the second weekend of March. The 2020 River Town Days Festival will take place on both Saturday, March 14th an Sunday, March 15th.
March 14th from 2pm to 4pm to celebrate National CHIP DAY Alqua Animal Refuge in Freeport is offering to micro “chip” your pet just for a donation. Contact them at 850-880-6399 for more information and details.
To schedule an appointment for a free prom dress please text Tanna at 850-247-8718. This is in Wewahitchka on Highway 71. This is open to ALL junior and senior high school students in Gulf County AND surrounding areas.

National Plant a Flower Day~March 12th

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National Plant a Flower Day 2019 is observed on Tuesday, March 12, 2019.

Few things on the planet are more beautiful or fascinating than flowers—with over 400,000 flowering plant species in the world, there is definitely something every one of us would fall in love with. Flowers have served numerous purposes over the millennia, from decoration purposes to medicinal ones, as well as many, many more. In 17th century Holland, a house could be purchased for tulips, and flowers have also been an integral part of various religions and mythologies and their traditions and rituals. Could you even imagine a wedding reception without the bouquet toss? Would there be any Christmas without poinsettias? What would poets and painters do without the flowers that have inspired them to create countless works of art? From the simple daisy to the elegant rose, and from the colorful wildflowers dotting hillsides to the elaborate and vibrant flowers of southeastern Asia, flowers have more than deserved their own day though for their contributions to art, culture, and life.

The best way to celebrate Plant a Flower Day is to plant a flower, or perhaps even many flowers!

So it is expected to be nice and warm here in the panhandle on March 12th so set a little bit of time aside on this holiday to sow some seeds in your yard or garden. This could also serve as the perfect time to take your children outside and explain a bit about how nature works its magic, what helps plants grow, why we need them, and what we can do to help protect our planet from pollution.

Happy National Plant a Flower Day!

March 13-15th~Carrabelle Camp Gordon Johnston WWll Museum~25th anniversary

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Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum is celebrating the 25th Annual Camp Gordon Johnston Days on March 13-15, 2020 in Carrabelle, FL. For this special anniversary, a weekend of meaningful events is planned especially to honor our country’s remaining WWII veterans as well as recognize and salute all veterans from WWII to present. All veterans, their family and friends as well as the general public are asked to come to Carrabelle to join the celebration of our military veterans.

On Friday, March 13th, at 6 pm, the Camp Gordon Johnston American Legion Post 82 located in Lanark Village warmly invites all WWII veterans, WWII widows/widowers, non-WWII veterans (with proof of service), active duty military, and members of Post 82 to a Low Country Boil in their honor. Each veteran or member is welcome to bring one guest. This event is not open to the general public. For more information, call (850) 697-9998.

On Saturday, March 14th, kicking off at 10:45 am, the Annual Camp Gordon Johnston Days Parade pays tribute to all veterans of all branches of service. This year’s community parade is expected to feature vintage museum vehicles including the WWII DUKW, Willis Jeep, and German Lieferwagen, more recent military vehicles, motorcycles, JROTC units, color guards, veteran organizations and auxiliary units, and of course, many civic and community floats, decorated golf carts, gorgeous classic cars, Shriners and beauty queens of all ages. In addition, the Military Vehicle Preservation Association – First Florida Chapter will be bringing their amazing restored vintage military vehicles to carry veterans in the parade. The parade will wind through downtown Carrabelle along Hwy 98. Camp Gordon Johnston Museum invites you to participate in the 25th Annual Camp Gordon Johnston Days Parade as the community celebrates and recognizes all military veterans and current service members here and abroad with a special tribute for our WWII veterans. Participants do not have to have any military affiliation to participate, just an appreciation for veterans and military. Individuals, community organizations and businesses are all welcome to participate with a float, vehicle or as walkers. Simply show your support for our veterans and military service members by displaying red, white and blue colors. If participants arrive without pre-registering, they are still encouraged to join but may be placed at the end of the parade.

Following the parade, the museum’s historical vehicles, the DUKW, Willis Jeep, and German Lieferwagon, will be on display at the Camp Gordon Johnston Museum at 1873 Hwy 98 West, Carrabelle, directly across the street from Carrabelle Beach. Everyone is invited to see these vehicles up close and personal.

The Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum will be open to all visitors on Friday and Saturday from 11 am – 5 pm. Guests are encouraged to come and hear the amazing stories of the region’s WWII heroes and see the remarkable collection of WWII artifacts and memorabilia. Overflow and large vehicle parking is available directly across Highway 98 at Carrabelle Public Beach Park.

Saturday evening the Camp Gordon Johnston Days festivities continue with a special event – the Camp Gordon Johnston Days Dinner Dance – at the Franklin County Senior Center in Carrabelle. Enjoy a 1940’s era dinner and music with our veterans. The suggested donation is $15 for advance tickets and $20 at the door if any tickets are still available. Advance ticket purchase is recommended due to limited seating and can be purchased at the Senior Center, 201 NW Ave F, Carrabelle. For more information, call (850) 697-3760.

On Sunday, March 15th, Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum will also be hosting a Dice Run to raise funds for constructing a vehicle display building next to the current museum facility. All types of vehicles are welcome. Registration is $15 for the driver and $5 for each passenger and will be open from 12:00-1:30 PM at the museum. The Dice Run will conclude by 4:30 PM. Prizes for high and low rollers, door prizes, and 50-50 will be awarded. For more information about the Dice Run, contact Mark Melcher at (850) 228-6477 or Jim Newton at (260) 341-7291.

Garden/lawn tips

Debbie Roney Smith on

There’s no busier time of year for the avid gardener. The weather is getting warmer, the soil is ready for planting, and the garden center is bursting at the seams with new arrivals. Our annual final frost typically occurs around March 15, but this year has been unseasonably warm and many gardeners are itching to get started. Here are a few tips from Esposito Garden Center in Tallahassee.

Pruning
It’s time to finish any heavy pruning of trees or shrubs. You can hold of on pruning any spring flowering shrubs until they are finished blooming.
For shrubs that appear cold-damaged, wait until you can see the new growth to begin pruning. You may be surprised to see that there is less damage than you expected. Old, overgrown woody shrubs including tea olive, ligustrum, and hollies, may be rejuvenated with heavy pruning. Cut them to within a foot or two from the ground and allow them to grow back.Thin the fruit on apples, persimmons, and pears as the clusters form. Thin peaches and nectarines before they reach the size of a walnut.

Planting Trees
Early March is an excellent time to plant trees and shrubs, but the sooner the better! As it heats up, it becomes more difficult for newly planted trees to thrive, so it’s best to get them in the ground before temperatures start to climb. If you select your spring flowering trees while they are in bloom, it’s easy to see exactly what you can expect for years to come. Be sure to check out the Japanese Magnolias and Redbuds while they’re still in bloom!
It’s a great time to add some fruit trees, shrubs, or vines to your yard. Make sure to ask about pollination requirements; some fruit trees require a partner.

Lawn Care
Sharpen your mower blades and take care of any mower maintenance. A dull blade makes a rough cut which can damage your grass. Keep an eye on this throughout the season; sharp blades make for a healthier lawn. Mow every 2 weeks to prevent winter weeds from spreading. If you planted winter rye over your lawn, cut it as low as possible so the sun can reach the permanent grass. Once the soil warms up, it’s safe to add plugs of St. Augustine or centipede grass. Wait until about 3 weeks after your lawn completely greens up to fertilize.

Fertilization
Perform a soil test to determine your exact fertilization needs. Fertilize young trees and shrubs with a balanced fertilizer (Plant Tone is a good organic option, but you can also use a general liquid or granular fertilizer, or even easy-to-use fertilizer stakes). Fruit trees such as peaches, pecans, grapes, pears, plums, figs, and persimmons should be fertilized with a fertilizer containing zinc and other minor elements. Also fertilize citrus and bananas with their respective fertilizers. After risk of frost, cut back and fertilize frost damaged perennials. Fertilize annuals with a bloom booster or general fertilizer at time of planting and once a month thereafter; plant veggies, perennials, and new trees or shrubs with a starter fertilizer that includes mycorrhizae (Bio-tone Starter Plus is a great one).

Happy gardening!

AXE Throwing PCB

Debbie Roney Smith on

Axe Throwing PCB opened up just a few weeks ago. Located on Richard Jackson Boulevard in Panama City Beach, it’s an activity for the whole family to release their inner lumberjack. This is a new trend spreading through the US.

Visitors can book a board for 30 minutes, an hour, or even two hours. Prices start at $20. And they do sell alcohol as well. When you enter you first sign a waiver and watch a short tutorial on how to best throw an axe and all the safety rules and then, the board is all yours. Walk-ins are welcome, or you can book the venue for parties or corporate events. To book a lane and get your axe throwing on call (850) 249-4790.

Super worm moon is coming~March 9th

Debbie Roney Smith on

Mother Nature is offering stargazers a super worm moon, which is a combination of two things – a super moon and a worm moon. A super moon is a new or full moon that happens at the time of the month when the moon is closest to Earth in its orbit. That means it’s going to look extra big and bright. The worm moon is just another name for the March’s full moon. It’s also called the Lenten moon, crow moon, crust moon, chaste moon, sugar moon or sap moon, depending on where you live.

Officially, the full moon peaks at 1:48 p.m. EDT on Monday(3-9-20) afternoon when the sun is out. But it will look full for much longer – from Sunday(today) through Tuesday night. Viewing conditions will depend on the weather and skies in your area.