Category: Education

Panhandle Butterfly House

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Did you know that the Panhandle is home to a butterfly house? No, not the world-famous Gainesville Butterfly Rainforest and McGuire Center for Lepidoptera & Biodiversity. The Panhandle Butterfly House had it’s grand reopening this spring and has been slowly improving it’s grounds throughout the year. It was originally located in Navarre but recently relocated to Milton. 

The Panhandle Butterfly House is committed to displaying exclusively Florida-native butterflies; this allows visitors to learn about the butterflies they may encounter in their backyards and throughout nature in their area. Additionally, the House raises native butterflies, allowing volunteers and visitors to witness the full butterfly life cycle from egg to hatching to caterpillar to chrysalis and then – the emerging of adult butterflies! 

Learn more by visiting the official Panhandle Butterfly House website. 

Right Whale Festival 2023

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The 2023 Right Whale Festival will take place on November 4-5 at Main Beach Park in Fernandina. The festival is part of a regional effort to educate and protect the critically endangered North Atlantic right whales. Every year in late fall, these endangered whales return to the warmer waters off the coast of northeast Florida to give birth and nurse their young. There are fewer than 350 right whales left. 

The festival features family-friendly education, marine exhibits, animal ‘ambassadors,’ a beach clean-up, live music, kids activities, food, and more. Learn more about the event by visiting the festival website. 

Florida Bat Festival

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Lubee Bat Conservancy is hosting the 2023 Florida Bat Festival. Come out on October 21st to enjoy the 19th annual event; it will run from 10am to 5pm. There will be a plethora of bats including the largest bat species – a Malayan Flying Fox which has up to six-foot wingspan. There will also be baby bats, bat-themed merch, educational seminars, live music, food trucks, vendors, a kids zone, and a beer garden. The beer garden is exclusive for participants ages 21 and up; the Beer Garden includes a souvenir glass and unlimited pours from local craft brewers like Swamp Head Brewery, Azalea City Brewing Company, and First Magnitude Brewing Company. Visit the Lubee Bat Conservancy website to learn more. 

Fall-Winter Ceiling Fan Settings

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During the summer, the fan should be counterclockwise to help create a downdraft. This helps create a direct, cooling breeze. Now that the season is changing and the temperatures are cooling down, it’s time to consider changing the direction to clockwise. This helps create an updraft that will circulate warm air around the room. Recirculating the warm air and distributing it back into the living space helps keep the average room temperature up and your heater from overworking. Checking your ceiling fan settings is a good way to help cut down on unnecessary energy costs. 

Covenant Care Presentation on Dementia & Alzheimer’s

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Covenant Care is hosting an educational discussion on the Presentation, Progression, and Planning for someone with Dementia and/or Alzheimer’s Disease. The event is free to anyone in the community; they ask that you reserve your seat so they can properly prepare. The event will start with a Meet and Greet at 5:30pm and be followed by a Buffet Style Dinner starting at 5:45pm.

The Presentaiton will begin promptly at 6pm. It will be led by Dr. Steven Spence, a member of the Internal Medicine Associates of Jackson Hospital and Medical Director of Covenant Care. The event will be held at the Rivertown Community Church in Marianna. For more information or to reserve your seat, please contact either:

Jennifer Griffin; (850) 209-8008; jennifer.griffin@choosecovenant.org

Chelsea Dickinson; (850) 209-7799; chelsea.dickson@choosecovenant.org

Emerald Coast Native Plant Fair

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Paradise Plants and Palms is excited to announce that they’re hosting the first-ever Emerald Coast Native Plant Fair! Join them on September 16th from 10am – 4pm EDT. The Fair will be a celebration of all things Florida Native Plants and conservation. There will be a variety of conservation groups, local artisans, native plant sellers/nurseries, and arts-n-crafts vendors. There will also be a food truck! 

Along with arts-n-crafts, native plants, and food for sale, the event will feature free educational classes, wildlife conservation experts, and coastal ecosystem informational services. A complete list of native plant sellers, vendors, and conservation groups listed below:

  • Paradise Plants and Palms
  • Sandhill Native Nursery
  • Native Plant Company
  • Revive Native Plant Nursery
  • Root and Stem
  • Pojars Plants
  • Pawsative Chaos
  • Hannah’s Treasures
  • Bohemian Funk
  • Aleigator Supply
  • Clay by Kim
  • Nate Buckley: Bat Conservation
  • Saneka’s Legacy Corp: Ecology Conservation

Visit the event Facebook page HERE for more information.

Gulf Breeze Zoo Welcomes New Giraffe

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The Gulf Breeze Zoo, located in Navarre, is home to over 900 animals. On July 13th, a giraffe calf joined the family. Born to 14-year-old Kenya, the calf was 6’3 and 160 lbs at birth. 

Did you know that most giraffes are pregnant for 15 months?! They are considered a vulnerable population by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). They are susceptible to population decline due to habitat loss, illegal hunting, and ecological changes. There are only an estimated 4,500 wild giraffes; the birth of a new calf is something to celebrate for such an endangered species. 

The baby has not yet been named.

Visit the Gulf Breeze Zoo website for open hours to visit the new calf!

Easements and Encumbrances on Property Titles

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  1. Easements:  An easement is a legal right granted to a third party (such as a neighbor or utility company) to use a portion of a property for a specific purpose. Common types of easements include:
    • Right-of-way easements, which allow access to neighboring properties or shared resources like a driveway or private road.
    • Utility easements, which grant utility companies access to maintain or install infrastructure such as power lines, water pipes, or sewer lines.
    • Easements typically “run with the land,” meaning they remain in effect even when the property is sold or transferred to new owners.
  2.  Encumbrances: An encumbrance is a claim or liability that affects a property’s title or restricts the owner’s rights. Encumbrances can include: 
    • Liens, which represent a financial claim on a property to secure a debt, such as a mortgage, tax lien, or mechanic’s lien.
    • Deed restrictions, which are limitations placed on the use of a property by a previous owner, such as restrictions on building height, exterior colors, or commercial use.
  3. How to identify and address easements and encumbrances: A thorough title search and examination conducted by a reputable title company can identify any existing easements and encumbrances on a property. Once identified, your clients can:
    • Review the impact of these issues on their intended use of the property.
    • Negotiate with the seller to resolve any outstanding liens or encumbrances before closing.
    • Obtain title insurance to protect against unforeseen title defects or discrepancies.

Thanks to Burg Title, LLC for this helpful, comprehensive summary on Easements and Encumbrances. 

National Dog Day 2023

Debbie Roney Smith on
Duke, one of Debbie’s furry family members.

National Dog Day was first established in 2004 by pet advocate Colleen Paige. Now, it is an annual celebration of our beloved pets and a day of advocacy for those who are waiting for their forever homes in shelters or foster homes. In honor of our four-legged friends, let’s look at some quick dog facts!

JD, another of Debbie’s dogs.
  • A dog’s nose print is unique, much like a person’s fingerprint.
  • Speaking of noses, a dog’s nose has as many as 300 million receptors! For reference, a human nose has about 5 million.
  • Dogs curl up in a ball when sleeping to protect their organs — a genetic instinct that lingers from their days in the wild when they were vulnerable to predator attacks during sleeping hours.
  • Dogs are not actually color-blind. They can see blue and yellow! 
  • When dogs kick backward after they go to the bathroom, they are not covering their excrement but marking their territory using scent glands in their feet. 

August Gardening

Debbie Roney Smith on

August might seem like it’s too hot for planting but that’s not the case in the Florida Panhandle! Now is a good time to transplant a number of fall crops and start a variety of seeds. Transplant beets, broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, eggplant, kale, peppers, tomatoes, and tropical spinaches. As for seeds, now is a good time to start lima beans, pole beans, carrots, cucumbers, onions, squashes, and turnips.