Category: Misc.

April

Debbie Roney Smith on

April showers bring May flowers, or so the rhyme goes. April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar and has 30 days. In the northern hemisphere  April is a most confusing month; rainy and wet one day, the next full of a warm promise of green growth to come. Besides the weather, the month is full of surprises and contradictions, prized for rebirth and endings, and a birth month to amazing geniuses and crazed despots both, making fun of astrological predictions. In the Roman calendar April is spelled Aprilis, meaning “to open.” The name Aprilis, then, fits April, because in so many places in the northern hemisphere April is the month when trees and flowers begin to bloom and go on to flower.

~Two flowers signify the month of April the daisy and the sweet pea. The daisy symbolizes innocence, loyal love, and purity; but it also means “I’ll never tell!” The sweat pea signifies blissful pleasure, and are used to say goodbye. Sweet peas may be a pretty flower, but they are also one of the oldest food crops on our planet, domesticated by humans about 11,000 years ago.

~The birthstone for people born in April is the diamond, one of the hardest substances on earth. They are supposed to bring balance, clarity, and abundance, and it is symbolic of eternal love and the bringer of wealth to six centuries of the diamond trade.

~Noah Webster Copyrighted the First Edition of His Dictionary in April. The famous language expert Noah Webster was a bit of an April fool: one of his dearest wishes was to reform English spelling for Americans, to make it simpler and more obvious. While millions of school children could go for that; Webster’s proposals included removing all double vowels. Bread would be spelled bred; friend would become frend; tuf for tuf, laf for laugh, kee for key, and speek for speak. He also wanted us to spell machine masheen, and pique peek.
His successes included changing plough for plow and draught for draft; but if you’re a poor speller, you might just peek your frends and attribute that to your fondness for April’s Noah Webster.

~April marks the birth of arguably the most influential writer of all time – William Shakespeare. Born on the 26th in 1564 he went on to write 36 plays and 154 sonnets. He also died in April.

~Adolf Hitler Was Born in April.

~It was on April 15, 1912 that the Titanic hit an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean and sank. Only 700 of the 2,224 passengers were rescued.

April has many days it is known for. The most known are ~April 1st being April’s fool day. ~Passover/Easter/Food Friday. ~April 14th Tax Day, although this year it has been extended. And here are a few of the fun days coming up in April ~International Pillow Fight Day ~National No Housework Day ~Blah, Blah, Blah Day ~Go Fly a Kite Day ~National Sense of Smell Day.

 

 

National Corn Yeild Contest has a 1st place winner from Graceville

Debbie Roney Smith on

The National Corn Growers Association represents nearly 40,000 members, 50 affiliated state corn grower and checkoff organizations, and over 300,000 corn farmers who contribute to state checkoff programs.The National Corn Yield Contest began in 1965 with 20 entries from 3 states. At that time, the highest overall yield was 218.9 bushels per acre, while the national yield average was in the mid-60 bushel-per-acre range. The 2019 crop-year winners were recognized February 28th at the 2020 Commodity Classic, the premier convention and trade show of the U.S. corn, soybean, sorghum, wheat and equipment industries, held this year in San Antonio.

Christopher Dietrich of Graceville placed first in the state for his category in the recent National Corn Yield Contest based on 2019 yields. Farmers are encouraged through the contest to utilize new, efficient production techniques. The 2019 contest participation included 7,454 entries from 46 states.

Congrats Christopher Dietrich!

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

Debbie Roney Smith on

~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!

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.

 

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!

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.

Census Info

Debbie Roney Smith on

The Census Bureau serves as the nation’s leading provider of quality data about its people and economy. The Census is hiring and also will be sending out forms in the coming months. For information about that click the link at the bottom of this blog.

If you have a P.O. Box, you won’t receive the census there. Instead, expect a census field worker to bring a postcard or questionnaire to your home.
How to identify a census field representative:
They must present an I.D. badge with their photograph, a department of commerce watermark, and an expiration date.
They will have a letter from the director of the U.S. Census Bureau
They will be able to provide the number for the regional office for verification.

Did you know 45% of 18- to 24- year old’s who don’t live at home are considered less likely to respond to the #2020Census because they are what the U.S. Census Bureau calls “young and mobile?”

The Data is Used:
– to determine the distribution of Congressional seats to states–
~mandated by the U.S. Constitution
~used to apportion seats in the U.S. House of Representatives
~used to define legislature districts, school district assignment areas and other important functional areas of government

Changes in our community are crucial to many planning decisions, such as where to:
~provide services for the elderly
~where to build new roads and schools
~or where to locate job training centers

Census data affects how funding is allocated to communities for:
~neighborhood improvements
~public health
~education
~transportation
~and much more

For more information about the Census click the link below.

www.census.gov

Happy Birthday Florida~March 3rd

Debbie Roney Smith on

Today Florida is celebrating a birthday! Florida is the 27th state to be admitted to the Union. After being organized as a U.S. territory in 1822, Florida was admitted into the Union in 1845. Florida has now grown to be the third most populous state in America, with some 21 million residents and more than 400 municipalities. They include St. Augustine, the nation’s oldest continuously occupied settlement. A few fun things about Florida: ~Florida has an average of 300 days of sunshine a year. ~Florida has the most golf courses of any state in America. ~Florida is the flattest state in America. ~Florida produces the most oranges in America.

“Happy Birthday, Florida!” is the new public education project that will join public, private and nonprofit sector partners, to use this historic milestone in time to increase awareness about the rich heritage of America’s third-largest state. The majority of Floridians moved here from someplace else, choosing to make the Sunshine State their home. This is an opportunity for these newer residents – as well as native Floridians — to learn all about the strength and diversity of our cultures and citizens. People have lived in Florida since the Ice Age, and Juan Ponce de León visited Florida more than 500 years ago.  Florida was making history before the Pilgrims set foot at Plymouth Rock. You could easily spend your entire life studying our state’s intriguing past. It’s an incredible history well worth sharing with all Floridians. This project is expect to launch this spring.

Last Day of February

Debbie Roney Smith on

Can you believe it is already the last day of February? Where has this month gone? Some things that were celebrated this month were: ~Black History Month ~ American Heart Month ~ Friendship Month ~ Valentine’s Day ~ National Youth Leadership Month ~ Library Lovers Month ~ National School Counseling Week ~ Congenital Heart Failure Awareness Week ~ Jello Week ~ Random Acts of Kindness Week ~ Engineers Week ~ and National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.

Random facts about February. ~The largest American sporting event of the year, the Super Bowl, is held in February. ~Birthstone is Amethyst ~ Flower is Primrose ~ Zodiac signs are Aquarius and Pisces ~ Over time, the length of February kept changing. At one point, it had as little as 23 days. ~ The name of February comes from the Latin word “februum” which means purification. ~ February is the only month where it’s possible to go the entire time without having a full moon. ~ AND Of all the words you can misspell, February is one of the most misspelled words in the English language!