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The Town of Greenwood is hosting a 4th of July Celebration on Monday, July 4th. Everyone is welcome, but please have pets on leash. The Opening Ceremony will begin at 10 am in Greenwood Park with fun family activities lasting until the afternoon. There will be free sausage dogs, watermelon, water slides, cool treats, and entertainment. Be sure to bring water and wear sun protection.
on Today is National California Strawberry Day, an annual event that kicks off the strawberry season in California. Luckily, even Floridians can enjoy this national day of celebration by planting Florida-safe strawberry varieties. There are a number of specific varieties that do well in the more humid Florida environment: Calibrate, Camarosa, Florida Belle, Florida 90, Rosa Linda, Sequoia, Sweet Charlie, Strawberry Festival, and Tioga. 
While the ideal time to plant strawberries via seed is early fall, it is possible to purchase and plant strawberry starter plants in spring. This is because strawberries require temperatures between 50°F–80°F, and less than 14 hours of daylight. In Florida, these conditions occur throughout the fall, winter, and spring. It is important to make sure the plant has excellent drainage and at least 8 hours of full sun. Strawberries are ready to harvest when three-quarters of the berry’s surface is red. The fruits not only entice local wildlife but also rot quickly, so be sure to harvest regularly once the plant begins producing.
Learn more about successfully growing strawberries in Florida at the UF | IFAS Extension website here.
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Today is the Spring Equinox, an annual date celebrating the arrival of spring. The dawning of spring brings warm, windy days, blooming flowers, and more light. It has been praised for eons around the world in various ways. For instance, in ancient Egypt, the Festival of Isis was held to celebrate the arrival of spring and rebirth via the worship of the goddess Isis. In Iran, the celebration of the coming of spring is called No Ruz which means ‘new day.’ It is a day dedicated to cleaning the house, repairing old items, and bringing in fresh flowers. Ostara is another beautiful spring celebration, often marked by nature worship, rituals, and fulfilling food.
on Today is National Plant a Flower Day! Flowers not only provide a beautiful bloom for humans to enjoy but also helps the local ecology thrive. Celebrate this national event by planting some glorious flowers perfect for spring and early summer in Florida Panhandle:
Common blue violet (Viola sororia)
Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium atlanticum)
Florida greeneyes (Berlandiera subacaulis)
Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
Green and gold (Chrysogonum virginianum)
Woodland pinkroot (Spigelia marilandica)
Lupines (Lupinus villosus and L. perennis)
Passion flower (Passiflora incarnate)
Pinewoods milkweed (Asclepias humistrata)
Golden ragwort (Packera aurea)
Soft greeneyes (Berlandiera pumila)
Stokes’ aster (Stokesia laevis)
Georgia tickseed (Coreopsis nudata)
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Today is National Dentist Day! In honor of this annual celebration of oral health, today’s blog is highlighting a local dentist’s office: Jeremy Lewis, DMD. Located in Marianna, Lewis’ office is a general and family dentistry practice – perfect for the whole family! Open Monday through Thursday, the office offers services ranging from teeth whitening to dental implants. Visit the Jeremy Lewis official website to learn more about their services, view their staff profiles, or schedule an appointment.
on Today is National Drink Wine Day! Support a winery in your community AND enjoy a nice glass of wine; see below for a list of relevant locations. 
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Tomorrow is National Random Acts of Kindness Day! Currently ongoing is Random Acts of Kindness Week which started February 13th and will end on February 19th. Both events are designed to help spread kindness and empathy in the world; the motto of these annual events is “making kindness the norm.” Random Acts of Kindness can be gifted to any person by any person, and includes a plethora of actions from holding a door open to making an anonymous donation and more. Looking for some inspiration to get you started? Consider one of the following acts:
Visit the official Random Acts of Kindness website for more ideas, tips, and to learn more about the movement and the people involved.
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Tomorrow is National Send a Card to a Friend Day! This is a wonderful opprotunity to give someone a happy suprise. Have you ever been excited to recieve something in the mail that wasn’t junk or bills? Recieveing a hand written card or letter is a wonderful feeling; it shows that someone thought of us and that they took time out of their busy schedule to communicate with longform intent. Additionally, there is a thrill to recieving a physical item of connection in a rapidly evolving digital world. So send out a card to someone you care about tomorrow, and keep an eye on your mailbox for a reply!
Fun Fact! The history of card has been traced back to the ancient Chinese sending greeting cards on New Year’s Day and the early Egyptians sending greetings using papyrus scrolls.
on Spread laughter this Christmas with any of the fun holiday jokes/puns below:
on Happy Christmas Eve! Looking for something fun to do to celebrate today? Check out the list of activities below for ideas:
