Sunday, October 31, 2010

You know - That Halloween Little Orphan Annie Goblin Poem

Yeah, That Halloween Little Orphan Annie Goblin poem.   James Whitcomb Riley's poem has been around since 1885 and will probably be around a good while longer. Though many things change in the world over time, human nature isn't one of them. Those things that stick around - like that Little Orphan Annie Goblin Poem have found that place in us that can't be touched or seen but can be felt, and those feelings are no different than they were in 1885. The reason is simple - Little Orphan Annie was REAL and her 'Gobble-uns'- those dark creepy things you never see but you KNOW are there, they were real too. They were real to her and come to life every Halloween when it gets dark and creepy and that thing in human nature that doesn't change comes out to play. Little Orphan Annie called them Goblins but there IS another name it goes by,... that thing we call,...  f-fff-ffear. Wonder if the neighbors would like these Haunted House tickets?

Saturday, October 30, 2010

How to Measure Your Alcohol Level

It's important to know how to measure your alcohol level and with all celebrating this time of year, it's especially prudent. With the Alcohawk Slim Digital Alcohol Breath Tester, you can easily measure your alcohol level giving you a clear signal when you've celebrated just a little too much. The cost is a fraction of what you might pay by simply guessing and if you'd like an even stronger test, their's the highly rated BACtrack S75 Pro Breathalyzer and the BACtrack Select S80 Breathalyzer Professional Edition. How to measure your alcohol level can be as easy as pushing a button and it could be the best decision you make this year.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Help for the Troops? There's no Taste Like Home.

It's said that 'home is where the heart is'. For our troops serving in
far off places like Iraq or Afghanistan, that piece of home may come in the form of a 'goody bag' from the heart of one of our neighbors in Keystone Heights or perhaps someone she's inspired. For anyone who knows the feeling of being away from that place your heart calls home, you can appreciate Kellie Olivier's organization, Helpful Hearts and their desire to help our troops with a little taste of home. Here's her story from Santa Fe College News in Gainesville Florida.

Movie Times for Palatka, Starke, Gainesville, St. Augustine, Ocala, Orange Park and Jacksonville, Florida

Palatka, FL

Palatka Mall Cinemas
(386) 325-1690

Starke FL
Florida Twin Theatre (904) 964-5451

Gainesville, FL

University of Florida

Reitz Union Cinema (352) 393-0533

Regal Royal Park Stadium 16 (352) 373-4277
Hippodrome State Theatre (352) 375-4477
Gator Cinemas 4 (352) 331-6949
Regal Gainesville 14 (352) 336-0408


Orange Park, FL

AMC Orange Park 24 904-264-3888

St. Augustine, FL

EPIC Theatres of St. Augustine
(904) 797-5757
Pot Belly's Cinema Plus (904) 829-3101
World Golf Hall of Fame IMAX Theater (904) 940-IMAX

Fleming Island, FL

Carmike Fleming Island 12 (904) 621-0221

Ocala, FL

Marion Twin (352) 622-1247
Regal Hollywood 16 (352) 861-2699

Palm Coast FL

Epic Theatres of Palm Coast (386) 206-9757

Jacksonville, FL

Cinemark Tinseltown and XD (904) 998-2122
Hollywood - River City 14 (904) 757-9880
5 Points Theatre (904) 358-0605
San Marco Theatre & Grill (904) 396-4845
River City Marketplace 14 (904) 757-9862
Regal The Avenues 20 (904) 538-3889
AMC Regency 24 (904) 264-3888
Regal Beach Boulevard 18 (904) 992-4398

Daytona Beach, FL

R/C Ocean Walk 10 (386) 238-5252

Port Orange, FL

Regal Port Orange Six (904) 788-6940

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Things to do in Florida Oct 30 - 31 2010

Upddate:
you can find the latest 'Things to do in Florida list' shown either just to the right of the post title or scroll down to the archive also on the right-hand side of the page.

You don't need to leave Florahome to find things to do in Florida this Oct 30 - 31. The Living Hope Family Worship Center provides fun for the whole family with their Harvest Hoedown October 30th and food for the soul October 31st at their worship service. Also benefiting our community making house calls year round, the Florahome-Grandin VFD knows of one creepy address you won't find on the Historic Homes Registry - they won't come near the place. If you have no fear of things that go bump in the night, you can find more on the Haunted House and the Hoedown too at Florahome USA's Community Center page. There are other events, fairs, Fall Fests, Halloween Horror Nights and plenty of other things to do in Florida Oct 30 - 31 2010, so if you won't be in our neighborhood, maybe you'll be in one of these,...

(Try the Florida Files page for help in finding a location)

October 30 - 31
Micanopy, FL
The 36th Annual Micanopy Fall Harvest Festival

Oct 31
Apopka, FL
Apopka Halloween House (Nice website)
407-618-3190

Oct 28-31
Jacksonville, FL
Jacksonville Zoo Spooktacular

Oct 30
White Springs, FL
White Springs River Rally & Festival
386-963-1157

Oct 30
Panacea, FL
Mighty Mullet Maritime Festival

Oct 30
Crestview, FL
Fall Festival

Oct 29 - 31
Orlando,FL
Seaworld Spooktacular

Oct 29 - 31
Sarasota, Florida
Pumpkin Festival
941-706-3102

Oct 30
St. Pete Beach
Fall Paddle Festival
727-481-3637

Oct 30 - 31
Cocoa Beach FL
The Cocoa Beach Air Show

Oct 30 - 31
Madeira Beach, FL
John's Pass Seafood Festival

Oct 29 - 31
Tarpon Springs, FL
Greek Festival 2010
727-937-3540

Oct 30 - 31
Naples FL
SW Florida Yard and Garden Show
239-353-4244

October 29th - 31st
Key Biscayne, FL
Miami Seaquarium
Monster Splash 2010
305-361-5705

Fairs going on now in Florida:

Oct 21 - 31
Pensacola, FL
Pensacola Interstate Fair
(850) 944-4500

Oct 26-30
Bonifay, FL
Greater Holmes County Fair
850-547-1108.

26 - 30
Fort Walton Beach, Florida
Northwest Florida Fair
850-862-0211

OCT 29 - Nov 6
Lake City, fl
Columbia County Fair
(386)752-8822
(386)752-7506

Saturday, October 23, 2010

A bazaar event, party animal lost, new baby, selling a TV at a yard sale in Florahome, Florida?

A bazaar, event, party, animal lost, new baby, selling a TV at a yard sale in Florahome, Florida?   Post it on the Community Center page of the Florahome USA blog.

While this post IS a blatant attempt by Florahome USA to attract new visitors, it also proves how powerful the Community Center page can be. It also makes the point - PUNCTUATION IS IMPORTANT!   With the ever increasing speed of communication these days, attention to such details has become lax when it should be just the opposite. A missing comma or misspelled word can give a message - text or otherwise, a whole different meaning. People are summoned to courtrooms across the country every day for messages communicated unintentionally. Many of these political attack ads we see constantly are based on some message taken out of context, but if the message was clear to begin with, the truth CAN be known. Anyway, it's something to think about. And while your thinking about it, if you DO have a bazaar, event, party, animal lost, new baby, selling a TV at a yard sale or anything else you'd like to let people know about in Florahome, Florida? Then post it on the Community Center page of the Florahome USA blog. Thanks.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Old Country Music

In our neck of the woods, old country music can still be heard on WDVH in Gainesville, Florida. It might require a good long wire hooked to the old Philco, but online you can hear those 'Country Legends' anywhere. If you live close by, you may even get a good deal on some old country music on the WDVH Swap Shop. Some people don't know good music from a,... well,... anyway - Swap Shop is on Saturday mornings from 8am til 12 and Wednesday mornings, from 7 to 10. But whether you've got a radio or you're online, WDVH is the radio station to listen to if you wanna hear good old country music. Give it a listen - I think you'll like it.


Be sure to try the other stations on the lower right hand side of this page

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Thursday, October 21, 2010

Listen to Relaxing Radio

Listen to relaxing radio? Jones College was the radio station many of us made fun of in our youth, and now that we're,... not so young, we understand why our parents needed relaxing music. With it's instrumentals and soft standards, WKTZ 90.9 FM in Jacksonville, Florida is still THE place to listen to relaxing music. On a clear day with a good radio, this unique 'beautiful music' station can be heard even here in Florahome, but with the internet anyone can listen to relaxing radio. Listen online now.

Be sure to try the other stations on the lower right hand side of this page
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Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Things To Do In Florida Oct. 21 - 24, 2010

The kids in this part of Florida will have lots of things to do on these October dates,... us older kids too. The Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville is probably the closest to Florahome, and while it's a favorite fun hangout for both kids and adults any time of year, this weekend they're really letting it fly with their Butterfly Fest on the 23rd and 24th. No place makes nature more facinating and I'm sure it will be worth the trip. Not to be outdone, St. Augustine's 15th Annual Ancient City Kids Day is Oct. 23rd and since this is the 15th time this event has taken place, they obviously know how to throw a party. If you have the stamina, you could do the whole weekend at these two events. If you're REALLY in shape, there are things to do even now with the St. Johns County Agricultural Fair already in full swing and will remain so thru Oct. 24th.  Perry, Florida is also kicking things off early with a ton of things to do - from a kid's parade to Lumberjack shows and a golf tournament. Their Florida Forest Festival will run Oct. 21 - 23 and if you're anywhere close by (or even if you're not) it sounds like fun! Also, the Magnolia Fest begins on the 21st in Live Oak Florida. The Fall Market Festival in Newberry, FL featuring their 3rd annual BBQ Cook Off starts on the 22nd of October and will continue thru the 23rd. And don't forget Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios is still going on as well as the Spooktacular at SeaWorld and the International Food and Wine Festival at Disney World's Epcot. For still more things to do in Florida, check out these other events beginning with another one not too far from Florahome that sounds a bit different than the others mentioned, but just as much fun.

Oct. 23
McIntosh, FL
McIntosh 1890's Festival
352-591-4038

Oct. 23 - 24
Mount Dora, FL
26th Annual Mount Dora Craft Fair
352-217-8390

Oct. 23
Lake City, Florida
Lake City Veterans Benefit Car Show
386-752-8822

Oct. 23
Orlando, FL
Central Florida Veg Fest
321-331-1859

Oct. 23
Largo, FL
Halloween Spooktacular
727-587-6740

Oct. 23
Zephyrhills, FL
Halloween Howl
813-780-1414

Oct. 23
Lakeland, FL
Hispanic Festival
863-646-1742

Oct. 23
Tampa, FL
The Feel Good Festival
813-600-7316

Oct. 23 - Oct 24
Naples, Florida
Stone Crab Festival
239-774-0061

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Listen to The Oldies in Palatka Florida


Listen to Swap Shop daily at 9:05am


You can listen to those golden oldies on WPLK in Palatka Florida every day. For the people who live in or visit Putnam, St. Johns and Flagler counties making up the 'Golden Triangle', WPLK can take you back in time with all those great hit songs from the 50s, 60s and 70s. WPLK will also keep you informed with news at the top of every hour as well as keep you up-to-date on events coming to the area. WPLK isn't just music FOR 'the oldies' either, broadcasting local football games and one of the favorite shows - Swap Shop, making it a great radio station to listen to, whatever your age. So set your radio dial to AM 800 WPLK - your oldies station in Palatka, Florida.
WPLK now offers music online HERE!

1428 St. Johns Ave Palatka, FL
386-325-5800
Be sure to check out other ONLINE stations on the lower right hand side of this page.
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Sunday, October 17, 2010

Homework HELP!!! - The Secret of Learning

Some of the best homework help links on the web are in the Link Library at Florahome USA, but the 'Secret to Learning' part of this post is probably why your reading it. The desire for some secret or magic formula to make us smarter, thinner, richer or whatever, is what we all long to discover. The real magic though, is in the way we think. Early in life we had a natural curiosity about the world and wanted to know what everything was and how it worked. We learned by asking, by observing, by comparing new things with things we already knew. We used our senses - touching, listening, tasting to find out about the world at our own pace all through the day and not in one great cram session at night. We did all this without being forced because we considered it fun. We used our imagination to make up impossible stories constantly comparing this thing to that eventually using our crayons to share it all with others. Unfortunately as we got older, WE became the ones being observed, tested and compared and finally graded by how we measured up to the rest of the class. The REAL secret to learning though,is to return to that natural way we went about it in the beginning. It starts with the imagination. In today's digitized world, facts are but a mouse click away, but it's our imagination that still gives us an edge over the computer. In those early days when we did all that comparing and observing and listening, we really didn't have enough experience to make the distinction between what was possible and what was not - like a car being able to drive itself. But as we became too old for such make-believe nonsense our early self-motivated joy of learning turned into work, which of course when done at home is called homework. Learning or making new discoveries can still be done the same way we did it all those years ago - by comparing things we know with the things we don't. Florahome USA'S 'Where is Florahome' post is a simple but convenient example. Most people have at least heard of Gainesville, Florida and have some idea where it is, but they've probably never heard of Florahome let alone being capable of pointing it out on a map. But by comparing the two - the known with the unknown, the new information can easily be linked to and filed away in our brain. Even math as complicated as it may seem is no different being perhaps the supreme example of this principle. To illustrate in a way that also demonstrates the idea of comparison, math may be likened to constructing a house with each part connecting and building upon the other until a solid structure is achieved. If along the way however, some of those pieces are left out, you wouldn't want to be inside that house when a Florida hurricane blows. Likewise, it is crucial in the world of mathematics that each concept be thoroughly understood before moving on to the next or that numerical depression will become a full blown hurricane raised to the tenth power. If you're already there, you best go back and fill in those missing pieces. Go back to 2 + 2 = 5,... uh,... 4 .. if you have to - it will pay off in the end. But whatever new thing you want to learn, find some little bit of it you already know - no matter how tiny it may be, and build on it from there. Ask questions, use all your senses, study for a while and come back to it later - the mind works best with a little bit of rest. Draw or write out what you think you know as if teaching it to someone else. If you can't, you don't fully understand it yet yourself. One thing NOT to compare, is yourself with someone else - we are all different, each with our own strengths and weaknesses and our own unique way of percieving the world, work at your own pace in whatever way works best for you. Above all, use your imagination. The imagination can turn learning into a game - and learning is a game we all can win.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Florida's Football Fans

Generally speaking, when referring to Florida's football fans in our neck of the woods, you're talking the Florida Gators. With Gainesville and the University of Florida just a short drive from Florahome, you'll find orange and blue a favorite color scheme in these parts and Gator fans, even in their current post-Tebow slump, as passionate and loyal as any in football. If you mean by 'Florida's football fans' - those other football fans in the state of Florida, there's a city to the north currently taking issue with their team's fans. Even at this late hour before a nationally televised Monday night game, 3000 or so tickets have yet to sold for the Jacksonville Jaguar-Tennessee Titans game. The Jaguars have been on a popularity roller-coaster since the early days and fans are still being asked, or begged may be a better word, to prove their loyalty once again. There are about as many opinions as to why the Jaguars are considered unpopular in the NFL as there are Jaguar fans. Many chalk it up to Jacksonville being just a college town, but consider this,... teams like the Gators or the Seminoles at Florida State have been around a good while. Fan loyalty takes time, even generations to build, not just in Florida but anywhere spectator sports are played. The teams ranked most popular in the same article labeling the Jags the most unpopular in the NFL are teams that have a long history and their fans raised by earlier fans of these venerable teams. These are your tail-Gators and people like the one pictured in this Jaguars.com splash ad. In the case of the Jaguars, fans like these are the ones that bleed teal and so genetically pass their passion on to their offspring. It takes time but this is a major player in the way fan loyalty is built. Whether your talking the University of Miami Hurricanes, Miami's pro team, the Dolphins or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, true football fans in the state of Florida are like those anywhere else in the world - they don't have to be begged to come to the game. They come, win or lose,... IT'S IN THEIR BLOOD.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Things to do in Florida Oct. 14 - 17 2010

Upddate:
you can find the latest 'Things to do in Florida list' shown either just to the right of the post title or scroll down to the archive also on the right-hand side of the page.

From Oct. 14 - 17 and beyond, it's fairly easy finding things to do in Florida - even close to Florahome. I already mentioned Biketoberfest in Daytona Beach in another post for these dates, but there'll biker fun aplenty as close as Palatka with the Putnam Auto & Cycle Swap Meet & Show scheduled for October 16th - 17th. For music lovers, Daytona is also having Jam for America on the 16th. Florida history buffs can get a real taste of Cracker life just a stones throw from here in Elkton, FL also on Oct. 16th. Cracker Day will pay homage to those early Florida pioneers made famous by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings in such novels as The Yearling and Cross Creek or Patrick Smith's famous work and perhaps the best Florida tale ever told, A Land Remembered. To the west of Florahome in Alachua FL just north of Gainesville they're having a Fall Festival on October 17th. and north of Florahome for those looking for more exotic things to do, the Jax India Fest 2010 in Jacksonville may be more to your liking. For those looking for an event a little more 'down on the farm' you might try Goat Day in Blountstown, FL. There are always things to do in Orlando, especially if you're already in the Halloween spirit. There's the Seaworld Spooktacular running Oct. 16, 17, 23, 24, 29-31st and of course Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Oct. 14-17, 20-24, 27-31. finding things to do in Florida farther south is also a picnic - or maybe a Picnictoberfest. Here are a few you may want to check out,...

Dunnellon Jazz Festival
Dunnellon, FL
Oct. 16
352-489-2320

Rattlesnake Festival
San Antonio, FL
Oct. 16 - 17
352-588-4444

Wesley Chapel Fall Festval

Wesley Chapel, FL
Oct. 16 - 17
813-505-3065

Octoberfest Tampa
Oct. 15, 16, 17

Hungarian Festival
Sarasota, FL
Oct 16 - 17
941-320-8253

Suncoast Oktoberfest
Sarasota, FL
Oct. 16
941-362-7632

Fall Fest & Car Show
Palm City, FL
Oct. 16
772-286-8121

Heritage Festival
Lake Worth, FL
Oct 16 - 17
561-582-4401

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Florida's High-speed Train Pain

While here in Florahome Florida we await the construction of our new but low-tech bike trail, others in the state have a need for speed and instead of turning their rails to trails are opting to keep the rails and SMOKE THEM BAD BOYS!!! Actually, the desire for a high-speed train in Florida has been around for many years and even now with the proposed Tampa-Orlando-Miami route ready to make that dream a reality, the age old question 'how-ya gonna pay for it?' is still being asked. As it turns out, the upcoming election may play a role in whether those folks to the south are rocketing down the rails in 2015, or still swiping their cards at another Florida gas station. As for us, all we'll need here in Florahome is a little more Icy-Hot.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

About Florahome, Florida USA

Florahome, Florida

Florahome USA was initially about creating a central resource for the residents of Florahome and the surrounding area to find better and more community specific information on the web. Having grown a bit, Florahome USA now has become a place where just about anyone can find something of interest to them. Beyond Florahome and other Florida related posts, Florahome USA's Bulletin Board page is now available for all visitors to post. The Link Library and Everything Florida pages together contain links to a wealth of information that can help save hours searching the web and also the Gas and Weather page can be customized for any location giving you quick access to the weather and current gas prices in your own area, and not just Florahome. In the end, Florahome USA is really about Hometown USA and can be a great resource for all. So no matter where you're from, we're glad you stopped by and please visit us again!

You can help preserve the history of Florahome and other places in Florida by sending your information, memories, stories and photos to the email address at the bottom of the page. Please do not send copywrited material. Thanks

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Sunday, October 3, 2010

Florida Columbus Day Weekend Festivals

October is the month when native Floridians pull out their sweaters feeling that 80s chill in the air. It's actually one of the nicest months of the year here in Florida and Floridians take advantage with many festivals or 'toberfests'. Biketoberfest in Daytona Beach is one of the more popular around these parts, but that's a mid-month affair. First we have to honor Christopher Columbus who I'm sure was himself in the mood to celebrate when land was sighted and the mutiny postponed. Starting with those closest to Florahome, here are some links to a few Columbus Day weekend festivals worth considering if your planning to be here in Florida from the 8th through the 10th (haven't found one for Columbus day yet,..)

St. Augustine
Greek Festival - Oct. 8-10

St. Augustine
Creekside Festival - Oct. 9-10

Winter Park
Autumn Art Festival - October 9-10

Port Charlotte
Holidayfest and Craft Extravaganza - Oct. 9-10

Fort Myers
Beach Pirate Fest - Oct. 8-10