During these upcoming winter months in Citrus and Hernando Counties, protecting our landscaping and our grass is of the most importance. In order insure that the curb appeal of our homes remains beautiful and healthy until the spring rains return a few simple steps will aid in this process.

1. Water your lawn before a hard freeze occurs. Watering adds an insulation period; a dry freeze will do a lot of damage to a lawn overnight.

2. Clean out an area in your home and bring any potted plants that you have outside inside. Any plants outside that can’t be brought into the house need to be covered up. Make certain that you use a rock or something to hold the sheets and blankets down so that they won’t blow in those winds that accompany a cold front.

3. Another idea is to get your Christmas lights up and around some of your plants! The large outside lights can add some heat to your outside plants.

Remember, during these cold months, your plants need to stay warm, just like you!

With the way that the National economy is going, cutting costs and pinching pennies for the holiday season seems to be a ‘must’ for most families these days. This Thanksgiving consider following some of these cost saving tips. Remember, cutting every little corner adds up…

1. Have the children make all the table decorations for the holidays as opposed to buying them. Hand traced turkeys, pine cones on the table and a decorative vase of ‘hand-picked’ flowers is not only less expensive but ‘cute’ to boot!

2. Coupons! Coupons! Coupons! I can’t stress enough how important coupons can be in saving money at the grocery store. If you already receive the newspaper, Sunday’s news always has coupons in the flyers. If the web is more your style, CoolSavings offers free coupons as well as many other websites.

3. Calculate what the cost will be at the grocery store for each guest that you will be having for dinner. A Thanksgiving Calculator may be of some help to you.

4. Make your shopping list and stick by it! Don’t go to the store hungry, that’s always a big no no!

5. Double check your cabinets before you hit the store you may be surprised at the things that are stashed away that you can use this year.

Come on down this Friday and Saturday night and enjoy the Citrus Stampede Rodeo! The fun begins on November 21 and continues through until November 22, 2008 at the Citrus County Fairgrounds in Inverness Fl. Gates open at 5:30 for opportunities to ride the Mechanical bull, check out the vendors and have a bite to eat before sitting down at 7:30 and enjoying the rodeo! There will be a boot scramble for the kids on both Friday and Saturday night and The Celebrity Buck Off ‘kicks’ off at 6:30 on Friday!

Adult tickets are $15 at the door or $12 in advance and children 4-11 are $5 at the door and $4 in advance. Advance tickets are only available until Thursday, November 20, 2008 at the following locations:

Crystal Dodge - State Road 44 West in Inverness
Crystal Dodge - US 19 in Homosassa
Citrus County 4-H - 3650 W. Sovereign Path in Lecanto
Citrus County Fair Office - US 41 S in Inverness
Country Feed & Supply - 7120 W Grover Cleveland Blvd. in Homosassa
Easy Livin’ Furniture - 4100 W Gulf to Lake Hwy in Lecanto
Service Master of Citrus County - 275 US 19 N in Crystal River
Southern Traditions - 4474 S Florida Ave. in Inverness
Inverness Chamber of Commerce – 401 Tompkins St. in Inverness
Feed & Western Outlet - 4434 E Arlington St. in Inverness
Homosassa Chamber of Commerce - 3495 S Suncoast Blvd. in Homosassa

For more information please feel free to call 352-564-4525.

With the gas prices continually dropping, this weeks lowest gas prices in the area are listed below.

Gas Stations in Citrus County

Cumberland
2805 N. Florida Ave.
Hernando, Fl. 34442
Regular $2.039 - Premium $2.259

Murphy USA
2419 E. Gulf To Lake Hwy
Inverness, Fl. 34453
Regular $1.969 - Plus $2.089 - Premium $2.269 - Diesel $2.919

Gas Stations in Hernando County

Sunoco
7170 Barclay Ave.
Spring Hill, FL, 34609
Regular $1.999 - Plus $2.129 - Premium $2.129 - Diesel $2.959

BP
9002 N. US Hwy 19
Brooksville, Fl. 34613
Regular $2.099 - Plus $1.699 - Diesel $3.289

7-11
6016 Spring Hill Dr.
Spring Hill, Fl. 34606
Regular $1.979 - Premium $2.259

Circle K
6227 Deltona Blvd.
Spring Hill, Fl. 34606
Regular $2.029 - Diesel $2.819

On Saturday, November 15, 2008 join us at the Free Home Buyer Fair! From 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Grace Presbyterian Church on the Corner of Spring Hill Drive and Waterfall Drive, in the back of the Church, Centrury 21 Alliance Realty will be giving away free food, free information, and free prizes valued at over $1000!

Information on being a first time buyer, tax credit information, downpayment information, credit report repair services! There will be a Mortgage Representative and Real Estate Professionals available to answer and all questions that you may have!

For more information call 352-293-2020 or email us at Homebuyerfair@gmail.com

See you there!!

H.O.P.E. Wildlife Rehabilitation, Inc. will be having their annual yard sale on Saturday, November 15th, 2008. Sale starts at 8:00 a.m. and will continue through until 3:00 p.m. The sale will take place at the Colonial Bank on Hwy 19 right next to the Home Depot in Crystal River, Florida in Citrus County. All funds that are received through this sale will be used to benefit all the injured or displaced wildlife that is in their care.

The H.O.P.E. Wildlife Rehabilitation, Inc. is a non-profit organization that dedicates themselves to rescue, rehabilitation and release of injured and displaced wild animals that are native to this area. H.O.P.E. is an ancronym for ‘Helping Our Precious Environment’.

“To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…”
President Wilson November 11, 1919

On June 28, 1919 the Treaty of Versailles was signed outside of the town of Versailles, France, officially ending WWI. Although, the fighting had stopped months before, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, or Armistice Day, it was said to be the end of the “war to end all wars.” Armistice Day was observed from this day forward with parades, public meetings and a brief hault of the businesses starting at 11:00 a.m.

By 1938, the 11th of November was made a legal holiday, in which Armistice Day was dedicated to world peace and honoring our many veterens of World War I. However, by 1954, after WWII and Korea, the Act of 1938 or Armistice Day, became amended and the word “Armistice” was replaced with the word “Veterans”. And Veterans Day became an official holiday to honor all of the Veterans from every war, right up to the Iraq War of today.

Let me just say, Thank You…

With the gas prices continually dropping, this weeks lowest gas prices in the area are listed below.

Gas Stations in Citrus County

Racetrac
1001 NE. 5th St.
Crystal River, Fl. 34429
Regular $2.179 - Plus $2.299 - Premium $2.319

Citgo
8486 N. Carl G. Rose Hwy
Hernando, Fl. 34442
Regular $2.069 - Plus $2.219 - Premium $2.359 - Diesel $3.299

Hess
9515 E. Gulf To Lake Hwy
Inverness, Fl. 34450
Regular $2.179 - Plus $2.239 - Premium $2.379 - Diesel $3.099

Gas Stations in Hernando County

Hess
18625 Cortez Blvd.
Brooksville, FL, 34601
Regular $2.099 - Plus $2.199 - Premium $2.299 - Diesel $3.079

BP
9002 N. US Hwy 19
Brooksville, Fl. 34613
Regular $2.189 - Plus $1.699 - Diesel $3.289

Racetrac
9410 Cortez Blvd.
Brooksville, Fl. 34613
Regular $2.049

Riverhawk Music Festival started yesterday November 6th, 2008 and will run through Sunday, November 9th, 2008 at the Sertoma Ranch in Brooksville, Florida.

Celebrating with over 20 different bands on three seperate stages and around the campfires! Music styles vary from Irish Celtic, acoustic blues, folk, country and bluegrass! Plenty of children activities will keep your little ones busy and having a memorable time. Hayrides, parades, face painting, arts and crafts and ping pong ball racing is among the recreational fun that your child will endure.

Camping is available with limited RV hookups for the duration of your stay. Prizes of free tickets to next years Riverhawk Music Festival will be given away for best dressed camp and best dressed dog! Tickets are available at the gate, prices vary from a full stay at the festival to day passes!

Downtown Crystal River, Florida will be crawling with festivities on November 15, 2008 from 4:00-11:00 p.m. with the Stone Crab Jam!

Featuring bands on three different stages, from the classic rock music of Rock Steady, to the reggae of Dim Applz and all the blues, country and jazz in between! Vendors will be lining the streets offering jewelry, clothing, Christmas ornaments, wood carvings and musical equipment. Here’s your chance to get some of that Christmas shopping done early!

Stone Crab, shrimp, chicken and many other food choices will be offered to tantalize the tastebuds! Charlie’s Fish House, Gator Bites Cafe and Shrimp Landing are only a few of the food vendors that will be offering their goodies! Sign up for the Chowder Cook-off and offer samplings of your secret chowder recipes with your friends and family!

Entrance fee of $5.00 will benefit the Rotary Foundation and every effort to save the Three Sisters Springs (the manatee refurge). For more information visit our website at www.stonecrabjam.com.

See ya’ there!