SO WHATS A SNOWBIRD ?

Hello all,

Its that time of year again folks. Its Fall season. Time to carve pumpkins, break out those sweaters and sip on the pumpkin spice latte. But with the Fall comes a season we're not so happy with. Snowbird season. Though the politically correct word is winter visitors, snowbirds are the older folks who flock to Florida during the cold months, usually from October till May. We know they've arrived because there is so much more traffic on the roads.

Here we don't have the usual seasons the rest of the country have. We have out hurricane season, our lobster season, our manatee season, our turtle nesting season, and our snowbird season. In the sunshine state we get 900,000 to a million seasonal residents. Some say it could be higher.

For businesses that means money. They are a much needed commodity. A lot of us make most of our money this time of year. Especially in the service industry where you can constantly be working overtime hours to keep up. Companies buy more products this time of year to keep up with demand, and its this time of year that smaller businesses count on to stay afloat. They definitely give our economy a vital boost.

The average snowbird is 67 years old and stays at least a month, though the usual stay is 3-4 months. Ten percent of them come from outside the US, five percent from Canada. Canadian snowbirds pump more than 4 billion into Florida's economy annually. Florida is their number one destination. According to tripping.com, Clearwater, Florida came in at the number one place for value for snowbirds to visit. New Smyrna Beach, Florida came in at number two. So keep on coming snowbirds,  Florida welcomes you with open arms. 

MY RECIPE CORNER - HOW TO COOK DELICIOUS FLORIDA LOBSTER

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Hello all,

Its that time of the year again folks, lobster season! I'm here to teach you how to cook Florida lobster. Florida has 2 lobster seasons, The mini season is the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday in July. Then the regular season.  It runs from  August 6th - March 31st. The Florida lobster is called the spiny lobster or "bugs" by locals and can be tricky to catch. They can travel backwards at great speeds to avoid being caught.

Before you cook Florida lobster, you have to catch them. The best way to catch a lobster is to use a tickle stick and  to coax it out of its hiding place. You take the stick and slide it behind the lobster and tap him on its tail. This causes the lobster to slowly walk forward. Once it starts moving you place your net behind it and quickly swoop the end of the net around and trap him in it. The lobster will move fast so make sure you have your net in place. Then make sure they're the appropriate size, carapace minimum 3 inches, and tail must be greater than 5 1/2 inches. Remember 6 is the daily bag limit.

Florida lobster is best grilled or broiled, but never boiled. Maine lobster is the one that gets boiled. All of this lobsters meat is in the tail. In celebration of lobster season, I found a delicious recipe for
crab stuffed Florida lobster from freshfromflorida.com I want to share:

To cook Florida lobster the easy way split the tail with a large knife. Brush the meat with a combination of olive oil or butter, lemon juice, and pepper. Put them on the grill. Cook the shell side for 6 minutes and the meat side for 2 minutes, and voila, a delicious masterpiece. Now for the recipe, enjoy!:

INGREDIENTS:

2 whole lobsters split lengthwise
1 tbs butter
1 tbs chopped celery
1 chopped shallot
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp flour
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup flaked crabmeat
1 tbs melted butter
3 tbs dry breadcrumbs
paprika

DIRECTIONS:

Remove lobster meat and rinse lobster cavity thoroughly.
In a skillet saute celery and shallot in butter till soft.
Stir in flour, dry mustard, cayenne, and milk and simmer until thickened.
Add crab meat and spoon mixture into lobster body.
Brush lobster meat with melted butter.
Sprinkle bread crumbs and paprika over crab and lobster meat.
Bake on pan in oven at 400 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes until cooked through and lightly browned. Enjoy!

cooking Florida lobster

SPOTLIGHT STORY- SHAWN MICHAELS FROM THESMARTLAD.COM

Hello all,

This week my Spotlight Story is about climbing and hunting enthusiast  Shawn Michaels. He is owner of the blog The Smart Lad. Here is his story:

By profession I'm an inbound marketer and I help small business to increase their ROI (return on investment). The key is to do something you love and you'll  automatically start making money online.  Now I am able to maintain a side business that generates me an extra five figures every month. Hunting and climbing is what I like to do in my spare time. I'm not an expert by any means, hunting and climbing is something that interest me. I often go fishing and duck hunting with my friends during the weekends. Climbing is my passion and it took me 1 1/2 years to build my following on twitter. It was all about consistently and hard work. It took a lot of effort to build a scalable business but it is paying off now. I am also an Amazon seller and I review hunting and climbing equipment on my blog.

For all your climbing and hunting needs check out his very informational blog at  http://thesmartlad.com/
You can also catch him on twitter @ASmartLad.

WHAT POPULAR MOVIES WERE FILMED IN FLORIDA

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Hello, all

The Florida film industry used to be one of the largest in the US. Our state used to rank third thanks to our year round mild temperatures and being based on the east coast. But no longer. Florida is one of only 16 states that now have no film industry tax credits or rebates in place. We have been losing movies to other states, especially neighboring Georgia. The last time we had approved film tax credits was back in 2010. Some say if we hadn't had available film credits when they filmed Dolphin Tale, it probably would of been filmed somewhere else. That movie was filmed at  the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Before the movie they had 75,000 visitors a year, afterwards it skyrocketed to 800,000.

Even Disney is down sizing. They closed their Orlando feature animation studio in 20014. They say its too expensive and labor intensive. Disney on the other hand has been successful with their live action remakes. They presently have 16 in the works. Some have already been released such as Alice in Wonderland, Alice through the looking Glass( Released May,2016), and Pete's Dragon (Released August 2016). Beauty and the Beast is up next set to be released March 2017.

With that being said, I thought I'd list some popular movies that were made here in the sunshine state:

The Infiltrator(2016)- Tampa

Sisters(2015)- Orlando

 

Transformers Dark of the Moon(2015)- Titusville



Magic Mike XXL(2015)- Tampa



Paper Towns(2015)- Orlando

Dolphin Tale(2014)- Clearwater



I am Number 4(2014)- Islamorada

The Punisher(2004)- Tampa



Out of Time(2003)- Boca Grande

2 Fast 2 Furious(2003)- Miami

Edward Scissorhands(1990)- Tampa

Scarface(1983)- Miami

4 ANIMALS TO HUNT IN FLORIDA

Hello all,

Hunting is a a popular past time for many and a way of life for many Floridians. That being said there are Florida specific game many go after. I listed information about a few:

alligator-
Alligator season runs from August 15th to november 1st. 5000 permits are available and permit the taking of 2 alligators. They are available via random drawings. There are more than 1.25 million alligators in Florida alone. Popular hunting grounds for these creatures are the Everglades and Lake Okeechobee. They are usually hunted at night  with a speargun, crossbow, or harpoon. There has been 23 fatal alligator attacks since 1948, and many more injuries. The average length of alligators caught is 8 feet, and many of the ones targeted are the mammoth nuisance ones who no longer have a fear of men. The alligators can then be taken to where their meat and hides can be processed.

wild pig or hog(feral pig, boar)
Wild pigs are the second most hunted large animal in Florida behind white tailed deer. On private property they can be hunted year long and with no limit or permit. On wildlife conservation areas, you can hunt all year except during spring turkey season. On WMAs they usually have a lottery to get a permit, and their can be quotas. Some hog hunts are only available during certain dates. Rifles, muzzleloaders, shotguns and pistols are used. Florida has about 1 million wild pigs statewide.

burmese python-
The first public hunt for pythons took place in 2013. They are known to grow up to 18 feet long. In the Everglades, the burmese python is an out of control snake species. It is believed to number in the ten of thousands there. The snakes are native to southeast Asia. Florida has an annual hunt called the python hunt. It takes place in the Everglades to lesson the amount of pythons that are threatening native mammals. Prize money is involved for the hunt. The snakes have no real predator.

black bear-
The states largest land mammal was down to a few hundred bears in the 1970's. Today that number is around 4030. In 2015, Florida had its first black bear hunt in 20 years. It was done to curb the population. 304 bears were killed in 2 days. Bears with cubs were not allowed to be targeted, but the hunting of female and male was allowed. Many activist were upset when it was discovered many of the females that were killed were still lactating. Because of the conflict, the bear hunt for 2016 was postponed. The Florida wildlife conservation received  over 6000 calls in 2015 involving bear human conflicts. The Florida black bear was considered endangered until 2012.

WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT ORLANDO

Hello all,

I have lived all over florida, and have attended events at many of its different cities. I have to say Orlando is my favorite city by far. It has more to offer than just theme parks. It also has a rich history. Orlando was first occupied by the Seminole tribe until the first European settlers arrived in 1837. Its stated that according to tradition it was named after Orlando Reeves, an american soldier who had woke up other soldiers and saved them from great peril against natives. The city was previously named Jernigan after a military office who was later relieved of his duty due to notorious acts.

In 1964, Walt Disney secretly started buying millions of dollars of land in central Florida . The development of Walt Disney World in 1971 started a construction boom. Sea World of Florida came later in 1973 and Universal in 1990. Tourism increased and the city never looked back. Now it welcomes 50 million tourists a year.

Orlando offer much more than theme park options. For outdoor activities it has the Fort Christmas historical park (right outside Orlando in Titusville). Its a lifesize replica of the actual fort and has historical structures to explore and demonstrations. Then there is a 248 acre Orange County park named Kelly Park. It offers camping, trails and a crystal clear spring for swimming , Rock Springs.  The Wekiwa Springs is a Florida state park that offers kayaking, camping, and swimming. In the center of Orlando they have a beautiful 43 acre park named Lake Eola. Its actually a sinkhole, and they have summer concerts at its ampitheatre.

Now if camping is your cup of tea, Orlando has an abundance of those also. You should try the Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort campsite. It is 750 acres with pools, fully equipped campsites, and pools,archery, horse back riding, canoeing, fishing, bonfires and disney entertainment. . Lake Whippoorwill Koa is one of Orlando's best kept secrets. It offers a private boat ramp, fishing,  canoeing, a pool,and hot tubs, all on 355 acres.

Im sure whichever route you choose, you'll have a spectacular fun filled time in Orlando!

HOW TO SAVE MONEY WITH GROUPON COUPONS #GROUPONCOUPONS # AD

This is a sponsored post.  All opinions expressed in this post are 100% mine.


Hello all,

Like most people today, I am really into saving money. So like a lot of people I use coupons. I definitely am the go to person when looking for coupons. Just ask my kids. They know mom has coupons for everything. Want to know my secret, my most favorite place for coupons? Its  Groupon Coupons  ! They have them for almost every category and store you can think of. They are so convenent and easy to use. You just search the category or store  name, then voila! Many options to choose from like using it online, in store, or a coupon code. No more searching site to site. Now all the coupons you ever wanted in one place!

One of my  all time favorite stores to shop is Kohls . So what would be my one and only site to go to look for savings, Groupon Coupons ! Right now I can easily save anywhere from 15-20% off my shopping bill with their easy to use in store code or coupon code. It even shows me sales I may not of known about that are going on today. Now that's smart shopping. Then out to lunch with the hubby at one of my favorite restaurants like Olive Garden or Pizza Hut, all the while saving money. Even if I'm out of town, I keep saving by searching for Groupon Coupons for that city. I don't know about you, but all the money its saved me sure looks good in my wallet. Try Groupon Coupons and start saving today!

WHY LOOK ANYWHERE ELSE? GROUPON MAKES IT SO EASY TO FIND THINGS TO DO #GROUPON # AD

This is a sponsored post. All opinions expressed in this post are 100% mine.

Hello all,

I am always looking for new things to do and try. Living in Florida, it seems there is always an abundance. Of course, we want to be active, but we also want to save money doing it. My go to site for searching for great prices on an outing is Groupon.  I always check there first. I cant tell you how many times I've used Groupon. The site is so easy to use too. You write your city in the search bar, click on the things to do tab, and voila! Options galore, even ones you haven't even thought of trying.

Over the past few years my family has went to a rodeo, 2 conventions, 4 concerts, and my hubby even drove a racecar! All with the help of Groupon. A few months ago, we were planning a party for my granddaughter, and we searched online for any and all discounts we could find! Of course, the best prices we found were on Groupon! We had so many options to choose from like a trampoline and bounce house .

Her party was a huge hit! It definitely gave everyone who attended precious lasting memories. The great discounts we have found have made it possible for our family to do more things  we never thought we could afford.  So what's holding you back? Search Groupon today!

WHAT ARE FLORIDAS TOP 10 MUST SEE SPRINGS

Hello all,

As you know, Florida is the world capitol of springs, boasting over 1000. With us floridians enjoying our water activities, its no wonder they are so popular. Here are some of the best worth checking out:

1 .Three Sisters Springs, Crystal River- This spring is the best place to see manatees. The water is a constant 72 degrees and provides the essential warm water refuge for the manatees during the winter months. To protect the manatees, the springs manatee sanctuaries  are closed from November 15th to March 31st.

2. Silver Springs State Park, Ocala- This is one of florida's first tourist attractions. It is also one of the worlds largest artesian springs. It is known for its glass bottom boat tours. You can also enjoy it by kayak or canoe.

3. Weeki Wachee, Spring Hill-  This is home of the live mermaid shows. It also has a beautiful spring for swimming, canoeing or tubing. It even has a waterpark with water slides catapulting you into the springs. I go here yearly.

4. Rainbow Springs, Dunnellon- This Florida's 4th largest spring. Here you can enjoy waterfalls, swimming and tubing. They have a beautiful 2 mile hiking trail here and campground.

5. Blue Springs State Park, Orange City-  This is the largest spring on the St, Johns River. During manatee season, several hundred can be seen from the springs overlook.  The water is a crystal clear 73 degrees and is enjoyed by swimmers, snorkelers, and scuba divers. It is a designated manatee refuge.

6. Ichetucknee Springs State Park, Fort White-  The crystal clear river flows 6 miles through wetlands and shaded hammocks till it joins the Santa Fe River. The head of the spring is a natural national landmark. You can go tubing, canoeing snorkeling. Scuba diving is only allowed if you're certified.

7. Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park, Crawfordville -  This is one of the largest, deepest freshwater springs in the world. It has a lot of wildlife such as manatees, alligators, turtles, and deer. They have guided glass bottom boat tours. Swimmers can find  observation and diving platforms  at the head of the spring. Scuba diving is only for those certified.

8. Fanning Springs, Fanning Springs-  This springs is located on the Suwanee River. It is a second magnitude springs, meaning it produces 65 millions of water daily. Manatees visit here during the winter months. You can enter the park by boat or car. It has a boardwalk overlooking the springs. Many come here to swim and snorkel. They have a campground here with cabin rentals. I have went camping here and it is beautiful, but the water is very cold.

9. Madison Blue Springs State Park, Lee-  This is a crystal clear first magnitude springs, That means it produces 100 million gallons of water daily. Its 82 feet wide and 25 feet deep and bubbles up to a limestone basin. There is an extensive underwater cave system for those certified in cave diving.

10. Juniper Springs in the Ocala National Forest, Ocala-  This is one of the east coasts oldest well known recreation areas. It has swimming, picnicking, trails and a campground. It has hundreds of tiny bubbling springs and a massive spring that gushes out of crevices in the earth underneath canopies of palm and oak trees.

WHERE TO FIND FLORIDA CELEBRITIES

Hello all,

Florida has a lot to offer with so many things to do , see, and enjoy. Its no wonder  many celebrities have taken to flocking to Florida too. I've made a lit of some of those famous faces and the cities they reside in:

David Caruso- Miami Beach

Cher- Miami Beach

Matt Damon- Miami Beach

Celine Dion- Jupiter Beach

Hulk Hogan- Clearwater

Dwayne the Rock Johnson- Davie

Stephen King- Casey Key

Beyonce Knowles- Miami Beach

Rosie O'Donnell- Casey Key

Shaquille o'neal- orlando

John Travolta- Ocala

Donald Trump- Palm Beach

Tiger Woods- Jupiter Island

James Patterson-Palm beach

Christian Slater- Coconut Grove

Kevin James- Delray Beach

Jimmy Buffet- Palm Beach

Burt Reynolds- Palm Beach

Bob Seger- Naples

Jerry Springer- Bird Key

John Cena- Land o Lakes

HOW TO MAKE DELICIOUS TROPICAL DRINKS

Hello all,

Labor day has come and gone and I'm sure most of you as I spent it relaxing with family and friends. Being in florida, what better way to relax than laying by a pool sipping on a delicious tropical drink.
I.ve found sone awesome drink recipes I wanted to share with you. Next time your relaxing with friends and family you'll be ready to serve up some delicious refreshment.

1. Sex on the Beach-
    1 1/2 ounces of peach schnapps
    1 1/2 ounces of vodka
    2 ounces of cranberry juice
    2 ounces of orange juice
    2 ounces of pineapple juice
Mix ingredients together in a shaker with ice and serve.

2. Strawberry Margarita-
   2 ounces of tequilla
   1 ounce triple sec
   1 ounce lime juice
   1 ounce strawberry liqueur
Mix together tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and strawberry liquor. Shake with ice and pour into a margarita glass with the rim dipped in salt. You can also blend with ice to make a frozen version.

3. Strawberry Daiquiri
   2 ounces white rum
   1/2 ounce of cointreau
   6 strawberries
   1 ounce of lime juice
   1/2 tsp of superfine sugar
Mix all ingredients and add ice and blend till smooth and serve.

4. Florida Tropical Storm-
   2 cups pineapple juice
   2 cups orange juice
   1 cup white rum
   3/4 cup dark rum
   3 tbsp campari
Mix together and serve with ice. Garnish with maraschino cherries and orange wedges.

5. Bahama Mama-
    1/2 ounce rum
    1/2 ounce coconut rum
    1/2 ounce grenadine syrup
     1 ounce orange juice
     1 ounce pineapple juice
Blend all ingredients with ice until its a slushy texture and serve.

6. Hurricane-
    2 ounces dark rum
    2 ounces light rum
    2 ounces passion fruit juice
    1/2 ounce lime juice
     1 ounce orange juice
Mix all ingredients well with ice and garnish with orange wedges.

7. A Day at the Beach-
    1 ounce coconut rum
    1/2 ounce amaretto
     4 ounces orange juice
     1/2 ounce grenadine
Shake ingredients well,  pour over ice and top with grenadine, a pineapple wedge and a strawberry.

8.  Beach Comber-
    1  1/2 ounce light rum
    1/2 ounce triple sec
    1/2 ounce grenadine
    1 ounce sour mix
Shake ingredients well with ice, and strain into a glass rimmed with sugar and garnish with a lime slice.

9.  Long Island Iced Tea
    1/2 ounce triple sec
    1/2 ounce white rum
    1/2 ounce gin
    1/2 ounce vodka
    1/2 ounce tequila
    3 ounces cola
Mix ingredients together and serve over ice garnished with a lemon slice.

10. Pina Colada-
     3 ounces pineapple juice
     1 ounce white rum
     1 ounce coconut cream
Mix ingredients with crushed ice until smooth and garnish with a cherry.

Enjoy the drinks and stay thirsty my friends!
 

9 WAYS TO STREAM MOVIES FOR FREE

Hello all,

There has been a lot of talk on the internet about cutting the cord to your cable provider. I've researched and came across some sites where you can watch movies and shows for free besides Netflix.:

1. Crackle- I use this one myself. I have it downloaded to an Xbox with Netflix. It has a mix of older and newer movies. I've found quite a few on this site. It has TV shows also.

2. Hulu- I know this is a pay service, but it does have a limited collection of movies that you can stream for free.

3. Snagfilms- This  is one I gotta try. It has quite a collection, 10,000 free movies. The interface looks to be very user friendly.

4. Hoopla- This site  has more than just movies. You can also stream audiobooks, music, ebooks, and TV.

5. Yidio- This site is more like a hub, a place that connects others services together in one place, like Hulu and Netflix. You'll still need a subscription for some of them.

6. PopcornFlix- This is one I wanna try! It looks to have quite a collection. No newer movies though. It also has Indie films and TV shows.

7. Viewster- This site carries a wide selection of anime, web shorts, movies and more. It has some unusual movie categories that set it apart from others.

8. Free Movies Cinema- This site looks to have a lot of classic movies, but in all genres. It also has newer ones , and short films too.

9. Classic Cinema Online- This site is for all you old classic movie junkies. It even has the old creepy horror classics. Be forewarned, their selection is limited.

Good luck at cutting the cord and enjoy!