Thursday, March 29, 2012

The Renaissance Festival

Bay Area Renaissance Festival At Mosi
Event Profile

Description

Join us for Human Combat Chess & Live Armored Joust Shows.

Discover an enchanted realm of wizards and warriors amongst gourmet treats and unforgettable entertainment. Wander past EIGHT lively STAGES and street theater featuring jugglers, magicians, fire eaters and specialty acts. Check out LIVE ARMORED CONTACT JOUSTING twice daily, HUMAN CHESS MATCHES, minstrels, maidens faire, peasants, fools, and Royalty.

Dates and times

Open Weekends 10am - 6pm, February 23rd - April 6th, 2008
February 23, 2008 to April 6, 2008
From 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Address

1920 Lake Avenue SE #5
Tampa, FL 33771

Directions:
Great New Location!

Fowler Avenue and 46th Street
(Adjacent to the Museum of
Science and Industry, MOSI)
11315 North 46th Street
Tampa, FL 33617

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Top 8 Beaches in Tampa Bay

Top 8 Tampa Bay Beaches

Enjoy sun, sand and fun at the area's top beaches

From , former About.com Guide
Build sandcastles beneath blue skies, scan the sands for shells or sharks’ teeth, cast a line out in the surf and complete the day with a romantic evening stroll while watching the sun sink beneath the Gulf of Mexico. If any of this sounds tempting, check out these area beaches.

Caladesi Island State Park

Accessible by private boat or by the Caladesi Connection ferry service from Honeymoon Island State Park, Caladesi is one of the few unspoiled natural islands along Florida’s Gulf Coast. In addition to swimming, sunbathing and shelling, visitors can enjoy a three-mile nature trail or a glide through mangroves along the three-mile kayak trail.

Sand Key County Park

Lee Clark Zumpe
This 95-acre park rests on a barrier island just south of Clearwater Pass. More tranquil than neighboring Clearwater Beach, visitors will find cabana rentals, two beach wheel-chairs, nine outdoor shower towers and two bath houses. Lifeguards are on duty from March through September.

Fort De Soto County Park, North Beach

Lee Clark Zumpe
Named No. 1 Beach by Dr. Beach in 2005 and America’s Top Beach by TripAdvisor in 2008, Fort De Soto County Park’s pristine North Beach features soft white sand, clear waters and great shelling. Nearby picnic shelters, grills and playground equipment make it a favorite destination with residents and tourists.

Egmont Key State Park

Egmont Key State Park is first and foremost a wildlife refuge, but the island offers excellent shelling opportunities and a chance to wander along secluded stretches of beach. Accessible only by boat, Egmont Key also is home to the ruins of Fort Dade and features nature trails, picnic areas and fishing.

Greer Island Beach

Located on the west side of Gulf Drive just south of the Longboat Key Bridge on Longboat Key, this beach offers no amenities other than beautiful beaches and fishing … and that’s precisely what makes it special. With the crowded Coquina Beach just the other side of the inlet, this lesser-known destination is a perfect place for a romantic stroll at sunset.

Siesta Beach

Recognized at 1987’s Great International White Sand Beach Challenge for having the “whitest and finest sand in the world,” Siesta Beach offers 2,400 linear feet of gulf beach frontage along with ball fields, concessions, a fitness trail, playground equipment, tennis and volleyball courts and special events scheduled throughout the year. Lifeguards are on duty year-round.

Caspersen Beach

Internationally known for a high concentration of prehistoric sharks’ teeth, Caspersen Beach boasts 177 acres of land and 9,150 linear feet of gulf beach frontage. Amenities include a boardwalk and nature trail, fishing, picnic area and exceptional shelling.

Blind Pass Beach

Found on Manasota Key Road, Blind Pass Beach is a little more laid-back than some of its neighbors to the north. With 2,940 linear feet of gulf beach frontage, it features a canoe launch, dune wildflowers, fishing, a nature trail and a large picnic shelter.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Tips for Spring Cleaning

Tips for cleaning walls:

For cleaning interior walls you would need Wall cleaner, mix 1/2 c. ammonia, 1/4 c. white vinegar, and 1/4 c. baking soda to 1 gal. warm water. If you have a textured walls use nylon socks instead of a sponge or cloth to avoid leaving material chunks behind. You can tie a dust cloth over your broom and work from the top down, to dust wall paper. If you have naughty kids, who have filled non-washable papers with pencil marks and drawings with other non-greasy spots, use an art-gum eraser t remove that. You can also remove remove greasy spots or crayon by applying a paste of cleaning fluid and fuller’s earth and cornstarch. Let the wall dry and brush off residue. Repeat the treatment until the spot is gone.
For exterior walls Use a water hose to spray the outside of your house. This will remove siding cobwebs and dirt.
If you have textured siding, attach a car-washing brush to the hose to remove dirt.
Tips to Clean Windows:
You can make your own spray cleaner. Its easy.  Fill a spray bottle with 3 tablespoons ammonia, 1 tablespoon vinegar & the remainder with water. After that Dust blinds by wrapping a cloth around a ruler. Spray cloth with a dusting spray and run the flat end across each blind. After that shine the windows using an old newspaper. To avoid streaks, clean windows on an average temperature, preferably on a cloudy day. Dry windows outside in one direction then inside in the other direction so that If you see a streak, you will know which side is the mistake. To clean window sills, pour diluted rubbing alcohol on a cloth and rub the entire surface. Then dust off the sill with a clean cloth.
Tips to clean Bathroom:

If the bathroom mirror is not clean, to remove the dull haze, rub alcohol on the surface. Rubbing alcohol can remove the dull haze from mirrors. Rubbing alcohols also removes spots from bathroom fixtures. But for having a sparkling Glass shower doors, clean it with white vinegar. If the shower is dirty then use a solution of 1/2 cup vinegar, 1 cup ammonia, and 1/4 cup baking soda added to one gallon of warm water to clean it.
Water spots on metal frames are a great pain in the bathroom. To clean those use the Lemon furniture oil.
Rusty tile marks can be removed with kerosene. Running the shower on hot for five minutes will steam the dirt loose. To clean Grout Wash with 2 tablespoons chlorine bleach in one quart of water. Dry thoroughly, and then apply Several coats of lemon oil. Let dry one hour between coats. Dull walls will shine when washed with vinegar and water and polished with a dry cloth. Lighter fluid will remove most stains from porcelain sinks and bathtubs.
How to keep your kitchen clean:
Remove stubborn water spots from a stainless sink with a cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol. These spots can be removed with vinegar. If the stainless steel is rusty then rub stainless steel sinks with lighter fluid. For a sparkling white porcelain sink, place paper towels across the bottom of your sink and saturate with house hold bleach.  Let it rinse for 8 hour. Be careful and donot use bleach in colored sinks.
To fight with refrigerator odor keep an open box of baking soda. It will absorb odors for a month or so. Can also use a few drops vanilla extract on a piece of cotton placed in the refrigerator. This will eliminate odors.
Wipe refrigerator with vinegar to prevent mildew and Use your vacuum on the front of the coils and motor to remove dust and dirt from the refrigerator.
Appliances Care:

Yellowing of white appliances is a perennial problem. To stop that mix 1/2 cup bleach, 1/4 cup baking soda and 4 cups of warm water. Apply with a sponge & keep for 10 minutes. After that rinse & dry thoroughly. You can also use car wax to wax large appliances and make them shine. You can also use it to remove small scratches as well.
Wood Floors:

You can make your own floor cleaner. It is very easy to make. Make a solution of 1/2 cup of white vinegar in 1 gallon of warm water. Damp mop with a mop squeezed nearly dry. It is safer to mist the mop with the cleaner than to apply to floor. Do a section at a time and throw an old towel on the floor and scoot back and forth with foot to dry and prevent streaks. Standing liquid from mopping, spills, and pet accidents can damage floors.
The greatest damage done to wood floors is from grit. Mats at doors are necessary to collect grit and it’s important to keep these clean. Frequent dust mopping in high traffic areas to collect grit is the best prevention. This should be done based on the amount of traffic, which may require dust mopping several times a day in an active household. The brush attachment of a vacuum can be used (no beater bars). Felt and furniture protectors should be installed on furniture. Never scoot furniture on wood. Put a piece of waxed paper under your dust mop. Dirt will stick to the mop and the wax will shine your floors.
Removing Stains

Stains are our greatest enemies and to fight them is even easier if you are prepared.
Water Stains: Rub the spot with No. 2 steel wood and rewax. For more serious water stains, lightly sand with fine
Sand paper, clean the spot with No. 1 or 00 steel wool and mineral spirits or floor cleaner then refinish and wax.
Cigarette Burns: If not severe, the burn can be removed by rubbing with steel wool moistened with soap and
water.
Heel and Caster Marks: Rub vigorously with fine steel wool and floor cleaner. Wipe dry and polish.
Ink Stains and Other Dark Spots: Use No. 2 steel wool and floor cleaner to clean the spot and surrounding area.
Thoroughly wash the affected area. If the spot remains, sand with fine sandpaper, re-wax and polish. Stubborn
stains may require that you replace the affected area.
Chewing Gum and Wax Deposits: Ice until the deposit is brittle and crumbles off. Pour floor cleaner around the
stain so the fluid soaks under and loosens it.
Alcohol Spots: Rub the spot with liquid or paste wax
Tips to keep Carpets Clean:

To clean dry spots, loosen soil and vacuum away prior to moistening it. When taking out stains, always use a white cloth. If you have dropped Wax  on carpet or upholstery and want to clean it then set a clean, absorbent cloth over the wax stain and hold a hot iron on it. Then remove the cloth. Coat mildly greasy stains with aerosol shaving cream, use a hair dryer to speed dry. Then vacuum. Sprinkle a greasy stain with baking soda, cornstarch or talcum powder. Leave on at least 8 hours, and then vacuum. The works done.
Apply these simple and effective tips and have a happy spring!!

Thursday, March 15, 2012

1st Day of Spring! March 20, 2012

Spring Folklore and Verse

One swallow does not make a spring.
Bluebirds are a sign of spring; warm weather and gentle south breezes they bring.
In spring, no one thinks of the snow that fell last year.
Don’t say that spring has come until you can put your foot on nine daisies.
Spring-time sweet!
The whole Earth smiles, thy coming to greet.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Irish Recipes - Corned Beef Hash

Irish flavors come together in this delicious corned beef and potato dish. In this easy stovetop recipe, use leftover cooked corned beef or deli corned beef. If you like, turn the hash into a classic American breakfast by serving with a poached or fried egg on top.


Ingredients:



Instructions:

1. In large bowl stir together Simply Potatoes, corned beef, green bell pepper garlic and ketchup; mix well.

2. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add Simply Potato mixture, spreading mixture evenly over bottom of skillet. Cook 10 minutes without stirring. Turn potatoes, continue to cook 7 to 8 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

3. Reduce heat to low. Slowly add fat free half and half. Stir mixture lightly; cook for 1 minute or until heated through.


Tips & Substitutions:

* Substitute 1/2 pound (1/4-inch thick) deli sliced corned beef, cut into 1-inch pieces

** Substitute 1/4 cup half and half or evaporated skim milk

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 1/4 cups
Calories 351; Total Fat 18g; Saturated Fat 4g; Cholesterol 56mg; Sodium 1087mg; Carbohydrate 34g; Dietary Fiber 3g; Protein 14g



2001 Copyright © 2012 Simply Potatoes

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Weekend Lake Party!

Weekend Lake Party at Reeses Beach and Fish Camp

Cost: Payment required - $2.00 for all day beach access $5.00 to launch all watercraft
Music dancing boating swimming Fishing , you name it each and every weekend. Child friendly. Alcohol is not sold on property, but you are welcome to bring your own.

* We are here to offer boat and jet ski launching, plan a picnic with family and friends
* We are the only private camp on the lake
* With our designated swim area you can be sure that the family is safer from harm with all the boating and jetski activity
* You can order food from our fast food service or bring your grill and cook up what you want just the way you like it
* As you can see we have a beautiful Sunrise.W e have many people that just come out to enjoy it in the AM