A Taste Of Florida - The Yearling Restaurant

Located in Cross Creek Florida The Yearling Restaurant has been serving up a taste of Florida since they opened back in 1952. The restaurant is famously named for the book of the same name written by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. In fact her home site is located just down the road and I would highly recommend a visit while you are in the area. Look for an upcoming post about my recent visit to her place!

The Yearling offers up local Florida cuisine that might seem a bit exotic to some, I'm talking Frog Legs, Gator and Venison! Don't worry though if you want something a bit more traditional they have an amazing burger and fries. At the end of our meal the waitress brought out this amazing slice of pie. I was stuffed but how could I resist pie?

The very best part of your dining experience at The Yearling is listing to Willie play the blues. He plays daily and I'm telling you it really makes the experience. You can also pick up one of his CD's before you leave.

The Yearling Restaurant is worth a trip and isn't too far off the beaten path, you can get to the interstate in Gainesville or Ocala about twenty five miles away. If you want to stay awhile they have some cabins available for rent as well. While you are there you can explore the surrounding lakes of Orange and Lochloosa. The Yearling Restaurant is really worth the trip!

Exploring Florida - Kayaking The Waccasassa & Wekiva Rivers

Living in Florida we are pretty blessed to be surrounded by water, giving us mulitple oppourtunities to explore. Whether you like the Ocean or Gulf or rivers or lakes, Florida has it all. We just recently got a pair of kayaks and have enjoyed not only scouting for launch spots but exploring areas you wouldn't normally get to see.

On this kayaking adventure we decided to put in at the public boat ramp on the Waccasassa River located in Levy County, off of county road 326. This boat ramp gets quite a bit of action with people putting in and going down river to the Gulf of Mexico. Kayaking on a river means there is a current, so we put in and went up river as to do all the hard paddling first and then the return trip is basically letting the current take you back.

Our destination is the clear waters of the Wekiva river, located up the Waccasassa river a ways. Neither the Waccasassa or the Wekiva are very wide and in some places the Wekiva gets very shallow. The water of the Waccasassa is a dark brown but the Wekiva is clear as can be and you can see fish swimming under you as you paddle around. On this trip we saw a few deer eating along the banks and lots of owls. We paddled for about two hours up river till we got tired and the river got narrower and the current was stronger. Eventually the Wekiva ends at a spring that is closed to the public because they bottle water there. There are a few houses along the river but for the most part it's just nature, the way it was years and years ago.

One thing that really interested me was this old boat and boat house. It looked like the boat was parked fifty years ago and never touched since! There was also a neat old house along with it and a wonderful sea wall with docking cleats on it. You could really tell that at one time this place was centered around the rivers. The river must have been a lot deeper at one point in time, this boat is way to large to get down this river now! It's amazing how time can change water levels and the lay of the land. There was another large boat house we had passed as well which again leads me to believe that this river was deeper at one point in time.

This kayaking trip on the Waccasassa River was filled with nature and enjoying the Old Florida. If you are going to plan a kayaking trip here I would make sure you bring a snack and plenty of water. Don't forget the sunscreen either! Keep in mind that Florida has those pesky afternoon thunderstorms that tend to pop up in the summer, so if you are planning a trip keep a close eye on the weather. You wouldn't want to be two miles up river with a thunderstorm brewing! Kayaking is great exercise and really can take you some places that not many other people have been. So get out there and enjoy nature and make some memories! Just remember...take only pictures..leave only footprints!

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Keep Your Shirts From Sliding Off The Hanger

Doesn't it seem like there is always that one shirt that does not want to stay put on the hanger? It sure seems that way to me. I have one in particular that spends more time on the closet floor then it does on the hanger. The good news is that there is a simple and cheap way to keeps those shirts where they belong and keep your closet looking neat and organized.

It's pretty simple and you probably already have the solution in your home. So what's the magic trick? Rubberbands! Yes, you heard me right. Rubberbands, those tan ones you have laying around your office. All you need to do is wrap a rubberband around the end of each side of the hanger as pictured. The rubber will keep your shirt in place and from sliding off. Simple, easy and best of all it works!

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Exploring Florida - Cedar Key

At the end of Levy County's State Road 24 you'll find the island town of Cedar Key, Florida. A small town with no traffic lights but lots of Gulf coast charm. In the off season you might see more Pelican's then people but on busy day's you're lucky to find a parking spot! Cedar Key is a fishing town with a lot of character. The island community hosts a few events each year that really bring in the crowds, if you're planning to attend make sure you book your lodging well in advance! Some of these events are the annual Seafood Festival, an Art's Festival and a newly founded Pirate Festival including a fun Pirate parade down Dock Street. Not to mention the Fourth of July festivities with Fireworks over the water! Bring your pup too because Cedar Key is dog friendly!

Cedar Key is still recovering from the damage caused by Hurricane Hermine, a Category 1 storm that hit the island in September of 2016. It's amazing how much damage can be cause by the water that makes the town thrive, however the residents are a tough lot and are rebuilding and bouncing back stronger than ever.

If you are planning a visit to Cedar Key be prepared to relax, un-wind and be on island time. There are plenty of things to keep you busy during your stay. Plan on renting a kayak or canoe and paddle around the islands. Not up to paddling? Hire one of the fishing charters in the area to take you out for a day on the water. If you just want to relax and people watch head on over to the beach, located at the City Park. Watch the waves roll in and the people stroll by. There are also two museums in Cedar Key that are pretty neat and will fill you in on all the local history of the area.

Hungry after all that sightseeing? Try some Clams, Cedar Key is known for them. Stop on into Tony's for some world famous Clam Chowder. If you want to eat right on the water and enjoy the views try 83 West or Steamers both are good choices! Any of the places on the island are great though, so just pick a spot and enjoy! If you are looking for an out of the way place to spend a little downtime then head on over to Cedar Key!

How To Keep Your Laptop From Overheating

Are you tired of your laptop over heating all the time? It doesn't really seem to matter if it's on a desk or on my lap, my laptop was always overheating and shutting off. We all know how annoying that can be to have your laptop shut off in the middle of a movie or while doing work. I came up with a simple and cheap way to keep my laptop cool. The best part was it was something I already had in my house, so there was no additional cost. Of course you can buy things to prevent your laptop from overheating but those can be costly.

So what is the item that can keep your laptop playing that movie? A simple baking rack! You know, the thing you put cookies to cool when they come out of the oven. A simple metal baking rack will solve all your laptop overheating issues. If you don't already have one in your house you can check with a parent or grandparent, they might have one laying around they aren't using. Or you can check with a local thrift store, second hand store or yard sale.

I love an easy way to solve a problem that doesn't cost a forturne. If you have a tip or trick be sure to tell us in a comment, we'd love to hear it!

How To Earn Cash Back For Grocery Shopping

Buying groceries is a fact of life that we can't avoid. What we can do however is save money on what we buy. There are many ways to do this and some are more time consuming than others. You can use coupons but you do have to find them and or print and then cut them. You also have to remember to actually bring them into the store and use them. Digital coupons are popular now as well, in a lot of cases you have to download a store app. Other ways to save at the store are shopping the sales, going from store to store and becoming a rewards member for various stores. How can you actually earn cash back though? The answer is by using Apps!

My favorite App for earning cash back at the grocery store is ibotta. It's free to download and easy to use. Just pick at store near you from their list and then browse the items they are offering cash back on. Once you find some items that you use just click the plus sign to add it to your list. The items and cash back amounts vary from week to week so be sure to check back often. Now that you have your items it's time to go shopping! Once you get those items home verifying your rebates are easy. Just open up the ibotta app, click the redeem button on the bottom center of the App, choose the store you are redeeming rebates and then using their App you take a picture of your receipt. After that is done it will have you scan the barcodes of the items you've bought. The whole process only takes a mintue or so and is very easy to do with on screen instructions.

You can also earn bonuses for hitting goals, these vary as well. Teamwork is another way to rack up the cash. Any of your Facebook friends that are using ibotta to earn money become a part of your team. Once your team has redeemed a certain amount of rebates and money earned you'll get a bonus. It's super simple and really can add up! Don't forget to refer your friends, that's another way to earn. If you haven't signed up yet you can join through me, just click here.

So how do you get your money? Once you've racked up $20.00 in rebates you can cash out a few different ways. You can get that money by PayPal or venmo. Or you can choose from many different giftcards like Amazon, Target, Wal-Mart and some of your favorite restaurants. Earning these gift cards is a great way to help pay for Christmas, Birthdays or even Back to School Shopping!

What are some of your favorite ways to save money at the grocery store?

Exploring Old Florida--Micanopy

If you're traveling down I-75 or 441 in Alachua County Florida you're bound to run into Micanopy. Don't blink or you might just miss the turn off the main road to the quaint little town. Home to Antique stores and some pretty good BBQ, Micanopy is a tourist town that time forgot. This charming place has many of it's original building's and homes and if you are a fan of history you are sure to enojoy a visit. Micanopy had a small degree of fame when "Doc Hollywood" a film from 1991 staring Michael J. Fox was filmed here. If you watch closely and then visit you'll be sure to see some of the buildings. This little town has also been referanced in a few songs as well, remember "Seminole Wind"? Let's talk food! Whenever I go to Micanopy there are a few places I have to stop by. The first is always Mosswood Farm Store, they sell the most amazing baked goods. I go for a 'Hello Dolly' layed bar and at least two kinds of brownies. The salted caramel and the peanut butter are my favorites. If you are in the mood for lunch stop by the Old Florida Cafe and get a BLT and some black beans and rice. If it's BBQ you are craving head on over to Pearl's County Store, located in a gas station..but none the less fantastic, grab some of their brisket and mac and cheese! Micanopy is home to quite a few Antique stores. You never know what kind of treasure you'll find there. Don't head over early though, most shops don't open until 11 a.m. Also be sure to check out the museum there for all the local history! Need a place to stay? The Herlong Mansion is a bed and breakfast that also has some ghostly claims. If that's a bit too scary you can head over to the Micanopy Inn. Conviently located between Gainesville and Ocala you're sure to find some place to stay in the area.

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