My Spanish Employment in Tallahassee

I came to Tallahassee in 1994 to work in my Master’s degree in Spanish, at Florida State University. I did not expect to stay on after I graduated, but I did, my wife, son and I. We soon felt comfortable in this city of many trees, parks, and friendly people.

I found a position in a State of Florida call center, which required the use of my Spanish communication. I liked the position, and spoke with hispanics from all over Florida and elsewhere, even Spain. I alway like meeting Spanish-speakers both native and non-native, and helping Spanish-speakers in ways I know how. In this position with the State of Florida, I was able to direct hispanics in need to appropriate social and community services, and received my share of thank yous. It was satisfying to me to know I was helpful.

After a few years of doing this kind of work, I went into another line of work, but found myself at another call center, MyFloridaMarketPlace. Again, I was hired there because I am fluent in Spanish. I was needed to handle incoming calls from Spanish speakers all over the world wanting to do business with state agencies of Florida, and needing assistance with registering their business online, as required for vendors wanting opportunities to sell their services, or products to Florida.

For those who think that learning Spanish is a waste of time, believe me, from personal experiences I can say that is is valuable to learn Spanish. Not just learn, but make it truly your second or third language. Adopt it as another way you can commuicate.

I have been in the following situations in which it was important that I knew Spanish. Here they are:

Several hispanics who did not know English, were traveling through Tallahassee, Florida, on the way to a job. I gave them direction, and advice in Spanish. I told them what to look out for and what to do in certain situations. I told them where to go for further assistance. I knew their language. There was no communication wall between us.

In another occasion, I was at the coastline near Tallahassee, Florida. A boat came in with only Spanish speakers. They needed a place to stay. I had a contact on the coast, and after being in cell phone communication with the contact, I found these individuals a place to stay, hide, or whatever. I will help any Spanish-speaker regardless if they are illegal or legal. I have helped many illegals, and will continue to do so.

I have volunteered time, teaching English to migrant workers, and teaching them their rights. I teach them to take advantage of anything in the United States system. Taking advantage is often a good thing.

In other situations, I have been asked to discuss God in Spanish to Spanish speakers interested in my religion, and in spiritual prayer. I always pray in Spanish, and study spirituality in Spanish.

I have helped hispanic children learn how to write their Spanish language. I have helped adults learn how to write in Spanish.

a Florida junior college called on me to teach Spanish to a group of Army Reservists, in a community education program. In that position, I heard a lot about the United States military operations in South American, and even was given manuals about operation procedures in both English, and Spanish. I was asked to translate certain classified and unclassified documents from English to Spanish, and from Spanish to English.

A law office called on me to give Spanish lessons to them. That was fun, and the group of 11 or 12 attorneys were very motivated.

I often hear Spanish in Walmart, the malls, and in the parks, in and outside of Tallahassee, Florida. I can greet them, converse with them, and show them that I am not a ethnocentric, monolingual citizen of the United States. I am a world citizen. I am a citizen of God’s creation. I am God’s child, just like each individual is. God knows all languages. Language is an expression of God’s diversity, and goodness. It is always a pleasure for me to be able to use my Spanish in any place I find myself.

I blog in Spanish, correspond with Spanish speakers all around the world via social media sites, and especially, Twitter. I am at http://Twitter.com/KenFach.

Beware of the dog, or the termites?

Having worked in the pest control business, I can tell you that there are termites doing bad things to homes and other dwellings here in Florida.  In fact, termites are a real problem, especially here in Florida, due to all our moisture, and temperature mix. All the termite types thrive well here, and my hometown of Tallahassee, Florida has been impacted by this cellulose eating critter.

There are two main categories of termites: subterranean, and drywood. The subterranean termites are more numerous. The subterranean termites need moisture from within the earth. They make mud tunnels to climb up into a home, or other structure to get to the wood, or wood products. They must however, be able to return back to the soil for the moisture and nutrients. Drywood termites do not make colonies in the earth. They live in the wood of a structure, or tree.

Within the subterranean termite category are the formosan termites. Formosans are not native to North America. They were recently brought over in ships from overseas regions:  the orient. However, they are the most aggressive of all termites in the United States. They can eat the wood our of a home in as little as three months. They have been found in New Orleans, California, and Florida. They are particularly populated in south Florida, and are moving up to north Florida in greater numbers.

I have seen the damage of termites in Tallahassee. Homes that have lost the roof, or floors that have caved in, decks that are infested. One home can have numerous termite colonies within, and the human residents may be totally unaware of this. Termites do their work with the walls, not outside them. They can be found in wood furniture, and picture frames, however. Again, they go for the cellulose found in wood and wood products, including paper.

Now the best way to protect a dwelling from termites, is by applying a chemical liquid solution of either “premise,” which is usually effective for one to two years, or “termidor,” which is effective for  up to 10 years. A pest control technician, will make a small trench around the exterior perimeter of the home and then apply the liquid termiticide. The older method of applying a termiticide, using tubes with wood bait in them (Sentricon), is not that useful, as it works only if the termites are attracted to the bait tubes. They can always access the  home between the tubes, as the tubes are only applied inside the earth at intervals around the perimeter of the home. Termites have been proven to be much smarter than falling for the bait.

I love Tallahassee, and Florida in general. Who doesn’t. I live here, but am aware of the dangers and higher risks associated with Florida living: hurricanes, tornados, floods, snakes, alligators in most bodies of water, insect pests, long hot summers, and of course, termites.

Would I live elsewhere? Well, give me a cabin in the rockies of Colorado. I would go there. Darn, no mountains in Florida. Hahaha, we have the beautiful beaches, the white sand dunes of the Gulf of Mexico coastline of Florida. We have many forest regions, and rural land. I will deal with the termites.

Joy in Florida’s State Parks

If you really want to know Florida, you need to get out into our many state parks, 161, in total, national parks, and local parks. Florida is a state of outdoor pleasures and recreation, I know,  I grew up in northwest Florida, and have camped, hiked, and swam, in most of the many state parks in the region, including a few national seashores, for example, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

 

There is so much more to Florida, other than sunny, coastal beaches, boating, deep sea fishing, and cultural attractions of the big cities. Florida is a land of  various ecosystems, and natural preserves. Traveling from Pensacola, Florida, to Tallahassee, Florida, where I live, most of what is seen are forest lands, with an inexhaustible appearing of pine trees almost everywhere.

 

When you get out into our forests, you find our different species of pine trees. It seems that my friends, the pines, are everywhere in north Florida. I am thinking of the many tents I have put up underneath these forest watch towers. So much is attributed to the pines, economically, historically, and in terms of ecosystem survival. I have built many campfires using pine logs for fuel, and pine needles for tinder. I have used fallen pine trees as benches for sitting, and objects to practice my wood carving skills. I have used pines hang my hammocks, put up my clothesline, and to hang food. I have observed so many squirrels climbing up and down pine trees, and when I was a kid, in Milton, Florida, we had an abundance of squirrels in our pine rich backyard. Of all the trees on earth, the pines are my favorite. They take me down memory lane. For me, they represent nature in the world I know the most. The smell of pine, on a wet rainy day, or sunny day, in a thick pine forest, is a good and satisfying aroma, to me.

 

The Florida Trail, which goes 1,400 miles, from Big Cypress National Preserve in far south Florida, all the way to Fort Pickens in the Gulf Islands National Seashore close to Pensacola, Florida, in the far northwest corner of the state.  No, it is not the Appalachian Trail, with its many challenges, but the Florida Trail offers a different variety of challenges, from hiking through swamps, thick jungle like sections, and very high temperature, and humidity. Also, Florida has what some would say, every kind of dangerous snake, spider, and other critters, found in North America. The Florida Trail is not a fast walking trail. Caution is always necessary when on the trail.

 

There are many smaller hiking trails all over Florida, even within my nearby community of Tallahassee. There are many people in Tallahassee who are passionate about hiking, and camping, and the other day, I went to one of the local hiking group’s meetings, and listened to what the new schedule of hiking and camping trips consist of and where the events will take place.

 

To get involved in group hikes, trail maintenance, and to learn more about Florida’s trails, a good organization to join is the Florida Trail Association. Invididual membership is $30. Family membership is $35. The Apalachee Chapter which in in northwest Florida has a website, and it is http://apalachee.floridatrail.org. There toll-free phone number is 800-343-1882.

 

Northwest Florida has caves, in Mariana Caverns State park, in which the public can enter and view the rock formations, and learn about cave formation. There are other caves which I have found in north Florida as well, on private property as well as public lands. North Florida even has waterfalls, rolling hills in and around Tallahassee, and other parts of the region, many lakes, swamps, rivers, creeks, streams, bays, inlets, islands, white sand river banks, such as on the Blackwater River, near Milton, Florida, shell banks, shell mounds, Indian mounds, and sink holes. North Florida, which I know the most, is a great study of nature, and what the glaciers left so long ago as they helped to construct what is today, Florida.

 

One of my favorite activities growing up in northwest Florida, was swimming. I swam everywhere where there was water. I swam across lakes, and rivers. I loved swimming so much that during high school, I was on the Milton High swim team. During my college years at the University of West Florida, I divided my recreational time between swimming, playing tennis, camping and hiking.

 

Come on, you just got to experience the Florida outdoors, and if you live in Florida, experience more of land. I am always discovering something new in the land of northwest Florida. Now, I can share my outdoor love, with my son, and wife.

 

To find camping vacancies and reserve your campsite in any of Florida’s state parks, go to http://reserveamerica.com.

 

When I am in my organic garden, here in northwest Leon County, just outside of Tallahassee, looking over at the green zone conservation area, in back of our property, or when I am sitting beside a campfire in one of our favorite parks, or when, I am on a trail hiking, I think of the verse from Genesis, which always means much to me: “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” The bible does not say it was just good, or just beautiful, or just OK, but it says that it was “very good.” That is exactly how I feel about nature in northwest Florida. It is so comforting to acknowledge this “very good” work of the Creator, especially on a very hot August day, or a cold January

day.

 

Here are some other useful Florida sites:

http://floridagreenwaysandtrails.com  Florida has many greenways

http://fl.dof.com  About Florida’s forests

http://floridastateparks.org  Good resource on state parks in Florida

http://VisitFlorida.com  A must see for people interested in Florida

 

Living the Pure Lifestyle in Florida

We think of good food, healthy living, organic gardening, food coops, using the bike more, installing alternative energy systems, and how to be greener than maybe we may have already been. Better late than never, goes the old cliche. I am surrounded by green living in a very green neighborhood if you look at all the trees, bushes, and conservation zones in the neighborhood, and all over Tallahassee, and Leon County. Nature is alive and well in northwest Florida. It just makes sense to think and practice a healthier, sustainable lifestyle.

Now, where there is good, there also appears to be its opposite. Any effort to do the right think, and live a greener, friendlier, healther lifestyle is met by the enemy within and without: the petroleum based economy, homeowner association regulations, neighbors that feel sticking with the status quo is the only way to live, fear of being different, and misunderstood, and the prohibitive costs associated with going to alternative energy sources. These are obstacles that can be overcome. Good is nature, natural, and can overcome the evil lurking in the foreground and background preventing a cleaner, greener lifestyle for us.

My wife and I for years have planted the majority of our tomatoes, and other vegetables. We have set goals for our organic gardening project. Yes, gardening is a project, and a process, isn’t it?  Our goal is to cultivate 80% of our vegetable produce within one year. We have a compost bin, and a system in place to manage our nitrogens and carbons in our compost bin, and will be ready to spread the material over our new cleaned out garden bed very soon. We do not waste any kitchen food item. If we don’t eat it, it goes into our compost bin. That is less that goes to the city, or county solid waste facility, or whatever it is called. We hope to grow more blueberries, and start cultivating strawberrys, and grapes so we can add fruit to our gardening.

We are hearing about more and more people in and around Tallahassee, Florida, who are raising chickens for eggs. We would like to do that as well.  I have a friend who supply us with his chicken’s eggs, and yes, the taste is much better than what you get in the supermarkets.

Now, it would be wonderful to get a goat for goat’s milk, which is excellent. Don’t know how we can manage that in our Lakeside Tallahassee subdivision, but there are people on the outskirst of Tallahassee, for example down Bucklake Road in eastern Leon County, who raise goats and have a big quantity of them. I may drive by and speak with someone there about how they start that, or get some tips on goat raising. We may sell a property we own, and buy a lot somewhere for that purpose. Just thinking.

My wife recently bought a bread maker, and almost daily we are making delicious homemade bread. No more supermarket bread for this family. This is part of our lifestyle improvement, which we hope will continue forever.

The important element in a greener lifestyle is the element of planning. With a little amount of space, there is much one or more individuals can do to make the yard a practical vegetable, or fruit garden, and nature zone.

I learned this soil tip recently. Take a handful of earth from your garden bed, and squeeze it in your hand. If is is crumbly, that is good. The soil is healthy for cultivatating. If is is a wet ball, that is not so good. If it is sandy, and fall apart, that also is not good, healthy soil for agriculture/horticulture. I like the hand technique versus the PH soil analysis.

Now, back to organic garden planning, and picking the last remains of our current tomatoe crop. Back to learning more about our local soil, plant pests, and how tos.

Remember our Florida state parks

Around Tallahassee, Florida, there is an abundance of nature. There are state parks, with forests, lakes, rivers, and sandy beaches along the Gulf of Mexico. Florida is a state with an abundance of state parks and recreational areas. There are 161 state parks in florida with 700,000 acres and 100 miles of beach front. Florida is among the nation’s leads the nation in number of parks. We have nature, and plenty of it. This is the nature I grew up in as a resident of Florida for most of my life.

July 13th is a special day in our state’s park system. Admission that day is free. The state is encouraging individuals, children, and families to get out into nature. This is a state, and national attempt to contribute towards the reduction of that nature deficit disorder which seems to be crippling many of our children and young people who spend hours a day indoors and on the computer. Hey, I am a computer geek too, but I love the outdoors too. I get my love of nature from my childhood roamings through nature.

You see, as a child, I had a forest in back of the home, that I often played in, hiked in, ran in, made forts in. My buddies and I made plenty of forts in the woods back there. We made our own trails. We even made little fires for fun, and fished in the little creek that ran through the woods in back of my Milton, Florida, home. I just about memorized the trees, paths, interesting land formations, and route of the creek. Even today, I have the forest all mapped out in my thoughts. I remember those moments of solitude, and those moments of hanging out with friends back there, and the team work involved in making forts, and having our own special club. The things we did, hahaha. Boys will be boys. Those were the days before the widespread use of computers, in the seventies. Yeah, those wonderful seventies.

Prior to that, we lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and we had an arroyo not far from the house. Along the dried up arroyo, there were streaks of bamboo forests, and open land. I am my friends played there, had rock fights from one side of the arroyo to the other, wrestled in the arroyo, made sand trails, hiked as far as we could toward the Sandia Mountains. Yes, nature was all around us. I also learned the ways of the high desert trees, bushes, wind, cliffs, arroyos, and the southwestern sky.

Now, in my Tallahassee home, my back yard is beside a green zone on Little Lake Jackson. We have deer, fox, rabbits, lizards, snakes, alligators, and different bird species. Nature is alive here as in almost every place I lived throughout my life.

When I was a kid, dad took me camping in the New Mexico mountains, and when living in California, during the first eight years of my life, dad took me into Yosemite, Sequoia, Big Bear and other parks and forests, and taught me how to climb mountain rocks, how to walk across mountain streams, how to set up camp. Dad also loved nature.

Where will I be July 13th? I will be in one of Florida’s state parks, reuniting again, as always, with nature, along with my wife and son. We will be out there smelling the green of the trees, hearing the sounds of the creatures, hiking the paths of the park, swimming in the lakes or rivers, bicycling around the park, canoeing. Wow, so many things we can do. Outdoor recreation is almost unlimited. Free admission.

When I think of Florida’s Ecosystems

The other day, sitting on the deck of my home outside of Tallahassee, Florida, I got to thinking about photosynthesis. No, I was not thinking about my son’s obsession with video games, or the ugly news of the day. The wind was blowing, and the leaves on the trees in the green zone behind my home were wrestling and making that sound that always rests me. All day long those leaves are at work in the operation of photosynthesis. That is a benefit to all of us oxygen consumers.

Tallahassee has some great museums, where Florida’s nature can be studied. I am thinking of the Natural History Museum in southwest Tallahassee, with its zoo, and science center. There are or have been explanation of how photosynthesis works. It works alright. It better.

You see, we are blessed with so many evergreen trees. Trees are everywhere. Our air is healthy. Remember, trees filter out impurities in the air.

Now, as I had enough of that contemplation, I decided to get the grill ready for the hamburgers. We like the outdoors, even on these hot summer days. As long we we have shade, and plenty of ice cold lemonade or ice tea. We can always go inside later.

Next time you complain about too many trees, think of how important they are to the air we breath, and nature in general. Think of the animals including bird life that live in the trees. Thinks of the shelter trees give our homes from the hot penetrating sun. Florida use to have even more trees, but of course, as communities grow, trees are cut down.

To be in our Florida’s state parks

Around Tallahassee, Florida, there is an abundance of nature. There are state parks, with forests, lakes, rivers, and sandy beaches along the Gulf of Mexico. Florida is a state with an abundance of state parks and recreational areas. There are 161 state parks in florida with 700,000 acres and 100 miles of beach front. Florida is among the nation’s leads the nation in number of parks. We have nature, and plenty of it. This is the nature I grew up in as a resident of Florida for most of my life.

July 13th is a special day in our state’s park system. Admission that day is free. The state is encouraging individuals, children, and families to get out into nature. This is a state, and national attempt to contribute towards the reduction of that nature deficit disorder which seems to be crippling many of our children and young people who spend hours a day indoors and on the computer. Hey, I am a computer geek too, but I love the outdoors too. I get my love of nature from my childhood roamings through nature.

You see, as a child, I had a forest in back of the home, that I often played in, hiked in, ran in, made forts in. My buddies and I made plenty of forts in the woods back there. We made our own trails. We even made little fires for fun, and fished in the little creek that ran through the woods in back of my Milton, Florida, home. I just about memorized the trees, paths, interesting land formations, and route of the creek. Even today, I have the forest all mapped out in my thoughts. I remember those moments of solitude, and those moments of hanging out with friends back there, and the team work involved in making forts, and having our own special club. The things we did, hahaha. Boys will be boys. Those were the days before the widespread use of computers, in the seventies. Yeah, those wonderful seventies.

Prior to that, we lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and we had an arroyo not far from the house. Along the dried up arroyo, there were streaks of bamboo forests, and open land. I am my friends played there, had rock fights from one side of the arroyo to the other, wrestled in the arroyo, made sand trails, hiked as far as we could toward the Sandia Mountains. Yes, nature was all around us. I also learned the ways of the high desert trees, bushes, wind, cliffs, arroyos, and the southwestern sky.

Now, in my Tallahassee home, my back yard is beside a green zone on Little Lake Jackson. We have deer, fox, rabbits, lizards, snakes, alligators, and different bird species. Nature is alive here as in almost every place I lived throughout my life.

When I was a kid, dad took me camping in the New Mexico mountains, and when living in California, during the first eight years of my life, dad took me into Yosemite, Sequoia, Big Bear and other parks and forests, and taught me how to climb mountain rocks, how to walk across mountain streams, how to set up camp. Dad also loved nature.

Where will I be July 13th? I will be in one of Florida’s state parks, reuniting again, as always, with nature, along with my wife and son. We will be out there smelling the green of the trees, hearing the sounds of the creatures, hiking the paths of the park, swimming in the lakes or rivers, bicycling around the park, canoeing. Wow, so many things we can do. Outdoor recreation is almost unlimited. Free admission.

These Ranch Style Homes Sure Look Familiar

Killearn Lakes Neighborhood Remains Popular for Single Family Home Buyers

Tallahassee and Leon County, Florida, offers a big variety of neighborhoods, in all price ranges and with various architectural styles. One of my favorites is Killearn Lakes Neighborhood in the north end of Leon County, with Lake Iamonia, one of the areas largest lakes, bordering the northern boundary of this community.

Killearn Lakes is a popular community with 2072 single family homes. Many of the homes are ranch style homes, in different forms, some traditional ranches, some more contemporary ranches. There are contemporary eclectic style homes, some traditionals, and some colonials. This neighborhood is too big to walk it in a short period of time. People are attracted to the neighborhood for the abundance of everygreen trees all over, nearby parks, quiet, but friendly streets, and affordable home prices. There are deer, fox, and an abundance of squirrels in the community. People are also attracted the elementary, middle, (both within the neighborhood) and the new high school, just outside the community. There is also an active boy scout troop that meets at a church in the community. There are several churches in Killearn Lakes.

As of today, 4/2/2008, there are  currently 81 homes for sale in this vast neighborhood, and the average price of a home on the market is, $274,224. Prices start at $169,900, and go up to $749,900, but the median price of the homes is, $252,500.

Recently, a new public sewer system was put put in for the lower part of Killearn Lakes and residents had a choice of connecting to public sewer, or staying with their septic tanks. To connect to public sewer costs about $10,000. Many residents selected not to connect. They can connect at any time, however, and new buyers will have that option.

Those Lovely Trees

So Divine, so Majestic. Those trees, those lovely trees that dot the community inside and out in and around Tallahassee, Florida. This is the number one reason why I and many others live in this area, because of the trees. These trees are protected by local ordinance, and are one everpresent fact about this community. We have many tree canopy roads, that are an established feature in the Tallahassee community. The trees relate to the regions’ history, the lumber industry of the past, and they identify the neighborhoods. Newer neighborhoods have smaller, younger trees, usually, and established neighborhoods have big, older trees, usually. Each tree tells its unique story, and is its own character within a big book of nature. A tree standing for years on someone’s front yard, has watched over a lot of history going on at that residence.

Why my adoration of trees. I have always felt at home around trees. I daily commune among the trees of my backyard, and often visit the forests of the regions many parks and forests. The trees tell my story, my love of nature, and fondness for the simplicity of life among the tall giants that watch over us. I often feel like the trees are divine messenger to us, telling us how to behave. I try to listen to their messages, while in deep contemplation of their presense. I delight in the joy the trees bring me. They are my best non-human friends within the ecosystems I inhabit and visit.

After long hours of toil, I feel comforted among the trees. Some of my favorite moments are camping with family and friends in the woods, making a campfire, hiking on the trails, and just being there in nature away from the office, the hustle and bustle of work life.

Maybe there are others reading this who share the same fascination, and longing to be among the trees. I would love to hear from you, and your tree tales.

My Favorite Recreational Activity

Here we are, all set up at a campsite, and drinking coffee (or hot chocolate). Camping in the state parks near Tallahassee, Florida, elsewhere in Florida, and in parks outside this state, is my world of fun, relaxation, getting away, and adventure. I make new observations of an ecosystem each time I go camping, and find a new fact about nature. I experience the surprise, freshness, and eternal cycling of nature. There are many ecosystems, and they all are important, they all serve a purpose, and are beautiful in their own unique manner. We usually visit different state parks and stay in different camp grounds each time we pack our gear and head out to the outdoors.

It is even more fun exploring nature with a child, a family member, a friend. Stories are shared around the campfire, delicious meals are cooked, hikes take place. Each meal is different, and different tools are used to prepare the meal it seems, or at least the method of cooking or preparing the meal changes, advances, and gets better with practice, as cooking is a different experience outdoors in nature.

A hike is a good way to connect with nature, and others. It is a very good way to mingle with others, get to know and learn about others better, and share the observations of nature. My son looks forward to exploring ecosystems with me. We recently hiked in an wetland ecosystem and studies the sights, sounds, and wonders of a wetland. We have been to the mountains of north Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee on several occasions, and ran, played, photographed nature, and felt the elements of nature together. We went on a hike down into an area with a waterfall. That was a fun little hike. Got to hear the sounds of water falling, and see the speed in which water falls. We have explored gulf coast ecosystems, wooded pine forest ecosystems, praire basin ecosystems, and more.

Each campsite offers a different array of plants. I am fond of trees, and the greens displayed, the apearance of the trees around the site. Trees are my favorite element of nature, and I can’t imagine nature without them. Too me, the trees make the experience most comfortable, the way it should be.

We have new camping and hiking discoveries coming up, and although we have a busy, if not overly hectic schedule, yet we take time to be ourselves, and appreciate the simplicity of earth, and go on camping trips together.

Camping at Paynes Praire State Park

What is more fun than camping, and especially for a couple sunny and cool autumn days at beautiful Paynes Praire State Park near Gainesville, Florida, one of 161 state parks in Florida, all well maintained by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

We set up our camp among the many upland oaks, palms, and palmettos in the woods. We were very private with all the green surrounding us and separating us for the most part from otther campers. Just how I like it. We immediately created a good fire after buying wood at the gate. Wood was going fast. We managed to have enough for the two days we were camping there.

We drove to the visitor center on the other end of the park, and looked out at the praire, as far as the eyes can see almost. Yes, a real Florida praire, but probably not the kind of praire that you would see in the west.

The information we read at the visitor center stated that there are 31 bison on the park’ praire. There are also wild horses, wild cows and wild boar. The horses and cows are descendants of the animals brought over by the Spaniards during the era of New World exploration.

I did not spot bison or cows at the lookout tower,which my son and I had fun climbing, but as we hiked out into the praire, we saw three black horses. They were so majestic looking, so pure. I wanted to see how close I could get to these shiny, black hoofed animals, so I calmly walked to within about 100 feet of two of the horses which stood close together side by side wagging there thick hairy tails. The third horse was further in the distance but as I started approaching the couple, the distant horse ran up to them and stopped. It was as if that horse was the protecting parent. The horses did not appear to be afraid of me or mind my presence. However, they stared at me in what appeared to be fascination. I tried walking closer to them. My son stayed way back in the distance, somewhat scared to approach the wildlife. As I started getting closer, the third horse who was the more distant horse earlier, started walking toward me. I stopped and hesitated to go closer. The horse stopped, and I decided to turn around and head back toward where I came from.

That day I saw the most beautiful horses.

The camping loop offers some more secluded, private campsites for tents only. Overall, there was a balance of tents and RVs in the camp ground loop.

This state park is unique for its praire basin ecosystem,with its abundant diversity of grasses and other plant types. The basis is partly wet through out the year, and is a winter harboring ground for many northern birds. The camp ground is in the upland woods beside a big lake.

This is the first time I ever visited Paynes Praire, and I am happy I did.

Florida offers so much biodiversity and many different ecosystems. With so much human expansion and development in Florida, there is also much nature for everyone to experience.     

                                                      

Northwest Florida adds a new State Park

Many people from all over the world, including myself, are attracted to Florida’s many state parks. There are now 161 state parks in Florida, many of them in northwest Florida. The parks offer natural Florida ecosystems, campgrounds, well maintained bathroom/shower facilities, hiking trails through the forests, fishing, swimming, boating, canoeing and much more. I grew up learning a lot about nature in these parks.

Florida’s newest state park, St Marks River State Park, is just 20 miles from Tallahassee, the state capital and home to Florida State University, where I worked on my graduate program.

St Marks State Park is so new no infrastructure has been created for the park. Currently, the historical and archeological resources are being studied and planning is being developed regarding where to put roads, restroom and picniking facilities, and whatever else will be available to the public. The park does have hiking trails that can be used now. There are old dirt roads through the park from the historical days. The forest products industry was an important industry through much of northwest Florida’s history. Today there are still vast forest lands all over Northwest Florida, but new real estate developments are anchoring in many places in the region.

Northwest Florida is a healthy, good place to live in. Nature is abundant here.

Kenneth Fach, REALTOR ePRO
Weichert, REALTORS-Anchor
1607 Village Square Boulevard, Suite B 103
Tallahassee, FL 32309
Direct/Text 850-339-5753 KennethFach.WordPress.com

Each ffice is independently owned and operated.

Tallahassee Doors

Doors are everywhere. Look at all the homes in your community and all the doors connected to those homes. As a real estate agent, I see plenty of doors in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. The doors of homes reveal so much: about what the interior is probably going to look like, and what the attitude of the people living there are like. The door is the like the mouth of the house.  When people see a home, they often see the door first and will remember if the door is interesting, and colorful, or dull and dirty.

You know when someone has a dirty mouth, a milk mustache, food hanging on the side of the lips, unshaven around the mouth, just an undesireable sight. We often tell children to clean their mouth when they are eating as they do not always know to do that, or remember to do that. The mouth is not the beautiful part of anyone’s  body. The act of eating with the mouth is not a beautiful sight to behold either.

However, the door of the house is the important factor in how we connect to the house. I have observed that doors that need painting, have dirt or finger marks on them, indicate that the inside of the house is anything but an interior decorating showroom. Renters often ignore dirt and marks on their doors. This one element, the cleanliness and attractiveness of the door, is what separates the homeowner mentality from the renter mentality. If you care about something, you will do just that, care for it. Often, renters don’t care about the structure they live in. They are there because of the price, convenience or necesity. They lack responsibility for maintaing a clean facade and clean door, or else they are apathetic, and do not care since it is not their property legally. I say, if they live their, it is their property to a certain extent.

Here are some things we all can do to make our door attractive. These are seven suggestions. Treat the door as part of the property’s curb appeal, whether you plan on selling or not.

1. Paint the door a contrasting color to attract attention to the house.

2. The door color should reveal the inside. It should make the transition inside.

3. Put a plant, flower pot, docorative table, or statue beside the door to give expression to the entrance.

4. Have an attractive light fixture.

5. Make sure the door opens easily, does not scrape, and does not make ugly sounds.

6. Have an attractive door handle. There are so many to choose from.

7. Get rid of any wood rot if there is any on the door. I believe that most doors in Florida have some degree of wood rot. It needs to be treated and removed before it grows up the door and presents a ugly mess, a real eye sore.

As long as we have our homes, are homeowners or renters, we can take care of the doors. For a homeowner, it is a sense of ownership. For a renter, it is a helpful act of kindness to the landlord, and also a feeling of possesiveness for the renter. We clean our mouths when we wake up in the morning. We should also clean,  maintain our doors, and make them an attractive sight leading into the interior of the structure.

I like the Spanish expression, “Mi casa es tu casa,” which means, “My house is your house.” Let our guests feel like they are at home in the house, and are attracted to it.

Who knows, with an attractive door, and clean attractive yard, you might be the Yard of the Month winner in your neighborhood.