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Monday, January 29, 2007

Raising a Glass (Or Two) in April

Mark your calendars, the Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science presents the 5th Annual Florida Wine Festival, April 12 - 14, 2007. Details to follow soon!

www.thefloridawinefestival.com

Do You Have Your Tickets for Seven Days of Opening Nights?

I've waited all year to see the line up to this year's Seven Days of Opening Nights. Last year I went to Stephen King's event (yup, pretty cool the King of Horror was in this little town of Tally) and this year I have a ticket to see James Bradley, author of "Flags of Our Fathers." I'm contemplating picking up a ticket to see Joshua Kane's one-man-show called, "Gothic at Midnight."

Visit the Seven Days of Opening Nights Web site for the schedule and ticket information.

Event Web site: www.sevendaysfestival.org
Purchase tickets: www.tickets.fsu.edu; if you prefer to interact with a human, call: (850) 644-6500

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Speed Dating Coming to Tallahassee, But I Don't Belong!

Saw a simple sign with the words "speed dating" and "cupid.com" the other day while driving to work. Not that it's something I'd do, but I went onto Cupid out of curiosity. Two sessions will be offered, one in February and another in March. The Feb. session is for 38 to 40 year olds and the March session is for 25 to 35 year olds.

Do you see anything missing???? Yes, the 36 and 37 year olds. Where do we fit in???

Luckily, I emailed "Scott," the coordinator and he replied we 36 and 37 year olds can attend either session. Turns out, we 36 and 37 year olds fit in everywhere.

Snakes Got Teats? Milking Rattlers at the 47th Annual Rattlesnake Roundup

Although it started as a chilly morning, the air in Whigham, Georgia wafted with the aroma of blooming onions, funnel cakes and fried rattlesnake. Yup. Today was the 47th Annual Rattlesnake Roundup. The perfect place to pick up the stars and bars, enter a raffle to win a shotgun and eat something which doesn't taste like chicken (I'm told rattlesnake tastes more like fish).

Rattlesnake hunters came to spook up these venomous critters to be milked (extract the venom). Rattlesnake expert Ken Darnell, who's with Bioactive Laboratories (I swear he said from Alabama but somewhere I saw Tallahassee) has the pleasure of milking these bad boys. He told the group he'd be "milking snakes like mad" this afternoon.

In a ring laced with fences, clear boxes form a half-moon and hold the snakes brought in by the hunters who wore tan camouflage. (I didn't realize camouflage fools snakes; I thought snakes used smell to "see.").

Prior to milking, Darnell gave a brief talk about rattlesnakes - stating they're afraid of humans and demonstrated by standing next to one. As he got closer to her (he confirmed it was a she) she leaped to strike, but not by much. He also explained the benefits of rattlesnake venom stating it's used in the Type II (adult onset) diabetes medication Byetta and other drugs used to thin blood and treat high blood pressure.

He then picked up a timber rattlesnake from one of the boxes. I was standing about 20 feet away and could hear the hum of the pissed off rattlers. He brought a snake around for people to touch. Darnell held the snake's head with a firm grip and every so often it would flip it's tail.

The venom extracted during the Rattlesnake Roundup will be used for research. It's kept on ice until it can be kept cooled with dry ice then once it reaches the laboratory, will be freeze dried into a powder.



Whigham's Rattlesnake Roundup only happens once a year, the third Saturday each January. The event is located at the Rattlesnake Roundup Grounds on US 84. Flipping through the program booklet (which includes information about rattlers, list of last year's winners from the hunting and tips on what to do if one is bit by a rattler), it had ads promoting two more events I need to mark in my calender: Calvary, Georgia's Mule Day, the first Saturday in November and Climax, Georgia's "Swine Time" the Saturday following Thanksgiving.

Despite all the "education" about rattlesnakes during the event, I heard one woman state, "They still ain't no good unless they're dead." And plenty of dead rattlesnake merchandise was available for purchase, too.



View a video of the milking here.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

I've Been Living Under a Rock: Tallahassee Titans

Somehow I've missed the excitement of a professional sports team growing in Tallahassee: the indoor football team called the Tallahassee Titans. The season opener is Monday, February 12 against North Carolina (I realize that's a whole state) and the first home game is Saturday, February 14 against Gulf Coast (I'm not sure which Gulf Coast they will be battling).

Some players should be familiar to folks of the Capital City, some were Seminole stars. Home games will be played at the Tallahassee Leon County Civic Center (where most things of significance happen in town). For more information, visit TT's Web site at: www.tallahasseetitans.com.

Pretty cool stuff.

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Valentine's Day at the Knott House

Have you been to Tallahassee's Knott House, aka: "The House that Rhymes"? Mrs. Knott was into poetry. She wrote poetry about her furniture and attached the poems with ribbon. Today, the poetry cards are still attached.

It's only appropriate for this Valentine's Day the Knott House will be hosting an evening of love poetry, romantic music and tasty nibbles. The Black Dog Java Girls will read their work like a Greek chorus (now that sounds like something to hear and see!).

Admission is $5 per person. Space is limited so it's recommended to purchase tickets in advance.
Feb. 14, 2007; 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Knott House Museum
301 East Park Ave. Corner of Park Avenue and Calhoun Street
Tallahassee, FL
Tel: (850) 922-2459

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

It's Official! Governor Crist

Florida's new governor, Charlie Crist, was sworn in yesterday, despite it being a National Day of Mourning, in remembrance of former President Gerald Ford. But it wasn't up to Crist, who wants to be known as the "people's governor." Florida State Law requires the governor-elect be sworn in the first Tuesday after the first Monday of January, no ifs, ands or buts.

I wasn't able to see the swearing in *sigh* but caught the tail end of the parade.

In Crist's inaugural address, he listed some of his priorities as governor of the Sunshine State:
Reduce property taxes and address the skyrocketing property insurance rates.
Attract new business to Florida.
Provide world-class education.

Living up to the name as the "people's governor," there was no lavish inaugural ball this year. Good going! I didn't have a thing to wear.