History of the Christmas Wreath

The history of the Christmas wreath dates back to the ancient cultures of the Persian Empire. During that era, Christmas wreaths were considered to be the symbol of importance and success. These wreaths were much smaller in size than what is seen today. The small sized Christmas wreaths were known as "diadems" which people used as headbands.

Wreaths were usually handmade and symbolized pride and victory. Flowers, branches, laurels, threads and evergreen twigs were used to make beautiful handmade wreaths. They were often used in auspicious occasions such as weddings. It was around 776 BC when Greeks started using laurel wreaths as crowns awarded to athletes who came first in Olympics. In ancient Rome, wreaths were worn by military heroes and kings.   Wreaths have been closely linked to Christianity. The Holy Bible links Christmas wreaths with joy, honor and victory. In Christianity, the Christmas wreath stands for a circle that has no beginning and end. Hence, it is treated as a symbol of God's eternity. Christmas wreaths made of evergreen leaves and branches symbolize God's love and mercy upon us. Green color symbolizes hope and new life.

The Advent Wreath:

Set on the branches of the wreath are four candles: three purple candles and one pink candle. In the center of the wreath sits a white candle. As a whole, these candles represent the coming of the light of Christ into the world.

On the first Sunday of Advent, the first purple candle is lit. This candle is typically called the "Prophecy Candle" in remembrance of the prophets, primarily Isaiah, who foretold the birth of Christ. This candle represents hope or expectation in anticipation of the coming Messiah.

Each week on Sunday, an additional candle is lit. On the second Sunday of Advent, the second purple candle is lit. This candle typically represents love. Some traditions call this the "Bethlehem Candle," symbolizing Christ's manger.

On the third Sunday of Advent the pink, or rose-colored candle is lit. This pink candle is customarily called the "Shepherds Candle" and it represents joy.

The fourth and last purple candle, oftentimes called the "Angels Candle," represents peace and is lit on the fourth Sunday of Advent.

On Christmas Eve, the white center candle is traditionally lit. This candle is called the "Christ Candle" and represents the life of Christ that has come into the world. The color white represents purity. Christ is the sinless, spotless, pure Savior. Also, those who receive Christ as Savior are washed of their sins and made whiter than snow.

The evergreen Christmas wreath gives a special feeling to our homes, once they are decorated during Christmas holidays. The leaves of the Christmas wreath symbolize life during and throughout the tough winter. Over the years, Christmas wreaths are used as significant decorative pieces for Christmas.

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Newby Realty provides sales of new and used manufactured (mobile) homes throughout Florida in Bradenton,  Debary, Edgewater, Ellenton, Englewood, Fort Pierce, Hudson, Lakeland, N. Fort Myers, New Smyrna Beach, Ocala, Orange City, Palmetto, Port Charlotte, Port Richey, Sarasota, Winter Springs, Zephyrhills.

How Prescription Eyeglasses Are Made

Eye glasses have been improving people’s vision since they were first invented, almost eight centuries ago. Their invention was revolutionary and has allowed people to do things they couldn’t previously do, such as drive a car or read a book. Eye glasses use the same principle that the human lens uses, and they work by augmenting the lens function.

The human lens is found between the retina (the layer of cells at the back of your eye) and the cornea (the front of the eye). The eye lens is convex in shape and works with the cornea to focus images and project them onto the retina. The retina then reacts to the image, sending signals to the brain.

There are different conditions that cause the eyes to focus images incorrectly. It could be that the lens may have lost, or is in the process of losing its ability to curve, or there may be a problem with the cornea. These problems result either in the eyes being unable to focus on distant objects (nearsightedness), closer objects (farsightedness), or it may cause images to be distorted (astigmatism).

The first step when making prescription glasses is determining the strength of the correction needed, or the prescription. This is normally done in the doctor’s office with a simple eye test. Once the prescription is determined, the numerical value is sent off to the laboratory to aid in the creation of lenses for eye glasses.

In the laboratory, the prescription eye glasses start off as lens blanks, which are either made from a plastic or glass disc that is about four inches wide and up to one and one-half inches thick. The blank lens has a flat back surface and a curved front surface. The lab technician takes the lens blank that is close to the required prescription thickness and puts it into a machine that grinds it to the required curve. The thickness of the chosen blank lens is determined by the curve needed to fill a prescription and by the type of material the lens is made of. The grinding process requires painstaking precision to ensure that the eye glasses are made to the exact prescription and that they are made without scratches that can affect their function.

After the lenses are ground, they are edged to fit the frame the patient chose. At this point in the manufacturing process, the eye glasses are tinted or coated for UV protection by inserting them into a tinting solution. This is followed by a groove being cut into the lenses to ensure they fit into the frame.

Next, the lenses are inserted snugly into the frame. The lenses are either heated or treated with chemicals to make them flexible for easy insertion. The glasses are also checked for any imperfections at this point. The prescriptive strength is also double checked. The glasses are then cleaned, packaged then delivered to the eye doctor’s office for the patient.

A Bit of History:
Anyone truly curious about how eye glasses are made may be interested to know that, as early as 4 BCE, people are believed to have used water to enhance or enlarge the appearance of small items that they wished to view more closely. It has also been noted that the Roman philosopher Seneca used a specially crafted water-filled orb to magnify the print contained in the many books he read. More than one thousand years later, Italian craftsmen produced solid glass lenses similar to today’s magnifying glasses to assist people with poor or declining vision. Variations of this design progressed over several years until the first eye glasses actually worn on the bridge of the nose were produced in Italy circa 1285. It is Benjamin Franklin who was ultimately credited with the invention of the bifocal lens useful in vision correcting. Franklin’s invention actually led to the type of eye glasses that are commonly worn today.

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Newby Realty provides sales of new and used manufactured (mobile) homes throughout Florida in Bradenton, Clearwater, Debary, Edgewater, Ellenton, Englewood, Fort Pierce, Hudson, Lakeland, N. Fort Myers, New Smyrna Beach, Ocala, Orange City, Palmetto, Port Charlotte, Port Richey, Sarasota, Winter Springs, Zephyrhills.

Thanksgiving History

Most stories of Thanksgiving history start with the harvest celebration of the pilgrims and the indians that took place in the autumn of 1621. Although they did have a three-day feast in celebration of a good harvest, and the local indians did participate, this "first Thanksgiving" was not a holiday, simply a gathering. There is little evidence that this feast of thanks led directly to our modern Thanksgiving Day holiday. Thanksgiving can, however, be traced back to 1863 when Pres. Lincoln became the first president to proclaim Thanksgiving Day. The holiday has been a fixture of late November ever since.


However, since most school children are taught that the first Thanksgiving was held in 1621 with the pilgrims and indians, let us take a closer look at just what took place leading up to that event, and then what happened in the centuries afterward that finally gave us our modern Thanksgiving.

The Pilgrims who sailed to this country aboard the Mayflower were originally members of the English Separatist Church (a Puritan sect). They had earlier fled their home in England and sailed to Holland (The Netherlands) to escape religious persecution. There, they enjoyed more religious tolerance, but they eventually became disenchanted with the Dutch way of life, thinking it ungodly. Seeking a better life, the Separatists negotiated with a London stock company to finance a pilgrimage to America. Most of those making the trip aboard the Mayflower were non-Separatists, but were hired to protect the company's interests. Only about one-third of the original colonists were Separatists.

The Pilgrims set ground at Plymouth Rock on December 11, 1620. Their first winter was devastating. At the beginning of the following fall, they had lost 46 of the original 102 who sailed on the Mayflower. But the harvest of 1621 was a bountiful one. And the remaining colonists decided to celebrate with a feast -- including 91 Indians who had helped the Pilgrims survive their first year. It is believed that the Pilgrims would not have made it through the year without the help of the natives. The feast was more of a traditional English harvest festival than a true "thanksgiving" observance. It lasted three days.


Governor William Bradford sent "four men fowling" after wild ducks and geese. It is not certain that wild turkey was part of their feast. However, it is certain that they had venison. The term "turkey" was used by the Pilgrims to mean any sort of wild fowl.

Another modern staple at almost every Thanksgiving table is pumpkin pie. But it is unlikely that the first feast included that treat. The supply of flour had been long diminished, so there was no bread or pastries of any kind. However, they did eat boiled pumpkin, and they produced a type of fried bread from their corn crop. There was also no milk, cider, potatoes, or butter. There was no domestic cattle for dairy products, and the newly-discovered potato was still considered by many Europeans to be poisonous. But the feast did include fish, berries, watercress, lobster, dried fruit, clams, venison, and plums.


This "thanksgiving" feast was not repeated the following year. Many years passed before the event was repeated. It wasn't until June of 1676 that another Day of thanksgiving was proclaimed. On June 20 of that year the governing council of Charlestown, Massachusetts, held a meeting to determine how best to express thanks for the good fortune that had seen their community securely established. By unanimous vote they instructed Edward Rawson, the clerk, to proclaim June 29 as a day of thanksgiving. It is notable that this thanksgiving celebration probably did not include the Indians, as the celebration was meant partly to be in recognition of the colonists' recent victory over the "heathen natives,"

A hundred years later, in October of 1777 all 13 colonies joined in a thanksgiving celebration. It also commemorated the patriotic victory over the British at Saratoga. But it was a one-time affair.


George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving in 1789, although some were opposed to it. There was discord among the colonies, many feeling the hardships of a few pilgrims did not warrant a national holiday. And later, President Thomas Jefferson opposed the idea of having a day of thanksgiving.

It was Sarah Josepha Hale, a magazine editor, whose efforts eventually led to what we recognize as Thanksgiving. Hale wrote many editorials championing her cause in her Boston Ladies' Magazine, and later, in Godey's Lady's Book. Finally, after a 40-year campaign of writing editorials and letters to governors and presidents, Hale's obsession became a reality when, in 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving was proclaimed by every president after Lincoln. The date was changed a couple of times, most recently by Franklin Roosevelt, who set it up one week to the next-to-last Thursday in order to create a longer Christmas shopping season. Public uproar against this decision caused the president to move Thanksgiving back to its original date two years later. And in 1941, Thanksgiving was finally sanctioned by Congress as a legal holiday, as the fourth Thursday in November.

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Preparing and Cooking Turkey

Proper preparation of the beloved Thanksgiving entre is essential!  Here are some helpful ideas to make certain your feast is a success!

Thawing the Turkey
It's best to thaw your turkey in a refrigerator that's 40 degrees or cooler. A good rule of thumb is to allow 24 hours of thawing time for every 4 to 5 pounds of turkey.

If you've run out of time, you can defrost the turkey in cold water, allowing 30 minutes for every pound of bird. Be sure to change the water frequently.



Should the Turkey Be Rinsed?

Raw poultry shouldn't be rinsed, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The reason is that when you rinse, you risk contaminating the sink and everything around it with salmonella bacteria.

But, if you'd rather rinse off the juices, you can. You must clean the sink, counter top -- everything else that has come into contact with the raw turkey -- with soap and hot water, and then follow that with a little bleach.

To Stuff or Not to Stuff?
It's safer not to stuff the turkey. The internal temperature of turkey and stuffing should both reach at least 165 degrees. So, if you let the stuffing get to that temperature inside the turkey, the bird would already be up to 175 degrees.

Some people really prefer the taste of stuffing that has been cooked inside the turkey. If you're one of them, just scoop the stuffing out, cover it and put it in the oven.

Tip: Do not purchase prestuffed turkeys. You should stuff the bird right before it's cooked, and stuffing ingredients should be mostly precooked.

How Can You Tell When the Turkey Is Done?
Turkey must be cooked to 165 degrees. The temperature will rise to 175 degrees with resting time.

Here's a guide, by weight, of turkey cooking times (at 325 degrees):
Eight to 12 lbs: 2 ¾ to 3 hours (unstuffed); 3 to 3 ½ hours (stuffed).
Twelve to 14 lbs: 3 to 3 ¾ hours (unstuffed); 3 ½ to 4 hours (stuffed).
Fourteen to 18 lbs: 3 ¾ to 4 ¼ hours (unstuffed); 4 to 4 ¼ hours (stuffed).
Eighteen to 20 lbs: 4 ¼ to 4 ½ hours (unstuffed); 4 ¼ to 4 ¾ hours (stuffed).
Twenty to 24 lbs: 4 ½ to 5 hours (stuffed); 4 ¾ hours to 5 ¼ hours (stuffed).

Tip: Use an instant-read thermometer to test the internal temperature of your turkey.


Turkey should rest for 20 to 30 minutes. If you loosely cover the turkey with foil, it will remain hot for up to one hour.

Resting allows the turkey to finish cooking. If you carve the turkey right after it's cooked, without allowing it to rest, the juices will run out and the bird will be dry.


Information provided by Raquel Hecker 

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Newby Realty provides sales of new and used manufactured (mobile) homes throughout Florida in Bradenton, Clearwater, Debary, Edgewater, Ellenton, Englewood, Fort Pierce, Hudson, Lakeland, N. Fort Myers, New Smyrna Beach, Ocala, Orange City, Palmetto, Port Charlotte, Port Richey, Sarasota, Winter Springs, Zephyrhills.

Quail Hollow (in New Smyrna Beach, FL) Craft Sale

Quail Hollow is a 55+ land lease, manufactured home community in New Smyrna Beach, FL.

2051 Pioneer Trail

New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168
386-427-4261
www.quailhollowcommunity.com

Community Craft Sale

November 20, 2010

9 AM to 2 PM (or beyond)

This is a YARD SALE, CRAFT SALE, BAKE SALE & Refreshment Stand Combined!

There will be Grilled Hot Dogs, Chili, soft drinks and more!

While you are at the community, take a look around!  Here's just a taste of homes the community has for sale:

Reduced! Furnished, 3 Bedroom  2 Bath

Lot 145  ~  Price: $35,000.00

REDUCED

Monthly Lot Lease: $449.00

Square Feet: 1268  ~  Year Built: 1975

For more information about this home, click on link below

http://www.newbyrealty.com/listings/show.aspx?id=1887&p=25&loc=26&page=0

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Corner Lot ~ 3 Bedroom  2 Bath

Lot 91 ~ Price: $17,500.00

REDUCED

Monthly Lot Lease: $449.00

Square Feet: 1036 ~  Year Built: 1975

For more information about this home, click on the link below

http://www.newbyrealty.com/listings/show.aspx?id=1733&p=25&loc=26&page=0

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Newby Realty provides sales of new and used manufactured (mobile) homes throughout Florida in Bradenton, Clearwater, Debary, Edgewater, Ellenton, Englewood, Fort Pierce, Hudson, Lakeland, N. Fort Myers, New Smyrna Beach, Ocala, Orange City, Palmetto, Port Charlotte, Port Richey, Sarasota, Winter Springs, Zephyrhills.

Many Uses of Digital Cameras

Digital cameras are handy little gadgets to have on you. They're definitely not just for taking family snapshots anymore! Let's explore some of the ways they can help out in a pinch:

1. Flashlight. As I've just noted, digital cameras make a pretty decent light source when you get stuck.
2. Insurance record backup. Take photos of each room of your home, with close-ups of individual items. In the event of a theft (or a worse catastrophe such as a house fire), those digital files might be invaluable for detailing what you lost. Just keep a backup in another location!
3. Stand-in scanner. Take photos of important documents such as birth and marriage certificates, driver's licenses, health insurance cards, credit cards and debit cards. Store your pics in a safe location along with your insurance records. Who needs a separate scanner?
4. Mini license plate. Take a shot of your vehicle's license plate. Print it and trim to fit in your wallet. What a clever way to keep your tag number handy! You'll never have to traipse out to the car again.
5. Original art. Your photos can be altered and edited for artistic effect to produce unique pieces of art. Play around with Photoshop. Have fun. Maybe you'll end up with something frame-worthy.
6. Travel mirror. Now here's a clever one: let your camera be your travel mirror when you're camping or staying at a hostel. Check out your reflection in the camera's LCD screen when the camera is off, or take a snapshot of yourself and review for bad hair, parsley in teeth, etc.
7. Clock. More than once I've forgotten both my cell phone and my watch ... and been saved by my camera. Click through the settings, and most likely you will find the correct time and date.
8. Passport and business card photos. Take your own photo. It's free! Just make sure to use a very well-lit location with a neutral background.
9. Clip art. Be your own free stock photo source. If you own an even halfway decent digital camera you're good to go. Use shots for presentations, blog posts and tons of other uses.
10. Record business meetings. That built-in video camera can be used for more than just birthday parties. Use it to document work events or meetings, for example.
11. How-to records. Working on anything painstaking that you might want to recreate down the line? Take photos to help you remember just how you achieved that magical effect with a Christmas tree or Thanksgiving table setting.  Similarly, take step-by-step shots of anything you dismantle that contains many parts. If you get confused during the reassembly phase, just refer to the photos for a reminder of what goes where.
12. Digital Camera as Periscope - Oops -- you think you heard something fall but you're not sure. Reach behind an appliance, inside a crevice or into a dark corner and take a digital picture so you can see what's going on there first. That way, you can avoid any unnecessary heavy lifting.  
13. Parking lot SOS. Do you invariably forget where you parked your car in those huge public lots? Take a snapshot of the location and level number just in case you get lost on the way back. It might save you a ton of walking.
14. House buying/renting. It's hard to keep track of the details when your agent has taken you to view several houses in one day. Take snapshots of each one to compare and discuss later. Same goes when shopping for other large purchases, like furniture.  Once you've agreed to buy or rent a property, there's usually a delay before you can actually move in. In the interim, those snaps will be a huge help as you visualize where to put your furniture and which rooms need repainting.
15.  Digital Camera as Reference Tool - Starting a project that requires you to disassemble something -- say removing a plumbing obstruction, cleaning an oscillating fan, or replacing your vacuum cleaner's drive belt? Snap some photos of the intact piece, then snap several more during the course of the dismantling. This way, when you're ready to reassemble, you can scroll backwards through the images on your digital camera to guide you. 
16. In a car crash? If you're able, take pictures of all the vehicles involved just in case of an insurance dispute later.
17. Subway or stadium map. Take one good photo of the entire map. You can refer to it again and again, zooming in and out as needed.
18. Before checking your suitcases at the airport, take a photo. You never know, it may help the relocation effort if they go walk-about due to mishandling.
19. Hotel or hostel name difficult to pronounce? Take a picture of the building and maybe the nearby street signs. If you're in a foreign country, it might be easier to show your taxi driver a photo of your hotel rather than trying to pronounce the name and location.
20. Traveling with kids? Take a snapshot of your child each morning once they're dressed for the day. If you get separated, the photo will be invaluable for showing to passersby or the authorities.
21. Avoid rental car scams. Take extensive photos of any rental car before you've driven it. Use the date/time stamp on your camera, too.
22. Photocopy fliers. Forget trying to remember all the details of that concert or yard sale. Just take a snapshot for later.
23. Digital Camera as Label Maker -Plastic shoe boxes are a great way to organize your closet -- but then you have to go through twenty boxes to find the one pair of shoes you want to wear. Instead, take a digital picture of each pair, print them from your home office and mount each image of the outside of its respective box. You'll find the pair you're looking for easily -- and you won't feel so guilty for having so many shoes.
24.  Digital Camera as Magnifying Glass - Eyes not what they used to be? Even if you've got perfect vision, the zoom function on a digital camera can make things much more crisp than the naked eye can. Keep your digital camera handy while you DIY, and take a picture of that little detail or that very fine print. Then zoom in all the way.
~ by Diane Rixon

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Common Questions about Manufactured Home Communities

Country Lakes Villages, Palmetto, Florida - a 55+ resident owned, manufactured home community

In Florida, Newby Realty is affiliated with over 30 manufactured home communities. The communities are categorized in the following way: “55+” land lease, land owned or resident owned or “all age” (family) land lease.

The most common question asked is, “What is the difference between land lease and a land owned manufactured home community?” Land lease is when you buy the home but rent the land it is on. Each month there is a lot rent (also known as a lot lease) fee. Water, sewer, basic cable, lawn care, trash pick up, AND maintenance of the community are options this fee may include, depending on the community. Each community has their own list of inclusions.

The next common question is, “What is the difference between a resident owned community and a land owned community?” This gets a little more into the nitty-gritty of the explanations. In a land owned community, you own the land and usually have a deed for the land. You only pay a monthly maintenance fee because you are not leasing land in this community. (Inclusions of what this fee includes vary between each community.)

In a resident owned community, one may own a share of the community. This means you own part of the community; part of the business. This type of community gives one an option to own a share or not. Typically, when one owns a share, they do not pay a lot lease but they do pay a monthly maintenance fee.

Here is where it gets a bit sticky: If you do not own a share, then most commonly, you are leasing the land your home is on in a resident owned manufactured home community. The monthly fee is higher than if you owned a share. This is because you are paying maintenance fees AND a lot lease fee. When one buys a home in a resident owned manufactured home community, the option is there to buy a share at the time of purchase of a home OR anytime afterwards. The value of a share varies but in our communities, it’s most commonly in the range of $55,000. This is like buying land in that there is a property tax on it.

In our Newby Realty listings, our home prices will indicate if the price of a home in a resident owned community INCLUDES a share or not. If a home is priced WITH the share, one must understand this is how it must be purchased: the home WITH the share. IF a home is priced not including a share, one MAY purchase the share separately, at any time after the purchase of the home.

Another popular question: "What is the age differences between an all age (family) manufactured home community and a 55+ community?"  In a 55+ community, one person living in the home must be age 55 or older. Typically, the other persons living in the home cannot be younger than 45.  In a family community, all ages are allowed to live in the home.

Note:  Many use the terms "mobile home" and manufactured home" interchangeably.

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Aging Parents: 5 Warning Signs of Health Problems

Concerned about your aging parents' health? Use this guide to gauge how your aging parents are doing — and what to do if they need help.

As your parents get older, you may want to make sure they're successfully taking care of themselves and staying healthy. When you visit your aging parents, ask yourself the following five questions. Then, if necessary, take steps to help your aging parents maintain their independence.

1. Have your aging parents lost weight?
Losing weight without trying could be a sign that somethings wrong. For aging parents, weight loss could be related to many factors, including:
■Difficulty cooking. Your parents could be having difficulty finding the energy to cook, grasping the tools necessary to cook, or reading labels or directions on food products.
■Loss of taste or smell. Some loss of taste and smell is natural with aging, especially after age 60. In other cases, illness or medication contributes to loss of taste or smell. Your parents might not be interested in eating if food doesn't taste or smell as good as it used to.
■Underlying conditions. Sometimes weight loss is a sign of a more serious underlying condition, such as malnutrition, dementia, depression or cancer.

2. Are your aging parents taking care of themselves?
Pay attention to your parents' appearance. Are their clothes clean? Do they appear to be taking good care of themselves? Failure to keep up with daily routines — such as bathing, tooth brushing and other basic grooming — could indicate health problems such as dementia, depression or physical impairments.

Also pay attention to your parents' home. Are the lights working? Is the heat on? Are the bathrooms clean? Is the yard overgrown? Any big changes in the way your parents do things around the house could provide clues to their health. For example, scorched pots could mean your parents are forgetting about food cooking on the stove. Neglected housework could be a sign of depression, dementia or other problems.

3. Are your aging parents safe in their home?
Take a look around your parents' home, keeping an eye out for any red flags. Do your parents have difficulty navigating a narrow stairway? Has either parent fallen recently? Are they able to read directions on medication containers?

4. Are your aging parents in good spirits?
Note your parents' moods and ask how they're feeling. A drastically different mood or outlook could be a sign of depression or other health concern. Also talk to your parents about their activities. Are they connecting with friends? Have they maintained interest in hobbies and other daily activities? Are they involved in social organizations or clubs? If they're religious, do they attend regular worship services?

5. Are your aging parents having difficulty getting around?
Pay attention to how your parents are walking. Are they reluctant or unable to walk usual distances? Is knee or hip arthritis making it difficult to get around the house? Would either parent benefit from a cane or walker? Muscle weakness, joint problems and other age-related changes can make it difficult to move around as well. If your parents are unsteady on their feet, they may be at risk of falling — a major cause of disability among older adults.

Taking action
There are many steps you can take to ensure your aging parents' health and well-being, even if you live far away. For example:

■Share your concerns with your parents. Talk to your parents openly and honestly. Knowing that you're concerned about their health may give your parents the motivation they need to see a doctor or make other changes. Consider including other people who care about your parents in the conversation, such as other loved ones, close friends or clergy.
■Encourage regular medical checkups. If you're worried about a parent's weight loss, depressed mood or other signs and symptoms, encourage your parent to schedule a doctor's visit. You might offer to schedule the visit yourself or to accompany your parent to the doctor — or to find someone else to attend the visit. Ask about follow-up visits as well.
■Address safety issues. Point out any potential safety issues to your parents — then make a plan to address the problems. For example, perhaps your parents could use assisting devices to help them reach items on high shelves or to help them stay steady on their feet. A higher toilet seat or handlebars in the bathroom may help prevent falls.
■Consider home care services. If your aging parents are having trouble taking care of themselves, perhaps you could hire someone to clean the house and run errands. A home health care aide could help your parents with daily activities such as bathing and dressing. You might also consider Meals On Wheels and other community services. If remaining at home is too challenging, you might suggest moving to an assisted living facility.
■Contact the doctor for guidance. If your parents dismiss your concerns, you might call the doctor directly. Your insights may help the doctor understand what to look for during upcoming visits. Keep in mind that the doctor may need to verify that he or she has permission to speak with you about your parents' care. Likewise, you may need to sign a form verifying that you have your parents' permission to discuss their medical information with the doctor and his or her staff.
■Seek help from local agencies. Your local agency on aging — which you can find using the Eldercare Locator, a public service of the U.S. Administration on Aging — can connect you with services in your parents' area. For example, the county in which your parents live may have social workers who can evaluate your parents' needs and put them in touch with pertinent services, such as home care workers and help with meals and transportation.

Sometimes aging parents won't admit they need help around the house, and others don't realize they need help. That's where you come in. Remind your parents that you care about them and that you want to do what's best to promote their health and well-being, both today and in the months and years to come.

By Mayo Clinic staff

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John and Mable Ringling's Museum and Mansion

A Brief Bit of History:  Located on a 66-acre estate on Sarasota Bay, FL, The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art was established in 1927 as the legacy ofJohn Ringling (1866-1936) and his wife, Mable (1875 - 1929).     

  John Ringling was born in McGregor, Iowa, the sixth of seven surviving sons and daughter born to August and Marie Salomé (Juliar) Ringling. In 1884, five of the brothers started the Ringling Bros. Circus.

     With his wife, Mable, Ringling began accumulating a collection of Old Master paintings that they displayed in their homes in New York City; Alpine, New Jersey; and Sarasota. In New York's crowded auction rooms, they found a rich source of furnishings, tapestries, and paintings from the homes of wealthy and prominent families. In the 1920s, the Ringlings traveled annually to Europe to locate new circus acts, while also making purchases of art objects.

Museum of Art
     The Museum of Art, built by John Ringling to house his personal collection of masterpieces, today features paintings and sculptures by the great Old Masters including Rubens, van Dyck, Velázquez, Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese, El Greco, Gainsborough and more. The European, American and Asian masterworks available here make the Museum of Art an awe-inspiring retreat. It is a palace for treasures emulating the footprint of Florence’s Uffizi Gallery, echoing its grace and grandeur.
     In 1925, Ringling engaged architect John H. Phillips to design the museum. Construction began in 1927, but was slowed almost immediately by the collapse of Florida’s land boom and later, Wall Street’s stock market crash. Financial misfortune and Mable’s death in 1929 might have ended the dream, but John Ringling instead gained a new resolve to complete the museum, borrowing money as needed, knowing that it would perpetuate the memory of his beloved Mable.
     In October 1931, “The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art” was officially opened to the public.
    The Courtyard of the Museum of Art features casts of original antiquities and renaissance sculptures, including the towering David by Michelangelo. The Courtyard features two fountains - Fountain of Tortoises, one of three replicas from the Piazza Mattei in Rome, and the Oceanus Fountain, copied from the 16th century original by Giovanni Bologna in Florence’s Boboli Gardens.
     Special exhibitions are featured in The Ulla R. and Arthur F. Searing Wing, which opened in February 2007. The galleries mirror the original Museum of Art's exterior, but makes available expansive exhibit space for major traveling shows.
     The Museum and its collections continue to grow. In 2006, a combined endowment, building and collection gift from noted Asian art collector and philanthropist Dr. Helga Wall-Apelt, substantially bolstered the Ringling Musuem's Asian art initiative which aims to establish the Museum as an important venue in Florida for the study of Asian Art.

Cà d'Zan Mansion
     The Ringlings' dazzling palatial mansion is a tribute to the American Dream and reflects the splendor and romance of Italy. Described as “the last of the Gilded Age mansions” to be built in America, Cà d’Zan has 56 incredible rooms filled with art and original furnishings. With its Venetian Gothic architecture, the mansion is a combination of the grandeur of Venice’s Doge’s Palace, combined with the gothic grace of Cà d’Oro, with Sarasota Bay serving as its Grand Canal.
     In 1924, construction began on Cà d’Zan, which means “House of John” in Venetian dialect. The house was completed just before Christmas 1925, at a cost of $1.5 million.
     John and Mable Ringling greatly admired the unique architectural style of the Danieli and the Bauer-Grunwald hotels in Venice, as well as the palaces that face the Venetian canals. This architectural style, called "Venetian Gothic," greatly influenced the Cà d'Zan's design, which architect Dwight James Baum and builder Owen Burns helped bring to Sarasota for the Ringlings.
     Mable Ringling had an oilskin portfolio filled with postcards, sketches, photos and other materials that she gathered on her travels to aid the architect with his design.
     Cà d’Zan is 200-foot long encompassing approximately 36,000 square feet with 41 rooms and 15 bathrooms. The structure is five stories and has a full basement. The pinnacle of the structure is the 81-foot Belvedere tower with an open-air overlook and a high domed ceiling.
     Cà d’Zan is constructed from terra cotta “T” blocks, concrete, and brick, covered with stucco and terra cotta, and embellished with glazed tile. The original roof was made from 16th century Spanish tiles imported by the builder Owen Burns. The bayfront terrace is made of domestic and imported marble.
     In April 2002, comprehensive restoration and conservation was completed on Cà d'Zan. The six year, $15 million initiative restored the mansion to the era of Mable Ringling.

Aside from the art museum and the Ringling's mansion, Cà d'Zan, the estates also contains Mable Ringling's rose garden, the Ringling Museum of the American Circus, and the Asolo Theater.

The Ringling Estate is located at 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota, FL 34243 - 941-359-5700

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Newby Realty provides sales of new and used manufactured (mobile) homes throughout Florida in Bradenton, Clearwater, Debary, Edgewater, Ellenton, Englewood, Fort Pierce, Hudson, Lakeland, N. Fort Myers, New Smyrna Beach, Ocala, Orange City, Palmetto, Port Charlotte, Port Richey, Sarasota, Winter Springs, Zephyrhills.

More Fun Facts!

A group of geese on the ground is a gaggle, a group of geese in the air is a skein!

The Philadelphia mint produces 26 million pennies per day!
Saturday mail delivery in Canada was eliminated by Canada Post on February 1, 1969!
The praying mantis is the only insect that can turn its head!
In Tokyo, a bicycle is faster than a car for most trips of less than 50 minutes!
Should there be a crash, Prince Charles and Prince William never travel on the same airplane as a precaution.
Your body is creating and killing 15 million red blood cells per second!
The king of hearts is the only king without a moustache on a standard playing card!
There are no clocks in Las Vegas gambling casinos!
There is one slot machine in Las Vegas for every eight inhabitants!
The Mona Lisa has no eyebrows. It was the fashion in Renaissance Florence to shave them off!
Every day 20 banks are robbed. The average take is $2,500!
The most popular first name in the world is Muhammad!
Tablecloths were originally meant to be served as towels with which dinner guests could wipe their hands and faces after eating!
Tourists visiting Iceland should know that tipping at a restaurant is considered an insult!
One car out of every 230 made was stolen last year!
The names of Popeye's four nephews are Pipeye, Peepeye, Pupeye, and Poopeye!
When glass breaks, the cracks move faster than 3,000 miles per hour. To photograph the event, a camera must shoot at a millionth of a second!
A Boeing 747 airliner holds 57,285 gallons of fuel!
A car uses 1.6 ounces of gas idling for one minute. Half an ounce is used to start the average automobile!
A lightning bolt generates temperatures five times hotter than those found at the sun's surface!
A violin contains about 70 separate pieces of wood!
It is estimated that 4 million "junk" telephone calls, phone solicitations by persons or programmed machine are made every day in the United States!
It takes glass one million years to decompose, which means it never wears out and can be recycled an infinite amount of times!
Forest fires move faster uphill than downhill!
Almost half the newspapers in the world are published in the United States and Canada!
One ragweed plant can release as many as one billion grains of pollen!
It's illegal to drink beer out of a bucket while you're sitting on a curb in St. Louis.
The first product to have a bar code was Wrigleys gum!
No piece of square dry paper can be folded more than 7 times in half!
Over 2500 left handed people a year are killed from using products made for right handed people!
There are more than 10 million bricks in the Empire State Building.

Become a Fan of Newby Realty on Facebook	Newby Realty - Manufactured Home Sales
Newby Realty provides sales of new and used manufactured (mobile) homes throughout Florida in Bradenton, Clearwater, Debary, Edgewater, Ellenton, Englewood, Fort Pierce, Hudson, Lakeland, N. Fort Myers, New Smyrna Beach, Ocala, Orange City, Palmetto, Port Charlotte, Port Richey, Sarasota, Winter Springs, Zephyrhills.

Veterans Day

Veterans Day is an annual United States holiday honoring military veterans. A federal holiday, it is observed on November 11. It is also celebrated as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world, falling on November 11, the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. (Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.)


National Veterans Day Ceremony
The Veterans Day National Ceremony is held each year on November 11th at Arlington National Cemetery . The ceremony commences precisely at 11:00 a.m. with a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns and continues inside the Memorial Amphitheater with a parade of colors by veterans’ organizations and remarks from dignitaries. The ceremony is intended to honor and thank all who served in the United States Armed Forces.

The Veterans Day National Committee also selects a number of regional sites for Veterans Day observances throughout the country. From stirring parades and ceremonies to military exhibits and tributes to distinguished veterans, these events serve as models for other communities to follow in planning their own observances.

The difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day
Memorial Day honors servicemembers who died in service to their country or as a result of injuries incurred during battle. Deceased veterans are also remembered on Veterans Day but the day is set aside to thank and honor living veterans who served honorably in the military - in wartime or peacetime.

Battle of Iwo Jima

The Battle of Iwo Jima (February 19 – March 26, 1945), or Operation Detachment, was a battle in which the United States fought for and captured Iwo Jima from Japan. The U.S. invasion was charged with the mission of capturing the three airfields on Iwo Jima.  The battle produced some of the bloodiest, fiercest fighting in the Pacific Campaign of World War II.

The battle was immortalized by Joe Rosenthal's photograph of the raising of the U.S. flag on top of the 166 m (545 ft) Mount Suribachi by five Marines and one Navy Corpsman. The photograph records the second flag-raising on the mountain, which took place on the fifth day of the 35-day battle. The picture became the iconic image of the battle and has been heavily reproduced.

Veterans, We Honor YOU!
Thank you for your service to our country. We join the rest of the nation on Veterans Day in remembering the sacrifices of America's 25 million veterans and expressing our appreciation for your service.

Become a Fan of Newby Realty on Facebook	Newby Realty - Manufactured Home Sales
Newby Realty provides sales of new and used manufactured (mobile) homes throughout Florida in Bradenton, Clearwater, Debary, Edgewater, Ellenton, Englewood, Fort Pierce, Hudson, Lakeland, N. Fort Myers, New Smyrna Beach, Ocala, Orange City, Palmetto, Port Charlotte, Port Richey, Sarasota, Winter Springs, Zephyrhills.

Marine Corps Celebrates 235th Anniversary

     The Marine Corps will turn 235 on Wednesday, November 10, 2010, its vigor undiminished by age. Camp Lejeune officials will commemorate the Marine Corps 235th birthday with a joint daytime ceremony Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Liversedge Field aboard Camp Lejeune.
     The ceremony, which will rededicate the National and Marine Corps Colors, involves Marines from II Marine Expeditionary Force, subordinate commands and Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, according to base officials.
     The birthday pageant will include the traditional cake-cutting ceremony and a procession of the Marine Corps uniforms dating from 1775 to the present. As tradition dictates, the oldest Marine and the youngest Marine present will share the first pieces of birthday cake, signifying the passage of wisdom and tradition from each generation of Marines to the next.
     The ceremony is open to the general public.
     Aboard Cherry Point Air Station, Marines Marines will celebrate the birthday with a host of events throughout the week.
     The air station hosted a uniform pageant Tuesday, where Marines showcased uniforms and weapons used from the Marine Corps inception in 1775 through modern times, according to Cherry point officials. Dozens of Marines will wore uniforms from throughout the Corps’ history, representing the Marines who served during the Revolutionary Wars, both World Wars, Vietnam, and other conflicts. Aboard Cherry Point as well, Marines participated in the traditional birthday cake-cutting ceremony.
     Additionally, Marines of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing will embark on the annual commanding general’s run, Wednesday, according to releases. The commanding general of 2nd MAW, Maj. Gen, Jon M. Davis, will lead thousands of troops across more than three miles of Cherry Point roads in a formation run while signing cadence for motivation and carrying aloft flags of the Marine Corps and tenant units.
    Units aboard every base have also joined in a signature element of Corps pageantry at ceremonies throughout this week: the Marine Corps birthday balls.
     The new commandant of the Corps, Gen. Jim Amos, congratulated the troops in a recent birthday message, lauding Marines’ past heroism and ongoing efforts, particularly in bringing greater stability to Iraq. “Locations such as Fallujah and Ramadi have taken their place in the illustrious battle history of our Corps. Our efforts in defeating the insurgency helped to build a brighter future for all Iraqis,” Amos wrote. “For 235 years, at sea and ashore, Marines have succeeded in every clime and place . . . where hardship and adversity have often been the common thread.”

Thank you to the men and women who are among "the few and the proud" who can say, "Once a Marine, Always A Marine"!

Become a Fan of Newby Realty on Facebook	Newby Realty - Manufactured Home Sales
Newby Realty provides sales of new and used manufactured (mobile) homes throughout Florida in Bradenton, Clearwater, Debary, Edgewater, Ellenton, Englewood, Fort Pierce, Hudson, Lakeland, N. Fort Myers, New Smyrna Beach, Ocala, Orange City, Palmetto, Port Charlotte, Port Richey, Sarasota, Winter Springs, Zephyrhills.