THANK YOU, VETERANS - The E-Newsletter from Mexico Beach

THANK YOU, VETERANS

From the newest recruit to the four-star general, we're grateful for all the men and women who have served our country and earned the title of veteran. If you know a veteran, be sure to thank them for their time, service, and commitment to keeping our great nation safe. If you are a veteran, we thank you for all you have done to ensure our nation's freedom. It doesn't take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle. -General H. Norman Schwarzkopf

AND THE WINNER IS. . . Up for grabs last month was an Engle 19-quart cooler/dry box from the Mexico Beach Marina, and the lucky winner is Jennifer Mainville from Panama City, Florida. Congrats, Jennifer! NOVEMBER GIVEAWAY This month's giveaway is a copy of HOME-Inspirations for Home and Life by VIE book. From the publishers of VIE magazine comes a new coffee-table book of inspired ideas for your home and lifestyle. HOME features beautiful architecture and interiors, landmarks, nature, recipes, and, of course, Stories with Heart and Soul from our beautiful home on the Gulf Coast. To place your name in the hat, send an email to Kathy at kathy@mexicobeach.com.

MEET MEXICO BEACH

If you are looking for a surprise, we have one for you this month. In our colorful shopping center, there's a shop called Seagreen Salvage & Co. It specializes in a range of offerings for both visitors and residents, including home and coastal decor items, gifts, souvenirs, and works by original artists. Owner Ashley Taunton also dabbles in refinishing furniture, and Seagreen has a wide supply of Fusion Mineral Paint, ideal for woodworking and furniture. During Small Business Saturday-the Saturday immediately following Thanksgiving-the store will offer a make-and-take ornament workshop that is sure to be fun for the entire family! Follow them on Facebook for more details on this and other workshops, as well as in-store specials. Shop hours are subject to the season, so visit their Facebook page for current hours. Next time you are out and about, be sure to stop in to see Ashley-you'll be glad you did.

For more information on weddings or vow renewal ceremonies on the beach, visit mexicobeach.com.

JAMES AND ELIZABETH This month, we would like to introduce you to James and Elizabeth, who came from the great state of Oklahoma for their romantic beach wedding. As an extra treat for all of us, they brought their three charming daughters, Emily, Claire, and Allison. Congratulations, James and Elizabeth!

MEXICO BEACH MOBILE LIBRARY November 18 Come check out a book-or two or three-from the Mobile Library! The Mobile Library will be set up at the Mexico Beach Welcome Center, located at 102 Canal Parkway, from 12:30 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. and is open to the public. It will be stocked with books (print and audiobooks) and DVD movies for all ages. Library patrons can register for a library card and borrow and return items, so if you don't have a library card yet, don't let that stop you! Patrons who place requests for items at other libraries can also pick up those items from the Mobile Library, so you are not limited to the titles on the vehicle. With a nice selection of books, there will be something for everyone to read. Reading is a wonderful activity at the beach, so be sure to stop and enjoy the benefits of the library coming to you! READ MORE

MEXICO BEACH TURKEY TROT 5K FUN RUN November 25 Come kick off Thanksgiving Day with a 5K! The Mexico Beach Turkey Trot 5K Fun Run is a great way to prepare for the Thanksgiving feast you'll be enjoying later. All ages are invited to participate in this family-friendly race on a very easy course that all levels of runners or walkers can enjoy. Participants will start and end at the same location, with water stations along the road to route them through the course. This is a non-chipped, non-official timed race. All runners will be responsible for capturing their own times. A race clock will be provided, displayed, and visible to all runners as they cross the finish line. The race will start at 8:00 a.m. on November 25 at Under the Palms Park. The registration fee is $30 and includes a race bib and commemorative T-shirt. There will be no day-of-race registration. Registration is now open here and will close on November 9, so don't wait! READ MORE

LICENSE-FREE FISHING DAY November 27 Ready to fish without having to purchase a license? The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission offers license-free fishing days for those who want to test the waters. This is an excellent opportunity to experience fishing in new areas, to take youth fishing, or for avid anglers to introduce a friend to fishing without having to purchase a State of Florida-issued fishing license. On the listed days, the fishing license requirement is waived for all recreational anglers, including Florida residents and non-residents. READ MORE

MEXICO BEACH CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY December 5 It's almost Christmastime here at the beach! Mexico Beach will once again trade the palm trees for a giant Christmas tree and transform a blank canvas into a magical holiday paradise. The annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place on Sunday, December 5, at 6:00 p.m. at the Mexico Beach Shopping Center, in front of Mango Marley's. This year's celebration will include the annual Golf Cart Parade that will venture through town and arrive at the tree lighting with a special visitor. If you would like to participate in the Golf Cart Parade, please contact Traci Gaddis at (850) 227-6770. The festivities will begin with a warm holiday welcome and music performed by the Forgotten Coast Ukulele Orchestra, followed by the introduction of this year's tree lighters. After the lighting of the tree, the wait will be on for that special someone to make his grand appearance-Santa Claus! READ MORE

A FRIENDLY REMINDER:

Mexico Beach is a Leave No Trace community, and we appreciate your assistance in helping us keep our beaches clean. Any items left on the beach unattended from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. will be removed and disposed of by the City of Mexico Beach. Items include, but are not limited to, tents and tent frames, beach chairs, coolers, umbrellas, toys, etc. Also, please fill in any holes before you leave and please remain off the sand dunes and out of the sea oats to ensure their continued nourishment. There are boardwalks and walking paths that can be accessed to reach the beach. Your assistance with these requests will keep our beaches beautiful and pristine. For full details on this ordinance or questions, click here or contact City Hall at (850) 648-5700.

RONNIE B'S CRUMB-KISSED GROUPER

Crumb-Kissed Grouper has been a favorite recipe of the Butler family for over 40 years! We publish it with the compliments of the Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association Seafood Cookbook (www.mbara.org).

INGREDIENTS

Grouper or fish of your choice Italian breadcrumbs 1 stick of butter 1 Tbsp Greek seasoning Fresh lemon

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Rinse the fish with water and let dry. While the fish is drying, melt the butter and then mix in the Greek seasoning until well blended. Dip the fish into the butter mixture, then cover it with the Italian breadcrumbs on both sides. Place the coated fish onto a non-stick pan. (Do not spray the pan with non-stick spray.) Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until the fish is 145 degrees in the center. Squeeze lemon juice over the fish and serve immediately. Enjoy!

I LOVE LUCY

Lucille Ball was a pioneer in the early days of television. This redheaded comedienne provided great entertainment for all. Here are a few of the pithy thoughts she shared on TV. Once a woman turns 50, red hair is described as auburn. Ever since I said, "I do," there are so many things we don't. A man who correctly guesses a woman's age may be smart, but he's not very bright. You see much more of your children once they leave home. Gee, why is it that everything that's wonderful costs money? Think harder. We can be nastier than that. All I know is Columbus discovered Ohio in 1776. I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done. Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead. The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age.

KNUCKLE DOWN

We've all heard the term "knuckle down" and generally understand it to mean "get to work" or get serious about doing something. Another version of this phrase is "buckle down," which has a similar meaning. The idioms "knuckle down" and "buckle down" can be used for about the same things. The origin of "knuckle down" relates to playing or shooting marbles sometime in the mid-nineteenth century. In the game, a player held a marble in their fist with their knuckles on the ground for stability. They could then shoot the marble at the other marbles and score points.

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