Weekend Gardening: Daffodils Signal Spring
March 22, 2015
Few plants seem to signify the freshness of spring quite as well as daffodils. The name “daffodils” is derived from “addodell” a variant of Asphodel (a plant of the Asphodelus genus.) In historical documents and the common language of 16th century Europe, the term “daffodil” referred specifically to the wild daffodil, Narcissus pseudonarcissus.
The derivation of the Latin narcissus is unknown. It is frequently linked to the Greek myth of Narcissus, who was rumored to be so obsessed with his own reflection that he died while gazing at himself in a pool of water. From the location of his death sprang the narcissus plant. Another Greek myth finds Persephone, daughter of the goddess Demeter, lured to her doom by the God Hades while picking a narcissus. Therefore the plant is perceived as a symbol of vanity in some Western culture.
Others attribute the plants’ name to its narcotic properties. One translation of the Greek name is “I grow numb!” All narcissus species contain the alkaloid poison lycorine, mostly in the bulb but also in the leaves. Members of the Amaryllidaceae family contain unique types of alkaloids. They are responsible for the poisonous properties of a number of the species. Of the 200 different chemical compounds found in this plant family, at least 79 of them can be found in narcissus.
Daffodils are a popular potted plant for cut flowers, but also make attractive naturalized ground covers in gardens and around trees, providing color from the end of winter through late spring. If the narcissus blooms on Chinese New Year, it is said to bring wealth and good fortune throughout the year. The flower color varies from white through pinks and yellows to deep reddish-orange with multiple petal forms. Hundreds of cultivars are available.
Planting dates vary according to geographical location, but bulbs are usually planted in the fall when the soil is cool. Daffodils grow well in full sun or light shade, with the blooms lasting longer when protected from the noon day sun. When selecting a location for planting, it should be noted that the individual flowers will face the sun.
Pre-chilled bulbs should be planted in 6-8” deep holes with a tablespoon of slow release fertilizer added to the soil directly under the bulb and with 4-5” of soil covering the bulb. Watering throughout the winter will be necessary if rains are infrequent. After flowering, the daffodils need to be fertilized and watering should continue. The foliage will naturally turn yellow and die as stored food is restored to the bulb.
Division, transplanting and collection for forcing potted plants can be done after all the foliage has declined. To force Daffodils to bloom at varied times in a container the dried bulbs will need to be stored at a 45° F temperature for 4-6 weeks prior to being placed in the sun to grow.
The bright, cheery Daffodil flowers are beginning to bloom now and will continue as Easter approaches, reminding us that spring really is coming.
Email Sheila Dunning at sdunning@ufl.edu.
Photos by Matthew Orwat for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Margaret Allene Vaughn Bryan
March 22, 2015
Margaret Allene Vaughn Bryan of Walnut Hill, age 87, went peacefully to be with her God and Savior, comforted by family in her home, on Friday, March 20th, 2015. She was born on February 3, 1928, in McCullough, AL, where she lived for four years before moving to Walnut Hill where she resided for the remainder of her life. She raised her family and eventually retired from the Escambia County School District after having served in food service for 33.5 years.
She was one of the two remaining original members of Walnut Hill Baptist Church where she served faithfully and shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ with anyone she met. Additionally, she sang in the choir for over 73 years, enjoyed Sunday School and special gatherings with her church family such as Homecoming, and sought ways to help the church grow and prosper for the Lord. She spent many joyful years playing guitar and singing alto with her band, the Discipleaires, cooking her famous Chocolate Pies, and telling everyone she met about those she loved. Spending time with family and fellowshipping with many friends made her life happy and complete.
She is preceded in death by her parents William Michael and Dorcas Allene Vaughn and her loving husband and best friend, Eugene (Gene) Bryan.
She is survived by her sister Pauline Stuart of Bay Minette; brother-in-law Charles Bryan, and sister-in-law Louise of Pensacola; sister-in-law Virginia Bryan-Sims and brother-in-law Therrell of TheodoreL; and sister-in-law Lorraine Huff of Pittsburgh, PA; her three children and their spouses: William E. and Sharon Bryan of Macon, GA; Dianne and Wesley Foster of Ft. Myers, FL; and Terri and Don Jernigan of Pensacola; and her six grandchildren and their spouses: Kellie and Verne Ferguson of Alpharetta, GA; Kim Bryan Spears-Reich and Andy Reich of Stuart, FL; Jonathan and Christi Bryan of Daphne; Brian Foster of Tuscaloosa, AL; Ashley and Hamid Yazarlou of Long Beach, CA; and SSG Landon Jernigan of Ft. Carson, CO. Additionally, she is survived by her nine great-grandchildren: Brooke, Maggie, and Davis Ferguson, Emily and Elizabeth Spears, Fisher and Finley Bryan, and Caylin and Camryn Yazarlou.
Family will receive friends on Monday, March 23rd at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home in Atmore from 6-8 p.m. Her Celebration of Life Service will be held on Tuesday, March 24th at 2 p.m. at Walnut Hill Baptist Church and will be officiated Pastor Ted Bridges. She will be laid to rest in the church cemetery immediately following the service.
Active Pallbearers will be Brian Foster, Jonathan Bryan, Verne Ferguson, Feulner Stuart, Derrick Stuart and Gary Bryan.
Honorary pallbearers will be SSG Landon Jernigan (active duty), Hamid Yazarlou, Billy Ward, Leroy Wiggins, Gary Purvis, Don Strickland, Lindy Phillips, James Grant, Carl Deckerd, Edward Godwin, Brett Ward, Bo Bartley, Kenneth Bryan, Clayton Scott and Kent Sherrill.
Memorial gifts may be made in honor of Margaret Allene Vaughn Bryan to the Walnut Hill Baptist Church Building Fund.
Penny Ann Nellums
March 22, 2015
Penny Ann Nellums, 60, passed away March 19, 2015. She was born in Hamilton, OH and resided in the Pensacola area for the last 39 years. For the eight years Penny was a substitute teacher at various schools in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. She was a very compassionate and humble person and loved every student she met. She dearly loved her husband of 38 years, Robert Nellums, her children, and her grandchildren were adored.
Every holiday season Penny cooked the meals for her many family members and always expertly decorated her home for special holidays. During the fall she enjoyed going to the mountains to see the many colors of the autumn leaves; during the summer she loved to spend time at Pensacola Beach whether it be during the day enjoying the sunshine or in the evening watching the beautiful sunsets. Penny was a classy lady and loved to dress up.
She was preceded in death by her father, Jessie James Cornett, and her sister, Rosalie Menard.
Penny is survived by her loving husband, Robert Nellums; two daughters, Melissa (Chris) Johnson and Misty Barrett; grandchildren, Joshua Johnson, Hannah Johnson, Christopher Johnson, Jr., Jason Ogle and Chloe Barrett; step-daughter, Gwenda Nelson; three brothers, eight sisters, and many friends.
The family will receive friends at Pensacola Memorial Gardens Funeral Home on Wednesday, March 25, 2015, from 12 p.m. until the 2 p.m. funeral service.
Burial will follow in Pensacola Memorial Gardens.
The family has entrusted Pensacola Memorial Gardens Funeral Home with all arrangements.
Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: Temps Rising As Budget Unveiled
March 22, 2015
Things are getting warmer in Tallahassee — and while the mercury is rising sharply, the hottest thing in town could soon be the battle over the shape and size of the budget for the coming year.
On Friday, the House and Senate unveiled spending plans for the year beginning July 1 that were similar in some respects and vastly different in others. The most striking area of conflict was the bottom line. An austere House budget would spend $76.2 billion — less even than the almost $77 billion plan that Gov. Rick Scott proposed.
The Senate, on the other hand, made it rain, unveiling an $80.4 billion budget that would be the largest in state history and would include funding for a quasi-Medicaid expansion and a reconfigured Low Income Pool program. Those responsible for the upper chamber’s proposal played down the significance of its size.
“Absent an additional $5 billion in local and federal funding, our proposed budget is approximately the same as the initial budget the Senate passed last year,” Senate Appropriations Chairman Tom Lee, R-Brandon, said in a statement accompanying the budget. “This conservative approach preserves the resources necessary to address a crisis in Florida’s hospital network.”
There are other differences in the plans — the Senate’s focus on health care comes even as it provides fewer dollars than Scott or the House in per-student funding for public schools. Neither the House nor the Senate would reach Scott’s recommendation for school spending under the main formula used to bankroll elementary and secondary education.
Those disputes could lead to a climate change in what has so far been a mundane legislative session — a change that would make it almost as heated inside the Capitol as April in Tallahassee promises to be outdoors.
SCOTT GETTING SCHOOLED ON ED FUNDING?
As part of Scott’s attempted makeover the past few years from rock-ribbed budget cutting conservative to a more moderate figure, the governor has touted his efforts to pump more and more money into education. A key part of his 2014 re-election platform was to propose a new high-water mark for per-student funding for public schools, which he made good on by requesting $7,176 a pupil in the coming budget year.
He won’t get that much. House and Senate lawmakers have both issued plans that fall short of Scott’s proposal, which would surpass the old record set in the 2007-2008 school year. But the House put forward a version that, at $7,129 a head, at least surpassed the old mark by $3.
“It wasn’t a slight to the governor,” said Rep. Erik Fresen, the Miami Republican who chairs the House’s education budget subcommittee. “We wanted to make sure we hit his historic number.”
The Senate didn’t go that far, proposing a plan that would bump education spending up to $7,123, short of the old mark.
It wasn’t that much of a surprise. Sen. Don Gaetz, Fresen’s counterpart in the Senate, said lawmakers were trying to patch a potential drop in health-care funding from the federal government.
“I think it’s less likely that the Senate or the House can get to the governor’s number, because the governor’s budget relied upon revenues that no longer exist,” said Gaetz, R-Niceville. “That’s not the governor’s fault. He operated under the information that he had then.”
Also worth noting: The Senate’s proposal would still boost per-student funding for public schools by 3 percent. But failing to get the symbolic victory of even a couple of dollars over the old record likely wouldn’t help Scott shake the perception that he’s losing clout at the Capitol.
MEDICATION FOR YOUR LIP
The flip side of the House’s more generous treatment of education is its less generous treatment of the health-care budget. The Senate released a budget proposal Thursday that banks on expanding health-care coverage for low-income Floridians and extending a critical funding program for hospitals.
That creates a hefty $5 billion conflict with the House, a difference that could be one of the biggest flashpoints once the two chambers start negotiating the budget.
Senators included $2.8 billion in the budget proposal to pay for an expansion of health-care coverage that is an outgrowth of the federal Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. House Republican leaders have rejected such proposals during the past two years — and have shown no willingness to go along with a revised Senate expansion plan this year.
If the expansion ultimately is approved, the federal government would cover the $2.8 billion first-year costs of the plan, which the Senate has dubbed the Florida Health Insurance Affordability Exchange Program, or FHIX.
The Senate budget proposal also includes nearly $2.2 billion for the continuation of the Low Income Pool program, which in recent years has funneled additional money to hospitals and other health providers that serve large numbers of poor and uninsured patients. The program, known as LIP, is scheduled to expire June 30 unless the state can reach agreement with the federal government on an extension. Amid such uncertainty, a House budget proposal did not include the money.
Sounding a bit like the H&R Block commercials, Lee essentially said Friday that the state should get its billions back.
“Each year, Floridians across our state send a significant amount of their hard-earned money to Washington,” he said. “Our goal in this budget was to return more of those federal tax dollars to serve the people of Florida.”
The House, which doesn’t include the LIP money, isn’t so sure.
House Health Care Appropriations Chairman Matt Hudson, R-Naples, said it would be premature to include the LIP money in initial budget plans, given that state and federal officials haven’t agreed that there will be a LIP program after June 30.
Hudson and House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, said lawmakers are in a similar position as last year, when the program also was slated to expire. The House and Senate did not include LIP money in their initial budget proposals last year but added the money after an agreement was reached for a one-year extension of the program.
“We’re in the same scenario this year,” Hudson said.
The House also continues to rule out any sort of Medicaid expansion, regardless of the way the Senate presents it.
WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE? NOT YET
And while the House and Senate were presenting their different plans on high-profile issues like education and health care, lawmakers also spent part of the week dealing with how they would divvy up the funding stream for water and land conservation set aside under a voter-approved constitutional amendment.
Under the House plan, Florida’s natural springs would get $50 million, the Kissimmee River is in line for $30 million, and a wastewater plan for the Florida Keys is up for $25 million.
But there are few other clearly outlined projects in a $772.1 million proposal for next fiscal year released Tuesday by the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee. The proposal is focused more on land management and water projects than on new land acquisitions.
The plan quickly drew mixed reviews from conservationists, whose reactions included that it was a “a good starting point” for negotiations and that lawmakers disregarded the intent of voters who supported a constitutional amendment, known as Amendment 1, in November.
“The recommendation ignores what the voters thought that they were voting for, which was to put money into land acquisition for parks and wildlife habitat and trails,” said Audubon Florida Executive Director Eric Draper, a lobbyist on environmental issues.
Senators were busy defusing a potential showdown with affordable-housing advocates, changing course Wednesday and saying housing programs won’t take a hit as part of the Senate’s approach to meeting the demands of the constitutional amendment.
The Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously removed a controversial reduction in money for housing programs that had been included in a series of bills (SB 576, SB 578, SB 580, SB 582, SB 584, and SB 586) revamping trust funds to handle the conservation amendment.
“It was a just a choice we made to move on that issue,” Sen. Charlie Dean, an Inverness Republican who is the author of the Senate trust-fund measures, said after the committee meeting.
The change restores the current percentage of money that goes into a trust fund for affordable housing from real-estate taxes known as documentary-stamp taxes.
STORY OF THE WEEK: House and Senate committees revealed their budgets over the course of the week, setting up the annual clash over state spending priorities.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “I don’t think that we can ever be confident that we found all of them. I think it’s the tip of the iceberg. We can only investigate those cases which are brought to our attention since there is no real meaningful oversight by the department to police itself.”—Florida Justice Institute Executive Director Randall Berg, talking about the prison death or Rommell Johnson. After being contacted by The News Service of Florida and told about Johnson’s death, Department of Corrections Secretary Julie Jones said she intends to have Johnson’s case reviewed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, now probing about 100 unresolved prison deaths.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Courtney MarieAnn Parker
March 22, 2015
Courtney MarieAnn Parker, 22, of Pensacola, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, March 13, 2015. She was a loving daughter, aunt, and friend. Courtney was born July 13, 1992 in Pensacola. After graduating Pensacola School of Liberal Arts in 2010, she worked for Springleaf Financial. She loved everything about the beach and the gulf. She adored her family, friends, cooking, and fishing. Her love for helping other people was evident in everything she did.
Courtney is survived by her parents, Tim and Kim Parker; sister, Caitlyn McGhie; brother-in-law, Kyle McGhie; neice, Amelia McGhie; grandparents, James and Joyce Street; grandmother, Nelree Betty Williams; aunt, Janine Street; uncle and aunt, Chris and Lisa Street; uncle, John Street; uncle and aunt, Tim and Cissy Holland; uncle, Greg Parker; cousins, Corey and Brooke Street, Misty and Tim Spooneybarger, Kodie Parker, Mindy Ball, Nikki Porter and Matthew Smith.
A Celebration of Life service was held March 20, 2015, at Klondike Baptist Church.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home South is entrusted with the arrangements.
Jeanette Marie Hatfield
March 22, 2015
Mrs. Jeanette Marie Hatfield, 54, passed away on Tuesday, March 17, 2015, in Mobile.
Mrs. Hatfield was a native and lifelong resident of Bratt. Mrs. Hatfield was the vice president of Gulf Coast Wrestlers Reunion. She attended the Poplar Dell Baptist Church. Her parents, Cleve and Ann Taylor precede her in death.
Survivors include her husband of 30 years, Randy Hatfield of Bratt; one son, Jeremy Clint Hatfield of Bratt; four step-sons, Heath Hatfield of Alexandria, LA, Troy Hatfield, Joshua Hatfield and Tristan Hatfield all of Pennsylvania; one daughter, Crystal (John) Coleman of Bryneville; four sisters, Janice (Clayton) Flowers of Nokomis, Louise (Woody) Boseman of Monroeville, AL, Lynette Colbert of Atmore and Annette (Glen) Carr of Pensacola; and two grandchildren, Elizabeth Coleman and John Noah Coleman.
Funeral services were held Friday, March 20, 2015, at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. John Coleman officiating.
Burial was in the Godwin Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Glen Carr, Woody Boseman, Matthew Wilson, Tripp Dawson, Bobby Hatfield and Shane Hatfield.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes, LLC, is in charge of all arrangements.
Linda L. Fowler
March 22, 2015
Linda L. Fowler, 76 of Pensacola, passed away on Wednesday, March 18, 2015.
Linda was born in Blytheville, Arkansas in 1938. Her dad’s job with Frisco Railroad moved the family to Kansas City, Missouri in 1943 and moved them again to Pensacola in 1951. That year she enrolled in Catholic High School where she met the love of her life Ronnie Fowler. The two began dating, and were married in 1956, began their family and have been best friends and sweethearts for 57 years.
She was very artistic and loved working in the cosmetics department at Gayfers in her mid-years. She was gifted in creating ceramics and crocheted many beautiful afghans over the years. Her loves were her family, gardening, cooking, and was always eager to try a new recipe if anyone wanted to share.
Linda is survived by her husband of 57 years, Ronald “Ronnie” Fowler; daughters, Rhonda (Ted) Gifford and Debbie (Roy) Holechek; sons, Ronald (Janet) Fowler, Jr. and Greg (Monica) Fowler; grandkids, Sarah, Leah, Chris, Cory, Kristin, Jill, Brooke, Alexa, and Hannah; 14 great-grand kids; and a host of nieces and nephews.
The family would like to extend their appreciation to Dr. Eldawy for the outstanding care and concern he gave to Linda for the past 4 years and we will always be grateful to the nursing staff of St. Catherine’s at Sacred Heart. They cared for Linda as if she was a member of their own family.
Funeral Mass was held Saturday, March 21, 2015, at St. Jude Thaddeus Church with Father George Thekku officiating.
Burial was in Holy Cross Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Don Meyer, Corey Meyer, Jon Cory Maxwell, Michael Robinson, Chris Maxwell and Michael Farrell.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is in charge of arrangements.
Mary Beatrice (Bea) Hefner
March 22, 2015
Mary Beatrice (Bea) Hefner, 84, of Pensacola, went to meet her Lord on Thursday, March 19, 2015. She was born Mary Beatrice Knott on February 16, 1931, to Anna Beatrice Knott in Washington, D.C. and was raised in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Norris. Mary was a woman of many passions, extending her loving care as a nurse to patients at Baptist Hospital. Having survived breast cancer, she adored Camp Blue Bird and making bird houses. With her husband, Mary was an avid traveler, spending many days visiting and commemorating the past with former World War II-era friends across the country. Undoubtedly, her favorite past time was serving her church family at St. John’s Catholic Church.
She has now been reunited with her beloved husband of 50 years, James Carlos Hefner; her brothers, Charles and Joseph Norris; and her son-in-law, James Smith.
She is survived by her sisters, Dot Wall and Loretta Demars; her four children, Delores Smith, Richard Hefner (Patty), Kenneth Hefner (Ruth), and Peg Hurst (Johnny); nine grandchildren, Brian London (Susan), Allison Thackston (Willie), Stephanie Miller (Billy), Kirsten Carrion (Armando), Andrew Hefner (Genny), Bianca McCrocklin (Russell), Haze Hefner, Deanna Parker (Marlin), Jake Hefner; 17 great-grandchildren; and one great-great granddaughter.
Funeral services were held Monday, March 23, 2015, at Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church with Rev. Msgr. James J. Flaherty officiating.
Burial was in St. John’s Catholic Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Andrew Hefner, Jake Hefner, Armando Carrion, Russell McCrocklin, Michael Miller, David Miller, Ren Avant, Chad Kelly, and Hunter Thackston (honorary).
The family would like to give a special thanks to the caregivers at Covenant Hospice and Mary’s dear friend Wanda Kelly for their kindness and compassion.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home South is entrusted with arrangements.
Kimberly Ann Beal
March 22, 2015
Kimberly Ann Beal, 47, of Pensacola, went to be with the Lord Saturday, March 7, 2015. Kim was born in Miami, FL, to Mildred and William Jennings. Kim lived life fully, passionately, bravely and courageously. She showed love to everyone she came in contact with and everyone loved her. Kim loved the beach, singing karaoke, and traveling; but most of all she loved spending time with her grandbabies and they loved spending time with their Maw Maw. She was unstoppable and she took anything she wanted with a smile.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Mildred Jennings; sister, Vickie McKee; her aunt and uncle, Wanda and Billy Bridgman; as well as her grandma, Jessie Calhoun.
Kimberly is survived by her children, Natasha, Timothy and April; her grandkids, Jasmine Beal, Timberly Carey, Miranda and Dalton Gibson, and Zoey Littlefield; father, William Jennings; four brothers, Johnny, Roger, Richard and Ronnie Fuller; one sister, Bonnie Brewer; her boyfriend of 17 years, John Edge; mother and father-in-law, Sandra and James Beal; father of her children and good friend, Tim Beal, Sr.; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Memorial services were held Monday, March 23, 2015, at Faith Chapel Funeral Home South.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Faith Chapel Funeral Home South.
In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be made to Faith Chapel Funeral Home to help with the cost of the services.
Rain Likely Overnight, Sunday
March 21, 2015
Saturday Night
Showers likely. Cloudy, with a low around 62. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Sunday
Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Cloudy, with a high near 75. East wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Sunday Night
Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Cloudy, with a low around 57. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday
A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. North wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Monday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. East wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday
Partly sunny, with a high near 77.
Wednesday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61.
Thursday
A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 77.
Thursday Night
A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56.
Friday
A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 65.