Our July/August edition has been out for a month already and I am just now writing this blog. A show of how busy we have been this summer. Between short weekend getaways, office moves and the normal daily grind, it has been a unbelievable crazy summer. We were actually two weeks behind getting our other two publications out in July, so hopefully things will start to settle down a bit for us as we move closer to fall and some cool weather.
Our July/August edition was again a big hit this year. SeaHag Marina did an outstanding job on the cover and we had several new advertisers and contributors join us for this round. Advertisers include Tie The Knot with In the Slot, SeaHorse Landing, BBQ From the Hart, Ta-Ja-Pa, Southern Canvas, IFAS and 2 Sweet Donut Shop and Bakery. Most of our contributors focused on the scallop season and they supplied us with great tips and tricks for the ongoing season.
So far it has been a very successful season for many of our advertisers and contributors and we are very happy for that. it’s been a long couple of years for everyone on The Hidden Coast. Between the pandemic and two rainy summers, the scallop season was mostly a flop for many of them. Glad to see restaurants, condos and retail shops filled this year! On top of that there is a lot of growth going on all over The Hidden Coast. Many of the old-timers are not happy about, and would have like to remained “Hidden”, but it’s sign of the times for all of us in North Florida. It’s coming whether we like or not and we put our trust in our elected officials to manage and regulate it correctly.
On a side note, my wife and I finally did our ultimate bucket list trip with a 7-day, 9 state trip in May. We flew into St. Louis and ended up on Jackson Hole, 2K+ miles later. We saw everything on our list plus some, The Arch, Lincoln’s Tomb, Mark Twains home town, Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Devil’s Tower, Little Big Horn, Yellowstone, Old Faithful and Grand Teton. Amazing trip and America the beautiful for sure. We have a incredible country with amazing people. Everywhere we went we were welcomed with open arms and great hospitality. Flights, hotels, restaurants – spot on! Don’t let the nightly news fool you with “Gloom and Doom”. Much more good out there than bad for sure! They only downside of the trip? When we came home we were both hit with a major case of CoVid. Knocked us for a loop for sure, but we are slowly getting back to normal.
Until the next time, enjoy what is left of summer and stay cool! This heat has been oppressive for even the hardcore Florida residents. We look forward to several events planned for the fall, so make sure to pick up a copy of our next edition for all the details.