I sure hope we never go through another season like the season we had in 2005.  However,  hearing today's weather news that tropical storm Fay might affect the Florida Keys I visited the National Weather Service National Hurricane Center to see what they had to say about the storm http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ and what the storm's implications are for the Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Boynton Beach Florida area. Rain is what we can expect locally from Fay.  Phew!

Many of my clients are snow-birds and they start to call me when they hear the hype on CNN and the Weather Channel so it is important for me to separate the hype from any real storm danger we might be facing. My clients ask me to check on their homes or apartments before a storm to make sure their shutters are closed in preparation.  And, after a major storm I also check their property for damage. It is part of the service that is my pleasure to provide my clients.

I trust the National Hurricane Center to give me the latest and most accurate public advisories without any hype.  I keep a link to the site on my computer and I also have a link on my Blackberry.  The mobile device link is something new from the National Hurrican Center and here is that web address that you might want to add to your address book if your cell phone service includes a data plan: www.nhc.noaa.gov/mobile

Here are the links again: 

 http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/     and       www.nhc.noaa.gov/mobile

I brake for turtles!  Frequently while driving around in Delray, Boynton and Boca, I'll see a turtle in my path and I'll apply my brakes; being big guys they are easy to see. However, last week I noticed a tiny turtle, no bigger than a quarter, on the black asphalt while walking from my car to the front door of my home in Delray Beach.   I took the critter (can turtles be called critters?) in to my condo and promptly Googled for any turtle info I could find.  What kind of Florida turtle was Palmie (oh yes, I gave "it" a name) and what was the best care I could provide for my new little friend.

 I couldn't, with any absolute (other than it not being a sea turtle), determine the species from this research but the research did dissuade me from thinking I could give Palmie the proper care for his well-being. And, the actual best and most humane care I could give would be to release the little guy. Thus, I placed Palmie on a nice grassy spot, near a lake, and far from any asphalt.  I wished him good karma and walked away feeling I was doing the right thing.  

 Here are just a few of the many interesting things I found out during my turtle research session:

 •·         Florida has named the Loggerhead turtle as the state's official saltwater reptile. This designation came in to place on July 11, 2008 and it is a new designation for the state.

 •·         June and July is the time that different species of female sea turtles make their way here to our beaches, and in the night's darkness the turtles dig a hole, and lay their eggs. 

 •·         There are 18 places along Florida's coastline (15 on the east coast of the state and 3 on the west coast) that are state licensed to offer the public the opportunity to join in a Turtle Watch -- where it is possible to join a group and witness this pre-historic turtle ritual. (see the map below for locations and see below for the website's of the various locales many of which are within close location to Delray Beach.

       The nearest turtle watch location to  Delray Beach is in Boca Raton at the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center http://www.gumbolimbo.org/.  I was too late for this season to reserve a place; turtle watches and walks are limited by state regulations. I've marked my calendar to reserve early for next year.  Looking at Gumbo Limbo's website informed me of the many other wonderful programs they have in place for adults and for children.  I will need to visit them soon!  There are two other locations in Palm Beach County that offer turtle watches: the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach http://www.marinelife.org/ and in North Palm Beach there is the John D. MacArthur State Park http://www.macarthurbeach.org/  All of these websites offer an enormous wealth of information on their programs. 

     Here's a link to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center :  http://www.marinelife.org/Allaboutturtles it will give you interesting info on the 5 species of sea turtles we can see in our local ocean

I just received an email from the FAR (Florida Association of Realtors) that more than 10,000 lawyers have offered their services free to troubled homeowners.  The email provided a toll-free telephone number for homeowners facing foreclosure to call to get help (866-607-2187. The Florida Bar Association and Florida Legal Services have teamed up to offer their services free. According to the FAR email when the consumer calls the hotline they will be asked a few questions for proper placement to be  directed to an attorney who will "negotiate with the lender on behalf of the client to keep the home from being foreclosed."

I think this is wonderful news to the stated 77,000 Florida homeowners facing foreclosure and I eagerly  await to hear more news about just how successful this program is.