Sunny Central Florida » Circle B http://sunnycentralflorida.com Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:31:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 August Events at Polk’s Nature Discovery Center http://sunnycentralflorida.com/2009/08/06/august-events-at-polks-nature-discovery-center/ http://sunnycentralflorida.com/2009/08/06/august-events-at-polks-nature-discovery-center/#comments Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:12:17 +0000 Kris Keprios http://sunnycentralflorida.com/?p=582 Polk’s Nature Discovery Center at Circle B Bar Reserve is a cool place to visit, but it is even better when they offer special events. They have a bunch for you to participate in during the month of August. The best part is, they are all free. The staff at Polk’s Nature Discovery Center does a great job putting these workshops together and they are very informative. Bring your family and learn about the world around you! Polk’s Nature Discovery Center is located within Circle B Bar Reserve, 4399 Winter Lake Road in Lakeland. For more information or to sign up for any of the programs, call Polk’s Nature Discovery Center at (863) 668-4673.

Here is a rundown of the August events:

Thursday, August 6th

8:00 AM – 10:00 AM Butterfly Hike – Meet in front of the buildings
Hike out to the Sandhill and discover the habitat of the Circle B butterflies

Saturday, August 8

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM Virtual tour of the East Polk Environmental Lands – Located in the Workshop
Take a virtual journey thru some of the Environmental Lands located in Eastern Polk County. Learn about the unique habitats of SUMICA, Lake Marion Creek and Crooked Lake Prairie.

10:30 AM -11:30 AM How to Draw Animals – Located in the Classroom
Learn how to draw some of the unique animals that live in Central Florida. Space is limited and is age appropriate for children from 9 and up.

2:00 PM – 4:00 PM Macro Photography – Located in the Workshop
Learn to solve a variety of problems that macro photographers face in the field, including how to master the light control, the elements and what to do when you forget to pack the macro lens.

6:00 PM—7:30 PM Composting – Located in the Workshop
In this free workshop you will learn the many methods of composting, the benefits of using compost and how easy it is to practice home composting. In celebration of Compost Awareness Week you will be able to purchase an Earth Machine compost bin for $40 and a kitchen
scrap bucket for $10

Saturday, August 15

9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Nature Tour (Tram Tour)
Requires sign up. Space limited to 25. Tour the Banana Creek Marsh with guides who will point out plants, birds and history of the property.

Sunday, August 16

1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Nature Tour (Tram Tour)
Requires sign up. Space limited to 25. Tour the Banana Creek Marsh with guides who will point out plants, birds and history of the property.

3:30 PM – 5:30 PM Butterfly Presentation – Located in the Workshop
Buck and Linda Cooper, Polk County’s foremost butterfly experts, present a fun and informative presentation on butterflies of Polk County at 3:30pm. Then join the Cooper’s at 4:30pm as they lead participants on a guided hike to identify butterflies in their natural habitat.

Saturday, August 22

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM Life of Birds – Located in the Workshop
Discover the various aspects of a bird’s life, from the adaptations that allow them to survive in their environment to their amazing flights.

10:30 AM -11:30 AM Reptiles & Amphibian Presentation – Located in the Classroom
Enjoy an introduction into the different characteristics of reptiles & amphibians and their importance within the environment.

Sunday, August 30

 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM Butterflies & Bird Wings & Things – Located in the Workshop
“Free for All” What’s all the hustle and bustle about in the garden. Join us to learn how to attract those colorful butterflies and birds to your
backyard. Followed by a short tour for those interested, workshop led by John King.

]]> http://sunnycentralflorida.com/2009/08/06/august-events-at-polks-nature-discovery-center/feed/ 0 Whopping 83.3% Choose All 15 Trails http://sunnycentralflorida.com/2009/07/28/whopping-833-choose-all-15-trails/ http://sunnycentralflorida.com/2009/07/28/whopping-833-choose-all-15-trails/#comments Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:28:09 +0000 Glenda http://sunnycentralflorida.com/?p=568 With more than two months remaining in the Trek Ten Again in 2009 Program, 83.3% of the 30 who have mailed Validation Cards to date have all 15 trails stamped.  In its second year, organizers of the Trek Ten Trails Program are ecstatic with early returns – 50% live outside PolkCounty and 80% of those outside Florida.  Trekkers have come from Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Scottville, Michigan; Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin; and Vestal, New York.

An initiative of the all-volunteer Friends of the Parks Foundation, the year-long FREE program is design to inspire residents and visitors to become involved and active in the outdoors, and features 15 sites within Polk County’s more than 125-mile trails system.  All trails include approved geocaches which can be located with or without a GPS unit.  Instructions for all hikes, including walking directions for finding cache hides, are posted on the Friends of the Parks website and available for downloading at www.friendsoftheparks.net.  Each geocache includes a self-inking stamp which trekkers use to validate their hike.

Trekkers are encouraged to set-up a free profile account at www.geocaching.com for logging hiking experiences and posting photos.  Logs are shared with program administrators who monitor postings for an update on the condition of each cache.  Volunteers re-stock with trinkets or logbooks as needed, or occasionally replace a cache “gone missing” or destroyed by a control burn.

Logs also give organizers a look at how many trekkers are just beginning or nearing the finish line.

          “Log Date:  7/27%C Wisconsin; and Vestal, New York.

An initiative of the all-volunteer Friends of the Parks Foundation, the year-long FREE program is design to inspire residents and visitors to become involved and active in the outdoors, and features 15 sites within Polk County’s more than 125-mile trails system.  All trails include approved geocaches which can be located with or without a GPS unit.  Instructions for all hikes, including walking directions for finding cache hides, are posted on the Friends of the Parks website and available for downloading at www.friendsoftheparks.net.  Each geocache includes a self-inking stamp which trekkers use to validate their hike.

Trekkers are encouraged to set-up a free profile account at www.geocaching.com for logging hiking experiences and posting photos.  Logs are shared with program administrators who monitor postings for an update on the condition of each cache.  Volunteers re-stock with trinkets or logbooks as needed, or occasionally replace a cache “gone missing” or destroyed by a control burn.

Logs also give organizers a look at how many trekkers are just beginning or nearing the finish line.

          “Log Date:  7/27/2009 skipanator found Bok Bonus Trek   -   YEAH!!  Finally our last stamp.  Thank you for introducing us tot his most awesome, adventurous, challenging past time.  Gathering each and every stamp took us to new places, even for us native Polk County’ns.  We had a great time and met some great people along the way.  Can’t wait for TTT 2010!!!!”

If you’re not trekking, it’s not too late.  Official Validation Game Cards are still available – online, at Polk Outpost 27, and most Polk County public libraries.  Validated game cards must be received by October 5 to be eligible for prize drawing

]]> http://sunnycentralflorida.com/2009/07/28/whopping-833-choose-all-15-trails/feed/ 0 Nature Discovery Center Announces Classes http://sunnycentralflorida.com/2009/07/06/nature-discovery-center-announces-classes/ http://sunnycentralflorida.com/2009/07/06/nature-discovery-center-announces-classes/#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:07:51 +0000 Kris Keprios http://sunnycentralflorida.com/?p=548 Who says there is no good news in the newspaper anymore? In yesterday’s Ledger, Tom Palmer wrote a story about upcoming nature classes at Polk’s Nature Discovery Center at Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland. Tom is The Ledger’s Environmental Reporter (among other duties) and he probably knows more about nature and the environment in Polk County than anyone you will ever meet, so if he is recommending these classes, I would sign up today! All of the classes are free  and open to the public, but you have to reserve a spot in advance. Here is the rundown:

July 11

9 – 10 a.m., Birding 101: Learn about bird identification and how to practice the fastest growing activity in the United States.

10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Reptiles and Amphibians: This is an introduction into the different characteristics of reptiles and amphibians and their importance to the environment.

2 – 4 p.m., Photoshop for Nature Photographers: Designed to help photographers make their nature photos look the very best. Participants will learn photo-retouching techniques and color management solutions. This workshop teaches how to get the best from your digital or conventional cameras.

July 18

9 – 11 a.m., Tram Tour of the Banana Creek Marsh with guides who will point out plants, birds and history of the property. This tour also will be held on July 19 from 1 to 3 p.m.

July 25

9 – 10 a.m., Love is in the Air: A photographic journey into the courtship and behaviors in the animal world.

10:30 – 11:30 a.m., Lakeland’s Environmental Lands:This will be a photographic journey into the different environmental lands in the Lakeland area. Participants will explore the different habitats in Gator Creek Reserve, Lakeland Highlands Scrub and the Circle B Bar Reserve.

2 – 4 p.m., Basic Nature Photography: Participants will learn techniques and details for capturing nature photos in a professional and affordable way. Topics include equipment, basic setup and lens handling techniques.

For more information or to sign up for any of the programs, call 863-668-4673.

]]> http://sunnycentralflorida.com/2009/07/06/nature-discovery-center-announces-classes/feed/ 0 Out and About: Caution! BUSY Weekend Ahead http://sunnycentralflorida.com/2008/10/30/out-and-about-caution-busy-weekend-ahead/ http://sunnycentralflorida.com/2008/10/30/out-and-about-caution-busy-weekend-ahead/#comments Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:57:01 +0000 Kris Keprios http://sunnycentralflorida.com/?p=228 There will be no shortage of things to do around Central Florida this weekend, that is for sure. With Halloween falling on a Friday this year, that certainly adds some events to the calendar, but there is a lot more going on than just Halloween events (we will list those events in a separate post later). The big event this weekend is happening at Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland. Water, Wings & Wild Things: Polk Naturefest 2008will celebrate nature AND the Grand Opening of the new educational center at Circle B. It is a free event and will feature lots of activities for kids and adults. There will be free air boat rides on Lake Hancock, Birdhouse Building, Kite Making and native Florida wildlife among many other workshops and activities. It will be from 10am-2pm, so get there early so you can experience it all!

Here is the rest of the long list of things to do this weekend:

Friday

  • Live Music: Snafu Band     9pm     Holiday Inn Lakeland South        Lakeland
  • Florida International Jet Rally     9am-4:30pm      Lake Wales Airport      Lake Wales
  • Imperial Symphony Orchestra Pops Concert     8pm    Lake Mirror Promenade     Lakeland
  • Florida Home Show    11am-8pm    The Lakeland Center     Lakeland
  • Theater: “Pirates of Penzance”   7:30pm    Harrison Arts Center    Lakeland
  • Fall Festival  (Open Normal Park Hours)       Cypress Gardens           Winter Haven

Saturday

  • Water, Wings & Wild Things    10am-2pm    Circle B Bar Reserve     Lakeland
  • Florida International Jet Rally    9am-4:30pm    Lake Wales Airport    Lake Wales
  • Florida Home Show    10am-8pm    The Lakeland Center     Lakeland
  • Theater: “Pirates of Penzance”   7:30pm    Harrison Arts Center    Lakeland
  • “A Night at the Opera”   7:30pm     Bush Chapel    Southeastern University    Lakeland
  • “Rockabilly US Music Show”    7pm    Youkey Theater     The Lakeland Center
  • Death by Chocolate    7pm-9pm    Polk Museum of Art    Lakeland
  • Pioneer Day    8am     Fort Meade Historical Museum     Ft. Meade
  • Downtown Farmers Curb Market     8am-2pm      Peterson Plaza     Downtown Lakeland
  • Farmers Market     8am-2pm     North Blount Park     Bartow
  • Auto Racing: Auburndale Motor Speedway     6pm     Auburndale
  • Fall Festival  (Open Normal Park Hours)       Cypress Gardens           Winter Haven

Sunday

  • Florida International Jet Rally    9am-4:30pm    Lake Wales Airport    Lake Wales
  • Florida Home Show     10am-6pm    The Lakeland Center     Lakeland
  • Theater: “Pirates of Penzance”   2pm    Harrison Arts Center    Lakeland
  • Live Music: Bartow Adult Concert Band    2:30pm    Bartow Civic Center     Bartow
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