About Saint Augustine's Palencia

159 Palencia Village Drive, from U.S. 1 North, just across from International Golf Parkway.

Palencia Fiesta starting Friday at 5pm till 9pm Locals and guests will enjoy local farm-fresh foods, arts & crafts, and local entertainment.

Hurricane Season Is Here: Be Prepared

Every year we are reminded of how vulnerable our coastal communities are to Hurricanes. Over the years the residents in our area of St. Augustine have been very fortunate to have missed the power and destruction that can be brought on by nature.

As the population increases so does the awareness of proper planning in the event of a hurricane in our area. Do you have a plan? Do you know where you will be going and the route to take?

Have a plan and have it memorized!

Disaster can strike so quickly. Even with the advance notice from the media of an impending hurricane, nature can change directions at such a fast pace that it can catch you off guard.

Begin with the basics. Are you located in an evacuation area? Know to what extent your home may flood due to a surge. If you are asked to evacuate, do you know the route you should take or will be required to take?

Do you have pets? Do you know what you will do with them during an emergency? Some motels accept pets. Shelters do not. Do any of you pets take medicine that you may need on hand? Do you have extra food for them?

Very important! Have a written plan.

Your best plan is a plan that is written down and you know what to do during a disaster.

Visit FEMA. The federal Emergency Management Agency at www.fema.gov/plan/index.shtm. They will supply a "Family Disaster Supplies Kit." You may also visit www.floridadisaster.org/family for creating your own plan.

"The Charms of Bella Terra: St. Augsutine"

A Progressive Wine tasting at the our Charming Bella Terra Homes in Palencia

On June 26th from 6pm to 8pm, ICI Homes and Davidson Realty Inc. will be hosting a "Fine" Wine & Cheese Function at the four ICI Homes Models in the Bella Terra neighborhood in the Palencia Development.

This will be a great event to not only see and discuss the ICI Homes line of floor plans but to see the Unveiling of Three new Courtyard Homes.

ICI Homes and Davidson Realty Inc. are hosting an amazing function.

It will be catered with "Fine" wine & cheese. Customers will have the opportunity to sample rare wines from little-known vineyards.

It will also give the customers present the opportunity to speak directly with Don Wilford who is the President of the ICI Homes North Florida Division.

Elegant invitations were designed by Relay Marketing and mailed out to all customers who have visited and shown interest in the Bella Terra Models since the first of the year. It is a great party intended to give those interested parties private time with the new floor plans and the opportunity to talk with Don Wilford.

To "Christen" a new home in Bella Terra, ICI Homes will be offering Custom Wine Cellars - Stocked with your favorite Wines - To the First Five Purchasers of a Bella Terra Home.

Tickets are $10.00 per person. All proceeds benefit the Music program at Nease High School.

R.S.V.P. Required.

For any information call Ted Tyndall or Carol vonRabenstein at davidson Realty Inc. - 904-940-5000

Witnessed the Top of the Food Chain in Action!

I was witness to a spectacular scene the other day.

I was in a home in the Palencia Development in St. Augustine. This is a home my partner and I have listed and I was on the top balcony overlooking the golf and lake. There is a sidewalk below that wraps around the lake and goes to the club house. However, the sidewalk is about ten feet below the yard level so that when someone is walking by they cannot see the pool or Lanai of the home above. On the far side of the side walk is about fifteen feet of grass sloping to the water.

"This was where I was standing when I witnessed the scene unfolding"

I was standing there admiring the view this home has when I realized on the other side of the sidewalk were 6 Buzzards standing in a perfectly straight line about three feet apart. They looked like a marine drill Sargent had ordered them to stand there. if you are familiar with Buzzards they do not normally stand still. If there is food on the ground they jump in and feed and pretty much share. They continuously bounce around and do not normally stand in a straight line and not move.

Unfortunately I did not have my camera and was not expecting what I saw so did not get my phone out. Therefore, this picture and the next are not ones from that day.

All of a sudden I realized they were intently watching a seventh "Buzzard" about 7 feet in front of them. He had his back to them and was leaning down eating probably what was a fish since he was near the water. It was interesting because the other six did not move. They didn't try to crowd him or get their share.

All of a sudden he stood straight up and lifted his head and stood there a second. Then, without moving his body he turned his head and stared at the first Buzzard. All of a sudden I realized he was white from the neck up.

"It was a Bald Eagle"

He stared at the first Buzzard and slowly turned his head and checked out all six Buzzards one at a time to make sure they were where they were supposed to be. He then turned his head back around and ate for about another minute. Then he jumped straight up and flew across the lake. All six Buzzards ran as fast as they could to see what he had left. It was totally an awesome scene. A beautiful scene and a lesson in animal hierarchy. The Buzzards never tried to crowd him or push him out of the way.

Unfortunately I do not have a picture of the Eagle and the ones I found on the Internet were copyrighted. It was a scene of a lifetime.

Palencia Home "Sold" : 205 Carmine, St. Augustine

This beautiful Patio Home in the Palencia Development sold yesterday. This is a great 2900 square foot home located at the end of a cul-de-sac street.

It has beautiful hardwood floors and a gorgeous kitchen.

This is one of the neighborhoods in Palencia where the development does the lawn maintenance for the home owner. This is a gated and golf community with an amazing Amenity center. This home is within walking distance of the Amenity Center and the Club House.

The hardwood floors are gorgeous.

Congratulations to the buyers for a great choice in homes.

For information call Ted Tyndall or Carol vonRabenstein at Davidson Realty Inc.