TampaTownReview

Back on The Road Again

2007-07-19T06:50:00.001-07:00

Provided we manage to get all our tasks completed, we leave Sunday for North and West....Many hoped-for pictures......Many stories.

Check for pics here and the stories of the road at MY OTHER SITE...."& Then I BOught an RV!"

Duke

Bleeding Hearts Are In Bloom!

2007-05-29T10:26:00.001-07:00

One of the few things in which I pride myself regarding my yard is a small metal arch I installed across the sidewalk near the front of the house. I planted two vine-type plants at each side....one each Bleeding Hearts and Confederate Jasmine.

The photos above and below are from yesterday....the delicate bleeding hearts.....a heart-shaped flower with a blood red blossom out the bottom is one of my favorites. The blooms have replaced the Confederate Jasmine and their heady thick lovely smell from just two to three weeks ago.

Perhaps, now that I am retired I'll do more to make my yard look good.....Certainly needed!

By-the-way....and from the "It does not have to cost much department".....My metal arch is interesting. I bought the arch several years ago at a garage sale down the street. It had been a Christmas decoration, and now the bulbs were mostly out and the clips that held them to the arch were mostly gone. I wanted the arch! $3 I paid for it.....then found a metal arch 8 feet tall will not go into a Town Car! I walked it the three blocks home, holding on to both sides and hanging the top of the arch over my head.....should have gotten a picture of that! I then tightened the connections of the arch, and out came a spray can of white Rust-O-Leum....(sp).

When done it has served now for three years as my sidewalk arch and, while showing a rust spot or two near the screws holding it together, it is doing quite nicely. I figure I have about $2 per-year in the thing, including paint!

I love it when a plan comes together!

By-the-way.....As one might guess from my flag flying above.....I am a Proud American who celebrates Memorial Day.....A Salute to every American Soldier.....Coast Guard, Marine, Army, Navy, Air Force....and a special remembrance of my Father, 1lt Paul K. DeLand, Sr., a multi-purple heart veteran of WWII. You are remembered Dad, each and every day!

Duke (Lt. Cmdr., U.S.C.G.A., Ret. - Branch Chief, National Staff)

Ride The Dragon!

2007-04-12T12:21:00.000-07:00

The Dragon in Winter.....quite a different place.
The snow and ice are a small part of it....the lack of leaves and green are a big part of the difference in the winter (April is Winter????)
Duchess walks to the overview as we begin the circle of the Dragon!
Ice, Ice Baby.....It is everywhere while we tour in the cold times......
During the winter Fontana lake is dropped, intentionally by the TVA folks to levels as much as 60 feet below the Summer level. This creates quite a site for those who view the lake with its "brown belt" of land created by the drop.

We love Fontana, having stayed there twice before for a week each time.....great place, but a bit remote. It was nice to pass thru!

We had one really exciting moment when we were winding our way up the Rt. 129 leg of the Dragon toward NC.....We rounded a curve (there are 1,000 180s on this road!) and found a biker in the ditch. We stopped and he was uninjured.....To his good fortune he was on an inside curve, and thus went into the ditch......Minor damage to the bike....had he been on an outside curve he'd have been 1-3,000 feet down the mountainside. He was lucky!

We helped him out of the ditch and then he was on his way.

Duke

Day 3 - Motor Nature Trail from Gatlinburg

2007-04-12T11:52:00.000-07:00

This trail is a "must see" for us every time we visit Gatlinburg. However, this was the 1st time ever we saw the trail in the snow. It was both unique and scary. The road is a single-lane, one-way trip from towndown Gatlinburg (Stop Light #8) East into the hills. We have loved it every trip, but snow adds a new dimension.
Atop the trail there is a foot trail off into the woods which looked quite remote as we saw it appear out of the snow falling on us.
Here is one of the cabins left by the folks who lived here more than 100 years ago. The snow added a touch which we had not seen before.
The snow peaked at near-blizzard conditions (at least for we Floridians) as we began the descent from the top of the Motor Nature Trail. This pic shows the snow quite visible as we looked at a creek below. Neat picture for us to always remember this cool trip.
Reagan mill with its sluice hanging frozen water....known to some as icicles!
Inside the mill I got this pic of the sluice from above it....it still carries water to this day, and the mill supposedly would work.

We loved the trip, as always.....Gatlinburg is nice....this time, seeing the snow and ice was a special treat....even if a COLD one!

Duke

Day 2 - Cades Cove

2007-04-12T11:26:00.000-07:00

Cades Cove - The words themselves excite any who have been there. Those who have yet to experience the thrill of this magical step into the past are not going to fully grasp the significance of the words. You HAVE TO go there at least once!

This 1st pic is of one of the cabins at Cades Cove....actually lived in by the folks who lived, farmed, etc. here in the 1700s and 1800s....The fence is typical of what they built.
This is a creek....not significant, given the hundreds in the Smokies....except it is one of those in Cades Cove. You drive across the creek as you drive the one-way trail in the cove. Beautiful!
Deer are plentiful in the cove. They know they are safe....to the point we were less than 20 feet from this doe while she grazed peacefully.
Enroute to the cove we stopped at the river alongside the road from Gatlinburg to Cades Cove. Lovely is too weak a word!
While at the river I looked about and found the view of the river was limiting the scope of what we were seeing....Then I snapped this perspective which showed the Suzuki parked alongside the creek, and the mountains towering above.
We left the park via a back road across the mountains.....one-way to Townsend....It was gravel, narrow, and at times a bit scary, but FUN....We loved every minute of it.
Next morning....SNOW! This is a pic of the RV site with "Sideroad Suzie" covered in the first snow she has ever seen! The table and benches also had snow as did the grass around our site.

Tomorrow....REAL snow in the mountains above Gatlinburg! You'll find these pics wonderful....I am sure!

Duke

Day 1 -

2007-04-12T08:14:00.000-07:00

We are in Gatlinburg, and, of course, the 1st day there we have to see the Smokey Mountains....but first.....our lovely campground, Twin Creek Resort....located about 3 miles from downtown out Route 321....Lovely flowers abound as we arrive and set up! The flowers were to suffer damage beyond belief within 24 hours as the temps plummeted to the low 20s!

On the Road from Gatlinburg to Cherokee....across the Smokey Mountains, it got C-O-L-D!!!! Man it was cold....biting cold...Here is Duchess wrapped in leather and a sweatjacket underneath! She stands beside our "Iron Horse" the little Suzuki jeep. We bought her new in 1999, and now they no longer make them (or at least sell them in the USA!)...so we keep her as she is just fun as a vehicle....I recently had the tranny rebuilt as the synchros were failing....while at it we also did the clutch and rear main seal which had begun to leak. She drives like a dream again, and I plan to keep her til she falls off her wheels! She only has 40,000 miles after 7 years.
Ice covered much of the rock face in the mountains as the cold invaded everything!
Even the mountaintops showed the cold....the pic is of the mountains from just outside Gatlinburg....with frost covering the trees atop the mountains. It was COLD!

We enjoyed the mountains, and it was a new experience for us....mountains in winter. We had only visited from May to October in prior trips. Tjis was different. Few leaves, and the flowers that were so beautiful all went away after a single day when the temps plummeted to the low 20s.

Duke

Gatlinburg...Five Days!

2007-04-06T06:24:00.000-07:00

Finally online as I sit in "Sideroad Suzie" beside the office at Twin Creeks Resort, a really nice RV park with lots of reasons to enjoy. Total tab for five nights...$187. Not bad for Easter Weekend.

HOWEVER, it is C-O-L-D. I write this Friday morning and it was 30 degrees. We expect 20 tomorrow morning....

Yesterday was Smokey Mountain Park and I have lots of pics to follow...but had to post this one for my buddy JerrySpeak, of Tampa, who is looking forward to doing this area in May.

The two couples here were at an overview near the top of the Parkway...about half a mile from the Newfound Gap area. They are from Dayton, Ohio and say "Hi" to Jerry... They were stopped to put on their heavy gear as they were freezing!

More later folks.

Duke

WiFi Problems....

2007-04-05T05:26:00.000-07:00

Here we are in Gatlinburg; and, lots of pics.....and signal too weak to make any pictures....

What a doofus operation. I can send words, but pics do not go...they time out or equivalent.

I'm working on it.

Duke

Greenways A Joy!

2007-03-19T08:30:00.000-07:00

We in Hillsborough County....at least in some areas....are blessed with a network of "Greenways".
This one is located in Town and Country and the pictures here are between Hanley Road and Webb Road. The trail actually continues on West to Sheldon, and then further.

The rest stops with benches and a quiet spot for reflection are a nice touch. I walk this one frequently. The trail is alongside this canal full of vegetation and birds. I used to see a small gator here, but have not for a couple of years.

The trail winds about a bit, and sometimes trees/bushes/plants are so thick you'd not know there are houses only about 100 to 200 feet from the trail.

Check on the Hillsborough County web site and you'll find maps of the 21 such greenways in the county. Enjoy them...

Duke

JerrySpeak Trips My N.C. Trigger!

2007-03-10T09:16:00.000-08:00

While doing my usual morning scan of the TampaBLAB site I came across JerrySpeak and his bit on an anticipated May trip back to the Smokies.

Got me digging into my trove of Blue Ridge/Smokies pics that Duchess and I have collected.

This 1st shot was taken by The Duchess at a pullover on the Parkway. 4,000 feet below is a farm and farmland. Up closer mountain flowers in a shady opening by a cliff face.

Then there is this pic from the car window on the Parkway. We had seen this place several times, and I always like to think of it as someone's really nice retirement home overlooking a trout-laden lake!

Yum!

Duke

Pictures/Pictures - Cruise Ends!

2007-03-02T07:15:00.000-08:00

Our final destination was Princess Cay...part of Aluthra. The place is actually man-made as the Princess folks have created a small place for beach fun and a Bar-b-q.
I took no pictures there.

This picture is our little party back ashore in Fort Lauderdale, awaiting our shuttle to the motorhome for the trip back to Tampa. Notice my Hard Rock jacket...bought in Hawaii a couple of years ago when son, Little Duke, won a trip for two to the Pro Bowl. We took the Duchess and his fiancee along with us as we enjoyed the island (Oahu) for five days.
Some comments about our trip. We have sailed twice now on Princess and once on Carnival. When I checked one of the rating systems on cruises they rated both Princess ships 4.5 out of 5 stars. Our Carnival ship rated 3.5 stars. The difference shows.

Princess has some really fine folk, and do a great job with food, etc.

We will be meeting this Saturday (tomorrow) to review our cruise together (the 10 of us) and then will begin hopefully planning our next excursion.

Meanwhile Duchess and I are looking a spending a week of timeshare at Grand Cayman Island to try their restaurants, etc.

I'll post some of the pics from the pro bowl trip in a few days. Beautiful place, Hawaii....just that long flight to get there.

Duke

Cozumel.....PAR-TAY Town!

2007-02-28T03:48:00.000-08:00

The 1st thing that hit me when I began to examine the Cozumel pictures was the fact they are NOT touristy...in the usual sense. In place of scenery, et al, there were shots of our group in full party mode! Strange....

The 1st pic is of the newly-finished piers at Cozumel. They have recovered from the disastrous hurricane of two years ago, and are back in business. The downtown is being rebuilt with new buildings, and new scenes to absorb. Here is a picture of our docking at Cozumel's new pier. To the left is Carnival's "Miracle", based out of Tampa. Straight ahead and at an angle is the side of a Norwegian Cruise Lines ship, and of course the balconies at right belong to our "Star Princess"

Lunch at Senor Frog's....some of our members had not yet gotten their burgundy red T-shirt with the "University of Senor Frog Drinking Team" emblazoned upon it. The food was so-so, but the shots distributed round and round (mostly to other groups) were a lot of fun to watch!

We depart at sunset...last ship out. The day was fun filled, and I promise on a future visit to do more scenery instead of the party stuff which seems a bit overdone!!! How did I ever let my group talk me into this....?

Cruising is fun. Duchess and I enjoy both cruising alone, and with a group. The two versions are quite different. On this one four of the five duets involved had adjacent rooms, and with Princess that means balconys that open and connect. Made for easy communication and a giant platform for drinking, discussion, and nice breakfasts as we docked each day.

Duke

Grand Cayman, mon!!!

2007-02-27T05:19:00.000-08:00

Grand Cayman! The place just reeks of money and happy people. Such a 180 degree turn from Ocho Rios. This triple island colony of Britain has 52,000 residents, and 300 plus banks! It is neat, clean and the people were smiling and joking. The small cove pictured here is typical of what we saw in water and sand. Bright, clear, clear water and lots of lovely people all around.

We visited the Butterfly Farm, quite an experience...while too tame for some, it was educational and the insects were gorgeous. This pair of 4 inch butterflys are in the process of mating. After they are done (up to 24 hours folks!) the male has finished his work, and he retires to set-out plates of sliced fruit, fermenting in the heat and sun, where he drinks heavily, and actually gets "drunk" on the fermented fruit juice. The female has to find a place to attach her eggs to a tree of the ONLY type of fruit that particular butterfly eats (each type eats different leaves). Typical, the lady works, the guy parties! I will do a set of butterfly pics later...probably in a couple of days.

Of course, you had to know with our group we ended up in Senor Frog's Pub and Grill where we indulged. Note the tall, tall glasses for the ladies and their fluffy drinks. Note also the glassy-eyed stare of the folks after a few libations.

The DJ was drinking huge quantities, and free drinks were delivered direct from the bottle to those joining the conga line. Here is Duchess enjoying a quickie libation!

It was a fun day, and Duchess and I are contemplating a return by air for a week to sample the many wonderful restaurants we saw on the island.

Duke

p.s. Tomorrow.....PAR-TAY central....Cozumel!

Ocho Rios, Jamaica

2007-02-26T06:34:00.000-08:00

OCHO RIOS...The very name projects visions of exotic sights and people. The reality for me is best projected by the joy I felt leaving the place in the evening....

On docking, the picture of huge homes on the hillside gave us great anticipation as to the things we'd be seeing. Duchess and I were to have joined some of the group for horseback riding and an actyual ride into the surf. Duchess, most unfortunately, fell in the motorhome enroute to the ship and her shoulder was too sore to allow riding....we opted for a bus tour. MISTAKE!

Things in Ocho Rios were generally squallor! Homes were unfinished, falling down, etc. People seemed listless and simply meandering about. Here is the "James Bond" dock where we landed. Rusty and old, it was named as it was used for the filming of "Dr. No", the James Bond flick.

The hospital we drove by resembled a decrepit old Tampa warehouse. The famed "Dunn's Falls" we viewed from a back entrance where forty or so vendors were VERY pushy about their wares, and even snapped this picture of the Duchess and I. We escaped mostly unharmed....but could have lost a lot of money if we'd been less than determined.

Our drive was punctuated by numerous stops for "opportunities" to buy things. We soon learned and refused to get off the bus and headed instead back to town for a roundevous with others from the horseback riding at Hard Rock! Then back to the boat for an overnight......

Next stop...Grand Cayman and a MUCH better place...those pics will be here tomorrow.

Duke

More Cruise Pics.....

2007-02-25T07:47:00.000-08:00

The cruise begins.....Afternoon at sea out of Fort Lauderdale & "The Cruisers" at the fantail bar enjoying the view behind us.

The ship making way with into the deep blue waters off Florida's SE coast...

The afternoon gives way to the evening in a marvelous view of water, and weather....
Almost too tasty to let go....

We begin 7 days of enjoyment/drinks/great food/drinks/fun landings/drinks/nice sights/drinks, etc.

Duke

O.K., Just One More Tonight!

2007-02-24T20:16:00.000-08:00

A cove on the shores of Grand Cayman Island. Lovely blue, blue waters, and clarity to die for. The water is so clear we could see the bottom from the ship!

More in the morning kiddies!

Duke

Home From The Sea!

2007-02-24T19:06:00.000-08:00

Dollar Coronas in Cozumel! Some of our "Cruisers" group enjoy....

How very nice.....

We're home, and I am editing pictures from Cozumel, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, etc. Post more in the morning folks.....tired tonight!

Back to The Beach - Treasure Island

2007-01-28T09:14:00.000-08:00

Back to the beach this weekend for my board meeting on our timeshare.....stayed at sister-resort in Treasure Island...(Ours is on Madeira Beach)

1st view is approach to beach through seagrass....it was obviously a bright, beautiful morning.
A large group of folks were busy planting seagrass along the edge of existing vegetation.
My 1st "Sand Teepee" (seeing, not building).....but still with castle walls!
I love to contemplate the folks who have walked the beach before we got there...and left their (temporary) mark upon the sand. The beach is always lovely...even in colder days (for we Floridians). The water, however is just too cold....I did not see one person in the water this trip.
Here's my favorite beach-walking buddy, the Duchess of my life!

Duke

Christmas Villages Complete!

2006-12-17T08:08:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the delay in posting these....serious family health problem with which to deal. This first shot is of my Seaside Village...complete with three lighted vessels, a restaurant, lighthouse, Captain's home, and a small lighted ice fishing hut plus docks.

The 2nd shot is the business village seen in an earlier post, but this one has the train, carolers, and other street people and objects including more trees, etc. (HINT: click on each pic to enjoy a better view)

3dr pic is of the extended two-level village with all the small details in place. These include the lighted street lights by the ice-fishers on the ice by the covered bridge and a lighted fire for cooking the fish, a lighted tree at right which blinks on and off each light; and a lighted moon over the entire village.

Had guests over last night and they loved the village with train running, carolers singing, etc.

One of my joys in life.......the wiring takes 4 multi-plugs, 4 sets of 6-light strings, plus a good bit more. There are in the two-level pic three fibre-optic pics.

More later folks.
Duke

The Village - Christmas Underway!

2006-12-10T00:24:00.000-08:00

It takes a village.....for me anyway!

My Christmas celebration is always inclusive of the construction of my village...er, villages! There are actually four.

It begins with the boxes.....this pic is about half of them.
This is an in-progress shot of the left side (about 1/4th) of the villages....Primarily the "downtown" area with fire station, post office, city hall, a savings and loan and shops....
This is a close up from the above picture. It is the shops, and my carolers. They all will be lit when wiring is complete. The carolers sing and their gaslights glow as the figures move to the music.
This is a close up of the left half of the 2nd tier of the right side....the farm! Complete with barn-house, farmhouse, barn, and grist water mill plus smaller items not yet in place...including the horses and hay still in their plastic container.
Love my village, but it is a massive job, and takes more than an hour just to truck the stuff from three 6ft by 4ft cabinets in my den to the living room. Wiring is a nightmare. Ya gotta love it or you'd never do it.

Much left to do, but had to post some "in-progress".

Duke

Christmas Decorations Underway!

2006-12-05T14:54:00.000-08:00

At our place the Christmas decorations are both inside and outside and inside....

Make any sense?

Let me explain. I have outside lights, like above....but a lot more!

I have inside tree and decorations.

I have my Christmas Village, mentioned in the story earlier story on my new train....This year my villages (ski, farm, seaside and town) will top 50 buildings for the 1st time with the addition of 6 new buildings....plus, of course, my new train. The set up this year will occupy two 3 X 6 foot tables....one with a 2nd level of 15" X 6 feet. Pics to you as soon as it is assembled folks!

Duke

Peachy Praline Pie ....recipe!

2006-11-26T06:52:00.000-08:00

I got several requests for the recipe for the Duchess' Peachy-Praline pie. I added it to the picture I posted of said pie! By-the-way, both were gone in an instant once dessert was served at the family get-together!

You'll find the picture & recipe RIGHT HERE!

Duke

Tampa General Hospital Grows in Size and Recognition!

2006-11-23T07:40:00.000-08:00

If you have not been near Davis Island in the past year you are missing the rapid growth of the Tampa Bay area's only Level 1 Trauma Center, TGH.

This is the front of the new more-than 260,000 sq. ft. hospital expansion. (bringing to more than 2 million the total square footage) The combination of different facades is to blend the entire new structure in with the existing TGH buildings which date back to the original building put up in 1926.
This is the end view of the new University of South Florida (USF) Building, across from the TGH main entrance. It will house many of the surgeons and physicians from USF. TGH is a teaching hospital affiliated with USF.

If you have visited the growing hospital you know the parking is tight. No more....The 3rd structure under construction, and possibly the 1st to be completed is a new 1,400 car parking garage.

A lot of folks don't know TGH is a major hospital on the national scene! It is currently ranked #4 in heart transplants in the nation. In addition TGH is ranked in the top 20 in volume for lung, kidney, pancreas, and liver transplants. The survival rate for Tampa General transplant patients is at to well above the national average. It is also the ONLY hospital in the United States which has been certified in 11 specialties by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO, the federal hospital certification body)! Quite a place to have available when you need a tuneup or major medical work! Sometimes we don't recognize what we have in our own back yard.

Duke

Thanksgiving!

2006-11-22T14:37:00.000-08:00

The Most Joyous of Thanksgivings to each and every one of you!

This is the Duchess' Peach-Praline Pie.....my new favorite pie. She baked two for the family dinner in Bartow tomorrow. i can hardly wait......Turkey, ham, stuffing, Waldorf salad, etc.

Have a great day!
Duke

UPDATE: & Recipe!

Got several requests for the recipe, so here it is!

PEACHY PRALINE PIE

Pecans and brown sugar give this summer Dixie Pie superb flavor.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unbaked 9” pie shell
¾ cup granulated sugar (can use Splenda – They have a baking mix of mostly Splenda, part sugar!)
3 tblsp. Flour
4 cup sliced peaches (may use nectarines, etc. – Duchess’ choice! – FRESH is better than frozen!)
1 ½ tsp. Lemon juice
1/3 cup brown sugar firmly packed
¼ cup flour
½ cup chopped pecans
3 tblsp. Butter or margarine
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Combine granulated sugar and 3 tblsp flour in large bowl. Add peaches (nectarines, etc.) and the lemon juice.

Combine brown sugar, ¼ cup flour and pecans in small bowl. Mix in butter until mix is crumbly. Sprinkle 1/3 of pecan mixture over bottom of pie shell; cover with the peach mixture and sprinkle remaining pecan mixture over peaches.

Bake in hot oven (400 degrees F.) until peaches are tender, about 40 minutes.

YUM!!!! (added by Paul!)

Choo Choo - A New Addition

2006-11-18T18:02:00.000-08:00

Tis almost the season.....& I'll begin a set of indoor pics which I'll post over the next few weeks as we head toward Christmas.

One of my enjoyments in life over the past few years (there have actually been quite a number) is purchasing and setup of a Christmas Village in our living room. Actually it is four villages....a Seaside village, A Ski Resort, A Farm, and one large village of 1900 type houses. All told there are 47 buildings and a lot of added small stuff.

My missing piece has been a train. Today I found a small one, and have it temporarily set up on a coffee table to test it. It is complete with sounds (whistle, choo-choo, train rolling along tracks, etc.) and lights in the engine and passenger car...all in Christmas colors....including the last car, a Christmas Tree car.

Now I have the bug so construction will begin this week. Two 3 X 6 foot tables, and one has a 2nd deck above.

More later.....Whoo-Whoo!

Duke

Final Beach Shots

2006-11-09T06:17:00.000-08:00

Two final memories of our October beach time, 2006.....
The lovely sunset viewed across the volleyball net at the resort, with The Duchess and some friends watching.

"Morning Flight!" The gulls being chased into the sky by our friendly tractor guy whose job is to "rake" the beach to rid it of seagrass, etc.

Great memories to look back upon for the coming year!

Duke

CJ Adjusting!

2006-11-09T06:06:00.000-08:00

Our cat, "CJ", is now back into his normal routine. He does not take well to our being gone to the beach for two weeks, even though we return several times, and our daughter and a friend take turns feeding/cleaning etc. He likes company. When we return home we get several long lectures about the deplorable situation! This is his morning pose when the bedroom door is opened. He comes to greet us (actually to greet The Duchess who is his "keeper").

He is becoming more adjusted, however, to the motorhome and traveling. It takes him about an hour to get back into the vibration/motion thing of traveling, and then he is off to sleep under the bucket chair...usually with his long striped orange and white tail sticking out so we know where to find him.

Duke

More Mad Beach Pics

2006-11-05T19:39:00.000-08:00

More Madeira Beach pics from this week. How's this look for a cool place to sit down, open a wine, perhaps raise the umbrella and just kick back? It is the deck of our timeshare where we have spent at least one week in October (usually two) for the past 16 years! Most enjoyable place.

The birds line up. Obviously waiting for their seat for dinner. These fellows are not gulls, but much smaller. They are perhaps 4 inches tall, and have these incredibly spindly legs which move so fast you can hardly see them when they get in a hurry. We simply call them "skitter birds" in honor of the fast legs.

Life is always good at the beach!

Duke

"Cafe Racer" & A Storm in Madeira Beach!

2006-10-30T09:39:00.000-08:00

Still at the beach. Found my "internet" location as the timeshare is in the process, but yet does not have wireless. The place is an amazing place to visit.....called: Cafe Racer! It is a coffee shop with motorcycles, tables for lunch/jig saw puzzles, and wireless.....plus a lot more. Stop in at Madeira Beach....on Madeira Way, just off the main road back to the mainland. Lovely place I like a lot....but still stick with "one shot" in my coffee (They offer up to 4!!!) Their website: IS HERE!

Before the storm the water is blue, the beach sand clean....

After, the picture, although in color, looks a lot like a black and white. The water rose in front of the high winds and sent seaweed into the beach lounges...something I've not seen in 15 years coming here. It was a big cold front....dropped us to 51 degrees....quite cool for October!

Duke

"Mad" Beach

2006-10-25T13:44:00.000-07:00

The title is the locals' name for Madeira Beach, Florida. The Duchess and I have time share here and spend the last two weeks each October. The weather is almost always breaking toward cool, and the humidity is dropping. 51 degrees Tuesday morning.

The 1st pic is called Birds Day at The Beach! Notice the pelicans grouped on the water while the many types of gulls and other seabirds gather ashore...not a human in sight.

This one I simply call Textures. I love the swirls and ripples left in the aras of small pools around a concrete wall. Shells cover the point.

I hope to have lots more ere our two weeks are ended. I'm tyring to avoid the standard sunset pictures this year....unless something really unique occurs which I can catch from the deck or the balcony.

Back to the beach
Duke

Beach Sunset Near Pass-a-Grille

2006-10-14T18:08:00.000-07:00

Duchess was bored and so we loaded the Suzuki, opened the convertible top and headed to the beach. What a perfect sunset and what perfect weather! The tempwas just right, the breeze fresh and comfortable.
The walkway over the seagrass bunker was inviting....

This seemed a perfect comment on the wait for the final minutes until sundown. Duchess, comfortable on a bench sitting in front of the seagrass.

Then the moment was right. A couple sat taking in the same view we saw. A flock was passing in front of the setting sun, and all was right with the world.

We head to Madeira Beach next weekend for two wonderful weeks with our balcony overlooking the gulf. I cannot wait!

Duke

Our Home Sweet Home

2006-10-12T11:26:00.000-07:00

Less one begin to believe I only exist in ventures such as those you might read in other posts about our Tampa Bay area, here is a pic of one of my pride and joy gardening ventures....an arch over the front walk of our home.

The green vines which have, in less than 18 months, covered this arch are a combination of Confederate Jasmine and Bleeding Hearts. The speed with which this arch has covered has amazed me. I had anticipated at least two-three years for the vines to grow into place.
The bleeding hearts are actually in bloom, as one closeup shows. They grow in clusters and are highlighted, for the most part, as they appear on the newer, bright green leaves of the vines. I love their delicate look and the Jasmine which blooms in the Spring will provide a lovely scent which I am told is sometimes fragrant for up to a block away.

Duke

Booker Creek Is Close and Fine!

2006-10-12T09:04:00.000-07:00

The picture possibilities are endless at Booker Creek Park (in Pinellas County, but easily accessible from West Hillsborough....out through Oldsmar.

The Duchess and I spent part of yesterday afternoon there and gathered a lot of pics...

This is the beginning of a wooden walkway over one of the swampy areas in the park....actually there are several. The temps were fine and the walking nice. Unfortunately, there were still a few of those pesky mosquitos around and they took a bite or two, but were little problem if one kept moving.

Moving, however, meant not stopping too long to view some of the surprises we found like this fellow.... about 4 feet in length total and quite happy on a log in the middle of the swamp.

Further on birds were looking for a handout and landed just a foot or two from us. The place was literally crawling with wildlife as we were two of the few in the entire park on a Fall day with school in progress. The critters were there by hundreds. Many were the squirrels who tracked our every move, obviously anticipating we would suddenly throw out a feast of some kind for them. The squirrels and others creatures here are often fed by visitors. They learn to anticipate this feeding.

Perched in a small tree waterside on the small lake in the park was this bird which, as we neared, spread its wings tentatively in anticipation of a rush by us. All in all it was a wonderful outing. A walk combined with the views of wildlife so seldom seen. Try a visit to Booker Creek when next you need to spend an hour or two and wish to be a bit closer to nature.

Duke

Hello!

2006-10-12T08:41:00.000-07:00

A Tampa resident of more than 15 years.....and a lover of the place where we live, I shall post pictures of my exploration of the Tampa Bay area and hope to provide to my readers the things they wish to see!

Duke