3rin's View…

This past Saturday, Al and I caught a Clearwater Threshers game. The tickets I won were a good incentive to get us to the ballpark, home of the Philadelphia Phillies’ minor league affiliate.

Oddly enough, the Threshers, played the Daytona Tortugas (the same team that beat the Mauraders at the game we attended last month). The Threshers won handily, as was expected since they are the best team in the Florida State League (FSL).

Apparently, we’re Tortugas fans! Our new plan is to go to games at all 10 of the FSL minor league stadiums, but only when the Tortugas are playing. Which might take a bit of planning…

The winners celebrated with a fantastic fireworks show set to music, definitely a fun night at the ballpark.

Before the game we checked out Jack Willie’s Bar, Grill and Tiki. It’s off the beaten path but it’s been around since the late 1960s, so they must be doing something right. The food wasn’t fancy but it was tasty, the portions were large, and the prices were small so all in all a great place to relax on a hot summer afternoon.

I fell in love with the detailed interior woodwork. The front of the bar depicted the sun rising over the water, with carefully cut wood planks. Simple, yet eye catching. It’s definitely a charming Old Florida gem that we’ll be visiting again!

Spotted this sign at a local brewery a couple weekends ago. There were four other rules, which I don’t remember (thanks beer), but this last one caught my attention.

Silly me, I thought that was fairly standard behavior when out in public. Apparently, there have been issues in the past. Just what the heck is in their beer?!

I joined the Treasure Island beach cleanup this morning. The cooler weather and light breeze made for a delightful outing.

I filled two bags with trash as I wandered along the shore, so I know I did a good deed.

My reward? A baseball hat, beach toys, a fishing lure, colorful googles, a pink Pegasus, and an amazing view! 🏝️

Last week I rearranged the bird baths in my front yard. In an effort to help these water vessels stay cleaner longer I moved them further away from the bird feeder. I also added a new one that is wider and shallower (which I thought my neighborhood crows would appreciate).

You might be wondering why I have so many bird baths. While it is true that I live in Florida and am surrounded by water, most of the perennial water near me is salty or brackish which wildlife finds not suitable for drinking or bathing. So, as we enter our dry season, late April – June, fresh water becomes increasingly important.

As you can see in the video below, it didn’t take long for one of the crows to investigate. I found it amusing that the bird had to check out all three of them! I am not yet sure which bird bath is preferred but I imagine my corvid friends will let me know soon.

Al and I took advantage of the gorgeous weather and traipsed down to the jetty at Pass-a-Grille Beach yesterday afternoon.

The water color was stunning and it was so incredibly clear. Which worked out well since several manatees and pod of dolphins put on quite a show for us!

A wonderful way to spend the day. Another reason I’m so fortunate to live here!

The Frangipani (aka Plumeria) in my front yard started blooming last week. Even though it dies back hard every Winter I’m quite delighted with how this little cutting grows every Spring.

I had a bit of a surprise this evening when I bent over to take a sniff of one of the softly sweet flowers. There was a small spider inside. So I went to the next one, and the next one. Apparently, Crab Spiders like frangipani flowers, too!

Well, I had a bit of a surprise this evening. I heard Westley chirping on my back porch. It’s the sound he makes when he’s actively watching a bird or squirrel so I wasn’t worried about him. But I was curious what had his attention so I wandered into my Florida room to check.

I was a bit startled to discover a snake in my house! Truthfully, I think all three of us were equally surprised by the situation. It took a few minutes of careful negotiation but eventually I was able to encourage the Black Racer (Coluber constrictor) outside and my cat inside.*

I’m not an expert at cat language translation but I think Westley was saying, “Mom, look what I found! Can I keep it?” My answer was no but I do hope our snake friend chooses to stay around.

I love knowing that wildlife can make a safe home in my yard!

*No one was harmed during this event.

Between our two residences, it seems Al and I always have a list of projects that need to be tackled. Neither of us are complaining, we both enjoy getting things accomplished (maybe not so much during the doing but definitely when we can enjoy the fruits of our labor).

The important thing is to make sure we have some fun along the way. I think we do a pretty good job balancing work and play. A couple Saturdays ago, we transformed a section of his front yard before catching a Bradenton Marauders Baseball game.

The ballpark was celebrating Margaritaville night (with live music and Hawaiian shirts) and the weather was perfect for a ball game. We had a great time (even though the Marauders managed to find multiple ways to lose the game). At one point, I even caught a player carrying off a base (pretty sure that’s NOT what the manager meant when he told him to steal a base).

Sunday afternoon we wandered out to Jiggs Landing, a little slice of old Florida located on the north shore of Evers Reservoir. The outpost offers fishing, canoeing, lake/river tours, and even has rental cabins for overnight stays. The best part? They have live music every day, three hours before sunset.

The property, which is owned and operated by Manatee County, is surrounded by large housing developments. But, if you look south across the water and focus on the trees, you can slide back in time and enjoy a relaxing afternoon.

One life, right? Might as well make the most of it!