It must be Friday the 13th – I spotted this while on my way to work this morning. 🧙🧹 I don’t know what happened here but I certainly hope your weekend starts off better than hers did! 😂

Earlier this week I finally had a chance to visit Weeki Wachee Springs State Park. While the park encompasses over 300 acres, only 53 are open to the public. There’s a lot packed in the small space: a river boat tour, a nature trail, a center for the care of injured, non-releasable wildlife, and a water park (during the summer), but the highlight of the park is the historic “Under Water Mermaid Theatre”.

The undersea show at the mouth of the Weeki Wachee spring was created by stunt swimmer Newt Perry. In 1947, he set up air hoses, carved seats down into the adjacent limestone, installed large windows, and a roadside attraction was born.

Over the ensuing years, the mermaid performances grew in popularity. The theater was enlarged and eventually, fully enclosed. I had heard good things about the show from friends so I made sure to get in line early – I didn’t want to miss a thing.

Fittingly, the mermaids, mermen, and even a mer-turtle swam and danced to the telling of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid. While I admired the choreography, I really enjoyes the fish that randomly swam through the performance.

The “stage” sits in the mouth of the spring while the river flows overhead. So, any aquatic fauna that chooses can drop in. I’ve heard that even manatees, the original mermaids, join in the fun on occasion.

In 2008 the venue became part of the Florida State Park system and in 2020 the park was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Hopefully that means the mermaid show will go on for years to come!

Came across this sand octopus on the beach during my evening walk. I enjoy seeing how people entertain themselves while at the coast. Always something to see out there!

I first spotted this otherworldly sight a couple years ago while driving through Tampa before a concert. The futuristic shape caught my eye but it was the landing spot that really made it memorable. Oddly, it’s perched on top of a strip club.

I drive over to Tampa every week for work and one recent morning I had some time to kill so I took a detour for a brief photo op. In case you’re wondering, I stayed outside (though I am curious about the interior of the UFO). I heard from a local that it serves as a private party room for high rollers, so the inside will remain a mystery to me.

After work I dove into some research on my oddity. Futuro Pods were designed by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen in the late 1960s as portable, prefab homes. I suppose the shape should come as no surprise, since the world was fascinated with outer space at that time.

There were roughly 100 manufactured before interest waned. In keeping with their portable design, they have since traveled the globe. Some have been destroyed but a couple dozen are still around.

I wish they were still making them, they could sleep up to 8 and featured a bedroom, bathroom, central fireplace, and living room. They shipped in 16 easy-to-assemble pieces and the best part? the first Futuros only cost $14,000. I’d love to have one for my backyard as an ADU (accessory dwelling unit).

Our air quality changed dramatically this morning, when smoke from wildfires in British Columbia and Alberta arrived. Apparently, it was blown east across the continent before being pulled down to Florida.

We’ve been hearing about the Canadian fires and the clouds of thick smoke for months. It’s hard to fathom the devastation up there, close to 70,000 square miles charred with almost 800 fires still burning. Seems like we could all use some rain!

Last night, while Loretta, Alyssa, and I were at the beach admiring the magnificent sunset, another flash of color down the beach caught our eyes. Of course, we had to get a closer look.

After his impromptu show the man said he had the lighted nunchucks specially made. It’s obvious that he’s spent hours practicing with them. I didn’t get the chance to ask if he performs somewhere or just does it for fun, either way, his skill was impressive.

I’m sure the Harvest Moon was amazing tonight but the clouds obscured even my sunset. It reminded me of a Sting song, Heavy Cloud No Rain.

I just wish these clouds were packing some much needed moisture, our summer rainy season has been a bust this year. We are officially in a drought, as the plants in my yard can attest.

I have lots of outdoor plans for the weekend, so knowing my luck it will probably rain. If it does, I won’t even be mad…

This past Sunday I hopped in my kayak and paddled over to check out part of a movie set. In late 1984 Ron Howard directed Cocoon which was filmed at various locations around St. Petersburg.

The scenes with the seniors frolicking in the regenerative pool were set at Casa de Muchas Flores. Dr. Chester Babat and his wife Doris had purchased the mansion a few years earlier and begun to restore the historic property. They fell in love with the pool house that the film company erected so they had a replica permanently built.

The pool house is not publicly visible by land, only by sea. I opted to paddle from my house, a little over six miles roundtrip. There were certainly easier ways to get there but, as you know, that’s just not my style. I snapped a few photos from my floating perch and later in the afternoon I drove by to capture the front of the mansion.

By the way, the property is for sale. It’s a mere eight minute drive from my house so, if you have $11.5 million laying around why not become my neighbor?

Well, it’s Westley’s birthday month, he’s officially one year old. I think he knows because he just finished all his kitten food this morning, it’ll be adult cat food from here on out.

He still plays with his shark, his cat tree is his favorite hang out, he loves to zoom around the backyard, and during the summer he sleeps in the bathroom sink (I presume that’s a commentary on my thermostat setting).

He’s a very sweet boy who loves to cuddle (though as you can see in some of the photos, he gets annoyed when I take too many pictures). It may be his birthday but I’m the one who got the present!

My friend Alyssa and I headed down to Pass-a-Grille beach yesterday. She had just returned to town and this was her first beach day – what a fantastic day it was!

We wandered around the southern tip of the island, looking for shells. This beach has the best shelling in my area and it did not disappoint, we both gathered handfuls of treasures.

Not only did we have pleasant weather and stunning water but we shared our day with some fascinating locals: a Moon Jelly (Aurelia aurita) and three Manatees (Trichechus manatus).

Man, I love this little slice of paradise!