In case your holidays have been a bit hectic, Westley is giving you a gift – a demonstration of purr-fect relaxation! Wishing everyone some peace and quiet!
Time to Rest
Archive for ‘Observations’
Season’s Greetings
They may not be wrapped under the tree but I’m wishing you the best gifts of the season – love, peace, and joy!
Merry and Bright
We may not have snow and Santa’s method of transit may be a bit different down here but the season is still celebrated in festive style. Hoping your festivities are filled with joy!
A Walk in the Park
The weather down here has been incredible lately, with daytime temperatures in the upper 70s and plenty of sunshine. On Sunday I drove down to Myakka River State Park. It was the first state park I visited in Florida when I moved here back in 2019, right about this time of year. While I’ve returned to wander a few times since, I don’t think I’ve had quite such an amazing experience before.
As the afternoon heated up, I headed into the forested hammock. The thing about winter in Florida, I go through a lot of clothes! When I left my house it was 59° so I wore jeans and a long-sleeve shirt. By the time I parked at the trailhead, it was mid-70s and sunny so I switched into shorts and a tshirt. I started the day on an open trail but by mid-afternoon, the sun chased me onto a much shadier trail. We may not get showy Fall colors down here but as you can see, the foliage was definitely festive!
For the last part of my day, I trekked south along the much-diminished Myakka River. Though our dry season has just started, most of Florida is already in a Stage 1 drought. As a result, I was able to reach sections of the river that would typically be completely under water.
I perched on one of the trees downed by last year’s hurricanes and waited, knowing that low water levels elsewhere in the park would bring wildlife here. I didn’t have to wait long, as a steady stream of birds and even a raccoon soon stopped by.
As for alligators, you know what they say, if there’s water in Florida it’s a safe bet that there’s gators! I admire them from a distance because although they mostly laze about, they are surprisingly quick and agile. The momma gator in the video below swam over to warn me to stay away from her not-so-little babies.
Sweet Sunday
The weather was absolutely perfect for a morning paddle, so I loaded up my kayak and headed downtown. There’s a little park just north of all the high-rises that has a small boat launch. I often walk along the Coffee Pot Bayou seawall, so it was nice to be out in it for a change.
This small, sheltered waterway just off Tampa Bay is favored by all manner of birds, dolphins, and manatees (though sadly, I did not see any of the latter today). Thankfully, my bird and dolphin sightings more than made up for the lack of sea cows. The best part was watching a momma dolphin carefully guide her baby as it rolled on the surface of the water (see its little white belly in the video below). What a morning!
*Yes, I wish I had been closer. Also, please admire my restraint as I did not squeal (though I really wanted to)!
Soak Up the Sun
The weather recently has been just delightful, sunny and warm (in the upper 70s during the day). Westley loves his outside time and especially enjoys it when I’m sitting out there with him. Though, as you can see in the second photo, he finds it annoying when I turn our afternoon into a photoshoot!
Could be worse, buddy, we could live somewhere cold and wintery!
Sand Art Returns!
It’s such a relief to see annual events returning to Treasure Island in the aftermath of last year’s damaging hurricane season. The actual carving and celebration of these incredible sand sculptures took place the weekend before Thanksgiving, replete with a craft market and live music.
I first viewed this artwork during the opening weekend but it was so crowded that I couldn’t manage decent photos. I knew I had plenty of time to get back and take pictures because, unlike other nearby sand sculpting festivals, the city leaves these standing until the beginning of the New Year (unless weather damage makes them unsafe, then they will be leveled early).
In case you noticed the color difference from our beach sand, these sculptures are molded from an entirely unique sand. The firm, uniform-sized sand the artists use for their masterpieces is trucked in from down near Miami. That special deposit is the remains of an ancient coral reef. Reef that was chewed up by hungry parrotfish who then pooped out this fine-grained sand mixed with an organic compound that makes it ideal for large-scale projects. The more you know…
As for the contest, Morphism overwhelmingly won first place, from both the judges and the public. You probably have to see it in person to appreciate all the hollow, empty spaces that the artist incorporated. The lacy look seems almost impossible!
Watery World
A couple weeks ago I went on a birding trip to Roosevelt Wetlands up in Clearwater. The wetlands are actually retention ponds that were constructed as part of Pinellas County’s watershed management plan to help control flooding from the densely developed area nearby. As with most urban areas, if you set aside land, wildlife will soon flock there.
This new-to-me birding hotspot attracts a lot of birds during migration, some of which end up staying for the winter season. We tallied 53 species which was pretty good for a two hour stroll. We were a fairly large group of birders, so it was difficult to get good photos. As you can see from above, the birds left for quieter spots right when I raised my camera. Not my best shots but I can’t complain about spending time outside on a beautiful day.
My favorite part of the morning was watching a Banded Watersnake move across the top of the water. Unlike the birds, this snake was in seemingly no hurry. I wasn’t in a hurry to leave either, though I had to keep up with the group. Next time I visit I’ll linger longer…
Having Fun, Raising Funds
I dashed out to Treasure Island early yesterday morning for the Run for the Beaches 5K. I signed up for it, not for the love of running, but because it brings in money to help protect and restore my favorite beach.
After hurricanes caused a hiatus in 2024, the event came back strong this year with 500 registrants. It was a mild, foggy morning and the race coincided with low tide. The tide was further out than normal, courtesy of the last super moon of the year, which revealed a number of interesting items. As you can see, I was distracted along the way!
The sun broke through near the end of the race so it was quite pleasant as we enjoyed the delicious post-race snacks and bevvies. I had a great time, got in some exercise, and saw some cool stuff but the best part of the event? It raised $25,000! Now that’s a darn good way to spend a morning!
Life, But Make It Beautiful
To usher in the holiday season, the Museum of the American Arts & Crafts Movement (MAACM) hosted a special event this past Tuesday. I was excited about the evening because it’s one of the few museums here in St. Pete that I had not yet visited.
The five-story, 137,000 square-foot museum was founded and designed by Rudy Ciccarello to house his private collection of fabulous pieces from the American Arts and Crafts era (1890 into the 1930s).
As the Industrial Revolution gained steam, and mass production took over, there was an intentional movement by craftsmen (and notably women) to create beautiful, yet still functional, objects for daily life instead. The basic tenets were simplicity in design, honesty in materials, and hand craftsmanship while depicting the natural world.
I arrived early so I could enjoy my time wandering through the exhibits. I’ve long been an admirer of what I call functional art, if you’ve been out exploring with me you know that I’ll stop on the street to photograph a decorative gutter spout or lamppost and some of my favorite household furnishings are nature-inspired (though admittedly, not always handcrafted, my budget doesn’t stretch quite that far).
The evening was delightful, filled with masterpieces, music, and even some delicious holiday treats. I was very glad I attended. Plus I learned that the museum is already undergoing an expansion, quite impressive considering it only opened in 2021. Sounds like I’ll soon have another reason to visit!
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