Hard to believe it’s already been a year since I moved into my little house. I purchased a fixer-upper so there has been plenty of work to do. While I’ve crossed quite a few things off my list, there are still a number of projects for me to tackle. So far, I think its coming along nicely…

Caught this view of Boca Ciega Bay last week. Wishing you calm seas this weekend!

I saw a posting on Facebook Marketplace last week, someone was moving and wanted to give away some frozen bait. I zipped over to pick it up and during the meeting I mentioned that I was just learning how to saltwater fish.

The nice young couple made my day even better when they gave me a rod and reel, lures, and a bait bucket on top of the 20 pounds of frozen squid. Lookout fishies!

My neighborhood tomcat not only “owns” this whole block but he’s a bad*ss on a bike. I call him Morrissey, not that it matters because he doesn’t answer…

Caught this Great Blue Heron last week at the tail end of the “golden hour”. The light was fading fast which limited the crispness of the image but I was rather delighted with the painterly outcome.

Though I have artist friends who I know could paint a much better rendition, it’s not bad for a photo taken with my cell phone.

I was driving home when I saw a handwritten, cardboard sign by the road, “Free Raspberries.” As a big berry lover I was not one to pass up this deal (especially when the sign uses my favorite four-letter word).

It didn’t bother me one bit that the berries were not, in fact, as advertised (black instead of red). After some washing and pureeing (with a bit of sugar) I ended up with four large jars of blackberry syrup. It’ll be perfect over ice cream or pancakes, as the base for bbq sauce, or even as a fruity mixer for drinks.

Berry-licious!

Caught this stunner at John’s Pass this past weekend. I’d have a hard time believing this was real if I hadn’t witnessed it.

Sitting by the water, watching dolphins swim by, and marveling at the colorful show put on by the setting sun = one of my favorite ways to spend an evening!

I rescued some columnar cactus cuttings from an alley a few months back. I planted them as a group in a bare corner of my yard and hoped they’d survive. I’ll take this recent bloom as a sign that they’re doing well.

Fairly true statement, though thankfully it didn’t quite break 90 here at my house today.

The main thing I’ve noticed is the days are noticeably shorter (just 12 hours and 9 minutes of sun today) and the nights are definitely cooler (lows around 75 degrees).

I’m looking forward to sleeping with my windows open again soon!

My explorations yesterday led me to Lassing Park in the Old Southeast part of St. Petersburg. This wide swath of green space borders Tampa Bay and serves as a buffer for storm events when tides rise.

While all the hustle and bustle and new high-rise condos are happening downtown, Old Southeast is a quiet, older area with a funky vibe. Established in the 1950s this neighborhood flies under the radar yet the views can’t beat.