Gulf of Mexico Colors, Treasure Island, Florida July 2020
A Good Summer Day
Archive for ‘Observations’
Not Alone
Crabby, Wall Springs Park, Palm Harbor, Florida July 2020
Stopped off to explore Wall Springs Park yesterday afternoon. After a bit of a wander I settled on the bench on a fishing pier to relax in the cool air left behind by a midday storm.
Though I was the only human in the area I wasn’t alone: Anhingas were drying out in the mangroves, a Great Blue Heron patiently hunted in the mud, and Ospreys hovered overhead. They were all just as aware of my presence and kept their respective distances.
The little creature on the railing beside me, however, was a whole nother story. This Mangrove Marsh Crab (Sesarma curacaoense) wasn’t perturbed by me at all. In fact, I had to move my arm so this terrestrial crab could continue on its way!
A few minutes later, a couple aquatic mammals caught my attention as they glided through the flat water. What a lovely way to wrap up the day!
Irisation
Rainbow Cloud, Treasure Island, Florida July 2020
Water droplets in the sky, illuminated by the sun, hidden behind clouds, created a swath of rainbow.
This was a fairly vivid cloud iridescence (or irisation) and the camera on my mobile did the best it could. Oh, how I wish I’d had my big camera with me that evening!
Safe Place
Baby and Mom, Lake Maggiore, St. Petersburg, Florida July 2020
This smart little alligator scuttled over to stand on mom when I startled it. Not many predators would want to mess with that.
Score!
After a three month hiatus the local beach cleanups resumed this morning. Just over twenty people spread out along the beach, bags in hand. Sadly, my bag filled up pretty quickly. A sign of the increase in tourism?
My reward for getting sandy? Little treasures! I now have another beach towel and a convertible (though not quite the one I’d always imagined). A fun way to spend a couple hours.
The Point
Wandering around Tampa the other day I ended up at Ballast Point Park. It is a small green space hugging the bay, with a nice fishing pier and playground. As I strolled the perimeter, the names on the bricks in the road caught my eye.
As I am wont to do when my curiosity is piqued, I crisscrossed the entire lane looking at the names. Copeland Inglis was the predominate manufacturer though I found six others, in varying amounts.
Walking back to my car, the name of the park hit me – wait for it – like a ton of bricks. No wonder the park had that name, bricks like these were often used as ballast!
After a bit of online research I learned that Tampa purchased millions of bricks from southern manufacturers in the early 1900s. They were used to “pave” the way for that new mode of transport, the automobile. Copeland Inglis, Coaldale, Augusta, Southern Clay Mfg, and Rockmart (listed in order of prevalence) were part of that process.
The exceptions were the few Baltimore bricks (from Maryland) and the lone Catskill Block (from a brick maker in the Hudson River valley). As for this smattering of bricks from up north, there is a very high likelihood that they arrived in Tampa as actual ship ballast.
I never know where my explorations are going to lead me but I do know it’s going to be interesting!
Bricked Lane, Tampa, Florida July 2020
Life Imitates Art
Young Alligator in the Mangroves, Lake Maggiore, St. Petersburg, Florida July 2020
I stood at the edge of the lake for several minutes, surveying the area, hoping to spot wildlife on a hot summer afternoon. I didn’t notice this young alligator in the nearby shallows until it blinked.
The dappled light, submerged leaves, and its cryptic coloration served as very effective camouflage. While not a sharp, distinctive image of the animal, I rather like how the image resembles a painting.
Teddy* in Tampa
Sign at Vila Brothers Park, Tampa, Florida July 2020
I spotted this sign in Tampa while waiting at a traffic light yesterday. A huge Theodore Roosevelt fan, I flipped a quick u-turn so I could learn more. I’ve done a bit of reading about our dynamic 26th President over the years and I hold him in high regard. His namesake national park is one of my favorite parks in our entire system.
I knew that Roosevelt and the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry Regiment (aka the Rough Riders) fought in Cuba during the Spanish American War, but I didn’t recall that they left from Tampa. Thankfully, Vila Brothers Park preserves one of the campsites used by the Rough Riders in 1898 as they waited to ship out.
There wasn’t much to see at the small park so I drove a few miles south to explore another green space. The block wall that separates Ballast Point Park from the Tampa Yacht and Country Club was covered in murals.
While most of the sections depicted marine life (dolphins, sharks, sea turtles, and manatees) I was pleasantly surprised to see a portion dedicated to Roosevelt and the “Cowboy Cavalry”. What random luck to stumble across these two mementos to history!
Mural at Ballast Point Park, Tampa, Florida July 2020
*Though popularly used, Roosevelt abhorred the nickname Teddy. This and other fascinating details can be gleaned from Mornings on Horseback, David McCullough’s thorough and engaging biography.
Stormy Skies
Sunset, Treasure Island, Florida July 2020
I check on my section of beach daily. I know, you feel sorry for me, don’t you? Though the main components remain the same (white sand, blue-green water, shells, and sky) there is a different composition every day.
The past few days, storms have blown through in furious, wet bursts. Though these have interfered with our sunsets, I liked the contrast of this small sailboat against a backdrop of highlighted storm clouds from last night.
I Lichen It!
Checked out a new-to-me park over the weekend, Boyd Hill Nature Preserve. I spent a few warm, but enjoyable, hours wandering the 245 acres. The upside to a hot and muggy day? I didn’t have much company on the trails!
I intend to return with my big camera soon, as the one on my phone just couldn’t capture all the magic. Interestingly, shooting within the limits of that camera changed my viewpoint.
With this shift in focus, some objects resembled abstract works of art. Like the tapestry of various, colorful lichens interwoven on these tree trunks. Nature is amazing!
