This is what happens when I’m bored at work and my work happens to be inside a health food store.
So, if using the drops helps relax me what exactly do the mints do? I think I’ll pass on them, I have enough stress in my life without buying more!
I was lucky and won one of the raffles at the house concert I attended a couple weeks ago. The best part? My prize was Monallo’s brand new CD, “Reflection”. (The other prize was a bottle of rum from a local distillery, which would have been wasted on me.)
The album has been in heavy rotation on my playlist and his style reminds me of one of my favorites, Jack Johnson. (As it probably should since he had help from one of Jack’s producers).
The title song is my current favorite, just listen to those lyrics…
Independence Day celebrations near me started with fireworks shows over the weekend. Much like they do with their lighted holiday boat parades, the nearby communities stagger their events.
St. Pete did theirs on Saturday, St.Pete Beach’s was last night, Madeira Beach is tonight, and Treasure Island will go off tomorrow evening. Which means I get multiple opportunities to enjoy the pretty lights.
Though to be honest, I think our sunsets can be just as showy and they happen way more often!
Wednesday night the library near me hosted an adults only comedy and magic show featuring Cesar Domico. Since it was too hot for most outdoor activities I decided to pop in and I was not disappointed!
Cesar was not only funny but obviously quite skilled at his craft. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more of his shows in the future. Many thanks to the St. Pete Beach Library for scheduling the entertainment!
Added bonus, I left with an armful of books that’d been on my reading list. Aren’t libraries amazing?
Be sure to watch all three videos…
I spotted this Black Witch (Ascalapha odorata) while waiting for my car to be serviced this week. This moth is the largest noctuoid in the states. The term comes from Latin and translates as night owl which seems fitting.
While I was impressed by the roughly five inch wingspan, I wish it had been a female because they are twice as large. Now that would’ve been amazing!
I was happy to see this handsome specimen until I learned that in some parts of the world they are considered omens of death or misfortune. What a cheery thought, I think I’ll just ignore that part.
This popped up in my Facebook feed, just a few days after I posted my recent bittern experience. Further proof that technology is spying on us all! Though trust me, most of us are way too boring for any agency to really care.
Kudos to the bird nerd that created this absolutely impossible “I’m not a robot” checkbox (also known as a CAPTCHA)! 😂
By the way did you know it was an acronym? Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart.
Saturday’s fun didn’t end with my morning of kayaking. After washing the salt off me I took an afternoon siesta, resting up for the evening ahead.
What better way to wrap up a beautiful summer day than with a backyard concert? The Habitat was featuring Jonas Lorence (who I first encountered at Parrothead events in Texas) and a relative newcomer to the Trop Rock scene, Monallo.
Heather and Ken started hosting concerts years ago, making improvements every off season. I have no idea what they’ll work on next because their backyard oasis is pretty darn near perfect. I especially love all the lights and quirky artwork.
Oh, and based on the back of Ken’s t-shirt, it appears he and I are kindred spirits! 🙄😂
Since I recently rearranged my schedule and now have weekends off, I can finally go out and play with my friends. I was looking forward to yesterday morning’s kayak trip all week and it did not disappoint.
We launched from an unassuming patch of dirt on the north side of a highway. It wasn’t the most inviting location but once we paddled through the mangroves into Feather Sound it was easy to see why Christine chose this spot.
Unlike other areas I’ve paddled around here, we were far outnumbered by wildlife! I counted at least a dozen bird species in addition to the dolphins, rays, needlefish, mullet, and manatees.
The water was wonderfully flat which not only made it a delight to paddle but also easier to spot aquatic animals. Dolphins swam by during the first part of our voyage around Big Island Gap, though they were busy fishing and remained in the distance.
After a short respite under some shady mangroves, we continued around the north side of the island where we came across a fever of juvenile rays. They were the smallest I’ve yet seen, only about 6″ from wingtip to wingtip (technically pectoral fin-tip but wingtip is commonly used since they appear to fly through the water).
I met this Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) over a month ago while touring the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive but I only recently found these photos on my camera.
This tiniest member of the North American heron family is often overlooked since it slinks through thick reeds instead of crouching over open water like it’s larger relatives. When threatened this slender bird will morph into “bittern pose”, stretching out its neck in an effort to blend in with the surrounding plants. That’s when those long stripes really come in handy!
That behavior is actually referenced in it’s binomial, the first part from Ancient Greek ixias refers to a reed-like plant, while the species name is Latin for slender.
In all my years of birding I’ve heard their distinct call multiple times but this is one of the very few times I’ve seen one and by far the best photo session. Thanks, little one!
Recently I read that there’s a section of the Berlin Wall outside St. Petersburg’s old passenger train station. When I ran across this snippet of odd information I realized I had to see it to believe it, so I set out on an adventure.
I was expecting a somber memorial to man’s inhumanity to man so I was a bit surprised to find the large slabs of concrete surrounded by shrubbery in a parking lot, marked only by one tiny, clay plaque.
The marker makes sense considering that the historic depot is now home to the Morean Center for Clay. And the location does too, since the sections of wall were purchased in 2007 by the city’s Outdoor Arts Foundation.
According to this Tampa Bay Times article, the foundation purchased 350 sections of 8’x3′ wall, salvaged from the Checkpoint Charlie area. At the time, it was purported to be the largest collection of the Wall in the world.
The intention was to create something beautiful out of something ugly. I’m not sure whatever became of the plans for the 100 different art installations but, having visited the Checkpoint Charlie museum I’m glad this reminder remains.
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