Linear view vs. Masonry View

Tag Archive for ‘st-petersburg’

Kept Getting Better

Black-crowned Night Heron
Hermit Crab in a Crown Conch
Colorful Print
Dolphin at a Distance
Rainbow
Double Rainbow
Dolphin, Paddler, and Rainbow
Pete (Note Scar on Dorsal Fin)

In a much appreciated respite from our usual sunny, hot, and humid weather, today was predominantly gray and rainy. A large, slow moving storm arrived with the typical noisy bluster but most importantly, it brought some much needed moisture.

Places north and south of me received over 4″ which caused some fleeting flooding, but in my area we tallied about half that. In addition, the rain fell low and slow which allowed it to soak in. Made my plants happy!

Since the calming of the storm this evening coincided with low tide and sunset, I headed downtown for a walk along the waterfront. I never know what I’m going to see but I do know that there will be something interesting along the way.

Good: A Black-crowned Night Heron was already out, searching for food and allowed me a few photos. Then I was distracted by movement in the grass, a hermit crab lugging his shell toward water. As I placed him (and some other shells*) back in the water, I spotted two manatees swimming nearby. Further out in the bay I spied a dolphin fin. Turning around I noted a faint rainbow. All lovely and I would’ve left satisfied with my stroll.

Better: A few minutes later, the sky provided another rainbow. Shortly, a couple paddlers came around the bend and were framed by the colorful arcs. Then, a gull flew over their heads to compete the scene. What a nice addition to the evening!

Best: As colors began to fade from the sky, nature had one more treat to share. A dolphin came in for his cameo and I was able to capture a photo of it, with a paddler, and a rainbow. This particular cetacean is a bit of a local celebrity. He’s known as Pete (a nod to the city name) and he’s recognizable by the scar on his dorsal fin as well as his tendency to frequent the shallows near the Vinoy Hotel. Lucky me, the bayfront put on a show this evening!

*Oh, and to the guy that pulled up those living Crown Conchs and Banded Tulips with his castnet and left them to die in the grass. I put them all back in the water for you, @sshole.
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Off the Road

Original Wallpaper
Author Reading

I recently attended a couple events held at a nearby home. I was drawn, not only by the events (a storytelling open mic night and a book launch party), but by a famous former occupant, Jack Kerouac.

The modest block home, where Jack lived the last two years of his life, is tucked on a shady lane in a quiet neighborhood. It’s a far cry from the rowdy, free roaming life he extolled in his books (most famously, On the Road). But, then again, maybe that’s fitting since Jack himself was a juxtaposition.

Regarded as the “father of the Beat Generation” he was a devout Catholic who loathed the hedonism of the counterculture that he helped spawn (and participated in). I’m not sure how he managed to square that with his professed beliefs but I suppose we all have our contradictions.

Though Jack died in 1969, the family trust held onto the property until November 2020 when it was sold to a retired professor of literature. Shortly after purchasing the house, Ken Burchenal and his wife Gina, founded a nonprofit with the goal of promoting local arts, artists, and (counter)culture here in St. Petersburg. 

It occurs to me that Jack would abhor the almost museum-like nature of the house (it came with most of the original furnishings) but I think he’d appreciate the events hosted there. I know I’m looking forward to more of them!

“Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain!”
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St. Pete’s First Historic Neighborhood

Roser Park Neighborhood
Booker Creek
Neighborhood Alligator
Fat Fish
Pink Plumeria
Ixora chinensis
Yellow Plumeria
Bougainvillea
Roser Cottage
The Swiss Chalet
Winding, Creekside Path
House Beautiful
Tropical Vibes
Booker Creek Falls
Colorful Cottage
Beehive in Old Oak
Friendly Gator
Historic Hexagonal Pavers
Little Free Library
My Favorite Sign
Secret Staircase
The Bradshaw House
Upside Down, Not Sure Why

This past Saturday afternoon, I was drawn to Creek Fest, an afternoon of live music in the Roser Park neighborhood. Since I arrived early, I went for a stroll along the narrow, shady streets of the historic district.

This area south of downtown was transformed by Charles M. Roser, who fell in love with the jungle-like gully of Booker Creek shortly after moving to St Pete in 1911. The vision for his development was quite impressive; each house was required to be unique and of high quality, lush tropical foliage was enhanced by planned plantings with a focus on colorful blooms, brick paved streets followed the natural, winding path of Booker Creek, and finally, for the good of the community, he set aside land for a park, a school, and a hospital (all of which still exist in some form).

Mr. Roser was not alone in his appreciation of the location, the Tocobago people had lived along the fertile banks of Booker Creek for hundreds of years, as evidenced by the artifacts and large shell mounds they left behind.

My favorite stop of my informal tour was the Bradshaw House, a large classic, colonial revival home named for one of St. Pete’s early mayors. Not only has it been lovingly restored but it has a fun history. It was once known as the Zilch House. The name bestowed by a group of bachelors who rented the house starting in 1925. They creatively called it that, so they could say they were the last listing in the phone book (remember those huge tomes?).

While the area’s history and lush foliage were charming, I most enjoyed watching the trickling of the creek. I was not alone in my appreciation of the water, I noticed several turtles, ducks, and even a young alligator. The rest of my afternoon I spent relaxing on the lawn, listening to live music while the delicate, tropical scent of plumeria wafted in the air. Over a century later, I think Mr. Roser would be pleased with how things turned out.
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