The feature photo, and only photo that I know about at this moment, is the uninvited company I found out on the lanai this morning. I have resisted becoming attached to this lanai after loving the one at my old house. There is no lake here, no pond critter serenades, but the birds do sing so that’s something. But this morning I found myself at eye level to a creature that I quickly realized wasn’t a lizard. Lizards are so common, and mostly keep their distance, but this sticky-fingered creature was eyeing me up. As I was doing to him. So he retreated into the corner and then climbed to the very top of the corner brace. I thought that I would have to warn my friend when he came out because this little guy would be directly over his head if he sat in his usual chair. But Tampa Bay Lightning fans who have endured a disappointing play-off game and then a frustrating drive home aren’t given to getting up early the next morning. Maybe it’s the effort of growing a beard in solidarity with the players, a long-standing tradition I’m told. It’s currently in the whisk-broom stage, but I digress. It turned out that my fears as to the little guy’s jumping weren’t unwarranted, because he jumped onto the end table, landing with a thud, which is when I took his picture. Looks like he needed to wipe his chin after his breakfast. By this time the sun was baking me, the coffee was cold, and it was time to go in. I hope this guy finds his way back outside as stealthily as he found his way in, so I don’t have to check the corners of the roofline before I sit out here again…
Category: Passing time
The Good Neighbor Trail…
I stumbled upon a website that gives you all the info you could want about all the trails we might like to ride in Florida. Or anywhere else also, but I stuck to looking at the trails that were supposed to be in the immediate area. I quickly discovered that their idea of ‘in the area’ and mine were a bit different. I also decided that most trails were going to be a ride out and then reverse and ride back the way you came. But you could tell from the information given if a trail was going to be mostly out in the sun, an important consideration for this area, even if it is newly into spring. It’s been hot in the sun when it hasn’t been raining. Ah Florida, my adopted home.



It is kind of funny how easy it is to feel the kid in you come out as you pedal a bike. The feeling of the breeze in your face is the same after all, the wrinkles don’t matter. Maybe it’s the lack of immediate responsibilities that makes it feel so free. Just don’t tip over would be the biggest concern, and when your bike is actually a trike that possibility is less likely. Yup, the investment in this trike was a very good idea, now we get to go out and play, in a very grown up way of course.
A proposition…
The proposition? Head to the rookery and then stop at Ford’s Garage for pretzels and shrimp. And beer. Now that sounded like a really good idea.







And speaking of having a drink, it was time for us to head to Ford’s and belly up to the bar. That beer was nice and cold, the shrimp was spicy, and the pretzels can’t be beat. The perfect finale to the day…
Largo Central Park…
I have been saying that I wanted to go to Largo Central Park for a while now, even before I bought my electric tricycle. So off we went yesterday, only to discover that I mis-remembered the name of the park I wanted to go to. This wasn’t the park I remembered, but it was all good. This park happened to have a train meet going on. The tracks are part of the park, but the trains are privately owned and the public doesn’t get to ride, not that anyone seemed to mind. It was a beautiful setting with lots going on. I liked the statues a lot too. And I felt like one of those kids riding along on my bike, having fun.









St. Armands Circle…
I had driven though this area before. A road trip, complete with bulldog. So as tempting as this area had looked we chose to get to our hotel and settled in, with a take out pizza, rather than shop. Somewhere there are pictures of the lovely sunset we watched from the beach right outside our room that night. But this night was another story. On this night we had prepared for a chilly evening, after a day without sunshine at all. But the temperature was about 60 degrees and the air was soft, balmy even. I was surprised to see that the restaurants were all open air, but it was comfortable. We ate at Cha Cha Coconuts, which I have to mention because the name so perfectly fits into the whole, colorful, evening. A fine evening with an old friend indeed.











What a treat it is to find yourself in the company of an old friend from your high school days. I know I never imagined that I would ever be the age I am now, and I know I wouldn’t have imagined living in Florida, or any other of the details of my life as it stands right now. But here I am, and it’s all good. “God is good”, to quote my friend.
In search of photo ops…
I used to head out earlier in the day for my photos than I seem to do now. Sunrise, and then whatever other stop I wanted to make. The beauty of that was that when I came home I had something to do. Namely, work on my pictures and turn them into a blog post. If I had multiple pictures from more than one stop then so much the better, I had fodder for multiple blog posts. Having those pictures in the camera felt like having money in the bank. Silly I know, but that’s how I think.
Yesterday started out a lot later than I’m used to. First stop was the eagles, but not much was happening there so we moved on to the owls at Philippe Park.




And then it was time to head to Clearwater to meet with our photo group and have dinner. But the timing conveniently allowed for a stop in Dunedin for the sunset. It was a more successful day of shooting than I thought it was while I was pressing the shutter button all afternoon.



