What I Love About Living in Central Florida

As I sat outside in my Carport Jungle this morning, I was feeling especially grateful that I live in Central Florida.

Why?

Although it is hot and humid, since I've lived here all of my life, my body is acclimated  to this type of weather and I love it.  

The gentle breezes that were blowing through were very pleasant and soothing, as were the beautiful butterflies that rode the breezes like a colorful parade. The unknown vines growing on the fence are blooming (one is a bleeding heart vine) and butterflies of all colors and sizes have been gathering around them. I'll have to take a photo of them!  I keep forgetting to take photos!

Ground cover plants that most people buy at the nursery as houseplants are growing wild and begging to be pulled up and planted in containers for use in the Carport Jungle.  Since my serious gardening days are over due to my arthritic knees that have deemed me disabled, light container gardening is all I can do.  But I am so grateful that I can still get my hands dirty and have free plants to play with.

Since we are still without running water, the frequent afternoon storms are welcomed so the plants can get watered properly.  As a result, the plants are green, lush and thriving.

I can say without asking The Captain that he is very grateful for the nearby park he visits frequently that is so beautiful and picturesque, full of nature where he goes fishing.  What I love to do is visit with bread and popcorn and stay entertained feeding the animals who are so happy to see us show up with goodies for them.

As for what I don't like . . . I saw the first snake of this year who took a liking to the Carport Jungle that I had to chase away and haven't seen since.  It was just a black racer, but they still freak me out.  Very early this morning as I sat out there before dawn, I saw the first big, fat, ugly possum of the year run through the side yard and through the fence to the back yard.  I hope the cats chase him away to another yard!  I strongly dislike these animals!  And the mosquitoes are fierce this year . . . gotta start experimenting with the home remedies I'm finding online.

We saw the first huge toad yesterday that kind of scared me at first until I realized what it was.  I heard a loud rustling through the leaves and almost didn't see him since he blends in so well . . . then he jumped.  He's almost as big as a dinner plate and at least 6 inches high.  Very pretty toad!

Although we have been unable to do any maintenance with the plants that are left, they are blooming like crazy and such a joy to see.  Can't wait to hire a yard guy to take care of the Paradise and bring it back to it's former beauty.  My social security checks that I worked so hard for all my life should be coming in shortly!  Also a benefit of being deemed disabled . . . I'd rather have my health though!

The Captain and I will soon be ever so grateful for the Gulf beaches when we have some extra money to spend an occasional weekend retreat on that Gold Coast!  Pier fishing is one of my favorite things . . . especially before dawn. There is nothing like night turning into day on the Gulf of Mexico!  It is simply magical!

Last, but not least, is our membership to Busch Gardens and Adventure Island where it is awesome to get away and feel like we are in a different world. Florida's theme parks are the best!

I've been slacking on photos . . . will catch up soon!

Saturday on the Hillsborough River

River Hills Park in Temple Terrace is one of those hidden fantasy lands that has no admission fee. Its beauty is a testimony to the community and its efforts to provide the simple beauty of the Hillsborough River.  It is best enjoyed just after sunrise.

The squirrels are always looking for a handout.

It was a cool morning along the trail.

Come Join us.

Iceplorations at Busch Gardens

During a recent visit to Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida, The Captain and I enjoyed one of the best ice shows I have ever seen in my life that features dazzling, sparkly and colorful Broadway-style costumes from a Tony Award-winning designer. 

Daily performances are held in the Moroccan Palace Theatre.  Check the Busch Gardens website for show times.

Along with the awesome show filled with world-class skaters, more than 75 original costumes, amazing aerial performances, master puppetry and live animal stars, the audience is treated to effects that seem to bring you into the stage production.

Some facts about the production from the Busch Garden website . . .

Iceploration® incorporates 21 live animals including an African ground hornbill, sun conures, Siberian lynx and Siberian huskies. 

Among the award-winning individuals lending their talents to the creation of Iceploration are a Tony Award-winning costume designer and an Olympic gymnast.

Creating the four tons of ice for the Iceploration stage required 10,000 gallons of water.

Iceploration's 77 featured costumes took more than 10 months and nearly 500 yards of fabric to construct.

This video is a sampling of the awesome show . . .

Blooming Busch Gardens!

The Captain and I took advantage of an early morning special for Busch Gardens passholders, and we really enjoyed having the park pretty much to ourselves for quite some time, so I took advantage of the unusually peaceful time at the park to take landscape photographs.

While much of the country is buried in snow, check out these beautiful blooms that reminds me that Spring is here in Tampa.  I especially enjoyed this section of the park with all the color!

Sheikra reopened this month for those adventurous and brave enough to hang from the ride and get flung upward, upside down, sideways and even through the water from this huge roller coaster.  For a taste of the ride, click on the photo for a video The Captain made . . . he's a bit obsessed with the ride!

We really enjoyed the concert featuring Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr., formerly of the Fifth Dimension and multiple grammy winners.  They put on a fabulous show that was part of the Real Music Concert Series. We plan on going back next week to see Herman's Hermits featuring Peter Noone.  Their music specials are getting better and better . . . The Doobie Brothers will be there tomorrow!

It was a gorgeous February day with temps in the 70's-80's!

This is why we love living in Florida :)

Wonderful Florida Winter

Winter in Florida can be wonderful!

The Captain and I recently spent a leisurely day at Busch Gardens Tampa.  This is one of our favorite spots to enjoy a cup of coffee while snapping photos of the lovely landscaping that surrounds this area.

The weather was typical for what we have been experiencing this winter . . . temps in the upper 70's with no humidity and no threats of afternoon storms.  Paradise!  As we relaxed and took in the sights and sounds of the park and enjoyed the wonderful weather, my thoughts went to my friends in other parts of the country who have been bombarded with snow.  I've lived in Florida all of my life and have never experienced snow, and although we have had to ensure some colder winters, this is a typical winter in Central Florida.  

I would not want to live anywhere else!

What gorgeous landscaping!  This is another view of the same area where we were sitting.  Bromeliads, orchids, tropicals and everyday houseplants are featured in this area.

These landscape photos are just a taste of one of our favorite relaxing spots at Busch Gardens.  The landscaping throughout the theme park are varied and equally as impressive.  They will be featured in future posts.

There is so much to do at Busch Gardens!  It can't all be seen in one day for sure.  In addition to the regular features of the park, there is the occasional concert series and special presentations.  This is one of the lineups for this year!  Another series features The Doobie Brothers and the Goo Goo Dolls!

If you are visiting the Tampa Bay area, 

don't miss out on a visit to Busch Gardens!

Ballast Point Park ~ Tampa, Florida

Ballast Point Park is a located on Tampa Bay (featuring awesome views of downtown Tampa and the Port of Tampa), down the street from Bayshore Boulevard, one of the most picturesque points in Tampa.

click photo for enlarged view

The park dates back to Tampa's earliest days, originally named Jules Verne Park.  The Hillsborough County Historical Commission placed a historical marker at the park which reads:

"Formerly Jules Verne Park . . .

Mrs. Chester W. Chapin, controlling owner of the company which operated the city's first electric trolley cars, purchased these acres and in 1894 developed this site into a tropical park as a terminal for her line.  

She named it for the French writer Jules Verne (1814-1905) who in his famous novel "From the Earth to the Moon" first published in 1865, chose Tampa town as his launching site for the imaginary shot of his rocket to that planet near one hundred years ago."

The park features a lovely fishing pier that brought back so many memories of my childhood.  As we ventured down the pier today, flashbacks of fishing with my dad came to mind.  The one memory that stands out are the ugly blowfish that were often caught off that pier.  They really freaked me out as a child!

click photos for enlarged views

As a dating teenager, the pier was a fun spot to enjoy a relaxing evening after having dinner out.  That pier has been a fun spot for me as I became an adult, looking for a frugal way to spend a very enjoyable evening, either fishing or merely walking the pier watching others fish.  There is something about fishing piers at night that fascinate me in the simple way of just enjoying one of nature's gifts . . . the sounds, the sights, the smells.  It is an awesome way to spend an evening!

click photo for enlarged view

We passed by the familiar picnic pavillions and I could almost feel the happy childhood excitement and wind on my face as I ran around and played with my cousins and second cousins.  Family picnics back in the day meant the whole family got together . . . such happy memories just walking around that park!

Each sheltered picnic pavillion includes a grill, lots of picnic tables in shady surroundings that includes a children's playground. 

The tree-lined walkways along the water are popular among joggers, walkers and rollerbladers with quick access to Bayshore Blvd.

Some views of Bayshore Blvd., downtown Tampa and Port of Tampa from the Ballast Point Pier:

click photos to enlarge views

It was one of those overcast days in Florida . . . hit and miss showers all over town.  Notice the difference in cloud formations . . . watching the sky fascinates me!


Ballast Point Park is an awesome place to spend the day picnicing with family, relaxing on a park bench enjoying the Florida sunshine, fishing on the pier or just passing the day or evening watching others fish . . . there is also a restaurant on the grounds (have no idea what the food is like).


Check it out if you find yourself in Tampa and just want to enjoy a little relaxation with spectacular surroundings . . .

Fort Desoto Park ~ St. Petersburg, Florida

The Captain and I recently spent a beautiful and sunny Florida day on the white sandy gulf beach at Fort Desoto Park in St. Petersburg, Florida.

We couldn't have picked a better day . . . no rain, no storms . . . very unusual for this time of year.  There is nothing like sunning on the beach and cooling off in the warm, salty and refreshing Gulf of Mexico.

Our day started very early in the morning . . . we arrived as the sun came up . . . daybreak on the Gulf of Mexico beaches is awesome!

The park offers great diversity with a wealth of bird life, sea life, wild life and plant life.  We just visited the beach, but the park also includes two fishing piers, campgrounds, the historial forts, museum, boating and so much more.

Although it has been many years, it was one of my favorite places to go camping, where you can encounter cute raccoons that are very adept at stealing food, hiking or biking through the trails or fishing from your camp site.  An awesome place to go camping, if that is your thing.

  

The park consists of 1,136 acres of protected islands . . . home to beach plants, mangroves, wetlands, palm hammocks, hardwoods and native plants.  It is the one place in this area that I imagine is as it was when the Spanish explorers first discovered its vast beauty.

The park's natural ecosystems provides a home to more than 290 documented species of birds and the beaches provide refuge to the loggerhead sea turtle as they nest between April and September.

  

Fort De Soto's three miles of white sandy beaches was named America’s Top Beach for 2009 by Trip Advisor, the world's largest online travel community. In 2005, “Dr. Beach,” named Fort De Soto the nation’s #1 Beach.

Here are some photos we took . . .

Click here for the official website of Fort Desoto Park.

We plan on visiting again very soon to check

 out other amenities the park provides . . . 

hopefully for a couple days of camping and fishing!

This post has been linked up with the

following blog hop/meme . . .

Cheetah Hunt at Busch Gardens

Although we had every intention to make it to Busch Gardens for the opening of the new ride Cheetah Hunt, between Florida thunderstorms and life, we didn't make it until the other day.  We got there in the very late afternoon and it got too dark to continue taking photos, so there wasn't enough time to explore the new section to go with the ride.  

Hopefully we will return next week . . . 

but in the meantime, here is a peak at the new ride . . .

The landscaping at the base of this section

 of the ride is gorgeously tropical!

A photo from our last visit . . . the landscapers 

busily preparing the grounds for the opening

of the new Cheetah Hunt section.

What a difference a few weeks makes!

One of our favorite spots to chill out.

I love this water feature!