Tampa Sunrise

Love this Tampa sunrise photo taken on Bayshore Boulevard, one of my favorite areas.  Source

A very uneventful rainy Florida summer has come and gone.  Now is the time of year that tourists start to crowd our overcrowded highways and drive us crazy in general.  But . . . it IS the best time to visit our area, in my opinion.

Gone are the afternoon storms, the humidity is a bit lower and we have had nothing but blue sky days.

I am hoping a trip to Busch Gardens is in our near future since we haven't been there in over a year.  We will take lots of photos and report on our visit when it happens!

Hope everyone is having a beautiful October!

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 :)

Coming soon to Busch Gardens!

I'm so excited that one of my favorite cartoon characters, King Julien, will be a part of a new original live musical show featuring singers, dancers and rock/pop music performed by a live band!

"Madagascar Live! Operation: Vacation" coming to Busch Gardens Tampa in May 2013, will bring exciting changes to Stanleyville Theater, which will be refurbished and become enclosed and air-conditioned.

Click here for more details.

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!

Tropical storm woes

Barely into the hurricane season, the Tampa Bay area has been slammed with the most rain we have had in a long time by Tropical Storm Debby.  So far, this area has experienced the worst part of the storm.


At the moment, we are in Tropical Storm Warning/Watch mode, in and out of tornado watches/warnings and severe thunderstorm watches/warnings have become normal.  The forecast calls for a couple more days of more of the same and we have already had 10-15 inches of rain throughout the area.


The photo comes from our local cable news channel, Bay News 9, who have provided awesome 24/7 coverage of the storm.  Bayshore Boulevard is virtually unrecognizable . . . they describe it as "non-existent" . . . I'd hate to live in that area right now!  I've posted photos of that area before . . . this is what it looks like on a normal day . . .

Many areas of Tampa are flooded, making a drive in traffic a nightmare!  There are stalled vehicles all over the place!  I wonder how many people are having a "mental health day" from work?

This photo comes from WFLA Channel 8, a local network affiliate . . .

Tropical Storm Debby looming, before the flooding.

Although the weather service has deemed Tropical Storm Debby unimpressive, those living in the Tampa Bay area will disagree!  

Normal life has been majorly disrupted!  How about the owners of this home?  OMG it is one of my nightmares with all the trees on our property!

Photo source:  Bay News 9

Even the local gators are enroute to safety . . . at least this one is using the crosswalk!

Photo source:  Bay News 9

For more photos . . . click here

Last night's sleep was intermittent . . . I kept waking up to the sound of fierce winds whipping through the trees with the heaviest rainfall I've experienced in a long time.  We slept with the television fixed on the 24/7 storm coverage.

With the storm stalled out in the Gulf pounding areas of Florida, there are many more stories yet to be told.  Let's pray that it weakens and goes away soon!

This is just the beginning of hurricane season . . . the one reason I hate living in Florida!

Back to normal?

The Captain is back to work after a lengthy recovery from surgery.  

Life is returning to normal for us.

Through the past couple of months, we have been all over the area making new discoveries and enjoying old favorites.

We ventured through the wilderness and the concrete jungle as well . . . many more trips to Busch Gardens and Adventure Island Water Park . . . continued discovering MacDill Air Force Base, Downtown Tampa, Ybor City and surrounding areas.

Now that life is returning to normal, I hope to chronicle our adventures in this awesome area of Central Florida we call Tampa Bay.

Why we love living in Florida!

The weather has been awesome with gorgeous blue sky days!  So far it has been a warm winter . . . 70-80's during the day, 50-60's at night . . . NO SNOW . . . NO AFTERNOON STORMS . . . NO HUMIDITY!!  It has been a great time to enjoy the beauty of Florida and explore the outdoors.  Great time to visit this part of the world . . . no wonder the snowbirds descend upon us this time of year!


The Captain and I have been getting out more and experiencing the outdoors . . . often enjoying an early morning adventure of fishing, exploring local parks and the historic culture that Tampa has to offer.


As a result there are a ton of photos I have yet to process, but I have not forgotten!  I also haven't forgotten about the series on Vintage Disney.  We haven't even scratched the surface of exploring Busch Gardens and the area beaches.  I promise to get to these projects soon!


The Gasparilla pirates will invade Tampa at the end of January and we plan to be right in the middle of it this year.  We will be taking lots of photos and reporting on the festivities.


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Come on down to Florida!

Fishing Adventure at Ballast Point ~ Tampa, Florida

The Captain and I started in the middle of the night . . . beginning with a trip to the 24/7 Walmart to buy some last minute items we needed for our adventure.

This is the view that greeted us as we walked upon the pier.  The photos don't do the early morning sky justice . . . it was overwhelmingly breathtaking.  What was really beautiful is the downtown Tampa skyline at this time.  What you are looking at in this view is the Port of Tampa.

Click on any of the photos for a larger view with greater detail.

It surprised me that this early in October, it was freezing out there (well, what this Florida girl calls freezing).  The winds were whipping around and I was chilled to the bone!  Good thing we still had blankets in the van from our trips to the beach.  Once I got wrapped up in a blanket, I was fine.

I just sat there gazing at the sky for the longest time . . . the changing colors were amazing.  The water was choppy from the wind and took on a spectrum of colors.  The sights and sounds of the morning stillness, along with the beachy smells conjured up those awesome childhood memories for me again.

We had the whole pier to ourselves except for a few people at the very end and some people in the park area enjoying the changing colors of the sky.  I would be so very happy to grab a cup of coffee on the way over there and just watch the changing sky.  Being on that pier gives a panoramic sky view . . . just AWESOME!

This is a part of the downtown Tampa skyline . . . not the greatest photo, but I love the way the sun bounced off of the sides of the buildings.  Next time I'll get better photos of this view!

All of a sudden, the birds started to appear . . . a few at first . . . 

. . . and more appeared . . .

The night skies turned to day . . . with a smidge of orange skies.

The little guy was not too happy with the intrusion of the bigger bird!

As more and more birds appeared, so did the fishermen.

A view of Bayshore Boulevard . . . notice the beautiful pinkish sky!

The big rock bulging out of the water is full of little birds . . .

The sun begins peaking up from the horizon . . .

I love the way the sunlight reflects against the pier!

Well . . . we proceeded to fish throughout the morning and a chilly early morning turned into a hotter mid-morning at which time we had enough of feeding the fish and decided to drive around and take more photos of Tampa.  We did catch two little fish, but nothing substantial to bring home.

The fun was being in the midst of it all and experiencing night turn into day on Tampa Bay.

Hope you enjoyed the photos!