My Florida Paradise

Gasparilla 2026

2026-02-01T03:08:00.003-05:00

Photo source: gasparillapiratefest.com

Gasparilla will never be the same for me since The Captain passed away. He always said he was a pirate and Gasparilla was the sign he was meant to be in Tampa with me. Our first date was going to the Gasparilla Night Parade. I will forever think of Gasparilla as The Captain's holiday.

One of the things that makes Tampa unique is the Gasparilla celebration, a festival similar to Mardi Gras with a pirate theme . . . best to check out the video . . . click here.

Why Tampa Waves Pirate Flags

And the weather has been the theme for this year's Gasparilla . . .

Cold weather invades Tampa Bay for Gasparilla 2026

Happy Birthday Mickey Mouse

2025-11-19T09:50:00.005-05:00

We all want to know Mickey Mouse's secret to looking so youthful after 96 years! He was born on November 18 with the debut of Steamboat Willie. I can't believe he has been making people of all ages feel like a child again for nearly a century!

Mickey Mouse is probably my first love. I've been a fan as long as I can remember . . . and I still am. Back in the day, my first husband JR and I would plan a mini vacation to Disney World every month. We both worked many hours a week at our long time jobs and had over a months' worth of vacation, so we planned long weekends once a month.

It felt like such a luxury to be annual passholders. As passholder members, we got awesome prices at Disney hotels. Our favorite destination was Fort Wilderness where we would pitch a tent and camp when the weather was cool.

We spent so many hours through the years waiting in line for a meet and greet with Mickey. And it was well worth the wait!

Wishing I could be at the Magic Kingdom to celebrate Mickey's birthday, but I am there in spirit!

I'm back!

2025-11-18T13:23:00.004-05:00

Where do I start . . . so much has happened in my life!

The good news is after Hurricane Irma in 2017 it was nothing but one bad thing after another that just took the life out of me, but the numbness has subsided and I am starting to feel close to normal again.

The worse of the bad news is I'm a widow for the second time. The Captain passed away in 2023 and I've pretty much shut down for a long time. Just as my grief was tolerable, my precious fur baby Kiki got sick and I had to make the horrible decision to put her to sleep. She was my little partner, especially after we lost The Captain. Dogs grieve too and she was right there with me, we were together in our sadness. I wasn't expecting the bad news when I took her to the vet for a normal yearly visit that she was so sick, she needed to be put to sleep. I didn't even suspect it.

So it has been 8 years of stress of one type or another. That was a long time!

All I can say is I'm so grateful for everything I have been blessed with. From all the bad stuff, I've grown stronger and have learned so many lessons.

Living in Florida this time of year is so joyous! The intense heat of the summer is gone and has left many crisp, non-humid days that are so pleasant. We recently had a few cold days, but it was fine although we were so close to freezing. I really hate the cold!

Most of all, I have grown closer to God and with faith I got through it all.

Looking forward to exploring the joys of living in Florida!

Tales of the Neighborhood Birds

2018-07-18T12:34:00.002-04:00

Well, we have remained homeless through the holidays and way beyond . . . I still have not been home. I've written bits and pieces on the ponderously slow process of rebuilding after a hurricane on my other blogs.

Rather than go on and on about the unpleasantness, I prefer to write about the happy times.

I've gotten through this time enjoying nature in my mom's back yard. There have been many times in my life that nature has gotten me through some stressful times with simple pleasures that nature brings me.

Experiencing nature in my mom's back yard is much different than it was at home. However, we are in for more changes when we finally get back home. It will be totally different with the huge oak tree gone.

Before

After

All the power lines in my mom's neighborhood run through everyone's back yard, making it a natural perch for all the birds that like to hang out here. We have experienced different types of birds that visit, such as the sea gulls that our baby Kiki does not like at all.

It is strange, but those are the only birds she barks at for some reason. It could be their size that intimidates her or perhaps their "voice" that is distinctively different than the other birds. They have like a mocking laugh that is so funny. We have named the one who hangs out here Jasper . . . it could be more than one, but they are all named Jasper the Gull.

Through the time we have been here, the mockingbirds have ruled the territory, keeping out the cardinals that I love so much. They venture through here occasionally, but they are quickly chased away. But something has recently changed . . .

We were lucky enough to witness the raising of baby mockingbirds close to where we sit. Maybe they thought we would help them protect the babies from the neighborhood cats. The sweetest thing was watching the feeding process. You can barely see them, but we managed to capture the open beaks of the hungry baby birds.

It seems like only one baby survived and the mom and dad have left her their territory, so only one remains here. She is just discovering her voice and has begun singing those beautiful mockingbird tunes for us.

She's a sweetie and I've named her Lola.

There are many other stories to tell, but for now I will leave you with the one about Florida's state bird, the beautiful and graceful mockingbird.

FEMA Denies Our Claim

2017-10-02T01:07:00.000-04:00

It has been a few days since we received the notice from FEMA that they have deemed our house habitable.

How can you live in a house with a huge limb of an oak tree sitting on your house, sinking deeper every day from the weight and more rain pouring into the holes in the roof? The back room is visibly crushed. The truss is cracked. You can see daylight from the holes in the kitchen ceiling. The air handler has busted pipes. The Captain can't get into the laundry room . . . the door won't open. What would happen if you force it open? Will the ceiling crash in further? What is damaged in that room? It stores our laundry equipment, lawn equipment and power tools.

But FEMA thinks the house can be lived in and we have to appeal their decision in order to have any chance of getting help from them to rebuild.

The FEMA inspector who met with The Captain and checked out the damage was very encouraging and we really thought we would be rebuilding the damage soon. Oh no, how silly of us to think that . . . things can't be that easy with the government red tape. The appeal process could take up to 90 days. Then the repairs can commence should we win the appeal.

So, we shall remain homeless through the holidays and beyond. What a nightmare!

Although this is a major setback and our future with the house my first husband and I bought in 1984, The Captain and I still have tons of faith that we will get through this and come out of it better than ever.

Faith and the unknown can be a very scary thing . . . damn you Hurricane Irma!

More Hurricane Irma Perils and Being Grateful

2017-09-29T02:18:00.000-04:00

We moved again and have settled at my Mom's house. She had evacuated to hide from Hurricane Irma at my brother's house in Georgia. Her house is where evacuees usually flee to, but a Category 5 Hurricane Irma scared her as it did me.

Initially FEMA gave us 14 days to stay at a motel. With only three days left to go, we contacted FEMA only to be told they were not sure if the program would be extended. They assured us they would let us know. They let us know a few hours before we had to check out. Since the motel was booked solid, we were proactive and set up a reservation at another motel on our own dime.

We decided that it was not worth having to wait until the last minute to know if we were going to have a roof over our head every week or so. We have no idea how long it will be before we can move back home.

The fact that we had my Mom's house to fall back on, we decided to leave the FEMA program and stay with her.

Now we know we will have a roof over our head that will not be taken away at a moment's notice and I am very grateful for this . . . not everyone has those options.

Our FEMA house inspection was very positive and we should be hearing from them sometime next week as to their decision on how they will help us.

I still haven't been home . . . don't want to see the damage. My heart has been broken enough!

There is something unnerving about being "homeless" and still having a home . . . an oxymoron. Although the feelings of homelessness are very creepy, I'm grateful to still have a home that is mostly intact.

Our part of the world was hit by another major hurricane after we were hit by Hurricane Irma. Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico and produced a humanitarian crisis of major proportions, destroying their electrical grid and bringing their economy to a standstill.

The grateful feelings overwhelm me when I read the stories coming out of Puerto Rico. Lives have been devastatingly shattered. I can only imagine all those people feeling so helpless and not knowing where to turn. They are running out of money, but what can they buy? I could go on and on about what is going on there.

The Captain and I, along with my mom, have been inconvenienced. It will no doubt change our lives, but I believe for the better. I've always believed that everything happens for a reason, fate and destiny. I can see many reasons for us and they are all positive.

Count your blessings . . .

Perils of Hurricane Irma

2017-09-18T13:16:00.002-04:00

For the first time in my life, I hate living in Florida.

As I sat outside our motel room this morning, enjoying a gorgeous blue sky Florida morning, I couldn't help but think back to a week ago today when The Captain went back home after Hurricane Irma passed to make sure all was well to go back home. Initially, I was not worried because Tampa was spared with a Category 1 instead of Category 5 hurricane.

It is something that I can't face at this time . . . I have not seen it, nor do I want to even see a photo. A huge limb on a chunk of our house, pierced through the roof and even some of the ceiling, affecting several rooms. The Captain tells me parts of the ceiling and insulation is scattered all over the place.

What once was my favorite part of the house, the back room whose walls were made of glass, were smashed, exposing the house to future storms, exposure to the bare elements of nature and further deterioration of the roof and ceiling. I can imagine the puddles of water and sand making a muddy mess on the floor.

I am feeling lost, like a gypsy wandering in the wilderness of FEMA motels, not knowing if the temporary housing will continue and for how long.

So far FEMA has been awesome. We will see when we hear what the inspector has to say and what they are prepared to do for us.

In the meantime, we can't touch the damage and there is another hurricane threatening to hit Florida. It is almost unbearable to think about . . . time is just making a bad situation worse. The heavy limb sinks a little bit further with time and every rain that decides to come around. Thank God our rainy season is winding down, although it is peak hurricane season. Until the inspector sees the damage, we can't even put a tarp on the roof to prevent more water from gushing in.

I'm thankful that The Captain and I had the good sense to evacuate to a local motel when we were faced with a Category 5 hurricane colliding with our world. We did not have to experience the ravages of the storm ripping through the house not knowing if we would live or die. God does not give us more than we can handle and after 34 years of living in that house, that little voice in my head told me to get out this time around.

Hurricane Irma hit Florida as a Category 5 hurricane . . . I'm so grateful that we got the west side of the hurricane after it was downgraded to Category 1. There could have been so much more damage.

Pray for the victims of this season's hurricanes which have come at us with a vengeance we have not seen since Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. Our damage is minor compared to others . . .

Tampa Sunrise

2015-10-13T13:21:00.002-04:00

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!

Florida's Hidden Gems

2015-07-18T10:38:00.003-04:00

Hidden away off of a winding road on the other side of Tampa's well-known Bayshore Blvd. is Ballast Point Park, which is my favorite pick for Florida's Hidden Gems.

Only In Your State has an interesting article on 14 of their picks for Hidden Gems in Florida. Click here to go to their article to discover some new spots in Florida to explore.

What I Love About Living in Central Florida

2014-07-15T14:43:00.000-04:00

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

2014-04-05T13:16:00.000-04:00

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

2014-01-16T11:41:00.003-05:00

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 . . .

Greetings from Florida!

2013-11-23T20:03:00.000-05:00

Back when the Captain and I went to Punta Gorda this Spring, it seemed like it was a promising start to a busy and adventurous Florida summer since we have both retired and have all this time on our hands. We both had all kinds of ideas for Florida adventures we could experience and share on this blog.
Nature had another thing in mind.
I don't remember a summer when the weather was so nasty and rainy with storms every day to where it was difficult to do anything outdoors and have a good time. No hurricanes this year, but more waterlogged than ever! We haven't even been back to Busch Gardens since the beginning of the year.
It has been an eventful season of hardship that doesn't seem to end. The huge tree that fell on our big storage shed is still there, crushing the building more every day. All my treasures and memories are in there and it breaks my heart!
Big bummer and lots of work needs to be completed before the adventures begin again.
But wait . . . after the tree incident, our water well system broke down. The municipality we live in . . . within the city limits of the City of Tampa . . . does not even offer water hookup in our neighborhood. Imagine that in a big city like Tampa . . . we pay city taxes! But they will do the necessary prep work for a modest $15,000 just for the pleasure of having the option to hook up to city water . . . oh yes, and three others in our neighborhood have to pony up $15,000 too before they will even consider it. They spend millions of dollars on crap stuff, yet don't provide basic infrastructure to all the tax paying citizens who live within their city limits. Amazing! Don't buy a house with well water!
Sorry for the rant!
It is nearly impossible to get the well people to fix our well . . . too many trees and obstructions have to be removed before they can get the truck to where the well is. The Captain has had to troubleshoot the well problem and will be the one doing the repairs manually. The experts are not forthcoming with helpful hints since they are all about making money. It is a learning situation and a lot of work! All of a sudden, in comparison, that one tree smashing the storage shed is like an ant in the forest.

The removing of the tree adventure

will not begin until we have

running water again.

Anyway, that is why there have been no happy adventures in Florida posts!
All in all, we are still so grateful for what we do have and it is not the end of the world . . . we have each other. Just a little inconvenience to remind us to be grateful for every little thing we have been blessed with.
The autumn weather has been awesome and we are looking forward to spending a warm Thanksgiving with family.
Happy Holidays everybody . . . keep us in your prayers!

Punta Gorda . . . a jewel in the sun

2013-04-08T11:19:00.002-04:00

Although the Sarasota area is by far my favorite Florida destination, The Captain and I were pleasantly surprised with a sweet jewel in the sun, Punta Gorda, located approximately one hour south of Sarasota.

The Captain's parents and brother invited us on their spring break adventure to the southwest Florida resort . . . the guys wanted a deep sea fishing adventure and I was very pleased to find a beautiful little town to relax and take in some sun with our dog Kiki.

We stayed at the Four Points by Sheraton Punta Gorda Harborside which is located on the edge of the Charlotte Harbor waterfront in beautiful Punta Gorda.

The grounds were beautifully landscaped in a tropical setting, the hotel itself was decorated with a pleasant nautical theme, the rooms were super comfy with especially comfortable beds/fluffy pillows and the staff was friendly and helpful. I was very surprised that they accepted dogs and Kiki was very happy in her familiar kennel in a new room.

A huge complaint about the hotel is that it is 100% non-smoking, which can be a form of torture for two smokers who had to escape to the vehicle in the middle of the night and in the midst of a rainstorm for a smoke (even though we tried to go smoke free with patches). If we return to the area, that one inconvenience may be the thing that keeps us from staying at the hotel again. It is my belief they could accommodate both smokers and non-smokers with their own areas.

Another negative was no microwave or refrigerator, but available for an additional charge. A nice coffee/tea bar was included in the room.

The pool area was very relaxing and perfect for what we were looking for . . . relaxing in the sun . . . the surrounding landscape was awesome! I appreciated that our dog Kiki was welcome at the pool area.

This photo of Dean's South of the Border is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Dean's South of the Border was another pleasant surprise! The Captain and I ordered an overflowing plate of Nachos Supreme loaded with meat and cheese that was reasonably priced and very tasty and delicious. The portions were so generous that we took home a doggie bag to enjoy later. The service was friendly, but slow. The atmosphere was awesome and so festive! A live band was playing in the outdoor dining area. I would definitely recommend this restaurant and dine there again and again.

Laishley Crab House advertises waterfront dining and the freshest seafood available. The atmosphere was absolutely awesome . . . sadly, the food was very pricey and not so great . . . the service was less than desirable.

For example, I ordered the Fried Shrimp plate which was just OK at the steep price of $18.00 for a moderate amount of shrimp. It included a skimpy portion of french fries and a shriveled little piece of frozen corn on the cob . . . no salad included. Others dining with us left most of their food because it lacked flavor. Huge disappointment! I do not recommend this restaurant!

Unfortunately, it rained all but one day of our stay, so we did not take our own photos and we didn't get to venture out much to explore this wonderful little town. However, I would love to return and explore more!

The guys chartered an all-day deep sea fishing boat and came back with what equated to a freezer full of fish . . . it was worth the trip and the guys had an awesome time out on the Gulf of Mexico. They wanted to do it again another day, but the weather did not permit another fishing adventure.

Most of the photos were taken from The Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce website.

Blooming Busch Gardens!

2013-02-24T08:25:00.002-05:00

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!

2013-02-12T16:47:00.002-05:00

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

2013-02-03T14:16:00.001-05:00

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

2012-06-25T05:50:00.000-04:00

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?

2012-06-16T03:13:00.003-04:00

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!

2011-12-31T11:19:00.000-05:00

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.

Subscribe to My Florida Paradise so you won't miss out on future posts!

Come on down to Florida!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T15:11:00.000-05:00

From our family to yours

Merry Christmas!

Hope your day is happy, festive

and full of love :)

Fishing Adventure at Ballast Point ~ Tampa, Florida

2011-10-05T23:39:00.000-04:00

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!

Ballast Point Park ~ Tampa, Florida

2011-09-25T05:38:00.000-04:00

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 . . .

Discover Tampa through our eyes!

2011-09-24T20:36:00.000-04:00

The Captain and I have been all around Tampa for one reason or another. Since we recently got married, there have been so many IDs to get, change, update which have taken us from one part of town to the other . . . numerous times. It gave us the idea of doing blog posts featuring the diversity of Tampa, what makes it so special and why I would not live anywhere else in the world.

Today we went off just for fun. MacDill Air Force Base was having a Veterans' Appreciation Day, so we started our day off with an awesome brunch at the dining room usually designated for active military only. WOW I was impressed with the quality of food and the great service we received. After doing some shopping and checking out all the various veterans association booths (did I mention that I love being a military wife?), we decided to continue our adventure and forget about going straight home.

Our first stop was Ballast Point, which is located on Tampa Bay . . . down the street from the base and across the bay from downtown and the Port of Tampa. We checked out their lovely pier and relaxed at the picnic area, enjoying a beautiful Florida day, taking lots of photos along the way.

Ballast Point is off of Bayshore Boulevard, which runs along Tampa Bay, leading to Downtown Tampa. I kept clicking photos throughout the drive all the way through downtown. It was at that point we decided to make it a dedicated photo taking day. We took some awesome and unusual shots of gorgeous buildings surrounding downtown, ending up in Historic Ybor City, which is where we finally landed, parked the van and headed out to our adventure.

My roots are in Ybor City and the changes made through the years have made me so proud of my latina heritage which lies in the historic district.

The highlight of our day was a ride on the streetcar from Ybor City, back towards downtown to Channelside, home of The Florida Aquarium, the Tampa Bay Lightning (St. Pete Forum), cruise ship terminals, dining ships that include a tour of Tampa Bay and the quaint shops and restaurants of the artsy Channelside district itself.

The new ultra-modern condos that have gone up and still going up around Channelside and downtown are each unique with gorgeous architecture and landscaping . . . quite the contrast a streetcar ride away from the historic Ybor City architecture that takes you back to another time, very reminiscent of Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

We had a blast . . . but the bad news is soon after jumping on the streetcar to begin our journey to Channelside, the camera batteries died. Major bummer . . . we are planning on going back tomorrow, weather permitting, to take even more photos of Ybor City and finally take some photos at Channelside.

It is awesome to show The Captain around his new home and share my roots with him.

I'll take each section of town as a blog post with lots of photos to share my city with all of you, along with a little history and some "back in the day" memories.

Can't wait to continue our adventure tomorrow!

UPDATE :(

IT IS TOMORROW AND AN UGLY

RAINY DAY IN TAMPA!

NOT A GOOD DAY FOR PHOTOS

. . . maybe next weekend?

Fort Desoto Park ~ St. Petersburg, Florida

2011-08-04T07:36:00.000-04:00

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 . . .