Most everyone agrees climate change is unfolding before our eyes. While western Canada (Jasper National Park in Alberta) and Greece are fighting deadly wildfires, China and Japan are battling floods and earthquakes. In the Tampa Bay area, we're experiencing sweltering temperatures, in the mid-90s most days. Thankfully, rain came down almost everyday for an hour or two in the late afternoons in the last several weeks. Then we were dealt with Little Debby, the tropical storm that brought more rain, torrential at times, even though we were not in the storm's path.
As a result, our garden is lush. Birds love it. An array of birds - bluejays, mockingbirds, cardinals, woodpeckers, ibises, rabbits, squirrels and recently a white egret - visit everyday. They mesmerize us for hours :-)!
One beautiful morning in July, we met some friends at Weedon Island Preserve in St Pete for a kayaking adventure. We did the 4-mile paddling trail that meanders through a mangrove forest, giving us a chance to get up close and personal with the wildlife - birds, oysters, crabs - that calls it home. Florida mangroves help protect land from erosion, provide shelter and protection for birds and shellfish and absorb storm surge impact from extreme weather such as the recent Tropical Storm Debby.
Kayaking through a tunnel of mangroves
White ibis
Yellow-crowned night heron
We captured the following sceneries on a walk to the beach a week ago.
A family fishing under the causeway
Oleander bush
Palm and plumeria (flowers used to make Hawaiian leis)
These are the flora and fauna we frequently see in the Tampa Bay area. You might see alligators in lakes at the county or state parks, but we haven't encountered any recently.
TS Debby brought cooler temperatures for a couple of days. Now it's right back up to high 90s, but feels like 100! How's the weather in your neck of the woods?
The Sunday before Thanksgiving, we drove south to Florida for our winter getaway. We were surprised to find light traffic in the Atlanta area. As we got closer to the Florida border, the traffic got heavier, slowing to a crawl in Gainesville and again in Tampa. Guess people were not heeding CDC's plea to stay home for the Thanksgiving holiday. Covid-19 cases were rising in many states, with Florida ranking top 3 as of Dec 4. We only stopped to fill up our gas tank and for bathroom breaks, so we got to our destination an hour earlier than our usual 12 hours drive.
With so many county parks and open spaces in the Tampa Bay area, we have room to roam, safely. It's a good thing the new St Pete Pier, which opened in July, is so open, airy and spacious, with 26 acres of land for outdoor activities. We met a friend for lunch at the rooftop bar Pier Teaki, and later explored the new pier and downtown by bike.
Looking at downtown St Pete from the rooftop bar Pier Teaki
Walkway to the St Pete Pier
Pier Plaza, with a cafe, chairs and interactive fountains
Looking at the Pier from Spa Beach
Taking a break to soak up some sun
a blue heron waiting patiently for a meal
Vantage point of the pier from the Dali Museum area
We wanted to see Van Gogh Alive at the Dali museum, but the tickets were sold out. Just as well. The exhibit runs until April 11, 2021, so we'll catch it next year. With vaccines out soon, it'll be safer to be indoors then.
Biked to the Vinoy Point
View of the St Pete Pier from Vinoy Point
Gelato and brownies - sweet endings to a great workout!
Music and gelato, how sweet it is!
My favorite Louis Armstrong song summed up our day:
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