photos and descriptions of what makes our world a pleasure
emphasis on Florida and the Tampa Bay area but also far beyond

ACTIVITIES

Biloxi, Mississippi

August 27, 2011

My big sister, Lucy, in 1949 at Biloxi lighthouse The Mississippi Gulf Coast figures prominently in my family’s history since my father’s relatives are in southern Mississippi and Alabama. Also, as a poor Methodist preacher’s family in Illinois, about the only vacation we could afford when I was a kid was to head south in [...]

Tagged as: favorite articles

Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo

April 2, 2011

Bornean orangutan (male) “Rango” Age 36. The only great ape from Asia, orangutans are among the most endangered animals on earth. What a privilege: a private tour by the person I’m convinced is the world’s best docent of the zoo rated #1 in the United States by Parent’s Magazine. That zoo and that docent (Jane [...]

Tagged as: favorite articles, favorite photos

Work o’ the Weavers at St. Pete Palladium Theater

February 25, 2011

Work o’ the Weavers at St. Pete Palladium Side Door A few nights ago, a friend called and said, “We’re going to the [Work o' the] Weaver’s concert Thursday night at the Palladium. I know you like that kind of music. Do you want to come, too.” I said yes immediately. Although I’m not [...]

Beautiful outdoor evening at Yummy’s in Gulfport, Florida

November 21, 2010

Last night was almost the full moon (tonight is the actual full moon). The temperature was somewhere in the low seventies, I think–long sleeve weather, but not jacket weather…the kind of weather that makes folks want to move to Florida. A friend and I walked down to the Gulfport, Florida, Art Walk which is held [...]

Views of the “Big Boats” from the Crosstown Expressway

November 13, 2010

The Leroy Selmon Crosstown Expressway (map) is a toll road that stretches from Gandy Blvd., on the lower peninsula of Tampa, just north of MacDill Air Force Base, across the top of Hillsborough Bay, on to Brandon, a bedroom community to the southeast of Tampa. The purpose of the Crosstown Expressway, which was ridiculed when [...]

Florida Museum of Photographic Arts Member’s Show

August 24, 2010

A friend tipped me off that she had won an honorable mention at the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts Member’s Show. I was very pleased for her and wanted to see her picture. Plus, I was very curious about this museum. I’d not heard of it at all. The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts is [...]

I should have known better

August 3, 2010

Hilton’s first “song”–age 3 For young (and old) composers, there are no books that really help you understand the process of composing music. I mean that word, “no,” quite literally. There’s not a single book that I know of that really deals with the process. The books that purport to be about composition are really [...]

Rod & Reel Pier

August 2, 2010

Rod & Reel Pier Anna Maria Island, Florida That’s from Inkwatu: fishing piers. There’s a couple other pier related posts on here, too: Dubai Long Pier and St. Petersburg Pier. There are so many piers here in Tampa Bay that deserved to be photographed. This one is one of my favorites (as is the Dubai [...]

If you’re ever in St. Pete in June…

June 26, 2010

If you live in St. Pete, chances are someone you know was either marching down Central Avenue today or watching others do so. They may have been your brother or sister, your aunt or uncle, your son or daughter, your boss or employee…or a fellow church member. I counted almost 2 dozen churches marching in [...]

Tagged as: ACTIVITIES, favorite articles, Florida, HOLIDAYS, St. Petersburg

Stockyards, Fort Worth, Texas

April 25, 2010

On a recent trip to Fort Worth, Texas, a friend, born and raised in Texas, took me to the old Fort Worth Stockyards. If you’re ever in Fort Worth, a free (except for parking) bit of entertainment that’s very enjoyable, especially for kids or easily amused old folks, is a trip to the stockyards. The [...]

Tagged as: ACTIVITIES, Fort Worth/Dallas, HISTORIC, Texas

Philfest 2010

March 31, 2010

Can there be any doubt that the mix of family, friends, and food is one of life’s greatest pleasures? One look at the pictures accompanying this article should be proof. Those smiles are deeply felt. Joined in common cause, these families and friends celebrate their Filipino community while preparing their culture’s foods. “Backstage” is where [...]

Tagged as: ACTIVITIES, Asian food, events, favorite articles, Florida, Tampa

St. Petersburg 2010 Antiquarian Book Fair

March 13, 2010

There’s one more day of the 29th Annual Antiquarian Book Fair at the St. Petersburg Coliseum (floridabooksellers.com/bookfair.html). It’s only $6 for the day–$5 if you pick up one of the many coupons around town. If you enjoy books, especially books from your childhood or books you remember seeing in your grandparent’s home libraries, [...]

Tagged as: ACTIVITIES, BOOKS, bookstores, Florida, St. Petersburg, Tampa

Tampa’s Phap Vien Minh Dang Quang and the Jade Buddha

March 10, 2010

Every week/weekend in Tampa Bay has a lot of activities, but this weekend has more than most that fit my tastes. One you don’t want to miss is the enormous Jade Buddha for Universal Peace at the Vietnamese Buddhist temple in Town and Country (that area of Tampa on the west end of Hillsborough Avenue). [...]

Tagged as: attractions, Buddhist, churches & temples, favorite articles, Florida, SPIRITUAL, Tampa

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