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It Happened to Me Tampa Bay

Today at Bearss Groves

Photo: Pumpkin stands at Bearss Groves

If you’re in Tampa and looking for pumpkins, our regular fruit/vegetable place, Bearss Groves, has plenty in stock! I got three “sugar pie” pumpkins for $10, and they’ll end up as part of dinner (mashed like potatoes, they make a great side dish). They’ve got plenty for carving or decorating as well.

Photo: Pumpkin stands at Bearss Groves

I was there this morning, and their garden-grown squash selection was great! They had yellow and green zucchini…

Photo: Yellow zucchini at Bearss Groves

Photo: Green zucchini at Bearss Groves

…yellow squash…

Photo: Yellow squash at Bearss Groves

…8-ball zucchini, which you can stuff with all kinds of things

Photo: 8-ball zucchini at Bearss Groves

…and patty-pan squash (I got a couple pounds of these).

Photo: Patty-pan squash at Bearss Groves

Categories
It Happened to Me Music Tampa Bay

Sign of the day: “Presidents are Temporary. Wu-Tang is forever!”

Photo: U.S. election campaign-style sign that reads: “Presidents are temporary. Wu-Tang is forever 2020.”
Tap to view at full size.

Seminole Heights’ seal, which depicts a two-headed alligatorI saw this on this in Hampton Terrace during this morning’s 10K bike ride.

I think I’ll close this post with something you might not have seen: A scene from Jim Jarmusch’s Coffee and Cigarettes that puts together Wu-Tang’s GZA, RZA, and Bill Murray at the same booth in a café:

Categories
It Happened to Me Tampa Bay

Our front yard this morning

It’s Thanksgiving weekend in Canada, where the holiday is celebrated on the second Monday in October. As a Canadian transplant, a generally grateful person, and one who never turns down a good holiday, I celebrate both Thanksgivings.

Seminole Heights’ seal, which depicts a two-headed alligatorOne thing I’m grateful for is being able to live on a corner lot on a lush tree-lined street in a delightfully quirky neighborhood in a sub-tropical paradise.

Here are some photos I took earlier in our front yard this morning, as the rain gave way to a sunshine break, just in time for my daily 10K bike ride.

Categories
America Florida Tampa Bay The Current Situation

Florida woman plays along with crazy boss’ stupid game, wins stupid prize

 

By now, you’re probably aware of the news that White House press secretary and Tampa Bay’s own Kayleigh McEnany (a.k.a. “Kayleigh Mendacity”) tested positive for COVID-19, making her the 13th person (so far) in Trump’s circle to do so.

Now might be a good time to recall this appearance on Trish Regan’s show on the Fox Business channel, back in February (which feels like years ago):

Like other members of Team Trump, McEnany didn’t follow public health guidelines about masks, largely as a symbolic gesture.

Even now, there are still people who are flouting common sense rules as an act of defiance. You’d think that most adults would’ve gotten past the phase where they rebel against their parents, but apparently that’s not always the case:

Tap to view the original moronic Tweet.
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Tampa Bay The Current Situation

Congratulations, Tampa Bay Lightning — 2020 Stanley Cup champs!

Tap the photo to view it at full size.

I’m originally from Toronto, so I’d given up all hope of ever seeing the home team win the Cup. But I live in Tampa now!

I’m going to have to teach this classic Canadian ditty to my fellow Tampeños:

Categories
Tampa Bay The Current Situation

Scenes from this morning’s bike ride

The temperature at the END of the bike ride. It was a shade cooler than this when I was biking.

The weather must’ve been aware of the calendar, because it got autumn-like — well, what passes for autumn here in Tampa, anyway — all of a sudden.

It was also a nice day to try on the new UV-protective shirt that Anitra got for me:

I try to do a 10K ride as often as I can. I typically manage to do so five times a week on average.

I do this by using it as my podcast/audiobook listening time. I don’t listen via headphones; instead, I clip onto my backpack’s right shoulder strap (you can see the Otterbox clip in the photo above, complete with rubber band backup).

I do groceries on my bike trips, which gives me yet another reason to hop on the bike.

I also benefit from the scenery in Seminole Heights, which is surrounded on three sides by the Hillsborough River (it takes an upside-down U-shaped path through the neighbourhood, going north, then west, then south). There’s a number of pocket parks here, including this one:

And just to remind you that you’re in Florida, there’s a “Warning: Alligators” sign…

Categories
Florida Tampa Bay

It’s fall in Florida!

It’s the first day of fall, which in Florida means “slightly less oppressively hot and humid.”

For the curious, here’s today’s weather forecast for Tampa: