PLAYING TOURIST...

Living here in a major vacation destination for both domestic and international tourists, we often overlook some really interesting activities. We have busy lives and often get caught up in the "catch-up around the house and yard" mentality and we forget to appreciate the beauty of our city...

This day, MacDaddy and I had breakfast at one of our favorite joints...Lenny's (this place gets its own post!), then headed toward the beaches. They're just a short hop from here...We began driving in and out of the streets of an old neighborhood along the sound and discovered...
                                

This pier in Bellair...It juts out from the shore into the bay. It was a favorite spot for many fishermen this morning...

There's something special about these crusty ol' fishermen...they just LOVE to talk with you about their casting techniques and about the "one that got away". This man had some great shark stories!!!

This is the view across Clearwater Harbor to Sand Key (on the barrier island, just south of Clearwater Beach)...Sand Key is primarily condos and private homes. There are two major hotels there, but they really blend in...the Sheraton Sand Key, which faces the Gulf, and the Marriott, which is bayside. Both are wonderful properties. There is also a county park with lots of beach access, pavillions, dressing rooms, and parking. (Pinellas County has some of the most beautiful parks!!!) The buildings in the above photo are all condominiums. The one in the center is where my brother has a beautiful hideaway. Although he lives right across Tampa Bay, he and his sons spend as much time as possible in this apartment...It's a wonderful respite from the stresses of the work week...

And this is what he sees from his balcony... Ahhhh...... 

Looking from the pier to Clearwater Beach...hotels, condos and private homes. 

All along the sound are boats...huge and small.

From the pier, we spy a private island enclave...never noticed it before! The only way to get into this neighborhood seems to be through a guarded gate/bridge.

Here in Bellair and Clearwater, there are mansions which rival those found in Palm Beach. Many are behind huge walls...for privacy. And yes, there are many celebrities who live (or have lived) behind those walls...

We headed north, to Dunedin. It's the community just north of Clearwater...Lots of marinas, restaurants and shops.  Our destination is the fish market...for tonight's dinner.

 Right next to the fish market is a delightful open air restaurant. We thought we'd sit awhile, and enjoy a coffee., but.....

there was a tremendous clash of thunder. And we noticed the skies to the east were BLACK and rolling.  Imagine...BLACK clouds on one side, gorgeous blue skies with billowy white clouds on the other. Which ones do we pay attention to? BLACK!!! Head for the car...lightning strikes a short distance away, and the skies open up.

It was our typical summer storm...and time to head home.

Come down for a visit!
Jane 

I will be linking with Susan for Outdoor Wednesday.

Oh No! Mom's At It Again...

HIDE...Mom's got her camera out again!!! 
     DB and WG simultaneously hide their faces when Mom's camera appears...Gee thanks, guys!




















Pulled pork sandwiches...Ribeye Steak sandwiches...Grouper Sandwiches...Fish Tacos...and a very "healthy" (?) salad...It's a Sunday at Ozona Blue!


This is one of our favorite places to go...especially on a beautiful sunny day. Imagine the sound of the breeze in the rigging of the sailboats...the lap of the waves...the palm fronds swishing...the call of the seabirds.

Good food...beautiful atmosphere...and a wonderful time with the family (minus MG - sniff). It's a great way to spend the afternoon....

Sailboats quietly motored through the water as they headed into the Gulf of Mexico...


Oh how we wanted to hitch a ride... I miss sailing!!!

These little girls kept us entertained all afternoon as they splashed their toes in the water.  It was such a warm day...

This pool is available to all the patrons of this restaurant. Drinks are served poolside, with food being delivered to a covered area on the deck...

I hope to see you here one day...

Jane

Be sure to check my previous post...for a CSN giveaway. All you have to do is check out the swing sets and leave a comment. The drawing will be on Friday...

and BE SURE to check out Outdoor Wednesday at asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com. You'll find some beautiful photos here...

Time for Lunch!

This is Bubba. He is a resident of Dunedin, FL, a quaint community along the Gulf of Mexico, near Clearwater.


Bubba is an EGRET...notice his dark legs. My husband told me how he learned, as a child, to distinguish egrets from herons. "E (for egret) = earth (meaning dark legs)" and "H (for heron) is close to G for golden". (Yes, this sounds a bit odd, but it works!

(Shellbelle wrote to tell me that Snowy Egrets have black legs, but their feet are yellow/gold. Great Egrets have black legs and black feet. So if you see an egret wandering around, you now know what kind of egret it is. Pretty cool, huh?)





While taking a short cut through the alley behind Casa Tina, a "gourmet Mexican and vegetarian" restaurant, my friend, Becky (Lace and Lures), and I met Bubba. He was walking toward the back door of the restaurant. Obviously, Bubba was quite accustomed to humans. He totally ignored our presence as he made his was to the door.

Bubba walked up to the kitchen door and appeared to "knock".










EVERYDAY, around noon, he arrives at Casa Tina for his snack. Bubba has an affinity for fried chunks of PORK! His friend in the kitchen comes out with a bag of these tasty treats. She explained that she had tried various meats and fish, but Bubba really seemed to prefer the pork.













(This is a really GOOD restaurant! Bubba has great taste!)








Bubba certainly stands out against the turquoise backdrop!

(Notice the pork in his beak... I wish I could have caught him in the act of swallowing...but he was TOO FAST for me!)




Thanks, Susan@ A Southern Daydreamer, for hosting Outdoor Wednesdays.