The Fast and the Furriest

Rain chain

Rain chain, originally uploaded by callenstewart.

A friend of mine has this really cool rain chain. I've envied it for years. During the rain, it guides the water into the rain barrel below, to be used during a dry period.

Sunset Gold

Sunset Gold, originally uploaded by callenstewart.

Sometimes I forget... then I remember. I live here. :)

My boy...

My boy..., originally uploaded by callenstewart.

Such a handsome boy.

Good morning.

It's been a while. I guess I just haven't had much inspiration lately. Maybe it's the heat. It's summer in Florida. Always a challenge just to stay cool.

I finally got to go kayaking with my friend Patti. It was our third attempt. The first time we tried to go, I ended up with a flat tire. The second time we actually got onto the water, but thunder and lightning in the area drove us out. Finally we made it out last weekend. It was the first time we went out together (maybe the first time for Patti-?). We had a really great time. We have another date planned for this month. And I may go out tomorrow too. I haven't decided yet. Lots of things to do around the house (as usual).

I took the kids for a walk this morning - last night's rain left the dog park really wet I'm sure. Not in the mood to deal with muddy dogs this morning. But we had a good walk.

I'm off to run some errands. Maybe go to The Spice & Tea Exchange. I need to pick up some Florida Sunshine for a friend of mine in WA.

Chandler? Chandler Bing?

I took the dogs to the park again this morning - our usual weekend ritual. We left a little later than usual this morning. It was starting to get busy, but not too bad. There were a lot of Yellow Labs, an Irish Setter, a few mixed breeds, and the Australian Cattle Dogs. We've met the Aussies a few times. They are pretty friendly dogs. Every now and then, there's another male dog that gets a little too "interested" in Jackson, one of my male dogs.

Now, Jackson is about the most docile dog on the planet. He doesn't have an aggressive bone in his body (unless you happen to be a 'possum, raccoon or cat). Several months ago there was a Standard Poodle that wouldn't leave him alone. I finally gave up because the owners were pretty useless and couldn't control their dog, so I decided to leave. While trying to get Jackson to leash him, he turned on the Poodle and I think he turned into a bear. So I was happy to see him stick up for himself.

So this morning he had an admirer in one of the Australian Cattle Dogs. Why this visit and not any of the other times we've seen them is a mystery to me. So I think it must be his hair. He has gay hair. He's the Chandler Bing of the Fort De Soto Paw Playground.

Camera Madness

One thing I've always wished that I did better was document my vacation, friends and just anything that interests me. I wished I was better about taking pictures. I went to Maui years ago, and think I have maybe a dozen pictures to show for it. When I was lucky enough to be invited to go to the Dominican Republic last year with friends, I forced myself to take gobs of pictures and journal everything we did at the end of each day (which you can read here if you're really interested). I'm glad I did.

So a couple months ago, I picked up a new camera and began a new hobby. It's a little bit overwhelming at times - there is a LOT to learn.

One of the unexpected side effects is that I've began a few new friendships with other photographers - some I've actually met and some I have not. I never thought I would be one of those people who "befriends" people online. But my addiction to Flickr has me in awe of many people all over the world - and prompted me to start discussions with a few of them.

I'll keep on shooting, and keep on learning. I hope you enjoy my photos as much as I do taking them.

St. Pete Pride

Last weekend was the 7th annual St. Petersburg Pride Parade. In just a few short years, St. Pete's festival has become the largest pride festival in the state. There were an estimated 80,000 people in attendance. In addition to just having fun, hanging out with friends, I got to practice taking some photos.

If you're interested in seeing more photos, you can visit my flickr set.

Dog Park Ettiquette

Those of you who know me, are aware that I have a weekend ritual that plays out every Saturday and Sunday morning. I have three whippets that are a part of my family and a huge part of my life. Each weekend morning is spent at the local dog park. Over the past five years, I’ve learned a lot about dog park behavior. Some of it is etiquette, some of it is behavior, and some are just lessons that others really need to learn.

• Always, always, always clean up after your dog. You brought it in, you are responsible for it. And I don’t want to step in it. It can also spread disease. Be responsible.
• Don’t be afraid to ask someone for a bag if you don’t have one.
• CLOSE THE GATE BEHIND YOU! There is a reason for the gate. It’s not for your sake, it’s to keep the other dogs in.
• If you’ve never used a gate fork latch, the way to use it is pull UP then DOWN to the right. It’s not rocket science. You’re just lazy.
• Watch your dog. Do not sit and read a book. Do not get tied up on a phone call.
• Learn to read your dog and others in the park. Are tails wagging? Or are hackles up?
• Do not let your dog run with others when on a retractable leash. These leashes are dangerous. Especially when they are playing with other dogs.
• Friendly dogs hurt too. Sometimes dogs can play rough. Even though they may not be aggressive, they can still hurt other dogs or people.
• Just because your small dog is comfortable around big dogs does not mean it’s safe. See bullet above.
• Just because your child is comfortable around big dogs does not mean it’s safe. See second bullet above.
• Good dog owners go in the morning. Okay - so I’m not saying that if you go in the afternoon that your a bad owner. I’m saying that the regulars who make the effort to get up early and go tend to pay more attention. The afternoon crowd are usually just on their way to the beach or park and decide to take their dog. They are there for a different reason.
• Talk to the other dog owners. Most people LOVE to talk about their dogs. It will help put them at ease about your dog if they feel you are a good dog owner.
• Don’t forget to ask about their dog. A simple, “what’s his name,” or “how old is she” goes a long way. Other people’s dogs are just as important to them as yours are to you. Keep this in mind when you are talking to other dog owners.
• In addition to cleaning up after your dog, clean up after yourself. Do not leave your water bottles, worn out dog toys, food wrappers or trash in the park. Save your trash so you can litter in your own front yard.

While you have a lot of responsibility during your visit, your dogs are there to have fun. Enjoy your trip to the park. This is the time you get to spend with your best friends.

The Birds of Sunken Gardens

This past weekend I had the opportunity to photograph the birds at Sunken Gardens out of their cages. Here are a few pictures I have on Flickr.

Lens Envy

I think I just picked up one of the most expensive start-up hobbies in the world. It's been less than a week and I already have lens envy. I really need a macro lens followed by a zoom lens. Oh, and a camera bag. Then I'll be done... right?

New Toy

I've come to the conclusion that the price of "toys" increases proportionately to age.

For almost a year now, I've had serious camera envy. I took a lot of pictures on my trip with friends to the Dominican Republic. Since I have a history of being really bad about documenting my vacations, I made a huge effort to do so on this trip. At the end of each day, back in my hotel room, I took the time to keep a very detailed diary of everything I did that day. I also took many, many pictures. The pictures were okay, that is to say, I think I captured the images I wanted, but I really began to wish I had a better camera.

I take a lot of pictures of my three whippets. For those of you who haven't met them, or aren't familiar with the breed, they are fast. Whippets can run up to 35 miles per hour. That's way too fast for my little point & shoot camera. While I love my little Fuji, and it's done pretty well, I just can't get good pics of the dogs.

A few months back, I met another whippet owner who was at the park taking scenic shots. While we chatted, he took some random shots of my kids as they were running around the park. The quality of his pictures far outweighed every picture I have ever taken of them. I was very envious.

So, after talking with many friends who are photo hobbyists and professionals, I started narrowing down my selection. Unfortunately, I started knowing nothing, and now know just a little more than I did then, but enough to realize that this was going to be a bigger investment than I initially thought. But after agonizing over it for a while, today I took the plunge. I've made my purchase. Now I wait for it to arrive - and the hard (but fun) part begins. Hopefully, I'll be able to improve my collection of photos to share.

Stay tuned...

Surprise Gardening

One of the things I like the best about gardening is being surprised. We spend a lot of time in our yard, looking things over, making plans, moving and trimming and just enjoying everything.

Moving here from the Oregon, gardening took on a whole new meaning. Everything grows differently in Florida. It took a few years to really notice the seasons, as most people complain about, but once you’ve lived here, you definitely see them. Things do slow down in the winter months, and we have many things that pop up in the spring.

Our typical weekend usually starts with the coffee crawl. I call it this because we usually start out with a cup of coffee in one hand as we wander the yard, but usually end up on my hands and knees pulling weeds or digging something up… thus, “the coffee crawl.”

As I mentioned, I like the surprises the most. It can be amazing sometimes to see the changes that happen during the week while we are away at work. Yesterday I happened to notice a bloom that wasn’t there last weekend. I hadn’t even noticed the bloom spike. We have had this Vanda for maybe 4-5 years now, and it’s never bloomed. I know it hasn’t gotten the care that it would like, and it’s not a particularly attractive shape. But when it was given to us, I thought it was supposed to be one of the (fairly) common blue-ish purple blooms. Well, it’s not, but I still really like it. I’m not sure what it’s called, but it’s attractive in it’s own way. Not a real showy bloom, and the spike is a little contorted, but I love the petals and the way they look like they’re trying to take flight.

As spring moves to summer, I’m looking forward to many more surprises.

A distantly familiar pain...

Friday I did something daring. Something I haven't done in a very long time. I decided to play tennis for the first time in 10 years.

Ouch.

Hopefully, next time, with newly wrapped racquet handles and appropriate shoes, I'll feel much better afterward.

:)

Moongaze Reunion

This past weekend we had a play date at the Ft. De Soto Paw Playground. I brought my three whippets, Savannah, Jackson and Raleigh, and we met up with Terri who brought  Trevor, Caper and three of Savannah's puppies (Raleigh's sisters), Margeaux, Heaven and Brecken.

We usually go to the park in the morning, when it's more likely to just be the "good" dog owners. In the afternoons it's a lot of people who are just headed to the beach and happened to bring their dogs. They aren't typically as good about watching their dogs, closing the gates or cleaning up after their dogs. I try not to get irritated, but it's hard sometimes. Especially when the double gates are left open. I'm not so forgiving about that.

In spite of all that, we still had a lot of fun. They were so excited to see the other whippets. I'm sure that they recognized and remembered each other by the way they acted. 

Afterwards, we all came back to our house for a visit and ice cube treats. Raleigh was so proud of all his toys, Jackson took them on a tour of the house and s

howed them e

verything. Everyone was well behaved. Although Savannah was over it first, but still, she

 was good. 

After they all left, Savannah seemed relieved, Jackson was exhausted, but Raleigh wasn't happy about it. He followed me around the house whimpering and talking to me. "Aroo-roo-roo!" He didn't like that they left! LOL!  

If we had room - I'm sure we would have a house full of whippets all the time. 

Spring awakes...

DSCF0653, originally uploaded by callenstewart.

India Festival

Cosmic Reunion?

Well the first two months of 2009 are just about over, and it’s been an interesting year already. I’m not sure what has prompted this; maybe it’s age, maybe the planets have aligned, or some other weird cosmic dance is happening, but this seems to have started as the year of reunions.

I’ve had many friends come and go over the years. Circumstances and geography have separated some of us. Some were only meant to be for short periods of time. Some seem to skip in and out like stones on a pond – quickly touching as they go by. And others have stuck around for long periods of time.

I have some of the many social sites to thank for some of this; Friendster, MySpace, FaceBook, Blogger, Twitter, and even some of the more obscure sites like Gather, MyFolia, LibraryThing. And I think the photo-sharing sites like Webshots, Flickr and Picasa count too. Let’s not even start with the music sites.

So far this year, I’ve reconnected with eight friends – some I haven’t seen in almost a year, others whom I haven’t seen in over 25 years. Now I’m beginning to wonder who’s going to pop up next.

copied from the St. Pete Times...

Don't let St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker annex Tierra Verde

Paul P. Murray, guest columnist

Published Friday, February 6, 2009

---

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker's opinion piece (Annexation explanation, Jan. 15) ignores reality for the residents of Tierra Verde. We should not be surprised that politicians see the world differently than we do. Confronted with a politician's spin, who are we to attempt to respond? Anyway, this is how we see it.

For several decades, folks have been moving to Tierra Verde to enjoy life in a more laid-back island atmosphere. Almost the entire island was developed for residential use, and the few commercial properties served the needs of residents and visitors. Because the vast majority of residents like Tierra Verde the way it is, in 2007 they voted in support of Pinellas County adopting a Comprehensive Overlay Plan to maintain the current sense of place and quality of life that, among other things, limits the density and intensity of development.

Unfortunately, at the peak of the real estate market, two developers bought commercial properties at the gateway to Tierra Verde. They decided they needed to intensely redevelop these properties in order to maximize their profits. But intense development is not part of Tierra Verde's past or present and is not consistent with the Tierra Verde community's vision for the island's future or the state-approved Community Overlay Plan. The developers were unable to get the county to allow them to build what they wanted, so they turned to the city, which has more liberal rules and, of course, was eager to attain a foothold on the island.

Historically, the purpose of annexation was to allow a municipality to extend services like water, sewer treatment, or police and fire protection to an unincorporated area that did not have such services in return for an increased tax base. That is not the case in Tierra Verde, for we have all of these services, and the residents have demonstrated their satisfaction with being part of unincorporated Pinellas County at the ballot box.

Mayor Baker said that the city is not annexing, is not attempting to annex and, during his term has never planned to annex the homes of the residents of Tierra Verde. How does he explain the land-use section of St. Petersburg's Comprehensive Plan that states the city's goal is annexation of all of Tierra Verde for its tax base? The city filed three times last year for the annexation of our island, and the final application filing excised the docks from the Tierra Verde Resort and left them in unincorporated Tierra Verde. Why? Could it be that the people who live aboard their boats would force a vote of the residents for approval?

Mayor Baker doesn't have the right to spread his tax burden to us in Tierra Verde. We might have a lower millage rate, but that is more than offset by our highly appraised values.

In this budget-challenged environment in which we find ourselves, we hope the residents of St. Petersburg will track closely the hundreds of thousands of dollars the mayor plans to spend on litigating his annexation dream.

Paul P. Murray is president of the Tierra Verde Community Association.

Big Mac Attack

Well I finally did it. After many years of friends looking aghast when I tell them that I'm still in PC world, I drank the kool-aid. Okay, if I'm going to be realistic, I guess I did a canonball into the deep end of the kool-aid. It started a couple years ago when I started playing around with iTunes. I liked the look. I liked that it was easy, I liked being able to search for just about any artist and find them. So a year later, I bought an iPod. It became an instant old friend, traveling with me to work every day, replacing the stacks of CDs. Then this past summer came the iPhone. Not to replace my iPod, but really because it was time for a new phone. I like my iPhone, but there are a few things I miss about my regular old cell phone - mostly the easy phone functions that I haven't become adept at yet on the new one (including good voice dialing, video recorder). Then last month I took a giant bite of the apple and bought a MacBook. And I'm in love.


At first, I was scared. I opened the box and couldn't find the stack of set-up manuals, user guides and extraneous software that usually comes with a new PC. I thought for sure something was missing when all I could find was this tiny booklet of information. But that seems typical of the other Apple products I've purchased. But as soon as I powered it up, I was in awe. So bright and clean as the keyboard literally shines up at me. It's like I hear the angels sing every time I open the lid. Again, I had some anxiety at first because I couldn't find all the stuff I had to install and set up and the plethora of Welcome screens that you have to fight your way through. Everything was pre-installed, with the exception of email. I had a little trouble setting that up, which seems to be typical with my ISP. But finally I tried something that I thought for SURE wouldn't work because it was just too easy, and voila. I'm in. It took a couple days for that nervousness to fade away and accept the zen-like tranquility of this new technology.


Since then I've added a few new programs on my own, and I have to say the ease of the drag-and-drop installations nearly makes me teary-eyed. It's never been this easy before. I've so quickly adapted that there have been a few times that I have become frustrated at work because it feels so cumbersome.


The only really scary part of this experience has been the cost. Apple's not cheap by any means. But my hope and expectation is that it's worth it and will be for a long time. I think the only thing I'm unhappy with is that I chose to purchase a corded mouse instead of spending the extra for the bluetooth mouse. The cord is a little short, but I just find myself using the pad more often. Not such a bad thing.


I will admit that there is a certain social stigma that comes with Apple. But I don't care. I'm hooked. I'm so in awe that I have to keep my enthusiasm in check - I've been been accused a few times of trying to convert my friends and co-workers to the cult of Mac. But I don't care. I'm a happy convert.