Water Sprites: Bern's Park

This is the statuary and fountain ready to be unveiled at the new Bern's Park on South Howard Avenue. The park is located south of Kennedy Boulevard and two blocks from Bayshore Boulevard and is named in honor of Bern Laxer, famed restaurateur and founder of Tampa's world renowned Bern's Steak House.

A report from Bay News 9 on Bright House said this about the park:

"More than half a century after Bern Laxer opened his steak house, the city is preparing to unveil Bern's Park. The park will bear the name of Laxer, who died in 2004, ... The park has been in the works since 2003, and has been spearheaded by planner Laurie Potier-Brown. The first phase of the project is set to be completed in a couple of weeks."

"It does entail these beautiful walkways that will be lined in brick, and the fountain, which will be two-tiered," Potier-Brown said. The fountain will be the first in Tampa to use reclaimed water."We're placing eight benches surrounding the fountain, so people can enjoy the fountain at night," she said. "There will be lights on the sculpture and the water will be flowing."David Laxer said his father would have approved of the park."He's the type of person that would really enjoy that park a lot," he said. "Life sometimes gets a little bit too fast, and you need to just sit back and enjoy it."

Lighting the way for my true love

A lawn jockey shares his small world with a lady, a naked lady I think, shouldering a blue vase. Now, looking at the years of war our jockey has endured, I would bet the vase is filled with wine, or at least a couple of pints of Guinness. Whatever it takes to slake his thirst. Standing guard on the hot, dusty road, cars whizzing past, spewing fumes ...it's enough to make any lawn jockey toss the lamp and run for the beach or sailboat. But our little sentinel has a greater mission and purpose. See that stony, determined look on his face. Forget the homeowners, he's protecting his fair lady. His princess with the vase. As a couple they work pretty well together, except he's obviously the better dresser, or knows that standing on public roadways requires proper attire. She on the other hand only has her man in mind. Lawn jockeys go way back. Where the first appeared no one's quite sure. There are all kinds of fanciful stories...much like our beloved welcoming pineapples. Dressed in brightly colored jockey clothes, they are more popular in some parts of the USA then in others. Some of the jockey statues have a ring for holding the reins of a horse and others a spiffy lantern like our statuesque hero. Standing tall, an immovable sentinel at your driveway, he is solid as concrete. Dependable. I'd guess that as their owners drive away, they leap back onto the lawn chairs behind them for some shade and rest. But always vigilant, at attention, they still dream of spending time alone, away from the traffic, to explore one another's fading glories...and paint. And purpose. Ah, my beloved.

Technorati Profile

It's a mailbox silly. What did you think it was?

Yes, it really is a mail box. Or at least it holds one. Securely. I can't help but think of the hilarious movie from the mid-80s, Little Shop of Horrors. With the potted house plant's incessant demand to be fed. FEED ME! it screams as it grows and grows and develops a rather odd and horrific personality. Now, when the U.S. Postal employee, the fine, upstanding mailman, stops at this quiet one-story, to drop off the direct mail pieces and bills, does the 6-foot tall mail box start in with demands? Feed me. More. More. Pull down my box lid. I love it when you have a delivery Mr. Postman. Do you wonder how long it's been standing in front of the house. Does anyone else notice? When did the idea first hit the homeowners. "Honey, you know what I'm going to build in the garage today? You're going to love it." Now, somewhere on earth, this minute, someone is saying, "What kind of plant is it?" OK, I'll take a shot at it. Hibiscus. That's so Tampa. So Florida. They are in everyone's yard. But I venture there is only one Hibiscus mail box. I dare you. Find another. (Here's an online description: "The flowers are large, conspicuous, trumpet-shaped, with five or more petals, ranging from white to pink, red, purple or yellow, and from 4-15 cm broad. [It definitely exceeds the normal size, believe me.] The color of the Hibiscus grows darker as it ages. The fruit is a dry five-lobed capsule, containing several seeds in each lobe, which are released when the capsule splits open at maturity.") Is there any chance that the mailbox itself is actually a fruit, or a lobe of the plant ripening to maturity? Nah........ It's just a mailbox looking very happy and making its owner smile. Feed ME!