FLAG DAY in the USA: The Vermont Flag first flew in 1777

These sailboats are at anchor in the Seaplane Basin at the far end of Davis Islands, a protected area near the private airport, the Davis Islands Yacht Club and where many folks take their dogs to the nice dog park (and what a great location for dogs to roam, meet, greet and play catch with one another...and pet owners also try to play nice and not get into fights.) I chose this group of boats because today is Flag Day in the USA. It is celebrated each year on June 14. It marks the adoption of the flag of the United States by a resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777. It wasn't until more than a century later, in 1916, that President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established today as Flag Day; in August 1949, National Flag Day was established by the US Congress. U.S. citizens are encouraged to to fly the American flag and the owner of this sailboat has chosen a very historical one to fly on the mast: the Bennington or Vermont flag. This special flag features the red and white stripes with 76 on the blue field and surrounded by stars, first flew over the military post in Bennington, Vermont, on August 16, 1777. It's a very distinctive flag, and although not the official flag of our country, makes a powerful and profound statement about our founding and proud heritage.

High Seas Adventures of Every Size and Description

The mixed boat traffic in our port, bay and channels cannot be better illustrated then by this shot of the huge ship M/T Bryggen, the tug Boat Freedom and the fun-loving crew of the small pleasure craft heading full speed out of the channel into Hillsborough Bay. Every commercial and cruise ship that wants entrance into our port must be guided by a tug such as the Freedom, snuggled up against the much larger container ship. Freedom is owned by Marine Towing of Tampa, which operates four tugs. (The company is principally owned by the Steinbrenner family that owns the New York Yankees.) Tampa’s port is Florida's largest by cargo volume with about 3,600 ships calling at Tampa last year, most of them cargo ships but an increasing number are cruise ships. The Freedom is a tough little tug capable of pushing, pulling and guiding some mighty big ships. It holds 29,000 gallons of fuel and has a tremendous capacity to get its job done right. They guide ships in from the Gulf of Mexico under the Skyway Bridge. The tug seems mighty powerful until you put it alongside the M/T Bryggen of Norway. Built in 2003, the company operates commercial tankers for other companies and charters. Their primary mission is stated as "Deep Sea Foreign Transport Of Freight, " and they are headquartered in Bergen, Norway. From the looks of the ship it can go up against any deep sea adventure it wishes to take on. It's about 520 foot in length (158,8 m) and is constructed of stainless steel and zinc (I love the things one can so easily find online with a few keystrokes.) I can't guess what it is bringing into Tampa's port and I don't want to guess what the young folk are taking out to sea along with their giant tubes and tons of sunscreen. It is a perfect day to be out boating and enjoying the water - and not working. The captain of the tiny pleasure craft must keep his eye on the larger ship traffic and stay clear of their wake. From the looks on the faces of the passengers they are definitely concentrating on Tampa's port tonnage and how to increase our commercial ship business...Oh, sure they are.

If you remember the wonderful Tampa Fire and Rescue fireboat that I featured in my May 27th post, go see it on the water and looking good at today's post at TampaBayDailyPhoto.

SkyWatch Friday: The marina at Ricks on the River is the place to ride out the approaching storm

This easterly view of the sky over Tampa shows the clouds beginning to gather, darken and grow more menacing. But we really need the moisture in those threatening, blackening clouds. Thankfully they'll let loose a real downpour which might last 15 minutes, more or less. The funny thing about Florida rain showers here on the Gulf Coast, now that we are back into our rainy season, is my street might get an inch of good, soaking rain, this marina 2 inches, and your house, a few blocks away? Zero. But, guaranteed, the humidity will drop a little and the air will feel cooler, even if the temps stay around 90+ degrees (32+ degrees celsius!) Our drought isn't over yet but the rain is falling more regularly and the water reservoirs and the rivers are beginning to rise. These boats tied up at Ricks's marina on the Hillsborough River won't be sitting up high and dry on the sand if the rains continue. At least not anytime soon from the looks of the storm that is surely coming this way.

Be sure and visit all the SkyWatch Friday sites throughout the world.

Let's Go Greek on Ybor's 7th Avenue

There is a wide variety of fine restaurants, bars and shops along 7th Avenue, the historical main street in Tampa's Ybor City. Best known for its exquisite Spanish cuisine like that found at the century-old, family-owned Columbia Restaurant, there are menus and dining experiences to match anyone's hunger from a fast lunch of an award-winning Cuban sandwich to an evening of fine dining, music and dance. Depending on the time of day, a younger crowd may arrive closer to 10pm to find a bit louder music to fit their taste and fun bars where they can mix and compare tattoos. This lunchtime scene of the Acropolis Greek Tavern right on 7th shows the casual, comfortable feel and welcoming atmosphere. Billed as a "little piece of Athens transported to Tampa," it's located at the corner of 18th Street in the almost century-old Spoto building. It's a family place that has been serving delicious and authentic Greek dishes and live music for a while now and it's popular day and night. The owners have two other locations but none with this much street-side charm and location. Enjoy delicious Greek specialities, full bar and plenty of people-watching if you can snag a table out front. Go Greek in the heart of Historic Ybor City!

Is Square really dull or unfashionable? How old are you anyway?

I have always liked the look of this place. (I admit I have not yet ventured inside.) And the name, SQUARESVILLE, pretty much says it all to most every generation alive. If you were born a Boomer, it conjures up all kinds of scenes and memories in your head. If you're even older, you may remember back to trying to dress exactly like Elvis and swivel and sneer at the girls in poodle skirts as you ran a greasy comb through your pompadour. As the sixties picked up steam, the 50s knock-off group Sha-Na-Na, that performed at Woodstock, represented a more contemporary, acceptable Square music scene, attitude and dress. Now, with generation X, Y and probably zebra, Square is hip, cool and totally retro, dude. Very in, cachet and desirable. So your apartment can look just like the 1950s and mimic your grandparent's place without the scratches and dust and doileys. Squaresville is on South Tampa's popular South Howard Avenue, SoHo. It's been around quite a while and attracts a clientele of just about every age...except for some of our parent's generation who couldn't wait to unload their furniture and knickknacks from the 1950s because it was so dated (they moved to Scan design and never moved back.) On occasion there has been a really fine vintage car parked out front, a Ford Edsel or similar "cool" car of the era.

They carry all the things that you either remember from that time in American cultural history or think is representative of the period after the Korean Conflict (War) and before the Beatles invaded from England. Playboy shirts, wall clocks with Bettie Page and kidney-shaped coffee tables. Very vintage and of an era we celebrated on television from Dobie Gillis to Laverne and Shirley to the all-time classic, Happy Days. Apparently, everything we grew to associate with these TV shows and lovable characters is to be found in Squaresville. Clothes, furniture, poodle skirts and Go-Go boots. The funny thing is, the furniture you couldn't wait to have picked up and hauled away is for sale at places like this. The store attracts all sorts who hang out in SoHo. So you'll see folks on Vespas and the occasional Maserati coupe sharing the spaces out front. Open since 1998, it bills itself as Tampa Bay's Grooviest Store, and If it's out of style, it's in stock. That's really groovy, man.

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The Honest Scrap Award was given to this blog by Jacob of Creative Confections. This is a real honor and I am especially proud because it is given by a fellow blogger. Please check out Jacob’s really fine and creative blogs by clicking on the award at left (and visit Ocala Daily Photo, Cedar Key Daily Photo and The Villages Daily Photo, too) The award is bestowed upon Tampa Daily Photo because its content or design is, in the giver's opinion, brilliant. The Honest Scrap Award is for bloggers who post from their heart, who oftentimes put their heart on display as they write from the depths of their soul. In looking back at the origins of this award, I found that past recipients were all terrific bloggers and honestly gave of themselves. Every day they shared with us their special place in our larger world. I recognize and thank all who have come before me.

The Official Rules are as follows:

1. You must brag about the award.
2. You must include the name of the blogger who bestowed the award on you and link back to the blogger.
3. You must choose a minimum of six (6) blogs that you find brilliant in content or design.
4. Show their names and links and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with Honest Weblog.
5. List at least ten (10) honest things about yourself. [This one I will attempt to comply with at a later date.]

So here, in no particular order, are the next recipients of the Honest Scrap Award, ones I think show brilliance in content or design (or both), but above all, honesty:

1. Avignon in Photos

2. The Skoog Farm Journal

3. Charleston Daily Photo

4. Livorno Daily Photo

5. Greenwich Village Daily Photo

6. Verona Daily Photo

Congratulations to each of my fellow bloggers. I hope you will decide to participate and find other blogs worthy of the award.

Rick's Pirate Girl welcomes you with treasure and rum on the riverfront

This is a departure from yesterday's shipboard worship services but I couldn't resist. I am always drawn to handpainted artwork and murals on commercial establishments, whether it's a laundromat, convenience store or, as in this case, a riverfront bar and grill. The murals and their subject matter do of course differ from wall to wall depending on the product, service and clientele. In this case, Rick's on the River is a very popular restaurant located smack on the Hillsborough River. It is just a couple of minutes from South Tampa, the downtown business district and maybe faster by boat. Although several places in Tampa have good views of the water, not many allow diners and those looking for a cold drink to pull up to the dock and take a seat. Rick's certainly provides ample space with slips for boats up to 50 ft. in length. Right now the marina is crowded with every imaginable kind of watercraft and the docks and services look first rate. The place has lots of outside seating, even a large, inviting private party area. Plus, they feature live music every day. And, they are open every day of the year serving a delicious-looking menu including fresh oysters and quenching, cooling drinks. (They do cater.) It's enough to make any friendly pirate girl give up her plundering ways, drop the swashbuckling sword and join the boaters for terrific live music, a basket of fried onion rings, grouper and an icey bottle of Land Shark beer. (Visit their website. It's lots of Florida fun and very informative with menus, location and marina information - Ricks on the River. ) Yo-ho-ho, you landlubbers. This is a place to steer your ship when you're looking for Tampa treasure. Note: I cannot guarantee the pirate girl is waiting (although this fantastic mural will greet you upon arrival.)

It's a Boat. No, it's a Church: Is this the worship wave of the future?

I don't care how many times I've driven by this boat, I always slow and take a long look. Yep, it's boat. It's been there a long while, but still, it's a boat in a parking lot, and not on a trailer being towed somewhere. And it's at least a mile from the water. I'm sure when it first arrived (and my guess is a church-goer just happened to have this old, unused fishing boat languishing at his dock) everyone thought they had an inventive, surefire way to attract families and kids to church in a fun, inviting and truly unique way. I searched online and could not find another example of a church holding worship services from a boat...on land.

The New Beginnings Christian Church came about from the joining of two churches, one founded in 1946 and the other 1958. (In Tampa, those are pretty well established church congregations, although we do have a few with 100 year histories.)

The good folks of New Beginnings Christian Church first began services from this boat - and it is an actual boat, maybe 60-70 feet long - in 1972. The pulpit features a ship's wheel and is positioned on the bow on Sundays (at 8:30am) and musicians and the ministers conduct the service right on the boat facing the parking lot. Worship-goers either sit in chairs set up in front or in their cars which are parked fan like out front. The entire service is broadcast on FM radio so folks can enjoy the comfort of their air conditioned cars if they wish. Before each service donuts, coffee and juice are available from a refreshment center. As a younger person, in a variety of cars, I would take dates to drive-in theaters. It seemed like a good idea at the time and was very popular with all my friends. Of course, that was only so we could enjoy the big movie screen, excellent stereo-quality sound out of a metal box hooked to our window, the delightful night air, cooling breezes and mosquitoes. Other then being able to stay in your car, I don't think my drive-in theater experience and this drive-in worship service share anything else in common.

I did go online to try and find anything like this, anywhere, but only came up with "Boat-in-Worship" services held on Lake Wawasee in Indiana. Boaters literally bring their boats to the service and stay aboard. The scene looked really nice in photos. But, a boat, high and dry, landlocked in a parking lot?? Have you ever seen or heard of a church holding worship services like this?


I just found a new and delightful blog site that focuses on PARIS. It's well worth visiting. See Paris through the eyes of Americans as they visit and photograph the incredible, simply beautiful sights of the City of Lights.

Florida Girls Tan Artificially..What, You Thought It Was From The Burning Sun In The Sky?

Billed as the "Best tanning experience of their life," customers of this really nice, high-end tanning spa - advertised on this new Chrysler 300 in super colorful graphics - and others like it located throughout the Sunshine State must do a pretty good business, but not because of regular visits by mom, dad and the kids dropping in for a little color. No, these are extremely attractive customers who must have that great looking Florida tan, year-round, no matter what. And, although not outrageously expensive, it does cost money, unlike the actual sun which shines very brightly, for free, in the blue skies over Tampa most every day of the year. Except for those pesky afternoon thunder showers which we begged for for months and need so desperately for water, the sun does continue to shine here regularly and some days, from about June through September, it is hot. Temperature and humidity are sky-high and delightful to all of our tourists from Canada and Europe. If you like beach weather, lolling around in next to nothing, flip-flops and sun tan lotion, this is your place. An artificial tan? The darkest imaginable? The sun just can not reach those beautiful young men and women who actually work inside, in Florida's air conditioned offices. What a shame that the sun is burning hot and bright outside their office walls and they're inside earning a living and making a tanning salon appointment on their BlackBerry or iPhone. Cost aside, they'll be deeply and darkly bronzed for that hot and heavy date. Must look our Florida best, right? With a healthy, natural glow. Right!

June 6, 1944 - The Beaches of Normandy, France: American Cemetery and Memorial

The American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France, is on the bluff above Omaha Beach. It honors American soldiers and airmen who lost their lives during the landing and fighting on this stretch of French beach that occurred 65 years ago today, on June 6, 1944. The 172-acre site contains perfectly straight rows of white crosses and the remains of 9,387 American military dead. We visited on November 1, 2006, and I took this picture (and the ones I have posted on Tampa Florida Photo.)

My father flew on this date, 65 years ago, from his base in England. He was a member of the U.S. Army Air Corps, 397th Bombardment Group (Medium), 598th Bombardment Squadron of the Ninth Air Force. He flew missions before June 6th and in support of the invasion. On the ceiling of the beautiful chapel, created in intricate and colorful tile mosaic, are winged angels, ships at sea and a B-26 aircraft just like the one my father flew--the Martin B-26 Marauder Medium Bomber. Trained as a pilot of the fastest medium bomber in World War II--he flew 65 combat missions during World War II. All of the graves here face westward, towards the United States. It is an incredible place to experience, and when we were there it was filled with French men, women and families paying their respects. A bus from Germany, with young German soldiers, was also there touring the beach area. I will never forget walking on the sand of Omaha Beach and trying to imagine what that day was like so many years ago for those who were there and gave their lives for freedom.

SkyWatch Friday: Ominous clouds mean afternoon showers

It's still early afternoon but if this sky is any warning, another heavy afternoon thunder storm is moments away. From the silhouettes of the darkened office towers in downtown, and the lights on the cars, you would guess it's much later in the day. These are probably Friday afternoon lunch-goers returning to work (or skipping out early for home.) Within an hour or so the wind will have died down, the skies will brighten and the white clouds will return to the skies.

Cuban Soil: Visit the Isla de Cuba... in Tampa

The softly clacking Ybor trolley, brightly painted yellow gold, its brass and woodwork gleaming, looks factory fresh as it glides slowly to a stop at the corner. It seems as if its from another time and era. The motorman helps passengers on and off and briefly waits at the intersection before making the right on the tracks and moving east on 8th Avenue. I watch through the tall iron fence, strongly attracted to its arresting color and strong ties to Tampa’s and Ybor City’s past. I was standing in a very unusual park, a tiny plot of land. Very unusual if one knows a bit of their world and American history. Historians and different departments of local county government have searched records more than once to verify its origins, its unique history and its current ownership. It measures just 0.14 of an acre. Rupert and Paulina Pedroso, an Afro-Cuban family, lived during the 1890s in a house on this corner of 13th Street and 8th Avenue, at 1303 East 8th Avenue. The house faced an imposing cigar factory built in 1885 by Vincente M. Ybor – the man whose vision built the city and began its world famous cigar manufacturing industry. The quiet park, which faces that same factory building today, features the flags of both Cuba and the United States, a life-size statue of Cuban patriot and hero Jose Marti and this interesting wall map of the Isla de Cuba with each province of the island outlined. It’s a fascinating place and so unexpected. Jose Marti came to Tampa in 1891. With fiery speeches to the Cuban community, it’s said that his staunch support of his homeland’s independence from Spain helped start the revolution. His speech on the steps of Ybor’s factory to the cigar workers helped raise money and gained strong support for the cause. Marti died before Cuban Independence was won from Spain, but is credited with beginning the movement for freedom.

So why is this small piece of land important and so unusual? Title to the park is in the name of the Cuban government. It's the island laid out before your eyes. Stones sit in six plots of dirt on either side of the walkway and each plot represents soil taken from the six original Cuban provinces. But, you ask, how did this come to be? When Marti came to Tampa he would often stay in the Pedroso’s home; Ruperto was a cigar roller in the factory. Marti died in battle against Spanish troops on May 19, 1895 and the house and property were sold when the Pedrosos moved back to Cuba in 1910. Now the story grows more amazing. In 1951, a Cuban couple gave the property to the Cuban government to be used as a memorial to the great freedom-fighter, Jose Marti. In 1956, ownership was transferred to the Republic of Cuba. President Fulgencio Batista accepted the property and the American consul certified the real estate transaction. The final deed was recorded in Hillsborough County, FL in 1957 and remains unchanged. It’s a part of Cuba and has been for over half a century. You must visit to experience its solemn presence on American soil and the reverence shown by those who honor their homeland and worship the memory of Marti.

Dark Stormy Sky Rushes Over Tampa

I walked over to capture a few images of the balustrades that line the entire 4-1/2 mile length of Tampa's Bayshore Boulevard. The "Boulevard of Dreams" that curves along the Hillsborough Bay from downtown to Gandy Boulevard is a gorgeous drive and is always filled with people and pets enjoying the grass and wide sidewalk. It even features exercise stations along the way. Just as I began to see interesting camera angles combining the downtown cityscape and huge billowing clouds that were hanging over the east, a crack of thunder turned me around. The western sky was turning very dark and ominous black clouds were rolling fast toward the east, toward me standing on a slippery concrete step that leads down to a landing at the water's edge. Bayshore is a really beautiful drive - at 40mph speed limit or else! - and is proud to boast of the world's longest continuous sidewalk. The Hillsborough Bay was growing choppy and it began to sprinkle as runners, joggers, bicyclists and a soon to be rained on photographer were getting in their last few minutes before the certain deluge. Owners of the majestic old homes and condominiums that line the boulevard have a fantastic view as dark clouds develop and rain moves across the water and waves begin to pound the sea wall. When a storm - not even near hurricane strength - comes ashore right at this point, the tide rises up and waves of water crash over the wall and balustrades. The Bayshore can quickly become inundated and yards and streets nearby fill with water. At first it can be fun to watch the power and force that can drive the Gulf and bay onto the land. Very quickly the fun leaves you as cars begin to flood and waves of salt water move further inland. With thoughts of certain sogginess in my head, I got off the landing and headed to shelter. I escaped a good drenching this evening. But only just in time.