Brass Bowl

New art is being displayed in several locations in downtown Tampa.  This piece, displayed without an artist’s name or title, is on Franklin St, just north of Madison.

I like how the artist incorporated  a bit of unbalance in the piece, with one side being larger than the next.  To me, it illustrates how love and life can be asymmetrical at times.

Located on the grounds of the University of Tampa is a weather beaten marker that commemorates the longest home run hit by George Herman “Babe” Ruth.

(text of marker follows image)

“At Tampa’s Plant Field on April 4, 1919, “Babe” Ruth, playing for the Boston Red Sox against the N.Y. Giants, smacked a 587-foot home run that set a record in a pre-season game. 4,300 screaming fans saw the feat. Famed Evangelist Billy Sunday, an ex-major leaguer himself, who was conducting a tent revival on the Florida Fair grounds nearby, had pitched the first ball of the game, and The Bambino’s pace-setting ball was presented to him. Ruth played from 1915 to 1935. He is regarded as the most popular player and greatest slugger in history. One year he hit 60 homers.”

In case you are wondering just were on the downtown campus this is located, perhaps this perspective will help.

Here we have some type of official, I won’t even venture a guess, on a Segway moving through a crowd, and so focused on his cell phone conversation that he is totally oblivious to his surroundings.

Cell phones and driving.  It’s more than a distraction.  It’s a crying shame.

It took me a minute to get the drooling to stop before I could work the camera.

I’m surprised it didn’t have a speeding ticket while standing still.

(click on each image to see a 1200 x 900 picture)

I saw this at  Curtis Hixon Park.  There was a unhappy cop standing next to it.  I don’t think the officer was into the new ride.

Can’t say that I blame the policeman.  My TV is bigger than this “unit”.

But in all honesty, this is a perfect vehicle for the urban patrol.  Low cost,  shelter from the elements (mostly),  drives on the sidewalk and it holds two cops and a dozen doughnuts.

On our roundy rounds around Flatwoods, I have noticed lines of small black critters snaking over the pavement.  I’m usually focused on larger things, like snakes, armadillos, possums and gopher tortoises, but one instance was favorable for me to stop and take a few pictures.

Say hello to the Eastern lubber grasshopper (young nymph), or Romalea microptera.  This grasshopper is incapable of flight and can only jump a very short distance.  It is clumsy and slow, getting around by walking.

Sounds like they would be a ready snack for birds and other predators, right?  Not so fast.  It’s defense is in its guts.  It is toxic, causing violent vomiting.  It can also release a irritating spray along with a loud hissing sound from it’s thoracic area.

This nasty little ambler can also spit up recently eaten plant material (usually brown, called “tobacco spit”), which will stain clothing.

I didn’t know any of this when I was getting up close to take a picture of this young one.  I’ll keep my distance from now on.