The Easter Bunny is on his way!!!

I know the Easter Bunny is right around
the corner when I start seeing the beautiful
Easter Lily baskets around town! They look
great and always remind me that spring is here!

TITLETOWN, FLA!

OMG



Gators topple Ohio State 84 - 75 to defend title!!!!!!

Thanks to Coach Donovan and team for super-charging
my heart! This was a team for the ages and I was grunting
and groaning through the whole game and the end came
as before - tears running down my eyes, Linda sleeping
and Courtney & Charlie calling to share in the moment
with Dad!





YES - The Florida Gators are National Champions - AGAIN!!!

My little girl....

The University of Tampa

Nestled on the Hillsborough River this college
is full of history and tradition!

HISTORY AWAITS!

By ANDY STAPLES The Tampa Tribune


ATLANTA - The University of Florida basketball team huddled Saturday night in the same spot beneath the Georgia Dome stands as it did 22 days earlier. Exactly as they did before a Southeastern Conference Tournament game against Georgia, the Gators held their hands high and said two words.

The first was "Kick." The second still can't be printed in a family newspaper.

Seconds after the Gators took the floor for their second consecutive Final Four, UCLA players stood in the same spot. They also said two words.

"Play hard."

One team came Saturday to play hard. The other came to kick, well, you get the idea.

Just as it did in last year's national title game, Florida hammered UCLA. The 76-66 win set up a championship matchup Monday at 9:18 p.m. against Ohio State.

"[The Bruins] said they wanted to play us," Florida guard Taurean Green said. "They said they had unfinished business. … We felt like they didn't have any respect for us."

For the second time in less than three months, a group of Gators will meet a group of Buckeyes with a national title hanging in the balance. For the first time in NCAA history, the same two schools will meet for the Division I-A football and Division I basketball titles in the same school year.

The basketball Gators would love to emulate the football Gators, who beat the favored Buckeyes, 41-14, on Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz., to claim the title. Florida should enter Monday confident; the Gators raced to an 86-60 win against Ohio State at the O'Connell Center on Dec. 23.

Saturday, Florida (34-5) moved one win away from becoming the first repeat champion since Duke in 1991 and 1992. In that time, Division I-A college football, the NBA, the NFL, Major League Baseball and the NHL all have had repeat champions.

UCLA (30-6) put up a better fight in Saturday's first half than it did last year. The Bruins double-teamed the ball on almost every possession, forcing Florida into 10 first-half turnovers. But top scoring threat Arron Afflalo and power forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute each committed three first-half fouls, forcing Coach Ben Howland to spend timeouts early to assemble patchwork lineups.

After the Gators went into halftime up 29-23, Florida guard Lee Humphrey made a pair of 3-pointers early in the second to give the Gators a cushion. With the Gators up 44-28 and 13:49 remaining, Howland called UCLA's final timeout. Mbah a Moute fouled out with 9:02 remaining.

"Credit Florida," Howland said. "They're an outstanding team with outstanding athletes, very well-coached, and that's why they're the NCAA champion and playing for it again on Monday night."

Florida forward Corey Brewer led all scorers with 19. Center Chris Richard came off the bench to score 16. Center Al Horford scored nine and grabbed 17 rebounds, only nine fewer than UCLA's entire team. Guard Josh Shipp led the Bruins with 18 points.

For Florida, the win guarantees two more days of unabated speculation about whether Gators coach Billy Donovan will take the Kentucky job after Florida's season ends. Since Tubby Smith bolted the Bluegrass for Minnesota on March 22, Donovan has said nothing to indicate he would take the job. He also has said nothing to indicate he would turn it down.

For three games, Florida players have succeeded in tuning out that particular distraction. With so much on the line Monday, the Gators probably can forget the rumors for two more days.

"We're really excited to be in this situation," Florida forward Joakim Noah said. "We know it's not over yet. We're happy, but we're not satisfied."

As Noah left the court Saturday, he reached the exact spot where the Gators had broken their huddle about two hours earlier. Never breaking his jog, he pumped his fist and yelled.

"Yeah!" Noah said. "Yeah! We're back!"

Saturday Sunrise!

Sunrise Saturday at Ballast Point pier!

Friday night in Tampa

Aiport Marriott at night..

I captured this from the TIA parking garage
after shooting the sunset from the other
side!

Largo Nature Preserve

The city of Largo has a WONDERFUL nature preserve!
You can find the entrance at East Bay and Highland
on the south side of the street....Amazing area with
all sorts of wildlife - alligators, birds, fish, butterflies,
snakes and more! Here's a few images from my recent
visit....

Too Busy!

I grew up working and playing around deep sea
fishing boats - my granddad and father were
fishing NUTS and I caught it naturally. Later I
owned a bait and tackle shop and fished all the
time - now I rarely go... Captain Wilson Hubbard
used to say, "If you are too busy to go fishing,
you are just too busy!" Guess I am just too busy..
BUT - just seeing these boats brings up many
wonderful and vivid memories....

My 2 Best Girls!

Linda and Flo!
My Harley, Flo, just had some upgrades on the
engine so we re having to go through another
break-in period. So Linda hopped on the back
and we headed to St. Petersburg for breakfast
and headed out to the beach - here we are
taking a short break (and of course, I'm taking
photos) at Pass-a-Grille.

And you wondered why Charlie was back in town so quick....

Night falls on TIA!

Sunrise Buddy!

Shooter!

Charlie flew back into town on Thursday
and we went to another movie Friday
afternoon and it was AWESOME!!!! I
usually don't go to many movies, but
have been to 2 in the last few weeks
with the Captain and throughly enjoyed
both! Shooter will keep you in suspense
all the way through! GO SEE IT!!!

Play Ball!!!

My daughter works for a generous man that buys
season tickets to support ALL our local sports teams
and occasionally I get a fabulous seat - Tuesday
night was one of those nights as we watched
Godzilla, Jeter and gang take on the Phillies!
Awesome night! Thanks Courtney and Steve!

300!!!!!

GO SEE IT!

FANTASTIC movie!

Bigger than life!

"Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations.
I may not reach them but I can look up and see their beauty,
believe in them, and try to follow them."

Gator Ball!

When the Gators won the National Championship
in January, there was a ball made with the proceeds
going to the cancer kids at Shands Hospital. They
made 5000 of them - I have #438 of 5000! Charlie
bought this as a memento for me - I told him he
could have it back when he has a house - here
are the 3 sides of the ball - GO GATORS!

Dead End!

Redington Long Pier with an ominous tone....
Many have gone there to fish - How many
have returned????

The Pups have grown up!!!

Harley and Lilly came to live with us as puppies
over 2 years ago and we have a blast with them!
They remain very close and rarely leave each
others' side. They still wrestle and run and play
like pups - but both have grown to gorgeous
animals! I love them both!

I hear you calling!!!

The mountains are calling my name! Now!
As the weather begins to warm, my mind
wanders north to the Smokies and the Dragon!
I think about it and feel myself lean into the
turns - turn after turn after turn - fresh,
clean and crisp air....Flo, my Harley is over
Performance Specialists being "hopped up"
by Cmdr Kelly and Sonny - zoom, zoom!
We have already made our plans and will
arrive at the cabin the afternoon of May
18 and stay for 8 glorious days - OMG!!!!!!!!!!
I CAN'T WAIT!!!! I go there in my mind almost
everyday...Come - go with us!!!!

Happy Chuck!

Here is Charlie and a buddy at the end of SFS - Special
Forces Selection at Ft Bragg, North Carloina. You can
tell by the smile that he is happy that it is over! This
was last December - since then, he has been to Baghdad
and back and will move to Ft Knox in a couple weeks
to complete his Captain's Career Course and then in
September he will move to Ft Bragg to complete the
Special Forces training! And on we go!

Sunrise Fisherman!

I was not the only crazy guy up before the sunrise
on Sunday! Here is a dedicated Fisherman - waiting
for the BIG one - the monster that pulls him over
the rails, drags him around the bay for 2-1/2 hours
and into the Gulf before tiring.... He was still waiting
when I left - maybe next week....

Pay Water Bill Here....

The BIG and lovely St. Petersburg Municipal
Services Building! I wonder why the water
bills have gotten so much bigger??? Someone
has to pay for this building....