» Tierra Verde

• Tierra Verde Community Garage Sale

  Written by Connie Langhorst No Comments
  Last Updated: September 3, 2009

  In April 2009, I participated in organizing the Tierra Verde Island Wide Garage Sale.  The event, which began in November 2008, was hosted by The Island Reporter, a South Gulf Beaches community newspaper.  The April sale, as the November one, was a big hit with island residents and “garage sailors” (as I refer to weekend bargain hunters).

  My husband and I challenged ourselves to stop at each and every sale.  We visited more than 150 of them!  The photos accompanying this post were taken that day.

  Weather wise, the skies were blue, the spring day temperature was just right, and there were thousands of interesting items, value buys, and friendly smiles on display at each place we visited! 

  The event has become so popular that the Tierra Verde Women’s Club is planning to host a Tierra Verde Community Garage Sale at a central location in downtown Tierra Verde on November 14, 2009.  Put the date on your calendar and plan to attend!  There will be booths featuring garage sale items; craft displays; food venders, and island businesses will be hosting sidewalk sales.

  In addition to the Tierra Verde Women’s Club Community Garage Sale, The Island Reporter, intends to sponsor their Island Wide Sale on the same date, making the event, in the truest sense, an oh so fun community-wide activity.

  For homeowners, the sale is a wonderful way to free up garage or closet space.  Participants are encouraged to donate a portion of the proceeds from their garage sale to their favorite charity.  And, augmenting the event, there will be open houses for homebuyers to tour! 

  For visitors, this activity offers a great way to become acquainted with the charm of Tierra Verde and the neighborly friendliness of the island’s residents.  

  After participating in the sale, go a few miles south, to Ft. De Soto Park, for a refreshing walk along the shoreline of North Beach,  rated as America’s Top Beach for the second consecutive year (2009 and 2008) by TripAdvisor, the world’s largest online travel community, and the #1 Beach in the USA by Dr. Beach in 2005. 

  Or, enjoy lunch at one of the island’s many restaurants-there’s something to tickle everyone’s taste buds, from Italian, German, Asian, French, and continental cuisine, including hamburgers, foot long sandwiches, salads, pizza, locally-caught fresh seafood, cold beverages, and ice cream! Yum!

  It has famously been said that “a picture is worth a thousand words.”  So, I will let the below pictures from the April 2009 Tierra Verde Island Wide Garage Sale speak to tell the rest of this happy story for me.

  I hope to meet other “Garage Sailors” on November 14th! 

  Come play on our island and enjoy another fun day . . . in Paradise Found!

  PHOTO CREDIT:  Photos courtesy of Connie Langhorst and Thomas Gerwe.

• Musical History Tour of Tierra Verde

  Written by Connie Langhorst 3 Comments
  Last Updated: July 20, 2009
  Roll up . . . roll up for the musical history tour!

  Okay . . . I’m having fun with lyrics from a contemporary (Beatles) song.  The music and history associated with Tierra Verde warrants it. 

  Tierra Verde, an island community situated at the southernmost tip of Pinellas County, has hosted many historical and colorful characters throughout the years.

  Anyone who has enjoyed listening to Guy Lombardo and The Royal Canadians should get a kick out of the following musical lore and historical trivia.  Lombardo’s classic song, Auld Lang Syne, has become a perennial favorite (because it is often danced to and kissed by at midnight on New Year’s Eve).

  Interestingly, Guy Lombardo and his wife, Lilliebell, lived on the island.  They thought of Tierra Verde as their “Winter Paradise” for many years.  Lombardo performed with his band at LeClub in Port-o-Call, a resort complex in Tierra Verde that he co-owned.  In his autobiographical book, entitled “Auld Acquaintance,” Lombardo devoted an entire chapter to his life on the island (Chapter Ten, entitled “Off the Beaten Path”).

  This musical legacy, along with more of the island’s fascinating history, has been captured on a beautiful hand-painted mural.  The mural was on display for many years in the lobby of the Tierra Verde Resort.  Now, it has been placed in storage at a Pinellas County facility until such time that it can be moved to its new home at the Visitor’s Center at Fort De Soto Park, where it can be enjoyed by the masses!

  The pictures in the photo gallery above feature images from the Tierra Verde mural.  This treasured piece of art details Tierra Verde’s rich history.  Here are some facts noted, in pictures and words, from the mural:

  Tierra Verde meaning:  Green Earth in Spanish. 

  In 1539, the mighty Hernando De Soto arrived with ten ships and six hundred and thirty men for his four thousand mile exploration of the southern U.S.

  The peaceful Timucuas Indians, purported to stand over eight feet tall, lived in the area.  The Tierra Verde Indian Burial Ground was excavated in 1961.  (A commemorative plaque, along Pinellas Bayway South, stands near the entrance to Fort De Soto Park).

  General Robert E. Lee arrived on the island aboard the schooner, Phoenix, in 1849.

  The island’s fort was built in 1898 for the Spanish American War and was dedicated as Fort De Soto Park in 1963.  Cannons and portions of the original fort structure are available for viewing as part of a free, walking tour.  There is a museum on the Park grounds (near the North Beach pier), and a ferry takes visitors to Egmont Key, to see the old lighthouse and more historic relics from this time period.

  Silas Dent, known affectionately as “The Hermit of Cabbage Key,” loved children and visitors, and lived a happy life on the island from 1912 to 1952.

  What a special place to live and visit! 

  As a big band music lover, I am delighted to know that Guy Lombardo lived in Tierra Verde and considered the island to be his winter home.  One of his brothers, Lebert, lived on the island, too. According to Lombardo’s autobiography, he enjoyed fishing and racing boats.  His wife, Lilliebel loved animals, and reportedly filled their home with a motley collection of pedigrees and strays.  This, too, seems appropriate . . . as the island is home to a wonderful doggie park and beach, and there are many animal lovers here to this day (including me). 

  A sampling of the legendary musical and comedic talents who performed at LeClub in Tierra Verde include:  Steve Allen, Kay Ballard, Milton Berle, Rosemary Clooney, Vic Damone, Marlene Dietrich, Phyllis Diller, Buddy Greco, Frank Gorshin, Lionel Hampton, Liberace, Vaughn Monroe, Patti Page, Kay Starr, Mel Torme-and, of course, the island air was frequently filled with the “sweet sound” of Guy Lombardo and The Royal Canadians.  Each of these stars is depicted on the Tierra Verde mural.

  In closing, it may by of interest to know that twenty-one of Lombardo’s tunes peaked at #1.  He charted over 215 Top Twenty songs and had a starring role in an episode of the television show, Route 66, which was filmed in Tierra Verde.

  Mr. New Year’s Eve, as Lombardo came to be known, is a part of Tierra Verde’s history.  Whenever I hear the song Red Sails in the Sunset and see a spectacular sunset, which is a common occurrence here, I think of Guy Lombardo and The Royal Canadians, and realize how wonderful it is to live . . .

  . . . In Paradise Found!

  Thanks for visiting!

  Photo Credit:  Pictures of Tierra Verde mural (taken by Connie Langhorst) appear courtesy of Friends of Tierra Verde.

• Botanical Gardens, Butterflies, Eagles, and Sea Turtles

  Written by Connie Langhorst No Comments
  Last Updated: June 22, 2009

  Botanical Gardens, Butterflies, Eagles, and Sea Turtles

  As our state’s name implies, Florida is synonymous with flora and fauna. 

  In Pinellas County, summer has arrived!  Mother Nature is relishing the season.  Bird of Paradise, Blue Daze, Bougainvillea, Jasmine, Crape Myrtle, Verbena, and perennial Oleander and Hibiscus, are in bloom in a bevy of enchanting colors.  The names of native flowering plants hint at the magic of this special time of year-Beach Sunflower, Golden Dew Drop, Sunshine Mimosa, Magnolia, and Coral Honeysuckle.

  Many of these beautiful plants are intoxicatingly fragrant, attracting another of Mother Nature’s wonders . . . butterflies.  These winged creatures are equally enchanting in their diversity of color, shape, and size. 

  Flowers and butterflies are everywhere right now, but anyone who enjoys viewing them may wish to visit the Florida Botanical Gardens.  Located minutes from the South Gulf Beaches in the community of Largo, visitors are welcome to stroll through the Gardens and the adjoining historical park at Heritage Village.  Both are conveniently open every day-and there is no admission fee!   

  Preview the Florida Botanical Gardens online at: http://www.flbg.org/.

  Aside from the plant world, our neighborhoods offer attractions to behold in the fauna world, too!  Hot pink Rosetta Spoonbills, snowy white egrets, giant gray Heron, tiny Sandpipers, and the occasional (and rare) white Pelican, are here and have helped to welcome summer. 

  Another sight to behold is one of our nation’s most patriotic emblems-Bald Eagles.  Recently, a pair of these majestic creatures constructed a mammoth nest near the top of a dead wood tree situated on the secluded side of a lake in Tierra Verde.  They have attracted birdwatchers from around the globe.  Eagle sightings are not an uncommon occurrence in Pinellas County.  The winged ambassadors are admired and respected (with the latter attribute being mutual in its dissemination).

  Most excitingly of all, summer ushers in sea turtle hatching season.  Pinellas County is home to miles of beautiful beaches.  Several species of sea turtles are prevalent in the waters off of our shores in the Gulf of Mexico.  Nesting and hatching season runs from May 1 through October 31.  At this time of year, residents and visitors may encounter a sea turtle nest or hatchlings.  Help protect our sea turtles by visiting Pinellas County Environmental Management online by clicking here.

   

  To see sea turtles, including “Stubby,” the Green Sea Turtle, and Leatherbacks (the largest local species), visit the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Pinellas County.  Photos and videos of turtles and other aquatic life, including Winter, the rescued Dolphin, are online at:

  http://www.cmaquarium.org/cms

  Flora and fauna are abundant (and valued) throughout Pinellas County, which contributes to our area being such a special place to live, work, and play.  There is much to marvel at and fall in love with . . . from botanical gardens to eagles, sea turtles, and the carefree flight of butterflies that, in itself, defines the laidback lifestyle in our neighborhoods.      

  The opportunity to live in harmony with awe-inspiring plants and creatures is, in my estimation, a treasured gift from Mother Nature.  It represents another example of the beauty of life in Paradise Found! 

  Enjoy it.  Thanks for visiting!

  NOTE: Photos used in this blog post are courtesy of the Florida Botanical Gardens and Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

• Thinking About Parades . . . And Sparklers . . .

  Written by Connie Langhorst No Comments
  Last Updated: June 16, 2009

  I am counting the days to one of my favorite holidays : Independence Day! Fourth of July brings neighborhood parades, including one pictured here (from 2008) in Tierra Verde, picnics, and fun! Nothing beats a picnic at one of our area’s parks for this holiday! My husband and I load a cooler, gather our beach towels, and put our dog, Moby, on his leash for a day of fun at Ft. DeSoto Park. After being greeted by the huge U.S. Flag that waves majestically atop a flagpole near the Park’s entrance, we head to the doggie beach so that Moby can frolic with four-legged friends. We then select a picnic area, one of many situated within view of the water. The smell of hamburgers and hotdogs grilling is enticing! After enjoying a cold beverage and slice of watermelon, we stroll along a nature trail, and spend some time exploring Ft. DeSoto’s cannon relics and observation point. We pause along the way to watch kiteboarders and seabirds that scurry, like wind-up toys, at the edge of the surf. At home, after darkness falls, we make our way to The Pier in St. Petersburg to watch the fireworks display. The crowd is always friendly and the children are especially enchanting; their joy is self-evident. Their faces, bathed in the glow of the skyward show, express my heart’s desire . . . to wave a sparkler in the air! Okay, so I’m a kid at heart . . . but the vision of neon colors bursting in the air over the moonlit waters of Tampa Bay brings out the kid at heart in all who witness this annual fireworks display! Have a happy (and sparkling) Fourth of July!

  Local links:
  www.TheIslandReporter.com
  www.FriendsofTierraVerde.com
  www.VeteransofTierraVerde.com

  Photos:

  

  Miss Tierra Verde 2008

  

  Parade Participant

  

  Festive Blue Jeep

  

  Veterans of Tierra Verde Float

  

  Smiling Flag Wavers

  

  Antique Fire Truck

  

  A Happy & Patriotic Parade Watcher

• The Bridge of Sighs

  Written by Libby Salamone No Comments
  Last Updated: June 13, 2009

  Aaaah, It’s so good to be home…sigh. That’s  how the Tierra Verde Bridge became known as  The Bridge of Sighs .”  They say you can feel your blood pressure go down and you stress melt away when you cross that bridge…and if you still have your tie on, you’ll certainly take it off and wiggle your toes as you cross those sparkling blue waters.

  Click herefor information on Tierra Verde

  

• Tierra Verde

  Written by MyPinellas.com No Comments
  Last Updated: May 5, 2009

  At the southern tip of Pinellas County, where Tampa Bay meets the Gulf of Mexico, is a string of islands collectively called Tierra Verde. This exclusive, unincorporated area is home to some 5000 residents, with a little more than a third living in single family homes and the balance residing in condominiums and townhomes.

  

  Residents enjoy all the luxuries and conveniences right here with a wide range of restaurants, specialty shops, spa services, boutiques and more. The Tierra Verde Marina is a full-service facility catering to the many boaters who live nearby. The waterways, 150 to 350 feet wide and some 15 feet deep, have been especially engineered to allow the Gulf of Mexico’s tidal actions to help sweep them clean.

  At the southern tip of Tierra Verde is one of the world’s most pristine and famous beaches, Fort DeSoto Park, designated as the #1 U.S. Beach in 2005.

  A morning stroll on soft white sand, an afternoon of fishing, or an evening out at a fine restaurant can all be found “at home” when home is Tierra Verde. But should you want to venture out, St. Petersburg is only 15 minutes away, and downtown Tampa can be reached in 35 minutes.

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  Factoids:
  Population: 3,574
  Land Area: 1.5 Sq. Miles
  Median Age: 48

  Statistics are an estimation only

  Points of Interest: Fort De Soto Park – At the southern tip of Tierra Verde. Tierra Verde Marina.

• Fort De Soto

  Written by MyPinellas.com No Comments
  Last Updated: April 24, 2009

  Locals have always known that Fort De Soto Park has one of the top beaches in the world and it’s right here in our own back yard. Experts and travelers from around the world agree.

  In fact, in 2005 famous beach preservationist Dr. Stephen Leatherman named Fort De Soto North America’s number one beach. For two of the last three years, the world’s largest online travel community Trip Advisor has named Fort De Soto America’s Top Beach. Some 2.7 million visitors come every year to relax in this tranquil, breathtakingly lovely place.

  Fort De Soto Beach is located in Fort De Soto Park, Pinellas County’s largest park, with 1,136 acres spread across five interconnected islands. The 12-inch mortar battery, located at the fort for which the park was named, was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, making the place a magnet to history buffs.

  In Ft. De Soto Park nature is the real star with over 7 miles of waterfront, including almost three miles of the finest white sand beach in the United States. Visitors from near and far come to launch a boat or kayak, pitch a tent, throw a line in the water or hike the recreation trail. This is one of the few beaches in Florida where you can camp overnight, and fall to sleep to the sound of waves lapping the shore and wind rustling the palms.

  Fort De Soto Park is one of the most incredible natural environments in the state, and probably the country.  And it’s only in Pinellas.
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