Cian Gets a Job

Overcoming the high youth unemployment level, my grandson Cian has gotten a job. I offered him a dollar to rake up the leaves in a 20 by 30 area of my back yard. This is the kind of job that most workers, including my regular lawn service guy, don't find attractive. But Cian thought it was a good opportunity.

Surveying the Job

Hard at Work

Still At It

Time for a Break

I estimate that the job is about one third finished. I'm hoping that he will stick with it and finish the job this week. Or at least before starting to college.

Sidewalk Construction

Hillsborough County is building sidewalks on North Dale Mabry Highway, near my home. This is a busy commercial area and major north-south artery through my part of town, which has always been hostile to pedestrian and bicycle traffic. The area was built up in the 1970s, at a time when everyone in suburbia went everywhere by car. Not to mention the fact that three county commissioners were selling development rights to the highest bidder. http://origin.tampabays10.com/news/article/73000/0/Public-Corruption-Arrests-25-years-later Sidewalks were just not on anyone's priority list.

Finally, that is changing. http://carrollwood.patch.com/articles/pedestrian-pathways-project-begins-soon-along-dale-mabry

This is the area I am talking about:

(Click on an image to see a much better enlarged copy.)

I frequently ride my bicycle through this area, from my home, a bit south of Bearss Ave. and a bit to the right, to the YMCA on Northdale Blvd., a bit to the left. The new sidewalks will make the ride safer and more pleasant.

New concrete segment on east side of North Dale Mabry Highway, north of Carrollwood Springs Blvd. to Zambito apex. On the right is a small wetland mitigation area, the blue triangle on the map where Zambito meets North Dale Mabry.

Wetland Mitigation Area

Bridge from north end of new segment back to preexisting sidewalk on east side of North Dale Mabry, south of Northdale Blvd.


Entrance to Northdale subdivision, on west side of North Dale Mabry Highway. New boardwalks are being built both north and south of this entrance.

Looking north from Northdale Blvd., on the west side of North Dale Mabry Highway. New boardwalk under construction over ditch. Most of the new sidewalks are of this form. Evidently there is not much space available to build concrete sidewalks.


Looking south from Northdale Blvd.


South end of section shown above (looking north, on the west side of North Dale Mabry Highway.)

Beside parking lot for Sonny's BarBQ, just north of Carrollwood Springs Blvd, looking north.

At Carrollwood Springs Blvd, on west side of North Dale Mabry Highway, looking north.

A completed segment of boardwalk on west side of North Dale Mabry Highway, at Bearss/Ehrlich looking north. I rode this section on my bicycle for the first time today.

A completed segment on the east side of North Dale Mabry Highway at Bearss/Ehrlich, looking north. (Walmart is just behind the trees.)

Lake Park, Tampa

Lake Park is a little bit of old Florida, right beside one of Tampa's busiest suburban commercial strips, North Dale Mabry Highway. It is usually uncrowded, despite the heavy traffic just a stone's throw away.


There are nice, well maintained playgrounds and picnic areas.


A family of sand hill cranes shares a picnic area.