Cleo's Corner

(4.30.10)

It’s the end of April and everything is alive with rebirth. Have you been listening to the constant cawing from seagulls…they are mating big time and are very funny to watch. Click here to watch a video of this.

Feeding frenzy in the Gulf
I stood on the beach this week one afternoon about 4 p.m. and watched a feeding frenzy. Ever see one? They can occur anywhere there is water. Click on the following http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SiqZ2dAc3w to see several videos of this type of fish activity. The one I was watching was happening about 100’ off shore from the beach and all I could see was water splashing into the air as birds bombed into the frenzy caused by something big underneath. Bull sharks as well as other large fish cause the splashing as they feed below. The show went on for about fifteen minutes and during that time I watched every type of bird fly out and feed. It was quite a show.

Learning to swim, dance…you name it
Recently a friend called and asked where she could take her four-year old to learn to swim. I referred them to the St. Pete Beach Recreation Center. Their pool is warm, large, clean and great fun for children. Check out their schedule on the Events Calendar or at www.spbrec.com. In fact, there is a whole lot going on at the Center so check often and try something new for yourself for a change, like dancing.

Turning stpetebeachtoday.com into different languages!
There is a way to turn your English version of stpetebeachtoday.com into Spanish, French or any other language that is available. The translation may not be perfect, but it works well enough. Go to the website Home Page and on the bottom left there is a drop down box. Click on the language you want and viola! A neat added feature is that if you hover your mouse over any section, the English translation will appear in a message box. This is a great way to check your English, Spanish, French, etc. Enjoy.

Plants are blooming all over!
Plants you will want to check out this month include hibiscus which come in many colors, but red is my favorite.

The century plants around town are growing their long stalks filled with flowers. I remember a woman in Pass-a-Grille who had one in her yard. After the flower bloomed, the plant died and she kept blaming a neighbor for killing it. We tried to explain to her that after a century plant blooms, it dies. She wasn’t buying it. There are many good specimens around town and here is one particularly lovely one.

Plants you don’t want in your yard are ones like asparagus fern (left), a lovely plant that crawls all over, under and through everything else around it. Whatever plant is under this specimen is obviously dead by now.

Another plant you don’t want is the Brazilian Pepper Tree (right). It is a pretty tree with a bad habit of taking over. I remember being in Sanibel once when the City was obliterating these trees as best they could. They had taken over so much fauna and natural habitats that wildlife was diminishing. As soon as I see a little sprout of this greedy plant, I pull it out…no matter where it is or who’s yard it is in. By the time the plant is 4 or 5’ tall…you have to dig it out with great effort. It is best to avoid it all together.

Things to teach a child:

• That sharing is more important than winning.
• That giving is far more fun than getting.
• That saving is power and overspending is powerlessness.
• That being selfish or egotistical is like a child wanting attention.
• That only when we know who we are can we rest, breathe, relax.
• That only when we share who we are that we fulfill life’s promise—we will take care of all.
• The first person to say I’m sorry after a fight is the one who truly values a friendship.
• Most times when someone blows up at you it is not about you. They are just projecting their feelings onto you, which you don’t have to accept.
• There are no mistakes, only opportunities.
• Make one person laugh every day and your heart will get filled up.

As I read over the above I realize how true those statements have proven to be to me. I wish, however, that I had learned about money management sooner as well as credit card usage. In fact, I wish I had been taught a whole lot less history and a whole lot more about the future and how to plan for it. When I was asked at 17 years of age what I wanted to be, my answer was “A Mom with six kids!” I was serious. I had no goals, no passions and no plans. Luckily my Mom did tell me I could do anything I wanted and I have, but there has been financial pain and many hard lessons along the way. Teaching kids financial responsibility is like giving them the keys to the future and just getting out of the way so they can unlock their own doors.

This week as you walk around in your life, keep your eyes and ears sharp. The call of the Osprey, the sound of seagulls mating, the view of dolphins teaching their young to jump…all these things are happening right here in our very own Paradise.

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