Biking around my town

I have been biking rather than walking the past few mornings for a variety of reasons: less stress for some reason on my knee, can create my own breeze and I can get out of sudden downpours faster.  I've been building up my distance and am now up to about 6 miles.  It would not take me so long but I stop and take pictures of my town.  There is so much going on here that I 'almost' hate to leave for our 3 wks at the beach...

Our city is in the process of adding an outdoor fitness area and upgrading the dog park just across the street.  There will be access from the Pinellas Trail and the road...now how cool is that?

 The Trail is being improved almost daily.  Trees have been planted, benches and attractive trash bins, pots for flowers and retaining walls...so very nice.

Two cool shops are right on the Trail (and I am not just saying that because they carry my Bottle Works wares), Pistachios and Off the Beaten Path...like them on facebook and tell them Jules sent you!

While we have lost a couple of businesses, the amount of new ones is amazing.  These merchants have taken a leap of faith that our town is on the upward trend.  Even our home prices are rising! In my development alone, we are down to one home for sale and one in short sale out of about 60 some homes..pretty good, huh? 

The cover on the patio at Tarpon Tavern is done and it is wonderful.  There are fans over head and the temp is lovely as we found out last Friday when we met friends for drinks and dinner.

 Mad Hatter is moving across from the Sun Trust building on Tarpon Ave. across the street to where the book store use to be and I can't wait for the Grand Opening.  My friend, Alice, has her amazing mini books for sale there!

I love how the various merchants here in town help each other and work together to keep our town upbeat.  Josh White, Tampa Bay Salvage is building the dressing rooms for the Mad Hatter out of salvaged vintage wood from his store.

I took a peek in the shop today and they are so beautiful!

Zante has opened a clothing and accessory store recently on Tarpon Ave and the corner of Hibiscus...fun stuff.

And, speaking of Hibiscus...two more shops just up from Sarah Hoopers, Tipsy Candle Factory, are getting ready to open too.

Look what the city has done to draw traffic down this darling little street...

And that is just our downtown area and not all that is to be seen and shopped.  Since next month is my last column in the Tarpon Life mag (it is being discontinued), I thought perhaps I would do one article a month here on my blog.  This is my town and I lOVE it.