| Three years ago, in early July, I moved
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| | could cost $5. I had fresh fruit and a
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| to Florida in the peak of its hot season.
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| | mockingbird (the state bird of Florida)
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| Never having been to Florida before,
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| | serenading me with his beautiful songs on
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| except for airport layovers in Miami,
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| | a daily basis. Orange and grapefruit
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| being in the intense heat was surprising.
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| | trees are common, and my friend would
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| I'm sure, if you cracked an egg on a
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| | bring me a bucketful of the sweetest
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| sidewalk, it would've fried itself. Thank
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| | oranges off her tree, whenever she
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| goodness for air conditioning. Once you
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| | stopped over.
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| get past the intensity of the heat in the
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| | After getting a good job and having a
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| summertime, you are initiated into this
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| | better income, I decided to upgrade to a
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| gorgeous state's climate. Of course there
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| | place closer to my work, in Largo. This
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| are hurricanes, but after encountering
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| | cultural, park-filled city is next door
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| eight of them myself and not having my
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| | to both St.Petersburg and another popular
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| property damaged, I am not as afraid of
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| | city, Clearwater. My new place is on a
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| the smaller ones as I once was.
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| | lush, secluded lake, and I feed many
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| It just takes a little self-education on
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| | different large birds who come to visit
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| what to do during a hurricane, such as
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| | me daily from my back balcony. Nature is
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| what supplies to buy in case your power
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| | all around, in the peaceful oasis I call
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| goes out. It isn't a bad idea to rent or
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| | home. And, less than a mile away is the
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| buy your home out of the evacuation
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| | Gulf of Mexico. Taxis are plentiful and
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| zones, either. These zones are listed in
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| | cheap down here, so whenever I want to go
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| the front of Floridian phone books, along
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| | to the beach, I take a taxi. My favorite
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| with the escape routes, should you be
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| | beaches are the ones at Fort DeSoto and
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| unfortunate enough to encounter a larger
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| | Clearwater Beach. There are some huge,
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| one. The truth of the matter is, if you
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| | stately old hotels down here worth
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| live in Florida, you will most definitely
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| | visiting such as the Don Cesar (large,
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| witness multiple hurricanes. If a larger
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| | pink and totally luxurious. on the beach.
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| one comes through, I know now to take my
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| | Rumor has it that it is a favorite stop
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| pets and plan a vacation up north to see
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| | for Presidents) and the Renaissance
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| my family, as soon as I find out the
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| | Vinoy, which is situated waterfront in
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| hurricane is coming. If you wait too
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| | downtown St.Petersburg. It is like a
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| long, you will have no choice to be stuck
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| | dream to live in such a water-loving
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| in a very long line of highway traffic.
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| | world down here. In the grocery stores,
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| And hotels book up quickly. So, if you
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| | you can buy food, pharmacy products,
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| don't want to end up sleeping in your car
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| | along with bait, beach chairs and scuba
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| in the Wal-Mart parking lot, it pays to
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| | gear. Up north, that never happens.
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| stay put or leave early.
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| | Shopping is plentiful everywhere you go
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| When I first moved down here, I thought
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| | here, due to the large variety of stores
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| I'd live in Tampa, a big city on the Gulf
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| | of every type.
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| of Mexico side of the state. Being
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| | The climate in the Tampa Bay area is
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| tropical in climate, the whole Tampa Bay
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| | moderate and we have no frost. I brought
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| area is gorgeous. Exotic birds like
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| | my orchid plants with me from up north,
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| egrets, spoonbills, ibis and others walk
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| | and they are in plant heaven, blooming
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| and fly around everywhere. Among other
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| | their heads off, in their ideal growing
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| birds, I've also seen ospreys,
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| | conditions out on my balcony. Plant shows
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| cormorants, and even a bald eagle once
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| | down here are held outside, and vendors
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| (on top of a telephone pole). Even in the
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| | from everywhere come to sell their large
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| city, nature is all around. I was in a
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| | variety of plants. Every time I go to
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| drive-through at Burger King, and an
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| | one, my car bulges with plants, big and
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| egret (large, white stork-like bird)
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| | small, somehow I always find a place for
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| stood in front of my car as I picked up
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| | each of them back at my place. If you
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| my food. I just waited him to slowly walk
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| | want to see professional growers in
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| off. He was totally oblivious to the fact
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| | action, visit Plant City, east of Tampa.
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| that he was holding up a line of traffic,
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| | They have a wonderful Strawberry Festival
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| as he walked around looking for lizards
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| | there every year that is definitely worth
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| to eat.
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| | going to. This is a plant lover's
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| The city of Tampa is full of wonderful
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| | paradise.
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| places like Busch Gardens. Ibor City (an
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| | Fishermen love it down here, because this
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| old cigar town turned into a hot spot for
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| | area is a boater's and fisherman's dream.
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| nightlife), Lowry Park Zoo, the Museum of
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| | The fish in the Gulf of Mexico are
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| Science and Industry and the Florida
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| | gigantic. There are fishermens' charters
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| Aquarium, a large, well-stocked public
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| | all over, and tour boats for those who
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| aquarium, situated on the water. The
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| | don't fish. Going to Sanibel Island is
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| historic Henry Plant Museum in downtown
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| | fun, if you love to pick up shells. Up
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| Tampa is a beautiful example of Victorian
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| | and down the Gulf coast of Florida are
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| architecture. If you love to shop, the
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| | many varied restaurants with some of the
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| International Mall is the "in" place to
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| | freshest seafood around. My favorite
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| be, with its large variety of upscale
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| | restaurants are located on the water,
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| stores and restaurants. Tampa is most
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| | which is really atmospheric.
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| definitely worth visiting, but the
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| | For anyone thinking of moving down to the
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| apartments I wanted there were out of my
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| | Tampa Bay area, I advise you to come down
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| price range, so I headed over to
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| | here on vacation, and just drive around.
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| St.Petersburg.
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| | Ask the locals where to eat, see the
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| The city of St.Petersburg is an artist's
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| | sights. You will surely love the climate,
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| dream, full of museums and art fairs. I
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| | especially in the winter. If you want to
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| especially like The Pier(full of shops on
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| | avoid hurricanes, come between December
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| a pier that sticks out into the bay), and
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| | and March. Hurricanes occur when the
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| Sunken Gardens, with its old, well-tended
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| | water is really warm. My favorite time of
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| plants and trees. I fell in love with it
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| | year are the winter months, because the
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| all, and found a gorgeous, large
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| | heat and humidity lessen at those times.
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| apartment in the old part of town, which
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| | Still, it is a good idea not to bring
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| has the most charm, with its old Art Deco
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| | heavy, northern, synthetic knit clothes
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| buildings (my apartment building was one
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| | down here, because they don't breathe as
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| of them), coffeehouses and trendy
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| | well as natural fibers like cotton.
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| shops.Being able to walk to Starbucks was
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| | Lightweight clothes are a must, in
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| a big perk for coffee-loving me. I was
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| | general, to be most comfortable.
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| down the street from the water, and at
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| | Liviung in Florida is recommended if you
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| the end of my street was a lovely lake,
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| | want a more temperate climate, and are
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| with all kinds of tropical wildlife
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| | sick of snow. Come down and see for
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| freely living their lives, unafraid of
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| | yourself all the sights and beauty of
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| humans. Outside my office window was a
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| | this wonderful state. People here are
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| big starfruit tree, all I had to do was
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| | friendly and gracious. The food is
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| reach out the window and pick the
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| | wonderful, no matter what time of cuisine
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| fragrant, yellow fruits. In the grocery
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| | you like. Try it, you'll be glad you did.
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| store up north, one starfruit easily
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