While walking around a park in Connecticut I came across this structure that I could see from quite a distance. Turns out it’s a well and according to the plaque it can pump three million gallons a day. To me that seems incredible, such a large amount of water. Maybe that’s normal? I’ll bet they could use this in California right now. Anyway, I was impressed enough that I took this picture.
Downtown Scene
The scene from Battery Park in lower Manhattan.
Shaded Bench
A bench in the shade outside the Ringling Museum in Sarasota Florida. I come here from time to time to take pictures of the manicured grounds. This was a particularly hot day and I thought this bench was well placed under the shade of a Banyan. There are a lot of trees here so it makes wandering the grounds a bit easier in summer. They also have ice cold lemonade at a snack bar under one of the largest Banyans in the region. Where would we be without Banyans.
Queenstown River Dock
On a rainy day I walked around the Frankton Arm of Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown. This was in Autumn so the leaves were changing. At the higher elevation it was snowing and this location is at the foot of the Remarkables mountain range. So while it rained here, at higher elevations it snowed such that as the clouds cleared we were treated to pristine snow capped mountains. All in all it was a beautiful introduction to a beautiful country.
Gasparilla Island Lighthouse
Today we took a little trip down the west coast of Florida to Boca Grande and Gasparilla Island. This lighthouse was built in 1932 and is long past it’s prime. To be sure it’s still sturdy enough to withstand hurricanes all these years. Anyway, I did my best to block out the sun with the support frame. The heat and humidity is pretty intense but within a few minutes there was a rain shower which momentarily dropped the temperature about ten degrees. Fifteen minutes later the rain passed and heat returned. A typical afternoon in Boca Grande.
Sanibel Beach Day
When I took this I was sitting on a towel right next to the gentle waters of the Gulf of Mexico on Sanibel Island. It’s hard to convey the feeling; maybe it’s the sand, the warm water, the breeze; maybe all these combined. Sometimes the waves are so small you might think you were on a lake. The bigger waves along the Atlantic coast of Florida are fun to swim in also, but nothing compares to the calm waters of Florida’s west coast.
View from Jasper
Mountain lakes are peaceful first thing in the morning. On this morning I was lucky enough to get a few colors of the sunrise as well as the calm water. That’s Mount Edith Cavell in the distance which has a big glacier that hangs precariously over a small lake. However there are no glaciers around this lake and so the water is clear without the typical aqua blue which is typical of glacier fed lakes.
City Time
A million other versions of this exact same shot have been made. So when here recently I was glad to try my own. This futuristic setting is from Brooklyn near the ferry terminal, these are ancient pilings from some long forgotten pier or dock. A six second exposure makes the water look smooth as though maybe time has slowed down. A parallel universe in a city that never sleeps.
Sarasota Public Library
Purchase Print
The Sarasota Public Library is located in the center of town across from a park and surrounded by shops, theaters and restaurants. If you stop and take a look, the architecture is rather unique. Architecture aside, I wonder how many people still use the library in this age of instant electronic access. I guess I’ll just have to go in and find out for myself one day.
Path to the Beach
Being one of the more popular destinations in the area, Holmes Beach has a big parking lot. But if you walk a little ways north or south you can find all of these hidden paths from quiet residential areas which provide less used access. Unlike the beaches of Miami and Ft Lauderdale, the beaches of Anna Maria Island are laid back. And even more so when you can find your own little path leading to a stretch of beach to call your own.