Found a great spot atop a parking garage to watch the fireworks over the town of Bradenton Florida. In fact, not only could I watch the main attraction, but those of all the neighboring towns and neighborhoods. A good time was had by all.
Just Before Dusk
I took this from a kayak launch just before the bridge to Anna Maria Island. This little guy was out feeding alone but I’m sure he knew where the others in his flock were. These waters are shallow enough that you could walk several hundred yards out with your fishing pole, as long as you keep track of the tide. Kind of a nice way to end the day.
Lone Palm in Myakka
A lone Palm in an open field in central Florida’s Myakka State Park. These open spaces are necessary for the ecology so its nice we have parks where nature can thrive.
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.
Piggly Wiggly
This is from a dairy farm a few months ago. This little fellow was so friendly and interested in what I was doing he followed me everywhere. He was probably looking for a handout but I could help but be smitten with his charms. I’m one of those people that believes animals have personalities and generally know more than we give them credit for. Call me naive but I think that presents a world quite different than the one we think we live in.
Bradenton Beach Afternoon
This is from a series of photos I shot with my old camera recently. The camera I normally use was in the shop and to my surprise I really liked the handling of my old reliable friend. I always tell people that it’s not the camera that matters but the person behind it and even a cell phone camera can take great pictures. Even so I was surprised at how much fun I had with my old camera. I guess I my likes and preferences changed in the last year and when applied to the old equipment seemed to yield different results. Or, …this is all just in my mind and much ado about nothing. Whatever. 😉
Bridge of Uncertainty
Manatee Avenue Bridge on a foggy morning. It struck me that the bridge could be a metaphor for uncertainty. From time to time I feel like I’m crossing a chasm and there is no guarantee of success or what’s on the other side. It can be unsettling. But in the end I generally make it and end up a little stronger and a little wiser.
Sunrise Over the Pond
The night before I took this I was at the same spot taking a picture of the sunset in the other direction. When I got home I realized I lost my lens cap. It’s only a few minutes from my house so I got up this morning to come back figuring I dropped it on the ground. It was nowhere to be found but nevertheless the clouds were crazy good and so I resigned to the loss and captured this sunrise. After watching it for a few minutes I walked back to my car and put the camera and in the back seat and there was the lens cap on the floor. Such a silly thing, but thanks to “losing it” I was here first thing in the morning.
Egret on a Pier
These little guys are not shy. For the most part they’ve become accustomed to humans and you can usually get within a few feet before they skitter away. I was about ten feet from this fellow as he fished from a pier at the beach. One day I came out of a store only to find one standing on my car. I walked up and got in and he never even moved. We have a tall one that lives near our house and I usually spot him on our driveway in the morning. As soon as I walk up with my dog he nonchalantly skips to the next driveway. One of the fun things about living in Florida.
Tugboat Sunset
A tug in the Gulf of Mexico just off the beach in central Florida as the sun sinks. When I looked closely I noticed the tug was from Texas. That’s probably about five hundred miles north west of here. Then I noticed that it had a satellite dish and several decks. It occurs to me the occupants can live on this for quite some time. It was probably here on a job as I was standing next to a large barge on the beach which is being used to dismantle an old pier. Anyway, all that aside I positioned myself to catch the tug close to the sun as it went down. The end of another day of work for the crew as they watch satellite TV and eat dinner in the galley.