White Egrets are common where I live in central Florida. They can be about four feet tall and every inch of grace. Sure they prefer the water but they also forage on land. Yesterday morning as I was about to pull into the driveway I noticed a White Egret standing there looking for something in the bushes, probably a lizard. I didn’t want to scare him off so I waited in the street for about five minutes until he finished. As he sauntered onto the grass he looked back at me as I pulled into the driveway and got out of the car. He kept a little distance without flying off and I just kind of marveled and such a beautiful bird. I think this is not so uncommon in Florida, although I wasn’t raised here so for me it’s a treat. And that’s my Great White Egret story for the day.
Little Cottage In Arrowtown
This little cottage is behind Arrowtown at the entrance to the park. Not sure if it’s used by rangers but it seemed cozy enough. Everywhere we looked there was an overabundance of colors.
Cypress Point
A friend of mine suggested Cypress Point as a possible place to get a good view of the city. He passed me a link that listed it as one of Vancouver’s “free” attractions. Bingo, I’m sold. So anyway, I looked it up on Google maps and headed on my way, the second exit on the highway, no problem. Somehow I ended up in a residential neighborhood and all over hell’s half acre for a half an hour before I found myself back where I started. I got back on the highway and “three” stops later I found the right exit. Sheesh. This is Cypress Point which overlooks Vancouver and the Lions Gate Bridge. Worth the drive, just remember, the third exit.
Don’t get lost, purchase an amazing print (that’s lame, I know).
Lifeguard Stand
A little while back I captured this at Coquina Beach near my home just as the sun was setting behind the lifeguard stand. Used to be lifeguard stands were an elevated chair, now it seems they’re little condos on the beach. Can’t say that I blame them, sitting up there all day, at the beach, I’m sure it’s hard. Okay, I’m being a little sarcastic, just a little.
Save yourself and purchase a high quality print for your home or office.
Glow in the Forest
A little over a week ago I got a little lost on my way to Half Moon Bay, but lost in a good way. No schedule, headed for the ocean, just taking it all in. I came upon this tree around a bend and knew I had come to the right place. There is a lot of good energy in this forest.
Portfolio: http://goo.gl/heoXEJ
Roadside Sunset
A few weeks back I was driving in Sarasota near my home and the sky starting putting on an unusual display of colors and shapes. Lucky for me I had a camera. In Florida we’re heading into summer which means the beginning of the rainy season. Of course it’s great for agriculture and gardens, but also it’s good for photography because we’re more likely to get crazy clouds in the sky. A few of the local TV stations post photos of sunsets sent in by viewers each day. So it seems to me there is an army of people out there with camera in hand looking at the clouds and sky. Count me among them.
Reflections of Another Land
Late one afternoon we hung around a residential area which was surrounded by mountains on all sides. The sun sank and cast a red glow on the nearby mountains and the day passed from one phase to the other. At this time of transition the light can play tricks with your eyes. Such is the magic of New Zealand.
Shannon Falls Creek
I arrived in Vancouver this afternoon and decided to drive up the coast to see what I could see. As it’s spring here in British Columbia there’s quite a bit of runoff from the mountains. I captured this creek just below Shannon Falls.
Over the Top
The name says it all. A week ago today I flew through the southern alps of New Zealand with a most talented pilot Michael Clarke of Over The Top Helicopters. He is not only an ace pilot, he’s an avid mountain climber and intimately familiar with the peaks and hidden valleys we flew through. Had I known it was going to be that awesome it would have been on my bucket list a long time ago, so do yourself a favor and put it on yours. Here’s the link: http://www.flynz.co.nz/
Southern Alps
These are the southern alps of Otago, near Queenstown New Zealand. I took this from a helicopter piloted by Michael Clarke of Over The Top Helicopters in Queenstown. We landed all over these and each landing was more spectacular than the last. I highly recommend it when in New Zealand.