Palms and Clouds at Bradenton Riverwalk

Meanwhile back in Florida... The clouds do cool things like this all the time, ...well a lot of the time. Sometimes I'll check the local news webcam which is located at the beach to see what the cloud situation is and if it looks good I'll head over for sunset.  Today, by chance, I sat under that same webcam as it's located at The Beachhouse restaurant. So, while sitting there I got it in my mind to check the webcam, and sure enough the scene in front of me at the beach was unfolding on my iPhone. Weird, I know.  No, there's no point in any of this. Happy Monday everyone.

Meanwhile back in Florida… The clouds do cool things like this all the time, …well a lot of the time. Sometimes I’ll check the local news webcam which is located at the beach to see what the cloud situation is and if it looks good I’ll head over for sunset. Today, by chance, I sat under that same webcam as it’s located at The Beachhouse restaurant. So, while sitting there I got it in my mind to check the webcam, and sure enough the scene in front of me at the beach was unfolding on my iPhone. Weird, I know. No, there’s no point in any of this. Happy Monday everyone.

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Mangrove Path

This is a path through the mangroves at a place known as Leffis Key in central Florida. It's a little nature preserve where you can watch all kinds of wildlife and about half of the trails are on these boardwalks. I came here early one morning to capture the rising sun peaking through the mangroves and just to walk along this path to take it all in. It was a warm morning and mostly the birds were about their business starting to fish for a meal. In any case, as I write this I'm about a thousand miles from here and it's below freezing outside; I can't wait to get back to the warm climate and walk again through these mangroves.

This is a path through the mangroves at a place known as Leffis Key in central Florida. It’s a little nature preserve where you can watch all kinds of wildlife and about half of the trails are on these boardwalks. I came here early one morning to capture the rising sun peaking through the mangroves and just to walk along this path to take it all in. It was a warm morning and mostly the birds were about their business starting to fish for a meal. In any case, as I write this I’m about a thousand miles from here and it’s below freezing outside; I can’t wait to get back to the warm climate and walk again through these mangroves.

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Bean Point

This is Bean Point which is at the end of Anna Maria Island here in central Florida. When I arrived a group of people were watching the last remnants of a waterspout that seemed more a curiosity than any real danger. It's no wonder that meteorologists like this area. Changing subjects, I've recently come to learn that these tall grasses are known as sea oats. That's cool, but what I really want to know is if they're gluten free. Okay, that was dumb.

This is Bean Point which is at the end of Anna Maria Island here in central Florida. When I arrived a group of people were watching the last remnants of a waterspout that seemed more a curiosity than any real danger. It’s no wonder that meteorologists like this area. Changing subjects, I’ve recently come to learn that these tall grasses are known as sea oats. That’s cool, but what I really want to know is if they’re gluten free. Okay, that was dumb.

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Palmetto Clouds

With winter coming here in Florida the season for these big clouds is coming to an end. It's not like we have a real winter, it's more like summer with warm weather and sunny skies. However there's no intense heat to produce the evaporation and energy required for these clouds to form. This weekend I took a quick trip up to North Carolina and we had a freak snow storm. Having just finished a very hot summer in Florida it was a breath fresh air and a very quick and very awesome taste of real winter, not the kind we get in Florida.

With winter coming here in Florida the season for these big clouds is coming to an end. It’s not like we have a real winter, it’s more like summer with warm weather and sunny skies. However there’s no intense heat to produce the evaporation and energy required for these clouds to form. This weekend I took a quick trip up to North Carolina and we had a freak snow storm. Having just finished a very hot summer in Florida it was a breath fresh air and a very quick and very awesome taste of real winter, not the kind we get in Florida.

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Early One Morning

On Anna Maria Island there are a couple of little towns that have a beach on one side and the inter-coastal waterway on the other which is  where dozens of sailboats dock. Each sailboat has a rowboat that allows the occupants to row to shore. In fact you see that all up and down the coast; little rowboats on the shore waiting for their owners to row back to their sailboat. I was up at the crack of dawn in one such town and I notice this man and his dog heading back to the boat. Must have been a long night.

On Anna Maria Island there are a couple of little towns that have a beach on one side and the inter-coastal waterway on the other which is where dozens of sailboats dock. Each sailboat has a rowboat that allows the occupants to row to shore. In fact you see that all up and down the coast; little rowboats on the shore waiting for their owners to row back to their sailboat. I was up at the crack of dawn in one such town and I notice this man and his dog heading back to the boat. Must have been a long night.

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Flowers After Sunrise

These are a set of flowers in a field that I capture shortly after sunrise on Anna Maria Island. There are worlds that exist at different scales that we pass by each day. Every now and again I am reminded of that through photography.

These are a set of flowers in a field that I captured shortly after sunrise on Anna Maria Island. There are worlds which exist at different scales that we pass by each day. Every now and again I am reminded of that through photography.

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Partial Eclipse

This evening at the beach we had a partial Eclipse.

This evening I went to Bradenton Beach to catch this partial eclipse just as the sun set upon the Gulf of mexico.

Still Pond

Here is a pond at Emerson Preserve, which as you can see is quite calm in the morning. This is not the first I've posted from here with the calm reflecting water and the clouds overhead; and I'm pretty sure it won't be my last. Anyway,  hundreds of years ago native americans occupied this spot. I'm sure it looks different, but possibly they had a similar scene each morning as they went about their tasks. I would love to travel back three hundred years in a time machine to see what I could see. But until they invent one I'll just have to imagine for myself.

Here is a pond at Emerson Preserve, which as you can see is quite calm in the morning. This is not the first I’ve posted from here with the calm reflecting water and the clouds overhead; and I’m pretty sure it won’t be my last. Anyway, hundreds of years ago native americans occupied this spot. I’m sure it looks different, but possibly they had a similar scene each morning as they went about their tasks. I would love to travel back three hundred years in a time machine to see what I could see. But until they invent one I’ll just have to imagine for myself.

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Impression

In art I'm attracted to impressionistic styles. I prefer to let my mind fill in the blanks. I do that a lot in everyday life, I think. My way of dealing with complexity perhaps, a momentary reverie while forming an impression, possibly an opinion. As I'm thinking about it, In general I don't like being fed too much detail. That's because my mind automatically fills in the details, not always right, but details nonetheless. I think we all do that, it's part of what makes us unique, it is part of the filters through which we see the world. It starts with an impression.

In art I’m attracted to impressionistic styles. I prefer to let my mind fill in the blanks. I do that a lot in everyday life, I think. My way of dealing with complexity perhaps, a momentary reverie while forming an impression, possibly an opinion. As I’m thinking about it, In general I don’t like being fed too much detail. That’s because my mind automatically fills in the details, not always right, but details nonetheless. I think we all do that, it’s part of what makes us unique, it is part of the filters through which we see the world. It starts with an impression.

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Manatee River, Florida

Recently we got rain here in central Florida and I got inspired to drive up the river from my home.  The river is about a mile wide near home but a fraction of that here. A tranquil setting yet I was on guard for any alligators that might be nearby as I positioned at the waters edge. It's unlikely I'd ever have a problem with a gator here, nevertheless it's wise to use with caution when in and around Florida's waterways. As I write this our rainy season is coming to an end which I'm sure is perfect for all the people that come here to visit. But with a little bit of weather comes picturesque skies and as you know I'm a sucker for that.

Recently we got rain here in central Florida and I got inspired to drive up the river from my home. The river is about a mile wide near home but a fraction of that here. A tranquil setting yet I was on guard for any alligators that might be nearby as I positioned at the waters edge. It’s unlikely I’d ever have a problem with a gator here, nevertheless it’s wise to use with caution when in and around Florida’s waterways. As I write this our rainy season is coming to an end which I’m sure is perfect for all the people that come here to visit. But with a little bit of weather comes picturesque skies and as you know I’m a sucker for that.

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