September 2021 – A Snowbird's Life Through the Lens

I have sunrise/sunset envy. Other photographers in my group live closer to the beaches here in Florida, and can take photos of the sunrise and sunset practically from their backyards. I’ve wished to be closer to those great locations, and thought of the locations close to me as second rate, comparatively speaking. But I’ve come to appreciate my own area a little more since traveling around my friend’s neighborhood which has no available bodies of water to incorporate into your photos. There are lots of pretty neighborhoods with ponds, etc, but there is no ability to position myself for photos or no where to safely pull the car over because the roads are busy here. So I’ve kept my eye open for places that might allow for a view to the east or west, and today’s post is from the spot we noticed the other day. Luckily r I had dropped a pin so I could find it again in the dark this morning.

So. An open view to the east, check. But not much of interest in the foreground. And was this just a not so colorful sunrise, or is the lack of water and reflections making it seem more so?

And, much to my surprise, across the street I noticed a rookery. Egrets apparently settled in for the night. I walked across the street, all four (very quiet) lanes plus a median, and took this shot with my camera also. But this is the shot I took with my iPhone, which is a wider view with more pink clouds.

Zooming in gives the impression of more color, but really there wasn’t much color this morning.

And as the sun rose the egrets left, looking slightly pink in the light. I only counted 6 still in the trees when I drove away.

As sunrises go this wasn’t the best, not by a long shot. So for a while I guess I will continue with my sunrise/sunset envy. I have a long history of thinking ‘if only ______”, fill in the blank, then everything will be perfect. All these years later you’d think I’d have already figured out that things are pretty darned perfect already…

adventure, exploring new places, following the rules, friends, fun, live and learn, old dogs new tricks, perseverance, photography, technology

Hockey anyone?

September 27, 2021September 26, 2021 naturecoastimagesblog

I believe I’d been to one hockey game in my life, and we sat in the nose-bleed seats so I’m sure I paid no attention what-so-ever to the action on the ice. I also remember watching hockey on TV with my son, on an old console TV that sat low to the floor, and we laughed our heads off over the kitten who zoomed back and forth trying to catch the puck. So I had very little preparation for the game I attended the other night with my photographer friend, who is primarily a sports photographer by choice. ‘Try to get the puck in your shot’, was the main instruction given to me before the puck dropped for the first game of the season. Of several seasons with the pandemic. USF vs. UCF…

The ceremonial puck drop to start the game. The one and only time you could hope to see their handsome faces.

Finding a few square inches of clear glass to shoot through proved to be quite an impossible feat. And we stood at the edge of the rink, so I will dress more warmly next time.

Sometimes you are glad that that scuffed up glass is there!

‘Concentrate on the goalie’, was another suggestion.

I really wanted to see their faces as they skated with the puck.

I didn’t concentrate hard enough not to wonder where this guy wandered in from.

More action at the goal. I hope that’s good padding they have on.

In the feature photo you see the teams shaking hands in a refreshing display of good sportsmanship. Especially welcome after watching such a physical game as this. It was a fun evening…

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Got Lobstah…

September 23, 2021 naturecoastimagesblog

Blame my cousin Kevin. He was the one who discovered this wonderful food truck, but his penchant for putting up a photo when it was too late for me to race to the location and get a lobster roll for myself has cause me no shortage of angst. Just last week he posted yet another picture of himself and his granddaughter with their cache of goodies from this place. Too late for me yet again. But this time I looked up the website and found their schedule for stops for the week and tonight I finally sampled the wares, and found them to be delicious. So thank you to Kevin. Two more New Englanders are happy tonight.

We haven’t spotted a rainbow in a long while, despite our frequent showers followed by sunshine.

Having given up on my laptop I resorted to a new iPad to replace it. Working with your photos on the iPad is supposed to be a breeze, but it will take me a while to catch on. This is a start at least.

'scene' along the way, a second look, adventure, Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Preserve, finding my way, Florida landmarks, friends, fun, making memories, nature, perseverance, photography, road trip, unintended images

And then there is the distillery…

September 22, 2021September 21, 2021 naturecoastimagesblog

When we arrived at Chassowitzka the other day we stopped at the station to check in and find out if we did or did not have to pay to enter the park. We didn’t, being over 65, in our case way over. But the real reason I was happy that we had stopped was because the ranger asked if we had ever been to the distillery in the park. No, we hadn’t, and once my friend heard that word ‘distillery’, and we didn’t know the park so we were wandering anyhow, we found ourselves following the signs for NJoy. And what a fun surprise it was to find this place after becoming convinced that we had somehow lost our way more than once. If you go keep driving, there will be another sign eventually.

We found a nice brick pathway to draw us in.

This butt-shot view was chosen to eliminate cars from the background. In case you wondered.

Conveniently placed near the entrance is this out house, complete with light switch.

Just to our right we couldn’t help but notice the outdoor bar area.

But the actual distillery caught our eye, with it’s working water wheel.

The coloring on this donkey, (it is a donkey, right?), caught my eye, but he wasn’t interested in posing for a picture.

There were horses and cows in the pasture.

And a pig just outside the distillery itself.

And a charming pond to sit by and enjoy the view.

Perhaps we will have to return for this event.

I had already decided that this could make a great venue for a party of any kind. There was lots of seating, a giant fire pit, and the bar of course. If private parties are allowed, I didn’t ask. Tours are offered all day long when it’s open, which is weekends only, and while we didn’t take the tour or even sit at the bar and have a beer this time, we might just correct that oversight when we return. Hours later my friend was still marveling over the idea that back in the woods, and I mean way back in the woods, you could find such an oasis waiting for you.

'scene' along the way, a second look, adventure, butterflies, Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Preserve, exploring new places, Florida landmarks, friends, fun, making memories, nature, perseverance, photography, road trip, sky

A short visit to Chassahowitzka…

September 21, 2021September 21, 2021 naturecoastimagesblog

You know how it is. You head out the door intending to do one thing, but the conversation leads you in an entirely different direction. That’s what happened yesterday when we set out to see and take photos along the back roads of ‘old Florida’, but we wound up at the Chassahowitzka Wildlife Preserve instead. I’ve been there before, but I’ve always been the passenger tagging along with friends who know the park backwards and forwards. Which means that I have no idea how to get around in there so I wasn’t the best guide that a person could hope for. In fact we never did see the scenery I expected to show him, but that was okay, we’ll find that next time. And next time maybe there won’t be bow and arrow hunters in the woods, a fact that kept us close to the road as we got out for pictures. Not that we are hikers. As you can see from the feature photo we found lots and lots of butterflies in the thistles at the side of the road.

There was a lot of competition over this flower.

Rain was expected later on, but for the most part the skies were pretty.

And the rains we have had meant that we had to drive through puddles that took over the road in spots.

Trees and sky are your companions as you drive the winding road.

The sky seemed threatening at times, but mostly it was pretty.

Then on the way home we saw this rain falling in the general direction of where we were heading, but we seemed to drive around it. Then it started to rain as soon as we got home. Perfect timing.

The wildlife was keeping a low profile as we drove through. Of course it was afternoon and there is usually more action in the morning and at dusk. Still my friend was happy to see the Florida landscape as it was before people decided to ‘improve’ it…

a second look, adventure, boats, facing facts, Florida landmarks, food, friends, fun, Just do it, making memories, perseverance, photography, road trip, sky, sunset, weather

Sunset in Dunedin…

September 18, 2021September 17, 2021 naturecoastimagesblog

We finally got to head to Dunedin for the sunset last night. As we walked to the marina we saw sailboats returning from a sailing lesson, so of course I ran ahead so as to not miss the shot. As it turned out it’s a good thing the sailboats created a diversion for us because we had longer to wait for the sunset than we thought. And then the clouds took over.

Things were looking promising at this point.

There are a few variations on the view as you sit in the park next to the boat house.

We were treated to a grackle serenade as we enjoyed the view. No osprey nests were visible this time. Perhaps they were evicted.

I caught a photo of this fisherman just before he called it a day.

This little girl was busy swinging her net, but at no creature that we could see.

I told myself that the color was coming up.

Then I looked behind me in hopes of seeing pretty reflected color, and found this.

We headed to the car, really we were heading to The Lucky Dill for a beer, but I stopped and took one last iPhone photo of the sunset.

I think that the iPhone enhanced the color a bit in that last photo. I’m glad that the sunset itself, or lack of it, isn’t the make or break moment of the day’s fun. One way or another it’s always good to get out and go shooting…