Category: go with the flow

'scene' along the way, a second look, adventure, Florida landmarks, friends, fun, go with the flow, kids, making memories, perseverance, photography, Pine Island, sunset

People watching…

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Was I at Pine Island for the sunset? Of course I was. Did I get there early and totally get distracted by people watching? Of course I did.

There was the mom on the pier next to me who’s son was catching fiddler crabs and asking her to take a picture of them. He happily let me take a picture also. Then there was Dave, a frequent flier at both the sunrise at Bayport and the sunset at Pine Island. He sets up his camera to take a shot every few seconds and makes videos which he puts on You Tube.

There were cartwheels on the beach…

I had seen this little baby playing in the mud but couldn’t get a shot of him until Dad carried him down to the water to rinse him off.

What I can’t seem to get a picture of is how this guy gets from the before picture to the after picture.

Oh wait, I was there for the sunset…

adventure, boats, brainstorms, exploring new places, friends, fun, go with the flow, history, Just do it, making memories, perseverance, photography, road trip, sky, weather

The witches of Salem…

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1692 was not a good year for witches, or people perceived to be witches, in Salem, MA.

This is the witch memorial. Each stone slab is engraved with the name and date of death of a person who was hanged for being a witch.
We did no homework ahead of time, so if these people have stories we didn’t learn them.
There were no crowds at the memorial on Tuesday. Possibly because the main stops were only open Friday-Monday at the moment. As was the Visitor Center, so we were without maps, and wandering on our own.
These murals caught my eye.
This was an interesting sign, and there were many opportunities to get your fortune read. I’ve always been afraid to do that, I guess I prefer to stumble along in the dark.
This shop in particular caught my eye, but we didn’t go in.
A chuckle at the front door.
The waterfront seemed like a good bet for photos.
Loved this figurehead.
The shoreline was quiet.
The sky was so pretty.
This is the home for aged women. I should have asked if they had an opening.
I love it when flowers spill over a fence like this.
Up one side.
Down the other.
A passerby told us to look up the oldest candy shop in America. The building wasn’t as old looking as others and I’m not sure that we would have gone in without a heads up. They told us that in 1802 a British woman was shipwrecked off the coast and was brought ashore penniless. But when the villagers learned that she had been a confectioner they bought her a barrel of sugar, and the business was born. Gibralters were the first candy made and sold in America.
200 year old candy remains in the glass jar in the case on the shelf. I liked the cash register.
I bought these to share with someone special, provided I can resist them for a few more days.
'scene' along the way, a second look, adventure, birds, boats, connections, Florida landmarks, fun, go with the flow, Just do it, making memories, perseverance, photography

Also on the river…

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When I was in Charleston there were do-it-yourself bike rentals in convenient spots to help you get around. If we have scooters here in Tampa does that mean we are younger, at least at heart?
I saw that the dog was positioned to be the figurehead of this ‘ship’, but he never actually assumed the position. But his people waved at me!
I would never have spotted Humpty Dumpty if someone on the boat hadn’t pointed him out. He’s at a restaurant called Ulele, and he’s a holdover from a former attraction called Fairyland.
I’m not sure that this would be my chosen spot to kayak, but maybe it’s just that where I like to go on the Weeki Wachee river the water is only a foot or so deep.
I loved that helmet, and when she turned around and came back by I got my shot.
There he was, a very chill Mockingbird, in the midst of people, dogs, kids, and revving engines, just doing his thing in the shrubs.
I guess it takes two to paddle that thing. Or they lost a paddler…
Another bird who was not bothered by the activity on the water.
While I find this little girl in pink to be adorable, I have to wonder about her mother’s choice of footwear for this particular day’s activity. Dad was in jeans and a tee shirt.
This little girl and her dog were walking ahead of me, and I caught up with them to ask what kind of dog that was. It was so adorable walking along with ears sticking out like bat wings. Her dad told me it’s a Shih Tzu/French bulldog mix.
When I arrived in the morning that beautiful green (Astroturf) lawn was empty, and the Adirondack chairs were arranged in one long line facing the water. I sat there waiting for the water taxi. But when I got back things had been rearranged into socially appropriate clusters.

a second look, coping, courage, facing facts, finding my way, following the rules, go with the flow, growing old, life, life goes on, perseverance, photography, Rise and shine, road trip, say goodnight, sunrise, sunset, travel

The beginning and the end…

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I spent a day concentrating on my various twinges and trying to decide if my second Moderna shot was giving me side effects. I decided that I was fine, but I was home all day while I made up my mind. Packing actually. I’ll be riding up to a cousin’s house in Charleston tomorrow and family will be more on the agenda than photos. Of course I had the TV on as I packed, and my current binge watch of Criminal Minds came through with a charming quote today, from Mark Twain. I had to look it up;

“When I was younger I could remember anything, whether it happened or not, but my faculties are decaying now, and soon I shall be so I cannot remember anything but the things that never happened.“

How charming is that? But sad because it’s true. And as a person who has lots of experience with her mother, and then her daughter, correcting her memories I think I can relate. The same episode ended with another quote that had me grabbing my phone to look it up;

“Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.” Kierkegaard said that.

The day began when I ran out front and took the feature photo at 6:30 AM. And this last I took at 6:45 PM. We will turn the clocks ahead tonight. Sunrises will be easier to get to, and sunsets will have me out later than I care to be.

a second look, adventure, birds, fun, go with the flow, live and learn, moments, nature, old dogs new tricks, perseverance, photography, Pine Island, say goodnight, sky, sunset, technology

Trying a little contre-jour…

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Sunset was my real reason for being at Pine Island on Sunday night. You might not think so since I got so caught up in all the extra added photo ops that presented themselves before we really got down to the nitty gritty of sunset. But I was also on a mission to try a technique I’d heard about earlier in the day. It’s called contre jour, and it calls for back lit photos, but with some detail in the foreground so it’s not really a silhouette. That’s if I understood it correctly. Turn your camera away from the sun and set your focus, then recompose your shot to include the sun and shoot. I think it made a bit of a difference. Can’t wait to go out and try it again…

It’s amazing how often birds flying makes me grab my camera…
'scene' along the way, adventure, finding my way, fun, go with the flow, Just do it, live and learn, making memories, nature, perseverance, photography, technology, weather

James Grey Preserve…

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It was a pretty dismal looking day, but that didn’t stop us from sticking to our plan to explore a new, and nearby, place to walk in the woods. Turns out the light is great for photography on a day like today, it’s just not all sunny and bright.

Heading down the path, hoping to find my way back.
I love reflections.
There were views around every bend.
If it had rained we could have stayed dry.
Some forms of wildlife leave tracks behind themselves, other forms of wildlife leave other things behind.
Yes, I brought the lens ball and hoped I’d find fungus for a photo op.
Or just aim at the sky.
Pretty little flowers…
And for the finale, a donkey butt shot. I’m so forcing myself not to make a much more rude comment…