leap of faith – A Snowbird's Life Through the Lens

'scene' along the way, a second look, birds, Chinsegut Conservation Center, friends, fun, leap of faith, learning, life goes on, live and learn, marriage, memories, nature, Nature's beautiful creatures, perseverance, photography, strangers become friends

Chinsegut Conservation Center…

February 22, 2023February 22, 2023 naturecoastimagesblog

I went with a friend today, back to the place that I first took a photography class about 7 years ago. I made friends in that class that are still good friends all these years later. The subject of the class was ‘bird photography’, and I venture to say that Ive taken quite a few bird photos since then. The birds were quite cooperative today, returning to the feeders again and again. Plus I got to try out a 1.4 extender for my Canon r7. Before I tried it I was totally sure that I didn’t NEED one, but now I’m not so sure. As much, if not more, reach than my old 150-600, and weighs a LOT less. I think I’m hooked.

This Yellow-Throated Warbler is practicing his gymnastic moves,

A Carolina Chickadee has the feeder to his or her self.

Doesn’t this Cardinal look like the picture of innocence? Who, me?

This is a newly constructed bird house. It look like someone has moved in.

I’ve had a busy week, what with several photo op trips and getting married and all. I’m a bit of a fraud these days since most of what I said about this blog when I started is no longer true. I’m not on the Nature Coast anymore, but I’m still pretty close by. And I’m not on my own any more, which is as much a surprise to me as anybody. I was proud of myself for handling my sudden widowhood as well as I did, and now I’m proud of myself for recognizing how lucky I am to have found someone who so perfectly fits into this life I’ve made for myself. Sometimes life just falls into place…

'scene' along the way, a second look, blessings, changing times, connections, finding my way, friends, leap of faith, life goes on, making memories, natural wonders, perseverance, photography, sunset, technology, unintended images

Those photo ops…

January 7, 2022 naturecoastimagesblog

I’ve been disappointed in myself lately. I haven’t been out for as many sunrises or sunsets. Maybe I was just too lazy, I thought. Or maybe, just maybe, the morning coffee with someone to talk with was the reason. And chatting over dinner might just result in the sunset happening right outside the window and I never noticed. So I’ve given up one obsession for another, well, maybe not obsession, but certainly a lovely distraction. I feel very lucky. And those sunrises and sunsets keep happening, so that when I do head out the door there they are. The big question on this day, which was last Monday, was whether we would reach Edgewater Park before the sun sank totally beneath the horizon. Traffic was annoyingly slow, and we were actually heading to a photo editing opportunity in Clearwater, so we weren’t stopping for the sunset. Nope, I was just shooting out the window of the car as we now seemed to be whizzing past. I was happy to see that I managed a couple of usable shots. And a selfie!

a second look, blessings, connections, coping, courage, facing facts, finding my way, friends, fun, growing old, history, leap of faith, learning, life, life goes on, live and learn, making memories, perseverance, photography, second chances, sunset, technology

Things have changed…

July 14, 2021July 13, 2021 naturecoastimagesblog

I wrote my tag line, “Life on my own, on the Nature Coast of Florida”, on the fly in a class I took on How to Start a Blog. We walked out of that two hour class with the bones of a blog in our laptops, all we had to do was write, so I did. And I have enjoyed it a lot. But lately I have been feeling like a bit of a fraud. Actually I have been feeling that way for a while now. After all, once I moved two years ago I assumed that my new county wasn’t considered part of the Nature Coast. But I checked with Siri just now and she says I’m good. Not a fraud, at least not over that part of my tag line.

But the ‘on my own’ thing isn’t as true as it used to be either. I am still on my own, but against all odds there is now someone sharing my life, and also sharing my photo ops. Another photographer, so the whole being out for photos, and also processing them later on, is lots more fun these days. And we are on the cusp of our first adventure together, heading off to visit relatives and take pictures along the way. I probably would have bet money against this ever happening, but it certainly has been a welcome addition to my life in general. So that ‘never say never’ thing? Well, I guess that’s good advice…

Amazing artwork, blessings, connections, exploring new places, finding my way, flowers, food, friends, Just do it, leap of faith, life, making memories, perseverance, photography, second chances, strangers become friends

Life goes on…

May 11, 2021 naturecoastimagesblog

As unlikely as it may seem, the day may come when there is a new someone special in your life, and you want to introduce him to your kids. Not that I was worried, but really didn’t I expect to have one of the most fun nights ever. Belly laughs that just wouldn’t quit.

There were crabs on the menu at Frankie’s Raw Bar, and this New Englander who found herself in Baltimore for a few decades wasn’t going to miss a chance to eat steamed blue crabs. I consider it a failure, however, that I failed to recognize that it was not Old Bay seasoning, gasp, that they were doused with, it was J&O seasoning instead. My son didn’t pick up on it either, but he didn’t eat crabs in Baltimore for as many years as I did, so he had an excuse.

My daughter-in-law took us on a tour of the back rooms and garden of the place, where we found many surprising things…

This door looked like a potential ‘through the looking glass’ moment, but we didn’t enter to find out.

There were sea creatures in crates, coming or going? Who knows.

Life is funny, but when it hands you a gift just take it and be grateful…

connections, courage, facing facts, faith, finding my way, leap of faith, let it go, life, life goes on, live and learn, making memories, moments, old dogs new tricks, One-Foot Fred, perseverance, photography, sunset

Recalculating…

May 6, 2021 naturecoastimagesblog

Life is funny. It operates in it’s own time, on it’s own schedule. Like this picture of One-Foot Fred that I came across this morning. It was taken at sunset and I never go to Aripeka at sunset, but obviously I did that day in 2018. Every now and then you wake up in the morning with your head on straight, or so you think, your ducks in a row, you think, and you are in charge of things and know which end is up. And by that evening your there has been a sea-change in your perspective. I’ve experienced this in it’s saddest form, and finding my way from there has been quite the process. But you muddle on and eventually you get yourself together, you know where you stand and how your life is going to be. And that’s when life might just decide to throw you a curve ball in the most unexpected and welcome of ways, and your heart warms to new possibilities. If this blog is among the missing while I savor this new reality then please be happy for me, I know I am.

'scene' along the way, adventure, blessings, bucket list, fantasy images, finding my way, friends, leap of faith, making memories, natural wonders, perseverance, photography, safety Harbor, second chances, sunset

Pink Moon…

April 28, 2021April 27, 2021 naturecoastimagesblog

Judging by the number of photographers there it was a perfect night for a Pink Moon at Safety Harbor. Yes, it could have been more perfect if the moon would have shown itself through the clouds when it was still behind the Tampa skyline, but I didn’t hear anyone complaining. Just one by one people started saying they were starting to see it showing through the clouds, what a night it was. Some nights are just right.