Sarasota Tonight

I hadn't taken any night shots in a while, so I made it a point to try and get something this evening. This is the city of Sarasota as seen from the bridge between St. Armand's Key and City Island. There was an airplane flying over, which made the streak in the sky. Trust me, it wasn't a meteor shower.

One Day In April

Only one day on this weekly page, since Saturday was the first day of the month. I shot these leaves last year out at Myakka River State Park. This is about as exciting as we get color-wise here in Florida in the fall. I hope to get up to Ohio this year in the fall, and then I can show you some real color.

Eye To Eye

How about that eye?

Bye Bye Barn

No, it's not November of 2004 again. This is just a nice picture from the calendar back then that shows the old barn I want to tell you about. This little barn was the subject of quite a few pictures over the years, both by me and by countless others who I saw pulled over along the side of the road to shoot it. But when I drove by the field the other day, the barn was gone. I don't know what happened to it. There wasn't any sign of a fire or a pile of debris in the field. There was no construction going on that might indicate the property had been sold for development. I know I've been by there since the end of the most recent hurricane season, and it was still standing then. I'm hoping maybe someone took it away to restore it, and someday it'll be placed back out in it's natural habitat. Not only is this small barn attractive, it is a great example of a unique Florida architectural invention, the hundred-acre barn. Since we don't have cold winters here in Florida, you never have to worry about fitting all of your cows into the barn at one time. So this barn was developed to meet the needs of the local farmers, being just large enough to store the necessary supplies for a farm that was, well, 100 acres in size.

If anyone knows what happened to this barn, which was located near the intersection of US 41 and I-275 north of Palmetto, FL, please drop me a line. I'm going to miss it. Even before I started taking pictures, I drove by it and thought how picturesque it was.

Hello Blue Sky

Sometimes I like to flip through my old photos and see what I might have missed at the time. I found this sky shot from last October just now, and thought it was pretty neat. I'm sure I had some odd filter turned on when I took it, since the sky certainly wasn't that blue at the time. But it's a neat effect, don't ya think?

The Last Six Days Of March

It's the last week in March, finally. For those of us here in Florida, the weather is pretty nice. For those of you elsewhere, it may not be so nice. But maybe this picture of a boat floating lazily in New Pass between Longboat Key and City Island in Sarasota will warm you up just a little and help you get through the last little bit of winter.

Cardinal (Not Sin)

I spotted this male cardinal at my parent's house this afternoon. I tried to get closer to get a little clearer picture, but he flew off before I got the chance. I've got a big whopping refund coming from the IRS this year, and I'm thinking about investing it in a longer lens. Then I should really start to get some good shots. Of course, I'll also have to invest in a monopod with a fancy head, and that will take up most of the rest of the refund.

Googie Star

I was up in Lakeland today, and as I drove through downtown, I saw this star. I remember seeing it as a kid, all lit up in neon over top of a car dealer's lot. I have no idea how old it is, or if it even still works, but I was pretty surprised to see it was still there. As far as I know, this is the only piece of Googie architecture in the city of Lakeland. Is it really Googie, though? It's not really architecture, since it's just an eye-catching sign. I'll have to consult the rulebook.

Still Spring, Part 2

In yet another sign of spring, here are some baby ducks. Cute little things, aren't they? Especially the tired one below.

Still Spring

As if the vernal equinox the other day didn't tell you it was spring, maybe the flowers will.