June 25, 2016

God is Good

SDP 6-25-16
For years (yes, years), I've wanted to photograph this cross. It's located in rural Sarasota at the corner of Verna and Fruitville (where Fruitville Road dead ends east of I-75). It's always intrigued me…wondering who put it there…and, what prompted it.  The right circumstances have never been present to shoot it --- until last night. A light rain had just ended...and as I turned the corner and glanced at the sky near the cross I thought, "Tonight's the night!".  At first, there was a hint of pink, which shifted to grey, followed by a dark peach glow.  The cloud formations, opening to reveal bright blue sky, were incredible.  In this serene setting I kept thinking, "God is good."  Happy Saturday!

June 18, 2016

Whistling Ducks

Black-Bellied Whistling Duck
It's been one thing after another for the past several weeks.  After enduring a very long, emotional week in connection with the horrific terrorist attack in Orlando, I wanted nothing more than to seek solitude last night.  And…I found it!  The week before the mass shooting, Tropical Storm Colin breezed by and dumped 10+ inches of rain in some parts of Sarasota.  Portions of Myakka River State Park are still flooded, and as a result, I pretty much had the place to myself.  The resident animals are seeking dry territory and their behavior seems a little out of sorts.  I spotted these two black-bellied whistling ducks sitting on a wood fence near the flooded river. They kept inching along the fence and looking down, as if they were disgusted by the smelly flood water -- and that was the last place they wanted to stick their little webbed feet. Hope everyone in the blogosphere has been doing well!