Classic Posters

I just love the classic Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey posters at the circus museum.  There are oodles, but these were two of my favorites.  The top one was created in 1920 and the bottom one, with the prowling lion, was distributed in 1927.  Can you imagine the excitement these posters generated announcing that the circus was coming to town?  I can almost see a little boy looking at that lion, eyes wide open, and asking his parents if he could, please, go see the greatest show on earth.  John Ringling was terrific at marketing, that's for sure!  Tomorrow we'll step out of the circus museum and take a stroll around the Ringling grounds.

Itty Bitty Circus

Within the circus museum is the Tibbals Learning Center, where an extensive miniature circus is on display. It's extremely detailed and shows life on the road with the circus -- from train cars to acrobats to clowns to animal trainers.  The creator, Howard Tibbals, spent 50 years making the miniature scenes, which collectively are known as the Howard Bros. Circus model.  Occupying 3,800 sq. feet, not only is the display impressive, it really highlights how many people and how much work was involved with the circus coming to town.  Interestingly, when I first walked in the building, I immediately was told by a museum volunteer the Ringling name was not authorized to be on the model, thus the name Howard Bros. Circus.   You can learn more about the miniature model and the man behind it here.  This scene shows spectators watching  trapeze artists, clowns, and dancers along with lions and tigers. While I was taking this photo, I overheard an elderly gentleman say excitedly, 'You see the lions and tigers in the same cage?  That's how it really was!  That was the first time it was ever done!  No one ever thought that could happen.'

Clowning Around

Smithsonian Magazine sponsored Museum Day throughout the country on Saturday with more than 1,400 museums offering free admission, including the John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota.  The place was packed!  As I've mentioned before, John Ringling and his four brothers created the world famous Ringling Bros. Circus, and Sarasota was the winter home for the entire circus -- performers, animals, owners and all.  The Ringling Museum has always been known for its beautiful grounds located right on Sarasota Bay, the Ca'd'zan (the Ringlings' mansion which is now featured on the SDP banner) and Ringling's extensive classic art collection.  Within the past couple of years, though, two new buildings opened highlighting the history of the circus.   This was my first time into the circus area and it was fun.  It's well done with lots of history -- plus visitors have the opportunity to learn the secret of how clowns apply their make-up so perfectly.  Lots of interesting stuff to see. Over the next few days we'll explore the museum and grounds a little more.  See you tomorrow!

Nudging Downward

Prices dropped 8-cents over the past month.  They actually got all the way up to $3.84 at this station, but started declining during the past week.  To see the roller coaster ride we've been on with gas prices, just click the label below to see prices over the past 19 months.

Myakka Hawk

One last photo from my visit to Myakka State Park in Sarasota County.  I was surprised to see this red shouldered hawk because I've never seen one in the park before.  And, I was quite impressed by its girth.  What a plump birdie!

Oh, Deer

This young buck was hanging out at Myakka State Park just before it started raining.  As we watched each other for several minutes, I kept looking for other deer. (Being a Michigan native, I know firsthand that deer rarely travel alone.)  Sure enough, when he started to trot away, a doe suddenly came into view.  The same ranger who I talked to about the silly great blue heron told me that 8-point and 6-point bucks were recently spotted in the same area.  I ended up seeing 11 deer that rainy afternoon -- the most I've ever seen here in Florida.

Playful Heron

When it started raining quite hard at Myakka State Park, I was surprised to see this great blue heron standing in the parking lot getting soaked.  Then, things got really interesting when he started dancing. Yep, dancing in the rain! 

This bird hopped, jumped, flapped its wings and pretty much let its guard down and just had fun in the downpour.  I was tucked inside my car and couldn't believe what I seeing.  What a goofy bird! But, when he finished dancing he wasn't done having fun. 

He found this stick and starting playing with it...tossing it up and down.  When I mentioned the bird to a park ranger he immediately knew who I was talking about and where he was located in the park. Apparently, this great blue heron has quite a reputation for silly behavior.