Boo!

I did a double take when I drove by this statue which is located on what I believe is public right of way in the city limits. A cape…and creepy crawly spiders?! Someone is feeling a bit devilish! (The Spanish moss hanging in the background enhances the spooky feel here, don't you think?) This kind of reminds me when I spotted this on St. Armands Key five years ago. Halloween pranksters! Hope everyone is having fun and safe Halloween!

Halloween Handful

What's a couple of disembodied hands amongst friends and neighbors?  I'm not one to decorate my place for Halloween, but I do enjoy encountering fun scenes like this.  Very creative.  A bit creepy, but not too edgy.   As I set up my camera I thought, 'This is going to be a handful to photograph!'  Anyone else seeing Halloween decorations this year?

Beautiful Bay

When I left the office last night, I had every intention of heading straight out to look for Halloween decorations to photograph. Then, as I crossed the Ringling Bridge over Sarasota Bay, I ended up at Ken Thompson Park.  This shot is looking back at downtown Sarasota (a rapidly growing downtown, I might add). After a day and half of dreary weather (yes, that's a lot of cloudy weather for the Sunshine State), it was delightful to encounter this scene with low humidity and a pleasant temperature.  Great end to the day!  Now, regarding the Halloween decorations -- I found some after I left the park (as well as some other holiday decorations).  Stay tuned!

Hooty Hooooo!

By the time I arrived at Myakka River State Park last Friday evening, it was already dusk and I didn't expect any real photo opportunities. Then, I spotted a family standing next to a truck pointing up at the trees.  Curiosity getting the best of me, I pulled over.  As I grabbed my camera gear from the trunk, I heard the distinct call of a barred owl.  Sure enough, one owl could be seen roosting adjacent to the road.  (Several others were nearby but could only be heard.) Just enough daylight remained to squeeze out a fairly decent shot (with the ISO cranked all the way up and the camera on a tripod).  The family was really nice and we speculated 3-4 barred owls were nearby.   All of us (from a grandpa to a youngster under 10) were captivated by the owls' calls.   In fact, every time they caterwauled, our eyes grew big and we all giggled -- because we were so surprised by the unusual sounds.  If you'd like to hear it, I recorded a bit with my iPhone.  Just click here.  I've never heard so many owls -- with such a variety of calls.  What a hoot!  And, what a great, unexpected encounter.

Best Time of Year

To me, this is the best time of year here.   It only lasts for a couple of weeks, from mid-October to the end of the month.  But that short window is wonderful: the searing temperatures have dropped, the suffocating humidity lifted, and the color of the sky is transitioning into a crisp winter cobalt blue. The migratory birds also are arriving.  And, to top it all off, it's still Daylight Saving Time, so we have the longer days to enjoy all of this. With the extra daylight, I was able to get to Myakka River State Park after work recently, and this is what I was treated to.   Gorgeous!  And, so peaceful.  I hope everyone is well in the CDP world.  I was sad to hear about Birdman.  His daily creative posts and visits to all our blogs certainly will be missed.  Thanks to Jack at Hartford and Naples in Season for digging deeper and posting a link to Birdman's obituary.