Frangipani

 

With July's theme day, "motion", right around the corner, I thought I'd tinker around with this frangipani flower floating in the pool.  The photos showing motion were a complete failure.  On the plus side....I ended up with this lovely (non-motion) shot!

Happy 5th Anniversary

At some point during this busy spring season, Sarasota Daily Photo marked its 5th anniversary.  How has the time escaped?!  It seems every year I write that I wish I had more time to spend on the blog.  And, that remains true.  Although we're not publishing as frequently as we would like, the editor-in-chief (and the entire staff) is still committed to showcasing scenes from the Sarasota area and staying in touch with our many City Daily Photo friends around the world.  As you may know, the SDP editor-in-chief rarely signs off on flower posts, but this hibiscus (spotted in downtown Sarasota this past weekend) was just too stunning to leave on the editing floor…especially for this special occasion.   

Beautiful Bougainvillea

One of the many reasons why I love this time of year in Florida:  the bougainvillea trees are  blooming...and they're stunning, especially against the clear blue sky.

Winter Bloom

I don't know what kind of tree this is, but it blooms during the winter here in Florida. And, as you can see, it's quite eye catching.  The tree is the size of a large oak and it's filled with these beautiful colorful flowers -- just one of the many reasons I love the Sunshine State this time of year.

Budding Bud

About 50 yards down the road from yesterday's photo, I spotted this sight: a flower poking out of a Bud Light bottle securely fastened to a barbed wire fence. The flower was fresh and a few cigarette butts lined the bottom of the bottle.  Makes me wonder why someone would take the time to tie this to a fence in the middle of nowhere.

Here Today...

This is a bird of paradise in my front yard.  It's always such a pleasant surprise when they bloom because  I seem to forget they come to life in the oppressive summer heat.  Oddly enough, this one disappeared the day after this photo was taken.   I hate to think I have a B.O.P. thief in the 'hood, but I'm not sure how else to explain it.

Reaching for the Sun

I was pleasantly surprised to see these sunflowers along Lockwood Ridge Rd. in Sarasota because I don't recall seeing many here in the Sunshine State.  These are located next to a landscape nursery, but unfortunately, there isn't a place to safely pullover nearby.  I thought about cruising by, but the combination of brilliant flowers, bright blue sky and that delightful puffy cloud was just too much to resist.  The block I hoofed in heels in the 92 degree heat was worth it. 

Spring Splendor

Every spring I look forward to seeing the jacaranda trees in bloom -- the lavender petals give the skyline a wonderful infusion of color.  I spotted this tree on my way to work and made a point to capture it during lunch.  The flowers bloom only for a few weeks.  By the end of May they'll be gone and the tree will be so stark you'd never guess it could produce such stunning flowers.