Please Standby

I would like to report that SDP's absence from the blogosphere is solely due to a busy spring schedule; however, that's not the case.  After returning from a glorious whirlwind trip to Key Biscayne (mandated by the SDP Editor-in-Chief) for the Sony Open, I downloaded 600+ photos of the tournament:  Serena Williams, Richard Gasquet, John Isner, and more. Good stuff. Then, my photo storage crashed.  (Read:  CRASHED)  Of course, having 24K+ photos, I have a good backup system.   After days of work, though, my Mac repair guy and I have been unable to restore my photo library.  While cautiously optimistic, SDP is now reluctantly preparing for catastrophic crisis mode.   Please keep us in your thoughts.

Play Ball!

Welcome to JetBlue Park in Ft. Myers, the winter home of the Boston Red Sox. The ballpark opened last year and this was the first chance I had to attend a game here. We sat on the outfield berm for a chilly night game but, I must say, compared to other stadiums in the Grapefruit League, this place seems to lack ambiance.  (Gosh, Red Sox fans...please don't think less of SDP for this review.)  It was quiet, with few vendors...overall, it just didn't seem to have much character. Perhaps you have to be a diehard Sox fan to fully appreciate it.  Nevertheless, we had a great time. Well, the good thing about being so busy recently is that I have lots of photos from the past few weeks stockpiled:  owls, eagles, beaches...oh my!  I prefer to post pics shortly after I take them (it's the old news hound in me constantly considering timeliness), but, with the SDP Editor-in-Chief's blessing, some of them will be rolled out over the next several weeks.  TGIF...and I'm linking to Skywatch Friday.

Lunch on the Go

Talk about lunch on the go! I think, though, this actually is a thief in flight. Just before I took this shot, this egret was standing on the fishing pier on Sanibel which was quite busy with anglers catching lots of fish.  Next thing I knew, the bird suddenly had a large fish flailing in its beak --- then it took off.  (Looking rather guilty.)  That's when I got this shot.

I was pleasantly surprised when the thief...er, bird...landed relatively close.  Heck, that fish was so large, the egret probably couldn't carry it very far.  Anyway, it didn't stay here too long, which was okay because watching a seabird swallow a fish whole isn't for the faint of heart. **gulp**

J is for Jogging

With a view like this, who wouldn't want to go jogging? Usually, I prefer shots of people coming toward the camera but I didn't really care for any that I took. Instead, I liked this one. Perhaps it has something to do with looking at where the joggers are going, rather than where they came from.  Anyway, this beautiful beach is on Sanibel island located on the Gulf of Mexico a couple of hours south of Sarasota.  It would be an understatement to say it's gorgeous and relaxing here. This year the entire SDP staff stayed on Sanibel during our annual whirlwind spring training baseball adventure (with a Michigan tourist who was thrilled to see the sun).  We ventured into nearby Ft. Myers for an evening Red Sox game as well as a daytime Twins game, since both teams are based there in the spring. And, we're getting word that the SDP Editor-in-Chief will be ordering another mandatory respite -- this one for the Sony Open on Key Biscayne.  Management!  I hope everyone has been doing well and I'll see you sporadically over the next couple of weeks.  In the meantime, I'm linking to ABC Wednesday.

Spring Break

It's spring break here in the Sunshine State. College and high school students as well as families have all descended upon us to enjoy the sun and sand. I always ended up working in college through spring break (and summer break and winter break). But, when I was in my early 30's I finally went on spring break -- to Florida! Naturally, I hit the beaches, stared at the sun, toured Disney and did all the things tourists do.  The morning I was preparing to return to Michigan (in a rather depressed state knowing I would be facing more of Old Man Winter) it suddenly dawned on me that I could move here. It was quite do'able. The search was on...I landed a great job...and moved to Florida four months later.  And, I've never looked back.  (And, who would with beautiful waterways like this to enjoy while others are enduring snow?)  This is Stumps Pass Beach State Park on Manasota Key. It was the first time I went there and it was a terrific getway -- a slice of Old Florida.  More on that later. Hope everyone has a terrific Thursday!

I is for Ichthyology

The brain functions in odd and mysterious ways. The first time I read the word 'ichthyology' (probably in Prof. Peeble's nat sci class at Michigan State University), for whatever reason, it stuck with me. I've always remembered ichthyology is the study of fish. In my previous life, when I was working on a news story, I was chatting with a guy who had sharks delivered to his house so he could dissect and study them. I nonchalantly said, 'Ah...so, you're an ichthyologist.'  His eyes widened and his jaw popped open as he exclaimed, 'Yes! Yes...I'm an ichthyologist!'  And, that, more or less, is the extent of my nat sci knowledge.

I encountered John Miller at Hart's Landing in downtown Sarasota as he cleaned a haul of fish that he and his wife, Lydia, caught. They ventured 26 miles into the Gulf of Mexico in somewhat choppy waters and caught 40 perch. John was skillfully using an electric knife to fillet his catch, which I thought was rather clever and quite effective. 

As you can see, I wasn't the only one interested in what he was doing.  The egrets and pelicans were close at hand studying the fish, and John didn't mind if they quickly darted in to snatch a small piece for dinner, like this egret.  Gosh...they're quick!   And, when John tossed a carcass into the bay -- look out!  It created an instantaneous pelican feeding frenzy. The Millers split their time between Sarasota and Indiana. (The fishing is much better here right now, isn't it?) Nice meeting you and thanks for the photo opps.  I'm linking to ABC Wednesday.

R.I.P. Ringlings

Behind this gate, rest John and Mable Ringling.  (So does John's sister, Ida, although we don't hear too much about her.)  John is in the middle and Mable is on the right.  The plots are tucked away on the grounds of the Ringling Muesum of Art in a beautiful flower and statue garden known as Mable's Secret Garden.  It's a short distance from Sarasota Bay and the Ringlings' winter home, the Ca d'Zan.  (Although they also owned homes in New York City and New Jersey, the Ringlings wanted to be buried in Sarasota.)   John died in 1936 from pneumonia when he was 70.   He's the person who is credited with envisioning Sarasota as a place that would be developed and become a fashionable place to live and visit.  Mable passed away in 1929 at the age of 54.  Although she died two years before their art musuem opened (and John subsequently married and divorced) Mable was listed as a director and vice president.  I'm linking to Taphophile Tragics.  Check it out here.