Swamp or Mountains?

Spring is lasting a bit longer than usual here in Sarasota -- yes!   We're still enjoying beautiful days with fairly low humidity which translates into cooler evenings and remarkable sunsets.  The entire SDP staff just returned home to Sarasota and we were able to catch up enough with housekeeping matters etc. yesterday to make it out to Myakka River State Park for this nice sunset.   A surprising number and variety of birds were out -- which the entire SPD team is looking forward to sharing at some point.  So, where were we….?

Nevada!  This was my view earlier in the week.  I was in Reno for a few days and was fortunate enough to have a few hours to explore nearby Lake Tahoe.  All I can say is … wow!  What a gorgeous part of the country -- very pretty with the tall pine trees and snow capped mountains (I even spotted quite a few people sledding, cross country skiing and downhill skiing). I definitely would like to return to explore some more one day.  Which  leads to the question:  swamp or mountains?  Actually, I love both!  Each has its own unique environment and natural beauty.  As long as I can be outdoors exploring, I'd be happy as a clam.  Hope everyone is doing well in the blogosphere!

Baghdatis vs Kyrgios

If possible, I like to see Marcos Baghdatis play in person.  "Baggy" hasn't experienced a big breakthrough on the ATP circuit, but I've always appreciated his easy going demeanor and infectious smile -- although his smile was tucked away during this match. 

It could be because he was being pushed around the court by this young up and comer, Nick Kyrgios, from Australia.  This photo, I think, captures Kyrgios' demeanor on the court.  While I wouldn't call him a modern day tennis "bad boy", the word "flamboyant" is used frequently by tennis announcers to describe him and his non-traditional style. I would also add the words "edgy" and "intense".

Kyrgios sailed to a straight sets victory.  Not sure what was said at the net when Baggy gave Kyrgios a congratulatory pat on the chest, but Kyrgios -- who's 10 years younger than Baggy -- seemed to appreciate it.  Kyriogos is currently ranked #20 and, ultimately, lost in the quarterfinals at the Miami Open.  The entire SDP staff will be on sabbatical for a bit.  We'll be back soon.  In the meantime, have a nice week!

Wawrinka vs Kuznetsov

Swiss player Stan Wawrinka is ranked #4 on the world tour and is known on the circuit as "The Stanimal".  I love that nickname!  He has a nice one-handed backhanded, which he was getting ready to unleash when I snapped this shot. Unfortunately, though, it wasn't his day on the grandstand court at the Miami Open.

It was especially hot (even by Miami standards), and The Stanimal looked overheated and tired. He quickly found himself down a set and a break to #51 Andrey Kuznetsov…and looking for answers (and perhaps shade) in his towel.

Kuznetsov pulled off the upset in straight sets -- possibly the biggest victory of his career. And, he pleasantly basked in the limelight taking his time to autograph every tennis ball and hat put in front of him following the match.

And, even though perspiration was dripping down his face, Kuznetsov was happy to pose for selfies. Very polite, nice young man.  I hope his success on the courts continues!

Milos Raonic

For the 10th straight year, I made the journey down to Key Biscayne in Miami for the men's and women's professional tennis tournament. We caught parts of 13 matches in two days. Whew! We kicked things off watching this guy -- Milos Raonic.  A Canadian, he's currently ranked #12 in the ATP standings.  He's tall for a tennis player (6'5") and a bit quirky, which makes it interesting to watch him in person.  He's the one who now wears a compression arm sleeve as a security blanket and, amazingly, his hair always stays in position.  Milos also has a tendency to stick his tongue out when he's concentrating.  (Gosh…I hope he doesn't inadvertently bite down on it when he's chasing a ball.) 

One my favorite things about this tournament is the proximity to the players. I snapped this shot of Milos just minutes after he defeated American Denis Kudla on Court #1. The crowd of fans was tight, and security personnel were moving people aside.  But, I made myself big and stood my ground when I saw Milos was coming right toward me. He was nice and paused just long enough for a couple of selfies with fans and signed a few autographs. 

Over the past several years, the tournament has struggled with an identity crisis, undergoing several name changes, and is now known as the Miami Open.  Now, a big controversy is swirling and word is...this may have been the last year for the tournament on Key Biscayne. It will be sad if that ends up being the case.  One way or the other, it's been a good run!  More pics to come.  

Theme Day: Beauty of Simplicity

It's theme day in the City Daily Photo blogosphere.  And, this month's theme is 'The Beauty of Simplicity'.  When I took this photo at Whitaker Gateway Park near downtown Sarasota, I knew it would be my theme day submission.  A lone person sitting on a swing watching the sun sink over Sarasota Bay -- simplicity at its best!  The intent of this theme day may have been to challenge photographers to simplify their composition and zero in on one subject.  That being said, I like this interpretation.  : )  To see other interpretations of theme day click here.  Happy Friday!

Lone Trees

As I mentioned in a previous post, several dead-looking trees line the beach at Lovers Key State Park near Ft. Myers Beach.  The evening I took this photo, the sky and Gulf of Mexico were quite colorful, but I couldn't resist converting this image to black and white.  Moody! The entire SDP staff will be taking a brief respite  from the blogosphere -- off to Key Biscayne (Miami) for the annual tennis tournament and then, if the weather holds out, to Everglades National Park.  Looking forward to it.  So many photo opportunities await!  

Reaching

I'm not sure if the trees along the beach at Lovers Key State Park are dead, but I always enjoy photographing them.  I tried to glean some information about the trees and learned this from the park website:  This side of Lovers Key was so thick with mangroves, bushes, and pine trees it essentially was inaccessible -- until Hurricane Charley hit in 2004. The damage to the area was so severe beach restoration was necessary.   Trees were removed and the area cleared, creating a 2 mile stretch of open beach.  Although the original environment is gone, I think this new area is pretty special (even more so, now that I know the history with Hurricane Charley).  By the way, I snapped this photo just before the fiery orange ball I posted yesterday.