Me and the girls, Christmas, Nashville, TN

 Here is our gathering for Christmas in Nashville. Everyone took turns taking the other four. We had a ball, ate too much good vegan food and laughed a lot. Also went to Star Wars, great fun.

Inadvertent origami, Arms akimbo, Jax Beach

Jacksonville Beach

In the immortal words of Yogi Berra, "When you come to the fork in the road, take it."

Beaufort, NC

Kitchen windows, Beaufort, NC

 I love kitchen windows. Every owner makes their window unique, whether by design or chance. This was our rental house for a wedding in Beaufort, NC. The decor was by the owners and the food is randomly placed by us renters. Good coffee always amazes me when it appears out of left field. The water here tasted like you licked a galvanized bucket. Eight O'Clock is a store brand, pre-ground coffee. The coffee was superb every day. Go figure.

Optical illusion, Jax Beach

Two bloggers are responsible for these pictures.. Mike Johnston of T.O.P. pointed out a great deal on a Sony a6000 camera and suggested the 60mm Sigma lens to go with it. So I ordered one of each. Then, with the camera all set up, I  did a Kirk Tuck walk in Jacksonville Beach. When I worked on this file I was taken by the illusion of the chair on the top balcony looking askew. I cannot make any combination of reflections work to create this look. Any guesses?

The camera seems wonderful. Well shaped, quiet, fast focus and lovely files. I have the Sigma lens for my micro 4/3 cameras and it translates to 120mm in that sensor size, not a good length for my eye. In the Sony it is a 90mm lens equivalent, a size that I have loved since my Leica days, so I'll use it much more. It seems very sharp and smooth.

No trespassing, Jax Beach

This lot had a building on it that I photographed a lot. It had an odd A-frame in the middle and fish and crabs painted on the outside walls. It was razed about a year ago and has lain fallow since. It lies across the street from a Publix Supermarket and right on a large road, Beach Boulevard. It is covered with weeds and litter. My question is what harm would a trespasser do to it?

Graffiti artist's palette, and graffiti, Jax Beach

 The top picture is around the corner from the graffiti on an abandoned Sonic drive-in. I guess he was testing his spray cans before starting.

P-bird, Jax Beach

I couldn't decide if this looked more like a penguin or a pelican, thus, P-bird.

Hydrants, MSD

I think they were playing hide and seek.

Sunrise, Ponte Vedra Beach

It was 70f (21.1C) yesterday on the beach. Not bad for the last day of November.

Early morning shadows, Ponte Vedra Beach

Sunset, out back, Roscoe

Lots of nice clouds lately.

Inadvertent origami, leaves, Jax Beach.

Oddly, these two were within five feet of each other.

Rust never sleeps, Jax Beach

This is the back of an abandoned Wendy's fast food joint. It is finally, after two years of small changes, showing some major decay.

Series of abstract finds, Jax Beach

A strange collection, Jax Beach

What are Salvation Army correctional services? Reprimanding bell ringers?

Fallen hero, Jax Beach

Couldn't resist.

Same roads, same rights, same rules, Rant alert.

Based on the cyclists in our area, I would say that this is the most hypocritical bumper sticker that I have seen in a while. There is a lot of animosity between motorists and cyclists here in North Florida. Most of it caused by the cyclists, in my opinion. There is an air of entitlement on the bikers that irritates anyone on the receiving end. They ignore rules all of the time. Stop signs mean pedal faster, pedestrian crossing are  for target practice. Riding three abreast at a slow pace is a right, even if cars pile up behind. If you mention this to a cyclist you get an angry reply (local cyclists are almost always angry) to the tune of "Do you know how hard it is to unclip, put a foot down, re-clip and start again?!?" As to the pedestrian crossing, last year I was walking in a crosswalk that had a sign up saying that all vehicles should stop for people in the crosswalk. A pelleton of Saturday riders missed me by a foot, at high speed, and one of them yelled "Look out!"

I wouldn't be as upset by this if we didn't go to France every year. In Europe there is peace between motorists and cyclists. Cyclists come to a stop at stop signs and red lights. We were driving on a very narrow, very windy road in Provence when we came upon a huge club outing, it must have been 50 bikes. We resigned ourselves to five miles of very slow going. The last rider saw us and whistled. The whole group got into single file and the leader signaled when there was no oncoming traffic and we had an easy pass. I wanted to buy each rider a bottle of wine.

I am not a blue nosed pecksniff about this. If a cyclist is approaching a three or four way intersection and can see that there is no traffic, go ahead and run the signs. It's the disregard of others that galls me. In our very local area the cyclists have taken to riding on the sidewalks, even when there are a lot of walkers, and they have an attitude of ownership. Sad. I hope this improves soon.

BTW, I do know that there are motorists with short tempers that intimidate cyclists and endanger them....they are wrong and they have a huge lethal hunk of metal around them.

OK..rant over. Ride safely.

Spanish moss, from dock, Roscoe

 We have a lovely Live oak that hangs over the water. This long Spanish moss has been hanging from it all summer. I have started to take pictures of it mainly to capture the way water changes from minute to minute.

Last of the whirling butterflies, dock, Roscoe

There is a popular plant here in North Florida that is sold as Whirling butterflies, because it has these long, very thin stems with  pink flowers that look like butterflies, and they dance in the wind. Sadly, they are strong spreaders and get into every pot near them. They die back in the Fall, to the ground, and re-emerge in the Spring from a very tough root ball. It's a real love-hate plant for me because in a light breeze, in the summer they are lovely and graceful.

Their latin name is Gaura Lindheimerii in case you want to look them up.

Hiding cone, Jax Beach

Autumn tomatoes, Garden, Roscoe

This year the second crop of tomatoes has done better than the Spring crop. We are still in Indian summer and the vines keep producing. These are miniature Romas.

Pumpkin, MSD

Grass and flare, MSD

Utility marks, Jax Beach

Thank you, Jax Beach

A nice, ambiguous sign.

Green and orange, Jax Beach

Four yellows, Jax Beach

Power tool vandalism/graffiti, Jax Beach

 This is an electrical box at the corner of 3rd Street and Beach Boulevard in Jacksonville Beach. It is probably one of the three busiest corners in the beaches. There are always cars here. And yet someone, with a big power sander stood here long enough to sand this very long trunked elephant onto/into the front and etch most of one side.  Nervy