Shadows and pillows, PVIC

Where did Martina really go?

Water service, Jax Beach

This was a lens test. Michael Johnston of the T.O.P. blog waxed poetic about the Pentax 50mm f/1.4 lens of old. He explained how it was designed to be, and ended up being, better than the Zeiss Planar of it's day, a legendary lens. He was so compelling that I went over to eBay and looked one up. It was on sale for $48.00! How could I lose? When it came I put it on one of my Micro 4/3 cameras by way of an adapter. This was one of the test shots, on a walk in Jax Beach. It is a lovely lens, based on 200 files. Lower contrast then modern lenses and to my eye it renders color more smoothly. The reds are like velvet.

Mar-a-Lago, ICW

Somehow, I thought his boat would be bigger.

Lee's tree redux

Those of you who follow my photography know that I have spent a lot of time photographing Lee's tree. Lee is my wife's oldest and best childhood friend, and an avid gardener. When we moved here to Florida, Lee, who lives in NC, brought me this tree, as a sapling. I planted it near the IntraCoastal Waterway. It grew, over 23 years, to be a beautiful tall, graceful tree. I believe she told me it was a flowering almond. Anyway, it appears to be a member of the Eucalyptus family. Every Spring it would exfoliate it's bark, going from a rough slightly magenta to a lovely Provencale green, fading to gray. Last Autumn we were visited by Hurricane Matthew, who very quickly snapped the tree into the water. I wrote it off as a sad loss. But, come Spring this year there were buds, so, when the tree men were here clearing storm damaged trees, I had them cut Lee's tree back to below the split. Now there is a bounty of new growth and hope for a full recovery.

MSD

Mulberry, Roscoe

Don't tread on me.........updated for 2017

Shadows, Roscoe

Begonias, MSD

Landscape with hydrant, MSD

Hedge and hydrant, Ponte Vedra Beach,MSD

Janie's evil face, PVB

Janie and I were walking last week and she saw this and said look at that scary face. I had the camera but she gets the credit.

For Wes Disney

I took a few workshops from Wes Disney when I lived in Vermont. His teaching and curiosity were and inspiration. He had a wonderful picture, done with an 8x10 camera, of a very similar lifeguard's chair. Every now and then I take one just to keep him in my memory.

African Iris, Garden, Roscoe

Such balance

Statue, Jax Beach

Amy's Nails, Holga

Chairs, PVIC

Potting bench, garden, Roscoe

This is dead center in my backyard garden. All tools migrate here. My daughter's last two Vermont plates and one of my Florida are on the front.

Morning light, pool, PVIC

Umbrella, PVIC

More morning light, PVIC

Sometimes the Holga lens sees color better then my primes.

PVIC morning light

Sand, PVB

After three days of heavy winds.

Front door, Roscoe

This was taken at a time that I am usually out. Never knew the shadows played like this.

Azaleas, home

We had a very early flowering of the azaleas all over our lot this year, lucky, because we had a near frost last night.

Triangle Waffle, Jesus is Lord

On Rte. 95 in South Carolina

Clyde's cabbage, Roscoe

Our neighbors, Clyde and Corinne, have large raised garden. This mild winter has produced a bumper crop. Clyde gave me this beauty the other day and I made a spicy Asian stir-fry out of it, with hot sausage. A real winner. Thank you Clyde!

Azaleas, Roscoe

It has been an odd winter. Like most of the country, we have had a very mild winter. I planted my tomatoes two weeks early, in February, and they are thriving. Usually when we have early warmth, the azaleas come out, little by little, and never reach their full glory. Then a heavy rain ruins them. This year they have slowly come out and gradually filled the yard. Two downpours haven't bothered them and they have lasted far longer than I remember. Very nice.

Tree, Roscoe

Tree, Roscoe

Meter, Jax Beach

Driftwood, PVB

Chair, PVIC

Hieroglyphics Ponte Vedra Beach

Clyde's azaleas, Roscoe

Early blooms this year.

Janie on one of our walks.

Collards in my garden.

A rare sighting.

After a rain, bar mat trees spring up like mushrooms (They have a similar odor) and are quickly stripped by nearby tavern owners. I was lucky that it was a Sunday morning.

Poor Mr. Creamy

The hazard of leaving your sign where people can access it.

Early bloomers

Our azaleas usually bloom in early March. Here we are on July 31st and they are emerging. Yikes

Parking curb, Jax Beach

Town Center

Bad poster juxtaposition.

Town Center

Next Please!, Town Center

Town Center

Solano Road

Once again, shamelessly stealing from my main photographer hero, Lee Friedlander.

Sunset, ICW, Roscoe

Beautiful light last night.