familiar restaurants - back doors

We went downtown for a small family goodbye dinner.  Sandra's wish was to be dropped off in front of a restaurant, while I went to park in my favorite alley-way.  We had made a decision earlier to eat somewhere along lower Main Street - now Sarasota's "restaurant row".

Dottie, shy with her new fan

standing in Duncan Chamberlain's backyard - in a day of celebration and viewing, for Duncan's late father, John Chamberlain's sculpture  - "WICKETS".

television has gotten so bad, but always loved the sound

Finally got my new camera equipment sorted out - and testing - thought I would shoot something immediately in front of me.  Random.

maybe 15?

My sister's partner, Miss Gabrielle sent me this photo today, that she had found in a box of my sister's belongings.  Didn't recognize it - or even remember it.

Me, wearing roller skates, rollin' barefoot. Probably 1965 at the fine age of 15, when I was then living with JoAnn out on Lido Key.  Most likely, me cruising around St. Armand's Circle on a lark.

the big mishap

A good friend of my son Wilson, his buddy Jack Smith, called me awhile back - wanted to go fishing.

So yesterday, with a good strong incoming tide, we headed out early - out onto Robert's Bay in my Old Town canoe with it's fairly new, transom mounted 2.5 HP propane engine and all loaded up with our needed gear.

About two hours into guiding Jack around, to my favorite spots, and with a 'new moon' fast tide - I went to stand up, to cast, and I slipped and went falling, grabbing the handrail (gunwale) - and looking up, saw my fishing 'guest' Jack, tumbling to the right - with the canoe and it's many contents - all going over.

Engine, fishing poles, life-vests, lunch, shoes, tackle box, paddle and Jack, with his cell phone and car key "clicker" inside his pockets.  Everything went over, and that which floated - luckily floated - like my on-board "dry box" with my phone and cigarettes - and left us all, just splashing around.

Hard to believe I'm gettin' to old to fish - I've been fishing all my life.


Jack and I swam the canoe over to a near-by dock, and pondered our next move.

Mario Wallenda (in fond memory of)

In meeting Mario, the first thing that you would notice, beyond the obvious wheelchair, was Mario's honest, ballsy, sense of humor.  And the conversational winking, with - "Please don't print that".

In 2005, my sister Caren had called from Maine and was coming back down to Florida for a visit. Being a big supporter of my documentary field work, she had asked if there was anyone that we could work with together on.  I'd mentioned Mario Wallenda, a survivor of the "Great Wallendas" high-wire act,  which turned tragic when their seven man pyramid collapsed and most fell while performing in Detroit in 1962.  Two died, and Mario survived - bound for life in a wheelchair.

Caren and I sat with him, outside in the carport for a better part of a day, while his wife Linda would appear on the occasion with refreshments - where we talked, tape-recorded the conversation - and finally set-up some equipment for a portrait of Mario in his garage.

Mario, that day, was so excited about a new prospect - his returning to the "wire".  He wanted to make another stab at it in front of the public. So, with the help of his nephew Tino, and the encouragement from his sister Jenny, a motorized "Sky Cycle" was built.  In 2006, Mario Wallenda, now 44 years later, and sittin' a-top the high wire once again, crossed the Chicago River in downtown Chicago, high above a crowd of gawkers and well-wishing fans.  Mario's after comment - "It was more fun than a barrel of monkey-women".

Mario died yesterday - only nine days after his loving sister, Jenny Wallenda, had passed.

Mario with his home-built "Sky Cycle".

"Buck" Sergeant Jim Shaffer

I didn't meet him at our local National Cemetery, I met him at the Red Barn Bar & Lounge today, after his participation as the Honor Guard, for the burial of two deceased veterans.  Jim Shaffer, an "acting Jack", is the captain of the Honor Guard and is responsible for the representation of honors at Sarasota's National Cemetery.

Jenny Wallenda (an end of a circus era)

Her father was Karl, her brother was Mario, her son was Tino, and her grandson, Nik Wallenda.  All were - or are great aerialists - as Jenny once was herself.


the "Showfolks" Club on Lockwood Ridge Road with their flag at half mast

mural inside the Club

In circus tradition, a wreath for Jenny signifying a "missing spoke" from a circus wagon.

Jenny's personal photo album covering her 87 years.

a Corona Ad holder featuring Jenny during her heyday under the "Big Top"

preparing the banquet room

Retired circus 'folk' sitting down with the Wallenda family.  Tino Wallenda (in the rear) preparing to speak before Jenny's "celebration of life" memorial dinner.

a tale of two oaks

I was still in my bathrobe early yesterday morning, when an old a friend appeared knocking at the door.  Margey needed a big favor and was in a hurry. Could she use the truck and have me help her help move a bed?  So, without brushing my hair, my teeth or even shaving, I pulled my jeans on and we jumped into my truck.

Margey was in town, for a brief period because her mother had just passed.  We rode over to her family's large bayfront home to pick-up a bed from the guest room - to help facilitate an elderly friend of Margey's who was in dire straights - who had been sleeping on a strato-lounger for the past two years inside a moldy trailer, and who was now, close to being evicted - and Margey, being Margey - was just reaching out, as always, helping others.

The elderly "Miss" Nancy was living way below the line, not being cared for by her sons - and who,  several years before, had shot her husband in a domestic argument which had led to her immediate economic downfall.  Finally, the old strato-lounger was pulled out of the small cramped back room, left outside - and a new mattress and frame was in it's place.

I've always looked up - at the clouds, the trees, the wildlife flying by.  So here I was admiring the different oaks on both properties.  One, a century old oak, winding around and cared for, covered with ivy in a very upscale neighborhood.  And, not more than three miles away, in a funky mobile home park, several large oaks surviving on their own, shading a cluster of worn-out dilapidated trailers.



Margey's family's front yard with a beautiful manicured oak in the exclusive Cherokee Park neighborhood.

Margey - in "Miss Nancy's" front yard with old unkempt oaks surviving by their own behind the Cadillac dealership, in that hidden and "shady" - Pine Ridge Mobile Home Park.

egg hunt

7 kids, two babies and a dog searching through-out the yard.

Bella, Lola, Tessa, Lena, Clara, Zachary, James, Josephine, Penelope and Knuckles.