old buddies

Really, a youngster's companion - and later sidekick. 

Rick Peek flew over for a visit, to stay and play, while I was attending to my 2nd year in college studying photography at England's, Medway College of Design. We both loved motorbikes, so while there, Rick bought himself a brand new BSA Starfire to bob around the countryside. 

Young and crazy, twice we were written-up in the newspapers - and once, both of us were featured in an international event of our own cause. Then, me riding my Triumph, he on his 'Beezer'.  Fun times, miss him.

A couple of weeks ago, I came across a stack of old (buried) prints from the clean-up of my recently flooded darkroom. 

Rick "on the dock of the bay", fifty some years ago (1970).  Actually on the brackish River Medway (Rochester, Kent, England), with his new BSA Starfire, 250 single.

a birder's paradise

Circle B Bar Reserve 

(just southeast of Lakeland, Florida).

Bird enthusiasts have been flocking to this old "cow camp" (now public) for over 20 years.  

Commonly seen; Herons and Egrets, Ibis's, Spoonbills, and Sandhill Cranes. Morehens and the Black-necked Stilt, Quail, Meadow Larks, the Painted Bunting, Warblers and Purple Martins. The American Bald Eagle, Kestrels, Ospreys and the Barred owl. Red-shouldered hawks and all those peculiar, gobbling Wild Turkeys. And with so many miles of marshland trails, with numerous species of ducks, the ducks own count is unimaginable. 

 

Ronnie & Will with the big equipment

 

Other birders along the trail.

 

 

My sweet and behaving, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

 

 

last night someone asked .....

if a photo posted recently on an on-line history site, showing a group of young horseback riders galloping along Siesta's, Shell Road beach (early 60's) - could have also included me?

No, but there is a family photo of me at age seven (1957) competing in the Out-of-Door School's Annual Horse Show. I'm atop my English rider, and may not be galloping, but I won a Blue Ribbon that year - in dressage - walk, trot and canter. 

We used to stable our ponies on the school property (shown in background). Behind Out-of-Door, there were numerous trails, to the beach, to Siesta Village and trails running all along the bayside. On the trails we rode 'western'. In fact in those early days, I rode frequently into the "Village", along a winding route through what is now Siesta Isles. And there, in the Village was my favorite store - the Siesta Sundries. They even had a hitching post.

 

Nice and quiet out there

 

Piney flatwoods

 

 

Saw palmetto

 

 

small gator pond

 

 

 

Knuckles' birthday

With fallen pine cones found along the trail.

"prayer warriors"

“If you’re a believer, and you believe God appointed Donald J. Trump to run this country, to lead this country, and you believe as I do that he will be re-elected the President of the United States, then friends, you’ve got to guard your heart, you’ve got to guard your peace. Right now we are at war.”  (David Harris Jr., fellow - Falkirk Center for Faith & Liberty.)

 

Hard to keep an eye on the road anymore. A large crowd had gathered along HWY 41, waving flags, screaming insanity at cars passing, and all honking.  I circled back, and got out.  (Nokomis, Florida.)

 

 

 

lookin' for a little serenity

and low-hanging mistletoe, on a winter's cloudy day.

Carlton Ranch - Sidell, Florida