Orange Blossom Special

At last the weather has started to warm up and plants hit hard by the cold are springing back.  I really enjoy these Orange Blossoms and clearly the Bees do to.

Palmy sky

Right now it's very mild and pleasant, aka balmy.  We are said to have rain heading our way though so I thought I'd post this photo with the brighter sky before it started turning darker.

Outdoor Room

There is a new show on HGTV called the Outdoor Room it's all about creating outdoor spaces that have a sense of place like a room.  As I was walking around town the other day I saw this space at the Emeritus at Venice.  It is an assisted living facility in one of our historic buildings.  This space between a couple buildings really gave me that sense of an outdoor room.  A delightful space to spend some contemplative time in.

On the Trail

One of many nature trails in Shamrock Park, it's a great place to get close to nature, close to the city.  The park also features a nature center with educational programs as well as a great play area, picnic area, tennis courts and more.

Garden Bird Feeder

I'm essentially going to allow this photo speak for itself.  Let the tranqulity of the garden bring you peace this day.

Cat in the Grass

My friends cat Clancy was in the fountain grass very attentive to something when I was able to capture this image.  Clancy is a wonderful cat who can be a bit of a challenge when trying to get a good photo, just when you think you've got a good one the moment is gone before you can get it. But we are all very pleased with this one, it even got framed and hung, I hope you enjoy it too.

Camping

If you enjoy RV Travel I highly recommend Oscar Scherer State Park in the Venice area. It has very beautiful secluded campsites and lots to see and do including 15 miles of trails.

For me this photo is inspiration for my goal of getting a Motor Home and seeing more of this great country. From more charming small towns like Venice to natural wonders and big cities.

Glory on the Beach

When I went out to the Beach at the Beachcomber in Venice (yesterdays post) I saw some flowers I hadn't seen at other area beaches. They looked like Morning Glories but I thought the beach was an odd place for them. Turns out they are in fact Beach Morning Glories also known as Railroad Vines. Thank you Alice for helping with that.

Normally I only post one photo a day, but I thought this close up should be accompanied with a larger view.

Pretty in Pink

This splash of pink is a Rangoon Creeper, seems well a creepy name to me for such a pretty flower.

Mangroves

Just across the road from Manasota Beach in yesterdays photo is a tranquil inlet that has a boardwalk around the mangroves. It's a very relaxing and beautiful spot that I feel many people who go to the beach never realize is just a few feet away.

Humming Bird

I can not take credit for this wonderful picture. When my friend Alice was out walking this morning she was fortunate to be able to get this shot of a humming bird on a branch with the setting moon in the background.

She was also gracious to allow me to share it with you. I love the color and composition, I also know that it's hard to get a good shot of humming birds. Great job Alice!

Casperson Beach

A friend of mine in Oregon posting some beach photos on Facebook inspired me to post this beach photo today. Florida has great beaches for sunning and swimming, Oregon not so much, especially the swimming it's too COLD! However Oregon beaches are great for feeling close to nature and exploring.

Casperson Beach at the south end of Venice Island is the best such beach that I have seen in Florida. It's about the only beach I've seen here with rocks on the beach, which invites a bit more verity of sea life, this beach is also great for finding shells and fossilized sharks teeth.

Plus rather than being backed by condos, this beach is backed by a nature preserve which helps give the beach a very back to nature feel as well as miles of trails to explore. I've written more about this beach here at Venice Florida Paradise, there are a few more photo's there too.

Venice Ave.

This view from a balcony on Venice Avenue shows some of the charm of downtown. True, you can't see the buildings across the street very well from this angle, but that's because of the trees running down the center of the street that help make downtown so inviting.

There are some nice buildings here but this photo reminds me of something I realized in another place I was living years ago.

Of many apartment complexes in the town there were two in particular that stood out for me. One for being ugly, the other beautiful. One day as I had driven by both I was stunned to realize that the architecture of both was EXACTLY THE SAME! The difference was the landscaping and trees.

Nature is so important.

Shamrock Park and Nature Center

This is a place I enjoy and should get to more often.

Shamrock Park and Nature Center offers more than 80 acres of natural area land providing opportunities for nature study, educational hikes, environmental programs as well as facilities for active recreation. Guided bird hikes, butterfly garden tours, and nature hikes are offered throughout the year. The park serves as the trail head access for the south east portion of the 10.2 mile Venetian Waterway Trail. There are many other trails here as well.

I really like the Florida Cracker style of this building. Deep overhangs, metal roof, copulas that let the sun in and heat out. The building is also a few feet off the ground further promoting natural ventilation. Very appropriate for a nature center in this climate, more building here should be built in this style.