Floridiana Gloriana

'Lake Eola' by Don Jones | Orlando | Creative Commons

I realize that many people find cityscapes a bit monotonous.  But imagine the amazement of someone from the Victorian age:  they'd see nothing but fairy-tale palaces, and fairy-tale lights.  I'm not sure what it says about us that we prefer to build our cities out of steel and glass towers and are satisfied to have them all look rather similar to one another.  I'm just asking you to focus on this one scene, with its silver, platinum, and celadon reflected in Lake Eola, its satiny dark blue backdrop, and its glass towers dwarfing the trees.

By the way, this is the same photographer who does such wondrous photographs of derelict houses, rusting tin, and lost and abandoned property decaying gently into Florida's rural landscape.   

>
'Lake Eola' by Don Jones |  To see his other photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized version of this photograph at Flickr, click here

I do not own the rights to this photograph.  It is subject to a restricted Creative Commons license, permitting certain limited noncommercial uses.  Before using or downloading it, consult the terms of the applicable license.  You may view it here.

'Blue Heron' by Judy Malley | Tampa | Creative Commons

I've posted several photographs of Blue Herons---my favorite Florida bird since a couple of them adopted my family back when I lived in Kissimmee---but this one by Judy Malley shows in perfect detail the beautiful silvery blue of its plumage and the no-nonsense tint of its navy racing stripe.  Is he not precious?   

"Blue Heron" originally uploaded by Judy Malley | To see her other Flickr photographs, click here |  | To see the largest version of this photograph on Flickr, click here

I do not own the rights to this photograph, but am using it pursuant to a restricted Creative Commons license.  Do not save or download it without first consulting the terms of the license.  The  link to the applicable license is shown here. 

 

'Winter Haven Sunset Celebration' by Josh Hallett | Winter Haven | Creative Commons

A sunset enormous lake in the little Central Florida town of Winter Haven in Polk County Florida, home of Cypress Gardens.  Having once been engaged to a man who was living there---and who lived right on the lake--- I spent quite a bit of time there back in the early Nineties.  Josh Hallett, who wonderfully captures the towns of Central Florida, took this radiant sunset scene, complete with all those Florida peach and apricot tints. 

Winter Haven Sunset Celebration by  Josh Hallett |   To see other photographs in his Flickr photostream, click here |  Website:  Hyku | To see the full-sized version of this photograph at Flickr, click here

I do not own the rights to this photograph, but am using it compliance with a restricted Creative Commons license.  Please do not download or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license. The link to the license is here.

'Brass Door' by Sara Mooney | Lake Wales | Creative Commons

Here is the magnificent golden door to the Carillon Tower (see a photograph here) at Bok Sanctuary Gardens in Lake Wales.  There's an almost dreamlike aspect to this photograph, with the reflecting pond, the jewel like green of the ferns, the darker palm branches, the delicate rose tints and blues of the stones, and that magical golden door, very like the one that Alice went through. 

Brass Door by Sara_Mooney   |  To see her photostream at Flickr, click here | Website:  Stage Domain | To see the full-sized version of this photograph, click here

I do not own the rights to this photograph, but am using it in compliance with a Creative Commons license that permits restricted use.  Please do not save or download it without first consulting the terms of the license.  A  link to the license appears here.

'Great Blue Heron' by George Thomas | Sanford | Creative Commons

Look at this creature.  Is he not magnificent?  This is a Great Blue Heron. 

When I lived in Central Florida years ago, my stepdaughter gave one of the herons that used to hang around our apartment complex (it was on a pond) a piece of her tuna sandwich.  After that, the heron and his mate used to come to our door every afternoon and bang on the door with their beaks.  Their squawks sound approximately like a pile of china plates falling down and breaking on a stone floor..  My neighbors weren't best pleased. 

This was taken in the Central Florida town of Sanford.

'Great Blue Heron at Sanford, Florida' by George Thomas (hz536n) | To see his other photos (Flickr photostream), click here | To see the full-sized version of this photo at Flickr, click here 

I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it pursuant to a restricted Creative Commons license.  Do not save or use it without first consulting the terms of the license. The license is shown here.

'Beautiful Ibis on the shore of Lake Dora' by Allen Whitson | Used by Permission

Allen Whitson saw---and captured for us here---this magnificent ibis just hanging about beside Lake Dora in the adorable Central Florida town of Mount Dora. Sometimes it's easy to forget the good fortune of living in a state where you see magnificent wildlife just hanging about the lakes, ponds, and wetlands you pass every day.  One reason I started this blog was to remind myself not to forget how much love we ought to be giving to Florida's animal people. 

Have you ever seen a more lavish red than the red of this magnificent creature's giant bill?  It's a rhetorical question.  You know you haven't.

 

Photograph  by Allen Whitson  | click here to see his other photos | Click here to go to Flickr to see the full-sized version

I do not own the rights to this photograph but am using it with the express permission of its owner.  Please do not save or use it without first getting permission from the owner.  Flickr users may contact the owner through his Flickr mail.
 

'Color Fest' by Lucian Badea | Lake Wauberg, Gainesville, Florida | Used by Permission

A lavish sunset taken by photographer Lucian Badea (Twisted Visions) from across Lake Wauberg (just outside of Gainesville, Florida).  These are the colors of a Florida sunset that's still just gearing up:  the crystalline blue of the sky is still visible behind clouds that still have just a touch of gold dust mixed into their colors.   
 

'Color Fest' by Lucian Badea |  See his work at Twisted Visions (!):  Landscape Photography, Fine Art Photography, Black and White Photography, Nature Photography, Abstract Photography, Experimental Photography, and More! |

I do not own the rights to this photograph, but am using it with the express written permission of its owner, Lucian Badea.  Do not save or use it unless you first obtain his permission.

'Orange and Blue' by Lucian Badea | Lake Alice, Gainesville | Used by Permission

Photographer Lucian Badea, of  Twisted Visions Photography, has taken some fascinating photographs of the landscapes in and around North Florida.  I became fascinated with them because of the way they are simultaneously totally familiar and totally not.  They are like the versions I see in my dreams:  with details and colors picked out that I wouldn't have noticed in the real world. 

I've often passed this place.  And North Florida has its share of orange skies.  But it took a moment or two to process what I was seeing all the same.  So painterly----and please take note of the swatch of blue sky and yellow cloud reflected in the lake. 

Entrancing.

 

Orange and Blue | Lake Alice, Gainesville, Florida' by Lucian Badea |  See his work at Twisted Visions (!):  Landscape Photography, Fine Art Photography, Black and White Photography, Nature Photography, Abstract Photography, Experimental Photography, and More!

I do not own the rights to this photograph, but am using it with the express written permission of its owner, Lucian Badea.  Do not save or use it unless you first obtain his permission. 

Sunset Over Lake Washington (Melbourne, FL) by John Emerson | Creative Commons

Here's a gorgeous lake sunset---just as a break from all the gorgeous beach sunsets---from the lovely town of Melbourne (The Harbor City!) on the Atlantic coast.  Amazing clarity in this photograph.  Even the reflected apricot tints on the ripples in the foreground stand out sharply. 

Sunset Lake Washington Melbourne Florida by  John Emerson (website: John's Myspace Page)

I do not own the rights to this photograph, but am using it in compliance with a Creative Commons license.  Before saving or using it, please consult the terms of the applicable license.  The license is here.

 

 

Sunset Lake Washington Melbourne Florida by John Emerson (website: John's Myspace Page)

I do not own the rights to this photograph, but am using it in compliance with a Creative Commons license.  Before saving or using it, please consult the terms of the applicable license.  The license is here.

Hawthorne: Lake and Tree

This lake is in the small town of  Hawthorne, Florida.  I stopped there one day with my family one late afternoon in July 1997.  Always thought I'd go back, but I never have.