Floridiana Gloriana

'Bok Tower' by Josh Hallett | Lake Wales | Creative Commons

Here is another marvelous photograph of the Bok Sanctuary Carillon Tower----before we had its golden door; now we have the summit reflecting the color of the sun at sunset.  Photographer Josh Hallett (Hyku)  has produced some wonderful photographs of Central Florida and has kindly authorized me to feature some of them----this is the first I've published, with more to come.

'Bok Tower, Lake Wales, FL' 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.

'Why do you come here?' by Greg Turner | Gainesville | Creative Commons

When I was living in Gainesville in the late Eighties, I dated a man who lived in a house much like this one.  It might even have been this one.  In a town inhabited by a huge transient population of students, many living hand to mouth, the quaint old places survive better than they might do elsewhere.  The eerie green light here is perfect.

"Why do you come here?" by Greg Turner |  To see his other photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized photograph at Flickr, click here |

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

'Pitts House East' by Don Jones | Marion County | Creative Commons

Here's another shot by photographer Don Jones----a complete contrast to the dream- city versions of Orlando here and here.  I live not too far from this very house and I've tried to photograph it myself, but I never managed to get anything this good (or even close). The dark green trees and the very blue sky---that crystalline shade I never have seen anywhere but here---give this melancholy abandoned house an almost cheerful, if endangered air.  After all: are the trees leaning in protectively in a sheltering fashion or is there an air of menace?  I'm guessing that the effect would depend in part on the time of year and the weather....

You could imagine someone returning home to it----I mean from this distance.  You can imagine someone living here. 

I share Don Jones' fascination for old buildings and he has photographed many-many-many (click the link above to see).  But this is one of my favorites.

'Pitts House East' 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.

'Shrouded House' by Bart (Editor B) | East Coast | Creative Commons

After the brilliant color and dynamism of Miami and Key West, this is the sort of Florida scene that catches you by surprise.  You turn a corner, step out of the sun, and find yourself entranced by the strange mystique of an old house.  Here's a lovely old house painted a rosy pink which even so somehow looks melancholy, despite the brilliant, darkly shining green of the magnolia leaves (note the baby magnolia in the doorway).  Perhaps it's the water stains like tear tracks along the side---or perhaps it's the house's fortified and sealed-off (from this angle, anyway) appearance.  It's a house with its own private thoughts and secrets.

You can see why the photographer was fascinated.  "We were intrigued by this vacant and overgrown pink house on State Road 60... -- so much so that I had to go back and take pictures," he says.  I'd have done the same.  You can see that it could be made into quite a cheerful place...And sooner or later, somebody surely will.   

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'Shrouded House' by Bart (Editor B) | To see more of his photos, click here | His very cool blog: b. rox | To see the full-sized version of this photo, 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 use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license.  To see the license, click here.

'Train Station' by Don Jones | Melbourne | Creative Commons

This is a photograph of the train station in Melbourne, Florida ("The Harbor City") (also see this). I love the contrast between the terracotta-tinted stucco and the lighter apricot shade, and the tint of the flagstones.  The bright red stop sign in the background is a nice counterpoint to the green....

"Train Station" by Don Jones |  To see his other Flickr photos, click here | To see the full-sized image, click here

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.

Cracker House by Thomas | Creative Commons

This photograph has received a lot of attention from other Flickr users, and deservedly so.  It's a brilliantly colorful yet mysteriously evocative photograph of a cracker style house.  Despite the brilliant color, it has that bygone feel that I love so well (being, as I am, a lover of old buildings).  This is one of the best I've ever seen---the purest of pure Old Florida.

"Old Florida Color"  by Damgaard (Thomas)  | click here to see his other photos | website: My Space Page | Click here to go to Flickr for the larger version

I do not own the rights to this photograph, but am using it in compliance with a restricted  Creative Commons license.  Please do not save or use this image without first consulting the terms of the license.  The license restrictions are shown here.

Mount Dora, Florida | photographs by Joel Mann | Creative Commons

Mount Dora is a Central Florida town which I visited years ago.  It's as charming as it appears in these photographs. "At an elevation of 184 feet above sea level, Mount Dora is Florida’s equivalent of a mountain top town," a city website says.      

 

"Donnelly House, Mount Dora" by Joel Mann.  You can read about this historic house here.

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.

"Donnelly House, Mount Dora" by  Joel Mann.

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.

The photographer comments:  ". A 14-foot alley offers separate entrances from the main street (to the left of the photo): the surprising grade of the main street means these buildings' primary entrances are a floor above these in the photo." 

Photograph by Joel Mann.   

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

Cedar Key: Some Scenes from the Past (c.1997)

These were all scanned from photographs of Cedar Key, circa 1997.  My late husband made most of them and I scanned the photographs into my computer.  Although some of the buildings have had face lifts or been painted, the town still looks very much the same now.  Furthermore, I think these photos, despite their imperfections, managed to capture the light and color of the town (which remain unchanged, despite surface tweakings).

This little building is still there, but last time I saw it it wasn't an ice cream stand anymore.  I was sad that it had been repainted.

This restaurant is still there and is still a great place to have a meal while sitting right over the Gulf.

And, of course, the Captain's Table---where you can watch the sunset sink into the Gulf---is still there.  It's one of my favorite places on earth.  The last couple of times I was there the pier was closed, but maybe that's changed by now....

A scene from Cedar Key's Main Street.  Despite the (very cool) old cars, it was actually only 10 years ago!

St. Augustine Waterfront (Creative Commons)

This is a lovely panoramic photograph of St. Augustine.  It seems to have been taken from a boat looking in towards the waterfront.  I love the soft pastel tints of the clouds and the rose colored roofs in this one.

"St. Augustine skyline" by Mosesxan | click here to see other photographs by Mosesxan | click here to see the full-sized version of this photograph at Flickr

I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it in compliance with the terms of the license.  Please don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license (here).