Floridiana Gloriana

'Wacahoota Church' by Don Jones | Wacahoota | Creative Commons

Florida is filled with white-painted wooden churches.  They are beautiful against North Florida's indigo-tinted late afternoon sky.  I've passed this one---in Levy County,  S.R. 121, as the photographer explains----many, many times, but I never did so when conditions were right for a photograph.  And now I find this:  perfection.  The white looks almost silver against the blue backdrop.  You can literally see the ethos of the sky's color reflected in the wooden slats.  "The Wacahoota United Methodist Church. Established in 1852, built in 1899," the photographer explains. 

'Wacahoota Church' 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.

Canal | Crystal River | Feb. 1997

I remember exactly when this photograph was taken and I'm fairly sure it was in Crystal River (which we were passing through on our way home).  The occasion is quite clear in my mind.  We stopped on a bridge so I could take it.  It's a lovely Florida winter scene, with lovely winter color....

'No Picnic' | Cedar Island | Winter, c. 1997

My late husband Don took this photograph during a day trip to western Florida (Taylor County).  We just stumbled upon this row of houses out on the Gulf---very quiet, very peaceful, very silent.  There was a little park nearby and Don took this photograph.  You can see the beautiful blue-green cedar in the background.  It's a lovely Florida winter scene.

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.

Some "Manatee Springs" of Western Florida (Creative Commons)

Because of the enthralling Nature Coast wildlife and the beautiful springs, Homosassa Springs and Manatee Springs are popular places for snorkeling and kayaking.  Here are some lovely photographs.  I have a few of my own, but they really don't do justice to the place.

While canoeing at Manatee Springs, I did see a manatee.  It swam right up alongside the boat (but the photograph just shows a sort of shiny wet lump).  They are very gentle, curious creatures, it seems, which is why there are so many restrictions on boating along that coast.    

Systems Librarian has the best photographs of  various Florida springs I've seen anywhere on the net----and Florida has hundreds of beautiful springs.  As well as the many beautiful photos at Flickr, see:  Florida Springs.

Manatee Springs State Park (Levy County, Florida) by SystemsLibrarian | Florida Springs | To see more photographs by Systems Librarian, click here | To see the full-sized version of this photograph at Flickr, click here 

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

 

Manatee Springs State Park (Levy County, Florida) by SystemsLibrarian | To see more photographs by Systems Librarian, click here | To see the full-sized version of this photograph at Flickr, click here

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

"Homosassa Springs, Florida, December 27, 2007" by Rebecca  | website:  MeanLouise.com |  "About a dozen manatees swam in for the afternoon," she writes | To see more of her photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized version of this photograph at Flickr, click here |

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

This beautiful manatee was photographed in Crystal River by biologist Steven Erat, on a snorkeling trip at Crystal River.  Manatees have some of the nicest faces of any animal.   

 

"Manatee at Crystal River" by Steven Erat | website:  Talking Tree | To see more of his photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized version of this photograph at Flickr, click here

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

 

"Manatee at Crystal River" by Steven Erat | website:  Talking Tree | To see more of his photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized version of this photograph at Flickr, click here

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

 

"West Indian Manatee and Nursing Calf, Crystal River" by  Allen BS |  To see more of his photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized version of this image at Flickr, click here

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

Rainbow Springs (Dunnellon, Florida) --Creative Commons

Other people's vision of the paradise that is Rainbow Springs.

Photograph by Ashleigh |  To see more of her photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized version of this image at Flickr, 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 the photograph, please consult the applicable license.  (The license is here.)

Photograph by Jessa | To see more of her photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized version of this image at Flickr, 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 the photograph, please consult the applicable license.  (The license is here.)

3.  "Paddling the Rainbow" by  Ashleigh | To see more of her photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized version of this image at Flickr, 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 the photograph, please consult the applicable license.  (The license is here.)

Photograph by Jessa |  To see more of her photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized version of this image at Flickr, 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 the photograph, please consult the applicable license.  (The license is here.)

Rainbow Springs (Dunnellon, Florida)

I'll never forget the day I stumbled onto Rainbow Springs (Dunnellon, Florida) in the midst of February, the azalea season.  Florida has many beautiful springs, but this was something exceptional.  Unfortunately, most of our photographs (taken with an old-style point and click camera and manually scanned into the computer) just don't convey what it was like. 

Even so, here are two scanned snapshots circa 1998.  They certainly convey very well the transparent heavenly blue of the water:

And this tree:

In Flickr's Creative Commons I found several photographs that will give you a much better idea of what this beautiful place is like, which I have set out  on a separate page. 

A Florida Winter Scene (Creative Commons)

This photo beautifully conveys the pure, transparent quality of the Florida winter light and the varied tints of the winter sky. 

"Winter Beach" by Fortune Cookie | To see more of Fortune Cookie's photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized version of this photograph at Flickr, click here |

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

The Beautiful Steinhatchee

These photographs were taken in Northwest Florida, along the beautiful Steinhatchee River.  I always meant to go back there and rent a boat.  I wonder if I ever will?  This site has some gorgeous footage that really conveys how remote and mysterious this part of Florida seems. 

The boat below was permanently anchored in the water for a very long time.  I don't know the story on it and I'd almost rather not know.  I have my own private version.  And I don't know the story on the little building (which appears to be a deconsecrated church).

Canal | Suwannee | c. 1997

Yet another scanned photograph from my private collection:  one of my personal favorites.  I don't know where this was taken.  I say Suwannee, but it's really just a guess.  I know it's a canal somewhere in western Florida, but it could have been some other place.  I love the untidiness of the reflections due to all the stilts everywhere.  It has that bygone feeling you know I love---and from my standpoint, really IS bygone.  I love the blue of the water and the greenness and fluffiness of the bush in the right-hand corner.

Bonus:  There are some lovely photographs of Suwannee here.