Bok Tower Gardens

As I have mentioned before, Bok Tower Gardens is one of my favorite places to go in Florida. Today's visit is at least the 12th time I've been here. I keep coming back because there are so many things to see in this 250 acre landmark.

Approaching the visitor's center.

Main entrance to the visitor's center.

Potted plants near the entrance.

Flowers near the entrance.

Flowers near the entrance.

Fountain in the courtyard of the visitor's center.

A bromeliad sculpture.

A view of the grounds.

View of the grounds.

View of the grounds.

Part of the small lake near the tower.

View of the grounds.

The tower.

Base of the tower.

Close view of the top of the tower.

View of the base showing the moat surrounding the tower.

Looking away from the tower to the surrounding area.

Swans on the water near the tower.

Ornate door to the tower.

One of thousands of azalea in the gardens.

More azalea.

Another view of the grounds.

Grounds view.

A very tall stump.

Another variety of azalea.

I thought I was back in Missouri when I saw these oak leaves.

Another one for my dead tree collection. Taken on the Pine Ridge Trail.

Overlooking orange groves facing east on the Pine Ridge Trail.

Central Florida landscape as seen from Pine Ridge Trail.

Sarasota Vacation 2010

When I visited Sarasota last time, it had been seven years since I'd lived there. Now, exactly nine years since that trip, I'm returning for a week's vacation. I plan on visiting some of my favorite places during the trip - hopefully the weather will cooperate.

An added bonus to this trip is that I will be able to add a new airport to my list of those through which I've traveled: Memphis, Tennessee.

More to come...

Late Summer Camping in Colorado

My family has instituted an annual late-summer camping trip, enabling us to get out of the city and back to our primal roots. I awoke early this morning and found the light perfect to take some photos around and near the campsite. We were camped just north of Red Feather Lakes, Colorado.