Patriot’s Park Venice Florida

 

 

 

This park was created by the Leadership Sarasota County Class of 2002 to remember those who perished on 9/11, as well as the heroes who saved other lives that day, and those who have made sacrifices in the name of freedom in all wars.

911 Memorial in Patriot Park, Venice Florida

Location: 800 Venetia Bay Blvd. (U.S. 41, just north of the intersection of U.S. 41 Bypass North and U.S. 41 Business.)

The flags at Patriot Park

 

Patriot Park

 

Conveniently located at the intersection of  US 41 business and bypass 41 on the north side of Venice, Patriot Park is available for a quick stop before continuing on your way.

Fountain in Patriot Park

Gary has been a writer/photographer for over thirty years. Specializing in nature and landscape photography, as well as studying native cultures.

His travels have taken him to most of the United States, as well as Australia, Belize, Egypt and the Canary Islands.

He has studied the Mayan culture of Central America as well as the aborigines of Australia. Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in various parts of the world.

He has published several books about his adventures.

For more information, please consult his website,www.journeysthrulife.com.

Your comments are welcome

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Day 16: Back Home

Because we were able to leave Washington  D.C. four hours early, we will get home much sooner than we had planned. Arising just after day light we are already in Florida, approaching Jacksonville.

Meeting two fellow travelers in the dining car, we find they are indeed from Jacksonville and are traveling to Winter Haven for the day and back to Jacksonville on the evening train.

Leaving Orlando , we are on the home stretch,as we approach Lakeland it has   begun to rain. Hope it’s not raining in Tampa when we get there.

Sunset on a great trip

The train has to turn around and back into the Amtrak station in Tampa to prepare itself for the return trip to Washington D.C. This little fact allows us enough time to grab lunch in the dining car prior to our departure.

From there it will be an Amtrak bus to Sarasota, these aren’t too bad , as Martz is the contracted carrier, they are much better than Greyhound.

As we arrive into Sarasota, I begin to wonder if our car is still there. We had parked in a city garage for no charge. I wondered if the guy who told us it was OK to park there really knew what he was talking about. It seemed too good to be true, but I figured a towing bill would be no more expensive than paying parking fees for sixteen days.

As the bus stops at our destination ,we disembark and begin walking to our car. Cool, the car is still here! I caught a break. And so ends a sixteen day adventure, all is well!

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Explorer: Hernando de Soto

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Hernando de Soto

Born in 1496, just four short years after Christopher Columbus’s historic journey to America, Hernando De Soto soon followed in his footsteps.
 In May 1539 de Soto one of the early Spanish explorers landed nine ships with  620 men, and 220 surviving horses at Shaw’s Point near  present day Bradenton,  Florida,which he named Espiritu Santo after the Holy Spirit. The ships carried  priests, farmers, craftsmen,engineers and merchants. Although a few came from  Cuba, most were from Europe and Africa,and many brought their families .Very  few of them had ever traveled outside of Spain and many had never left their tiny  home villages.

 Hernando de Soto National Monument Near Bradenton Florida.

For the next three years, De Soto lead many expeditions  into what is now the southeastern United States. In the  search for gold and a passage to China, de Soto traveled extensively through what is now the Carolina’s, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and  Arkansas. There is now much evidence that de Soto and his men traveled through Kentucky,entered  Indiana near present day Evansville and ventured as far north as Chicago, turning back south through Illinois and Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.

Many battles with the American Indian tribes were fought, often times causalities among the native Indians would be in the thousands. Many times de Soto and his men lost supplies, horses, and equipment .Starvation, disease, and hostile natives were thought to be just  minor inconveniences, as the promises of riches was greatly exaggerated. DeSoto was expected to colonize the area for Spain within four years and as a result his family would acquire great wealth from the mother country.
The wealth was never realized, however, because of his vast explorations, de Soto was the first documented European to reach the Mississippi River.

De Soto died of a fever on May 21, 1542 in the Indian village of Guachoya on the banks of the Mississippi River. Although many of the natives doubted this, de Soto had convinced the Indians he was an immortal sun God ( as a ploy to gain their submission without conflict).

To ensure their safety after his death, his men concealed his corpse by hiding it in a blanket, weighted it with sand and then sank it in the middle of the Mississippi River in the dark of  night.
Even though De Soto failed to find the riches or a passage to China,his impact was greatly felt in America. They brought horses and pigs to the new world, the pigs being the ancestors of the now famous razorback hogs of the southeast. Where would Arkansas be without their Razorbacks?

As with many of the earlier explorers, some of the negative influences were the swapping of disease, the Europeans brought with them small pox, and received in return syphilis and tobacco.

His explorations as well as those that followed opened the western hemisphere to others and eventually paved the way for the formation of a new country where freedom and prosperity would be available to every one who would desire it.

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 Gary has been a writer/ photographer for over 20 years, specializing in nature,landscapes and studying native cultures.Besides visiting most of the United States, he has traveled to such places as Egypt,the Canary Islands,much of the Caribbean. He has studied  the Mayan Cultures in Central America, and the Australian Aboriginal way of life.Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in many different parts of the world!

He has published several books about the various cultures he has observed.

For more information and a link to his hard cover and Ebooks,and contact information: please check his website, http://www.journeysthrulife.com.

Your comments appreciated

There has been much debate over the years about what the founding fathers meant about the separation of church and state. In recent times there has been much disinformation about how they actually believed, especially George Washington. In this short Ebook the author tries to explain how they actually felt.

Snow in Florida

Being so far south, snow in Florida is rare, during the Great Blizzard of 1899 is the only time the temperature in the state is known to  have fallen below zero degrees F.

On January 19, 1977 , while the rest of the nation shivered in extreme cold conditions,the most widespread snowfall in Florida occurred. Snow fell over most of the state and as far south as Homestead, which is south of Miami, snow flurries were seen on Miami Beach, the only time in recorded history.

Snow was observed in the Tampa , Sarasota area in December of 1989, and a hard freeze in 2003 brought “ocean effect” snow flurries to the Atlantic coast as far south as Cape Canaveral.

One of the most damaging blizzards occurred in 1993, when blizzard conditions hit in the panhandle and heavy rains and tornadoes beset the rest of the state. The storm was thought to have a similar composition as a  hurricane and even brought storm surges of six feet or more to regions of the Gulf Coast.

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Florida State Birds

The Florida State Bird  – The Building Crane

Florida has long been know to be the native home to many birds not found anywhere else in the United States, among them include the Egret, Osprey, Wood Stork,and Herons of many varieties.

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Probably one of the most unusual is The Building Crane which has been unofficially adopted as the state bird.

These birds, the origin of which is unknown, have begun to be spotted everywhere! No one knows for sure where they came from,there was no record of them before the 20th century, but common belief is that they might have been smuggled into the state in a RV piloted by a Snowbird, another common inhabitant during the winter months.

Pictured above are two different species of Building Cranes. There are many different types, depending on the environment in which they live.

Although they can be often spotted in rural areas, their most common habitat is most likely to be the more urbanized parts of the state. The various climates of the state doesn’t seen to affect them , as they are seen in the north as well as the south.

 

 

Some experts attribute their sudden increase in population to the increase  of snowbird numbers, as  the building cranes are more numerous in parts of the state known to attract  snowbirds, although this is scientifically unproven!

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Because of their long legs, many believe they are part of the stork family, their diet is undetermined as no one has actually seen them eat anything, this fact alone should make them very eco friendly!

Politically they seem to be fair and balanced, as you can see from the photos, some lean to the left, and some to the right. The offspring are called Chads. When the little fellars are born , being they are so high above the ground, they cling to their mothers until adulthood, thus they are called “Hanging Chads”.

All in all  the building cranes seem to be a welcome addition to manhood and every effort is being made to preserve the species.

 

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Cincinnati Reds Spring Training

 

After many years, the Cincinnati Reds are leaving their roots behind and moving to Arizona for spring training.
Having grown up in southeastern Indiana, I remember listening to the “Reds on Radio” with Joe Nuxhol, from the time I was knee-high to a grasshopper.
It was always nice to hear how warm it was in Florida while we were enjoying our last blizzards of the season in the mid west. It gave us hope that spring would be coming soon.

The Reds have been coming to Florida for as long as I can remember, with the last several years being spent in Sarasota, Florida.

I had the opportunity to attend their last game which was played on March 29th, 2008.

There is nothing like a spring training game, it has a personality of it’s own, there is a small town atmosphere that isn’t available at the larger parks.

Ed Smith stadium has a picnic area adjacent to the ball park, where the opportunity is found to enjoy a hot dog, hamburger,and soft drink while meeting folks with ties to the Cincinnati area,  Northern Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky.

Many conversations included  comments that it just wouldn’t be the same in Arizona, many expressed the opinion that they would not go to Phoenix, many of the fans have winter homes in Florida and it just wouldn’t be practical for them to make the journey to Arizona.

So, while 4,500 loyal fans enjoyed a 8 to 4 victory over the Tampa Devil Rays,  and a spring training record attendance of over 90,000, the Reds bid farewell to Florida and headed north to begin the season in Cincinnati, with next year’s spring training slated for “The Valley of the Sun”.

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Living in Sarasota, Florida

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Having lived and traveled in many parts of the country, it would be hard to narrow down why I like living in Sarasota, Florida. There are so many reasons, but the number one reason, being it is now January, It’s 70 degrees out there! I left my snow shovel, boots and parka in Indiana!

Sarasota is located on the Suncoast about 60 miles south of Tampa Florida. With the completion of I-75, many midwesterners settled here as it was an easy drive from Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio.

Having lived in the mid west most of my life, I can really appreciate leaving the house this time of year in shorts and a tee shirt!

Sarasota has a lot going for it, Siesta Key, one of the finest beaches in the world, superb dining, if desired one could dine somewhere different every night of their life and never be in the same restaurant twice!

Adding to Siesta Key, several more beaches, Longboat Key, Casey Key, Lido Beach, Bradenton Beach, and numerous others add to the beach hopping opportunities!

Most of the housing in the area are either single family homes or condos, thereby offering the opportunity for families to rent homes for the winter.

Even though the Ritz- Carlton has property in Sarasota, along with a few other chains, there really isn’t much hotel room available, making it nearly impossible for us to be invaded by the spring break crowd every year.

Numerous social and civic activities abound, nearly every club and organization in America has a facility in Sarasota. Sahib Temple, the local Shrine Center, has a membership of nearly 2000 and is featured as one of the most active Shrine Centers in Shrinedom,all Shriners are invited to attend the Thursday luncheon attended by approximately 200 Shriners.

Golf courses abound and the area is home to numerous Baseball teams during spring training.

Shopping malls and art galleries abound, as well as theater and museums.

If one has a need to get away for the week-end, Sarasota International Airport and I-75 offer that choice.

Sarasota has become the center of life in southwest Florida, making it the premier retirement location in Florida.

 

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Sunshine Skyway Bridge Tampa Bay Florida

Sunshine Skyway Bridge

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge, spanning Tampa Bay, is the world’s longest bridge with a cable stayed main span.

Construction began in 1982 after an ocean freighter struck the old bridge during a severe storm. The south bound lanes collapsed into the bay killing 35 people.

The people  killed in the collapse included a Greyhound bus of college students and people headed for work.

The pilot was cleared of any wrong doing due to the fact a storm had blown in with blinding rain, the freighter was blown off course and there was nothing the pilot could do. The bridge had several “close” calls preceding this and as a result, protective barriers protect the new bridge so there can be no repeat of the tragedy.

Upon completion  in 1987  the bridge is now  5.5 miles long and has a vertical clearance of 193 feet, enabling most freighters and cruise ships to pass under it’s span.

The bridge  cost $244 million to build and connects St. Petersburg, Florida with Manatee county, it being part of the I-275 freeway is an important part of the local transportation network.

The bridge is considered to be one of the top ten bridges in the world and the flagship bridge for the State of Florida.

The remaining sections of the center span of the old bridge were torn down and removed, both ends of the bridge were preserved and now serve as a rest park and fishing pier,enabling fishermen and sightseers to enjoy many content filled hours on the  longest fishing pier in the world.

The author has been a writer/photographer for over thirty years. Specializing in nature and landscape photography, as well as studying native cultures.

His travels have taken him to most of the United States, as well as Australia, Belize, Egypt and the Canary Islands.

He has studied the Mayan culture of Central America as well as the aborigines of Australia. Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in various parts of the world.

He has published several books about his adventures.

For more information, please consult his website,www.journeysthrulife.com.

Your comments welcome

Your FLORIDA Superstore

Sarasota Florida

 Situated half way up the western suncoast of Florida lies Sarasota.
 This bustling city with it’s many cultural, sports, and civic events, is the center of  life on the Florida suncoast.

 Founded in the early 1900s, it has a rich history ranging from the contributions of  the Palmer family who were responsible for much of the early  growth,  John  Ringling who for many years made this the winter headquarters of his  world famous circus, and many other early settlers who made this city what it is  today.

In the early days a gambling casino was located on Lido Beach, located just across Sarasota Bay from the city. The first bridge crossing Sarasota Bay was built by John Ringling, who used elephants to pull the needed timber  to the waters edge. He had visions of making St. Armand’s Circle a hang out for Presidents and the like,thus most of the streets on St. Armand’s are named after presidents. In the early days Lido Beach was a designated nude beach, but that practice has long been abandoned.

Sarasota itself has a long and interesting history, most of which has been influenced by Florida’s volatile real estate market.

Today Sarasota, while maintaining a small town “feel” has earned the reputation of being a big little city,with all the amenities of a large city, theater, opera, shopping,restaurants, sports, etc.

With a bayfront that resembles San Diego, one of the finest beaches in the world, some of the best fishing and golf  available anywhere, and a southern friendliness where people actually go out of their way  to be nice, it would be hard to go anywhere and find an area that would outshine Sarasota! 

 

 Gary has been a writer/ photographer for over 20 years, specializing in nature,landscapes and studying native cultures.Besides visiting most of the United States, he has traveled to such places as Egypt,the Canary Islands,much of the Caribbean. He has studied  the Mayan Cultures in Central America, and the Australian Aboriginal way of life.Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in many different parts of the world!

He has published several books about the various cultures he has observed.

For more information and a link to his hard cover and Ebooks,and contact information: please check his website, http://www.journeysthrulife.com.

Your comments appreciated

This informative Ebook describes alternative methods of making money ,often a full time income in photography even if you have no desire to shoot wedding photography. this book gives examples and websites where you can use your photos to supply you with an income, not only to enable you to buy new equipment, but a living income as well.

On To Florida

Autumn in Indiana

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After spending three days with family and friends, it was time to see what awaited me in the Sunshine State.

Leaving Batesville about 10 AM, my plan was to drive 6 hours to Nashville where I would spend the evening with one of my daughters and 2 grandchildren!

A friend of mine had repaired my air conditioner, so it was an enjoyable ride through the hills of southern Indiana , Kentucky, and Tennessee.

A relaxing and enjoyable evening awaited me, spending time with family is always nice. The next morning, my daughter and I left the house about 7 AM, waving good-bye as I entered the interstate, she headed for work and I headed for Florida!

Kentucky and Tennessee, being in the Smokey Mountains is one of the most beautiful areas in the world, with the mountain vistas and many lakes, driving through here is always enjoyable.

The scenery changes once Atlanta is in the rearview mirror, nothing but peanuts and pecan trees. I was beginning to get anxious to finally arrive in Florida.

Sarasota Bay

Midafternoon, my desires  were realized, I was in Florida. The scenery doesn’t change much at first, however driving further south, palm trees become more numerous and I realized that a beach would on the agenda for later that day!

Making my last stop for gas in Lake City, I would be in Sarasota in less than 3 hours.

The highway signs kept saying I was in Sarasota, however, I could see no buildings from I-75, finding my exit, I eased off the freeway and immediately found the hotel where I would be spending the evening.

Quickly registering, I wanted to see the apartment and try to find a beach before dark. It was after 7 PM, so it would be getting dark soon.

The apartments were just around the corner, the office was closed,so I could only see them from the outside, they looked nice, but would have to check back in the morning to get a better look.

Seeing a sign reading Siesta Key, I turned that way, realizing that if there is a Key, a beach can’t be too far away! Following my nose, I found Siesta Key Beach, parked and walked out to the beach just as the sun was setting. WOW, what a beach!  White Quartz sand the consistency of sugar, I would later discover this beach is one of the top ten in the world.

I think I can live here!

 

The author has been a writer/photographer for over thirty years. Specializing in nature and landscape photography, as well as studying native cultures.

His travels have taken him to most of the United States, as well as Australia, Belize, Egypt and the Canary Islands.

He has studied the Mayan culture of Central America as well as the aborigines of Australia. Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in various parts of the world.

He has published several books about his adventures.

For more information, please consult his website,www.journeysthrulife.com.

Your comments welcome