After leaving Tuscany, we continued north to the Dolomite Mountains. Their beauty was immense and staggering beyond words! We loved everything about this region. From our amazing hotel, to the shear grandeur of the peaks surrounding us, to the melodic sounds of cow bells ringing across open meadows, to the crisp autumn air, this was the kind of place that fills your soul with peace ... it was magical! On our last night, we took a chairlift to the top of the mountain and hiked back down into town at sunset. Along the way, we encountered a really sweet cow (I named her Bessy - original I know :-)) who joined us on our walk. She was so sweet she even licked me ... I have never been licked by a cow :-). We just loved this place!
This past December, the week before Christmas, we traveled to central Florida to visit our friends, Aubrey and Phillip, and to have a short vacation. It was so nice visiting and simply relaxing. One way we like to relax is to head into nature to watch and photograph the local wildlife. On this particular trip it was extremely cold, especially by Florida standards. With average lows that week in the lower twenties and high teens, we had a rare chance to witness one of nature's great spectacles. When temperatures dip really low, Manatees head into the warm waters of the local springs - in this case, Blue Springs State Park - for survival. We have seen our share of these gentle giants over the years, but never in these numbers. There were literally hundreds of them ... the sight was staggering! We also got to photograph many of our favorite birds. It was a great trip ... I miss Florida :-)!
I LOVE monsoon season in Arizona!! Tonight's storms brought Phoenix it's third major haboob (duststorm) of the season. They are spectacular to watch!
Every spring there is a wildlife spectacle in Florida that nature photographers and birders alike come to witness from all over the world. It is the annual nesting rookery at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm and for anyone who loves birds, it is a real treat in every way. Here, on one short boardwalk constructed over a swamp you can view Roseate Spoonbills, Tricolored Herons, Wood Storks, Snowy, Cattle and Great Egrets and many more species playing out every stage of the nesting process and May is prime time for the chicks to make their debut into the world. It is a wonderous sight and I always love having a chance to watch them during this early stage of life :-)!
I had NO idea ya'll were going to post this! I have never seen these! What a "treat" for sure! Have I ever told ya'll how much I love and admire your photography and what a pleasure it is to be learning from the two of you?!! I adore you two like you'll never understand! Beautiful pictures!!! Love them!
(02.22.11 @ 08:18 PM)
While we were in Florida this past May for Liane and Andy's wedding we took time to visit some of my favorite wildlife hotspots and get back to nature. It was spring and all the birds and reptiles were out either looking for mates, laying eggs or raising their young. I just love this time of year in Florida for wildlife photography :-).
Love, love this area. And i do love your photos of it. And if you remember, I love cows too! I'll by one of those cow shots with mountains in the bakgrund. How much? Love To the both of you from Europe :)
(11.06.11 @ 07:44 PM)