HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Dunedin, Florida: Theme Day: Best Photo of 2007

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This picture says a lot about Dunedin. Such a wonderful small town atmosphere, and yet not so small that they can't put on a wonderful wing-ding like this Old Fashioned Christmas Celebration. It was a great time, and I can't wait to see what they do next year. Everyone seemed so friendly and outgoing that night. It was wonderful, and all amidst the neat little shops of that awesome downtown that the City of Dunedin has managed to preserve. What's not to love? :D

May 2008 be a year of love and joy and prosperity for you and all your loved ones!

There are over ONE HUNDRED blogs participating in this month's Theme Day: Best Photo of 2007! Please don't hesitate to check out this armchair tour of the world! (Clicking on the links will open the website in a new window.) Paris, France - London, England - Hyde, UK - West Sacramento (CA), USA - Grenoble, France - Stockholm, Sweden - Riga, Latvia - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Manila, Philippines - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Weston (FL), USA - Prague, Czech Republic - New Orleans (LA), USA - Wichita (KS), USA - Cleveland (OH), USA - San Francisco (CA), USA - Hobart (Tasmania), Australia - Greenville (SC), USA - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Mainz, Germany - Melbourne, Australia - Portland (OR), USA - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Toulouse, France - Naples (FL), USA - Jakarta, Indonesia - Brussels, Belgium - Stayton (OR), USA - Selma (AL), USA - Mexico City, Mexico - Ocean Township (NJ), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Toruń, Poland - Fort Lauderdale (FL), USA - Budapest, Hungary - Baziège, France - Nashville (TN), USA - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Chicago (IL), USA - Prescott (AZ), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Nottingham, UK - Moscow, Russia - Philadelphia (PA), USA - Evry, France - Trujillo, Peru - Arlington (VA), USA - Denpasar, Indonesia - American Fork (UT), USA - Seattle (WA), USA - Chandler (AZ), USA - Coral Gables (FL), USA - Montpellier, France - Joplin (MO), USA - Pilisvörösvár, Hungary - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - Boston (MA), USA - Torun, Poland - New York City (NY), USA - Dunedin (FL), USA - Clearwater (FL), USA - Clearwater Beach (FL), USA - Quincy (MA), USA - Stavanger, Norway - Chateaubriant, France - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Jackson (MS), USA - Wailea (HI), USA - Port Elizabeth, South Africa - Budapest, Hungary - Austin (TX), USA - Montréal (QC), Canada - Cypress (TX), USA - Bicheno, Australia - Wrocław, Poland - Brookville (OH), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Nelson, New Zealand - Cheltenham, UK - Wellington, New Zealand - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Mumbai (Maharashtra), India - London, UK - Haninge, Sweden - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Arradon, France - Jefferson City (MO), USA - Orlando (FL), USA - Mumbai, India - Terrell (TX), USA - Bogor, Indonesia - Delta (CO), USA - Radonvilliers, France - Saigon, Vietnam - San Diego (CA), USA - Adelaide (SA), Australia - Belgrade, Serbia - Auckland, New Zealand - Seguin (TX), USA - Inverness (IL), USA - Oslo, Norway - Singapore, Singapore - Las Vegas (NV), USA - New York City (NY), USA - Anderson (SC), USA - Torino, Italy - Susanville (CA), USA - San Diego (CA), USA

Dunedin, Florida: Winter? Roller Blading!

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This is an action shot, but not necessarily a good one. It was taken this past Saturday. As you can see, it was a plenty warm day, and these two were thoroughly enjoying winter, Florida style. What's more, notice the Christmas decoration leaning against the stairs behind them. Yup, if you enlarge the photo, you can see clearly that it is a Santa, in shorts and sun glasses. Does that mean Santa vacations in Florida?

I want to wish you all a wonderful New Year's Eve celebration. And I hope that 2008 is a year of Joy and Prosperity for you and your loved ones!

Dunedin, Florida: Lake Paloma Eagle Scout Wildlife Project Pt VIII

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Welcome to Turtle Island! No, probably not a fair name, and certainly not democratically selected, but I like it. As I approached the edge of Lake Paloma today, I counted at least 8 turtles sunning themselves. Not bad. In addition, I have seen as many as 4 long legged wading birds out there at one time. Cool. The turtles seem to be of maybe three species that I can see. I think there are Snappers, Eastern Sliders (or something like them), and Soft Shelled. Some of them are BIG!

I promised to list the sponsors of Jim Garrison's Eagle Project, so here we go, in no particular order: Angelo's Pizza, Vision Ace, Signs Now, Collman-Karsky, Joseph E. Garrison CPA, Thornton Donoghue & Assoc., Eddie's Bar & Grill, Danny's Food & Spirits, Sweetbay Supermarket, Einstein Brothers Bagels, and of course, The City of Dunedin. I applaud their involvement in this very worthwhile project. Bravo.

It seemed like one picture just wasn't enough today, so here is a second, from a different angle. It seems like these photos just don't do it justice, so look for more pictures of Turtle Island at some point in the future.

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Hey! Tomorrow is New Year's Eve! Are you going to a party? Or will you celebrate at home? Either way, have fun, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Check out slow cars and fast food onClearwater Daily Photo, and happy sailing on Clearwater Beach Daily Photo. Today, I try my hand at flight photography on my photo blog. Thanks for coming today!

Dunedin, Florida: Lake Paloma Eagle Scout Wildlife Project Pt VII

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There's no denying it. These boys were having fun. And hey, this is Dunedin, Florida, so it just wasn't cold that day... at all! So this is what I like to call Turtle Island. They have strapped down the coconut fiber landscape material, and they are planting it with more aquatic plants now. Shortly after this, it will be towed out to its new home.

If all goes well, tomorrow I will post a picture taken today, of the wildlife enjoying this new Turtle Island. So far I have seen a max of about 8 turtles on the island, and today I saw several turtles sharing it with some egrets and herons. We will see who is about tomorrow when I point the big lens at them!

Sunday's posting will wrap up the series on the Lake Paloma Eagle Scout Wildlife Project. I hope you have enjoyed it. I appreciate the comments from those of you who found it heartening to see this type of community spirit in these young men, and women. And I also appreciate those of you who got bored with the series, but still came back to see what was happening next. :D

If you would like to see more of this area, check out Clearwater Daily Photo, and Clearwater Beach Daily Photo. If you enjoy photography for the sake of photography, check out my photo blog. Thanks for coming today!

Dunedin, Florida: Lake Paloma Eagle Scout Wildlife Project Pt VI

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This may be my favorite photograph of the series. Here we have two 'chosen' boys heading out into the Lake with the two floating plant rafts in tow. In the boat with them are the anchors (cinder blocks) that will anchor the plant rafts in place. It's a good thing that Lake Paloma is not very large, and that they were not going far... because I can't really say that they had the best paddling gear in there! :D

Tomorrow and Sunday, I will post the last of this conservation photography / Eagle Scout Project series. Tomorrow will be the final preparations of what I like to call Turtle Island. With luck, I will have a decent picture of a 'be-turtled' island for you on Sunday. I have gotten some nice feedback on this series, and what these fine young people are doing here. I want to thank you all for your comments, and thank you for visiting, whether you leave a comment or not. :)

HEY! Monday is New Year's Eve! What are you doing? Will you be partying at some wild and crazy New Year's Eve celebration? Or will you have a quiet countdown party at home? Either way, crazy or quiet, let's make it a good one, and welcome a New Year to make things happen! :D

If you would like to see more of this area, check out Clearwater Daily Photo, and Clearwater Beach Daily Photo. If you enjoy photography for the sake of photography, check out my photo blog. Thanks for coming today!