The Snowball Effect

A swarm of sea gulls caused by a little girl throwing food in the air at Crescent Lake Park. The gulls' en masse descent sent the girl retreating up the bank. Unbowed, she ran back down the bank to scare them off by throwing something at them -- the food...which would cause the girl to run back up the bank again.

A Foggy Start

A biker rides on the boardwalk at Weedon Island Preserve on New Year's Day. This photo was taken from the observation tower just before noon, and the fog was still thick.

Blazing Rebel

The Day After--a collection of spent fireworks casings along an avenue in northeast St. Pete.

The Drawbridge Signal

Flying north for the week, will return to posting first week of January. Happy Holidays, everybody!

Found Photo Series, No. 4

Scanned ad from the program for the 1957 production of "Kiss Me Kate" by The Players of Sarasota.

Also:

• Found Photo Series, No. 3
• Found Photo Series, No. 2
• Found Photo Series, No. 1
  

At Coffee Pot Bayou, looking toward Snell Isle.

Lights at the Chateau France. Bonnes fêtes!

One of my favorite storefronts in St. Pete. Is it the lone green awning, the metal folding chair next to the door, or the older soda machine on the right that gives this building almost a rural charm? Along busy Fourth Street in the Gateway section.

Bada Bing

This tricked out VW adorns the parking lot at Mazzaro's.

Alley Door

Behind Central Avenue in St. Pete.

See also:

• Ybor City alleyway.
• 15.
  

Commercial laundry bins, 16th Street, St. Petersburg.

Dead tree in Sawgrass Lake Park, which was the site of some unbelievable photographic behavior in 2003.

Ground level shot,
Bay Vista Park
at low tide.

Tampa International Airport, early morning, from long-term parking, monorail to Airside F.

Today's haul from Mazzaro's (from top left):
A caprese stacker; braciola; fresh cheese ravioli; biscoti (cinnamon pecan and chocolate hazlenut); and a chocolate chip cannoli.

Morning Roll Call

Gulls near Pier 60 on Clearwater Beach at sunrise.

No doubt planning new ways to insinuate themselves around
the upcoming day's worth of packed lunches trucked in from beachgoers.

The Scenic Route

A pair of airboats taken last June at Myakka River State Park.

Found Photo Series,
No. 3

"Nat. Def. Photo by R.C.N."
It's not of the TB area, but somehow ended up in an antiques store in St. Pete. The photo stamp on the back is a large maple leaf bearing the words: "Nat. Def. Photograph Canada."

Also:

• Found Photo Series, No. 2
• Found Photo Series, No.1
  

Blue heron with sailboats
(Pass-a-Grille).

This Lizard Don't Leap

The other night—Halloween night to be exact—after I pulled onto the road, I noticed a long, dark, curved form on the hood of my car. I took it to be a leaf, until it lifted its head.

Heading towards the stoplight, I figured the lizard would leap off the car, but it stayed on and stood up even higher to survey the previously unknown world of Fourth Street N and the surrounding lights and clatter. It didn’t care much for the acceleration, laying flat against the hood, but once on Fourth it began to act like a dog in the back seat, ready to stick its head out the window. I actually became alarmed for the lizard and slowed down, letting others pass.

It rode to Super Gas, and then to the Gateway Publix. After exiting the grocery store, it was gone from the hood—instead it decided to complete the ride on the windshield, behind one of the wipers. Even after arriving home, it never bothered to get off.