3. ABANDONED

It was the reason we moved to Sarasota 27 years ago. After spending a week’s vacation at the Colony Beach and Tennis Club on Long Boat Key, we thought, YES, we could live like this. And the rest, as they say, is history. In its heyday it was a vacation paradise, featuring a 5 star restaurant, golden beachfront property on the quiet Gulf of Mexico with shaded tennis courts outside of every door. It was, at the time, featured in Tennis magazine as one of THE places for a perfect tennis vacation. When it fell on hard times, due to management and owner squabbles that could not be resolved, this once lovely resort was abandoned; a weed infested, deserted mess whose only residents are the skimmers who nest along its empty shores. The entrance way, once a tree lined path to fun and games along the Gulf of Mexico, is closed with a not so glamorous chain link fence. Strangely, the aging guard house still bears the warning …”Guard on duty please stop!” ?? Perhaps it should say “Abandon hope all ye who enter here.” Sad!

29. ON THE EDGE

These spoonbills were busy searching for snacks on the edge of the bay at dusk.

A3 PEACEFUL

There is a peacefulness when one walks along the river waterfront in Palmetto. The lovely and gracious Victorian homes that line the shore create a yearning for a return to times gone by.

38. SERENITY IN NATURE

41 THE NIGHT SKY

This is my last post for the 2016-2017 52 Week Photo Challenge. The Ringling Bridge at early evening was a fitting way to set the sun on this year’s challenges. It has been a busy year and I learned a lot about themes, memes and messages in my photos….while blowing out a lens and realizing my tripod has its moments! Thank you my fellow bloggers for your encouraging words, “likes” and visits to my site. Looking forward to the next group of themes, hope you have enjoyed my photos and will continue to follow me in the new year.

26 PROHIBITED

This was a tough theme…I struggled to find something all year that would make a good quality photograph. Finally, as our year for the 52 Week Challenge draws to a close, I have to go with IGGY!..whose story is more interesting than this photo (sic).
During a side court match at the Miami Open in March, between one of my favorite players, German Tommy Haas and Czech Jiri Vesely, an unexpected intruder made his way on to the court. First this critter appeared sitting on the scoreboard…he had the best seat in the house! This prompted Tommy a veteran of the tour who has seen just about everything on a tennis court, to calmly and humorously take a selfie with it. Of course this scene made the highlight reel of the day’s matches and you can still Google it. The lizard even got its own Twitter feed as Iggy. Alas, as poor Iggy ran across the court, he was captured by a security guard who put him in a trash pail and ended his 15 minutes of fame. I have never seen these large iguanas in the Sarasota area but they are quite common in the Keys and this one was enjoying Key Biscayne. Ah Florida….where the bugs are as big as birds!! Ya have to love our wildlife.

A3 OLD PHOTOGRAPHIC EFFECT

Children playing at St Augustine Beach, with a vintage look.

25 PLACES OF WORSHIP

An abstract touch: Heritage Chapel at the Palmetto Historical Park.

3. AGED TO PERFECTION

It was clear to me that this Silver Hawk model of a vintage Studebaker is something special to its owner. It certainly meets the title of the theme, ‘aged to perfection’.

44. TOPLESS

Hard at work in the Florida heat….