This was shot just outside Aspen, Colorado. It is daylight on the mountain tops but the late afternoon brings shadows to the valley. The mountain appears to be "smoking." It really is too young to do that. I hope this will be a nice addition to SKYWATCH FRIDAY and THEME DAY.
This is one of the Super Yachts that happens to be in port at the moment. Her name is Argyll. I really can't tell you anything about her. She stands out from the other yachts at this marina. I shot this right into the rising Sun, so it is a little too light. But, she is beautiful and ready to go anywhere your heart desires. There is a constant ebb and flow of these yachts in our city. Virtually all ships of this type pass through here sooner or later for repairs or updating. What may be noteworthy to you, this is one of the smaller ones in the marina at the moment. Ah the rich, they really aren't like you or me.
This particular architectural treatment resembles a facade. Since it is on the side of the building, it does not officially qualify as a facade. In fact, it is strictly ornamental. The doors do not open and Rapunzel will never let down her golden hair from above. But, it certainly adds character to an otherwise ordinary side of a building. Kudos to the person responsible for doing this. I smile every time I pass by.
Do you ever pass a storefront and come away somewhat quizzical. That happens to me everytime I pass this particular establishment. It looks like it could be from a cheap spy movie. I can only assume it was left from the prior tenant. Now I wonder what he sold?
This is a door on St. Demetrios Church. The glass is very unusual in that it is highly reflective without having anything applied to it. The reflection is distorted. I assume it was done intentionally so that you can only see the cross clearly.
This is a member of our pet family that doesn't reside in the home. His name is Carter (as in Jimmy Carter for those of you old enough to remember). He, and his ancestors, have been entertaining us for about 8 years now. Many people consider squirrels to be rats with tails. Apparently, they never saw Ratatouille. While Carter is not a gourmet cook, he can fly and make a perfect upside down landing, slice and dice peanuts, and wake us up if we have overslept. He does provide free entertainment and that is nothing to shake a peanut at.
This is a tree outside our front door. While leaving the house the other day, I heard a strange noise coming from its' direction. I slowly went back inside, retrieved my camera, and TAA DAA;instant SKYWATCH photo. You made need to click the image to get a better view.
Do you ever wonder what happens to all those old things that you throw away? The old shovel you broke trying to dig out the rock that wouldn't move. Maybe the old rake you broke trying to, well you know but I don't. Some ingenious person retrieved them, cleaned them up, painted them and with a little imagination, transformed them into some pretty cool garden art. I'm sure they sold for a lot more than the sum of their parts. Well some people see things that others don't.
This gentleman, we'll call him Luigi, stands in front of my favorite Italian bakery;Gran Forno. It is a little slice of Italy right here in Fort Lauderdale. Everything they make here, tastes like there. You can stop in the morning, grab an expresso or coffee, perhaps a pastry to go along with it. Walk out the door and sit at a table watching all the beautiful people walk by. You can return at lunch time and grab a prosciutto sandwich and maybe some dessert for dinner. This place is the best you will find outside of Italy. Congratulazioni, Luigi! Perdoni il mio Italiano.
On first glance, there is nothing unusual about this tree. If you click to enlarge it, you will find a bountiful harvest. This is a Mango tree. In approximately one month, these little gifts from Mother Nature will be ready to be consumed. People will be giving them away because there will be so many. We have actually opened our front door to find a basket overflowing with Mangos;no card or note letting us know who gave them. Anyone who has a tree in their yard, will have more than they could possibly eat. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of recipes for them. I have two favorites;Mango Upside Down Cake and a Mango Daiquiri to wash it down. Heaven! Do you have a favorite Mango recipe? That's My World Tuesday.
Murals usually grace the side of buildings. While I was driving down the road the other day, this place jumped out at me. A mural on the roof. The work itself isn't particularly noteworthy but the location certainly is. Where will artists paint next;cave walls perhaps? At least it isn't graffiti.
This church tower can be seen from many parts of the city. For a relatively new building, it is quite imposing;reaching up to the heavens toward the hand of God. It also serves as a landmark for mariners. It is one the few distinctive buildings on shore affording a reference point enabling boaters to find their way back to port. So, it really enables people to navigate on land, at sea, or in life.
This is the building which houses the Fort Lauderdale Antique Car Museum. It was founded to preserve the history of The Packard Motor Company. There was a time when The Packard was considered to be the finest automobile in the world. The museum is home to 22 Pre-War Packards ranging from the 1900's to the 1940's. All of the cars are in full working order. The museum also houses lots of memorabilia including hundreds of old dashboard clocks (self-winding), hood ornaments, side lamps, and much more. In my opinion, these cars are pieces of art, beautifully crafted, and every bit as inspiring as any sculpture in any museum, anywhere. Soon, I will show you the cars themselves.
Here is a young man who loves to play the violin. The notes he plays are carried by the wind to heaven alone. The gods show their approval by providing a suitable backdrop to Skywatch Friday.
This is a mural on a downtown building. It depicts the history of Fort Lauderdale. I enlarged the image and stared at it for some time. I am left with the conclusion, we really don't have much of a history when compared to many of the CDP cities. There really is nothing on this mural dating back more than 100 years. That is the extent of our "modern history." On reflection, the most significant thing to take place here in the last 80-90 years was a little movie called, Where The Boys Are. Had it not been for that, we might still be a small town. It wasn't much of a movie but it sure brought a lot of young people here.
This is a statue that resides in front of a mall. It depicts a man and woman with three small children. There really is nothing special about it:nothing to rival the beauty we have seen in Italy, France, or anywhere in Europe, et al. Maybe its' proximity to the shopping mall conveys the message of, "The family that shops together..." At the very least, it arouses one's curiosity.
I was wondering around various parts of the city the other day and came across this unusual house. It appears to be made of rock and mortar. The only rock we have an abundance of here is coral. Yet, while researching coral houses in South Florida, this one is not listed. Regardless, it appears to be Feudal with some modern touches. Very interesting, very strange, very out of place. 
Lest anyone thought I would forget to show our favorite mailbox, well here he (she) is. Decked out in seasonal splendor. A click to the picture will divulge some interesting things these people added to the scene. Hopefully, everyone had a wonderful holiday with family and friends.
This is becoming a common occurrence in our area. What appears to be an ordinary intersection is a whole lot more. If you let your eyes wander above the traffic lights you will see three cameras. Ostensibly, they are going to catch people who fail to stop at a red light. They will get the license plate and fine the owner. Wonderful! But, the question I ask myself, is at what cost? Aren't we loosing something also? Do your cities have cameras at every intersection? Thoughts!
I came across this Osprey nest the other day. If you click the photo, you may see if the Osprey is at home. Their diet consists of fish exclusively. They were into Sushi before it was fashionable. Regardless, it makes a nice addition to SKYWATCH FRIDAY.
Stranahan House was built as a trading post for settlers and the Seminole Indians in 1901. It has served as a post office, community center, and town hall. It was built by Frank Stranahan and became his residence in 1906. After his death, his wife Ivy continued to live there until her death in 1971. The house has been restored and named to the National Register of Historic Places. It is a popular place for weddings and various fund raisers in the city.
This is the Carrie B. She is available for sightseeing cruises, tours, private charter cruises and boat tours. There has been many a wedding reception on board. She has been here since 1991 and runs three daily narrated sightseeing cruises. It is a good way to see the city from the water. The paddlewheel is just for show.
Here is a picture of my grandson on his birthday. He turned two last week. He is contemplating which ball to pick up. He has lots of choices but he can only pick the one he can carry, all the others have to stay in the pool. Who would ever think he is learning a life lesson on his second birthday. Choose wisely!
I came across this building the other day. I'm surprised that I never noticed it before. It bares a strong resemblance to a cruise ship:O.K. so you have to squint a little bit. It also reminds me of the Flatiron Building in New York City. Squint a little more.
This is a palm. It may not be the right palm but it is a palm. Today is Sunday. Not just any Sunday...I think you know where I am going with this. Happy Palm Sunday to you all for everything that it may mean to each of you.
We have an abundance of companies in the area that are involved in all things nautical. I keep reiterating that we "keep returning to the sea" on this blog. Simply can't help it, we are surrounded by water. This particular company provides underwater lights. I don't know anything else concerning them, but, I really like their sign.
This is a building that resides at one of the busiest intersections in the city. It has had many different names over the years. I'm not sure what it is called today. Perhaps you may know of a good name for it. The shape and the metal add-ons make it rather unusual. Sort of a Modern Deco meets L.A. Contemporary. To get a better feel for the building, you may want to click the photo. Regardless, I hope it will prove to be a suitable addition to SKYWATCH FRIDAY.
Here is a man fishing at the beach. You don't see much of this anymore. Too many people and not enough beach. I used to do a lot of diving off this beach. You would be amazed at what you can see. If the tourists could see what's in the water, they wouldn't venture very far. Sharks, Rays, huge schools of fish;it's their world, after-all.
