The Wandering Disciple

The Cross Florida Barge Canal as it passes through the Ocala National Forest near US-19. The barge was originally designed to allow shipping traffic to cross from the Atlantic to the Gulf of Mexico. But the project was never completed due to environmental concerns. (Photo: November 11, 2011)

Englewood, Florida: The U9 Englewood Crabs were back out on the field Saturday morning for a scrimmage game against the Hit Factory U8 team. This was the first game simulation for the Crabs since their tournament at the end of August. The Crabs faced their own pitcher in the scrimmage while the Hit Factory saw coach pitch. The Crabs are getting ready for another tournament mid-September. Click on the photo to see more photos from the Crabs/Hit Factory scrimmage .

Captain Kurt Schlamer waves to the crows at MacDill AirFest at MacDill AirFest in 2011. Captain Schlamer performed an aerial acrobatic performance his restored T-28 Trojan “Ditto”. (Photo: November 8, 2011)

A calm pond lies hidden among a strand of trees in the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve in Lee County, Florida. The 2,500 acre wetland preserve has a hiking trail that traverses five distinct ecosystems home to many species of plants and animals. (Photo: October 23, 2011)

One of the iconic attractions at the Magic Kingdom, It’s a Small World has been leaving riders with the rides song stuck in the head for hours afterwards. One of the original Magic Kingdom rides, the leisurely boat ride takes you on a journey through the various cultures found around the globe. (Photo: October 2, 2011)

Along the banks of the Caloosahatchee River sits the winter home of inventor Thomas Edison. Named the Seminole Lodge, Edison’s winter home was built in 1886. A few years later, Edison’s friend Henry Ford built a home next door. Today both homes can be toured as part of the Edison-Ford Winter Estate museum. (Photo: June 26, 2011)

A red shouldered hawk feeds on a lizard at Myakka State Park. Hawks and many other species of wildlife can be observed regularly at the park. (Photo: May 29, 2011)

Join the adventures of the Indiana Jones trilogy as the scenes of the movie come to life at Disney Hollywood Studios. The Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular recreates those famous scenes from the movie right before the live audience. (Photo: May 11, 2011)

Port Charlotte, Florida: With just a few games left in the regular season, the Charlotte Stone Crabs found themselves in the midst of the playoff hunt as they hosted the Jupiter Hammerheads on Sunday night at Charlotte Sports Park. The Stone Crabs pushed themselves out in front to a 4-0 lead before allowing the Hammerheads on the board in the top of the third inning. After a few more runs were exchanged, the Hammerheads scored three in the eighth to tie the game and force extra innings. The game would remain tied until the bottom of the eleventh when the Stone Crabs pushed across the winning run for the 7-6 walk-off victory. Click on the photo above to view my Stone Crabs/Hammerheads photo gallery .

Beware of the briar patch as you join Br'er Rabbit on an adventure through the Laughing Place. Splash Mountain at the Magic Kingdom takes you into the world of Br'er Rabbit and features the thrill of a 53 foot drop. (Photo: May 10, 2011)

The colorful world of Bikini Bottom comes to life in SpongeBob's Krabby Patty Celebration at the Nickelodeon Suites Resort in Central Florida.  Join Spongebob, Patrick and Squidward as they try and keep the Krabby Patty out of the hands of the evil Plankton.  (Photo: May 9, 2011)

Sarasota, Florida: With the 2013 season nearing completion, the GCL Rays made their final trip of the season to Ed Smith Stadium for their a game against the GCL Orioles. After a hard fought contest under the Floridian sun, the Rays left town with a 5-1 win. The Rays took an early lead in the first inning. Riley Unroe scored on a sac fly by Alexander Simon to give the Rays a 1-0 lead. The Rays added to their lead in the third inning. Simon drove home Kean Wong on an RBI triple. Simon then scored on a wild pitch to increase the lead to 3-0. The Orioles picked up their lone run of the afternoon in the bottom of the seventh inning. Andrickson Zorillo drove home Randolph Gassaway to bring the score to 3-1. The Rays pushed across a run in the eighth on an RBI single by Simon and another in the ninth on wild pitch to give the Rays a 5-1 win.  Freddy Alvarez picked up the win for the Rays and Ruben Paredes the save. Ron Schreurs was the losing pitcher for the Orioles. ...

The boardwalk at Robinson Preserve takes you on a scenic walk though the preserve.  The 487 preserve located in western Manatee County features several miles of hiking trails that meander through various ecosystems.  (Photo: April 14, 2011)

Cypress trees rise out of the swamp at Highlands Hammock State Park.  The popular Cypress Swamp trail is one of several hiking trails in the park and provides great views into the swamp. (Photo: February 26, 2011)

A Lego Sea Monster rises out of the water at Downtown Disney. Downtown Disney is home to the Lego Store, a popular hit for kids. In addition to the Lego Store, Downtown Disney is home to many stores, restaurants and nightlife. (Photo: January 30, 2011)

To honor aviation history in the United States, President Franklin D Roosevelt declared August 19th as National Aviation Day. Named in honor of the birthday of aviation pioneer Orville Wright, National Aviation Day is a chance to look back at the history of flight from a hill in North Carolina to the high speed supersonic jets of today. (Photo: March 25, 2012)

Take an off-road adventure on Kilimanjaro Safaris at Animal Kingdom. On your journey you will encounter wild animals as you embark on a trip through the African bush. (Photo: January 30, 2011)

A new day means new adventures for the Englewood Crabs at the Back to School Bash held at the Sarasota Cal Ripken Complex. The Crabs opened up the single elimination tournament with the first game against the Riverview Rockets. The Crabs would lose 11-1 to the Rockets and were eliminated from the tournament. The PV Hawks would be the winner of the 2013 Back to School Bash. Despite going 0-3 in the bash, the team played well for their first tournament as a team. Click on the photo above to view photos from the Crabs/Rockets game .

The festive atmosphere of Octoberfest takes place all year round at Epcot's World Showcase. The Germany Pavilion is one of eleven countries that surround the World Showcase Lagoon at Epcot. (Photo: January 29, 2011)

The Englewood Crabs were back out on the field at 1 for their second pool game of the Back to School Bash at the Sarasota Cal Ripken Complex. The Crabs struggled to put together any run support as they were shut-out 9-0 by the Riverview Cyclones. Click on the photo above to view photos from the Crabs/Cyclones game .

The Englewood Crabs Under-9 baseball team kicked off their inaugural season with the 2013 Back to School Bash at the Sarasota Cal Ripken Complex. The two day tournament features two pool games on Saturday and a single elimination tournament on Sunday. The first opponent for the Crabs was the Brandon Blazers in game one of the pool games. Despite taking an early lead, the Crabs couldn’t hold on for the win as they fell 18-6 in the opener. Click on the photo above to view photos from the Crabs/Blazers game .

A rustic lodge simialar to those found in the National Parks of the Northwest can be found along the shores of Bay Lake at the Walt Disney World Resort. Opened in 1994, the Wilderness Lodge is based on the Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone National Park. (Photo: January 30, 2011)

Take an intergalactic journey and help Buzz Lightyear defeat the evil emperor Zurg. Added to Tomorrowland at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin takes space cadets on a journey through the planet as they try to accumulate as many points as possible with their lasers. (Photo: January 28, 2011)

The Spanish flag flies high over the Desoto National Monument. It is on this tiny peninsula near the mouth of Tampa Bay where Spanish Conquistador Hernando de Soto arrived in May 1539. (Photo: January 19, 2011)

The Potter Barn at the Manatee Village Historic Park is a replica barn found in the region in the late 1800’s. The barn is one of several historic structure located in the village that represent the early history of Manatee County. (Photo: January 8, 2011)

The boardwalk of the observation trail spans across the water leading to the observation tower at Emerson Point Preserve.  From the top of the tower, you have a 360 degree view of Tampa Bay, Terra Ceia Bay and the Manatee River.  (Photo: January 8, 2011)

Take a trip through the Men in Black headquarters and see if you have what it takes to be an MIB. Use your S4 Alienators to shoot as many aliens as you can and see if you can have the highest score of your group and beat your opposing team of agents-in-training. (Photo: September 25, 2010)

Jump aboard the Scoop and join Spider-Man on a mission to save the Statue of Liberty and rid the city of the Sinister Syndicate. Opened in 1999, the ride located at Universal’s Islands of Adventure combines a motion vehicle with 3-D special effects to create a thrilling attraction. (Photo: October 25, 2010)

There is no better way to end a day of riding the movies at Universal Orlando then to catch a movie at the Universal Cineplex at City Walk. The complex has twenty theaters with stadium seating showing the top Hollywood movies. (Photo: October 25, 2010)

The tower at Portofino Bay Hotel rises above the resort, giving it an authentic Italian look. Opening in 1999, the Portofino Bay Hotel is a representation of the Portofino harbour. It is one of three hotels operated by Loews Hotels at Universal Orlando. (Photo: October 25, 2010)

A pair of sandhill cranes look for food in the Celery Fields in eastern Sarasota County. Sandhill cranes can be found throughout Florida and can be identified by their bright red heads. (Photo: September 22, 2010)

A little blue heron searches for food in the Lettuce Lake at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. The Audubon sanctuary in eastern Collier County features a 2 1/4 mile boardwalk that takes visitors through 6 distinct ecosystems. (Photo: October 17, 2010)

The Esperanza Pullman Car sits on display at the Southwest Florida Museum of History in Fort Myers. Ordered by Harry Black in 1929, the Esperanza was 83 feet long and provided a luxury rail accommodations. There was a lounge, two state rooms, a dining room, kitchen and a berth for the staff. (Photo: October 2, 2010)

A flurry of activity surrounds Airside C at Tampa International Airport. Airside C is home to gate operations for AirTran Airways and Southwest Airlines. Tampa International Airport welcomes flights from 73 worldwide destinations services by 22 airlines. Over 16,000,000 passengers pass through TIA, making it the 31st busiest airport in North America. (Photo: July 27, 2013)

In the late 1800’s Tampa was just a wilderness outpost along the Hillsborough River with just a few pioneer residents. One of these residents, General Jesse Carter built a school house on his property for the education of his child and children of another pioneer family. The school opened in 1850 and operated until 1886 when railroad tycoon Henry Plant purchased the property to build his luxurious Tampa Bay Hotel. Once bought by Plant, the school house became an apothecary for the Tampa Bay Hotel. Today, the school house sits on the University of Tampa campus and is maintained on the National Register of Historic Places. (Photo: July 27, 2013)

Housed inside the historic Tampa Bay Hotel building, University of Tampa's Plant Hall has a very storied past.  Built by Henry Plant in the late 1800's, the hotel was once the icon of luxury travel.  Many famous American's stayed in the luxury accommodations of the resort and it also served as a base camp during the Spanish-American War.  The hotel closed in 1930 due to the economic collapse caused by the Great Depression.  Today, the building serves as the administration complex for the University of Tampa and also houses the Henry B Plant Museum.  (Photo: July 27, 2013)

A meerkat stands guard at Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa. The meerkat are one of several animals that call the urban oasis home. The zoo is rated one of the best family attractions by Parent's magazine. (Photo: July 18, 2010)