The Wandering Disciple

Extreme airshow pilot Skip Stewart pushes his aircraft "Prometheus" to the limits as he races at speeds over 200 miles per hour in front of the Wall of Fire at the Florida International Air Show. (Photo: March 30, 2014)

The US Air Force Thunderbirds scream past the packed crowd at the Florida International Airshow. The Thunderbirds were the headline act of the 34th annual show at Punta Gorda Airport. (Photo: March 30, 2014)

Punta Gorda, Florida:   After Mother Nature stole the show on Saturday, the Florida International Air Show bounced back with a phenomenal performance under sunny skies on Sunday.  The thirty fourth annual show did not disappoint as world class aviation acts wowed the large crowd that gathered to witness some amazing performances.  While many were on hand for the main act, the US Air Force Thunderbirds, every act was at the top of their game for the crowd. The show kicked off with a large collection of static aircraft.  Many aircraft such as the DC-3 Flagship Detroit, C-54 Skymaster "Spirit of Freedom", AC-47 "Spooky" made a return to the show.  But with them were some new faces such as some modern fighters from Draken International, B-17 Flying Fortress "Texas Raiders, C-46 Commando "Tinker Belle" and many more stopped by Punta Gorda for the first time. The aerial show started with a demonstration by the R/C Fliers Club.  Then the US Special O...

Rising tall over the old drill fields at Forsyth Park is the Confederate War Memorial. Built in memory of the confederate soldiers who served the Confederate State of America, this monument features a soldier standing guard watching his enemy to the north. The monument was built in Canada and shipped to Savannah via boat so it did not have to touch any “Yankee” soil. (Photo: March 14, 2014)

We are just one day away from the Florida International Airshow featuring the US Air Force Thunderbirds. The show is March 29-30 at Punta Gorda Airport. The Thunderbirds, pictured here at Homestead, are the acts finale for both days. (Photo: November 3, 2012)

JetBlue's Airbus A320 "Blue Bravest" departs Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. "Blue Bravest" has been dedicated to the New York City Fire Department and shows JetBlue's support of the FDNY Foundation. (Photo: March 17, 2014)

Englewood, Florida: The minors division continued their season with a Wednesday night game between Porter Contracting and Kimberling Roofing. Porter jumped out to an early lead, but a big inning put Kimberling in the lead. Porter rallied late but fell short as they lost 10-6. Click on the photo above for photos from the game .

Sarasota, Florida: Final preparations for the 2014 regular season are nearing completion as the Charlotte Stone Crabs traveled to Sarasota to play the Frederick Keys for the final time this spring.  As opening day draws nearer, the rosters are looking more and more in opening day form, drawing anticipation for the season to start. Click on the photo to view my Stone Crabs/Keys photo gallery .

The seagrass of Lazaretto Marsh lines both sides of US-80 on the way out to Tybee Island making for a scenic drive to the beach. (Photo: March 14, 2014)

A Yellow-Headed Blackbird sits on the power line in the backyard.  This was a rare sighing of the bird as it typically found in Central and South America and does not normally migrate to Florida.  (Photo: March 23, 2014)

A locomotive from the Savannah and Atlanta Railway sits on display at the Georgia State Railroad Museum. Housed in the Central of Georgia Railway Savannah Shops and Terminal Facilities, the museum takes a look at the railroad history of Georgia. (Photo: March 15, 2014)

Laser Man Gimmi Fornaciari dazzles the crowd with his laser show at Cirque Italia. Fornciari splits the laser beams with his hands in a dazzling display of laser lights. (Photo: March 22, 2014)

Venice, Florida: Cirque Italia made a four day stop in Venice for their 2014 show. The one-of-a-kind aquatic circus travels the United States with a show unlike other. Surrounding a 45,000 gallon pool of water, the acts take to the stage and soar through the air in stunning displays. Click on the photo to see photos from this year's presentation of Cirque Italia as well as images from last year .

Baltimore Orioles minor leaguer Henry Wrigley rips a double to center in Friday's minor league spring training game between the Double-A Bowie Bay Sox and Montgomery Biscuits. This was the first of Wrigley's two doubles in the exhibition game. (Photo: March 21, 2013)

Sarasota, Florida: As opening day quickly approaches, minor league players are still playing hard for roster spots during spring training. Today the Baltimore Orioles played host to the Tampa Bay Rays at their minor league camp at Twin Lakes Park. Here the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits played the Bowie Bay Sox in an exhibition contest.  Click on the photo above to view photos from the Biscuits/Bay Sox photo gallery .

The B-17 Flying Fortress "City of Savannah" sits on display at the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force. The "City of Savannah" is currently being restored by museum staff and was the 5,000 aircraft processed at Hunter Army Air Field in Savannah. (Photo: March 15, 2014)

Signs of spring are evident throughout Savannah as the azalea are in full bloom citywide. These colorful flowers can be found throughout the city, proving that winter is almost a distant memory. (Photo: March 14, 2014)

Englewood, Florida: The minors division played under the lights on Wednesday night as Porter Contracting hosted Hamsher Homes. Hamsher jumped out to an early lead but Porter battled back to tie the game in the late innings. Neither team could push across a go-ahead run on the final frame and the game ended tied. Click on the photo to see more photos from Wednesday's game .

The tall steeple of the of Independent Presbyterian Church can be seen throughout Savannah. It is from the top of this steeple in which the feather floated down during the opening scene of the Hollywood film Forrest Gump starring Tom Hanks. (Photo: March 14, 2014)

The Tybee Island Light Station sits at the mouth of the Savannah River to aid in guiding ships into port. It is one of only seven surviving colonial era lighthouses. Today the lighthouse still serves as a navigational aid as well as a history museum. (Photo: March 14, 2014)

The city fountains are dyed green to celebrate the St Patrick's Day holiday in Savannah. Savannah is home to the second largest St Patrick's Day festival with over a million people attending the celebration in the historic city. (Photo: March 14, 2014)

The USS Hué City docked along the Savannah River prior to the city's St Patrick's Day celebration. The naval crew is in town to participate in the celebration. The ship is a Ticonderoga class guided-missile cruiser and is assigned to Carrier Group Six at Naval Station Mayport. (Photo: March 14, 2014)

A labyrinth of tunnels connects the rooms at Old Fort Jackson on the banks of the Savannah River.  Built in 1881, Old Fort Jackson was built to help protect the river from enemy invasion.  However it's only war action came during the Civil War when the Union troops seized the fort.  Today the fort has been restored to highlight life in the encampment during the war.  (Photo: March 15, 2014)

Savannah, Georgia: Savannah’s location on the Atlantic makes it a prime port for the United States but what makes in a important sea town also makes it vulnerable to an attack from the sea. So to help combat a sea attack, Fort James Jackson was constructed up river to help defend the city. Under threat of attack by either England or France, President Thomas Jefferson ordered the nation fortify its coast. So at the site of an old English battery from the American Revolution, Fort James Jackson was constructed. It took almost four years to complete the fort, opening in 1811. Combined with Fort Pulaski and Fort McAllister, Fort Jackson was the last line of defense for the city of Savannah. Completed in time for the War of 1812, it did not see action until the Civil War. After being bombarded by Union ships, Fort Jackson was overtaken by the Union troops in 1864. It would be under Union control throughout the entire occupation of Savannah. Fort Jackson remained active for the ...

Savannah, Georgia: For decades our nation was connected by rail. People and goods passed from coast to coast on this vast network of railways and there is no better example of the rail era then the Georgia State Railroad Museum. The museum is housed in one of the most complete Antebellum rail complexes in the nation. It is the oldest and largest 19th century rail complexes in the country. Thirteen of the original structures still remain at the museum. The 33 acre site has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places and declared a National Historic Landmark. The complex was built in the late 1800’s for the Central of Georgia Railway. A major fire in the early 1920’s damaged a bunch of the buildings but they were later rebuilt. The complex remained in operation until 1963 when the Southern Railway bought out Central of Georgia and closed the facility. Southern transferred the complex to the City of Savannah and in 1989 the Coastal Heritage Society opened the mus...

Savannah, Georgia: Saturday was the final day of our brief spring break road trip. Our whirlwind trip was gonna bet even busier as we had three sites we wanted to see in just a short amount of time. We were really up against the clock as our rental car was due back at 7pm in Sarasota, Florida. So we hit the city early. Since we were leaving today, we decided to skip the hotel breakfast in lieu of a local restaurant. We chose J Christopher’s in the historic district. Last night during the walking ghost tour, the guide recommended it so we decided to give it a try. My wife and son had an omelet while I had biscuits and gravy. It was pretty good, nothing spectacular but hit the spot. After breakfast, we drove around town waiting for the museums to open. We did a few photo stops in some of the city squares and along the riverfront. We then went to TriCentennial Park to walk through Battlefield Memorial Park. This park is a memorial to the 8,000 troops who participated in t...

Once the Wall Street of the South, the Old Savannah Cotton Exchange was the heart of southern economy.  From this spot on the Savannah River, brokers oversaw the cotton industry.  Here they set the prices for cotton before it was imported throughout the world.  (Photo: March 14, 2014)

Savannah, Georgia: As the sun sets over the historic city of Savannah, the nightlife kicks into high gear and ghost tours are one of the most popular evening attractions in the city. Savannah is considered one of the most haunted cities in the country and the Sorrel-Weed House is one of the city’s most haunted. Built in 1840 for Francis Sorrel, the home has a rich history. It was here that Francis through some of the biggest parties in the city. He entertained the most prominent socialites of the city including General Sherman and General Lee. It even had its place in Hollywood history as the opening scene of Forrest Gump was filmed from the roof of the house. But it is the darker history that draws people to the home. Shortly after moving into the house, Francis married 17 year old Lucinda Moxely. But Lucinda died in the home five years later. Francis would later marry her little sister Matilda. But later she caught Francis having an affair with a slave named Molly and...

Tybee Island, Georgia: Nestled between the historic city of Savannah and the Atlantic Ocean is the quiet seaside town of Tybee Island. It is here where residents and tourist flock to the coast to enjoy a day at the beach. The history of the island can be traced back to it’s earliest inhabitants, the Euchee tribe. They hunted and fished on the island and the rest of coastal Georgia prior to European settlement in 1520. The Spanish were the first to settle on Tybee Island and settled it as part of the Guale missionary of Spanish Florida. They and the Euchee tribe lived in harmony on the island until English invasion. Under Spanish rule, the island became a save haven for pirates. As the English settled in South Carolina, they aligned themselves with the pirates and together they invaded Tybee Island and Spanish Florida. After two separate invasions, the Spanish retreated to St Augustine, leaving Tybee Island under English rule and allowing them to settle the Georgia colony. ...

Savannah, Georgia: On a bluff overlooking the Wilmington River lies one of the most peaceful locations in all of Savannah. Bonaventure Cemetery is not only the final resting place for many prominent Savannah natives, its oak trees and colorful flowers make it an oasis from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The cemetery traces it’s roots back to 1771 when John Mullryne and Josiah Tattnall started the 600 acre Bonaventure Plantation. Three years later Mullryne started a family burial plot, the beginnings of the cemetery. Despite a brief change of hands in the Revolutionary War when the property was briefly seized, the plantation and cemetery remained in the family until being sold to Peter Wiltberger in 1846. Wiltberger transformed the property into the Evergreen Cemetery and declared it a public cemetery. The property was purchased by the City of Savannah in 1907 and was renamed the Bonaventure Cemetery. After efforts by the Bonaventure Historical Society, it earned a s...

Savannah, Georgia: The second day of our Savannah road trip got off to a very chilly start. After a breakfast provided by our hotel, we headed out to our frosted over rental car. Having relocated to Florida in 1998, I forgotten how miserable the cold and heavy frost can be. But once the ice melted off the windshield enough to see, we headed towards the city to enjoy our day. We started our day with a trip to the Bonaventure Cemetery. Since we got their after it closed yesterday, we made sure to get there first thing in the morning. It is a short drive outside historic district and is definitely worth the trip. At 160 acres, it is the larges cemetery in Savannah. It is the final resting place for many prominent citizens. A good deal of time can be spent wondering the sprawling ground and looking at the intricate details of the headstones. From magnificent sculptures to heart-felt condolences, all can be seen here. We spend about an hour viewing some of the notable area...