The Wandering Disciple

Tow Mater makes his way along the parade route during the 2014 Venice Holiday Parade.  Tow Mater inspired by the Disney-Pixar Cars franchise was one of several Hollywood cars in the parade by Ideal Classic Cars.  (Photo: November 29, 2014)

Santa Claus closes out the Venice Holiday Parade, kicking off the holiday season.  The two hour parade through the island of Venice is the official kick-off of the area's holiday festivities.  (Photo: November 29, 2014)

Venice, Florida:  Thousands of spectators lines the streets of downtown Venice for the annual Venice Holiday Parade.  The parade featured over two hours of floats and performers showcasing the holiday spirit. The evening of festivities kicked off at 5 pm with live entertainment along the parade route.  All the entertainment led up to the main event, the parade which started at 7.  Several hundred participates packed this years parade which started on Venice Avenue near Park Avenue and continued through the city until reaching the community center. The annual parade takes place after Thanksgiving and signals the start of the holiday season. Click on the photo to view more photos from the 2014 Venice Holiday Parade .

A cormorant sits in the sun with its wings stretched out to dry at the Venice Audubon Rookery.  The cormorant spends much of the day in the water looking for prey, but can not fly until it's wings are dry.  So they can usually be seen along the banks of the water with its wings spread to dry.  (Photo: November 28, 2014)

Happy Thanksgiving from Donten Photography.  Today's Turkey Day photo of the Day is a wild turkey from Myakka State Park.  Wild turkey can regularly be found along the woodlands of the park road that runs through the park.  (Photo: November 15, 2014)

Take a look out the window as our Comair CRJ-200 flies high above the clouds during a flight in 2004.  The view out the window is amazing and one of my favorite things about flying.  This photo comes from the first leg of our journey from Harrisburg to Atlanta.  (Photo: May 1, 2004)

The Ferris Wheel at Hersheypark is one of the landmarks that help distinguish the Central Pennsylvania theme park that has been entertaining visitors for over 100 years.  Hersheypark opened in 1906 as a park with a baseball field, bandstand and more.  In the 1970's, the park began a serious transformation into a theme park and today has grown to over 70 rides including 12 roller coasters.  (Photo: May 1, 2004)

The iconic dome of the United States Capitol glistens in the spring sky.  The dome is the second dome to atop the capitol over it's history and was completed in 1863.  Unlike the rest of the capitol, the dome is constructed of cast-iron and weighs 14.1 million pounds.  (Photo: April 29, 2004)

Cars look like small toys and people looks like ants from the observation deck of the Empire State Building.  Located 86 stories in the air, the observation deck provides a 360 degree view of New York City and if the weather is right you can see up to five states.  (Photo: April 26, 2004)

Body armor hangs on the wall inside Fort James at the Jamestown Settlement.  Guards of the fort would use armor like this to protect themselves from Indian attack during the settlement of the Virginia colony.  (Photo: April 24, 2004)

Venice, Florida:  The weather may have been chilly, but the action of the field was hot as the Venice Indians hosted the Armwood Hawks in the Class 6A Regional Semifinals on Friday night at Powell-Davis Stadium.  There was a lot riding on this game as the winner will get their ticket punched for the Regional Finals and be one step closer to the State Championship while the loser will see their season come to an end. Coming into the game, Venice was looking to avenge their loss to the Hawks last season in the opening round of the playoffs.  But the Hawks came to Venice as one of the hottest teams in the league, only surrendering 23 points on the year and not giving up a single point in their last five games. The Indians got the ball to start off the game.  They marched the ball quickly downfield before a fumbled stalled the drive.  From there it only took one play to put the Hawks in the endzone as quarterback Noah Johnson connected with receiver Dennis Har...

A musician plays in Market Square at Colonial Williamsburg.  The clock is turned back to 18th century to show visitors what life was like during the American revolution. Restored buildings and historical interpreters help to make history come alive. (Photo: April 25, 2004)

A replica covered bridge spans a small creek at the Amish Village in Lancaster County.  Bridges like these can be found throughout Lancaster County. These wooden bridges were covered to prevent the bridge structure from being exposed to the snow, leading to bridge failure during the cold winters.  (Photo: April 23, 2004)

Everyone's favorite Ogre greets guests at Universal Studios Florida.  Shrek can be seen outside the Shrek 4-D ride at the theme park in which guests can ride the movies.  (Photo: September 21, 2003)

The Cat in the Hat comes to life at Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando.  The family ride takes riders through the pages of the storybook by Dr Suess, making you part of the story.  (Photo: July 18, 2003)

The cypress swamp at the Big Cypress National Preserve provides a calming oasis for visitors and animals alike.  The 1,100 square mile preserve located in South Florida combines with the Everglades National Park, Ten Thousand Islands Wildlife Refuge and the Collier-Seminole Park to create an expansive wilderness tract that spreads from Miami to Naples.  (Photo: August 30, 2014)

An American Alligator chomps down on a fish at Myakka River State Park.  The park is a hotspot for alligators as they bask in the sun on the banks of the river or swim in the waters looking for their next meal.  (Photo: November 15, 2014)

I would like to introduce a new page to the Donten Photography website called Into the Wild.  Into the Wild will spotlight our wildlife photography taken during our travels.  You can find the collection by clicking on the Into the Wild link on the top navigational bar of Donten Photography. Into the Wild joins Donten Photography as the fourth spotlight page joining Above the Clouds (Aviation), Touch Em All (Baseball) and Boots and Badges (Public Safety). I hope you enjoy the addition and continue to follow Donten Photography.

An osprey flies over the Myakka River with his dinner.  Ospreys and other birds can be seen fishing along the Myakka River at Myakka River State Park.  (Photo: November 15, 2014)

A white tail deer looks up from the brush at Myakka River State Park.  The cooler weather have made the deer in the park more active resulting in more sightings along the park drive.  (Photo: November 14, 2014)

Florida Gulf Coast 100 sits on the tracks at the Florida Railroad Museum in Parrish.  FGC 100 is a GE 44-ton switcher that was once in service with the US Navy at Naval Air Station Jacksonville.  It was donated to the museum in 1995.  (Photo: November 8, 2014)

A wood stork flies through the sky at Myakka River State Park. The wood stork can be found throughout the southeastern United States and is the only stork to breed in North America. (Photo: November 11, 2014)

I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of the brave men and women of our armed services who sacrificed everything, placed their lived on the line to preserve our freedoms. Each day, we wake up with the freedom that these brave people fought hard to protect. We are forever indebted for your sacrifices. Thank-you! (Photo: November 11, 2014)

Sarasota, Florida: A large crowd of spectators lined Main Street on Veteran's Day for the annual Sarasota Veteran's Day Parade.  The annual event pays tribute to our nation's veterans. Several thousand performers marched in the parade that started at Osprey Avenue and traveled down Main Street to JD Hamel Park.  Among the marchers were the Sarasota Police Department, Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, Sarasota Military Academy, Sarasota High School band and JROTC, Riverview High School band, Booker High School cheerleader and JROTC Venice Middle School band and junior Marines, and the Vietnam Brotherhood to name a few.  But the highlight of the parade were the veterans ranging from World War II through the wars in the Middle East. At the conclusion of the parade, there was a memorial service at JD Hamel Park. Click on the photo above to view my 2014 Sarasota Veteran's Parade photo gallery .

Sarasota, Florida: Situated on the banks of Sarasota Bay near the northern tip of Lido Key lies a 92 acres park that is a haven for shorebirds. Ken Thompson Park is surrounded by water on three sides making it a recreation hot spot for activities ranging from hiking to boating. The park operated by Sarasota County Parks features plenty of amenities including hiking trails, playground, picnic facilities and a boat ramp. Also located within walking distance from the park are two popular tourist attractions, Mote Marine and Save our Seabirds.  There is even a full-service restaurant, bait shop and marina within walking distance. Click on the photo above to view my Ken Thompson Park photo gallery .

Today the United States Marine Corps celebrates it 239th birthday. The USMC was founded during the Revolutionary War on November 10, 1776. The Second Continental Congress voted to form two Battalions of Marines under the command of Captain Samuel Nicholas. Today the corps has grown to over 194,000 active forces and 40,000 reservists. This photo is a AV-8B Harrier of the Marine Attack Squadron 542 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. (Photo: March 24, 2013)

Venice, Florida:   The rain couldn't keep the crowds from heading out to Ideal Classic Cars for their monthly classic car show.  With Veteran's Day right around the corner, this month's event payed tribute to our nation's veterans.  The crowd that attended the event were treated to about fifty cars on display outside and the massive collection of Ideal Classic Cars on the inside.  The event was organized by Cruizin to the Hop  and proceeds from the show went to support the Venice High Marine Junior ROTC Program.  Click on the photo to view more photos from the Veteran's Day Car Show .

A white flower blooms along the banks of the Little Manatee River in the Little Manatee River State Park. Plenty of wildflowers like these can be seen throughout the trails and along the river. (Photo: November 8, 2014)

A white-tail deer enjoys a morning snack along the park drive at Little Manatee River State Park. The 2,400 acre park in southeastern Hillsborough County is home to a diverse collection of wildlife including deer, bobcats, scrub jays, gators, otters and more. (Photo: November 8, 2014)

Wimauma, Florida: The second day of our camping trip at the Little Manatee River State Park started off waking up to a brisk 43 degrees in our tent. This was far cooler then the forecasted 55 degrees but thanks to our warm sleeping bags, it wasn’t that bad. We headed into town for a hot breakfast to help our bodies warm up and to give the energy we would need to explore the park’s trails. On the way into Sun City Center for breakfast, my wife spotted a bald eagle on the ground along the highway at the north end of the park. So we doubled back to get a photo of it. I kept a safe distance away from it so I did not spook it into traffic, but as I was photographing it, a hawk flew down and the eagle went airborne into the tree I was standing under. What an amazing experience. We decided on Sunshine Café for breakfast. It had really good ratings on Trip Advisor and it wasn’t too far away from the campground. My wife had an omelet, I had biscuits and gravy and my son had panc...

A full moon illuminates the campground at Little Manatee River State Park. The park features 34 campsites including four dedicated for camping with horses. (Photo: November 7, 2014)

Wimauma, Florida: With the weather cooling down, it’s time to break out the camping gear and hit the parks. There was a cold front that was forecast to bring a lot of rain Saturday night into Sunday, so we broke from out normal routine and booked a campsite for a Friday night. Because we waited till last minute, campsites in the Florida State Park system were slim picking. But they did have one spot available at Little Manatee River State Park in Wimauma. We have never been to that park or that area so I decided to book the site. So I spent Thursday night checking out our gear and packing the truck in advance of our trip. The anticipation of the trip made Friday’s work day take forever. But quitting time finally rolled around and we hit the road for the short drive to Wimauma. Check-in was a race against the clock as we had to beat the setting sun and get our camp set up before running out of daylight. Luckily for us, I have this down to a pretty good routine. And it ...

The Ecto 1A from the hit Hollywood move “Ghostbusters 2” sits on display outside Ideal Classic Cars. The Ecto 1A is a modified 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor that was used to transport the Ghostbuster team to rid New York City of ghosts. (Photo: November 6, 2014)

The Cuban Club in Y’bor City has been the center of Cuban life in Tampa since the early 1900’s. This four story club was built In 1917 and houses a theater, ballroom, cantina and much more. It has been the site of boxing matches, musical performers and hosted plenty of weddings and special events in its almost 100 year history. The building is also considered one of the most haunted places in Florida and was showcased in an episode of Ghosthunters. (Photo: May 23, 2014)

Excuse me, coming through. Traffic comes to a stop as a giraffe crosses the road at Lion Country Safari. Lion Country Safari features a five mile drive through safari where only your car's window separates you from the wildlife. (Photo: May 11, 2014)

A red-bellied woodpecker pecks a hole in the palm tree in the front yard in search of food. The woodpecker uses its bill as a chisel to break the bark of a tree to search for bugs. (Photo: October 27, 2014)

Nik Wallenda practices for his latest high wire walk in which he will first cross the Chicago River at a 15 degree incline. From there he will cross between two buildings blindfolded. Wallenda practiced this walk daily in his hometown of Sarasota prior to departing for Chicago. Skyscaper Live will be aired lived tonight on the Discovery Channel. (Photo: October 11, 2014)

A Bornean Orangutan gathers some food at Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa. The orangutan is one of over 1,000 animals that live in the 60 acre zoo. (Photo: April 13, 2014)