The Wandering Disciple

An Air Berlin flight touches down at Southwest Florida International Airport after a long flight from Germany. Air Berlin provides a daily flight to Southwest Florida from their hub in Duffelsdorf. (Photo: July 30, 2015)

All the rain we have been experiencing here in Florida lately reminds me of one animal that loves wet weather, ducks. Here is a photo of a bunch of ducks enjoying the water at Ackerman Park in Sarasota. (Photo: January 23, 2015)

GCL Twins left fielder Rowan Ebersohn makes a leaping catch against the GCL Orioles during a sunny afternoon Gulf Coast League baseball game. (Photo: July 28, 2015)

A butterfly stops to pollinate a flower at the Charlotte Flatwoods Park in rural Charlotte County. (Photo: January 4, 2015)

Sarasota Florida: The GCL Orioles squeezed by the division leading GCL Red Sox by the score of 1-0 at Ed Smith Stadium. The lone run of the game came in the second inning. Orioles top draft pick Ryan Mountcastle drove home Alejandro Juvier with an RBI single to center to give them a 1-0 lead. The Red Sox threatened several times during the game, putting runners in scoring position several times, but the Orioles kept them of the board as they won 1-0. Click on the photo to view photos from the Orioles/Red Sox game .

The Stone Crabs mob hitter Jace Conrad after he hit a walk-off single to score the game winning run in extra innings against the Dunedin Blue Jays. (Photo: July 26, 2015)

An F-15 Eagle sits on display at the Museum of Aviation to pay tribute to the team at Robins Air Force Base that helps keep these symbols of air superiority flying at top notch levels. (Photo: December 22, 2014)

Port Charlotte, Florida: The Charlotte Stone Crabs used home field advantage to help defeat the Dunedin Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon in extra innings. A bottom of the ninth rally led to a tenth inning walk-off for the home team. The sunshine state has been anything but sunny this week and Sunday’s game was no different as the start time was delayed a little of an hour. But when play began, it was the Blue Jays jumping out to an early 1-0 lead. Anthony Alford drew a walk to lead off the game. He stole second base and later scored on a two out single by Matt Dean to put the Blue Jays in front 1-0. From that point on, all eyes were on the mound as both pitching staffs tossed gems. Not a single run would touch the scoreboard until the bottom of the ninth rally by the Stone Crabs. The rally started when Kean Wong crushed an offering from D-Jays closer Wil Browning. Wong legged out a triple and put the tying run just ninety feet away. A sac fly by Willy Adames scored Wong...

GCL Orioles coach Sammie Starr congratulates Ryan Mountcastle as he rounds third after crushing a home run during a Gulf Coast League game at Ed Smith Stadium. (Photo: July 24, 2015)

Looking more like the surface of the moon rather than a Georgian mountainside, the top of Stone Mountain features barren rock craters and very limited trees. The summit can be reached by a cable car or by hiking to the top. (Photo: December 21, 2014)

Sarasota, Florida: The GCL Rays and GCL Orioles squared off on a soggy Friday afternoon at Ed Smith Stadium. Both teams battled back and forth before the game was suspended in the sixth inning due to weather. The Rays jumped out to an early lead by scoring in the first inning. Joseph Atacio singled to left to get things started. He later scored on an RBI single by Rafelin Lorenzo to give the Rays a 1-0 lead. The Orioles bounced back to take the lead in the second inning. A two run single by Jaylen Ferguson scored Branden Becker and Seamus Curran to give the Orioles a 2-1 lead. The Orioles increased their lead in the third inning. Ryan Mountcastle went deep to left to lead off the inning, his second homer of the season which gave the Orioles a 3-1 lead. The Rays tied the game in the top of the fifth. With two outs in the inning, the Rays got two base runners following Jaime Ayende getting hit by a pitch and Oscar Rojas drawing a walk. What appeared to be an inning endi...

The Olympic Torch rises above downtown Atlanta in tribute to the city hosting the 1996 Summer Olympics. (Photo: December 20, 2014)

Greg Harris started on the mound against the St Lucie Mets as he makes his Advanced-A debut for the Stone Crabs. Harris was promoted to the Stone Crabs from Class-A Bowling Green. (Photo: July 21, 2015)

Port Charlotte, Florida: The Stone Crabs offense was red hot backing a dominating starting pitcher as the Stone Crabs blanked the St Lucie Mets 12-0 at Charlotte Sports Park. The Stone Crabs jumped out to an early lead in the first inning and never looked back. RBI singles by Marty Gantt and Pat Blair gave the Stone Crabs a 2-0 lead. They increased their lead in the second inning. A triple by Willy Adames scored Andrew Velazquz and Kean Wong. Adames later scored on an RBI single by Mike Marjama to make it 5-0. The Stone Crabs added another run an inning later on an RBI single by Armando Araiza to increase the lead to 6-.0 The Stone Crabs put the game out of reach after a six run fourth inning. They sent eleven hitters to the plate with Gantt, Granden Goetzman and Velazquez collecting the RBI’s. When the dust settled, they Stone Crabs were looking a 12-0 lead. All the offense was in support of Greg Harris who was making his Stone Crabs debut. You couldn’t ask for much ...

They vowed to be together forever, Dr Martin Luther King Jr and Coretta Scott King are side by side in their final resting place in the center of the reflecting pool at Freedom Plaza in Atlanta. (Photo: December 20, 2014)

A Civil War era canon guards the entrance to the Atlanta Cyclorama & Civil War Museum in Grant Park. The museum featured a 42 foot painting depicting the Battle of Atlanta that was once the largest oil painting in the world. The museum closed its doors in June of 2015 as it is being moved to the Atlanta History Museum. (Photo: December 20, 2014)

Concealed in the leaves, a Gaboon Viper lays motionless awaiting its next meal. The viper has the longest fangs of any venomous snake and uses its heavy body to strike fast. (Photo: December 20, 2014)

High atop this tower is the control center for one of the nation's busiest airports.  The Air Traffic Control Tower at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is responsible for almost 2,500 flights a day.  At 398 feet tall, the tower is the tallest in the United States and the fourth tallest in the world.  (Photo: December 21, 2014)

A gator lurks in the waters of the Myakka River at Myakka River State Park.  Gators can be found throughout the waters of the Myakka River and the park has great places to catch a glimpse of these giants of the freshwater.  (Photo: November 11, 2014)

BEDT 12, a Porter 0-6-0T sits on display at the Florida Railroad Museum.  Building in 1919, BEDT spent its days moving freight cars on the docks of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.  After ending its career, it was donated to the museum in 1982 where it was restored and placed on display.  (Photo: November 8, 2014)

A full moon illuminates the Little Manatee River State Park.  Little Manatee River State Park is 2,433 acre state park along the Little Manatee River. The park features 6 ½ miles of hiking trails, canoeing and kayaking on the river and camping in the full-service campground.  (Photo: November 7, 2014)

Sarasota, Florida: The GCL Orioles held back a late game comeback by the first place GCL Red Sox, defeating the Sox 7-5 at Ed Smith Stadium. The Orioles broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth. An RBI single by Ryan McKenna and a two run double by Ryan Mountcastle gave the O’s a 3-0 lead. The Orioles added a run in the fifth. Frank Crinella reached on an infield single. He moved to third following a passed ball and a wild pitch. Crinella later scored on a double play to make it 4-0.  The Red Sox got on the scoreboard in the sixth on a solo home run by Chris Madera, his first professional homer. The Orioles distanced themselves following a three run sixth. An RBI single by Mountcastle, picked up the first run of the inning. The second came on a steal of home by Mountcastle. The third and final run of the frame came on a grounder by Chris Shaw to increase the lead to 7-1. The Red Sox made thing interesting in the eighth, striking for four runs. A fielde...

The General Lee sits on display in the showroom of Ideal Classic Cars in Venice. The General Lee, made famous by the Dukes of Hazzard television show, is one of several movie cars on display at the museum. (Photo: November 6, 2014)

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge towers over the mouth of Tampa Bay, connecting mainland Manatee County with coastal Pinellas County on the west coast of Florida. (Photo: October 18, 2014)

A wild flower grows along the hiking trail at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve. The park features an elevated board walk that traverses through distinct habitats including swamps, forests, lakes and more. (Photo: October 5, 2014)

The slow and tranquil waters of the Big Cypress Swamp flow peacefully through the Big Cypress National Preserve in south Florida.  Established in 1974, the 720,000 acre park is one of the first National Preserves established by the US Park Service.  (Photo:

A pair of Sandhill Cranes and a their chick take a stroll down a sidewalk in a central Sarasota subdivision.  (Photo: July 10, 2015)

A brown pelican comes in for a landing in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico at North Jetty Park. (Photo: July 12, 2014)

Sarasota, Florida: The GCL Orioles hosted the GCL Twins on the big field at Ed Smith Stadium on a sunny Wednesday afternoon. The home team rallied late to take a 6-3 win. The Twins jumped out to an early lead during a long second inning. A single to right by Robert Molina combined with a fielding error scored two runs to give the Twins a 2-0 lead. The Orioles battled back to tie the game in the bottom of the third. A two run double by Gerrion Grim tied the game at two all. The Orioles took their first lead of the afternoon in the seventh. Frank Crinella opened the inning with a triple to center. Then Carlos Diaz cleared the bases with a homer to right to give the Orioles a 4-2 lead. The Twins got a run back in the eighth inning. Roberto Gonzalez scored on a ground ball by Jorge Andrade to pull within a run of the lead. The Orioles added two more insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth. Three straight singles loaded the bases from Crinella who double home two runs ...

When the sun goes down and the lights come on, the streets of Y’bor City heat up. Once a bustling Cuban cigar community, today Y’bor City is a hotspot for clubs, restaurants and even ghost hunting. (Photo: May 23, 2014)

A lioness takes a nap at Lion Country Safari. Here at Lion Country, you can embark on a safari adventure from your own vehicle. (Photo: May 11, 2014)

A Nicobar Pigeon walks along the ground in the Free Flight Aviary at Lowry Park Zoo. Here you can enter the exhibit, taking an up-close look at the birds from within the aviary. (Photo: April 13, 2014)

The cockpit has changed over the years as seen here in the cockpit of an AC-47 Spooky. Introduced in 1965, the Spooky lacks the electronic features found in newer aircraft. (Photo: March 30, 2014)

Sarasota, Florida: For three days during the July 4th weekend, the usually quiet waters of the Gulf of Mexico roared to life with the sound of power boats as the Sarasota Power Boat Grand Prix took to the waters off Lido Key. This year’s event is the 31st annual power boat race and featured an all new format for 2015. The festivities surrounding the event began even before the boats hit the water with a golf tournament, car show, motorcycle run, fishing competition, block parties and a parade of boats down Main Street. All of these just leading up to the main event, two action packed days of racing. Due to the departure of Super Boat International, the Sarasota Power Boat Grand Prix welcomed the P1 Superstock series and the AquaX Series to the event raising the event to include eight classes of boats. After the thrilling action on the waters, the racers met at the Sandcastle Resort to crown the event winners. Here are the boats that were honored on the podium: Supercat F...

Happy Birthday America!  From our family to yours, Donten Photography would like to wish everyone a safe and enjoyable Independence Day.  (Photo: July 4, 2013)

The laser man Gimmi Fornaciari makes beams of laser light dance to the music during Cirque Italia. (Photo: March 22, 2014)

The brick wall and water filled moat helped protect Old Fort Jackson from enemy invasions. Built to help defend the Savannah River, Old Fort Jackson saw action during the War of 1812 and the Civil War. (Photo: March 15, 2014)

Boxcars and railcars sit on display at the Roundhouse at the Georgia State Railroad Museum. Once the heart of the railroad industry in Savannah, the old rail yard is now a museum spotlighting the history of the rails. (Photo: March 15, 2014)