The Wandering Disciple

Caution, Rhinos have the right away.  That's not something you hear everyday in Florida, but that is the rule of the road at Lion Country Safari outside West Palm Beach.  This one of a kind attraction brings the excitement of a safari adventure right in the middle of Florida where you can drive your own car and get close to rhinos, giraffes, zebras and even lions.  (Photo: September 7, 2009)

An emu pokes its head over the fence at ZooTampa at Lowry Park. Emus can reach over six feet in height making them the second largest bird in the world and the largest in their native Australia. Although emus can not fly, they can reach speeds of over 30 miles per hour. (Photo: August 30, 2009)

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. May you have a great holiday with your family and may your day be merry and bright. Merry Christmas!

As the gang gathered around the tree they began to sing, Hark the Herald Angeles Sing. The famous closing from the timeless classic "A Charlie Brown Christmas" leads us into Christmas Eve. May you and your family have a wonderful Christmas filled with memories. (Photo: December 31, 2016)

Ding Ding Ding, come and get it, supper's done.  Dinner bells like this one were a common fixture on plantations and farms throughout the country.  They were used to alert workers to come in from the fields for a hot meal.  This dinner bell is at the Gamble Plantation, former sugar plantation on the banks of the Manatee River.  Today the mansion is restored and part of the Florida State Parks System.  (Photo: August 7, 2009)

After the sun sets over ZooTampa, the zoo lights up for the holiday season for Christmas in the Wild.  For select nights in December, the holiday spirit takes over as bright colorful lights and entertainment turn the zoo into a Christmas wonderland. (Photo: December 22, 2018)

A gentle walk through the woods along the nature trail at Koreshan State Park takes hikers from the abandoned settlement of the Koreshans to the Florida wilds along the Estero River.  The hiking trail starts in the village where there are eleven maintained historic buildings left abandoned from religious sect as they attempted to found a New Jerusalem.  The trail then meanders along the Estero River passing through thick forests of bamboo and native Florida fauna.  The trail extends about a mile and half before ending at the picnic and playground area near the campground.  (Photo: July 29, 2009)

Florida, the Sunshine State, is known for daily dose of vitamin D. And what comes with sunshine, amazing sunrises and sunsets. The Sunshine State is one of the best places to watch the sun rise and set. From sunrises on the Atlantic to sunsets on the Gulf, there isn't a bad spot in the state to watch Mother Nature paint a masterpiece in the sky. (Photo: December 17, 2018)

A playful pair of white tiger cubs frolic in the grass at ZooTampa (formerly Lowry Park Zoo).  The white tiger cubs, a boy and a girl, were born at the zoo back in November 2008.  A white tiger is a version of the Bengal tiger that is rare in the wild because the lack of camouflage causes them to become easy prey in the wild.  The white tigers were later given a new home at the National Tiger Sanctuary around 2011. Although the white tigers no longer live at ZooTampa, the zoo is home to the Malayan Tiger which can be seen in the Asian Gardens section of the zoo. (Photo: June 28, 2009)

For years, the Ringling's Ca' d' Zan was the premier entertainment spot.  The elegant mansion on Sarasota Bay was the winter home of John and Mable Ringling and the circus magnate would host some of the most extravagant parties of the time.  Today guests can walk the same footsteps of the rich and famous and get a glimpse into the lives of the Ringlings.  (Photo: June 14, 2009)

St Petersburg, Florida: Nestled within the densest populated county in Florida, this Pinellas County park offers visitors a chance to hike through on of the largest maple swamps on the Gulf Coast. Sawgrass Lake Park is a hidden oasis in the hustle and bustle of busy St Petersburg. At 400 acres, Sawgrass Lake Park is a welcomed green space in the busy city. It preserves one of the largest maple swamps in the region and is also an important feature in the county’s protection against flooding. As a result of the lake, swamp and canals, Sawgrass Lake Park has become a home to a vast collection of plants and wildlife. To explore the park deeper, there is a one-mile elevated boardwalk that meanders through the swamp. Along the way there are benches and shade canopies that allow you to rest while enjoying the beauty of the park. The boardwalk eventually leads to a two-story observation tower overlooking Sawgrass Lake. If you want to get off the beaten path and get your feet dirt...

A gorilla turns his back on the troop as he seeks a little alone time at the Myombe Reserve at Busch Gardens. Gorillas have similar social characteristics as humans and watching them closely can be very entertaining. The Myombe Reserve at Busch Gardens is home to an entire troop of gorillas. (Photo: May 31, 2009)

Each winter, the National Mall becomes a winter wonderland as the National Gallery of Art's Sculpture Garden is transformed into an ice skating rink.  Here you and your family can skate among the backdrop of historic buildings like the National Archives and famous sculptures in the garden.  The popular ice rink is open yearly from Mid November through March.  (Photo:  February 16, 2009)

A wax replica of Tiger Woods lines up a shot at the Madame Madame Tussauds wax museum on Washington DC. This unique collection of wax figures features politicians, enterainers, muscicians and more in life-like wax form. You can get close to these figures as they are displayed in interactive exhibits that scream take a pic with me. Madame Tussauds DC is one of 24 museums worldwide in the Madame Tussauds collection. (Photo: February 15, 2009)

Sitting high atop a ridge on the edge of the nation's capital, Washington National Cathedral has served DC since 1912.  It has a place in presidential history, hosting state funerals and presidential inauguration prayers services for many of the country's leader.  The pulpit was also the spot of Dr Martin Luther King Jr's final sermon before his assassination in 1968.  Today the cathedral hosts three worship services daily, hosting almost 300,000 visitors annually.  (Photo: February 15, 2009)

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds. That is the unofficial motto of the United States Postal Service. Each day the postal service processes nearly 5 million pieces of mail to people in big cities all the way to the most rural locations. At times, the postal service needed to adapt to meet the needs of the community like this Rural Free Delivery mail sled on display at the National Postal Museum. (Photo: February 15, 2009)

What you can't see, can kill you.  That is the intent behind the unmanned drones such as the Predator seen here at the National Air and Space Museum.  Now a primary weapon of the US Armed Forces, a drone is the eyes and ears and spear of the nation's fighting forces allowing operators to monitor and neutralize a threat thousand of miles away without endangering a single allied troop.  (Photo: February 16, 2009)

Sitting high atop the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington House has a storied history.  Formally called the Custis-Lee Mansion, estate was built by George Washington Parke Custis began construction in 1801 and wasn't completely finished until 1818. It was built high above a peak just outside the nation's capital on what would later be known as Mount Washington. But the home is mostly widely known for its last resident, Confederate General Robert E Lee. Lee was a colonel in the US Army until the Civil War when he defected to his native Virginia and became the general for the Confederate Army. President Lincoln viewed this as being a traitor to his country so the US government seized the property and turned it into a national cemetery. Today the Arlington House still overlooks the Arlington National Cemetery from atop the peak and serves a memorial to Robert E Lee and his efforts to promote peace and reunion following the Civil War.  (Photo: Februar...