The Wandering Disciple

Orioles minor leaguer Brayan Hernandez slides safely into home during a Saturday morning Florida Complex League game. During the offseason, minor league baseball restructured resulting in the loss of a few levels of the minor league ladder to streamline the path to the majors. One of the changes was the in the Rookie level in which the Gulf Coast League was renamed the Florida Complex League and a few teams like the Orioles are fielding two teams in the FCL to help train their younger players that may have been assigned to one of the abandoned leagues like the short-season affiliates. (Photo: August 28, 2021)

Frank Tolentino catches a fly ball in front of the FLY SRQ billboard at Ed Smith Stadium. Ed Smith Stadium is the spring training home of the Baltimore Orioles and the offers direct flight to Baltimore making for easy flights from Orioles fans to visit Birdland South. (Photo: August 28, 2021)

When you look around the spring training home of the Orioles, you will find hints of Baltimore all over. From the food at the concession stands to some of the iconic orange bird signage. But look closely at the small details and you find even more Baltimore nostalgia. The seats at the renovated stadium are from Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The seats were removed during a project at Camden Yards and then refurbished and installed at the Orioles southern nest. (Photo: August 28, 2021)

We just became members to the Edison Ford Winter Estate, unlocking a world of exploration not just into the lives of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford but to historic sites nationwide. For those that have followed the site since the beginning, you have probably noticed that I enjoy learning about history. By becoming members to this great historical site, we also have access to hundreds of historical sites, museums and botanical gardens nationwide through the memberships reciprocal privileges.  So if you are into learning about history like me head out to your local museum and become a member today, not only are you helping them preserve history but you are unlocking doors of exploration for yourself. (Photo: June 26, 2011)

As you travel throughout the country, I am sure you've seen a water tower or two. While they may stand tall to welcome you into the community, these large metal structures are much more than just an elevated billboard. Using hydrostatic pressure as its force, these towers help ensure that communities have water pressure even during a power outage. Each foot of elevation of the tower provides almost a half pound of pressure per square inch. So in turn, the tower can help keep water flowing to sinks, showers and even fire hydrants should the pumps fail or in communities that don't have pumping stations for pressure. (Photo: April 26, 2020)

Zolfo Springs welcomes you, that is the welcome message shown on a handmade sign as you enter the small town along US-17 in rural Florida. Founded in 1904, the town was once located along the Florida Cracker Trail, a cattle route that connected the two coasts of the Sunshine State. As the industry changed, so did the means of transportation and Zolfo Springs became a stop along the Florida Southern Railroad, a rail line that connected Bartow with Punta Gorda. Now the railroad is no longer providing passenger traffic, travelers through the region now arrive via US-17, a modern day highway connecting small towns across Central Florida. (Photo: April 26, 2020)

For decades, the courthouse was the centerpiece of the community. Towering over town in elegant fashion they became the focal point of not only the legal world but everyday life. As time passed, many of these buildings were lost to progress, but there are still many history courthouses that have survives the wrecking ball like this one here in Arcadia. The historic red brick building was built in 1912 and today is protected by the National Register of Historic Places. (Photo: April 26, 2020)

Here is a look inside the surgical suite at the Spanish Military Hospital Museum in the historic city of St Augustine. The museum provides a look into medical treatments and equipment from the Second Spanish Period which lasted from 1784-1821. The museum docent takes you through the hospital and explains the procedures that doctors performed on soldiers and also a look into apothecary treatments during this time period. While the procedures and care are barbaric by today's standards, these were top notch services during this period. (Photo: March 17, 2020)

Like a photo from the past, canned goods line the shelves of the Oldest Store Museum. Frozen in time, the museum is a throwback to when the corner store was your one-stop shop for everything you needed from canned goods, fresh meats, the latest and greatest electronics, firearms and much more. Modeled after the 1908 CF Hamblen General Store, the museum brings to life the pages of a 20th century Sears and Roebuck catalog. (Photo: March 17, 2020)

Pedro Menendez de Aviles stands tall among the wax figures preserved at the Potters Wax Museum in St Augustine. King Phillip II of Spain sent Menendez to capture the French settlement of Fort Carolina. Following the capturing of the fort, Menendez and his crew settled St Augustine where he would become the first Spanish Colonial Governor in Florida. This figure of Menendez is one of 160 political, celebrity, historical figures and more that are preserved in the nation's oldest wax museum. (Photo: March 17, 2020)

With the invention of the tin can trailer, the state of Florida saw its first real influx of tourism. The Model T pickup was converted to a camper and travelers ate out of tin cans which led to the term tin can travelers. It really opened up the country for families which could not travel safely in wagon trains. (Photo: March 17, 2021)

Welcome to the block, I am the Sheriff and I've got my eyes on you son. While it may look like a nice Victorian estate from the outside, the Old Jail in St Augustine was pure hell inside. When Henry Flagler built his luxurious hotel in town, he needed to move the jail. So he found a parcel north of town to build a new jail, however this was right along his rail line so he didn't want his guests to pass an eyesore so he built it to resemble a pink mansion. However the living conditions inside the mansion were horrible. Overcrowding and disease as well as mistreatment of the prisoners were common practice during the early days of the prison. The old jail stood as the St Johns County jail until 1953. Today it is on the National Register of Historic Places and can be toured by costumed tour guides telling the stories of those who were worked or were incarcerated at the old jail. (Photo: March 17, 2020)

To celebrate National Aviation Day enjoy a picture of Global Crossing Airlines Lady S as it made its first appearance at Southwest Florida International Airport. Designated a national observation day by President Franklin D Roosevelt, the day is to honor the development of flight an takes place on August 19th which is the birthday of aviation pioneer Orville Wright. While aviation has come a long way since the tricycle power fliers of Wright's generation, it is their vision which led to the getting the industry off the ground. (Photo: August 12, 2021)

Hop aboard the Trolley of the Doomed and embark on a tour of the dark side of the ancient city that will drive you to an early grave. The Ghosts and Gravestones tour takes you on a haunted history tour of St Augustine with stops at a haunted cemetery, a creepy wax museum and a deadly jail while telling you the dark stories of the nation's oldest city. (Photo: March 16, 2020)

When people think of Florida, the image of the American Alligator may come to mind. But did you know, there are actually 24 species of Crocodilians? Did you also know that at the St Augustine Alligator Farm you can see not only alligators but all twenty four species of crocodilians. From the large and aggressive Nile Crocodile to the Indian Gharial pictured here, they are all on display at one of the oldest continuously operated attractions in Florida. (Photo: March 16, 2020)

When driving around the airfield, the rules of the road take on a new meaning. Here aircraft have the right of way and vehicles must stop and yield to them at all times. But no matter how busy the traffic is here, I would much rather stop and watch an aircraft pass then deal with traffic on the interstate. (Photo: August 11, 2021)

Twins minor league third baseman Wander Valdez throws to first to record an out during a Florida Complex League game. The 21 year old Dominican, Valdez is in his fourth season of professional baseball after being signed by the Minnesota Twin as an international free agent in 2016. (Photo: August 13, 2021)

Red Sox coach Bianca Smith relays signals from the first base coaches box during a Florida Complex League game on Friday afternoon. Hired by the Red Sox as a minor league coach in January, Smith is breaking barriers by becoming the first professional African American female baseball coach. She is will be working with position players during the Florida Complex League, a rookie league that plays their home games at JetBlue Park. (Photo: August 13, 2021)

While the city has grown outside the boundaries of the old city walls, these gate still stand as a reminder of the fortified Spanish city of St Augustine. The nation's oldest city, St Augustine was founded by the Spanish in 1565. The Spanish fortified the city with a series of fort and walls to keep their people safe. These gates were the only way to enter the safety of the fortified city. As the city grew into modern times, there are still reminders throughout the ancient city. (Photo: March 17, 2020)

A sailboat is anchored in the St Johns River just offshore of Riverfront Park in downtown Palatka. Beginning at the St Johns Marsh near Vero Beach, the river flows 310 miles to the Atlantic Ocean near Mayport. The river is the longest river in Florida and a major contributor to the commercial industry, home to a naval base and a recreational hotspot.  Taken: March 18, 2020 (Palatka, FL)

Locals and tourists aren't the only ones who enjoy the clear waters of the Gulf of Mexico. A pair of brown pelicans play in the surf at Gasparilla Island State Park on the tip of Boca Grande, Florida. The barrier island features some of the nicest beaches in the area and one of the best beaches to find shells on the Gulf coast.  Taken: March 7, 2020 at Gasparilla Island State Park (Boca Grande, FL)

Much like the fingerprints of a human, the stripes of a zebra are distinct. While they may look similar, no two zebras are alike and each feature their own distinctive patterning. The stripes also serve as a camouflage for the zebra, allowing them to conceal from their main predator the lion which is color blind.   Taken: February 22, 2020 at ZooTampa at Lowry Park (Tampa, FL)

We are back! Well we never really left, I just shifted gears and focused more on photography and not on writing. But I really missed writing and sharing our travels with you. So here it is, the return of the stories behind the photos.   A few months ago, I decided to take down the story portion of Donten Photography in an effort to focus more on building the photo galleries. I had recently switched my photo hosting to SmugMug in order to allow readers the ability to purchase photos as well as to protect the copyright of my photography. It was a rather intensive process moving several thousand photos onto the site and displaying them in a user-friendly format. While the migration is complete, I am still working on finalizing the display.  While this work was being completed, writing on a regular basis became too much to balance between work and family life. However I did miss it and I missed sharing our travel adventures to the readers. Now that things have settled...