The Wandering Disciple

  Located on Sarasota Bay, the grounds of the Ringling were once the premiere entertaining spot for the wealthy guests of circus magnate John Ringling.  Today this luxurious resort is home to the Ringling museum which preserves the legacy of John and Mable Ringling here on the Suncoast. Today the Ringling winter estate is operated by Florida State University and its mission is to tell the story of the Ringling's from their winter home.  It is home to the Ringling Museum of Art, the Ringling Circus Museum and the Ringling mansion named Ca' da' Zan which means House of John.  Connecting each of these museums is lush gardens with colorful flowers and majestic statuary.   Taken: June 14, 2009 at The Ringling (Sarasota, FL)

The Phoenix spins its riders upside down at in the Florida sunshine at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Located in the Pantopia portion of the park, the Phoenix is a based on an Egyptian cargo vessel and spins back and forth until making a complete 360 degree rotation. Currently the ride is out of service until further notice and its future is not clear.  Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is a theme park in Tampa, Florida that is part of the Sea World parks system. It features 28 rides and 200 species of animals within 335 acre African themed park.  Taken: May 31, 2009 at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (Tampa, FL)

A Lufthansa Boeing 747 lands at Southwest Florida International Airport as weather prevented them from landing in Miami. When showers or storms prevent landing at the destination airport, the flight heads into a holding pattern to wait for the weather to clear. However sometimes, they do not have enough fuel left to hold or they depleted their reserve fuel forcing them to divert to a nearby airport that can handle their aircraft.  This Lufthansa flight was headed to Miami International Airport from Frankfurt, Germany. It encountered storms over the airport in Miami where it attempted to land at Miami and weather did not cooperated so it headed to Fort Myers to refuel and return to Miami when weather improved.  Taken: May 16, 2022 at Southwest Florida International Airport (Fort Myers, FL)

A Snowy Egret sits atop a fence at the Peace River Wildlife Center while getting healthy under the staff's medical care. With a diverse collection of animals in the state and a growing population, injuries are certain as the human impact takes a toll on native wildlife.  To care for sick or injured native wildlife, there is a network of volunteers and wildlife centers like the Peace River Wildlife Center here in Punta Gorda. They take sick and injured animals and nurse them back to health with a goal of returning them to the wild. You can see their work firsthand at their facility at Ponce De Leon Park in Punta Gorda.  Taken: March 22, 2009 at Peace River Wildlife Center (Punta Gorda, FL)

A crash truck and airport operations hold short of Runway 6 at Southwest Florida International Airport while an aircraft makes an emergency landing. Airport fire fighters are always standing by at a moments notice to handle a wide variety of emergencies from a slip and fall in the terminal to an aircraft emergency.  Airports with regular commercial service have a dedicated airport fire department at the ready to respond anywhere on the airport in minutes. This dedicated fire service is known collectively as ARFF, meaning Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting.  Taken: May 9, 2022 at Southwest Florida International Airport (Fort Myers, FL)

Jeff Keppinger throws pop ups during a kid's clinic during Spring Training 2009. The annual clinic was a way for the Reds to reach out to the community and inspire the next generation of kids to follow their dreams of playing baseball.  The Cincinnati Reds held spring training in Sarasota from 1998 through 2009. Ed Smith Stadium was their spring home and during each season they hosted a Kid's Clinic in which current players and coaches spent an afternoon working with local kids. The Reds would later move to Goodyear, Arizona and today the stadium is the spring home of the Baltimore Orioles.  Taken: February 21, 2009 at Ed Smith Stadium (Sarasota, FL)

A Four-Sided Pyramid rises out of the garden at the National Gallery of Art on the National Mall in Washington DC. The pyramid was designed by American artist Sol LeWitt in 1965. It was constructed in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden in 1999.   The Four-Sided Pyramid is one of 21 works of art found within the 6 acre sculpture garden at the National Gallery of Art. Opened in 1999, the gardens features works of art surrounded by a central fountain which is converted to a ice-skating rink in the winter time. Taken: February 16, 2009 at National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden (Washington DC)

A wax figure of Abraham Lincoln looks out of a replica of the presidential box from Ford's Theatre. This historic scene is one of the many historical representations found on display at the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in Washington DC.  Madame Tussauds is a chain of wax museums founded by Marie Tussaud in London in 1835. It has grown to 26 locations in 15 countries. It features a life like collection of figures ranging from political figures to celebrities. Each museum has a theme specific to the region, the Washington DC location features a gallery for US Presidents including a replica of the Ford's Theatre Presidential Box, the White House Oval Office, a Presidential Press Conference and more.  Taken: February 15, 2009 at Madame Tussauds Washington DC (Washington DC)

In historic fire house 3 near Orlando's Loch Haven Cultural Park, the City of Orlando has preserved the history and legacy of their department. One of the historic engines on display at the museum is a 1926 American LaFrance fire engine.  The Orlando Fire Department is a full service fire department in central Florida that has protected the city of Orlando since 1885. The department has grown to 17 stations and runs over 50,000 calls annually.  Taken: May 7, 2022 at Orlando Fire Museum (Orlando, FL)

A swallow-tail kite flies over the skies of Southwest Florida, a sign that summer is almost here. These raptors are commonly found in South America but spend the summers in Florida for breeding.  The swallow-tail kite is easily identified by its forked tail. The tail and wing structures allow the kite to glide effortless for long distances.  Taken: May 6, 2022 at Southwest Florida International Airport (Fort Myers, FL)

Northern states have tobacco, southern states have cotton but citrus is the cash crop of the Sunshine State. With sandy soil and sub-tropical weather, Florida is a great climate for growing oranges. What started with a single orange tree planted by Spanish explorers in the mid-1500's has grown to a $9 billion industry with an estimated 74 million citrus trees scattered across the state.  In the early days, packinghouses like the one depicted here helped get the oranges from the groves to the market. This packinghouse once served the Cadman Brothers Orange Grove in nearby Narcoossee. Today it is preserved in the Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek, a collection of historical significant buildings preserved Osceola History to help spotlight the history of Osceola County.  Taken: May 7, 2022 at Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek (Kissimmee, FL)

There is no stronger bond in nature than the one found between a mother and her child. The love and compassion found in this bond lasts a lifetime. That's why today and every day we honor the mothers in our lives. Happy Mother's Day!!  This maternal bond here is from Hadiah and her baby at ZooTampa. The baby orangutan was born at the zoo on February 6th.  Taken: April 13, 2022 at ZooTampa at Lowry Park (Tampa, FL)

With the April showers behind us, the May flowers are in full bloom here in Central Florida. Colorful displays like the one here in the butterfly garden surround the grounds of the Leu Gardens making for a great spot to take your mom for Mother's Day this year.  Located just outside downtown Orlando, the fifty acre botanical gardens features semi-tropical and tropical plants.  Oak lined pathways lead you throughout the property to each themed garden.   Taken: May 7, 2022 at Harry P Leu Gardens (Orlando, FL)

Hundreds of people each year pass through the hallowed halls of the spiritual home of our nation's capital. Perched high atop a hill in DC, the Washington National Cathedral has hosted state funerals for four US Presidents, six Inauguration Day Presidential Prayer Services and much more.  The Neo-Gothic church took 83 years to complete. The first stone was laid in 1907 with President Theodore Roosevelt in attendance and the final stone was set in 1990 with President George HW Bush at the ceremony. The cathedral is the second largest in the United States and was meant to be the nation's version of England's Westminster Abbey.  Taken: February 15, 2009 at Washington National Cathedral (Washington, DC)

Over the years, the US Postal Service relied on may forms of transportation to get your mail from the sender to the recipient. The railway mail system began in 1832 and help revolutionize and streamline the mail process. During transit, mail typically sat in bags until received at the destination. But this new process saw postal staff sorting the mail onboard the mail cars, helping to make the process more efficient.  This postal car is one of the many postal exhibits on display at the National Postal Museum in Washington DC. Opened in 1993 as a partnership between the US Postal Service and the Smithsonian Institute, the museum is housed in the historic main post office which served the capital area from 1914-1986.  Taken: February 15, 2009 at National Postal Museum (Washington DC)

A crew of firefighters from the Lee County Port Authority Fire Department conduct a training burn at Southwest Florida International Airport. Today is International Firefighters Day and we recognize the brave men and woman that keep us safe. International Firefighting Day was first observed on May 4, 1999. Following a fatal Australian brush fire in 1998 that killed five firefighters, an international movement was started by JJ Edmondson to honor firefighters. Since then, International Firefighters Day was held each year on May 4th to pay tribute to firefighters across the globe. Taken: October 24, 2019 at Southwest Florida International Airport (Fort Myers, FL)

A tractor from the Florida Forest Service cuts a fire line around a wildfire in Englewood.  The Florida Forest Service is the front line for wildfires in the state of Florida.  They have a fleet of tractors, brush trucks and air resources to help gain an upper hand on wildfires. This tractor was working a fire within the Myakka State Forest back on April 23 & 24.  A ten acre fire started in a residential neighborhood before jumping a road and entering the state forest where it grew to 150 acres.  Quick work by the Forest Service, Englewood Fire Department and Charlotte County Fire & EMS helped contain the fire without any structures lost. Taken: April 24, 2022 at Myakka State Forest (Englewood, FL)