The Wandering Disciple

In a town known for its circus history, its only fitting to find a tropical bird that can roller skate. This roller skating bird is just one of the entertaining acts that can be found in the daily show at Sarasota Jungle Gardens.   One of the original tourist attractions in Sarasota, Jungle Gardens is a 10 acre tropical garden located along Sarasota Bay. It features tropical gardens and tropical birds and animals that make for an enjoyable day for the whole family.   Taken: July 8, 2013 at Sarasota Jungle Gardens (Sarasota, FL)

A pair of owlets look out over the nest as mom and dad watch from a nearby tree. This pair of Great Horned Owl were born in 2013 and found in a nest along the nature trail at Stump Pass Beach State Park in Englewood. They will remain in the nest with mom and dad until mid-winter when they will seek independence.  Stump Pass Beach State Park is located at the southern tip of Manasota Key in Englewood. The mile long pristine beach park preserves the native coastline that was present before coastal development. As a result of the preservation, wildlife like these owls can be seem along the beach and the associated woods.  Taken: March 5, 2013 at Stump Pass Beach State Park (Englewood, FL)

A young White Tail Deer forages for food on the forest floor on a cool Thanksgiving Day in Tennessee. Deer are herbivores and can be seen grazing on the grasses, leaves and other plants found in the forest.  This White Tail Deer was seen at the entrance to the Cumberland Mountain State Park in Crossville, Tennessee. The 1,700 acre park is home to a variety of wildlife including deer, wild turkey a and a diverse variety of birds.  Taken: November 23, 2023 at Cumberland Mountain State Park (Crossville, TN)

The pulse of the country can be found in the thousands of small towns that dot the map. Main Streets like this are home to small business and big conversations that fuel the heartbeat of the USA. This Main Street is from Jonesborough , Tennessee.  Founded in 1779, Jonesborough is the oldest town in Tennessee.  Taken: November 24, 2023 (Jonesborough, TN)

When Jeff Gordon took the checkered flag in the 1997 Southern 500 at Darlington, he not only secured the winning purse but also a million dollar bonus by winning the Winston Million. The Winston Million was a bonus given to the driver who could win three of the four NASCAR crown jewel events. With wins at Daytona, Charlotte and Darlington; Jeff Gordon became only the second driver to win the Winston Million.  The winning car is on display along with the Winston Million check and victory circle props at the Winston Cup Museum in Winston-Salem. The museum tells the story if the Winston Cup era of NASCAR and includes iconic cars and memorabilia.  Taken: November 24, 2023 at The Winston Cup Museum (Winston-Salem, NC)

As we embark into the holiday shopping season, don't forget the small local shops in your community. Local shops are the heart of your town and they need your support to keep their business and your community thriving. To recognize this, Small Business Saturday was organized to put these local business owners in the spotlight but lets make sure we patronize them not just today but everyday of the year.  And a shameless plug, Donten Photography is a small business and your photo purchases help fund new adventures and new contents. So if you see something you like, be sure to check out the shopping cart and add it to your collection. My prints are just a small mark-up from the lab costs but this commission funds my photography outings and keep new content coming your way.  Taken: November 24, 2023 (Jonesborough, TN)

What a better way to spend a holiday weekend than by driving some country roads. This Thanksgiving we hit the road for a couple days in Tennessee. This beautiful drive was on some country roads near Grandview, Tennessee.  Taken: November 23, 2023 (Grandview, TN)

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours. As you enjoy your turkey dinner, enjoy a photo of this wild turkey found frolicking with his friends in a field at Mammoth Cave National Park.  Taken: July 3, 2022 at Mammoth Cave National Park (Brownsville, KY)

Fairfield Glades, Tennessee:  For those of you who know me or follow the site, you know we love the mountains.  I have spent my 23 year career working in public safety in Florida and as that career winds down, I am looking forward to retiring to the mountains.  I grew up in Lebanon, Pennsylvania and moved to Florida when I graduated high school because I hated working in the months of cold and snow.  I decided to work in reverse, work in Florida and then return north when I retire and won't have to work in the cold.   As the time gets closer, we are starting to take trips to explore small towns to find that perfect fit.  We are leaning towards Tennessee but trying to narrow down the right spot.  We recently toured Sevierville and English Mountain.  On this trip we are headed to Crossville and Fairfield Glades. We hit the road bright and early at zero dark thirty for our trip north. From our home, we have about an eleven hour drive.  We ...

Do you have what it takes to design a successful car model? In the design lab, select your vehicle and add its options then embark into the proving grounds to see how your design performs through a series of tests.  Test Track at Epcot takes riders into the world of vehicle design. As you wind through the ride queue, you learn how each function of the car operates and how changes can effect the performance. Then you get a chance to design your virtual ride and test it out on the Test Track.  Taken: February 12, 2013 at Epcot at Walt Disney World (Lake Buena Vista, FL)

The Tree of Life rises above the Animal Kingdom Park, marking the central hub of the theme park. The man-made baobab tree towers 145 feet over the park and features carvings of 325 animals on the trunk.  Animal Kingdom opened in 1998 at the Walt Disney World resort in Central Florida. The largest of the four theme parks, Animal Kingdom features rides and animal attractions that inspire conservation of our planet.  Taken: February 11, 2013 at Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World (Lake Buena Vista, FL)

All Aboard for a relaxing ride around the Magic Kingdom aboard the Walt Disney World Railroad. The railroad is a product of Walt Disney's love of trains. He had a model train in his backyard and made sure that his parks had a train to help inspire the love of trains for generations to come.  The Walt Disney World Railroad is a 1 1/2 mile tracks than encompasses the Magic Kingdom park. Riders can board one of three stations and take a full-circle tour to use it to navigate between stations.  Taken: February 11, 2013 at Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World (Lake Buena Vista, FL)

Cam Hausinger celebrates his first period goal with his Everblades teammates during last night's game. The Florida Everblades skated to a 3-1 win over the visiting Atlanta Gladiators.  The Florida Everblades are the ECHL affiliates of the Florida Panthers and are the defending Kelly Cup champions. They play their home games at Hertz Arena in Estero, Florida.  Taken: November 18, 2023 at Hertz Arena (Estero, FL)

The Walt Disney World resort in Central Florida is known for its world class theme park and attractions. But did you know there is plenty of things to do outside the theme parks? You can enjoy a beach day along the shores of Bay Lake at Fort Wilderness. Catch a tan, take a boat out on the lake, go fishing or just relax and watch the day go by right here on the beach.  Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground is a full service campground at Walt Disney World. They feature sites that can host anything from tents to RV's as well as cabins to accommodate your camping trip at Disney.  Taken: February 11, 2013 at Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground at Walt Disney World (Lake Buena Vista, FL)

A pair of brown pelicans buzz the coast at Manasota Beach, preparing to dive down and pick up dinner from the abundant waters of the Gulf of Mexico. People aren't the only people who enjoy fishing in the Gulf, fishing birds like these pelicans can be seen regularly enjoying their catch along the surf.  Manasota Beach is a public beach on the northern end of Manasota Key in Englewood. Located along Florida's Gulf Coast, this small beach lacks the commercial development of other beaches making it a great place to watch wildlife while enjoying a day at the beach.  Taken: March 10, 2013 at Manasota Beach (Englewood, FL)

A deputy from the Lee County Sheriff's Office marshals in a US Navy helicopter during the American Heroes Air Show. Held at JetBlue Park in 2013, the American Heroes Air Show is a one of a kind helicopter only airshow featuring helicopters from local law enforcement, military, government and civilian operators.  Founded in 1996, the American Heroes Air Show mission is to showcase the dynamic capabilities of rotary-wing aircraft. Since then it has been used as a recruiting tool for the heroes of the show as well as an immigration and naturalization platform. The show occurs yearly in a different location. The 2024 show is scheduled for Los Angeles.  Taken: January 19, 2013 at JetBlue Park (Fort Myers, FL)

As you walk through this wooded trail at Indian Mound Park, you are walking through history. Beneath your feet is the Paulsen Point Midden which contains remnants of the Manasota Culture, native American inhabitants which lived along Lemon Bay from 1000 BC through 900 AD.  A midden is similar to a modern day landfill. It provides a look into life of the culture by preserving tools, pottery and animal bones helping archeologists learn more about life during the period.  The Paulsen Point Midden is preserved as part of Indian Mound Park in Englewood, Florida. The bayfront park provides a hiking trail through the midden and interpretive signs that tell the story of the Manasota Culture.  Taken: December 30, 2012 at Indian Mound Park (Englewood, FL)

A bald eagle scans the horizon, looking for predators and protecting the nest and egg from invaders. Eagles make the largest nest of all bird species. Once built, the nest will be reused each year by the same nesting pair of eagles.  This nest was found along the Eagle Trail at Cedar Point Environmental Park in Englewood, Florida. The park preserves 115 acres along Lemon Bay. Trails traverse through pine flatwood, scrubs, mangroves and salt marshes packed with native wildlife.  Taken: December 30, 2012 at Cedar Point Environmental Park (Englewood, FL)  UPDATE: After posting this photo from 2012, a member of the park reached out and advised that the eagle nest was damaged during Hurricane Ian. The eagles rebuilt their nest on private property near the park and they can still be seen flying over the park.

The beauty of nature is everywhere as you stroll along the Marsh Trail at Ten Thousands Island National Wildlife Refuge in South Florida. The mile long Marsh Trail stretches into the wetlands to an observation tower that provides a bird's eye view of the wildlife feeding in the waters of the refuge.  Ten Thousands Islands Wildlife Refuge is a 35,000 acre wetland preserve on the southern tip of Florida. The refuge is home to almost 400 species of fish and wildlife. Primarily accessible by boat, the Marsh Trail is the only public land access point.  Taken: December 9, 2012 at Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge (Goodland, FL)

Sarasota, Florida: When I was first introduced to planespotting, I began spotting from my local airport. I spend several years spotting from the perimeter of Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. Life has since taken me further south and I do not get back here much, but today I managed to get airside at SRQ for a little spotting during a trip up to Sarasota.  During my time here, Runway 32 was active and we spotted from the pull-off on the north side of the airport. Here is a look at the aircraft we saw during our visit.  N96TE - Cessna Citation Excel   N278NV - Airbus A320 (Allegiant Air)   N284NV - Airbus A320 (Allegiant Air)   N291NV - Airbus A320 (Allegiant Air)   N297WN - Boeing 737-700 (Southwest Airlines)   N314DU - Airbus A220 (Delta Air Lines)   N351FX - Embraer Phenom 300 (Flexjet)   N536EU - Beechcraft Bonanza   N779VF - Beechcraft King Air 90   N780QS - Bombardier Challenger 350 (Netjets)   N853AC - Cessna ...

A baby gator tries to blend in with the surroundings to protect itself from predators. Alligators are apex predators in the swamp as adults, however baby gators are frequently preyed upon. In fact about 1/3 of hatchlings are killed by predators.  This alligator was found along the Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk at the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park. The elevated boardwalk takes visitors into the heart of the largest bald cypress swamp.  Taken: December 9, 2012 at Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park (Copeland, FL)

If you enjoy your freedom be sure to thank a veteran. As the nation celebrates Veteran's Day, we take a moment to pause and thank these brave men and woman for the sacrifices they have made to ensure our freedoms. While this day commemorates their service, I am thankful for them 365 days a year as because of them we can enjoy our freedoms and liberties.  Thank you to all the veterans for their service to the nation!  Taken: July 15, 2023 at Fort Indiantown Gap (Annville, PA)

Sorry for the lack of content lately.  Since returning from our trip over the summer, life has gotten in the way of keep the site current.  While I have been posting the galleries online, I haven't kept up with Suncoast Rambler and the stories behind the lens.  To add to the lack of content, I broke my wrist in a traffic accident about a month ago and had surgery which has prevented me from covering all the events I usually cover like the Florida International Air Show last weekend.   On the plus, I am recovering well and have been able to get back to some normalcy.  I can type again and can use my camera on a limited basis.  My wife has been a champ helping me around the house and with some of the photography as we move forward.   Thanks for continuing to follow our photos and I hope to bring you more exciting content soon.