The Wandering Disciple

Deep in the swamp lives everyone's favorite ogre. The jolly green giant ogre Shrek earns his fame as he and Donkey helps rescue Princess Fiona from the evil Lord Farquaad. What started as a mission to regain the solitude of the swamp launched Shrek into a worldwide sensation.  Produced by Dreamworks, the Shrek movie franchise has resulted in a blockbuster hit. In 2013, Gaylord Palms in Orlando brought Shrek from the swamps and into Central Florida as a star of meet and greet character breakfast.  Taken: December 27, 2013 at Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center (Kissimmee, FL)

 A White Tail Deer lays low in the underbrush at Myakka River State Park. Deer are a prey species in the wild and use their fur coloring to try to blend in with the underbrush and avoid the eyes of their predators.  Deer are just on of the many species of wildlife you will find while visiting Myakka River State Park. The popular state park in eastern Sarasota County features a long drive through the park and plenty of hiking trails that allow you to observe the animals in one of the best preserved habitats in the region.  Taken: November 29, 2013 at Myakka River State Park (Sarasota, FL)

Rustic cabins like the one here were once the way of life as pioneer settler inhabited the state of Florida. These simple cabins with their tin roofs and wood construction provided a home and refuge of the wilds of an unspoiled Sunshine State.  This is the tenant cabin at the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings State Park in Cross Creek. Here the famous author lived among the mighty live oaks and wrote some of her most famous works. Today the farm house, the tenant house pictured here and other buildings on the property have been preserved to showcase early life in Florida.  Taken: November 11, 2013 at Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park (Cross Creek, FL)

As you descend the staircase at Devil's Millhopper, it feels like you're taking a journey to the center of the Earth. But you're not, your embarking on an trip to the bottom of an ancient sinkhole filled with dense foliage, native wildlife and trickling waterfalls.  132 stairs lead you to the bottom of this 500 foot wide, 120 feet deep sinkhole near Gainesville, Florida. As you head to the bottom of the limestone sinkhole, you are surrounded by a tropical rainforest right in the middle of a bustling city. The walls of the sinkhole give glimpse into millions of years of rock layers giving a look into the geological make-up of the area throughout the years.  Taken: November 9, 2013 at Devil's Millhopper Geological State Park (Gainesville, FL)

Welcome to the Swamp.... you're in gator country now! As you pass through the tunnel and emerge into the stadium, you enter into one of the most prestigious stadiums in college football. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is home to the Florida Gators and 88,543 screaming fans on game day.  The stadium opened as Florida Field in 1930 and underwent multiple renovations throughout the years to become the facility we know today as the swamp. The stadium is the largest college football stadium in Florida and is consistently rated as one of the toughest stadiums to play in for opponents of the Gators.  Taken: November 10, 2013 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at University of Florida (Gainesville, FL)

Out of the mountains of despair, a stone of hope. This line of Dr Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have a Dream" speech is the inspiration behind the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial in Washington DC. The giant carving of Dr King pays tribute to the civil rights giant and includes quotes from some of his famous speeches.  Today our nation pauses and pays tribute to Dr King and his fight for equality. The third Monday of January has been observed to honor Dr King and his accomplishments in the battle for civil rights.  Taken: December 26, 2022 at Martin Luther King Jr Memorial (Washington, DC)

Doesn't matter what you call them...Los Tortugas or the Everblades, one thing remains the same, Florida hits harder. That phrase has become a constant for the Florida Everblades hockey club, one of the most physical teams in the ECHL.  Here is one of the big hits of last nights game against Savannah. Enforcer Kyle Neuber delivers a decisive hit in the first period of the Hispanic Heritage night contest which saw the home team Los Tortugas aka Everblades pick up a shut-out win.  Taken: January 13, 2024 at Hertz Arena (Estero, FL)

A brand new Airbus A321neo flown by United Airlines lands at Southwest Florida International Airport. This landing marks the first visit by a United A321neo at RSW. The particular plane still sports a new plane smell as it has only been in revenue service for about a week.  The new engine option or NEO, is a redesigned A321 featuring a more efficient engine resulting in a smaller carbon footprint and a more comfortable cabin giving passengers a better in-flight experience. The A321neo launched in December 2023 and will be expanding as United has ordered 130 aircraft.  Taken: January 11, 2024 at Southwest Florida International Airport (Fort Myers, FL)

There is beauty all around in nature. One of nature's masterpieces are the elegant colors and designs of butterflies. Each fluttering butterfly is like a flying work of art.  The Florida Museum of Natural History at the University is home to a large collection of butterfly specimens and a free flight butterfly rainforest. The rainforest features up to 50 species at a time with over 700 butterflies immersing you as you stroll through the dense foliage of the rainforest. When you complete your journey through the rainforest you can marvel at the wall of wings featuring some of the museum's 10 million specimen collection.  Taken: November 9, 2013 at Florida Museum of Natural History (Gainesville, FL)

Along the hustle and bustle of the I-75 corridor in Florida, there is a vast expanse carved in the landscape just outside Gainesville. This open prairie is known as Paynes Prairie and is home to unique wildlife remnant of days gone by. Here along the prairie, there are wild bison and horse roaming amongst other native Floridians like alligators, deer and more.  This diverse ecosystem has been preserved as part of the Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. The park features over 30 miles of trails that help you explore the 23,000 acres and bring you closer to the wildlife that live here.  Taken: November 9, 2013 at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park (Micanopy, FL)

This is much more than a heap of shells and debris, this prehistoric trash pile is a glimpse into a world hundreds of years ago. A midden is a mound of shells and trash discarded by ancient tribes and can be used to give archeologists a look into their cultures.  This midden is located at Historic Spanish Point in Osprey, Florida. Life on this bayfront oasis dates back to 300 AD and the Manasota Culture. The midden has been preserved and visitors can look though the window and see the layers of shells, tools and pottery that date back as far back as the Late Archaic period.  Taken: November 3, 2013 at Historic Spanish Point (Osprey, FL)

A pair of Boeing 737 Max 9's sit on the north ramp after being grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration. On January 5th, an Alaska Air Max 9 had a door separate from the fuselage resulting in a cabin decompression event and an emergency landing by the aircraft. Upon investigation, the FAA determined this was a dangerous condition effecting all Max 9's and forced the grounding of all Max 9's until the condition can be resolved by Boeing.  The Max aircraft is the latest next-gen aircraft made by Boeing. The aircraft while technologically advanced has had its share of problems. This is the second system wide grounding of the Max fleet. The previous grounding order effected the Max 8 series and the TCAS system failure that resulted in two crashes overseas.  Taken: January 8, 2024 at Southwest Florida International Airport (Fort Myers, FL)

Hop aboard the camo bus and take a ride through the wilderness at the Babcock Ranch Eco-Tours in rural Charlotte County. The 90-minute adventure takes you through a working cattle ranch where you will encounter unspoiled Florida wilderness and the wildlife that lives in it.  The McAdow family settled in the region in the late 1890's and settled the Crescent B Ranch. The 156,000 acre ranch was acquired by Edward Babcock in 1914 and became Babcock Ranch. Today, the working ranch has shrunk in size by development but the most sensitive lands have been preserved and are able to be visited as part of the eco-tours.  Taken: October 25, 2013 at Babcock Ranch Eco-Tours (Punta Gorda, FL)

JENA 1 sits on the Signature Aviation ramp at Tampa International Airport after flying in from Richmond. The plain white Boeing 757 is operated by the US Department of Justice and is used for various purposes. The callsign typical gives a hint to the mission; JUSTICE is typically used for prisoner transports while JENA is used for federal law enforcement teams like the FBI critical incident teams of the US Marshal's task force.   The US Department of Justice operates a fleet of four aircraft. These aircraft are used on mission throughout the country and often operate under a veil of secrecy. Even when you are lucky enough to catch them in person like JENA1 here on the ramp in Tampa, one will likely never know why they were in town.  Taken: January 6, 2024 at Tampa International Airport (Tampa, FL)

The air traffic control tower shines bright against a painted sky as the sun rises over Southwest Florida. The new tower stands as a welcome beacon over the airport greeting travelers with a light show as they arrive into Fort Myers.  Southwest Florida International Airport is the gateway to the southwest side of Florida's Gulf coast. The airport connects over 10 million passengers a year to destinations throughout the United States, Canada, Germany and Cuba.  Taken: January 4, 2024 at Southwest Florida International Airport (Fort Myers, FL)

While technology has changed throughout the years, some of the tools of the fire service remain unchanged throughout the years. Here on the walls of the Tampa Firefighters Museum, the major tools of the trade are on display for all to see.  Located in historic Fire House 1, the Tampa Firefighters Museum is dedicated to preserving the history of the Tampa Fire Department. Historic tools and equipment pay tribute to the brave men and women who have served the TFD and the City of Tampa.  Taken: October 19, 2013 at Tampa Firefighters Museum (Tampa, FL)

A trip to the Tampa Theatre is like taking a trip back in time. The elegant theater features luxury seating and amenities that your allows you to enjoy a performance in style.  The Tampa Theatre was built in 1926 and has hosted some iconic performances throughout its storied history. Saved from demolition in the 70's, the theater was restored and now shines brightly almost 100 years since it opened.  Taken: October 19, 2013 at Tampa Theatre (Tampa, FL)

The New York Yankees have one of the most storied histories in baseball. As you stroll through Monument Park in the shadows of Steinbrenner Field, you can honor Yankees greats of the past like Berra, Ruth, Mantle and more. These legends of yesteryear are recognized in the park just steps where the stars of today and tomorrow train.  Steinbrenner Field in Tampa has been the spring training home of the New York Yankees since 1996. When the Yankees head north for the season, the stadium then hosts the minor league Tampa Tarpons of the Florida State League.  Taken: July 27, 2013 at Steinbrenner Field (Tampa, FL)

When the rails were king, each railroad mogul sought to have an elegant destination for their passengers. The Tampa Bay Hotel was built along the Hillsborough River to serve as the keystone of the Plant System, a system of railroads and steam ships operated by mogul Henry Plant.  The 511-room hotel opened for guests in 1891 and was a symbol of elegance in Tampa Bay. It served as a premiere hotel until the Great Depression forced its closure in 1930. Today it serves in two capacities, one as the signature building for the University of Tampa and second as a museum dedicated to Henry Plant and the gilded age of the Tampa Bay Hotel.  Taken: July 27, 2013 at Plant Museum (Tampa, FL)

The cat and owl look out over the bayfront, protecting the Ca' d'Zan from evil energy. This spectacular view is from the Belvedere Tower, a luxury accommodation available to some of the elite guests of circus magnate John Ringling.   The Ca' d'Zan was the winter resident of the Ringlings. Built in the 1920's the elegant bayfront mansion was the center of entertainment as the Ringlings welcomed some the world's elite to party along the bayfront.  Taken: August 2, 2013 at Ringling Museum (Sarasota, FL)

  Life in 2023 has been busy.  My wife opened her own preschool and I have been extremely busy at work with the terminal expansion project.  Then in October life threw a curve when a driver ran a red light, striking my car resulting in me needing surgery to fix a broken arm.  Needless to say, the coverage has been somewhat lacking on the site and rightfully so! But despite all of the challenges during the year, we still managed to get a few good adventures in.  We visited the Keys, took a trip back home to Pennsylvania for this first time in almost twenty years and a couple trips up to the mountains for a retreat.   In February, I got to participate in a Mass Casualty Drill at work.  Every three years, airports are required to conduct a large scale drill that simulates the mutual aid that would be needed should a major aviation incident occur.  This was the first drill of this magnitude that I have gotten to witness since joining the airport ...