The Wandering Disciple

When much of the country is void of color thanks to cold weather, there are pops of color thanks to wildflowers that span the fields of the Sunshine State. The winter blooms like this Sunshine Mimosa found at Lemon Bay Park.  Lemon Bay Park is a 210-acre nature park located along the shores of Lemon Bay. It features diverse ecosystems like pine flatwoods, scrub and mangrove forests. There is a system of trails that help you travel though the park to see the plants and animals that live within the park.  Taken: January 3, 2015 at Lemon Bay Park (Englewood, FL)

  A juvenile bald eagle takes flight from a tree at Lemon Bay Park.  The symbol of our nation is known by its iconic white head and tail, however they are not born with that.  Young eagles are brown and the white gradually mixes in as the eagle matures.  It isn't until about five years old that the eagle will have that iconic white head.  (Photo: January 9, 2019)

Along the coast of Florida, sailboats can be founded moored just outside the channels. Some for the night and some for longer. This is a community of sailors who like to live on their boats and enjoy the life at sea. But just like homes become abandoned and weather over time, the same can be true for these sailboats. They drift from their mooring and at at times become victims of the sea. (Photo: May 3, 2015)

The wooden boardwalk passes through the mangroves and out along the bay at Lemon Bay Park. This park located on Lemon Bay is home to a great hiking trail providing beautiful bay views and then further upland a glimpse of nesting bald eagles. (Photo: January 3, 2015)

What looks like a wall of unkempt brush is actually a critical piece to the coastal ecosystem along the bay.  The mangroves not only protect the coastline from erosion and they provide a home to many animals both in the water and on land.  (Photo: May 3, 2015)

Looking like something from the pages of Horton Hears a Who, a Purple Thistle grows along the hiking path at Lemon Bay Park.  (Photo: January 3, 2015)

Colorful flowers line the trails at Lemon Bay Park in Englewood. The park features several hiking trails that traverse severe ecosystems along Lemon Bay. (Photo: October 13, 2012)

Englewood, Florida: Nestled away in the heart of Olde Englewood lies a hidden oasis on the Lemon Bay. The 210 acre Lemon Bay Park provides visitors a chance to enjoy nature in the heart of historic Olde Englewood. Nature is the main attraction of this park. The encompasses a variety of distinct ecosystems which provides home to many plants and animals. It is also home the the American Bald Eagle, which have a nest within the park along the eagle trail. The park is a stop along the Great Florida Birding Trail. There are over 2 miles of hiking trails that take visitors into the different ecosystems within the park. The trails are looped together as a north and south loop. The north loop extends into the backwoods portion of the park and the south trail stays along the coast. If it’s fishing or kayaking you are looking to do, Lemon Bay Park has that covered as well. The park encompasses 1.7 miles of shoreline along the Lemon Bay with a kayak launch and fishing pier. The p...