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)