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)