30 Minutes in the Life: August 2018
Posted on August 27, 2018
I have recently taken to photographing lizards, big and small, While out on my walk out the other day, I was mentally thinking I was a little disappointed that I had not come across any Iguana. Iguana are illegal aliens apparently to South Florida. To my mind they are incredibly beautiful lizards however, they do breed copiously and are inclined to take over. However, I was lucky enough to come across one along with a few other varieties of the lizard family.
So here are my takes for this month.
Brown Anole (I love it when they get all puffy and blow out their flap to try and intimidate you).


Northern Curly Tailed Lizard (I do love these chubby lizards. We have a few in the garden but one in particular that lives in the rainwater down pipe from the roof. You will often find it sunning itself on the driveway. Get to close and he is off to the down pipe).


Green Anole (I think) This was quite and interesting looking lizard and a first for me. I probably would have walked passed it if people had not stopped to look at it).


Northern Curly Tailed Lizard (I came across another one of these cubby little lizards. This one was not afraid of me and just kept it’s eye on my to make sure I did not get too close. The joys of a zoom lens)




Green Iguana (Last but definitely a favorite of mine. They vary in size going from small to pretty big. They are herbivores. They originate from central South America and from the Carribbean. However, they pretty much populate South Florida as well. They love warm climates and do not do well when we get extended cold weather. They have been know to freeze and fall off the branches they are perched on. We used to have one living on our back deck, but it disappeared on cold winter. They also wiggle their flap when you get to close.







Thank you for joining me for this month’s 30 Minutes in Life. For the rest of the blog group, please take time to visit my friend and fellow blogger Liz Godfrey Photography and see what she has for you this month. Keep following the circle of photographers to see what the other photographers, from the US and around the world, have shared this month. Don’t forget to leave a little love on their pages.
You can also find me on Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, Viewbug and Google+
Inspired by Life: August 2018
Posted on August 20, 2018
I am very conscious that I sit a lot and so every Friday I try to go for a walk. Instead of going to the wetlands this past week, I decided to go to Morikami Japanese Gardens and Museum. I have a membership there and I should go more often but in summer it is really hot and humid, and this week was no different.
I am part of a group called the Color Chase Challenge and this particular month is purple. While I wasn’t actively looking for purple, I managed to find quite a bit of it. The gardens at Morikami are beautiful and if you have never visited and you get the opportunity I would encourage you to do so.
The colors are somewhat less as we move through summer towards Autumn. However, I was pleasantly surprised how many flowers I did actually find. So here are some of the beautiful sights I saw on my 2 mile walk. Walking in these gardens definitely inspires me.
















Thank you for joining me for this month’s Inspired by Life. This is a circle blog although we are a little on the light side this month. Please take time to visit my fellow photographer, Tracy Martindale of Bee Cherished Photography see what she has for you this month. Keep following the circle to see what the other photographers have shared this month. Don’t forget to leave a little love on her page.
You can also find me on Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, Google+ and Viewbug.
Tell me a Story: July 2018
Posted on July 31, 2018
Wow this month crept up fast and I was starting to get a bit panicky about if I was actually going to get anything for this months blog. I have a doctors appointment every Friday and also a lot of works work to do on my day off. This Friday was not different with the doctors appointment at 10:30am and apparently he was running late and so I got out of there at 12:30pm. Not the best initial visit. Of course, I won the lottery and get to undergo an invasive test. Not my idea of fun. Added to that the weather was not great and there had already been one downpour and a grumbling sky which was threatening another. So I went back to the location I went to last month thinking I may be able to find some more lizards to play with. This time the little guys were not out but a larger sized green lizard was. I got to use my macro lens as a macro lens this time and added to that I found a few butterflies as well.
Here is what I have for you this month.

















Thanks for strolling along with me, I hope you enjoyed the different flora and lizards that I came across.
This is a circle blog and I am looking forward to seeing what everyone else has got up to this month. Follow the link here to see what my fellow blogger LUPJi Photography | North Virginia Based Photgrapher has for you this month, Don’t forget to leave a little love on their pages.
You can also find me on Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, Google+ and Viewbug.

30 Minutes in the Life: July 2018
Posted on July 30, 2018
This month I was really challenged on what to blog. It has been a busy month and a number of doctors appointments has had me busy on my day’s off. I was playing around with the computer the other evening and thought I would come up with some silhouettes. So here is this months 30 minutes of working on my computer.









Thank you for joining me for this month’s 30 Minutes in Life. For the rest of the blog group, please take time to visit my friend and fellow blogger Sonia of Sonia Eppel Fotografie and see what she has for you this month. Keep following the circle of photographers to see what the other photographers, from the US and around the world, have shared this month. Don’t forget to leave a little love on their pages.
You can also find me on Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, Viewbug and Google+
Inspired by Life: July 2018
Posted on July 20, 2018
This title could not be more apt this weekend as I learned about a friend of Richards who was in critical condition in ICU. He is our age. I keep saying, lets do, instead of talking about it. Before it is too late and we cannot do it anymore. I don’t want to let time pass us by.
Fourth of July, and we decide the night before that we are heading to the beach to watch the sunrise. Richard is taking his paddle board out and I am going to watch and enjoy the moment the sun breaks through the horizon.
On arriving at the beach I was not optimistic on what the sunrise was going to be like. It was overcast and blueish. However, the water was perfect for paddle boarding. Until you got in that was. It was then that you discovered reed, thick and going on forever. However, Richard stuck out the paddle boarding and I photographed the sunrise. The change in tones was surprising and really enjoyable.





















Life is beautiful, but we are only given one life. Enjoy it, soak up the moments, be inspired by life, because before you know it time has flown by and you are sitting asking yourself where it went. Hug your loved ones, tell them you love them, let your friends know that they are important to you. Continue to be inspired by the life you have.
Thank you for joining me for this month’s Inspired by Life. This is a circle blog although we are a little on the light side this month. Please take time to visit my fellow photographer, Cath Britton Photography and see what she has for you this month. Keep following the circle to see what the other photographers have shared this month. Don’t forget to leave a little love on her pages.
You can also find me on Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, Google+ and Viewbug.
10 on 10: July 2018
Posted on July 10, 2018
July 4th was a busy day for us. We were up at 5:30 am to head to the beach to watch the sunrise. I was going to photograph the sunrise and Richard was going to take his paddle board out on a very flat east side ocean. Kind of made me think of the gulf.
After that Amy and Richard decided to go kayak. I went along on the understanding that I was going to be able to walk some nature trails. That did not happen. They went kayaking and I walked around a very short walk around a park, took a few photographs watched a group of older men playing baseball, and then found myself on a blanket in the shade reading my book until the eventually came back.
The afternoon brought rain and of course, when the rain stops I head out with my camera to capture water drops.
Last shoot of the day 4th of July and nobody wanted to go. Richard had been saying all day that he was not interested in going to the fireworks. Amy decided she was tired and did not really want to go. I was undecided whether I would go on my own to the park and just stop off somewhere and take my photographs or alternatively just go outside and take photographs. The rain ultimately helped me make my decision. I was going to go out back.
So I set up my camera settings, pulled out and attached my tripod and I went outside to do my best to get some fireworks shots. I live on the edge of the Everglades. It is the slowest moving river aka a swamp lol. Obviously in summer we have a mosquito problem. Our mosquito’s remind me of the ancient of birds a “pterodactyl”. These mosquito’s are huge and they are mean. I think I spent more time swatting mosquito’s than I did taking photo’s. I lasted all of 10-15 minutes and came inside, along with a colony of mosquito’s, before the fireworks finale.
I was not sure what I would get but since this is only the second time I have tried to take fireworks, I was quite happy with what I got.














I hope that you all had a good and safe 4th of July. This is the 17th year we have had the opportunity to celebrate Independence Day, and we are thankful that we have been able to.
Thank you for joining me for this month’s 10 on 10. This is a circle blog. Please take time to visit my good friend Ceri of Ceri Herd Photography and see what she has for you this month. Keep following the circle to see what the other photographers have shared this month. Don’t forget to leave a little love on their pages.
You can also find me on Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, Google+ and Viewbug.
Tell me a Story: June 2018
Posted on June 30, 2018
I can hardly believe that we are halfway through the year already. Seems like just the other day it was Christmas and we were rushing around with Amy and Daniel. I was home alone and decided that I wanted to get out but not for too long. The temperature outside is climbing, but even worse the humidity. May and June have been very wet months and the humidity level is super high.
So a quick outing is about 10 minutes away from me. The local park has a small walk through the bushes. Outside of that walk is a small butterfly garden. So that is where I was headed. However, the butterflies were not in abundance and those that were out were not sitting still. So today’s blog is more about the different flowers and a number of lizards that I came across, including the little on clutching onto the stem of a flower.
I had taken my macro with the intention of getting up really close however, I did like the creaminess of the images taken with the macro, so I opted not to go in close as a post edit.
















Thanks for strolling along with me, I hope you enjoyed the different flora and lizards that I came across.
This is a circle blog and I am looking forward to seeing what everyone else has got up to this month. Follow the link here to see what my fellow blogger and friend Kim of Kim Sidwell Photography has for you this month, Don’t forget to leave a little love on their pages.
You can also find me on Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, Google+ and Viewbug.
30 Minutes in the Life: June 2018
Posted on June 25, 2018
Growing up with an English grandmother living in our home, the ritual of tea drinking was a common place occurrence. We did not drink coffee very often. Moving to the USA, I quickly changed to drinking coffee but over the past few years I have reverted back to drinking tea.
Recently my immediate supervisor at work retired, and the ladies in her leadership team decided to take her to the Serenity Tea House for her farewell. Nestled in among the old houses of West Palm Beach, Serenity Tea House is an interestingly charming place to visit. Each room is made up of typically English style decor, with knick knacks and tea sets laid out among many rooms.
While everyone was chatting and waiting on the pre-ordered menu of high tea, I took the opportunity to go for a quick walk around the house. Obviously there were other guests besides our group so I tried to not get people in the images or to disturb their experience at this beautiful tea house.
The high tea started out with a tomato bisque soup and then the tower of food. We had two different pots of tea and I was able to order one of my favorites vanilla tea. That reminded me of my dear friend Gavin who has now passed away. I would go to visit and he would only share his vanilla tea with me. Said I was one of the few who really appreciated. I sure did.
























If you have not visited a traditional English tea house I would certainly encourage you to do so. Pricier than a coffee shop, the experience is always worth the little extra you may pay.
Thank you for joining me for this month’s 30 Minutes in Life. For the rest of the blog group, please take time to visit my friend and fellow blogger Sarah of Sarah Keene Photography .and see what she has for you this month. Keep following the circle of photographers to see what the other photographers, from the US and around the world, have shared this month. Don’t forget to leave a little love on their pages.
You can also find me on Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, Viewbug and Google+
sharleenstuart

























Recent Comments