sharleenstuartNoah E: 12 days old..
Posted on October 31, 2015
I have had the privilege of knowing his mother for some years, his father a little less and now this little man.
This is the first time I have attempted to take photographs of a baby so young other than Noah’s first 48 hour photo’s. One thing I have learned from this short session, is that babies move and photo’s blur. They also do not like to be moved around a lot. Noah seemed to be more comfortable on his back and so most of his photo’s are taken that way.
Here is Noah at 12 days old..
Before you were born,
we dreamed of you, imagined you,
we prayed for you.
Now that you are here,
we hope for you, we love you
we thank God for you.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
Tell me a Story: October 2015: Oktoberfest, South Florida
Posted on October 31, 2015
If you are visiting South Florida in October, the Oktoberfest in Lantana, is one of the events you really should catch. We have tried to go every year with friends. Having been to beer halls in Munich, this is small scale but it is still a whole lot of fun. Bands are imported from Germany for the event. The crowd gathers, the police monitor, the food is abundant and overall a good time is had. Here is our visit to the Oktoberfest this month..
Cars entering the event are long, the parking cost a lot higher than I would like to pay, but still it is worth the visit. This year we were directed to the parking directly behind the facility which may getting back to your car quick and easy. Of course, the essential part of attending the Oktoberfest – buying the beer tickets.
Once inside you make your way through throngs of people towards the beer hall, where you find beer in abundance and in variety. Prost!!
Along with the beer is a variety of German foods.
Beyond the beer halls is the fairground and children and parents line the edges and the ticket counters to ensure that they get a ridge on the various options.
We sat out in the beer garden and I spent some time looking around and picking up my camera. Every so often I would take myself off for a walk, leaving Rich and our friends to drink their beers.
Traditional costumes were definitely the theme of the day.
Along with the most random of hats, some more conservative ….
than others….
I happened to spot a man play with this toy that transported me back to my youth. I cannot remember what they were called but I do remember playing with a similar kind of toy.
It was party time inside the beer hall, and the band brought out from Germany was having a great deal of fun. Besides the traditional German songs, including the Chicken song, they played a variety of well know party songs such as Abba, and Neil Diamond. The lady below was encouraging the audience to be actively involved. There was singing, and dancing, and shouting out loud.
I wandered back outside to witness my friend doing the actions to the YMCA song. I was a little slow on the uptake and did not get a great shot of the Y, but I had to include it.
Y M C A
Before we knew it, the sun was setting and the evening had crept in.
But that did not stop the party from happening. People drank beer, had fun and were monitored by the local police. I did not see anyone that was out of hand.
Of course, I wandered off again when I heard the bagpipes, and stayed inside for the whole display.
More music, more audience participation, more laughter, more beer. This young lady gave an amazing mimic during the song Mama Mia.
It was dark outside when I wandered back out to join our friends. Of course I went via the fair again.
While this was not my view at the end of the evening, I have to wonder how many had this view when leaving the event. Always make sure that you have a designated driver when attending an event where you may drink a lot of alcohol.
Some see the glass half empty,
Others see the glass as half full,
I just wonder who the hell is drinking my beer.
Thank you for joining me for this month’s Tell me a Story. This is a circle blog. Please take time to visit my friend LUPJI Photography and see what he has for you this month. Keep following the circle to see what the other photographers have shared this month. Leave a little love on their page as well.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
30 Minutes in the Life: October 2015
Posted on October 26, 2015
Recently as the weather has started to cool, I have noticed that the local shopping center has begun organizing music in the small pavilion on it’s property. They put out a number of chairs on the grass and it appears that the music starts around 6pm. The local restaurants around this area have happy hour – every day.
Now there are days that I just do not feel like cooking. I typically cook most days, but this day was one of the days I had come home from work, and did not want to cook. A quick call to Rich and an impromptu dinner date was set up. I was to meet him for happy hour and some music from the pavilion. It just so happened that we met up with a friend who joined us for happy hour. He kept Richard occupied while I snapped away.
The music began, the people arrived, the dancing started, and the drinks flowed…somewhat…
Tonight I became a people watcher, and shot images from my bar seat.
This last photo had to be my favorite image of the evening. Nothing fancy, but it reminded me that you are never to old to hold hands and enjoy each others company.
Dance like no one is watching
Love like you’ve never been hurt
Sing like nobody is listening
Live like it is heaven on earth.
Thank you for joining me for this month’s 30 minutes. This is a circle blog. Please take time to visit my favorite photographers, Julia Forsman / A Rock and a Soft Place / Istanbul, and see what she has for you this month. Keep following the circle to see what the other photographers have shared this month.
If you want to know more about 30 Minutes in the Life head over to their facebook page, or to the blog page. There is new and exciting happenings going on at 30 minutes that you are sure to want to check it out.
Look out for time spent at the Oktoberfest later on this week.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
Day 3: At Flagler Beach..
Posted on October 10, 2015
Flagler Beach was the destination for our holiday this year. After a hectic August and in anticipation of a potentially hectic September, we took a weeks vacation at Flagler Beach. It was also a week we are able to spend with our daughter before she headed off to Macedonia for 27 months.
Gamble Rodgers State Park is the place we were staying. The campsite is about 30 steps from the beach and it is my idea of paradise.
If you want to read about Day 1 click here.
If you want to read about Day 2 click here.
Each morning I would wake up at about 6:15 and grab my camera, coffee and head to the beach. Here are some images from Day 3 on the beach.
6:55am and it is still realtively dark out. I am on the beach alone and enjoying the solitude.
The moon was still up and a bank of clouds was blocking the sunrise
There was a small gap in the clouds where the red of the sunrise intensified.
Zooming into the center of the red sky gives and interesting highlight on the edge of the darkened clouds.
A Hawk searching for food.
Flying beyond the red and down along the beach front.
Sunrise stroll along the beach
And with that our day has begun…. Amy’s day in the sun always has repercussions and so we opted not to go to the beach today and instead head up to my favorite town in Florida, St Augustine.
St Augustine is the oldest city in Florida, and it initially established as a Spanish Colony, but eventually fell under British rule. The history and culture is evident when you walk through the old city streets of St Augustine. From the fort, to the Colonial Quarters, to the Irish pub, to the little bars with music playing in them, to the small cemeteries and ghost tours, all add a vibrant character to the city of St Augustine.
You cannot miss visiting the Fort.
A walk along the waterfront allows you to view the intracoastal and all the beautiful boats on it.
Today Amy and I separated from Richard and we started at the bottom end of the Old City walk. The chocolate shop was Amy’s first choice of stop.
Chocolate apples lined the glass display cabinet.
Glazed apples were an alternative.
When then found an earthy kind of store that had clothing and jewelry and various other items. At the back of the shop I found something to capture my attention.
Clowns have always been one of my favotire collections and this clown mask really caught my attention.
Beyond that we headed up to Mi Casa where Richard had found live music, and a stopping point for lunch.
Lunch at Mi Casa Cafe in St Augustine. Taking in some local rock as well.
St Augustine was brightly decorated to celebrate the day of the first landing in Florida.
Flags decked the buildings, lamp posts were wrapped in decorative banners. The shopkeepers said the weekend had been hectic. So glad we came through on the Wednesday.
On arriving back at the campsite, I decided to head out for a while with my macro lens.
A green bee flitting from plant to plant.
Back at the campsite, and the new arrival makes it’s presence felt – love bugs!!. Love bugs are the most annoying flying incests beside horse flies. They fly attached to each other in mating season. There are hundreds of them and they will crawl all over you. Last year one even crawled inside my camera as I was switching lens. Suddenly I could see a bug walking across my view. Not sure if it ever got out or died inside my camera. He’s not crawling anymore.
I love the mechanics of dragon flys. They are the most interesting of insects for me.
A tern flying over the ocean
And before you know it the day is over and rapidly drawing to a close. The sunset this evening was equally as impressive as what it had been the past few days.
Sunset out west at Flagler Beach
Final image of the sunset this evening.
Look out for the rest of the week coming up soon.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
Tell me a Story: Day 2 on the beach
Posted on September 30, 2015
August and September came and went in a blur and I am so behind with everything. However, the time has been sweet, rich and full, but it has also been bittersweet. In August we had Cameron’s wedding, and I had a lot of hard work up to and including the day of the event. The event however, was amazing and it was so good to see both Cameron and Kathryn with great big grins on their faces. We then had a weeks vacation which was so enjoyable because Amy came to join us for the week. The bittersweet side of that was within the coming week she would leave us to go and live in Macedonia. It was really hard to say goodbye to both children in one month. Cameron was less of a permanent goodbye since he lives about 20 minutes from us, Amy was a lot harder. It is not a 4 hour drive anymore. That is the downside of children growing up and parents getting older. Thank goodness for Skype. I have managed to have two conversations already with Amy, got to meet her host parent and grandparent, and felt a little more at ease.
This month my blog session comes from our weeks vacation. We headed to Flagler Beach, in Florida, USA. Tell me a Story is about any given day in the month that you wish to share. Day 2 was my choice for Tell me a Story. If you want to read about Day 1 click here.
Day 2 was filled with lots of memories. As you know, waking up in the morning is not one of my favorite things to do, however, on vacation I stagger out in the dark, make a cup of coffee, pick up my camera bag (which is prepared the night before), grab my chair and head to the the beach. Below is the early morning sunrise on Day 2.
This is the first sunrise I had the pleasure of watching. You cannot go to the beach without your coffee and flip flops
A Sandpiper searching for early morning snacks
Slowly the sunrise begins to appear from behind the clouds
I stepped back a bit to include the incredible clouds. Just breathtaking in my opinion.
7:36am Tuesday morning. The sunrise changed to a golden hew.
Company arrived just as I was packing up to leave the sunrise session. I love these little guys
I loved looking at the sunflare peeping out through the clouds.
One last image as I walk away from the sunset. The clouds were absolutely fantastic.
Breakfast was had, Richard went to ride his bike and I cleaned house – seems like something was wrong with this picture. Amy eventually dragged herself out of bed and off to the beach we went.
We have the beach practically to ourselves.
Fishing poles were stacked in the best spots of the beach – right where the waves were breaking.
Time to sit back and relax and catch some sun.
A flock of Terns landed on the beach, and Amy decided she was going to go and photograph them. I decided to pick up my camera as well.
Two little buckets without their two little owners.
Searching for fish.
Two lonesome chairs on the beach
Taking in the sun rays
Finally catching a floating umbrella.
This is the life. A beach are and a beautiful day.
The clouds gathered and we headed back to the campsite to wait out the cloud burst. Once that had finished I picked up my macro lens and went for a walk. My objective was rain drops.
At the tip of a branch.
On the tip of a berry.
Simplicity in this image but I loved the movement of the plant towards the light.
Water drops on some of the flowers.
A beautiful flower in amongst the long grasses.
The remainder of a flower after the leaves had all fallen off
The day was drawing to a close. Dinner was a barbecue, and we were just sitting around chatting when we noticed the changing sky. Quickly we gathered up our camera’s and went up onto the boardwalk one site away from us.
Richard and Amy enjoying the sunset – with a camera and a glass of wine
Anyone for a stroll at sunset?
The water tower at Flagler Beach.
The actual sunset that we were watching in the west and the reflection in the east
Sunset to the west
Sunset to the west
I feel like so much was packed into today. They are memories I want to hold on tight to.
Thank you for joining me for this month’s Tell me a Story. This is a circle blog. Please take time to visit my friend Renee Marcov/Oregon Coast and see what she has for you this month. Keep following the circle to see what the other photographers have shared this month.
You can find Day 1 of our vacation here. For day 3 of our vacation take a look here.
Look out for the rest of the week coming up soon.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
30 Minutes in the life: Off to the beach we go…..
Posted on September 28, 2015
Summer in South Florida is hot. I mean really hot. Sticky, humid, sweaty kind of hot. Fortunately I grew up with that kind of weather in Durban, South Africa. We are beach people. We love the ocean. We love to be able to do things that involve water. I love the smell of coconut oil and to be able to rest and read.
Every September we take a weeks vacation to the beach. This summer we chose to go back to Flagler Beach in Florida, USA. We typically wait until after the school holidays have finished, when the campsites are empty and the beach hardly has anyone on it. I love it. I have this whole beach to myself. Well sort of. This year we had a lot of fishermen sitting directly in my spot. Not cool guys to stagger yourselves wide enough apart not to allow anyone to get inbetween. That said, I was happy to walk along the beach to get a new spot each day.
This trip was going to be different. Amy was joining us. This was her second last week with us and so she spent the weekend with her boyfriend and friends, and came through on the Monday to join us and stay for her birthday on the Friday morning. Friday afternoon she headed back to say her last goodbye to her boyfriend.
My 30 minutes comes from Amy and my first walk down onto the beach. We did a little bit of “beach” photography as opposed to “street” photography.
Perhaps the most busy day at the beach
We literally walked 100 paces to the board walk from our campsite. From the top of the boardwalk we spotted these two little girls playing at the waters edge. They were so sweet.
As Amy and I headed down, I tried to attempt to capture those last fun moments to hold onto while she is away.
These two little girls played oblivious of who else was on the beach, laughing and running to and from the waves. While it may look like they are alone on the beach, the grandmother was very close by. This was innocence at its very best.
I could not help but take a few more shots of Amy. She is part of my heart and I know I am going to miss her so much.
My photojournalist and English major, ready to head out into the big wide world.
A lady and her pooch soon joined us on the beach, and these little guys had a blast running all over the sand.
The parade of the feathered variety looks promising for the week ahead. Hopefully, I will be able to get the parade of Pelicans as they pass over.
Incoming Pelican
A Sandpiper scrambling for food.
A Hawk cruising and looking for food.
I also managed to find an interesting looking bug. Apparently, this is a Cicada. According to a comment on my photo the cicadas live in the ground as pupae. They emerge after 17 yrs to grow into what you see in the photo.
A bug we found on the railing of the boardwalk
And a different perspective of it which I really like, but some may find a little creepy.
Last two of these little girls playing in the ocean.
I hope we get to see them again later in the week. And one last pic of Amy before I close off.
Amy at the beach
This time with Amy has been a real blessing. I cannot believe we are down to the wire and counting the days. At this point in time we have 11 days and counting. Ugh a mother heart.
Since this week, Amy has left and after 24 hours traveling, orientation, more traveling, texting me at 4am to let me know she was in Austria, she finally arrived in Macedonia. She has spent 1 week with 50 other Peace Corp volunteers being oriented to the way of life in the Peace Corp and in Macedonia. As of today she will travel in a smaller group of about 10 to one of the largest cities in Macedonia, where she will stay with a host family for 3 months while she is in training. At the end of 3 months she will be posted to her area for the next 2 years.
While this is not part of my 30 minutes, this was my plan for the week.
Thank you for joining me for this month’s 30 minutes. This is a circle blog. Please take time to visit my friend, Stacey Markel Photography | Maryland Family & Child Photographer and see what she has for you this month. Keep following the circle to see what the other photographers have shared this month.
If you want to know more about 30 Minutes in the Life head over to their facebook page, or to the blog page. There is new and exciting happenings going on at 30 minutes that you are sure to want to check it out.
Click here, for Day 2 of our vacation.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
30 Minutes in the Life: Gaining a daughter….
Posted on August 31, 2015
I will confess right at the start of this that I did not take these photo’s this month but I have a lot going on right now and it seems like this will be as much as I can do as the photo’s are all edited already. We have a wedding we are preparing for. As I write, family are flying in. This coming week will be about entertaining family, socializing with friends, building a backdrop for the stage, creating the flower arrangements for the church and wedding venue, developing a guest book, developing a slide show and last and by no means least hosting a rehearsal dinner.
So over the past couple of weeks I have been putting together a slide show of my son and his fiancé’s journey in life, in preparation for their wedding on Friday, August 28. It has taken me back to some really interesting events in life. Moments of joy and laughter, moments of sadness, moments thinking “I cannot do this anymore”, and moments thinking “did we really do this with the kids”. It was that ah ha moment when you realize things as you know it are going to change.
Cameron’s arrival in the world was not the greatest. He was sick for 10 days with jaundice and was one pinprick away from a blood transfusion. He was my child with allergies. He was the child that I spent 7 years at his beck and call every time he had a surgery. He was the boy who got me on my knees to pray when I could not deal with another surgery. His final surgery caused me to develop shingles. Yet I would not change a thing. This journey has prepared him for so many different choices in life. His teenage years were spent on crutches. Hard on any young boy. But what it has done for him is to help him understand that life has it’s knocks and you have to deal with the stuff. It has given him a different perspective for life. Cameron has a real heart for ministry. He has a compassion for youth that has to make me smile.
He gives love and in the same way he wants love. So when he met the woman of his dreams, we could not help but be excited for them both. We pray that their journey in life will be a smooth one, but that when the foundations are rocked, that the bond will be strong and steadfast. We wish them endless joy and happiness. We wish them a future that will be a good fit with their ministry desires. But most of all we wish them love. Abundant love!
We are excited to welcome Kathryn into our family, we hope she will quickly become one of us, quirky and different as we are.
Here are a few of the photo’s I took to celebrate their engagement. It was early morning and bitterly cold as we waited for the sun to come up.
.
Cameron and Kathryn may you live, love, laugh, sing, dance, dream, smile, cherish all the days of your life.
We love because He first loved us
~ 1 John 4:19
4 Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Since the wedding is now over, I thought I would just post one photo of the happy couple.
Mr & Mrs Stuart
Thank you for joining me for this month’s 30 minutes. This is a circle blog. Please take time to visit my friend, Stacey Markel/Maryland Family & Child Photographer and see what she has for you this month. Keep following the circle to see what the other photographers have shared this month.
If you want to know more about 30 Minutes in the Life head over to their facebook page, or to the blog page. There is new and exciting happenings going on at 30 minutes that you are sure to want to check it out.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
Tell me a Story: August 2015: Noah E – welcome to the world
Posted on August 31, 2015
I am in a crazy place right now with a wedding looming and a daughter leaving. I find myself wondering what it is going to like when my son moves out to be with his wife and my daughter is on a different continent. It is no getting in a car and driving to Gainesville – this is some serious mileage to get to Macedonia. It was just the other day that they were born, and just the other day that I thought, oh my gosh they are starting school, then we left South Africa and I found they were in middle school and then high school. Time has flown and it seems like even though we packed so much into those years, time goes to quick.
I had the privilege of heading off to the hospital to visit with a new little man who has mad his way into the world. Noah is the sweetest little guy and at 21 hours old he was so alert and frowning and when he did let out a cry, he had a pair of lungs. To his parents, I would say, enjoy every moment of this little guy. Time goes way too quickly and before you know it, he will be moving out.
Love him with the Godly love that you know so well. Encourage him, guide him, make sure he knows the value of money, help him to process the right choices. I have learnt that you cannot make them for you children, but be willing to give advice knowing that there is a good possibility that they will not take it. Make sure that you are always a unified front. If dad says no, mom you have got to support him. You can tell him you disagree later. These little people know the buttons to push.
I am so excited to follow your journey in life, thank you so much for including me in the last three big steps. I wish you endless joy with this little man, love, laughter and happiness.
Here is my images of Noah, 21 hours after he entered the world.
Noah at just 21 hours old
A child is the beauty of God present in the world – the greatest gift to a family
~ Mother Theresa
Thank you for joining me for this month’s Tell me a Story. This is a circle blog. Please take time to visit my friend Stacey Markel / Maryland Family and Child Photographer and see what she has for you this month. Keep following the circle to see what the other photographers have shared this month.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
Sharetographers: July 2015: Smooth
Posted on August 4, 2015
Sharetographers topic this month is smooth and for most of the group summer has been happening. We have had guests from out of country and life has been a little hectic. We have 24 days to my son getting married and about double that before my daughter leaves to join the Peace Corp and will be gone for at least 27 months. Smooth probably is not what is happening now.
In the midst of all of that transition, we took a day at the beach with family who were in town from Australia, and it was great to chill and do nothing but float in the waves. Did I say waves? The water was smooth, reminded me of a pond, and attempting to use the paddle board as a surf board was a joke, but Amy gave it her best try.
I had a little point and shoot Cannon underwater camera and we went into the waves to play.
Here are my six images for the topic smooth.
Attempting to get a partial under water and above water image.
Walking on smooth water. Amy gets the feel of what it is like to stand on a paddle board
Hanging out waiting to catch a wave.
The paddle board quickly becomes a surf board but the water is like glass and not a lot was happening.
Apparently surfing was not happening so she just floated in the waves for a while.
Smooth waves on a gorgeous beah day
Take the rough with the smooth,
happy with the sad,
remember who you are,
and be grateful for what you have.
~bub
I am so very grateful for the family, they soothe my soul, bring calm in the disruption, and give me just a little taste of what home used to be like. We are scattered across the continents and it looks like the scattering will go a little further when Amy leaves, but there is nothing that can replace family. They are the very core of who you are.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
If you would like to know more about Sharetographers, head on over to their facebook page
P.S. Don’t forget to sign up for the Sharetographers newsletter when you visit their page. You will find lots of interesting topics in there.
Tell me a story: July 2015: Vizcaya Miami
Posted on July 31, 2015
As an emigree, there is one thing in the whole process that I have found really hard. We have no family in the USA. It’s on those days when the world is in collision and you feel like every time you turn around things are not right, that is when you miss the one’s whom you love so much. The family you would typically turn to are no longer there. It is lonely without family, I have to be honest. My family is scattered across the continents. We are here in the USA, my brother is in South Africa, Richard’s sister, brother and mother are now all in Australia. Visiting is something that has not happened often, and it has typically coincided with a business trip. This year seems to be the year for family. In March I was able to spend time with my brother in Nashville. In August my brothers wife will be with us for my sons wedding.
July was the time for Richard’s sister and her husband to visit. Jenny and Kevin were in the USA on a company related trip. And I have to give kuddo’s to Kevin’s boss, I am extremely grateful that he has brought his team to the USA twice now. Jenny and Kevin traveled to a number of places before heading down to Florida. Time with them, for me, was refreshing to my soul. It’s that little bit of home that goes a long, long way.
Amy came home for the weekend so that she could spend time with her aunt and uncle. It was good. Thursday I had to work, and so I dropped them off at the Outlet Mall and picked them up again at the end of my work day. Fridays I do not work. So we planned to head on down to Vizcaya Museum and Gardens down in Miami. I have visited this home before and I loved it. I think I will go again in August when my brothers wife comes out. Each time I have seen something different. Here is our day’s outing at Vizcaya. There is a lot of photo’s but I have done this so that Jenny and Kevin can see them and share their trip with their family back in Australia, and their daughter in England.
Shadows at Vizcaya. There is a long driveway that you have to walk down to get to the house. Lining the driveway is terraced water fountains.
The Barge, a boat shaped Scultpture, functions as a monumental breakwater. The Barge was sculpted by Alexander Stirling Calder (1870–1945) and can be found located in the water in front of the Main House overlooking the bay. The Barge is decorated with carving representing mythical Caribbean creatures.
This barge spans the water entrance to Vizcaya. From what I have read, back in the peak of the usage of this home, guests would gather for tea and events on these concrete barges. The barges were built as a water break. In order to get to the barge guests were taken out in rowing boats.
Jenny & Kevin at Vizcaya
From the front of the house your view looks over the Bay of Biscayne towards Miami.
Construction of this beautiful home began in 1912 but was not completed until 1922. The owner James Deering wanted the house built as close to the water as possible. The result is the terraced front area which would act as water breaks.
Statue frozen in time line the edge of the barges. Secrets of days gone by linger within the concrete.
Amy @ Vizcaya
Throughout the grounds you find coral coves. Mermaid, mermen, men of the sea appear in different scenes around the grounds.
We found Prince Charming hanging out in the pond
Kevin took some time to relax in the shade of the trees.
Tiny Ferns line the bark of the enormous trees.
Amy and Jenny climbed ahead of me up to the circle mount, but I managed to catch their attention for the briefest of moments.
I don’t get into photo’s very often, but I have taken a similar image before and love the many different facets that this image shows. Here is my self portrait.
What facinates me with Vicaya is the details that you find all over. I love these pillars with faces. Each is unique and different in their own way.
Rose petals were scattered on the grass in front of some sort of memorial. I forgot to take a photo of what it was for.
We stopped in a little gazebo where there were seats built into the pillars. I love this photo of Jen with Amy & I reflected in her sunglasses
Archeways of stone and coral lead you you through walkways from sector to sector.
Every room on the upper level looked out over the Bay of Biscayne. Each room was tastefully decorated to please the senses of each guest.
From the inside of the house looking out, I loved the distorted view of the grounds.
This Spiral Staircase leads from the ground floor up to the attic rooms. Photographs inside the house were not allowed and I can respect that as some of the antiques are priceless and flash light can cause damage when you are dealing with hundreds of guests going through each day. However, I could not resist this spiral staircase. It was amazing.
Kevin, tired of waiting for us, took a break on the edge of the wall.
I walked back to take a photograph of side gardens and came across this couple having their wedding photos taken.
I loved the view of the two bridges – the old and the new. The old bridge is part of the Vizcaya grounds, the new bridge links Miami mainland to Key Biscayne.
Take from the side of the house these are the Gardens at Vizcaya.
Moving on from Vizcaya we headed over the bridge and onto Key Biscayne. This was a first for me and so I was pretty excited to see the key as well.
Sailing on the Bay of Biscayne. I wish we were – it was really hot out there that day.
Amy was driving and I was attempting to get the city skyline. Somehow I think the air was a lot cleaner on the Key than it is as you go over the bridge.
We ended the day with a late lunch at the Bayside mall. Ironically neither Jen nor Kev seemed to have any interest in shopping. I think they were all shopped out.
Thank you for joining me for this month’s Tell me a Story. This is a circle blog. Please take time to visit LUPJi Photography | Northern Virginia Photographer and see what he has for you this month. Keep following the circle to see what the other photographers have shared this month.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
Flickr Photos
Share Six Blog Contributor
30 Minutes in the Life Blog Contributor
Tell Me a Story Blog Contributor
Artist Inspired Blog Contributor
101 Ways to Shoot…
Shoot and Share
PBH (Voice, Vision, Soul) Project 52
sharleenstuart 
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