Bench - lonely, green, nailed down, and empty!

Our entry for today's theme (Empty) is this lonely bench located on the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway here in Ocala.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Too hot in the kitchen?

Pixel Perfect Award given to Quincy Daily Photo!


The Pixel Perfect Award is a prestigious award given to a photo blogger who exhibits exceptional photographic skills in terms of artistic creativity, composition, sharpness and exposure.

Quincy Daily Photo is a stellar photo blog and we offer our congratulations and best wishes for continued success.

Please check out QDP and offer your congratulations also.

Squirrels are just plain nuts!

If you're a squirrel and you see a new bird feeder being set up in someone's backyard, you immediately begin devising a way to defeat whatever anti-squirrel device the property owner installs.

We know this is true from our experience. We put up the bird feeder with a plastic hood. If the squirrels jump on the plastic hood, they will be flipped to the ground. We watched with great amusement as this happened several times.

But then the little rascals held a meeting. The next thing we observed was one particularly agile little squirrel shimmy up the shiny steel post (which, we naively thought he wouldn't be able to do). Then, as in the first photo, he jumped to the feeder, grabbing it with his feet.

He then proceeded to pull himself up so he could access the feeder.

It worked great. He could eat his fill and then knock more seed to the ground where his partner in crime waited to sample their ill-gotten gains!

But, I'll think of something else. I'm not beaten yet!

Let Freedom Ring!

Let Freedom Ring!

See, here's the thing:
Some things matter
More than others.
Freedom, for instance...
The right of
Self-determination.

See, here's the thing:
Ayatollahs everywhere -
Presidents, premiers,
Ministers or fuhrers -
Know not freedom;
Only power derived from fear.

See - here's the thing:
Power - assumed, stolen, or built on fear
Is weakness
Not strength.
Real power derives only
From the people.

See - here's the thing:
Today, in Iran and in Europe,
In Asia and the Americas,
In countries everywhere
The people gather and the people sing
"Let Freedom Ring!"

See - here's the thing:
Freedom is the most important thing.

Let freedom ring!


A poem in honor of our City Daily Blogger colleague, Amir, from Tehran, Iran, who is missing in action.

Sunday, June 28, has been set aside to call attention to his plight.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Old horse barn

It appears to be an old horse barn, now abandoned and gradually falling into disrepair surrounded by new homes and shopping centers along Highway 200. The photo has been treated with the Triqui paint process.

Walking in the shadows

Hot Dog Lady and Pixel Perfect Award

The Hot Dog Lady as she is commonly known, has been a fixture in Ocala's downtown square for a number of years. Not too long ago, the City Council tried to move her out, but there was an outburst of outrage and they backed off. So, she still sells her hot dogs on the corner to most everyone's delight.



Dusty Lens, the erstwhile blogger from Minneapolis, Minnesota has been designated to receive the Pixel Perfect award!

This prestigious award is given to a photo blogger who exhibits exceptional photographic skills in terms of artistic creativity, composition, sharpness and exposure.

Dusty Lens meets those criteria in a walk! Please check out his blog here and give your eyes a treat!

An unsual scene

In Ocala, it's hard to get around on a bicycle because of the lack of bike lanes and the continuous flow of traffic. It's very dangerous. But one person did it. This is an unusual photo for our town. The bike is parked outside of the bookstore, Barnes & Noble, which just recently moved from this site to the Heathbrook Marketplace, a beautiful new outdoor mall.

Abandoned house

An abandoned house in the woods about a mile from our home.

Side stairs, Marion Theater, Ocala

The Marion Theater in downtown Ocala is still defunct. I assume these stairs lead to the "stage entrance," but there are no markings. I love stairs and thought these were rather special.

Tin Cup's Tavern

I'm not sure if this tavern took its name from the movie, Tin Cup, which starred Kevin Costner and Rene Russo, but it doesn't seem to have anything to do with golf. We have not patronized it, but I've heard it is a pleasant place with decent food and drink and good music. It is located downtown, opposite the square on Silver Springs Boulevard.

Wild and beautiful

This plant, whatever it is, grows wild along Ocala's Florida Greenway trail. It has been photoshopped using Triqui's paint process.

Ocala mural

The building is the same one that houses the Melting Pot restaurant. You will see this mural as you enter the downtown area on Silver Springs Boulevard (Highway 40) heading east.

The mural celebrates a few Ocala icons: Horses, of course; Oak trees; water birds; the downtown gazebo; and Silver Springs Park.

First Presbyterian Church

First Presbyterian, which has been around since God made little green apples, (actually 1857), has a more traditional architectural style. It is located close to downtown Ocala, and abuts the Historic District.

The church's website is here.

Pixel Perfect award given to JM of Oerias & Environs Daily Photo

JM of Oerias & Environs Daily Photo is the second recipient of the Pixel Perfect Award, given by Jacob and Lois Anne.

The Pixel Perfect award is a prestigious award given to a photo blogger who exhibits exceptional photographic skills in terms of artistic creativity, composition, sharpness and exposure.

We believe JM meets, indeed exceeds, those qualifications.

Our congratulations to JM and we wish him many more years of happy blogging from Oerias and environs!

Dog versus people

The gentleman who owns this truck seems like a nice man who lives in a nice house in a nice neighborhood about a half mile from our house. The sentiment he proclaims on the bumper of his truck is one, I think, that a number of people subscribe to.

St. Paul's United Methodist Church

St. Paul's is located just a few blocks from our home. It appears to be a large and active parish. Other than that, the only thing we know about it is that we go there to vote in the various local and national elections - it is a precinct center.

Floral arrangement

Another floral arrangement courtesy of the local supermarket.

Stingray looking for water

In spite of appearances, this is not some kind of alien craft. Rather it is a beautiful watercraft - a speedboat - heading north of Ocala on Highway 441, doubtless on its way to a body of water somewhere nearby. Central Florida is dotted with numerous lakes and rivers.

Mail trucks need to be fixed

Otherwise, we'd have too many little mail trucks running amok.

OK, I'll pose for you!

We were watching this squirrel tear up and down a palm tree about 10 feet from our back deck...so I went to get my camera...as I walked to the edge of the deck he was on his way down the tree but stopped and looked at me and then posed while I took his picture.

Squirrels are nuts!

New life arises

A few days ago, we posted a photo of this building which housed an antique shop. It was conducting a sale preliminary to its closing down and shutting its doors. But new life has arisen. It is now known as The Golden Egg and is selling school uniforms.

The Pixel Perfect Award

No, we didn't receive this award; rather, we are giving this award. The details are in the sidebar, but here's a summary:

The Pixel Perfect award will be given to a photo blogger who exhibits exceptional photographic
skills in terms of artistic creativity, composition, sharpness and exposure.

The recipient need merely post the award in his or her blog's sidebar with a link back to Ocala Daily Photo and should note that it was given because he or she "exhibits exceptional photographic skills in terms of artistic creativity, composition, sharpness and exposure."

The award will not be passed on. However, we hope the Pixel Perfect award will involve our peers in the photo blogging community and thereby encourage bloggers to recommend worthy blogs to Jacob and Lois Anne.

Winners will receive a citation in the sidebar of Ocala Daily Photo.

The award will be given occasionally and sparingly.

Note that the first recipient is Clueless in Boston, an exceptional photo blog!

Waiting at Macy's

Paddock Mall in Ocala has recently undergone a renovation, part of which included creating "rest areas" where tired shoppers are able to sit and relax, and where husbands can wait in comfort while their wives shop.

This gentleman waited in front of Macy's Department Store for 15-20 minutes until his wife came by carrying several packages, at which point he arose and escorted her to another store in the mall. Or maybe they went home.

Golden Blog Award

We wish to express our thanks and appreciation to Asta for this beautiful and meaningful award! It is a great honor!

However, and I hope Asta understands, I'm thinking that Vogon Poet at Livorno Daily Photo is on to something when he says the award system needs some revision. So, while we accept the award with humble gratitude, I shall pass it on in the near future, but only to one blogger.

Signs

You'll find these signs on 5th Street near downtown Ocala. It seems there's a lot to remember here.

House for sale

Blue Oaks is a subdivision adjacent to ours on Ocala's east side. I've always thought this a beautiful home and noticed the other day it was up for sale. Out front is a small box containing informational papers about the house. We learned the asking price is $318,000.

It's been on the market for several weeks now, and I doubt they'll get that much in today's market, but I expect it will sell because it is a fine residence and located on a cul-de-sac in a wooded area.

Misty moon

I hadn't intended to post this originally, but it was a misty night in Ocala, and the moon was shrouded in light, foggy clouds...so out came the camera and this was the result.

Seminole in native dress

Some time ago, Silver Springs Park hosted an event which featured native Americans and their crafts. This gentleman was dressed in Seminole Indian clothing.

Ocala's one and only Target store

While Ocala is "blessed" with three Walmart stores, we have only one Target. It is the really big one, though, so that ought to count for something.

A bountiful, beautiful bouquet

This bouquet was found, not in a garden, but in a supermarket, next to the deli. A nice surprise.

Cross-posted at fotoerase (http://fotoerase.blogspot.com) a couple of days ago.

Trinity Lutheran Church

Trinity Lutheran Church, located on Highway 200, just west of Ocala, is a parish related to the Lutheran Church -- Missouri Synod, a very conservative branch of Lutheranism in the U.S.

An Ocala mansion

This is one of the more graceful mansions located in Ocala's historic district.

Drive-Up

At this drive-up "restaurant" you can obtain the usual hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries, etc., that consist of lunch for many Ocalans. Located near a busy intersection, it appears to do a brisk business.