Florida cabbage?

I know this isn't a cabbage, but it looked rather like one and was soaking up morning sun and of course I had to take a picture! Please click to embiggen to get the full effect.

Mary Kay pink Caddie

It is my understanding that Mary Kay salespeople who earn a certain amount of money for the company are given brand-new Cadillacs (always pink) as a bonus. This is a very large Cadillac SUV, but also a hybrid.

More about Mary Kay's line of beauty products here.

A yellow Republican car

The Ranch - Fitness Center & Spa ...

...at On Top Of The World.

The Private Room

The Private Room is a new business at this location in downtown Ocala. Previous businesses have not lasted long so we wish the owner a happy and prosperous New Year!

Photo by Lois Anne.

Amscot - The Money Superstore

Beware...of money superstores!

The chase is on!

Have you ever been chased by a guy on a bike brandishing what looks like a big, long weapon? Just for taking his picture?

Well, I haven't either. But I wasn't too sure for a few moments!

The Hummer

The Hummer is an enigma. It appears to be a military vehicle with all of the charm of an Army jeep. In recent years its popularity seems to have declined.

The front "license" plate contains a pirate graphic which is similar in looks and color to the flag of Florida State University. But I'm not sure it has any connection to FSU.

Ocala, however, is Gator (University of Florida) territory. If the owner of the Hummer is indeed a graduate of Florida State, he or she should know it is a risky venture at best to invade the Gator-loving city of Ocala! ;-)

Wall of mirrors...

...who's the fairest of them all?

View from a hill

Rug Gallery in downtown Ocala...

featuring rugs from a variety of countries and offering a nice reflection of the square...

Brick City Center for the Arts

Brick City Center for the Arts is a smaller museum located in downtown Ocala. Although small in size, it offers a large selection of artistic works.

There is more info on the Brick City Center for the Arts here. Also on this site, under the HyperLocal tab, and the Artists - Local tab, you will find yours truly listed.

Islam always?

Stop! For what?

Sushi Bistro - downtown Ocala

January in Ocala

A very religious car!

A floral arrangement to brighten the day

Wilson & Spaulding Smiley Faces

Rounding the corner

Heathbrook Outdoor Mall - Market Square ...

...on a balmy January evening...

The Big Belly Deli is coming...

...the Mojo Grill & Catering has moved down the street. From what I've seen I'd be surprised if the Big Belly Deli shows up anytime soon!

Misty Anderson and her four Irish Wolfhounds

Misty was taking her four Irish Wolfhounds for a walk the other night. We stopped to ask if we could take a picture. She graciously agreed. She said she often walks her wolfhounds in Ocala's downtown square and had recently done the same in The Villages. Needless to say, the dogs are a great attraction. They are beautiful animals. Also kind and obedient!

Soggy Bottom Computers revisited

If you check the original post featuring Soggy Bottom Computers, you will see a comment by Rick, the owner of this company and a brief explanation as to how he chose this name.

I'm reposting the picture with a mea culpa:  I should have done some checking and included a link to Soggy Bottom's website, which I found to be most interesting and eye-catching.

Check it out here.

When is a bank not a bank?

When it's an upscale men's clothing store!

A Pickup Swamp Buggy

On the left is a pickup truck with tires that are larger than an average automotive sedan. It is probably a good vehicle for wandering about in Florida's swamps or in woods where the sands are deep. Looks rather strange, though.

Soggy Bottom Computers

It's hard to imagine why someone would name a computer sales and service operation with the sobriquet, "Soggy Bottom". But, to each his own.

Seasonal reflections

This is a seasonal post, for you know that in the western tradition, Christmas has 12 days - from December 25 to January 6 (the Epiphany).

The guitar door

Just think how easy it would be for people to find you if you lived in this building in downtown Ocala. You'd merely need to tell them to look for the door with the guitar attached!

Baby, it's cold outside

The treatment of this photo expresses, more or less, the coldness that has enveloped our fair city. For those of you who live in the northland, you probably wouldn't think lows in the 20s and highs in the 40s very cold, but it is freezing to us. Tonight will be worse and then we'll be in a warming trend and back to normal by the weekend. And that's a good thing as I don't want to suffer from golf deprivation!

"Hello, I'm looking for a place to spend the night..."

I have never noticed this pay phone in Ocala's downtown square and I would probably not have noticed except my eye caught what appeared to be a homeless man walk across the square and make a call. The square is frequently used as a rest area for homeless people during the day.

On this first day of January 2012, the City Daily Photo theme is this:  Post a favorite photograph from 2011.  This photo of my golfing friend, Ray, was taken at the Golden Hills Golf Club on a beautiful winter morning and brings back many good memories.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

We want to wish all of our friends in the photo-blogging world a very Happy New Year!