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.