However, like many of my “little” projects, this proved to be a bigger job than I thought, and it continued well into the New Year.

I have only myself to blame for making this a challenging project by setting up rules for selecting the twelve monthly photos. (Everyone enjoys a challenge, right?)

I decided: rule 1 – that the photo selected for any month had to be taken during that month. (Photoshop keeps track of this and kept me honest.) And, rules 2 and 3 – these should be nature shots only, and not previously displayed in any of my blog posts or EcoGlimpse galleries.

These guidelines revealed several things about my photographic efforts in the past year. First, my best, or at least my favorite shots had already been posted. This was expected. However, I did not anticipate that some months in my organizer would contain more pictures of events or nonliving objects than of nature.

Looking back I can see that I was (and will no doubt continue to be) beguiled by carnivals, state fairs, balloon festivals and the like. Also, many of the pictures were taken for my local camera club competitions.

For example, I would not likely set out to take shots of “cars or car parts,” but since that was one of the assigned themes last year, off I went to car shows, and even parking lots.

No matter what the subject matter turned out to be, I have enjoyed the past year, the events, the places visited, the company of many friends, and especially, learning more with every picture taken and subsequently edited. My resolution for 2010… keep on shooting and learning, but be more mindful to look for nature shots… everywhere.

I have posted the photos in a special gallery called “year in review – 2009″ which I hope you will visit. I have scattered a few of the twelve throughout this blog post.

Happy New Year! Lyn

I spent several hours touring the Volusia County Fair with friends from the Southeast Volusia Camera Club, from late afternoon to dark of night, after enjoying and photographing a glorious sunset.

We captured our memories with pictures of animals, antiques, the colorful midway rides and booths, fair attendees, and so much more.

In fact, there was so much to see that I decided to go back the very next day on my own to finish touring the exhibits and practice some more night shots. A Fair midway after dark is about as colorful as it gets!

Also, I wanted to try to capture some of the antics of the two week old pygmy goat kid who won my heart, and the hearts of all that saw him.

Snapshots of the little cutie were just not enough. Here is the video I took and posted on YouTube. Pygmy Goats, Mom and Kid

The pictures here are mine; there were many more captured by the Camera Club members during our fun-filled visit. To see some of these, go to the SEVCC website at http://sevcameraclub.org , and then go to the Field Trip Photo Gallery page. There you will find a link for the November field trip album, with several more of our photos.

We are pleased to share them with you. Lyn

Mr. Duck

Just imagine the vivid scene as Boy Scouts with paddle boards pushed and guided hundreds of bright yellow duckies toward the finish line at the end of a canal, cheered on by the spectators. I wondered (out loud, I fear) if the Scouts were on their way to earning a coveted duck badge.

I missed much of the bull riding but did catch the “tail end “of that, plus the antics of the Rodeo Clown who cracked the usual one-liners, tumbled around the ring, and led youngsters in a crazy dance contest. And, I took lots and lots of pictures of the whirling rides.

The Powersurge ride!

On May 16, I could not resist attending the First Annual Potato Festival in Bunnell, Florida. Although on a smaller scale than the midway and festival in Titusville, friendly locals and hospitality won my heart.

A friend and I arrived early in Bunnell and decided to tour the Holden House Museum before the Festival activities were in full swing. The museum docent graciously spent much time with us, providing not only a full narrated tour of the House and local history, but also took us through the adjoining Museum Annex.

Holden House Resident

At noon, my friend and I wandered into the potato / beef recipe cook off. Both of us hoped to sample the food, for a fee, of course. Imagine our surprise when the event organizers implored us to sample for free and to vote for our favorite in the People’s Choice award. Who says there is no such thing as a free lunch? The portions were ample, the cooks charming, and the food wonderful. We were stuffed.

I went home with a bag of locally grown potatoes and big smile on my face.

Festival Favorite

However, my inner child is loudly chanting “liar, liar, pants on fire” in my head. So to quiet her down, I need to admit that they were fun when I was a kid, and they are still a blast.

Happy summer! Lyn

Bright sails on a bright day!

The day of the SEVCC field trip to Mt. Dora dawned with bright sunshine and no predictions for rain. It was as if we knew that this would be the one perfect day that week. Fourteen members and guests arrived at 9:00 AM at Gilbert Park, the loading and launch site for the annual Mt. Dora Sailing Regatta.

Wating for the race

The picturesque setting became more crowded and lively as the 12:30 PM race time approached giving us ample opportunity to photograph the crews as they rigged sailboats of many shapes, sizes, and colors before setting sail on Lake Dora.

In addition to sailboats, we photographed the park lighthouse, a nature garden, birds, interesting structures, a sea plane (landing and taking off), each other, and yes, even some snakes. Although warned by a sign that a hungry alligator lurked near the shoreline not far from the dock, the reptile did not make its photo shoot.

Children's Artwork on Tiles

Antiques and history were on the agenda after lunch – antique shops, an antique car show at the Lakeside Inn, historic buildings and the Royellou Museum downtown set up in an old jailhouse. A few ventured off around Lake Dora to Tavares, where skiff races provided shots of different kinds of boats.

Just a few of the many antique cars in the show..

Thanks to Andrew Mullen, President of the Mt. Dora Historical Society, for providing an informative and entertaining tour of the Royellou Museum.

Thanks as well to Tommy Stevens, VP Administration of the Mt. Dora Yacht Club, for helping us to plan the visit.

No doubt many of us will return to Mt. Dora again, as there is so much more to see and do in this charming Lake County town. Lyn

Ampitheater Stage

Stairs to Suspension Bridge

Azaleas are the theme flower of the park. By 1934 over 95,000 had been planted by Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) workers. In 1999, the park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Although Azaleas can bloom from January through April, I arrived to find that (sadly) most of the Azaleas were past bloom, but I still photographed some lovely examples. (See the pink and white and bright pink azaleas included on the previous blog entry.)

A 1.8 mile loop trail encircles the ravine; visitors can either drive or walk, stopping at several parking / observation areas along the way. I hopped aboard an open-air wagon hitched to a truck, with a dozen other guests. A park ranger narrated as we slowly wound around the loop, providing an overview of the Park’s natural and human history.

I learned, for example, that the ravine was created over thousands of years by water flowing from the sandy ridges on the shore of the nearby St. Johns River. The park is actively managed to prevent erosion, to maintain the historic architecture, and to control invasive, exotic plants, such as air-potato and Chinese tallow. (For more information, see the Park’s Management Plan.)

Fountain and Garden

Bridge over pond

What a treat! I will surely visit next year, hopefully when the abundant azaleas are full-bloom. That must be a glorious sight! Next trip… Mt. Dora. Lyn