Skylines

I saw some rooflines walking Old Town and they intrigue me. This one has the traditional Widow’s Walk  said to be where the wives of captains at sea would pace waiting for their husbands’ ships to be sighted on the way home:

The spite of Saint Paul’s cathedral on Duval Street peeking above a traditional tin roof:

I like to look up when out walking with or even without my camera. Looking at the old Top of La Concha I caught a glimpse of cleaning operations at the roof top hotel spa that replaced the much loved rooftop bar. I who don’t much like Duval bars enjoyed the Top.

Next time you are on Duval Street look up and check out the varied roof lines. 

Clinton Square Market, boasting 19th century warehouse architecture:

I wonder which cretin decided a complex utility pole just had to go slap bang in front of the lovely peaks of the Custom House on Front Street? 

Mel Fisher museum classic simplicity: 

Put out more flags:

New squared off construction on Duval near Greene Street. We shall see what this becomes: 

The lesson? Don’t fail to look up as you stroll!

Marathon

Rolling down Highway One into Key West for my Physical Therapy last Wednesday the car told me tire pressure was low and the back end started squirming. I knew what that meant so I pulled over just before Key Haven.

I got my walker out of the trunk and while Rusty snored in the air conditioning on the back seat I managed to assemble my tools and got on the floor to do the job. Which was when the tow truck showed up and Vic saved my bacon.

I cannot lie; it was great when he  got to work and did the heavy lifting but even so I think I could have finished the job, ever so slowly, had I been alone.

Anyway the flat revealed a need for two new rear tires so my wife immediately checked and they had them in stock in Marathon at her favorite shop and I was ready to go in Thursday morning first thing. So don't tell me cell phones are useless because everything was arranged before Vic had me ready to go. Technology still has the capacity to amaze me!

Next day I was in the shop by seven thirty for $250 worth of tires. Two hours later Rusty and I were off back home 40 minutes away.

Naturally I took the little tyke for a walk and explored some of the side streets of Marathon the branch out from the four lane highway through town.

It was sunny cold and windy, perfect conditions to stump along behind my dog looking for things that might catch my camera's eye. 

I find it very relaxing to loo around and when I get involved with the camera Rusty, such a good boy sits and waits patiently at the end of his leash.

It's a very companionable way to walk.

This house looked lie it was still hurricane  wrecked, frozen in time, and it gave me pause thinking back to the wreckage caused by Hurricane Irma in 2017.

Mostly I enjoyed the deep blue sky, the contrast of the greenery and the flowers.

Rusty did the same.

I found a warehouse with a loading dock just the right height for me to sit and rest my weary legs:

Rusty hopped up nimbly alongside me and seemed reluctant to leave.

We sat and watched nothing in particular on the quiet side street.

He wa sin no hurry. I had a novel in my phone in my pocket so I was set.

The early morning sunlight gave the little side street a park-like air.

The Straits of Florida shimmering in the distance at the end of the street.

And eventually the car was ready. I was ready too, to get out of the cold north wind and warm up on my home with my faithful sidekick stretched out on the back seat.

West Summerland Key

The old Bahia Honda bridge near  seven in the morning.

 The promise of another excellent Spring day, sunshine, cool breezes, a touch of winter.

 I was actually cold with a strong north wind and temperatures below 70 degrees.

 A few dawn pictures for a Sunday. 

 No commentary needed. 

 Rather like the last minute of CBS Sunday Morning, a few nature scenes to end the news show.

Sunrise Mangroves

The early season switch to daylight saving time puts me in the mangroves in time to see the whole sunrise event. from the barely perceptible lighter skies in the east to the full golden glow of daylight.

 Rusty trots off ahead on the lonely empty stretch of road and I totter after him, stiff from a night spent sitting at my desk at work. The goal is to limber up before I go to bed, and to walk without rolling like a drunken sailor. 

 Every day, and every way I'm getting better and better. So when I pause in my exercise routine I check the sunrise through the branches and the camera allows me stitch a lace doily in the shadows.

I enjoy the challenge of seeing fresh things every day wherever we might be, as I drive us in an arc of different walks within 20 minutes of home roughly. Carrying my Lumix FZ300 forces me to look and observe and see things that otherwise I probably wouldn't notice. Plus i have a few filters to play with, giving the sun a star burst was the choice of the day:

 Besides which we are not entirely alone, and Rusty handles traffic perfectly, stepping aside when he hears a car and watching it go by from the edge of the bushes. He's getting used to silent bicycles too.

 The moon, oddly taken when not full:

 The sun around which I managed to convince the camera to put a halo, just for fun:

After I sleep the rest of the morning away I take a cup of tea to the deck where Rusty likes to hang out shifting between sun and shade and air conditioning, coming and going as he pleases through his dog door.

 Or sometimes just being weird: