This rooster was on a sign at the entrance of a farm that I passed while my wife and I were driving through Alabama this past weekend. I thought it made a perfect silhouette against the setting sun.
Alabama
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The windows of this little house on the beach in Fort Lauderdale always offer some glimpse of life beyond the window. Sometimes it is the aqua waves of the Atlantic Ocean, sometimes people basking on the beach, or the golden glow of sunset. On overcast mornings it is simply drab and dull. But when I passed this little house a couple of weeks ago, the morning sunshine greeted me.
The view sent me on my way singing an old song by Eliza Hewitt. Eliza had a severe back injury that caused her to spend six long months at home in a cast. On her first walk in a nearby park, the sunshine inspired her to write . . .
“There is sunshine in my soul today,
More glorious and bright
Than glows in any earthly sky,
For Jesus is my light.
O there’s sunshine, blessèd sunshine,
When the peaceful, happy moments roll;
When Jesus shows His smiling face,
There is sunshine in the soul.”
Highway A1A
Fort Lauderdale, FL
These images are from my morning walk a couple of weeks ago at Crane’s Roost Park in Altamonte Springs. Crane’s Roost is one of my favorite municipal parks for walking and photography. No matter how many times I go there, I always see some reflection, scene, angle, or quality of light that begs to be photographed. On this walk I had fun learning the settings and operation of my new Fuji X-T1 with 27mm lens attached.
Crane’s Roost Park
Altamonte Springs, FL
I have seen this church many times, but this time the lighting, cotton field, and flock of birds that flew by gave it just the setting I liked.
Church seen in South Georgia
I-75 North
Last week, I was driving from Miami to Orlando when I got sleepy and pulled over near Cape Canaveral. Before long I saw lots of cars parked beside the road and wondered what was going on. I noticed that most 0f the people were looking toward the space center, so I stopped. Before I could get ready, I saw a blaze of light, and a rocket slowly lift off.
Excited, I grabbed a brand new camera I had in the car to photograph sights along the road. However, I had not learned it well enough to capture a fast moving object. I ran to my trunk, got a camera I knew well, put on a lens, and shot image after image until the rocket faded from view.
I was thrilled! Ever since I was a boy I have wanted to be in Cape Canaveral to see to a rocket take off – especially the space shuttles. I had watched the early Gemini rockets from our porch and classroom in Orlando, but I wanted to be there to see the smoke and blaze, hear the roar of the engines, and feel the rumble. Now all unexpectedly, I was present to see the launch of a SpaceX Rocket. I was as happy as I could be. This image is what I saw.
I went for a sunset walk at Crane’s Roost Park in Altamonte Springs, Florida. This is a wonderful little park where many people go to walk, jog, or just spend some quiet time at a park. I carried my new Fujifilm X-T1 so I could learn how it operates. These sunset images give you a glimpse of Crane’s Roost at sunset.
Crane’s Roost Park
274 Cranes Roost Blvd
Altamonte Springs, FL 32701
When my wife and I passed through Groom, Texas we saw a huge cross and stopped to walk through the stations around the cross. Station Eleven was particularly poignant to me. The angle of the soldier’s arm suggests the force with which he nailed our Savior to the cross. Every time I see it, it grips my stomach and then my conscience – since He suffered all this for me.
This station reminds me of the old Negro Spiritual
They crucified my Lord,
and he never said a mumbalin’ word;
they crucified my Lord,
and he never said a mumbalin’ word.
Not a word, not a word, not a word.
They nailed him to a tree,
and he never said a mumbalin’ word;
they nailed him to a tree,
and he never said a mumbalin’ word.
Not a word, not a word, not a word.
Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ Ministries
Station Eleven
Groom, Texas
This was my view of the Sea of Galilee on my second morning in Israel. When I read my Bible that morning, I experienced something I had never experienced before. As I read the stories I could see, smell, hear, and feel what I was reading about. I no longer had to imagine what the Sea of Galilee and other places looked like. In fact, I had left the sliding door of my room open all night so I could hear the soothing lapping sound of the waves where Jesus said “Peace be still.” The peace and safety I felt while I was there made me so happy I had dismissed my fears of visiting Israel.
Later that morning, our group rode across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum. Here our guide, Tsion Ben-david, took out a map and helped us understand the geography of the area.
Rimonim Galei Kinnereth Hotel
1 Eliezer Kaplan Street
Tiberias, Tiberias 14100, Israel
Somewhere between Huntsville and Scottsboro, Alabama I saw this old barn off Highway 72. The weathered wood gives it character that I like.
Alabama
While walking on Jacksonville Beach I saw this boat waiting to carry someone riding on the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. It looked inviting but the weather was too cool for me.
Jacksonville Beach
Jacksonville, FL
Steven's Travels and Thoughts 