Butterfly World, Tradewinds Park, FL

I hadn't been to Butterfly World for a while, it was time to go again.  I love the aviary with all the colorful finches and hummingbirds.

The bird bath got plenty of activity.

 This little guy is so small and really tough to get in flight.  I've done it before, but no such luck this time.

Love these colorful finches!

Just a fun way to spend the afternoon.  I ran into Ivan and Claudia there, they were thinking the same thing.

Fall Foliage in Asheville, NC

I wanted to photograph some fall foliage this year, so I headed to Asheville, NC and drove along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

I was probably about a week too early but the color was very beautiful in the higher elevations.  The portion of the parkway from Grandfather Mountain to Blowing Rock was stunning. 

 I listened to satellite radio, and just enjoyed the drive through the beautiful countryside, stopping at just about every overlook to take a few shots.

For those on bikes, what an enjoyable ride they must have had!

The Blue Ridge Mountains made such a beautiful backdrop against the vibrant colors of the fall.

  

"Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine." 

Anthony J. D'Angelo

"Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter." 

 ... Ansel Adams

Hot Air Balloon - Asheville, NC

When in Asheville for my fall foliage weekend, I took a hot air balloon ride at sunrise.  Fantastic!

But first, we had to inflate the balloons.  The baskets were tipped on their sides, and the balloons were stretched out in front of them.

Check out these videos:

Inflating the balloons

A little flame...

And... we're off!

Then we slowly drifted up, up and away.  You just have a feeling of weightlessness and drift lightly over the grounds below.

  

  

   

Ft. Lauderdale Beach at Sunrise

This is the fishing pier at the end of Commercial Boulevard (Ft. Lauderdale) at sunrise.

Blowing Rocks Preserve, Jupiter FL

It was a nice day so I drove up to Blowing Rocks.  Blowing Rocks is in Jupiter, and it's rocky limestone shoreline is the largest on the Atlantic coast.

Ideally, you are supposed to go at high tide or when the seas are rough, but I decided to check it out anyway.  It was a beautiful sunny day, I was just looking for somewhere to go with my camera.

 This is what I experienced several hours before high tide, and calm seas. It was a beautiful sunny day and there was no one at this beach.  Despite the crashing of the waves, it was quite peaceful. 

Of course I had to walk on the limestone and get as close as possible, and I paid for it.  This is the last thing I saw before I was completely drenched with water full of sand.

During extreme high tides and after winter storms, seas break against the rocks and force plumes of saltwater up to 50 feet skyward, an impressive site for which the site was named.

 After seeing this on a quiet day, I am anxious to go back when the seas are rough.

Panther Ridge - home, haven and hope

This is the book I made from my day at Panther Ridge. 

Panther Ridge by Photography by Nancy S. Wilkins

Make Your Own Book

Panther Ridge Conservation Center

Panther Ridge Conservation Center.  Home, haven and hope for some of the word's most majestic big cats. 

Big cats!  We are talking Cheetah, Jaguar,  Clouded Leopards, Black Leopard, Serval, Ocelots, and Puma!

Nestled among the horse farms and estates of Wellington, FL, Panther Ridge is dedicated to providing a lifelong home and superior care for exotic felines that have been abandoned, abused or neglected.

My photography group met at Panther Ridge and it was a really fun day.  These big cats were so beautiful and playful.  They really were a joy to photograph.

Once a cat is accepted by Panther Ridge, its needs are met for the rest of its natural life; never again will it be in need of a home, or be at risk of neglect or mishandling. Such a lifetime commitment is challenging -- and very costly.

For example, the cats at Panther Ridge consume some 100 pounds of meat and supplements every day. Many also have chronic health problems, which require continuing veterinary care.

What's more, as the number of abandoned, neglected or abused animals continues to grow, they feel an urgent need to expand their facilities so that they can help more animals, while still maintaining their high standards.  Panther Ridge relies entirely on donations.

These little guys were my favorite, they were very photogenic and quite playful.  If I remember correctly, this is a Clouded Leopard.  And of course, the Cheethah (below).  We all had a great time photographing all of these beautiful animals.