Awards event - 2011 Grassy Waters Photo Contest

          

Grassy Waters is a 23 square mile preserve located in western Palm Beach County Florida. It serves as a fresh water supply for the City of West Palm Beach.  Historically, Grassy Waters was the headwaters of the Loxahatchee River and was a key component  of the Greater Everglades watershed. GWP remains a pristine remnant of the once great Everglades ecosystem.

Each year, Grassy Waters Preserve and the City of West Palm Beach conduct a photo contest, for youth and adults, to visually record what Grassy Waters Preserve is all about, it's landscape, it's wildlife, it's plants & flowers,  it's waters.  And, it's recreational environment for the public.

This year there were some 163 entries in the contest that was judged by two noted photographers selected by the Palm Beach Photography Center. Twenty-two awards, five to youth and 17 to adults, were awarded. There were two double winners in the adult group.The event was held in the museum at the PBPC, Clematis St. and Dixie Highway.

Here are some photos from that May 6th event.

                   West Palm Beach City Hall, Public Library and Photographic Center complex.

                                                     The Photo Center Museum...

                                                 The 2011 Grassy Waters Exhibit.....

                                                   Opening remarks by Mayor Jeri Muoio.            

                   

Judge's critique...

John's, Second Place, "Close-Up"   Winner...........

                                          John's, Third Place, "Black & White" Winner.......

                                                Other winning selections......................

5/7/11

 

Sunday mornings - The Palm Beach Gardens Green Market

It has been our Sunday morning, after Mass, routine to drop in, browse and sample the wares of  the local green market, whether it be farm fresh produce, bakery goods, sea foods, plants, flowers or arts and crafts.

The variety of  Green Market vendors visit various Palm Beach County communities on different days. Saturday is downtown West Palm Beach, Sunday is Palm Beach Gardens, etc.

Join us on a Sunday morning stroll...........

                                          

Connie, Barbara, Elaine and Joan comparing bargins......

                                          
                                             Just another fun thing here in PBG.......

                                                     John D. MacArthur, 1897-1978
                                  Real Estate investor, founder Palm Beach Gardens, FL.

A Happy and Blessed Easter to all family and friends!

   

   From the Shrine of the Risen Christ, Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

 Easter Sunday Sunrise

Bishop Gerald Barbarito

Bishop of Palm Beach

Happy Easter !

Earth Day 2011 - Photo Exhibition

Grassy Waters Preserve is a 23.5 square mile natural habitat that serves as a freshwater supply for the City of West Palm Beach. It is located a five minute drive West of us on Northlake Blvd.

The preserve has six nature trails of various length from .5 to 16.6 miles. The Cypress Boardwalk trail is wheelchair and stroller friendly.

GWP also has a staffed nature center for exhibitions and lectures, etc.

Early this Spring Grassy Waters Preserve along with West Palm's Photographic Center at 417 Clematis Street in downtown WPB held a photo contest.  The categories were wildlife, landscape, flowers/plants, black & white and close up.

John entered five photos.  To mark Earth Day 2011 approximately 165 contest photos are on exhibit on the 4th Floor of West Palm Beach's Library adjacent to the Photo Center.

                                                John at the library exhibition.

                                                                                
                                             To the left, is John's B&W entry.

                                    
                                         John and his "grasshopper in a lily" entry.                    


On Friday May 6th, from 6 - 8 PM, at the Photo Center Gallery, there will be an exhibition and awards presentation to the winning photographers.


jpk



  

Scenes of a historic drought!

South Florida is experiencing one of it most server droughts in decades. A local news report stated the area had its driest October to February in 80 years.  No where, is this more evident than the preserve behind our home which usually has one to three feet of water. Now, it is bone dry. Wildlife is stressed. Florida's wading birds that rely on a small fish diet have gone elsewhere for food.

Although the water is gone, the muck swamp bottom contains moisture that generates native Spring flowers and plants.  There is a contrast in what one sees.  For example;

                                   Only a few weeks ago, dozens of birds were here!

                                            View of the dry Cypress Swamp today!

                                        Dark three foot water lines show on tree trunks.

                                                          A sepia effect!            

                                                   A contrast effect brightens scene.      

                                                         An antique effect to photo!

                       Branches of nearby tree early morning reflection in what water remains.
                                    

                                               A startled rabbit looking for food.

                                 Insects seem to come with the dry weather, like this
                                 swarm of gnats.....
                                                                                 
 Rain is in the forecast for next week.

                                                          
                                                  
              

Some of the birds of Florida, January - April 2011

The following photographs were taken in the Palm Beach County area from January through April 2011 and represent a variety of the birds seen in the SE Florida county.

A Great Blue Heron takes off in the Everglades.

A Snowy Egret's rides its protector from predators like raccoons, snakes, & bobcats.

A Red-winged Blackbird.

An elegant White Egret. 

Two White Egrets.

Mother Egret tends to her chicks.

Two Sand Hill Cranes fly past two Great Blue Herons.

A Black Crowned Night Heron.

A Roseate Spoon Bill Crane in flight.

A young Blue Heron.

Great Blue Herons stand guard over their nest with young.

An American Crow with unidentified neighbor.

A juvenile Ibis and adult Ibis (white).

A typical morning in our "Oasis of Nature" in Palm Beach Gardens.

Landing approach of mature White Ibis.

Glossy Ibis in flight.

An unidentified bird flying pass our cruise ship off  North coast of Haiti.

Hope you enjoyed.....         jpk