Bok Tower Gardens

We stopped by Bok Tower Gardens on our trip to Florida last winter. I finally decided to share the beauty and brighten a cold Minnesota day. This is the famous Singing Tower (60 bell) carillon. Bok Gardens was founded by the successful publisher and author Edward W. Bok.  His grandmother told him to, “Make you the world a bit better or more beautiful because you have lived in it” 

And indeed he did.

The morning light in the gardens was so pretty.  They were first resurrected on this sandy soil in 1921.  And it opened to the public in 1929.

Let's sit awhile...

And wander around...

It's also a bird sanctuary. There are 126 bird species here.

I think this species looks goofy!  It must be his eye ball.

A lovely painted bunting.

The majestic golden door of the tower.

Bok Gardens is on one of the highest points in Florida at 298 feet.  It's worth a visit for the beauty, birds and the chocolate muffins at the cafe! 

Saturday's Critters

Bird d'Pot

Wild Bird Wednesday

Jagged Little Toes

I thought my Yeti tracks might be a fun choice for jagged.  The www.illustrationfriday.com theme this week.  Do you ever wonder who creates the unique patterns on the bottom of tennis shoes? How much does a shoe designer get paid for this? Are the patterns as unique as fingerprints?  Actually, that might be kind of cool.  Designer shoes with our own finger print soles. It could bring new meaning to leaving a paper trail.  Burglars beware!

That's why my Yeti has shoes on.  So his familiar foot prints don't give him away.  I hope this idea isn't too big a pill to swallow. 

Passion Fruit

I feel a certain amount of passion for a good mango.  Not a Minnesota mango.  But an ugly black spotted but perfectly ripe one picked right from the tree and purchased for peanuts.  I ate a mango just like that in Costa Rica this month.  Thank you Uvita farmer's market.  I paired it with a fried egg sandwich. The bread for that was purchased from a snooty french bakery in Ojochal.  The eggs were bought in a store.  But when you taste them you know they are snatched from chickens that live the pura vida lifestyle.  Well, obviously I enjoy a good breakfast.  And when you eat it on a warm morning by the ocean in Costa Rica it's all the better.

Passion is the www.illustrationfriday.com theme this week.  I painted this years ago.  In fact, the passionate fruit admirer is part of an advertisement.  I don't use images like that anymore.  The melding of woman and ocean is all me.  My favorite part is the mango that is a sea urchin.  Hmmm, come to think of it that is one culinary delight that I have yet to savour.  Someday...maybe.