Splash dog - Pomeranian

A Pomeranian!


No looking back now!


Fearless!


Splash!

Can you tell how much I loved this event?

Splash dog Maddie

Maddie is a gorgeous red border collie who was full of energy...


Rushing to the end of the platform...


"No, wait!"


"I changed my mind!"

If the next photo hadn't blurred, it would have been titled, 'Too late {{{splash}}}'!

Watercolor

This is the color of the gulf water along Pensacola Beach this morning. If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you will see tiny little rainbows of color here and there as light is reflected back to the surface from sugar-white sand below.

Beach rose

I saw several yellow roses washed along the beach this morning. I hope they were for a happy occasion.

Long-tailed skipper

One vendor at the Pensacola Seafood Festival had a delightful area with all types of landscape plants, hanging baskets, and a table of exquisite orchids. This long-tailed skipper was especially fond of the orchids.

WonderDog!

I went back into Pensacola this afternoon with a friend to catch more Splash Dogs! The event was so much fun. I'm hopeful that everyone will get behind it so that we'll see more of them in years to come.

I've got many photos to share, but this little fellow needs a post of his own. He's adorable! I call him 'WonderDog'! If anyone recognizes him, I'd be happy to forward copies of these to his parents...I mean, owners.


WonderDog makes a run toward the end of the platform.


Obviously I was not expecting such a huge leap from such a small dog, but I had to show you the spirit in this little fella!


Chasing the ball!


Gotcha!


Wow, here he goes again. I halfway admire that he can get his legs in that position...and halfway freaked out that he looks part kangaroo!


WonderDog!? I should have called him SuperDog! Look at 'im fly!


Nose up, landing gear down.


Look at that adorable face.

Splash Dogs was AWESOME!

Splash dogs!

I had a great time watching the Splash Dogs dock-jumping competition this morning at Bartram Park, just across the street from the Pensacola Seafood Festival. These three photos are just a teaser for more to come:


"Wait! You want me to do WHAT, lady?"


"Okay, but I better get a really big treat for doing this."


SPLASH!

(Hence the name!)

Tropical Giant Spider Lilies

This morning I discovered my Tropical Giant Spider Lilies are blooming! You wouldn't think something that looks so delicate would thrive out here on the island with all our salt spray, but they are doing very well.

Cousin Itt

Oh look! I found 'Cousin Itt' at the Pensacola Seafood Festival today!

Three Amigas

Three amigas - Sandi, Lila and I - decided to take advantage of this beautiful weather and take a long walk past the barricade on Ft. Pickens Road.

I love patterns created by wind across the sand.

There were several egrets out this morning, keeping just ahead of us when we strolled along the water's edge.

Pools of water still stand in areas from the wash-over during Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

Large ghost crabs were everywhere we looked.

Even in the surf.

Be sure to click on the photos so you can see their funny eyes which have 360 degree vision.

The water was beautiful today, but the old road which was washed into the Gulf several years ago is always a sad reminder of a hurricane's strength.

You could almost see through this egret's wings with the sun shining through its feathers.

Off he flies, surf splashing in the background. What a lovely day for a walk.

[Note: Check out this great video clip of a ghost crab from the South Florida Watershed Journal blog. My appreciation to Robert Sobczakis, a National Park Service hydrologist with Big Cypress National Preserve.]

Pensacola Seafood Festival - Friday

Day One at the Pensacola Seafood Festival and the weather was perfect. I love the yard art/sprinklers near the northeast entrance.


And all dog lovers will zero in on this vendor! She has a great selection...


and considering out location, who doesn't have a soft spot for "Shore Dog"!


All types of artists were represented. I liked the mermaid!


I especially loved this vendor with her beautiful display of glass. Note the turtle!


Great face painting! If only I could be so brave as these girls.


I enjoyed watching Jim Zhang of Norcross, Georgia. One of his specialties is "name painting".


Ah ha! The most excellent clean-up crew! You couldn't ask for a happier group of guys!


They were Clean & Green!


And, of course, there was seafood everywhere you turned! You can get a taste or you can get a $30.00 captain's platter with just about everything that swims! The choice is yours.


I love vendors which offer hand-painted signs. They're always so creative.


I have to go back this weekend and get one of the orchids offered by this vendor.


Beautiful wood carvings - the colors of the fish are incredible!


Ahhh...these young parents made sure their little one has sunglasses and a hat in our strong sunlight!

You have two more days to check out the Pensacola Seafood Festival in Seville Park.

Sanderlings

I love tiny sanderlings which run along the shoreline, dancing in and out of the waves.


This one has found a morsel beneath the sand.


A sanderling is surrounded with soft meringue-tipped waves which rushed in with the tide.