Monarch Butterfly at Circle B Bar Preserve in Lakeland Florida Wood Print

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This bush was one of the few plants flowering during the winter. It sits in the Circle B Bar Reserve at the end of the trail. It was covered in butterflies the day we visited. Monarchs were joined by look-a-likes that I also photographed. Circle B Bar Preserve, in Central Florida, is a Polk County Park. It was founded in 1928. There are so many birds, insects and other wildlife, that we visit at least twice a year. Winter, when the weather is cooler is best. There are three lakes plus a wetland and miles of trails.

I love to tell stories. About twenty years ago I had my first freelance travel article accepted by a magazine. Much to my surprise, the magazine expected photos along with words. I had not taken any during the preliminary work for my article. I drove back to the site and took the photos for the article with my little Olympus digital camera. The article was published with those very amateur photos. In time, I bought an Olympus OMD-EM5, a great camera for nature and travel photographers and discovered that I enjoyed telling stories with pictures more than I did with words. The last twenty year have been an incredibly exciting time as resources for photographers have exploded. I have been lucky enough to have some great teachers along the way...