Jekyll Island Travel Log

I spent a few days on Jekyll Island back in March. I can say that I have found a new favorite place. It's mentally recorded as one of my top natural places that makes my mouth drop and I think awe...

 It's in Georgia on Jekyll Island and is a beach called Driftwood Beach. The northern end of Jekyll Island is eroding, has been for many, many years. 

As the island erodes, the beach moves closer inland. Trees end up on the beach, until they finally end up as driftwood. 

 It is a wonderful photo opportunity, however it's kind of erie seeing these ancient trees that died years ago against the backdrop of the ocean.  

Jekyll Island is a beautiful Island with much to do. Driftwood Beach is just one special place.  

There's a Sea Turtle Rehab Center that can be toured. Also, after the 1880s, wealthy folks begin visiting the island during the winter, in fact, at one time as many as 20% of the richest had winter homes on the island. There's a tour of the historic district that's very interesting. 

Wildlife is everywhere on the island so bring your camera. 

Jekyll Island was so much fun that I created a "Travel Log" for the trip, my first. The island map at the beginning of this blog, is the actually beginning of the travel log page. I found that the travel log is a great way to document my travels. I will blog about my travel log at a later time.

Paddle over to my website, LeoLakes.com. I paint beautiful lake, river and bay decor maps. Folks are discovering that these decor maps are wonderfully unique gifts that become family heirlooms. Oh yeah, I hide things in the lake waters, such as a tiny mermaid/fish. Folks love to search for them. I call my maps, treasured maps because most folks have that special body of water that they treasure. My treasured maps make a great gifts for the fisherman, lake lover, or Lake house. 

As you can see, my maps make a great gift.   Click here www.LeoLakes.com for more information.

Just remember: "Life is short, get away from the big screen and get on a big stream".

Trail of Mud

I live near Nashville TN, and we have had our share of flooding this spring. There is a park that I run the trails on most mornings. For the past seven weeks, the trails have been underwater. Here's a photo of the aftereffects. 

It all started about 10 weeks ago with rain upon rain. The park started to flood into the baseball/football fields and trails. Amazingly, fishermen started to fish in the park. Check-out these photos. 

This bass boat is basically in the outfield of a baseball park.

The trail runs just beyond the bass boat with the creek on the other side of the tree line.   

A Great blue heron roaming the sidelines.

A trail of mud. Here's what the trail looked like after the water subsided, 4 to 5 inches of mud. Spring has sprung all around except here. It almost looks like a bomb went off. 

Hey, Check-out my vintage style lake maps. They make a great gift. Click here, Leolakes.com to see if we have your map. We have many popular lake maps such as the Lake Winnipesaukee, Great Sacandaga Lake, Lewis Smith Lake, Pickwick Lake, Greer's Ferry Lake, Lake Sidney Lanier, Lake Sinclair, Table Rock Lake, and Lake Wallenpaupack. Also, we paint custom maps and have personalized maps for that special someone. 

Here's a framed decor map of Lake Barkley, a beautiful Map that will become a treasured map.....Oh yeah, ignore Eleanor the Goose, she loves this map because she was born on Lake Barkley. 

I often get comments about the tiny mermaid hidden in the waters of all my maps. Folks love to tell me about the search for the mermaid. They say the children really enjoy hunting for her and are thrilled when they spot her in the waters. Oh yeah, some folks tell me that she moves, but I'm not sure that I believe that. LeoLakes.com

Most folks add a star to a special place such as a lake house, river  house or where they caught that big fish. I've been doing lake, river and bay maps for approximately seven years. Over the years, I have experimented with different elements of map art in order to provide the best and most unique map on the market. Folks will be drawn to the map like a crackling fire on a cold winter night.  I try very hard to make my maps special by adding interest to the maps. LeoLakes.com

Also, each framed map or map over 16x32, comes with a certificate of authenticity, lake poem, and interesting facts abut the map. 

I have hundreds of maps on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalized vintage style lake maps, too. Lake maps will add beauty to your Lake House Decor! Find out more interesting facts about my treasured maps by going to LeoLakes.com. 

My Fishing Cartoons

Occasionally, I do cartoons. I mostly concentrate on bait cartoons, yes bait. Why? Well because no one else is doing them and they can be really funny. Take a look. I have a few completed and ready to go in the future. Here's a few from the past and present. Enjoy......

Paddle over to my website, I do Lake Decor Maps... Interestingly, I often get comments about the fish in the waters of all my maps. Folks love to tell me about fishing and love the jumping fish that I show on my maps. Also, they say the children really enjoy hunting for the tiny mermaid and are thrilled when they spot her in the waters. Oh yeah, some folks tell me that mermaid and fish move, but I'm not sure that I believe that. However, if you look closely you may find her and the fish jumping around. 

Add caption

Most folks add a star to a special place on the lake such as a lake house or where they caught that "Trophy Fish". Check-out below, a customer wanted to add the place, weight and fish type of a trophy that he caught.

I've been doing lake, river and bay maps for approximately eight years. Over the years, I have experimented with different elements of map art in order to provide the best and most unique map on the market. Folks will be drawn to the map like a crackling fire on a cold winter night.  I try very hard to make my maps special by adding interest to the maps. LeoLakes.com

Also, each framed map or map over 16x32, comes with a certificate of authenticity, lake poem, and interesting facts abut the map. 

I have hundreds of maps on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalized vintage style lake maps, too. Lake maps will add beauty to your Lake House Decor! Find out more interesting facts about my treasured maps by going to LeoLakes.com. 

Gulf Shores Decor Map, feel the grow

Need something warm? Here's a beautifully framed map of Gulf Shores in Barnwood. This will warm up the wall in the winter and bring back those warm summer memories at the beach...... 

And there's more....... I often get comments about the tiny mermaid hidden in the waters of all my maps. Folks love to tell me about the search for the mermaid. They say the children really enjoy hunting for her and are thrilled when they spot her in the waters. Oh yeah, some folks tell me that she moves, but I'm not sure that I believe that. LeoLakes.com

Most folks add a star to a special place such as a lake house, river  house or where they caught that big fish. I've been doing lake, river and bay maps for approximately seven years. Over the years, I have experimented with different elements of map art in order to provide the best and most unique map on the market. Folks will be drawn to the map like a crackling fire on a cold winter night.  I try very hard to make my maps special by adding interest to the maps. LeoLakes.com

Also, each framed map or map over 16x32, comes with a certificate of authenticity, lake poem, and interesting facts abut the map. 

I have hundreds of maps on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalized vintage style lake maps, too. Lake maps will add beauty to your Lake House Decor! Find out more interesting facts about my treasured maps by going to LeoLakes.com. 

I ran the Disney Half Marathon

In January, I ran the Disney Half Marathon with my daughter. You won't believe it, but she talked me into dressing up as a character. I dressed up in green with a green hat and red feather, Peter Pan. Yes, Peter Pan, and I did it for 13.1 miles. I know what you are thinking, what an idiot. Why would a grown man do that? Well, I did it for my daughter and we made some fond memories.   

We stayed at the Hilton and had to get up at 2:00 am in the morning to board a bus to Disney. Unfortunately, after arriving at Disney, we had to walk about 2 miles to the starting line.  Amazingly, I finished the race right at 3 hours. I guess that's not too bad for a 60 year old. After we made it back to the hotel, I looked at my watch to see how much that I traveled, after all of the walking and the run, my watch indicated 18 miles. Ouch, my feet really hurt, but I wouldn't have  changed a thing.

Paddle over to my website, LeoLakes.com. I paint beautiful lake, river and bay decor maps. Ain't she pretty! She's all dressed up in a beautiful frame and ready to go to that "lake house warming party". you will be so proud when you walk in with the prettiest gift at the party..........LeoLakes.com

Folks are discovering that these decor maps are wonderfully unique gifts that become family heirlooms. Oh yeah, I hide things in the lake waters, such as a tiny mermaid/fish. Folks love to search for them. Also, you can personalize your lake map with a star where your lake house is located.  I call my maps, treasured maps because most folks have that special body of water that they treasure. My treasured maps make a great gifts for the fisherman, lake lover, or Lake house. Order soon to avoid the rush!

As you can see, my maps make a great gift.  Orders pick-up during the holiday's, so order soon. Click here www.LeoLakes.com for more information.

"Hanging a Leo Lakes Treasured Map in a lake house, is like christening a boat with a bottle of champagne!" 

One Tough Osprey

Three months ago, I vacationed on Manasota Key in Florida. My in-laws have a small winter place overlooking Lemon Bay. Back then, I took a few photos of an Osprey that caught fish from the bay and would eat them in a tree or on top of a pole near where we stayed. 

When I closely looked at the photos on my computer, I noticed a fishing line dangling from the Osprey's left wing. The next few days I watched the Osprey and the line was still present. It was likely that a hook was hung somewhere under the osprey's wing. I wondered if this Osprey would die from infection. If you look closely below, you can see it.   

Four months later in January, I went to Lemon Bay for a few days and noticed an Osprey hanging around like the one in October. I wondered if it was the same Osprey that I photographed with the line dangling from it's wing. To determine if it was the same Osprey, I looked at the feather pattern on the birds chest to compared. If you look at the area that I circled above, you see a distinguishing feather.   

This January Osprey didn't have the fishing line hanging down and he would catch fish and eat them on the same tree and pole. If you look below, you will see the same distinguished feather.

I'm pretty sure these two photos are of the same Osprey, which means he must have removed the fish hook. I guess you would say that this is one tough old bird..... In fact, I placed an Osprey on my Manasota Key map. Float over to my website, LeoLakes.com to see more of my maps. Folks are discovering that these decor maps are wonderfully unique gifts that become family heirlooms.

Oh yeah, I hide things in the lake waters, such as a tiny mermaid/fish. Folks love to search for them. Also, you can personalize your lake map with a star where your lake house is located.  I call my maps, treasured maps because most folks have that special body of water that they treasure. My treasured maps make a great gifts for the fisherman, lake lover, or Lake house. Order soon to avoid the rush!

All maps, 16x32 size and above, come with a Certificate of Authenticity, a poem, and a sheet covering interesting facts about your LeoLakes Decor Map. Here's the wonderful lake poem that my wife wrote about lakes, rivers, and bays.

"As I look over this beloved waterscape, The most amazing scenes appear in its wake, The sun arises above the shore, Giving grace and beauty to this place that I adore."