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onestowatch · 2 years

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16 Black Artists You Should Listen to This Black History Month (And Every Month)

A central pillar of the Black experience has and always will be music. From its roots that extend far beyond gospel to modern genre-shaping trendsetters and rulebreakers, Black artists have created the music landscape as we know it today. And in honor of Black History Month, we want to highlight a handful of the Black artists whose music you should celebrate not just this month but every month.

flowerovlove

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Joyce Cissie, more popularly known as flowerovlove, makes music that belies her young age. When the 16-year-old London student isn’t busy studying English, History, and French, she spends every free hour in a nearby music studio, where she concocts a hazy amalgamation of lo-fi pop, dream pop, indie rock, and R&B with the help of her brother Wilfred Cissie. The result is a sound that feels distinctly homegrown yet polished. An iridescent sway between coming-of-age in real-time and a noted musical maturity.

Labrinth

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If you’ve experienced the sorrow and beauty that is watching Euphoria, then you’ve undoubtedly become quite familiar with Labrinth’s music. The singer, songwriter, producer, and composer behind one of HBO’s biggest shows leverages experimental, heaven-sent flourishes of production and a genre-spanning touch to create lush, showstopping compositions that feel deeply human yet otherworldly in their spellbinding execution. And while his work on Euphoria cannot and should not be overlooked, his solo work carries with it the same cinematic flair that has elevated the show to timeless heights.

Meet Me @ The Altar

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Meet Me @ The Altar is the pop-punk band the alternative scene has been missing for far too long. Essentially formed over YouTube and crossing state lines, the female and POC-comprised trio takes inspiration from Warped Tour-era punk, easycore, and 2010s pop to deliver a sound that is both refreshingly nostalgic and novel. Equal parts anthemic and heartfelt, Meet Me @ The Altar is the band that 12-year-old scene me, decked in purple jeans yet never seeing myself represented in the music I loved, would have given anything to sing along to in my bedroom while waiting for my AIM crush to sign back on.

TSHA

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With co-signs ranging from Annie Mac, Gorillaz, Bonobo, and more, TSHA is easily one of the most exciting acts to emerge from the UK in recent memory. Delivering electronic-laced anthems that speak to the expanse that is the human experience, the London-based producer’s music feels practically bursting at the seams with life. TSHA crafts euphoric house music that is perfect for sunset raves, losing yourself in the enticing thrall of underground dancefloors, or simply serving as the soundtrack for your escape into another plane of reality.

Paris Texas

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If you’ve kept your ear to the ground in the past year, you’ve certainly heard murmurs of Paris Texas. Adopting their name from the acclaimed ‘80s film, the South Central Los Angeles duo have earned comparisons to the likes of everyone from early Odd Future, King Krule, to Outkast. Yet, what’s likely the most accurate descriptor for the duo is not found in the specific sounds or genres of their predecessors but how, similar to those before them, they are pushing the very scene itself forward. Inimitable and relentless in their unique vision, Paris Texas is a sonic experience unlike any other that’s come before it.

PawPaw Rod

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Cut back to the top of 2021 and you would find us championing burgeoning artist PawPaw Rod, whose debut single “Hit Em Where It Hurts” left a strong enough impression on us to land the Oklahoma-bred artist on our list of Top 21 Artists to Watch in 2021. And while we certainly don’t want to call ourselves psychics (given what little we did to warn everyone of the year to come), the effortlessly infectious artist would go on to cement his place in our hearts with his stellar debut EP, the aptly titled A PawPaw Rod EP. With a groove-inducing swing in his step and distinctive delivery, no matter the year, it’s always a good time to familiarize yourself with the likes of PawPaw Rod.

Tai Verdes

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As Tai Verdes sat in his car recording a teaser for his yet-to-be-released viral hit “Stuck in the Middle,” chances are not even he could predict the whirlwind of success that was to befall him. Thanks to the power of TikTok, the moment proved to be a life-defining one, seeing him go from working at a Verizon store, waiting for his shift to end so he could go home and make music, to living out his dream. Proving to be anything but a one-hit-wonder, the breakout star’s sun-soaked and earnest anthems have found a home amongst anyone in search of an idyllic vibe. Verdes is a pop star in the making.

Bakar

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Bakar has “always wanted to be an alternative for the Black kids who don’t fit in.” Taking the sentiment to heart, his debut mixtape, Badkid, embodied the anger and rebellion of a misunderstood kid, and ahead of his hotly-anticipated debut album, Nobody’s Home, the UK artist is reconnecting with his heritage and exploring the notion of the “future immigrant.” Informed by his own experiences as a first-generation immigrant in the UK, Bakar’s music is emotionally expansive, a shimmering reflection of himself that mirrors all the uncertainty, joy, and fullness of the Black experience.

Bktherula

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Hailing from Atlanta, Bktherula is dominating the underground hip-hop scene with a punk flair and inimitable, laid-back flow. It is a versatility that allows the 19-year-old artist to boldly carve out a space for herself amongst the stadium-ready sounds of her hometown one moment and explore introspective, otherworldly departures into more melodic territory the next. Following a breakout single and series of acclaimed projects that have seen the artist continue to fully develop and explore the full range of her sprawling, fluid sound, one thing is clear. There is only one Bkthrula.

reggie

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reggie’s musical journey starts where most Black music originates — the church. Serving as one of his first inspirations to start writing music, traces of gospel can be found throughout his soul-bearing brand of soul and R&B. Most of his work to date is inspired by lived experiences, the byproduct of being kicked out of home and forced to live a thousand different lives in order to survive. The result is music that resounds like a confessional, a roadmap of an artist’s soul that is equal parts heartbreaking and optimistic.

KennyHoopla

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Preceding the nostalgia-induced resurrection of pop-punk, KennyHoopla launched into the scene with a vision that muddled together the connective tissue of pop-punk, post-punk-emo, new wave, and blistering alternative. More than just an exhilarating trendsetter, the Wisconsin native is shaping the scene itself. Creating a new wave of nostalgia with a series of scream-along choruses, rapturous hooks, and lyricism that seamlessly shifts between existential crisis and targeted apathy, it’s little wonder that he’s earned widespread critical acclaim and already dropped a Travis Barker-collaborative EP so early in his career. Long live pop-punk and long live KennyHoopla.

Fana Hues

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For Fana Hues, music is in her very DNA. One of nine children and raised in a large musical household, she found teachers in the likes of Nina Simone, Beyoncé, Anita Baker, and her father — a bass, guitar, and piano player who taught her and her sisters to sing. After illness took away her voice for five years during childhood, Hues realized both the healing power of music and her purpose. It is a sentiment that takes form in her music that takes heed from the classics to bring forth a uniquely modern, generation-spanning sound that is delicate to the touch. With a feature on Tyler, the Creator’s Call Me If You Get Lost under her belt and her forthcoming project flora + fana on the horizon, now is the perfect moment to lose yourself in the mesmerizing sonic palette of Hues.

Spencer.

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From the unassuming walls of his Bed-Stuy apartment, Spencer. ushers into existence a kaleidoscopic fusion of neo-soul vocal acrobatics, jazz-fueled departures, laissez-faire hip-hop flows, and pop ambition that all coalesce to form a sonic portrait of New York at sunset. It’s a testament to the artist’s peerless DIY vision, which sees him not just recording and producing his own work but singing, creating beats, and playing everything from the piano, guitar, bass, drums, to the trumpet. His full-length debut album, Are U Down?, arrived as the crystallization of all this and more — a beguiling tale of a relationship’s struggles and a pervading sense of longing.

Dreamer Isioma

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Dreamer Isioma is stepping into themselves. While their breakout single “Sensitive” signaled the arrival of a genre-spanning talent buoyed by infectious confidence, it is their forthcoming debut album, Good Night Dreamer, that is set to see the Chicago-based phenom chronicling their quest to self-actualization. Breathing life into a dreamlike blur of soul, R&B, lo-fi, hip-hop, and indie rock, Dreamer is making space for those who don’t fit into binaries or play by strict genre conventions.

Nova Twins

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To Nova Twins, being black women in punk is inherently political. Touching on Brexit, sexism, acceptance, and more, the English rock duo blends elements of hard rock, punk, rap, and pop to deliver a message meant to galvanize audiences the world over. From sharing stages with the likes of Wolf Alice and Little Simz, collaborating with Bring Me The Horizon, to the legendary Tom Morello calling them the best band you’ve never heard of, Nova Twins needs to be on your radar this month and every month.

grouptherapy.

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Los Angeles-based collective grouptherapy. deftly blends daring alternative hip-hop, earworm pop melodies, and R&B to craft a sound that is uniquely their own. Comprised of Jadagrace, TJW, Koi, and Dee Lilly (who produced their independent debut mixtape there goes the neighborhood.), the collective surges forward with a frenetic, infectious unpredictability. Following the breakneck pace of their debut mixtape, the collective returned with “Tangerine,” a laid-back vibe that perfectly captures the idyllic splendor of Los Angeles’ everlasting summer.

#flowerovlove #labrinth #meet me @ the altar #tsha #paris texas #kennyhoopla #tai verdes #bakar #spencer.#dreamer isioma #pawpaw rod #fana hues #bktherula #nova twins #reggie #grouptherapy.#black history month

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cacoethess-scribendi · 6 years

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TWENTY SEVENTEEN.

What a year.

A year of growth, love, heartache, identity, learning, happiness, travel, challenges, friendship, and everything in between.

I began the year in Colorado, celebrating the new year with the Siegerts - snowboarding at Loveland, hiking the mountains after a blizzard, and four wheeling around their yard.

From there I returned home to enjoy more crazy nights with the babe cave and focused on school and growing my art during awkward seasonal change. I became closer with Bree and visited Jess at her pageant by my self in Onalaska.

I was feeling a need for change and cut my hair in half on January 22nd. I did it myself and felt extremely clean, but was very nervous. I feel like doing this at the beginning of the year was a reflection of what would come with the year. Being so used to something, then taking my own scissors to it, letting go, and learning how to start fresh and learn to accept the new.

I began to work closer with KJP as a remote intern. I was hired to do a valentines day photoshoot with Marin. We got a free night at the Charmant Hotel and my photos were admired by KJP, Jeremy, and Sarah themselves.

Jake came to visit La Crosse for the first time. We did an escape room and I showed him around for a few days. He sent my a dozen roses and a long letter for Valentines Day. During this time I was scrambling to find a way to get out of UWL for a semester and applied to be in NSE.

Kelsey and I had the privilege to watch Theresa Caputo live at Mystic, and it opened my eyes to heaven, loved ones, and how fragile and special life is.

I visited TCU and met the infamous house puppy. We made home cooked meals and visited an art museum together.

In March I took another trip to Ixtapa, my 11th time I believe, with my family, Haley, and Maya. We took amazing photos, partied on a private boat, and the BVG staff treated us to four coconuts with hibiscus flowers. It was here that I got the shocking news that I was placed at Rhode Island College.

After that, Jake visited again and we went north to my cabin. We played in the put-put tournament and spent time with the aunts and uncles.

I started working on an app called Sipp and won an entrepreneurship award. I helped with marketing, strategy, and went to meetings with lawyers and owners of restaurants. I had drinks with executives and was in conversation with the marketing department of Brothers. This was a huge part of my spring semester.

Then I went to TCU again for Jake’s last SigEp formal. We dressed to the nines and partied with all of their friends. We had dinner in downtown Fort Worth in a skyscraper and drank lots of drinks. This was an absolute blast.

Finally spring rolled around and I turned 21! Finally! After a year of having to be cautious, I could finally go out downtown. I had the biggest surprise of my life that day, when Jake walked into my party and gave me the biggest hug. I still can’t believe that happened. Haley chauffeured him down and we got a short 20 hours together.

Immediately after my last final, I flew to TCU to spend the weekend with the Siegerts and watch Jake graduate. It was a very exciting weekend with so much joy. We spent time with Yvonne and her kids, and partied the celebration away at the local bars. Dick and Lisa took us out to an insanely expensive dinner and we laughed and did high-low-ha’s around the table.

From there, Jake and I drove all of his belongings up through Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and into Nebraska. We were greeted at the lake house with an incredible sunset and a new boat to take a cruise on. After bike rides and lots of cards, we drove through Iowa into Minnesota to spend time with my family. We took a tour of Summit Brewery and Jake met my hometown friends at the speakeasy. We took photos together with Whitley and went to a Twins game. It was amazing. Little did I know that this would be the last time I saw him.

Over Memorial weekend I went to the cabin for one last piece of MN before I took off onto the biggest adventure of my life thus far.

Rhode Island.

I’m still not sure how to put all of this and my emotions into words, but here’s my best shot. I arrived at the airport alone with my things and got picked up by Jeremy. We immediately drove to Massachusetts to check up on the sweaters they were about to launch. I went to the factory and met Kiel, Sarah, and Dave, and then was sent to my hotel room in downtown Providence. I had no idea what was going on.

The next day I found myself on the southern coast of Rhode Island with my feet in the sand, saying a big hello to the Atlantic ocean. The beach was empty and I walked around for a bit. This was the day I met Sophie and us three bonded over how much we despised the landlord of our new home.

We moved in and for the week I drove to the factory in Jeremy’s station wagon Mercedes. I got the feeling for URI, Narragansett, and hung out with Taylor Pennell. This is when I met Newport. I explored around Jamestown by myself and instantly fell in love with Beavertail State Park. I took a weekend trip home to shoot a beautiful wedding in Duluth. Jake and I began having distance issues at this point because we didn’t know when we would see each other next. Jake was beginning a new 60 hour/wk job, and I couldn’t leave on weekends due to KJP events.

I was so excited to return to RI, where I spent time building the new store, starting to be a part of photoshoots and then met Merle. That weekend I had the privilege to meet Cape Cod with the KJP crew. They threw a huge party with the Keel Vodka people and I finally got to show off my skills. We ate oysters, drank way too much champagne and ran around the hotel like kids. Kiel treated us to sushi and took us bar hopping. It was insane, in the best way. On this trip we met Abbey and Windsor, two bloggers from Boston that invited us to visit.

Made it to Boston. It was a quick day trip, but they were determined to give us the best experience. Dave and I went with Charlie and his girlfriend Katie. We walked around the entire city, took the subway just to say we did it, made it to little italy and got to see all of the historic sites. SUCH a cool city. Ended the trip there with a sunset on a pier overlooking the skyline.

A few days later I walked in the house to see two people that I’d only known from photos and texts for the last two years. Erick Dent and Jacob True. I had no idea how much these people were about to change my perspective on living. I walked in the door and was immediately shocked at how tall Erick was when he gave me a hug, I had the absolute biggest smile on my face. I remember shaking because this day had been talked about for so many years and it was finally happening. It’s a very unique feeling to have known someone for so long, and then finally meet in person and see them in your living room. Starstruck is my best way to explain it. We had dinner at my favorite restaurant in town, The Coast Guard House. There was an incredible sunset, we ate right on the water with the salty air, and watched a baby whale play in the bay.

From there, we woke up at sunrise to capture the morning rising over the Atlantic. We all sat at the Point Judith cliff, waved hello to the sun, and took lots of photos. From there we walked out on the Jetty’s and watched Erick fly fish and catch one! Days from here consisted of several trips to Newport, where we would eat meals at The Landing and get Daiquiris. The first day we all ordered one, we were crying laughing because we were drunk off life and some pink smoothies. It was so. much. fun.

Our group took the old cars to Second Beach in Newport where we got to hang out at the Newport Film Festival for the first time. Kiel had a sponsored post for Land Shark, and they were just starting to release their “Newport” crewnecks so we spent a lot of time on the beach shooting. Sarah was pregnant so she sat back in the cars with Sophie, Jeremy, and Merle. Once the sun started to set and the documentary (Under An Arctic Sky by Chris Burkard) was about to begin, Erick pulled me aside and motioned towards the beach. The two of us ran barefoot out to the beach, where it was empty except for a few lifeguard chairs. It was our first real second alone together and it was such a fun time to catch up and finally get to shoot together after so many years. We ran up to the lifeguard stand and took photos with the sunset and he let me wear his hat. I remember my jaw dropping and being so excited because nobody had taken such cool photos of me before. It was one of my favorite moments of the summer.

The next day we all went out to shoot a bit, watched some more fly fishing, and we found crabs all over the rocks! We picked them up and took fun photos and videos with them. We took more trips to Point Judith for sunsets and Crazy Burger runs with Dave’s friend Charlie Turchetta. One day we went out of our way to take photos of the KJP bracelets because we knew it would make Kiel happy. We searched all over for fun props to use, but we couldn’t find anything. Jacob and I walked with our heads down back to Erick on the rocks, where he stood with live starfish in his hand. We flipped. Well, I flipped. We ended up finding at least 15 of them and got the most fun photos ever. I could feel them all moving on my legs, and I was at an all time high.

The Eno’s were set up from the tree to the car almost every day when we got home. All of the roommates would sit outside, telling stories, editing, listening to music, drinking, and swinging. We spent so much time soaking up our little Fortin yard, I will never take that place for granted. It gave us so many conversations, laughs, and “little” moments.

Somewhere in here, Erick broke up with Olivia and we sat out on the rocks in front of the coast guard house several nights in a row for HOURS just talking about anything and everything. It was so peaceful. We watched tides rise and fall.

The day before Dave’s birthday, we got to take Kiel and Sarah’s spots at the Oliver Hazard Perry Newport Owners event. We had a strict dress code, and walked up to a booth where our names were on the list. Immediately after arrival we were greeted with pear champagne and lots of old rich people. Needless to say, we were way out of place. But damn was that one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. This was the day I found out Erick liked me. We had a wonderful dinner as a band played for all of us. We were a little past tipsy at this point and all began to dance. I taught Erick how to dance and it was such a blast. We sat down at a high top to take a breather and an older woman walked up to us, looks at Erick, and says “You’re a lucky guy.”

On Dave’s birthday, Erick bought us all tickets to go to Block Island. We woke up early, and rented mopeds as we arrived to the island. We drove them all over with the wind blowing in our hair and the bright green bluffs surrounding us. We stopped at all the local beaches, and then biked to the final bluffs. Wow, was that a view. The stairway to the ocean left me speechless. We walked all along the rocky beach and just enjoyed each other’s company. We ended the day with Coldstone and a trip to the local bar.

A few days before the 4th, we watched fireworks with thousands of other people off the Jamestown bay with the Newport bridge lit up in the background and a massive American flag blowing in the wind. The real 4th was spent first at Carlton’s lake, wake boarding and taking a dip in the water. From there we all went to Kiel’s and had a huge float party, lit fireworks off the dock, drank with friends, and I said cheers to the first month of my summer in RI.

I spent July at home with my family, shooting weddings and seniors back to back to make some extra money. My 420 roommates visited MN for a day and I got to enjoy a lunch with them at Starks. I saw Bree again, and spent more time at the cabin with my family singing and dancing our asses off at birdies.

At the end of July, I picked Erick and Jacob up from the MSP airport so they could help me shoot a wedding. We took a quick stop at the cabin to shoot some Great Lakes swimsuits at the mine pits. From there we made the long road trip back to RI.

It started in La Crosse, where the boys met the girls and we took some photos at granddads. We then drove to Chicago and spent a night there. Most of the time was spent walking around admiring the city and shooting. The next day we drove 13 hours straight back to Rhode Island and tried not to go crazy in the car.

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bluebrightly · 6 years

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With sunlight wan and thin here in the Northern hemisphere, this may be a good time for images from warmer places.

For two years running – in 2010 and 2011 – I left ice-cold New York behind and flew south to Fort Myers, midway up Florida’s Gulf coast. It was delightful! Between forays to well-known places like Everglades National Park and Sanibel Island, I roamed the region in a rented car with an eye out for ordinary local scenes. The best part of traveling to my mind is the serendipity of unexpected discoveries, and the discoveries that excite me the most are found in everyday, quotidian spaces, where locals engage in activities unique to the place, buildings display an unpretentious native style, and objects seem to speak a local dialect.

Florida gave up many such surprises – the restaurant with seven vultures hunched on the roof and a vintage pink Mercedes parked in front, the local man fishing atop a precarious mangrove root sticking out of the water, a humble block of pastel vernacular housing just outside the Everglades, a small cemetery hidden away in the dense foliage…

All ordinary in their place, but new and wondrous to my eyes.

The flora and fauna did not disappoint either. I feasted on tall palms and wide beaches, pink flamingos and snowy egrets…but I gave a wide berth to the alligator crossing a sandy, one lane road I was driving. No need to tempt fate. Use the zoom.

Here’s a selection of images from those trips.

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The Photos:

Nine-armed Sea Star (Luidia senegalensis) at Sanibel Island beach. This video shows one slowly crawling back to the water in Naples, an hour north of where I was.

Parking lot palm fronds, near the Fort Meyers airport.

U Pick Citrus sign, Lee County. Once you get away from the coast you find the agriculture. Cattle, goats, chickens, bees, oranges, vegetables – there are hundreds of farms in Lee county; there were 844 farms listed in 2012.

a, b c & d: Scenes from Smallwood’s Store, an historic general store built over the water on an island at the edge of the Everglades. The store is now an informal museum devoted to early life in the area, displaying items like a child’s schoolwork and a bedroom arranged as it may have looked in the 1930’s. Hurricane Irma did some damage this year, but the store is standing and repairs are planned.

A produce market in Immokalee – cheap and local, what could be better? Hurricane Irma wreaked havoc here. The authorities were apparently more interested in policing the wealthier coastal areas than protecting residents in Immokalee, many of whom are undocumented farm laborers and their families, from Haiti and Latin America.

a, b: Evidence of a previous fire disappears quickly in the dense vegetation; a market stand after a rain shower at Immokalee.

All dressed up and nowhere to go? The four inch Lubber grasshopper (Romalea microptera) moves slowly for a grasshopper. Unlike most we’re familiar with, it walks and climbs more often than it jumps. These charmers can spit a spray of toxic chemicals when threatened. They damage crops and are controlled by picking them off, setting traps, and using insecticide. Here are some creative ways locals have dealt these critters a blow or two.

An unidentified mix of Florida plants.

An alligator that I braked for.

A Great blue heron and a fisherman share space amicably on Sanibel Island.

a & b: Sanibel scenes – Willets (Tringa semipalmata) probe for insects and other goodies along the waves’ edge. Sanibel is known world wide for its abundant shells.

A handsome group of White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) next to a shopping mall in Fort Myers. Look closely and you can see a gray youngster in the background.

A Brown pelican perched on a piling in Everglades City. These big birds can have a 6.5 foot (200cm) wingspan. They make dramatic plunge dives for fish, unlike the even larger American white pelican, which catches fish by dipping its pouch-shaped beak in the water while swimming.

a, b, c & d: Local scenes, including a man fishing at dusk from a precarious perch on a mangrove thicket at Rookery Bay, a roadside check cashing establishment, and a heron/egret roost at dusk.

A family barbecue at Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve/ Ten Thousand Islands. There used to be hermits living in the Ten Thousand Islands/Everglades area. I don’t know if there are any left, but a local high school class wrote about them back in 1980.

A congregation of alligators, Everglades National Park. (Yes, a congregation is what you call a group of gators!). The American alligator is at the southern edge of its range in the Everglades; the American crocodile reaches its northern limits there.

Seen at the airport. Fill in the tag line, please! 🙂

Homes in Everglades City, population 402 in 2013. The link is to an interesting NY Times article about this historic, out of the way little town.

The Depot Restaurant in Everglades City, with an old pink Mercedes in the lot and a venue of vultures (really, that’s what a group of vultures is called!) on the roof. There were more vultures by the garbage cans out back. This restaurant is now closed.

An old cemetery outside Fort Myers. Poring over a map, I noticed a “Cemetery Road” on the outskirts of a small town. I figured it must lead to a cemetery, probably an old one. It looked out of the way and intriguing, so I drove there. It was a great find and I enjoyed reading the old headstones, observing the mementos placed on graves, and photographing. This man died in 1981. Thirty years later, someone had left a handful of flowers on his grave.

A spontaneous collage. I placed a plant fragment (Tillandsia fasciculata) I picked up on the map I was using, and photographed it. Most of the places I explored are visible on this piece of the map.

A roadside scene in Everglades City.

Looking up into a Royal palm (?) (Roystonea regia) near Edison Park in Fort Myers.

Another mix of tropical flora.

a & b: A Great blue heron and a Snowy egret. Both are common in Florida.

Birders scope a flock of Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger) at Bunche Beach Preserve. The Black skimmer is one of my (many!) favorite birds. It’s lower mandible is longer than the upper mandible so it just drops its jaw, as it were, and skims food from the surface of the water (link to photo). Of course, this requires the ability to fly steadily just at the surface, making them really fun to watch.

Beautiful Bunche Beach Preserve hearkens back to the old Florida, before rampant building obliterated so much land. Volunteers tore out all the invasive species here. A tidal wetland with beaches, inlets, and mangrove forests, the preserve is known for great birding. Fresh raccoon tracks marked the edge of this inlet.

Spectacular little Sanibel Island is very scenic, but the town can be crowded. As I write, it’s 73 degrees there. It’s 36 degrees here. ) – :

A roadside sunset outside Immokalee. Immokalee is an agricultural center, and is home to many immigrants who work fields of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and citrus. The name means “My Home” in the Mikasuki language of the Miccosukee people. After being pushed out of their original territory, a small group of Miccosukee managed to resist resettlement in Oklahoma by escaping to the Everglades, where they adapted to the unique environment. A road built in 1928 signaled the beginning of assimilation; since gaining US government recognition as an Indian tribe, they have built a golf club and gaming resort, and an “Indian Village.” On this day it had just rained and then the sun came out, setting the road on fire. A fitting end to a stay in Florida.

Warm Places With sunlight wan and thin here in the Northern hemisphere, this may be a good time for images from warmer places.

#Everglades City #FLorida #pelican

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