Alys Beach, Florida one of the beaches in South Walton | Photo Outing

South Walton, Florida are a 26-mile stretch of beaches on Northwest Florida‘s Gulf Coast are found among 15 beach communities: Miramar BeachSeacapeSandestinDune AllenSanta Rosa BeachBlue MountainGrayton BeachWaterColorSeasideSeagroveWaterSoundSeacrestRosemary BeachAlys Beach and Inlet Beach.

The sugar-white beaches and emerald green waters are a major attraction for vacationers. More than 40 percent of the Beaches of South Walton are preserved through state parks and forests. The area is ideal for hiking, biking, kayaking, or fishing.

Alys Beach

Drive between the eye-catching butteries at the entrance of Alys Beach, and you may feel as if you’ve been magically transported to a seaside paradise in Bermuda or Antigua. Palm trees and deep green lawns in the community’s open space contrast the white stucco walls and elegant private gardens of its residences.

The Gulf of Mexico beckons from nearby, while the amazing luxury of the Caliza Pool has a decidedly Mediterranean flair. The “Alys Beach Experience” is one of unparalleled casual luxury in a spectacular beach village setting.

via Alys Beach FL | Florida Vacations | Visit South Walton.

An oasis of luxury with a distinct Mediterranean feel, Alys Beach is the crown jewel of Florida’s Emerald Coast. It is a beach community founded in New Urbanism and built to exacting standards for the utmost in luxury living. It is a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Alys Beach is a reminder that what once was can indeed still be. It is a life of balance, a life of beauty, a life of simplicity, a life of grace. Alys Beach is a life defined.

Located along Florida’s Gulf Coast, Alys Beach boasts one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. With a carpet of sugar-fine sand descending into crystal-clear waters, this stretch of Gulf Coast is unmatched in beauty. Zoning laws preserve the pristine beach and keep it clear of the billboards and storefronts that litter ordinary beach towns. The Emerald Coast is so clean and well preserved that it has been certified as a Blue Wave Beach by the country’s only environmental-certification program for beaches.

Set against this immaculate natural backdrop, Alys Beach is a distinctive beach town designed and founded upon the principles of New Urbanism, a movement that emphasizes community and whose hallmark is the placement of amenities in and around homes to promote walking, talking, and a sense of connectedness. Every one of Alys Beach’s amenities, from the idyllic Caliza pool to the neighborhood coffee shop, is located within walking distance of every front door.

The vacation homes themselves are the epitome of luxury living. Designed and constructed for the most discerning property owners, these luxury beach homes offer gourmet kitchens with commercial-grade appliances, cozy fireplaces, and central courtyards with generous dipping pools.

via Alys Beach Offers Luxury Beach Living From A New Urbanist Perspective > Home.

This is an outstanding resort town. It is must see if you are in the area.

See the photos at Photography by McGraphics
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Sunset Country Club Golf Course in the spring | Sunset Hills Missouri

The golf course at Sunset CC is part of the classic era of course design.  With features and characteristics found only in these turn-of-the-century layouts, Sunset has the charm and intimacy lovers of the game truly enjoy. Designed as a shotmakers course, they took the lay of the land and positioned the holes in locations that best fit the rolling terrain. It is a true testament to the original Foulis brothers design that the routing of the course has been essentially unchanged since it first opened. However, our membership remains in tune with the needs of today’s modern golfer.  Consequently, recent upgrades have been made to our outstanding zoysia fairways, the remodeling of our reens with the latest A1/A4 bentgrasses, new chipping green surrounds and updated green complexes, make Sunset a challenge for players at all levels.  Included in recent upgrades is our new 300-plus yard practice facility with five target greens, making the Sunset golfing environment one of the best among area clubs.

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Cinnamon Hill Golf Course | Jamaica

Spanning 400 lush acres between the verdant Jamaican Mountains and stunning Caribbean Sea, Rose Hall Resort & Spa proudly features Cinnamon Hill Golf Course– an 18-hole championship level golf course designed by Robert Von Hagge. No Caribbean all-inclusive vacation would be complete without a challenging round on these links. Created with the resort player in mind, it features a seductive layout with an open, wind-swept front nine – giving way to a tight, trap-filled back nine bordered by dense foliage. You’ll experience the best of Jamaica golf — the cool ocean spray on your cheeks as you putt on seaside greens, then the wind whistling through the pines as you tee-off on the 17th hole, 350 feet above sea level. This is a test you will enjoy, enchanting panoramas framing your every shot.

Cinnamon Hill’s diverse elevations gives you the experience of both links and inland golf. Feel the cool ocean spray on your cheeks as you putt on seaside greens, then hear the wind whistling through the pines as you tee-off on the 17th hole, 350 feet above sea-level. This is a test you will enjoy – enchanting panoramas framing your every shot.

There are more than 18 ways to love Cinnamon Hill – from Majestic Blue, the signature hole whose fairway fades into the aquamarine ocean, to the mountaintop tee overlooking the Rose Hall Great House, ancient aqueducts, Johnny Cash’s home and James Bond‘s tropical setting for “Live and Let Die”.

See the photos at Photography by McGraphics
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White Witch Golf Course | Jamacia

Winding through the Blue mountains of Jamaica’s historic 4,000 acre Rose Hall Plantation, The White Witch golf course is carved out of 600 acres of lush greenery and rolling countryside that feature panoramic Caribbean vistas with breathtaking mountain views.

The course is named after Annie Palmer, the notorious “White Witch,” who was mistress of Rose Hall Plantation in the early 19th Century. She was purported to be beautiful and beguiling—and to have done away with three unsuspecting husbands.

Locals are quick to say that Annee Palmer still haunts the Rose Hall Great House and the grounds of the estate — and maybe she does you have to go there and see the candle light tour.

I certainly blamed her for several wayward putts when I played her namesake golf course, the White Witch.

Play begins with an eye-opener — a 550-yard, par-5, which drops abruptly off the tee to a canted fairway, then climbs steeply past a succession of huge bunkers on the right to a small tabletop green tucked out of sightly off to the right. It is the most daunting hole on the course from the tee, and one of the prettiest I have seen.

The 10th hole is as deceptive as Annee herself, a 621-yard, par-5 doglegging around bunkers on the edge of a ravine. Fortunately it’s downhill off the tee. Cutting the corner, while risky, can pay off with a ball on the green in two if your lucky, despite the hole’s length.

The 164-yard, par-3 14th hole can be as tough as it looks, depending on the wind. The shallow peninsula green lies more than 100 feet below the tee, on the far side of water. The elevated tee provides a great view of the dogleg 15th hole, as well as the fairway of the difficult par-5 16th.

The par-3 17th hole is 161 yards slightly downhill to a small green surrounded by sand bunkers. Unless the wind throws a tantrum, this is not a hard hole. But it is among the most memorable for its beauty — white sand sharply contrasting with rich green turf and the blue backdrop of ocean. A windswept tree silhouetted against the sky provides just the right finishing touch.

16 of 18 holes offer views of the Caribbean Sea. Once you play the course you will want to come back and play it again.

See the photos at Photography by McGraphics
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Accompong, Jamaica – the difference between reading history, and feeling history comes alive

It took over two and half hours to get to Accompong from the resort I was staying at Montego Bay. The roads where narrow and bumpy. As you can see from the photos, I was able to see the real Jamaica that people do not see when visiting.

I got to the town on a quiet morning. For a small fee we were taken on a guided tour around the community, and the significance of the place grew on me as I toured around the community. Oral White made a knowlegable guide. This is when I realised the difference between reading history, and feeling history come alive.

Within the town, individual plots of land are passed down from generation to generation, with no official titles changing hands. Neither the land nor income generating activities within its boundaries are subject to government tax.

When you enter the community you see the abeng. The abeng is the most recognised symbol of the Maroons. It is a cow’s horn with the tip cut off. The Maroons sent secret war time messages by the drum and the abeng. Blowing through a square cut into the concave side of the abeng produced a sound heard for miles, which could be decoded by those who knew how. Today it is used mainly for ceremonial and festive purposes.

Accompong today is a farming community, with a few shops to serve the local population, and a small museum showcasing the history of the Maroons.

January 6, Accompong celebrates Kojo’s Day. Hundreds gather from across Jamaica and the world to commemorate Kojo and the signing of the Peace Treaty. On 6th every year, the Maroons in Jamaica hold a special celebration in Accompong, St. Elizabeth. They celebrate the birthday of their great leader Kojo, and commemorate the 1738 signing of a Peace Treaty with the British.

Saint Elizabeth Parish

Maroons from across Jamaica and the globe gather in Accompong on this day. The ceremony also attracts Jamaicans from all walks of life, and visitors from many countries.

This was the best part of my Jamaican trip.

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St Louis is the first of its kind in the nation to Welcome Home the troops from Iraq Parade

St Louis, Missouri was the first city to welcome home the troops from Iraq on Saturday January 28, 2012. In looking around at the tens of thousands of people waving American flags and cheering, Army Maj. Rich Radford was moved that so many braved a cold January wind Saturday in St. Louis to honor people like him: Iraq War veterans.

The Welcome Home Heroes Parade included more than 80 floats, two marching bands and the Budweiser Clydesdales.  The parade began at noon Saturday at Kiener Plaza and ended at Union Station with a Veterans Resource Center set-up inside.

People waived American flags and cheered “thank you” as veterans made their way down Market.  People also held up Welcome Home signs.

It was inspiring to sit there while I was taking photos and watching the children to senior citizens smiling, waving and yelling “welcome home” at the troops as they past by. It was a day I will not forget.

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  • More cities consider parades for Iraq War vets (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
  • St. Louis Hosting 1st Big Parade on Iraq War’s End (abcnews.go.com)
  • Cities Consider Parades for War Vets (myfoxphoenix.com)
  • Cities Consider Parades for War Vets (myfoxny.com)
  • St. Louis hosting 1st big parade on Iraq War’s end (newsok.com)
  • St. Louis hosts first big parade to welcome Iraq War veterans (photoblog.msnbc.msn.com)
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Photos from Forest Park, St Louis

I have done a gallery of photos I have taken in Forest Park in St Louis, Missouri. Here is some information on the St Louis land mark.

Forest Park is a public park located in western part of the city of St. Louis, Missouri. It is a prominent civic center and covers 1,293-acre. The park, which opened in 1876 more than a decade after its proposal, has hosted several significant events, including the Louisiana Purchase Exposition of 1904 and the 1904 Summer Olympics. The park is known as the “heart of St. Louis” and features a variety of attractions, including the St. Louis Zoo, the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Missouri History Museum, and the St. Louis Science Center.

Link: Photography by McGraphics

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Christmas in New York City, New York USA

I just add Christmas in New York City to Photography by McGraphics. There are photos from the past and now. You will see photos of snowmen, Christmas treesChristmas decorations, Christmas ornaments, Christmas light, and Santa Clause. Also look at my Stock Photos on StockPhoto.bz

Christmas decoration is any of several types of decorations used at Christmastime. The traditional colours of Christmas are pine green (evergreen), snow white, and heart red. Blue and white are often used to represent winter, or sometimes Hanukkah, which occurs around the same time. Gold and silver are also very common, as are just about any other metallic colour. Typical icons of the holiday include Baby JesusSanta Claus, and the star of Bethlehem. Typical winter icons include snowflakessnowmenicicles, and even penguins and polar bear.

The Christmas tree is often explained as a Christianization of pagan tradition and ritual surrounding the winter solstice, which included the use of evergreen boughs, and an adaptation of pagan tree worship. The English-language phrase “Christmas tree” is first recorded in 1835 and represents an importation from the German language. The modern Christmas tree tradition is believed to have begun in Germany in the 18th century though many argue that Martin Lutherbegan the tradition in the 16th century. From Germany the custom was introduced to England, first via Queen Charlotte, wife of George III, and then more successfully by Prince Albert during the early reign of Queen Victoria. Theinfluential 1840s image of the Queen’s decorated evergreen was republished in the U.S, and as the first widely circulated picture of a decorated Christmas tree in America, the custom there spread. Christmas trees may be decorated with lights and ornaments.

In North and South America, Australia, and Europe, it is traditional to decorate the outside of houses with lights and sometimes with illuminated sleighssnowmen, and other Christmas figures. Municipalities often sponsor decorations as well. Christmas banners may be hung from street lights and Christmas trees placed in the town square.

Many districts and landmarks in New York City have become well known to its approximately 50 million annual visitors. Times Square, iconified as “The Crossroads of the World”, is the brightly illuminated hub of the Broadway theater district, one of the world’s busiest pedestrian intersections, and a major center of the world’s entertainment industry. The city hosts many world renownedbridges, skyscrapers, and parks. New York City’s financial district, anchored by Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, functions as the financial capital of the world and is home to the New York Stock Exchange, the world’s largest stock exchange by total market capitalization of its listed companies. Manhattan’s real estate market is among the most expensive in the world. Manhattan’s Chinatownincorporates the highest concentration of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere. Unlike most global rapid transit systems, the New York City Subway is designed to provide 24/7 service.Numerous colleges and universities are located in New York, including Columbia UniversityNew York University, and Rockefeller University, which are ranked among the top 50 in the world.

Link: Photography by McGraphics

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See Christmas in St Louis

I just add Christmas in St Louis to Photography by McGraphics. There are photos from the past and now. You will see photos of snowmen, Christmas trees, Christmas decorations, Christmas ornaments, Christmas light, Gingerbread houses, and Santa Clause.

Christmas decoration is any of several types of decorations used at Christmastime. The traditional colours of Christmas are pine green (evergreen), snow white, and heart red. Blue and white are often used to represent winter, or sometimes Hanukkah, which occurs around the same time. Gold and silver are also very common, as are just about any other metallic colour. Typical icons of the holiday include Baby JesusSanta Claus, and the star of Bethlehem. Typical winter icons include snowflakessnowmenicicles, and even penguins and polar bear.

In North and South America, Australia, and Europe, it is traditional to decorate the outside of houses with lights and sometimes with illuminated sleighssnowmen, and other Christmas figures. Municipalities often sponsor decorations as well. Christmas banners may be hung from street lights and Christmas trees placed in the town square.

Link: Photography by McGraphics

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Gigapan Photos

This is an example of the Gigapan technology. Gigapan is designed to meet the most challenging needs of McGraphics in capturing ultra high resolution images and allows us to create panoramas that are amazingly crisp and vivid.

Click on small snapshots below and see what happens.

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Kurt Warner and Dick Vermeil

Kurt Warner and Dick Vermeil at a golf outing at Fox Run Golf Club

Richard Albert “Dick” Vermeil (born October 30, 1936) is a former American head coach for the National Football League‘s Philadelphia Eagles (1976–1982), St. Louis Rams (1997-1999) and Kansas City Chiefs (2001-2005). He is in the Sid Gillman coaching tree and has coached at every level; Vermeil owns the distinction of being named “Coach of the Year” on four levels: High School, Junior College, NCAA Division I and Professional Football.

Kurtis Eugene “Kurt” Warner (born June 22, 1971) is a retired, and former quarterback for the Arizona CardinalsNew York Giants, and St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1994, after playing college football at Northern Iowa.